The New Coat With An Old Dress

I think I may have mentioned a few times on my blog over the last year how I've been on the hunt for some sort of 'trophy' jacket.  My interpretation of this is something that adds to my wardrobe in the patterned department to enhance a simpler look or add contrast to an already lively one!  I've tried several, most of the cropped ones are just too short on me (the Mango one from this post being one of them) and nothing ticked the boxes.  Until I saw this one in Zara which I blogged about and decided to wait until I was in Spain to benefit from the current Euro exchange rate.  However, I then found the one below, exactly the same style just a different pattern (warmer I felt) and no fake pockets around the bust line which I wasn't keen on anyway.

It's £79.99 here but I paid in the £50's for it after the exchange rate - it was €69.99

It's perfect for this time of year, a lovely light weight cotton with 3/4 sleeves and it's fitted in very well with my current wardrobe.  So much so it's probably been one of the only jackets I've worn recently! I had a christening to go to last week-end and wore a very old Kate Moss/Topshop dress and the coat was the perfect addition to it.

It was a tad windy!

I decided to mix up the blues for this outfit

An oldie but I still love it, thank you Kate Moss!

The accessories were kept minimal with a few bracelets from Tiffany, Swarovski and Annie Haak.  Miu Miu clutch and a bright Essie polish (which picked out the red in my coat) and my little Chanel card holder for a few cards and notes!

First outing for my blue suede courts which were bought in the January sales from TK Maxx for around the £10 mark - last of the big spenders me! 

So there you have it, one of my purchases from my Spanish holiday - a few more to share but this is possibly my favourite so I had to share it first.  I am so pleased with how it's worked so quickly for me in my wardrobe, especially when it's made me wear an old dress lurking in the back.

The Figleaves Press Day & Some Gift Idea's

Earlier this year I had the pleasure of attending the Figleaves press day at Claridges.  This post has been a while coming as to cut a long story short, the beautiful bra set that was gifted to me didn't fit and I was then sent a voucher.  Well I've finally spent it hence I can now include it in my post and round up of the lovely day I had.  Figleaves have some stunning lingerie in for anyone who wants to give a subtle yet easy hint to their other half.  A couple of my favourites below. 

For the more 'comfortable' lounge dressers amongst us they had the cutest selection of slippers lined up - the Ugg ones being my favourite.  Followed by the cashmere - oh the cashmere, I homed straight in on this part of the closet.  They had their own range as well as some DKNY.

It's all about the hearts!

Don't forget they sell Men's items too - great for gifts if you are stuck!

The setting wasn't bad either!

Not only did I get to browse their collection but I was given a gorgeous manicure, what a treat!  And it lasted well over a week as well - that's a record!

Bracelets; Annie Haak, Valentino & Tiffany

A hazy lift selfie of my outfit, it was the Summer holidays and whilst rushing the get the children ready there was no time to ask anyone to take a semi-decent picture of what I wore!

Top; Sandro
Bag; Balenciaga
Jeans; Gap
Shoes; Hobbs

So after coming back from my hot Summer holiday to our very cold weather, it was only fitting I upgraded my PJ's as I wanted something warm and cosy.  I'd heard of Cyberjammies before but didn't own a pair and these were 100% brushed cotton so I though I'd give them a go.  Not forgetting my slight cashmere addiction I also grabbed some socks with it in!

When they arrived I was sold straight away - the pyjamas are the softest, most comfortable pair I own.  Aside from when they have to be washed, they have pretty much been worn non stop since I've had them.  I tried to take a photo of me in them but decided it really wasn't necessary for you to see me in that light, there are some things that really don't need to be shared!  Oh and the socks, another fab find.  I can honestly say both have been welcome additions to my wardrobe - and I don't have to say that either I promise!

When I spent my voucher I was just thinking 'warm cosy treat' - and why not.  However only today did I even think to check if they had this fabulous bra I found at the CK outlet in the Summer.  Low and behold, they stock it, oops!  So this is probably what I should have bought, the Calvin Klein Push Positive bra at £42.00.  If like me you struggle with bras and wires digging in, this is amazing.  There are no wires but still enough padding to help what I have!

Yes, all those pretty lingerie pieces and I chose to buy pi's.......!

The L.K.Bennett Event

I had the pleasure of aiding some fabulous shoppers the other week at L.K.Bennett's store in Marylebone High Street.  If you haven't had a walk down there, then do.  It's such a lovely little part of London that is so close to the hustle and bustle yet feels like miles away.  Think boutique, high end shops (it reminds me of the scenes in the movie Notting Hill for some reason) with some very good charity shops too!  

All about me!  (Right next to that gorgeous scarf!)

L.K's have some great work wear staples not to mention their shoes which covers you from flats to courts to boots.  If you are near, stop by and pay Natasha and her team a visit, they are all so friendly and helpful and know their stock very well. 

My favourite item from the night had to be these little bobby dazzlers which had me and a shopper mesmerised in conversation over them.  Team with a great boyfriend jean for a chic, understated  look.

The 'Tilly' £195

Over to what I wore for the evening.  I started with my feet and worked upwards!  My trusted L.K sandals were the basis for the colours of my outfit.  I wanted to wear a trouser as I feel my most comfortable in them when running around looking after clients.  Then I decided on a blazer to keep the ensemble smart.  It was the first outing for my bargain sparkly Topshop blazer (blogged about here) and I loved wearing it.  I then picked out the nude/pink from the shoes and popped that  colour underneath the blazer.  Please excuse the grainy, tired looking shots.  I took the photo around 11pm after a long day.

Blazer; Topshop
Top: Warehouse
Trousers; Topshop

Lastly I added some accessories.  This broach was my Nan's, its costume jewellery, not real diamonds but I am hugely sentimental when it comes to family items so it's worth a lot to me.  It's actually one broach that cleverly splits into two.  Just before I dashed out of the house leaving my Mum in charge of the girls (poor lady) she said I needed something else, so the broach it was.

