Style

My pretties

Post-maternity fashion awaits!

Oh God, the guilt I feel at admitting this, but I cannot wait to get back into my old clothes once the bubba has come along. Of course I am excited about the baby himself arriving, please don’t believe that he is in any way secondary. But bubba, naturally, comes along with the other feelings that first time mums are likely to have: fear, trepidation, joy, wonder, terror……

The thought of getting something akin to my pre-pregnancy body back is one of unfettered joy. I know my body works and is capable of great things, hence having been able to carry this baby with the unequivocal joys of fatigue, asthma and gestational diabetes. I know I may not care two figs for clothing once I’m knee deep in nappies and crying with tiredness but right now, knowing that I have exciting things to wear is a quantifiable pleasure because I already know how it feels to feel good in an outfit. I can’t remember the life where I was regularly out on a Saturday night or eating carbs in a laissez-faire fashion, despite being just over 36 weeks ago, but the clothing stuff? A beautiful stamp on my otherwise squishy brain.

I wrote some time ago about the Clements Ribiero Portobello cashmere and cotton jumper, and that is still top of the can’t-wait-to-wear list. Next up has to be the equally as blogged ripped utility trousers from Topshop. Both have been waiting patiently for me in my wardrobe (read: squashed in a drawer under the weight of maternity leggings).

Come to mama!

Next up is a rather fabulous pair of faux leather joggers from ASOS (now in the sale!), a Christmas present my ace sis G. Aren’t they marvellous? These plus my Peter Pilotto for Target sweatshirt and my grey felt skater shoes from Next (as blogged about by The Frugality) and I will feel the very yummiest of mummies.

The ASOS faux leather joggers

An oldie but a goodie next: my ASOS ripped jeans. These have been worn to death, being equally as perfect with a slouchy t-shirt and trainers as with heels and a going-out top (God, is that a thing anymore? Do women have going-out tops or am I relic from the days where being able to go to a bar with some flared jeans, a sparkly top, and heels was a luxury because jeans had been previously outlawed? Wow, I am OLD.). These jeans are simultaneously “Whatever, I don’t care”, and “Look at me, I made an effort!”. Ooh the excitement!

These jeans make me very happy!

And to stay on a jeans theme, my much worn patchwork jeans from H&M are another love of my (trouser) life that I can’t wait to slip into. These with a loose sweater and boots are just calling to me……

H&M patchwork jeans as seen on Wearing It Today’s Laura Fantacci (www.wearingittoday.co.uk)

I clearly shopped at H&M a lot before pregnancy as their rather famous full skirt is next. This won’t be worn immediately as the waist was a slight challenge pre-bubba bump but the notion of a t-shirt being tucked in with a statement necklace and this gorgeous skirt is such an idea of sartorial excess in comparison to my present state that I can’t quite believe I ever had the opportunity to dress like that previously.

H&M full skirt with nipped-in waist
The inspiration: this silhouette shall be mine again!

Finally, the last item on my list is a bit of a cheat, for it comprises my beloved sweatshirt collection that I have had to relegate for fear of stretching into incomprehension. My little green utility number from ASOS, the aforementioned Peter Pilotto for Target, the little grey marl from the Vogue Festival 2013…. Ahh my pretties, I shall be with you soon.

My pretties

And the best part in all of this? Once I’ve gotten to dress me, I get to dress bubba in his magnificent array of beautiful grows and rompers gifted from his already adoring fans. What a stylish pair we’ll be!

Come on, baby!

P.S. Aren’t these the best baby shoes EVER? A little Christmas pressie from Loz and M, these will be bubba’s first ever slippers. I love them so much I almost can’t look at them. Thanks Loz and M!

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Category: Style
Too much of a bargain! Neoprene bomber jacket: £23 in sale

Kin by John Lewis- how have I missed this?

