New OOTD - Time For A Bit Of Military & Antique Finds

Morning lovely ladies.

So today hubby & I are having a day off the 'to do' list & are off out for the day on a little jaunt & a long lazy lunch to continue his birthday celebrations.  So in honour of the occasion I'm breaking out my new jacket.  I've been dying for an excuse to wear it & definitely don't plan on keeping it for best but for it's first outing I wanted it to be special :-)

Jacket - Isabel Marant

Breton - Uniqlo

Bracelets - Ashiana & Monica Vinader

Bag - eBay

Trousers - Zara

Trainers - Golden Goose

Jacket - Mango £79.99

Breton - Fat Face £20

Bag - eBay £47.50

Trousers - Boden Currently £34.65

Trainers - Baukjen £75

Finally after mentioning the other day that we were off to an antiques fair I had a few requests to share our finds.  I have to admit that we didn't come away with as many pieces as normal but what we did get I'm delighted with.  Of course the fact that the fair wasn't as big as normal may have had something to do with the fact that storm Katie was currently doing the rounds, but that didn't stop us coming away with a couple of great finds.  So for those of you who are interested, here's what we bought.

Firstly this lovely wooden box, which now lives on top of my dressing table to house all my make up & was bought for £27.

Then this lovely painting which now has pride of place over our bed & was £55.

And finally our bargain buy this stunning chair which fits perfectly in our hallway & was secured for just £20!

This was about our 4/5th visit to the Antique & Flea Fair at Malvern & each time we've come away with some great buys including stunning crystal wine glasses & decanters, beautiful decorative silver plated cutlery, fish servers & a meat carving set & various pieces of furniture some of which I've previously featured here.  If it's something you've thought about going to but never got round to I can definitely recommend it.  It's amazing what pieces you will find - every time we go I always wish I needed more furniture as there are some stunning pieces & of course you can get some real bargains.  For anyone interested in the one we go to you can find details of the next fair here.  My only advice would be get there as early as you can, as from mid morning you can end up spending ages in the car queueing just to park, make sure you have cash on you as obviously a number of traders only deal in cash & lastly make sure your boot is empty!!

Right we're off to begin our adventure but before I leave you just a quick heads up that Boden have just launched 20% off all full priced items + an extra 20% off their mid-season sale!  Click here to get shopping & remember to use code 5H3A at checkout.   You can see my picks from their latest collection here & here.

See you tomorrow.

Boden Summer Essentials & WIWT

Now we all know I love a bit of Boden & once again they've got some really stunning pieces this season.  I've already highlighted some of my picks here & I've even been lucky enough for Boden to send me a few pieces too.

But before I share with you my new additions I wanted to highlight my key picks - all items that I'd happily love to house in my wardrobe, that would make great additions & are guaranteed to bring new life into your wardrobes this Spring/Summer.

Top £39.50

Top £49.50

Top £49.50

Silk Shirt £99.50

Sandals £59.50

Bracelet Currently £15.75

Espadrille £69.50

Dress £79.50

Skirt £44.50

Swimsuit £49.50

Dress Currently £55.65

So any guesses which four things I decided to choose?  A hard decision I'm sure you'll agree but in the end I picked the following.

Broderie Top £59.50 (Also Available In Chambray)

Soft Suede Clutch £79.50 (Also Available In Navy)

Cropped Vintage Raw Edge Jeans £59.50

Broderie Tunic Dress £69.50 (Also Available In Cream)

Naturally I had to have a trying on session - anyone else do this when they get something new?  I don't know about you but I just love seeing if new additions are going to work with my existing wardrobe & work with the outfits I've already formed in my head.

So first up the tunic dress.  I was a little unsure whether to go for the cream version but in the end I decided on the blue tunic as I thought it would be much more practical in terms of colour & also more flattering without a tan so would hopefully get more wear.  I'm wearing a size 8 in the regular length & I would say the fit is spot on - not too tight or loose & a great length plus not too short to be revealing but not too long that it requires heels.

I had been a little unsure if the blue of the tunic would look more purple in real life but in fact it's a gorgeous shade of blue which I would describe as deep royal blue.  

The dress is the perfect mix of slub cotton mixed with stunning woven broderie detailing & is a great little dress for both day or evening wear & it's certainly coming with us on our summer holidays.