(the netting either side of my blazer?  Yep, that's my pac-a-mac...)

You may see a glimpse above of my belt.  I am a sucker for an animal print and enjoy adding some for a bit of fun to my looks.  It's a black and white belt so sort of in-keeping with the over all colours and tones of my look.

Shoes: L.K. Bennett
Belt; Boden
Bracelets (in order top to bottom; Thomas Sabo, Annie Haak, Tiffany
Nailpolish; Chanel

PS Huge thank you to Charlie from the Marylebone Electric salon for curling my hair!  I wish I lived just around the corner from him and his team so I could drop by more often.  

The Review: House of Fraser High Summer Press Day

I had the pleasure of a quick trip to London last week for House of Fraser's high Summer press day.  It was a damp, cold day so I was in much need of some cheer and reassurance that Summer isn't that far aware.  There was a lot to share!  I've grouped my images together as best I could to give you a good idea of what lovely treats they have in store for us shoppers.

The welcome!

First up was the dresses, perfect 'Ascot' and 'Summer wedding' dresses in lots of floral prints with some amazing fascinators.  Check out the footwear, I love the ankle straps paired with these dresses as it adds another dimension making the whole look more interesting. 

The Mary Portas range had some great colours as always along with some bold prints.  The cuts seemed to cover all body shapes, from the tailored, to the draped look as well as a structured box style top (plain white one in the second set of images).  My favourite by far was the amazing white shirt below left, the simple beading turned a boring white shirt into something far more appealing. 

No collection is complete without some animal print (in my opinion…..!) and these sandals do the job perfectly.  If you don't own a pair for Summer then rectify your error with these.  I was left dreaming of weather where I can wear a bikini, come on UK, give us a Summer to remember this year. 

For all you maxi dress lovers out there, they had a great selection for day wear.  My favourite being the grey tie dye on on the left, great design for adding length and elongating the body.

There was a great selection of tops, a lot of detail as well.  I love embellishments on tops as they can turn a pair of jeans into a more substantial outfit especially when you just don't have the time to think about your look. 

Simple shapes in block colours and denim also featured.  A great twist on the classic breton as well. 

One of my favourite dresses for the colour, the simple shape and the quality was this by Hugo Boss.

The accessories!  This statement Biba necklace looks gorgeous against the lime green yellow dress.

I was so excited to see bareMinerals there as they are my favourite foundation brand.  I was introduced to their glosses, in particular the one on the far left, it gave my lips a fabulous irridescent glow.  

I didn't have long to get in and out of London and back for the school pick up so I needed comfort with some stylish edge.  I had on my black suede Topshop ankle boots (sorry, not seen!), Gap wet look skinnies, a cream Pyrus top (not seen as well!) finished off with my Zara coat.  Accessories were my Balenciaga handbag, TK Maxx gloves, H&M cashmere scarf and bracelets by Tiffany, Annie Haak and Marc Jacobs.  Last and by no means least, my nails were painted in my new birthday Chanel nail polish in a shade called 'April' - bring on that month! 

It's been a long week since my last blog as at the time of going to press; the whole family is ill!  Boooo! 

L.K.Bennett, Marylebone High Street

I had the pleasure of being invited to an L.K.Bennett fashion evening at the beautiful Marylebone Hotel last week.  As with most things in my life, it was a rush to get out the house but once I got there I was greeted and welcomed with drinks and canapés (my favourite food, bite size little nibbles, keep them coming!).  The hotel is a little hidden gem if you are near the area and looking for a boutique style hotel, it's part of the exclusive Doyle Collection.  I have to say my favourite photo I took was that of the animal print chair in the toilets!  I do love an animal print.

Please can I have one???

Ok and on with more important things than interiors; the shoes, the clothes, the colour.  I want to go shopping!  I love that their pieces are individual enough to wear alone but still work well together.  The show was put together by the staff at their Marylebone High Street store themselves, how dedicated to have staff willing to do this?  I guess it speaks volumes about the brand.

NB I am not a photographer by trade, my photo's reflect that but you get the gist!

I love the blue and gold together

They match their clutches to their shoes oh so well

Colour pop court!

Sleek and sophisticated 

And on the model, stunning.  A timeless classic cut

Working those ankle boots with abstract print and bold colour

I LOVE this coat

Gorgeous striped fur, really adds some character to the dress

Working that tailored suit in the monochrome trend

Bright orange is still a key on trend colour

I love this look.  Chic pencil skirt with a twinkling pretty top

Hello purple!

Of course the show wouldn't have been complete without the staple LBD

Ooh la la!  Look at those leggings and spangly top!

Letting the rear view do the talking

I of course wore my L.K.Bennett shoes.  Their second airing in less than a week.  I wanted to dress them down slightly as I did have a commute to do (in ballet pumps!) so wore my Ralph Lauren chino's but picked out the pink/nude colours from the shoes in my Warehouse top.

Accessories were kept minimal, it was all about the shoes.  Just a few bracelets (Tiffany and Marc Jacobs)

Just peeping through is my Hugo Boss black belt, a charity shop find from Marylebone High Street!  (And Lizzie the cat getting in the way again). 

I love Marylebone High Street, it feels so different to the normal hustle and bustle of say Oxford Street. Like 'old London'.  Think fromagerie's, hidden parks (like the one at the end of the Notting Hill film when they are on the park bench!) and some great boutique style shops.  Drop into L.K.Bennett, you can be sure that Natasha (store manager) and her amazing team will give you a very warm welcome.  

PS this is not a sponsored post, I was just invited and I like to share.  Just in case anyone was thinking that this was a tarnished view!