Over the last year, I have been trying to evolve my style a little, investing in pieces that are better quality and carry a timeless element of design with them, and which fit in with existing pieces that I own. I love adding in elements that are ‘of the moment’ and ASOS is my absolute go-to for a quick fix, but my aesthetic has been changing from the bright-and-garish of my 20s, to a more Scandinavian-influenced, monochrome look. As a tall woman I really feel that buying good quality trousers is almost impossible; far too often they’re overpriced, with underwhelming fabric, so I tend to stick to Next and ASOS’ tall ranges and then spend a bit more on tops and dresses from COS. My uniform is usually a boxy or oversized top, with skinny trousers or ASOS Ridley high-waisted super skinny jeans. In the winter I throw some Uniqlo heat-tech tops on underneath and a Whistles coat on top, in the spring it’ll be a military or Gap jacket and a voluminous scarf.

Evidence of me wearing voluminous scarves, and also being really quite tall...
Evidence of me wearing voluminous scarves, and also being really quite tall…

I think COS is well worth the money in most cases as the design element is just brilliant, the fabrics are lovely, and the only real downside is that you have to have a good knowledge of COS’s product to buy from their website as the plain nature of the clothes tends to make it a little bit tricky to know what you’re buying sometimes. I would also argue that the sizing is quite unforgiving- I’m eternally thrilled that their clothes go up to a size 18 but it’s not generous, and I couldn’t fit into certain styles in an 18 as a size 16, since the cut is very androgynous. That’s fine for my small chest, not so great for my womanly hips.

Anyway, I am utterly amazed that a range of clothes that evokes a similar reaction in me to that of COS, that I can see fitting in to my existing wardrobe, and that is affordable in a ‘considered purchase’ sort of a way, has escaped my attention for over a year. But googling leather backpacks today, I came across Kin by John Lewis and it’s magic. Fair warning: I haven’t bought anything yet so I will report back later on the quality, but it being John Lewis, I don’t foresee any issues. And I have high hopes for the John Lewis size 18.

One of my favourite things in the collection is this Reverse Seam Jumper, which I can really see with blue jeans or cigarette trousers. It’s effortless, tasteful, and at £49 it doesn’t break the bank for a beautiful bit of design. I don’t love it in black or green, but the charcoal looks great.

This is just timeless. Reverse Seam Jumper, Charcoal (£49)
This is just timeless. Reverse Seam Jumper (£49)

Two pieces I love that are currently in the sale are this neoprene bomber, which is £23.00! If I didn’t have a whole host of birthdays coming up and a nephew about to spring forth into the world, I would be buying it right now and frankly I still might.

Too much of a bargain! Neoprene bomber jacket: £23 in sale
Too much of a bargain! Neoprene bomber jacket: £23 in sale

This oversized textured jumper is also an ace piece on which to build, and is £48 from £69. It works in spring, autumn, and winter- which is exactly what I want if I’m spending fifty quid on one jumper.

A great all-rounder. Oversized Textured Jumper (£49 from £68)

A great all-rounder. Oversized Textured Jumper (£49 from £68)

I also like that Kin does splashes of colour to cut through the neutrals and darker winter palate. I don’t think this dress would suit me at all, but I like the fact that it nods to Whistles but would be double the price there. With a blazer and ankle boots you can go from meeting to drinks, and that’s another requirement for my purchases, when I’m not in Nike and a boyfriend-cut sweatshirt. The print is available in a top too, which is kind of cute.

 Artwork Print Dress (£89)
Artwork Print Dress (£89)

Finally my favourite item in the current collection: a diamond print jacket. Part smart, part off-duty, quite a lot impractical: I love it! I’m unlikely to spend £79 on something I couldn’t fit under my coat but I can also imagine about 40 different outfits this would go with, and navy is so ridiculously 2015 that it would update everything.

