Dissing the dress code

 My youngest is great at making up new words.  Her best yet is " presact"  that is a combo of precise and exact. I, on the other hand, make up dress codes. 
What I'm going on about are phrases like business casual or smart casual. I prefer dress codes like. Mature Cool which could be a silk shirt and leather leggings. Or Sensible Young , which could be a logo t shirt or sweatshirt with a blazer. Or how about Everyday Expensive. This is when I'm wearing something basic that looks vaguely like it could easily be from Primark but because you are over 40 you can't get away with a more reasonably priced version and have to shell out for the ridiculously priced version. This could be a white t shirt that has to be from American VIntage or a flip flops that have to be havianas.  Office Inappropriate - trainers with pinstripe suit. Do you see what I mean?  There are others that I've coined over the years, like Granny Luxe - fine knit cashmere drapery cardi in oatmeal colour. I could go on.  

I'll give you some real examples of my convoluted and strange thought processes when it comes to clothes combining.

My Zoe Karrsen tee with my best blazer here - definitely SY or Sensible Young 

Equipment shirt and leather leggings like the Sandro ones shown here. A definite Mature Cool dress code 

 And if there is on item of clothing that can cover a dress code all it's own. It's the Chinti and Parker "Love" sweater. Super luxe feel (and price I might add, it's on my wish list if I ever come into money).  

A definite Everyday Expensive. Or could be a double whammy covering the Sensible Young dress code when that is called for.

Work again today so here I am in my Smart Business. Hell, I'm even wearing a dress so it must be smart. 

 I will try and improve on the photos and the technical aspects of blogging soon. In the meantime I must search out something to cover a Sophisticated Casual dress code for a day out next weekend.

Navy neoprene dress - Whistles

Nude blazer - Topshop

Ballet flats - Russell and Bromley

Black pashli satchel - 3.1 Philip Lim

In with the white and out with the blue

I'm talking demin, of course. I also don't really mean it when I say it's time to shun all blue denim. But there certainly does come a point in the calendar when it's time to bring the white jeans to the front of the wardrobe. I can't tell you when this moment seems right exactly. It's not about the weather but it does help if the sun is out. For me, it's when I'm just sick and tired of wearing dark colours the whole time that I start to think about my white jeans. 

If you were French you would be super chic and not afraid to wear your pale denim year round with fringed suede boots and a little jacket thrown on. Probably, literally thrown across your shoulders in the manner of a 50's housewife with a pale cardigan as part of a twinset ensemble.  But in Blighty even if I do live in the south, it's not the done thing to wear pale or even white jeans before say end of April. Or start wearing your jackets like a cape belonging to a super hero for that matter. If you displayed any of this behaviour in my native Yorkshire you would pay dearly on account of behaving in such an affected way and that's understating it. 

I was rummaging around for a pair of sandals I hadn't worn in donkeys when my white skinnies came into view and I pounced on them. Alright, I probably overstated my reaction but you get the drift.  

Defintiely. It was time.

I'm not a white jean virgin by any stretch. No, I wore my first pair purchased in Spain at Bennetton when I was in my mid twenties ( remember Benetton ) and I was so pleased with my new found Riviera chic that I then proceeded to wear them non stop all of that summer and maybe it was the fact that I went on my first date with Him Indoors wearing the same said Bennetton jeans that gives this particular item of clothing a place in my heart. I have more recently purchased a pair in Karen MIllen and loved them but they were.bought when skinny equalled straight leg of today and so I ebayed them in favour of a new super skinny pair about two years ago. The latest pair is from Whistles.  And these are they

At this point I should mention the one thing that I said to myself I would never refer to when I write this blog and that is how I am feeling about what I weigh. BORING. But when it comes to white jeans you can't escape the fact that they do draw attention to your lower half. 

My latest pair then was purchased when I was feeling super smug about having lost a few pounds and suddenly realised I could fit into a smaller size than usual. So flattering my self I purchased this smaller size and for a few weeks they looked and felt great. But a few evenings in front of the telly with pop and crisps to hand has meant that I am in the market for a new pair of white jeans. I did think of cutting down the carbs. But quickly dismissed this thought as it is on balance much less stressful to just go shopping. 

