Outfit: Forgetful Tuesday

When I planned this outfit, I was going to put a black and white striped shirt under the dress, and wear a yellow belt. But when I was laying out my clothes last night, I clean forgot about the shirt and decided the rest of the outfit was a bit dull so I added in the purple belt and tights, and the scarf. It wasn’t until I was halfway to work this morning that I remembered about the shirt. D’oh!

So I survived Boot Camp last night: I just have to get through Step class and Body Conditioning tonight. It will be worth it though: my reward is a meal out at the local pub tomorrow. Tonight’s tea is in the slow cooker again – sausages in a tomato sauce and I just have to cook some pasta to go with it.

Black knit dress – Long Tall Sally
Purple tights – George at ASDA
Yellow wedges – Matalan
Purple belt – Ethel Austin
Yellow and green scarf – unknown
Whitby Jet cross – gifted
Silver hoops – gifted

Total Est. Cost £65

Outfit: Pants Monday

It was cold and frosty out again this morning – just as winter should be if you ask me. We’ve had too many weeks of mild, wet weather so I’m pleased to get some proper cold dry weather for a change. Though a little snow wouldn’t go amiss either.

Cord trousers today, and I find it funny how I always associate cord with being cosy. I mean, it’s just cotton. I should really be any warmer than denim but somehow it is. I think it’s the soft, velvety feel that does it.

I feel like I’m having a really good hair-day today. I put mousse on it before I dried it with my Babyliss Big Hair last night, and I think that’s what’s made the difference. I will try that again next time I blow dry it. I hardly touched it with the GHDs this morning – just tidied up my fringe and flattened down the ends a little bit. The rest was all the work of the Big Hair. I love that thing!

Today won’t actually be pants (in the British sense of the word) at all. I’m meeting a friend for a coffee, tea is already prepared and should be smelling delish by the time I get home, and it’s Boot Camp night at the gym tonight. I’m going to attempt three classes this week – Boot Camp tonight, and then Step and Body Con tomorrow. Whether I will still be able to walk on Wednesday/Thursday remains to be seen!

This sweater is another recent eBay purchase and it arrived this week. It replaces the LTS red sweater I wore the other week and decided was too big for me.

Red sweater – Long Tall Sally (eBay)
White top – H&M
Brown cords – Long Tall Sally (eBay)
Red shoes – Hush Puppies (c/o Sarenza)
Red beads – eBay
Silver hoops – gifted

Total Est. Cost £35

Outfit: Sunday School

It was my day to do Sunday school so I was up in good time and went off to church. I had layered up my outfit, and was glad I had done as it was pretty cold in church, and pretty cold in the hall where my class is taught.

On the way back I did the Tesco shop, then came home and heated some soup and made beans on toast with cheese for dinner.

In the afternoon I defrosted the freezer, made some leek and potato soup for this week’s dinners, and watched a couple of episodes of Flying Doctors. Then I made a chicken casserole with dumplings for tea, and prepared a beef stew to go in the slow cooker for tomorrow’s tea at the same time. We spent the evening watching Top Gear.

So, yes, I bought a third one of these Bench sweaters – this is the cream I have on here. This one was just a fiver on eBay though, so I am very pleased to have got three colours for less than the full price of one bought new.

Black blazer – Long Tall Sally
Cream sweater – Bench (eBay)
Jeans – Topshop Tall (op shop in Manly)
Turquoise flats – New Look
Turquoise leather belt – H&M
Turquoise scarf – H&M

Total Est. Cost £81

Outfit: Afternoon Tea

Saturday morning dawned cold and sunny. I had an appointment at the beauty salon so I headed off into the village after breakfast. I had to go to the Post Office, then I went to my appointment. I had a couple of other errands to run too – to the butcher for some chicken and some cooked meats, then to the Co-op for milk, scones and cake. Yes, I was planning afternoon tea.