I COULD NOT LOVE THIS MORE! So versatile.  Diamond Jacket (£79)
I COULD NOT LOVE THIS MORE! So versatile.
Diamond Jacket (£79)

The range’s big selling point, according to The Guardian is that it stretches across men’s, women’s, and children’s ranges, selling neatly to middle class families who want to co-ordinate presumably. A quick look confirms that it’s a very nice range all-round, but that means bugger all to me. The women’s range is clean, vaguely Scandinavian-looking, and has great everyday pieces at less than you’d pay at the shops it’s directly competing with for customers. It’s only a matter of time before I’m clicking-and-collecting my first item of Kin.

Category: Style
French Connection

Wearing cheap clothes well

Some people have an eye for a bargain. Kathryn is one of those people; she can see the one item in Primark that will go with a bunch of stuff she already owns, and the whole outfit ends up being way more than the sum of its parts. Whereas I am the sort of person who picks through the dregs of the Next sale wondering why nobody else loves this burnt orange polyester shirt that I have taken a shine to (true story).

However, even I have managed to pick up a few tips and tricks for choosing items that look more quality- and therefore expensive- than they actually are. And I will share these in just one moment but first, a disclaimer. I realise that some people feel very uncomfortable about ‘fast fashion’, that hurry to get catwalk-inspired pieces into shops that can lead to the very real concern over the pay and working conditions of people manufacturing them. Buying clothes from the high street is the only option for a lot of people and this is a complicated issue for another post. But the tips and tricks I mention below can just as easily be used if you’re buying from a charity shop, having a wardrobe organisation, or swapping clothes with your friends.

Take out the vest that comes with your blouse!

I realise that this is a very specific tip to start on but it does have wider application. I’ve bought a number of blouses that come with a vest-type layer underneath (for decency’s sake), but so often I’ve found that the shirt or blouse is great, but if you’re buying from a cheaper shop, the layer underneath is either without any stretch and so is really restrictive, or is a funny length, or makes you sweat. So throw it away and invest in vests! Primark vests at £2 each are a good buy but I also go for Uniqlo Heat-Tech camisoles (£9.90) when it’s a bit chillier, or even a Spanx vest for a smoother silhouette. Or appropriate the layer from another piece of clothing. The point with this is that a vest with the right length and fit will sit properly under your shirt and often looks much smarter than the crappy cami it came with.

You don't have to pay Spanx prices, but a smoothing vest can provide a great under-layer for blouses
You don’t have to pay Spanx prices, but a smoothing vest can provide a great under-layer for blouses

Abandon ballet flats!

It’s really difficult to buy reasonably-priced shoes that look quality, but the first mistake so many women make is to reach for the ballet flats. But these devil-shoes give little support, tend to look knackered quickly, and undermine the smartness and style of everything else you’re wearing. If you’re happy to buy it and can afford it, leather always looks better and your shoes will last longer. But this isn’t always an option so my advice is to steer clear of ballet flats at all; try brogues instead, or loafers. The heft of them looks better and they are still available at all the places you’d probably buy your ballerinas from. However, if you can’t go cold turkey….

…Go patent

If all else is lost, faux patent leather is much more convincing than faux leather. This goes for handbags as well as shoes. And there’s a smartness to patent that lifts the rest of your outfit. Patent finish, t-bar, a pointed toe: all good ways to go smarter with flats.

Leather isn't always accessible, but one pair of more expensive boots is worth more than three pairs of cheap ones...
Leather isn’t always accessible, but one pair of more expensive boots is worth more than three pairs of cheap ones…

Tight looks cheap, and so does short

Blatantly not all tight looks cheap, just ask Roland Mouret. But in general, considering your hemline and the fact that cheaper shops (or vintage clothes) can sometimes come up a bit smaller will take you a long way. Going up a size can look luxe and sexy, allowing the clothes to skim your body. And while a very short dress in a 60s style can look ace, that length may look like the manufacturer has skimped on fabric in a different style. Consider wearing (good quality) leggings with dresses that come up short, or avoid items that come up too short altogether. Honestly, even if you love it, sometimes it just isn’t worth buying if you end up having to tug at it all the time, lest you flash your frillies.