My head was turned by the Mih jeans Paris pair. I like Mih jeans and that is saying something as I have only recently been prepared to wear anything other than J Brand. But unless you get them in the states they are ridiculously expensive. So MIh look like a great premium quality jeans brand and they are British  

Then I had a look at my wardrobe. I have got a nice, fat discount and gift voucher to play with and I thought that as I am feeling guilty about the perfectly good but stupidly tiny pair I already have, it must be time to deploy all my hard won discount to a replacement item of clothing. Less guilt on the basis that very little actual cash will be spent. It makes sense to me, but then I am often able to justify the unjustifiable purchase. 

They have got a couple of pairs by Burberry Brit and a label that's new to me but sounds like its old hat to all and bloody sundry.   Denham. I have googled this brand and I must say I don't know why they have not found their way onto my radar before. Anyway. Here they are. 

Then I was picking up my new birkies from Topshop the other day. Black Arizona stylee, since you ask. The Arizonzas are my attempt to tap into the fugly sandal trend albeit I love the chunky gladiators that Whistles have done but I think that on a woman of my advancing years they will look like I am wearing comfy shoes because I have to do so now and not because I am trying to follow a fashion that until last March I would not have considered in the slightest. So back to Topshop wear I spotted that they now have the New Baxters. Probably less skinny and high waisted than the the other styles in Topshop which are not for me personally. Baxters are less skinny but being from Topshop they are definitely skinny ish. I am fascinated to try out the new style. As soon as I get a chance I'll be doing just that. 

Then what do you wear on your feet. Boots. Skate shoes. Sandals. Flip flops. Or my latest shoe obsession.  .... Espadrilles.  My view on espadrilles is that they are the new flip flops. They have the ability to make you think high summer without the high maintenance of a constant pedicure. Without doubt I will be including a new post on espadrilles soon. And include a reveal of my latest purchase as well as those that I've considered, only to return to my first espadrille love of the season. 

Just one thought to leave you with. Why is it that this year there are so many new style shoes that are doing the rounds. One minute it's trainers (which I can't do as I can't see me going out in shoes with laces and I don't know why but every time I see them on someone else I think maybe I was being too hasty. But I have not taken part in that crusade yet). Then it's skate shoes. I have done these with gusto. I have my black Celine lookalike pair from M and S and my comfy leopard print pair from Carvela (which I stalked out so much I had to go to Sheffield to visit the relies to get my hands on). Then it's fugly sandals and to top it all I heard that loafers. You know, the proper driver ones. Like Gucci but not actually Gucci. The height of fashion editor chic, they are, apparently. 

So I have the skate shoes, the birkies and now I have got to get my hands on the right pair of espadrilles too. When am I going to wear these shoes. It's not like I can wear any of them to the office. So you will see me madly changing shoes every five mins in the 48 hours that they call the week end. Or I could just stop it and put the shoes down. 

No selfies today. Won't bore you with my work wardrobe. Yawn yawn.  But will return once I get into those Whistles jeans again. 

This is it....

For my inaugural post you must know about my new found love of winter staples which I've updated just like the magazines tell you. I have a confession to make. I bought a beautiful leather pencil skirt with a side zip from Joseph. It was from my  - wardrobe  and I used all my discount codes and vouchers to get it.  It cost and arm and a leg and whilst it is soft and perfect in length and fit I am sorry to say that it hasn't been worn as much as it should have been. You know they always say it's all about the price per wear when talking about investment buys and God knows this skirt counts as investment, but I have systematically failed to justify its existence. It had a few airings around Christmas and then nada, nothing  (as they say in my native Yorkshire "now 't "). 

I was skimming through the Sunday Times a couple of weeks ago I had a eureka moment. There was my leather skirt with a trendy t shirt , block sandals and a silk bomber jacket. And right there, I realised where I had been going wrong.  

Update number 1. A pair of block heeled sandals in black.

They have to be black and minimalist.  Also having shelled out for, as it turns out, "non" (cough) 

investment buy in the skirt, I didn't want to compound the agony by looking at sandals that we're going to cost the earth.

Off to Zara then. They have a blue leather block sandals in store. 

Amazingly,they came in at £ 29.99. 

Did they have them in black - did they heck as like. 

Online they have black but not in leather which should have put me off. 

Ordered the black ones. Here

 But then I saw the Topshop version. Slightly more expensive at £55 but in leather. And this swung it for me. Ordered these online as couldn't find them in store.  

