Outfit: End of May

It’s the last day of May today and it’s raining. In some ways May seems to have gone quickly (it doesn’t seem that long since they were playing the Bee Gees’ First of May on the radio) but in other it seems to have dragged on (it was payday last Friday but there’s been almost another week of May since that). Anyway, along with the rain has come a dip in temperature so sleeves were a necessity. I went for my peep toe booties so that I could still have bare legs and toes. However, I think open/strappy shoes look odd with a coat and I definitely needed a raincoat today. The boots work well and keep me well above the puddles too!

Last night I went to Wetherspoon’s with the drama group gang and we had a great time. I’ve not been there for my tea in ages - I seem to have missed the last few birthday get-togethers, so it was lovely to catch up with everyone. Tonight I have a singing rehearsal for the concert at the end of June with the same group.

Black and cream wrap dress – Dorothy Perkins Tall
Black leather belt – local boutique
Turquoise cami – Dorothy Perkins Tall
Black suede booties – Miss Sixty (eBay)
Turquoise necklace – gifted
Turquoise wrist wrap – gifted

Total Est. Cost £64

Outfit: Black Dress

My camera battery was dying this morning (my own fault I have been meaning to charge it all week and kept forgetting) so most of my pictures came out blurry. These were the only useable ones.

Last night I went to step class at the gym and it was hard work – the temperature outside probably didn’t help. I just spent the rest of the evening relaxing and we watched Jimmy and the Giant Supermarket on Channel 4 – a farmer’s attempt to take on Tesco and produce basics such as meatballs and sausages from free range meat, at an affordable price.

Tonight I am out for my tea at the local Wetherspoon’s with the drama group gang.

Black dress – George at ASDA
Pink jacket – Long Tall Sally (eBay)
Taupe shoes – LK Bennett (c/o Sarenza)
Pink belt – charity shop
Whitby Jet cross – gifted
Silver hoops – gifted
Silver cuff – M&S (free on 3 for 2 offer)

Total Est. Cost £29

Outfit: Dressy Tuesday

I find a dress so much easier than separates when it comes to looking smart in warm weather, and I would do well to remember that. I added my black shrug to ward off the morning chill and that from the office air conditioning. I didn’t get any pictures with it on though – I should have done.

Last night I didn’t make it to the gym: by the time I’d driven to the station and back, got home and made tea it was too late. I’ll go to step class tonight instead. I did manage to get the ironing done though.

So yesterday’s shoes went straight on the eBay pile when I got home. I had to take them off mid-morning and was forced to break my rule of ‘no flip flops in the office’, whilst also commending myself for having brought my flip flops as back up in the first place. My only consolation was that they were Reef ones, not Primark. Today’s shoes are far more sensible and possibly my current favourite pair of flats.

Grey dress – Long Tall Sally
Black shrug - Long Tall Sally (eBay)
Red suede flats – Jones The Bootmaker
Red belt – Next
Red beads – eBay
Silver hoops – gifted
Black and silver bracelets – gifted

Total Est. Cost £75

Outfit: Sunny Monday

The high temperatures are set to peak at around 27°C today before cooling off a bit the rest of the week (if the forecast is to be believed). So it was another day for bare legs and sandals. These wedges arrived from eBay last week but they are destined to go straight back on there as they straps are rubbing my heels at the back. I’m not counting them as a shoe save for that reason. It’s a shame as the rest of the shoe is really comfy – nicely padded leather insole and lovely soft leather strap across the toes.

I am supposed to be going to the gym tonight but I also have to pick up the young man from the train station so it will depend whether his train is on time as to whether I make the gym.

Brown denim skirt – John Rocha (charity shop)
Blue tank – Dorothy Perkins Tall
Blue cardi – Ethel Austin
Brown leather wedges – LK Bennett (eBay)
Blue bangle – Diamonds and Pearls
Blue heart necklace – Scope
Silver hoops – gifted

Total Est. Cost £25

Outfit: Shoeper Challenge 2012 #41 and a Weekend Recap

No pictures from Saturday. I was just in my cropped jeans and a leopard print tank with my flip flops. I went to visit my sister and niece again and we went for a walk with little Miss M in the pram and got ice cream. Then I went to visit my parents.

Call me old fashioned, but I like to have my shoulders covered in church. Hence the addition of the shrug/cardi over my dress yesterday, even though it was forecast to be hot again.

Sunday morning we were up bright and early as the young man was going to a christening with his mate (I don’t know the parents of the baby as they are neighbours of the mate’s) and I went off to my own church. I knew the lads had been invited for drinks and nibbles at the pub after the christening so I watched an episode of Flying Doctors whilst I had my lunch, then put on my shorts (and plenty of factor 30 – my arm got burned just driving back from church) and went outside to wash my car. I’d stopped at Tesco on my way home and picked up some Yoo Moo frozen yoghurt, so that was a nice post-car washing treat and I spent the rest of the afternoon sitting in the garden reading In Style magazine and catching up with Facebook and Twitter.

The lads arrived back for a barbeque at tea time which was a lovely way to round off the weekend.

These shoes are by Nine West and were bought about four or five years ago in the Debenhams sale and make an appearance every summer. They are a good neutral shoe and have a little padding in the sole which makes them fairly comfortable to wear.