On the size thing, this is simple: if in doubt, go up a size. Cheap clothes usually don’t look better tight as the material is less forgiving, so just ignore the label and trade up.

This dress cost about a tenner from Primark but it's got a thickness and drape that looks edgier and pricier
This dress cost about a tenner from Primark but it’s got a thickness and drape that looks edgier and pricier

Think fabric, through thick and thin

When you’re sifting through rails of stuff, the quality of the fabric is something well worth bearing in mind. So much is a matter of taste, and opinion. But if you take one rule with you when shopping, think ‘thick or thin’. Fine knits and jersey can look way more expensive than they are, flowing over the body and looking v classy indeed. Equally, I have a shift dress from a very budget high street retailer that lives and dies on the fact that the material is thick enough to avoid showing bulges and underwear lines. So think about thicker-than-usual, and thinner-than-usual fabrics to fool the casual observer.

Tights

As a tall woman (about 5’11” to be far from exact) I struggle with trouser lengths, among other things. Our office is very casual, but when I go to conferences, I often choose a dress, which I’m afraid for the most part I can’t get super-cheap. But one cheap item that makes all the difference is the quality of your tights! I hate these damned leg prisons but they finish off a smart outfit and opaque tights hide a multitude of sins, so a necessary evil they remain. I like M&S when I’m near one and can afford their tights, but otherwise I will usually go for Primark. My absolute, 100% top tip is to go for control top tights- they don’t really control anything, but they tend to come up higher on the body, creating a smoother silhouette and making your clothes fit and sit better.

And a serious point on leggings: they are not trousers and they won’t give you the coverage you need, so cover the majority of your bottom, and your mimsy, please!

And finally, be a canny sale-shopper

I ask you to cast your mind back to the beginning of this article- I know that seems a long time ago but bear with me- to my reference to an orange polyester shirt I once bought in the Next sale. As a terrible magpie up until fairly recently, I used to love lairy, loud clothing that I thought reflected my personality. These pieces can be fun but if you’re getting them in a sale then often they’ll be coming to the end of their fashion life and probably don’t have longevity on their side. Instead look for classic bits that you’ll be able to wear later, even if you put them away for now. This is a blog post in itself but here are a few ideas to whet your appetite: faux fur jacket; camel coat; brogues or loafers; Breton tops; a denim shirt; plain jumpers; any kind of neutral basic. Sales are a great time to get slightly better quality items for less, but you still have to be clever about it. Lots of shops act like they have the right to charge more, but the quality isn’t really there. A grey fine knit J Crew vest for £18 though? Why thank you very much!

Cashmere on a budget, why yes please! (stolen from Kathryn)
Cashmere on a budget, why yes please! (stolen from Kathryn)

Have you got any tips for snazzy dressing on a budget? I WANNA HEAR THEM!

 

Category: Style
Come to me all you pretty things...

TK Maxx: you rock

Dear TK Maxx, you are awesome.

OK, perhaps occasionally awesome is a better description, but my last haul there was somewhat epic by my standards.

Having met a friend for lunch in a town about thirty miles from where I live, I decided to fill the rest of my time until the next train by having a mooch about the town centre. This is quite a risky manoeuvre these days as the amount of empty stores abounding most high streets leaves little incentive to rock out and have a grand out shopping trip. Nonetheless, England’s oldest recorded town, Colchester, does have one thing that deserves attention: a city centre TK Maxx (my local one is frustratingly on the outskirts of town).

Now, I know that ye olde TK Maxx can be a bit hit and miss, with some stores resembling extortionately priced jumble sales but this store was a scene of serenity and calm. Everything ordered and displayed rather attractively. The toiletries department in particular was home to rather a nice spot of colour coding.

