How to New Season your Wardrobe

I spotted a big ball of sun in the sky over the weekend which, coupled with the abundance of sunny daffodils and sprightly lambs lolling around in the fields (this is all rather picturesque, isn't it?!) seems to signal spring is indeed here! Around this time of year, I get incredibly twitchy - keen to cast off my winter coat and thick black tights and hurtle headlong into the new season. After I filched a blue cotton shirt from Rich's wardrobe last week, absent-mindedly pairing it with a pair of jeans, white mules, and silver jewellery, I thought I'd better get this post done before he notices it's gone.

So here's a step-by-step of how I "new season" my wardrobe:

1. Get Inspired. I read all the magazines and blogs I can get my hands on. I have a very good magazine feeder system: my mum and sister-in-law stockpile magazines and fashion spreads for me. I get a monthly subscription to some magazines, I read the rest online. I use Facebook, blogs (click here to see my favourite blogs from the blogosphere) I am also incredibly nosey - I eye up what people are wearing at networking events, in shops, on the street - outfits fascinate me no end. 

2. Make some Decisions. Like chia seeds on your already tasty granola, flares have been eating up the fashion pages for breakfast with a sprinkling of 70's suede for good measure. The last time I wore flares was in 2007. I so remember my outfit (Que weird wardrobe recall moment...): brown moc croc mid heeled courts from Kate Kanzier, flared jeans from Monkee Geans via Topshop, a blue and cream striped top with a scoop neck also from Toppers, and a gold wrap bracelet picked up on my travels. Now being a pint-sized 5'3" the flares kinds took me over and I never got used to the feeling of loads of material bagging out from the knee down (they were HUGE badass flares, FYI).  Plus they were a nightmare in the rain; talk about soggy bottoms. So, entering into flares territory is a big commitment - to pull if off it will require new footwear: chunkier heels, blocks rather than stilettos, platforms. See? Decisions, decisions. I'm sitting this season's flares out.

(Ergo Wide legged trousers. Delving into the Telegraph Style page it seems the fash pack, lead by Lisa Armstrong, have already done a new season U-turn:

"Having recently dragooned my colleagues into modelling wide trousers for these pages, I now sorrowfully conclude that they're a pain to wear, and best avoided by most.")

3. Put something in. I bought some off-white "lady" trousers from Zara and a black strapless jumpsuit, also from Zara. The trousers are the most grown-up item in my wardrobe and fit into the culotte category although on petite old me they are slightly longer than calf length (which, with my man calves, is a god send.) Here I've styled them with my (Rich's) blue shirt and Zara snakeskin heels for day and with a black H&M Trend vest for night.

4. And take something out. I've removed a pair of ASOS lime yellow heels from my wardrobe (which even by my standards are too high to walk in) and a Zara 60's style shift which has washed appallingly. It bobbled after 5 washes. Lets hope my new lady trousers fair better! I've also sent my camel coat to the tailor to be re-lined and have cleaned all my suede winter boots.

Til next time...x

#WeddingWednesday - what about the Groom?

With my dress sorted and my mum's Mother of The Bride outfit in the bag, attention has turned to Rich. As soon as we started planning our big day people kept asking about my dress, what I was wearing (probably spurred on by my outpourings around wedding blindness and general ignorance in the bridal arena on this here blog!) and saying things like "it's the bride's day." Erm....really? Last time I checked there were 2 of us getting married. I didn't see why I should have all the fun sartorially speaking so we stretched the budget and asked Micheal Pendlebury (he off of The Denim Doctor and the TV show This Old Thing) to make Rich a bespoke suit for our wedding day.

A bespoke suit bit of a "once in a lifetime" kind of experience but so is our wedding so we figured why the heck not? 

After an initial meeting where Rich had various fabric swatches draped around his neck he selected the fabric and lining and Micheal took his measurements. He has since been for his first fitting where all the pieces are coming together! Micheal was also kind enough to send us a swatch of the lining and the material so we can colour match the fabric for the usher's suits.

In other wedding news I now have my engagement ring! People automatically say "let's see the ring!" when you let them know you now have a betrothed and for months I've felt like a bit of a fraud as my ring finger has been stark naked. We visited a myriad of jewellers and even toyed with the idea of getting one designed when one day on a trip to the tip and charity shop (that's domestic bliss right there!) we parked outside the Kingston Diamond Merchants and gravitated towards the window.

The first ring I tried on I felt the same swell in my heart that I had felt when I tried on The Wedding Dress.

This ring will be gracing my hand for the rest of my days and that feeling told me this ring was the one. 

Since picking it up after having it resized I feel like I've been lost in a time vortex sitting staring at it; I feel like such a lady grown-up!  And yes, Rich re-proposed with the ring after we picked it up!

Til next time...x