Heidi Tunic Dress £69.50

Dress - Boden £69.50

Necklace - Harry Rocks

Bag - Accessorize, similar here

Sandals - Topshop £52

Onto the broderie top next & I think the only words to describe this are stunning, perfect, a wardrobe must have & oops I've also ordered this in the chambray colour way I love it that much!  I went with my normal size 8 with this so no need to size up, as can sometimes be the case.  I'm sure you will agree it has the most stunning detailing.

Broderie Top £59.50

Blouse - Boden £59.50

Blazer - Marks & Spencer, similar here

Cuff Bracelet - Mango £9.99

Jeans - Zara, similar here

Shoes - Zara, Similar here

Moving onto the jeans & having invested in a couple of black raw edged pair of jeans my wardrobe was lacking in the blue denim department but this pair fit the bill.  Super comfy, slightly higher waisted (so perfect for keeping everything tucked in!) & the most gorgeous shade of denim.  Size wise I had to size down in these as my normal size were too big on the waist & slightly a little to loose on the leg too.    Length wise I'm 5'7" & would say the cropped length is spot on.

Cropped Vintage Raw Edge Jeans £59.50

The finally the clutch.  This is just the softest suede ever - I just want to keep stroking it!  Plus it's a great size & will certainly add a great pop of colour to any outfit....I'm very tempted to order the navy too :-0

Soft Suede Clutch £79.50 (Also Available In Navy)

I love the jeans so much I'm wearing them today.  

Blazer - Marks & Spencer

Necklace - Harry Rocks

T-Shirt - Zara

Cuff Bracelet - Mango £9.99

Jeans - Boden

Bag - eBay My Offer of £45 + Postage Was Accepted

Trainers - Golden Goose

Blazer - Hush £65

Necklace - Harry Rocks From £150

T-Shirt - Boden £22.50

Jeans - Boden £59.50

Bag - John Lewis £89

Trainers - Marks & Spencer £49.50

So ladies have you got your eye on anything from Boden's latest collection?  I know I say this every time but they really have upped their game over recent years haven't they?!  Plus don't forget it's the last day of their up to 50% mid season sale - see here & use code 5H3A.

Have a lovely day & I'll see you in the morning.

OOTD - Neutrals

Morning ladies, today I bringing out a lot of my wardrobe basics & wearing an ever favourite colour combo of blue & grey & adding a splash of interest with some leopard print.  I'm even getting the ankles out, albeit with pop socks!

Jumper - Marks & Spencer

Shirt - Zara

Jeans - Boden

Shoes - Zara

Jumper - Marks & Spencer £75

Shirt - Mango £19.99

Jeans - Boden £59.50

Shoes - Boden £79.50

So huuby & I have got the rest of the week off work but not sure our son appreciated this fact when he was the only one getting up & ready for work this morning, although I think it helped when I pointed out I had a 'to do' list!!

For those of you also still enjoying the Easter holidays have a great day & if you're back at work just remember it's a nice short one :-)  Ooh & something to perhaps ease the return to work - Boden's mid season sale is now up to 50% off with free delivery - see here & use code 5H3A at checkout plus Office Shoes have just launched up to 50% off here.

OOTD - Styling A Sweatshirt

Happy Bank Holiday Monday ladies.

It's a busy day for us - hubby's birthday so lots of celebrations starting with the obligatory confetti canon to wake him up then we're off out early to an antique fair before coming home & crashing on the sofa for a cosy night in & films galore!

Seeing as we're out at silly o'clock to hopefully grab some bargains I'm going with comfort & layers for warmth as there's nothing worse than being outside all day & being cold.  Plus it's the perfect opportunity to break out one of my Mother's Day gifts of this lovely slogan sweatshirt - a jumper that I'm proud to wear as firstly it was given to me by my wonderful son & secondly because a third of the price of the sweatshirt goes towards the charity MotherToMothers which trains, employs & empowers mothers living with HIV - you can see more of their range here.

Sweatshirt - Selfish Mother

Jeans - Zara

Scarf - Joules

Trainers - Golden Goose

Sweatshirt - Selfish Mother

Jeans - Mint Velvet £79

Scarf - Becksondergaard £69

Trainers - Boden £79.50

Naturally I've also got my Hush parka for an extra layer & depending on what the ground is like may have to swap my trainers for boots.

Hope everyone has a lovely Bank Holiday.  I'll see you in the morning.