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Anyway, the real point is that not only was I able to snap up a small DESIGNER treat for myself but positively cleaned up in the luxury-health-and-beauty-gift stakes (totes a real thing). With impending birthdays and Christmas, I like to get an early jump on things and pick up gifts that the recipients wouldn’t think of getting for themselves. And, thanks to my loyal readership of A Model Recommends, I think I’ve quite a good eye at spotting a beauty bargain.

So what did I get? Well then………..

Come to me all you pretty things...
Come to me all you pretty things…

First up, a couple of gifts.

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NEOM is a luxury organic range which not only looks rather nifty but smells pretty define too. They have a bath and shower oil that I have coveted for some time so I was familiar with the brand, and the Real Luxury Body & Hand Lotion was perfect for my poor post-op sis. At more than half the RRP, that alone was enough to make me feel smug.

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Also for post-op sis, a rather lovely Rituals Himalaya Wisdom body scrub. With a hit of fresh mint, this will do the job to buff the body before applying, oh I don’t know, maybe a luxury body lotion of some description……. Coming in again at less than half of the RRP, this was genuinely bargainous.

2007-07-05 04.18.04A lesser known brand for our final gift pick but one with a wee bit of cult status: Dr Bronner’s Magic Soaps. What really sold this to me was the almost olde-worlde medicinal look of the label, and the smell is amazing.

2007-07-05 04.17.26This hemp and peppermint organic soap is an excellent stocking filler or proper pressie for a cult-beauty junkie. This bad boy had about a third off so still a decent saving, and I’m rather looking forward to dressing it up with parcel paper-style wrap and a homemade Christmas tag.

But nothing really compares to the treat I got for myself. Not to sound narcissistic, but I was preeee-ty chuffed with myself.

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Oh yes, my Clements Ribeiro Portobello cotton and cashmere jumper. Oooh, it’s so lovely!

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In a classic grey with teal stars, this is the gift I will give to myself once baby bump has been born next year. It is so soft, and not totally unlike the gorgeous Chinti & Parker jumper from my Covetables post earlier this week.

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Yes, it’s from a diffusion line and, yes, it’s only 5% cashmere, but it was a mind-blowing £19.99. This is even more mind-blowing when one considers that this is CURRENT SEASON and still available on the website for £86. I would call this a WIN.

And that is why TK Maxx rocks. The end!

 

 

Category: Style
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Covetables: A+EM London Visor leather ankle boots

Good grief, look at these beauties. Aren’t they rather stunning? I know that a website can use good lighting to sell virtually anything but these look The Business.

Preeeeeettttttyyyyy!
Preeeeeettttttyyyyy!

These leather ankle boots are from a brand called A+EM London (nope, never heard of them either) and were spotted during a routine inspection of the Red Direct site. Y’know the kind of thing: it’s Friday afternoon, everything work-related is dull and you’re just trawling your favourite sites in a kind-of this-is-what-my-life-will-look-like-when-I-own-my-own-internet-business-and-feature-in-lifestyle-sections-of-glossy-magazines. Or is that just me? As an FYI, I also find the fabulous homewares on Not On The High Street, handbags on The Outnet and the brand-spanking new inspo/shopping site Wardrobe Icons excellent for this type of browsing.

Anyway, back to the boots…..

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I am a big fan of the back zip and the little cut-out above it. The boot has enough lift for an evening but looks like it would serve as an all-dayer, too.

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The snaps from the site make them look more petrol blue than black but black is the only colour option.

At £230, they are certifiably Not Cheap, but who doesn’t need an excellent, high performing boot come autumn? In my dream life, I’d pair these beauts with a pair of ripped utility trousers from Topshop (not that dreamy at £36 but still not an inconsequential cost)…..

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….. and a fabulous knit from luxury brand Chinti & Parker (totally dreamy at an eye-watering £360).

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Well that’s autumn sorted then (and mortgage payments obliterated for the foreseeable future)……..

Category: Style