Black and cream striped dress – charity shop
Black shrug – New Look
Pink shoes – Nine West (Debenhams)
Black patent belt – free with a top
Whitby Jet cross – gifted
Silver hoops – gifted
Black and silver bracelets - gifted

Total Est. Cost £35

Outfit: Friday

It’s set to be hot and sunny again today and you may think that a heavy knitted jacket is not the wisest choice, but between the openish weave and the ¾ length sleeves it’s enough to keep me warm against the office air conditioning but not to make me melt in the heat.

I never used to wear pale denims but when we were in Australia last winter they were everywhere and they just seemed so right in the hot weather. I’ve had this cropped pair for years and they were just the thing for today.

Last night I gave the singing rehearsal a miss as I was still coughing, but we ended up having a BBQ in the sunshine for tea.

Black and white knitted jacket – Topshop Tall (eBay)
Black top – Dorothy Perkins Tall
Jeans – New Look
Leopard print shoes – LK Bennett (eBay)
Red beads – eBay
Red and cream bangles – gifted
Silver hoops – gifted

Total Est. Cost £70

Thursday Latelies

Here's what I've been enjoying and am thankful for this week!

• Radio 2 – You can be making the tea on a quiet Sunday evening and suddenly Radio 2 will play something completely random yet completely awesome such as the Blossom theme tune. That happened this past Sunday and that is why I love that radio station. 

• Night Nurse cough and cold medicine – the thing that has been helping me sleep at night this week! I still wake up coughing, but not nearly as much as I would had I not been taking this stuff. 

• Sunglasses – since I got my contact lenses my eyes have become really sensitive to sunlight. Now that the weather has finally improved my large tortoiseshell sunglasses from Claire’s Accessories are pretty much glued to my head (I even turned my car around this morning when I got part way down the street and realised I didn’t have them with me). They weren’t expensive but they are so comfy I can wear them all day and they don’t dig in behind my ears. Sometimes I even forget they are on the top of my head as I can’t feel them.

Outfit: Shoeper Challenge 2012 #40 and Another Sunny Day

I am loving the weather this week! Summer has arrived with a vengeance and we need to make the most of it because in the UK, who knows how long it will last?

Last night I sat in the garden in the sunshine again reading Gok’s Work Your Wardrobe book, and I also managed to squeeze in an episode of Flying Doctors on DVD. Tonight I have a drama group singing rehearsal but I’m not sure how much singing I’ll be doing as I’m still coughing a bit.

I’m back on it with the shoe saving – two pairs in two days! These are by Roberto Vianni and were bought in the Debenhams sale many years ago. They come out every summer as they are a good alternative to sandals being so open but still being a shoe.

Brown shrug – Long Tall Sally (eBay)
Leopard print tank – River Island
Beige trousers – Topshop Tall
Brown shoes – Roberto Vianni (Debenhams)
Brown metal bangles – Dorothy Perkins
Wood bangles – gifted
Wood heart necklace – Scope
Silver hoops – gifted

Total Est. Cost £69

Outfit: Shoeper Challenge 2012 #39 and Dressing For Summer

I don’t know about you, but I find dressing for summer a bit of a challenge. What to wear to keep cool outside but not freeze inside in the air conditioning? How much skin to expose to stay cool, still be office appropriate and avoid sunburn? No, much as I love the warm weather I am far more at home layering up in sweaters and jackets.

Last night I went to the mall on my way home and got a few little treats for my new niece. Well, they are more treats for my sister as my niece is a bit little to appreciate them yet, but whatever. It was a whopping 26°C outside so I didn’t linger long and headed home to put my shorts on and sit in the garden. It stayed warm right up to around 10pm which was fabulous compared to the freezing cold nights of late. It made such a change to have the windows open instead of the fire and heating being on.

So, another pair of shoes is safe in the challenge. I have had a mini cull this week and my total is currently down to 77. So that puts me over halfway there with my saves. Awesome. These wedges were bought two summers ago from River Island, and I hold Shoeperwoman herself responsible for me buying them as she did nothing but rave about how comfy they are for several weeks after she purchased them. And she’s right, they are pretty comfy. The platform part of the wedge is so high that you don’t really feel like you are wearing heels, and the lining is fabric so they don’t rub at all.

Red cardi – Long Tall Sally (eBay)
White t – Dorothy Perkins Tall
Black and white polka dot skirt – New Look (charity shop)
Red wedges – River Island
Red beads – eBay
Silver hoops – gifted

Total Est. Cost £55

Outfit: Vintage Frock

This is the dress I got at the vintage fair on Saturday. Do you see what I mean about the sleeves? It would be a crime to cover them up! So it’s just as well the weather has finally warmed up. It was 13°C at 7.30am this morning (that’s warmer than it’s got most days throughout April and May) and we are promised highs of 25°C today. The dress is by Nikki Stevens and the only information I can find about her is that she made dresses in the 1970s. I love this one because the length is perfect for me – often dresses with full skirts are mini length and therefore too short for work, but this one is just right.

Last night I skipped the gym as planned (don’t think they’d have wanted me and my hacking cough in the class somehow) but I did a workout involving Just Dance on the Wii, some weights and abs exercises, and some general dancing to cheesy party tunes. I felt like I’d done a gym class by the end of it.

This afternoon I am heading off to the mall to buy a gift for my new niece (my sister has given me instructions of what I am to get for her!) and I am looking forward to getting out in the sunshine!

Navy dress – Vintage Nikki Stevens (vintage fair)
Navy wedges – LK Bennett (c/o Sarenza)
Tan Obi belt – ASOS
Navy heart necklace – Scope
Wooden bangles – gifted
Blue/black ring – charity shop
Silver hoops – gifted

Total Est. Cost £24