Fashion weekend fashion excitement

Last Friday my sister and I hit London Fashion Weekend amid much excitement...and fashion challenges posed by freezing weather conditions. It's been two and a half years since we last went. A lot has happened in that time - not least the creation of two new human beings (in the form of our little ones!). So I think we had even more of a skip in our step as we entered the Somerset House courtyard. Fashion, shopping, bubbly...and our other halves on toddler duty...whoo hoo.

If you haven't been before and you enjoy shopping, this is the event for you. There are lots of great discounts, lots of interesting designers and all in a lovely setting. We also saw the season's trends catwalk show for SS/13, which is great fun. It was styled by ex-fashion editor of the Telegraph and fashion icon Hilary Alexander (who we stood next to in the toilets afterwards, washing our hands together. I wanted to say how much I loved her but it didn't quite seem the setting for it!).

Anyway, I'll blog again about my purchases. I had birthday money to spend, so treated myself to a few bits and pieces...including jeans, hurrah.

But I wanted to blog two outfit shots of what we finally decided to wear. My sister had, at one stage, considered just wearing a chiffon top and coat...until the zero degree temperatures slapped some sense into her!

She worked the monochrome trend, with this top from M&S Limited Collection (and Uniqlo heattech underneath!). Her bracelet is a Katie bracelet from Marc by Marc Jacobs and necklace is from Lulu Guinness.

I eventually plumped for this outfit after a lot of trying on...including inadvertently coming full circle and trying on the same outfit I'd worn two and half years ago. Only checking this blog saved me from a new fashion low.

The dress is from the Mary Portas range at House of Fraser, the belt is from a charity shop, I'm also wearing a Lulu Guinness necklace and carrying my fabulous Vivienne Westwood Bambi bag. She deserved a day out!

We both accessorised with some bubbly!

Casual crisis

I’ve been in a bit of a style quandary of late. I have my work wardrobe pretty sorted. I can rustle up a fairly good outfit on my rare night’s out. But casual? Cue endless staring at my wardrobe and wondering ‘Whaaaaaaat?!’

I’ve mentioned before my stack of ‘at home’ clothes. These tend to get thrown on as soon as I get through the front door – clothes that I don’t give a toss about and are toddler-proof. She can do her worst.

But what to wear on days when I’m armed with a toddler but will be in the company of adults? I just don’t have a stock of clothes that work for me – I frequently end up trying to cobble together a ‘casual’ outfit out of my work clothes or – on particularly clueless days – my eveningwear!

Part of the problem has been my jeans still don’t fit properly. Nineteen months after giving birth they still won’t sodding button up! I’m squeezed into a pair now – it’s 10.30pm and I’ve been wearing them for 13 hours. I’m not sure I’ll even be able to get them back off; they’re welded to me!

I’m off to London Fashion Weekend with my sister on Friday (squuuuueeeeeeaaaaaaal!) and Levi’s Curve will be there. I’m hoping I’ll find a pair of jeans that will be comfortable, flattering and hold my belly in. I’d love to hear if any of you have tried this range and whether you were happy with them.

Once I have jeans sorted, I need a few more knits. I have a paltry selection of knitwear – god knows why, we have enough months freezing our arses off in this country!

These are some of the jumpers that I’m hoping will revolutionise my casual days...no more not knowing what the hell to wear. Jeans and a jumper - job’s a good ‘un! (and the patterned ones will hide grubby toddler hand prints!)

M&S crew neck heart knitted top - £35
(possibly not the most practical with a toddler in tow!)

Asos heart elbow patch striped jumper - £22

NW3 by Hobbs basketweave sweater - £55

A Wear heart fairisle jumper - £35

Oasis animal collar crew top in red - £38

River Island cream textured stripe boyfriend jumper - £35

Cooperative pattern block jumper - £42

Dorothy Perkins black cross jumper - £17.99

I almost included this one from Asos before realising that there was a definite risk of looking like you’d got a lobster hanging off your nipples! 

More Mary Portas

When I blogged about my growing addiction to the Mary Portas range at House of Fraser a few weeks ago, I forgot something in the list of what I've got hanging in my wardrobe. It was this gorgeous leopard print blouse from the collection, which I got for Christmas.

It's not for the faint-hearted as the print and colours are quite a statement...but a good one I think! I wore it for work but toned it down with black trousers and a heritage-inspired grey blazer.

You can't see them very well but the shoes are another
Clarks sales purchase which are again as comfortable as slippers
(& hopefully a bit more stylish!)

Lola Rose ring and bracelet which is wonderful but I don't
know where it's from as it was a gift

Kenneth Jay Lane monkey necklace - a first mother's day
present to me from my little monkey!

Lulu Guinness for Red Nose Day

You know I'm a frustrated Lulu Guinness fan. Frustrated in the sense that I cannot afford to drop £400 for a handbag...or even £197.50 in the sale. Though I confess I did treat myself to a lipstick necklace to commiserate for the bag that got away.

So given this frustration, imagine my pleasure at seeing these beauties...

Lulu Guinness...for a fiver!

Special Red Nose day shoppers, which will go on sale in Sainburys on 13 February. They cost £5 and £1.50 of this goes to Comic Relief. Aren't they adorable?! And for charity. A shopping win!