A Spring Essential & WIWT For Easter Sunday

Happy Easter - I'm hoping we're not the only ones to think that today means chocolate for breakfast is compulsory?!!  Obviously the normal bran flakes & granola have been abandoned in place of some mini eggs & cookies this morning ;-0

So this morning I thought I'd take a look at one of my wardrobe 'must haves'.  Now we all know I love a jacket or two.  Yup it's fair to say that in my eyes you can never have enough jackets but something that can perhaps be sneaked under knitwear as opposed to a jacket is a knitted jacket!  Super useful & for those of you that feel a blazer is too much like workwear a little less formal for throwing on of a weekend.

Here's just a few ways I would suggest you can style said knitted jacket.

Knitted Jacket - La Redoute Currently £29.40 With Code BIG40

Maxi Dress - Boden Currently £62.65

Shoes - Boden £79.50

Knitted Jacket - La Redoute Currently £29.40 With Code BIG40

T-Shirt - Boden Currently £18

Boyfriend Jeans - Mint Velvet £79

Trainers - Boden £69.50

Knitted Jacket - La Redoute Currently £29.40 With Code BIG40

Blouse - Boden £59.50

Biker Trousers - Zara £39.99

Bag - John Lewis £89

Ballet Pumps - Marks & Spencer £15

And here are my picks from the high street.

La Redoute Currently £29.40 With Code BIG40

Hush Currently £63 Wth Code EASTER16

Hush Currently £63 With Code EASTER16

Hobbs £79

Hush Currently £72 With Code EASTER16

Mint Velvet £89

Wrap London £99

Mint Velvet Currently £69

Wrap London £99

Jaeger £199

Back to today & we've departing from our normal Easter Sunday of cooking a traditional roast at home & are instead popping out to our local for lunch with my mum & partner.  The plan was to walk the mile to & from the pub to offset some of the calories but in view of the weather forecast I think we're going to be give that idea a miss & drive instead, which is a result in terms of footwear & no sensible shoes/trainers needed :-)

So I'm bringing out my Zara pleathers & teaming with a new Marks blazer that I just happened to spot in store - the only one left in my size, need I say any more?!!!

Blazer - Marks & Spencer

Necklace - Harry Rocks

T-Shirt - Zara

Cuff - Mango £9.99

Pleather Trousers - Zara

Shoes - Zara

Blazer - Hush Currently £58.50 With Code EASTER16

Necklace - Harry Rocks From £150

T-Shirt - Boden Currently £18

Cuff - Mango £9.99

Pleather Trousers - French Connection £80

Shoes - Boden £79.50

Happy Easter - here's to eating lots of chocolate & enjoying the feeling of knowing there's another Bank Holiday in the morning :-)  Oh & I hope you remembered to change the clocks!

OOTD - Dressed Down Sequins

Happy Saturday!

We've got a nice quiet day at home so I'm hoping to get a few more Spring cleaning jobs from yesterday completed - oh how the hubby is going to love that!!

In view of our quiet day I'm keeping today's outfit nice & casual but throwing in a few sequins & breaking out a new jumper that I was lucky to be sent from Mana Mou, an online boutique run by two sisters that stock some great garments at fantastic prices.  Can you believe this jumper is only £25?!  Available in several colours & it's a one size fits all style, with fitted sleeves & loose fit body.  Perfect for glamming up a pair of jeans or shorts come the warmer months & the quality & feel of the knit is lovely.  I have to admit to being a little worried that the jumper would feel huge on me seeing as it fits a size 6 to a 14 but because of the style it fits really well & I just love the loose fit in contrast to the fitted sleeves.

Jumper - Mana Mou

Jeans - Zara

Bracelets - Bella Jane Jewellery

Boots - Zara

Jumper - Mana Mou £25

Jeans - Boden Currently £49.50

Ankle Boots - Dune Currently £90

Have a great Saturday & I'll see you in the morning.

OOTD - Keeping It Simple

Oh how I love a Bank Holiday.  I don't know about you but we've just about made it to Easter weekend & we're all desperately ready for a few days at home not having to worry about the time.

I'm keeping things pretty simple & understated today for a hopefully productive day getting a few jobs crossed off the 'to do' list.    For us the 'luxury' of a long weekend when we're all at home means weather permitting we can start tackling the garden, cutting back & clearing out ready for the better weather.  Although it's probably a little too soon to start planting the veg but we can at least get everything dug over.  Although with my on going back niggles I'm thinking I may have to take take more of a supervisory role this year but we'll see ;-)

Anyway back to today & I'm bringing out the Zara pleather leggings which were £9.99 in the sale when I bought them a couple of years ago so they really don't owe me anything in terms of wear.