I got home and we had some soup for dinner, then I pottered about doing some washing, vaccing, and watching some Flying Doctors. Then I made a start on the afternoon tea. We had it in the front room by the fire – mini sandwiches, warm scones with jam and cream, brownie, caramel shortbread and a pot of tea. I wish I’d taken a picture of the table. We had a quiet evening in watching a movie – The Rock.

This is another Bench sweater – bought for a tenner from eBay. It’s the same as the black one I already have. I love these sweaters, they’re so warm and cosy. I may have scored a third one on eBay too...

Brown sweater – Bench (eBay)
Jeans – Topshop Tall (op shop in Manly)
Leopard print scarf – H&M
Brown cowboy boots – New Look
Cream leather belt – gifted

Total Est. Cost £73

Outfit: Accessories Make All The Difference

Today’s outfit is really quite a basic one. Stripe t shirt, jeans, black cardi – a bit dull, right? But then when you add in a few accessories – boots, faux fur scarf, funky belt – the whole thing is lifted and becomes just that little bit different. The inspiration for the basic outfit came from Good Life For Less.

I wasn’t going to wear boots today. I was going to get in my penultimate shoe challenge and wear heels today. But then I woke up and heard rain lashing the window. And having forgotten to change my shoes when I went for milk at dinnertime yesterday I ended up walking further in my heels than was comfortable, so my feet still hurt a bit and I may have come to regret wearing heels, albeit low ones. So the flat boots it is then.

I got the faux fur scarf in H&M last weekend. I wanted a length of faux fur to use as a collar for cardigans, without having to actually invest in a new cardigan. I love this particular scarf as the colour means it will go with pretty much anything, and it is nice and long so I can belt it if I want to. The only downside is that it is shedding fluff!

Last night I had a quiet night in, reading my book and doing a few chores. Today I need to drop some bits in at the charity shop and go to the Post Office. I also need to plan my lesson for my Junior Church class on Sunday.

Black cardi – New Look Tall
Green and navy stripe t – H& M
Jeans – River Island
Cream belt – gifted
Tan boots – Barratts
Silver hoops – gifted
Silver and diamante necklace – gifted
Faux fur scarf – H&M

Total Est. Cost £132

Outfit: Inspired by Saucy Glossie

When I was thinking the other day about what to wear today, I’d only got as far as the booties and the tights until I saw this post on Saucy Glossie. I knew I had a pale grey patterned shirt and a cream sweater, and that the pale grey check would go with the tights I had planned. As I can only wear jeans on a Friday, subbing in a denim skirt was a no brainer and voilà! An outfit was born. And I was just thinking how I should wear my shirts more often. The tights are called Ice and are by Jonathan Aston, courtesy of Tights Please. They had been languishing, unworn, in my box of coloured tights for far too long so I am pleased to bring them out today.

Last night I went to see The Iron Lady at the cinema. It was a real trip down memory lane for some 80s nostalgia, and I learned a lot about Margaret Thatcher’s life too. For instance, I had no idea she had stood for election as an MP as far back as 1950. All the major political events of the 1980s were featured, including of course the Brighton Hotel bombing in 1984. I can remember my parents telling me about it at the time – they said that the IRA had tried to blow up Mrs Thatcher and the Conservative Party at their annual conference in Brighton, but that Mrs Thatcher and her husband had both escaped unhurt. I guess it would have been on Newsround too. I was five and a half at the time. The following summer Live Aid took place, but I knew nothing of that, I guess because my parents just weren’t (and still aren’t) interested in pop music so to them, it wasn’t important.

I can’t remember hearing about the miners’ strikes and pit closures in the 80s, but I do remember the frequent power cuts that accompanied them, and how my mom would always have candles around the house, for when the lights went out. I was too young to remember the Falkland’s War, but I do remember the introduction of the Poll Tax in 1989, what lead to Margaret Thatcher’s demise. It was fun watching the movie and spotting who all the government ministers were supposed to be – the makeup and characterisation was excellent. And of course Meryl Streep was totally convincing as Mrs Thatcher, even if she did look a bit more like Princess Anne at times.