Here

 Now call me a leather snob if you want but I do veer towards the natural material rather than the man made. There is no good reason for this. I thought that leather equals quality and comfort but to be honest that does not follow and neither is price any guide to comfort in my book. Suffice it to say that the Topshop ones were black. Tick. They we're block heeled. Tick. They also looked like I was about to go and dance around a pole for a living and I'm not talking the ones with ribbons that symbolise springtime has arrived. No, these block heeled sandals would not work on my less than twig like legs. Definitely not suitable for anyone who wore block heels on shoes in the nineties.  

Next stop, a reassuringly expensive version in Russell and Bromley. Here

They are black with a block heel and certainly had the minimalist vibe going on but the heel was to my utter disappointment GOLD.  Why oh why?  Is it because at these prices R and B can justify the hefty price tag if they add a bit of bling?  Complete turn off for me, I'm afraid.  I don't know why this should be as I have a love of gold shoes generally at the moment and could kick myself for not buying those rose gold Whistles French 75 ones when I had the chance and then have subsequently seen on everyone including breakfast telly presenters. This, incidentally is not fair. I don't need taunting about my lack of perfect rose gold courts before I start a stressful day of ferrying children, working, ferrying children and then b****cking children into homework duty. Back to the block heeled sandals in a moment but let me show you the courts that are the object of my obsession.

 And then on dragging out my favourite white jeans from the back of the wardrobe ( another post about these coming up).  I realised I had overlooked my blocky (sort of) heeled sandals that I bought in the sale from Sandro last year. Now these were not an investment buy at all. I just loved them to bits and waited until I could get them in the sale. I dragged the kids off to South Molton Street in early January 2013 en route to see Matilda and fortunately for me they had them reduced and in my size. Never usually happens like that for me. Job done

Update  number 2   A trendy but not a logo t shirt

I have been stalking the brand of t shirts by Etre Cecile for a while now. So my first stop was to check these out on line.  Sadly, the one I liked was not in my size. Here

I took the girls to the V and A to see the Italian fashion exhibition this Easter. We had to check out Etre  Cecile in Harrods and then Liberty. 

In the end I tried my skirt with a trusty white Whistles tee. Et voila. It worked probably better than the Etre cecile one but I am still in love with that label. Another post for another day.

Update number 3. A bomber jacket.

Now I was slightly ahead if the curve last summer when I purchased the khaki silk bomber from Whistles.  I wore it like a cardi. As you do. Dear God, sometimes I worry myself.  I even told the SA in the Whistles branch in Bath that is how I was wearing this article of clothing when they spotted me sporting it in their shop whilst trying on their loose fitting sweatshirt and joggers ( don't ask). So, with item number 3 under my proverbial belt I put the whole outfit together.

And here I am wearing the whole outfit ready to go out with Him Indoors on our Anniversary dinner a deux. Well, you have to make an effort after 20 years! 

I like to think I was rocking (hate that word so don't know why I used it )  a vibe that was "a cool but yet casual in a slightly dressy but not too dressed up kind of way". Effortless, is the way the marketing gurus put it, I think. She Who Has the Hormones approved, and believe me she would soon tell me if I had got it wrong.  Him Indoors didn't  say anything like "What are you wearing, exactly " or even damned it with faint praise as an ensemble either.  I liked the look so much that I wore it again on a night out with friends to celebrate a fiftieth birthday (gulp). Thankfully not mine. I am still only! 49 - since you ask. 
 

Here I am with my Saturday outfit going to meet She Who Has Hormones for a coffee in town and bring her back home after a cheeky look at Russell and Bromley for new sandals as the vouchers they sent me are burning a hole in my pocket.

Jeans - J Brand (old)

T shirt - Zoe Karrsen Asos

Laurel skate shoes - Carvela

Iris blazer in black - Stella Macartney

Alexa satchel in oak - Mulberry

And here out on Saturday wearing my new found love. The Sandro sandals again. Off to go out to a friend's house for dinner and my youngest took the pic but I think some training is required and the lens needed a clean. 

Tuxedo silk collar blazer - Sandro

Private pant leather leggings - Sandro

Silk shirt pistachio - Hobbs

Abracadabra sandals  - Sandro

Back tomorrow with my white jeans post.