Blouse - Uniqlo

Cardigan - Marks & Spencer

Pleather Leggings - Zara

Trainers - Golden Goose

Blouse - Uniqlo Currently £19.90

Cardigan - Boden Currently £53.70

Faux Leather Leggings - French Connection £80

Trainers - Boden £79.50

Off to see the  new Batman v Superman Dawn of Justice film tonight so fingers crossed all the fresh air from being outside won't make me too sleep!  How about you/  Anyone up to anything exciting for Good Friday or are you just enjoying the luxury of an extra lie in & the thought of a long weekend?  Chocolate, a long weekend & the thought of lighter, sunnier times can only be a good thing in my book so enjoy!

Have a great day & I'll see you in the morning.

New Outfit Post - Styling Knee High Boots

Morning ladies, I don't know about you but I love a short week, although I keep thinking today is Friday & not Thursday!!

Various bits & pieces to do today including clearing my desk as I'm extending the Bank Holiday weekend & having the following week off work  :-)  So in celebration of Easter  I'm bringing out my Wallis knee highs again & teaming with some skinny jeans, my H&M breton & a military jacket.

Jacket - Mango

Breton - 

Bag - Clarks

Jeans - Zara

Boots - Wallis

Jacket - Mango £79.99

Breton - Joules £24.95

Bag -Boden Currently £87.20

Jeans - Boden Currently £49.50

Boots -Wallis Now £46

Hope everyone has a great day & in readiness for the Bank Holiday weekend there's a few discount codes doing the rounds.  Firstly get 10% off plus free delivery & returns with Hush click here & use discount code EASTER16, plus Baukjen have got up to 50% off their mid season sale here, House of Fraser have just launched their big brand sale here & finally Clarks have just launched 20% off all full priced adults styles here, use code BUNNY at check out.

Happy shopping & I'll see you in the morning.

A Spring Cover Up & WIWT Styling Up A Breton

Now we all know I love a jacket or two!!  Understatement of the century I know but in my mind I don't think you can ever have enough jackets - I mean really the possibilities are endless when you factor in different styles, colours etc.

But one style that is really useful for investing in for casual days is a khaki military/overshirt style.    Perfect for teaming with a breton or pretty white top & in my eyes its the Spring equivalent of the Winter parka.  Just one of those jackets that will go with most things & can literally be thrown on as you're going out the door.

I've got an old lighter Zara one that comes out to play most years, although I often think about investing in a new one & there are lots of temptations on the high street tempting me this year.  But before I share with you my picks, I thought I'd show you a few ways of styling the jacket, just so you can see how versatile it really is.

Jacket - Topshop £39

Dress - Boden £99.50

Loafers - John Lewis £59

Jacket - Topshop £45

Breton - Joules £24.95

Trousers - Boden Currently £34.65

Ballet Pumps - Marks & Spencer £15

Jacket - Hush Currently £58.50 With Discount Code EASTER16

Top - Boden £59.50

Jeans - Mint Velvet £79

Trainers -Marks & Spencer £49.50

So what's out there on the high street at the moment?  Well lots of beauties & if I were to invest in a new version these are my tops picks that I'd definitely choose from.

Next £38

Topshop £39

Topshop £42

Topshop £45

Topshop £45

Superdry £55

Hush Currently £53.10 With Discount Code EASTER16

Hush Currently £58.50 With Discount Code EASTER16

Boden £79.50

Abercrombie & Fitch £140

Maison Scotch £164.95

Ralph Lauren £170

Back to today & I'm going with a spot of pattern clashing with the ever useful breton & a dash of 'Bet'.

Coatigan - Zara

Breton - H&M

Bag - Osprey

Belt - Bought in Majorca

Jeans - Zara

Boots - Boden

Coatigan - Zara £39.99

Breton - Joules £24.95

Bag - Marks & Spencer £15

Belt - La Redoute £26

Jeans - Boden £59.50

Ballet Pumps - French Sole Now £52

So ladies what do you think?  Are you a lover of this type of jacket?  If so do you prefer a plain khaki number or are you a lover of a spot of camouflage?  Or perhaps it's something you look at each year but have yet to 'click that button'?  As always I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Have a lovely day & before I leave you a quick heads up that Boden's mid season sale starts today!  Click here to see what's been reduced by 40% & get free delivery - don't forget to use code 5H3A at checkout.