Growing up in the 1980s was an excellent time for a young girl though. I can remember my parents being big fans of the BBC comedy series Yes, Prime Minister and for the life of me not being able to understand why the Prime Minister in it was a man. To me, the Prime Minister had always been a woman (Mrs Thatcher came to power about 3 weeks after I was born) and I couldn’t see why the post wouldn’t always be held by a woman.

Wow, how’s that for rambling on?! I’d better stop there I guess and leave you with what you came for: the details of my outfit. What is the first major news event you remember hearing about as a child?

Cream sweater – Topshop Tall
Grey check shirt – New Look Tall
Denim skirt – Jasper Conran (Debenhams)
Grey tights – Jonathan Aston (c/o Tights Please)
Black faux fur trim booties – c/o Deichmann Shoes
Whitby Jet cross – gifted
Black studded belt – free with a pair of trousers
Silver hoops – gifted

Total Est. Cost £89

Outfit: eBay Rocks!

One of the reasons why I love eBay is displayed in my outfit today. You may remember a couple of weeks back I said that this dress was getting too big for me and was slipping off my shoulders, but that I loved it and was unwilling to part with it. Whilst browsing eBay I spied the same dress a couple of sizes smaller and so I nabbed it, and put my version up for sale. This one fits much better and I still have my favourite knit dress – aces!

Last night I went to a meeting, and, as predicted, it didn’t finish until past 10pm. I was going to get an outfit shot, but as I only switched my skirt and tights for bootcut jeans I didn’t bother in the end. I loved the burgundy patent shoes with jeans though.

Tonight my sister, a friend and I are going to see The Iron Lady at the cinema and my sister is coming to tea beforehand. I want to see that film because it is history recent enough that I actually remember it, and because Meryl Streep is awesome and I’d see pretty much anything with her in.

Grey knit dress – New Look (eBay)
Teal top – H&M
Grey rib tights – H&M
Teal wedges – Matalan
Teal belt – Claire’s
Teal beads – Claire’s
Silver hoops – gifted
Silver cross necklace – gifted
Turquoise scarf – H&M

Total Est. Cost £51

New Shoes!

So, my latest pick from Sarenza as part of their Brand Ambassador programme (have you entered the contest to become the newest member of our team yet? You’ve only got til Friday!) is this pair of neutral/taupe patent leather shoes from LK Bennett. LK Bennett is fast becoming one of my favourite shoe brands – their shoes are well made from gorgeous soft leather, and for high heels they are very comfortable. I’ve only got until February 14th to save these shoes under the terms of the Shoeper Challenge though, so I’d better get planning an outfit around them. Look out for them in an outfit post soon!

Outfit: When In Doubt, Wear Red Shoes

That’s one of my life mottos up there, and it works every time. I could have gone for brown shoes today, or beige, or even tan, but no, red (or burgundy, I suppose) won out and will continue to do so. Today’s shoe choice is a bit more sensible than yesterday’s mind you. The peep toe booties were fine until I went out at lunchtime. I’d just got to the bank and it started chucking it down! Fortunately the Post Office is only a couple of doors down but I still had damp toes by the time I got back. By which time the sun was out again. Naturally.

Last night I went to Boot Camp at the gym and considering what a good workout it was, I don’t feel achy today. Tomorrow might be another story though. After that I checked on my eBay bids (yes, I’ve been doing a bit of bidding as well as selling!), then settled down with a cup of tea and read my book (I’m re-reading Around the World in 80 Dates by Jennifer Cox).

Tonight I have a meeting at my friend’s house so it will be a fairly quick tea and then out of the door to get to that. I’ve a feeling it might be a long evening too.

Tan sweater – New Look Tall
Leopard print skirt – River Island
Brown tights – F+F at Tesco
Burgundy patent shoes – LK Bennett (c/o Sarenza)
Red beads – eBay
Brown and silver scarf – mall market stall
Silver hoops – gifted

Total Est. Cost £47