Seasonal Skinny Wk 23: Easy Sunday Chic | Teal Coatigan, Tassel Necklace, Embroidery Anglaise

What's your weekend wear?

Do you barely venture out of your pj's?
Do you cocoon yourself in your favourite jumper and yoga pants that, let's be honest, have seen better days and by now have more holes in them than Leerdammer cheese?
Do you struggle to find a relaxed look that doesn't say comatose?

Your relaxed weekend look wants to be easily assembled without you ending up shouting;

'I've been up for 3 hours already, trying to get dressed and the whole of my wardrobe is now residing in a rejected and dejected heap on the bedroom floor.'

Step in to the rescue, the triumvirate of ...

the coatigan
the embroidery anglaise tunic top
the tassel necklace.

I've always loved chunky knits for Winter weekends, such as my Rollneck Jumper but sometimes you want to mix things up. Coatigans are one of fashion's hybrids that I find really work.  They tick that magical box of relaxed, weekend dressing, whilst retaining an element of style.  They are

slouchy without being sloppy,
softer and less structured than a coat,
warmer than a cardigan,
cozy like an all embracing hug.

And who doesn't love an all embracing hug!?!

When garments are less structured, it's easy to feel swamped, even more so if you're a petite, so shape, size and length need a little more attention, when wearing / buying a coatigan.

- If it's too loose and/or too long, you'll drown.  I went down a size for a better fit across the shoulders.

- For petites especially, find the right length and they'll give you the illusion of height.  This one hits just above the knee so doesn't cut my legs off.

- A tassel necklace keeps the same length line as the coatigan, both giving a column effect and drawing the eye up.  And even better when you've nabbed said necklace for a fiver in the sale!

(Or at least they do for about 5 minutes, before you then stand next to your 6'4" Fox and then only standing on a box gives you the illusion of height.)

Teal is such a gorgeously rich colour that it's the perfect partner for the depth of my Winter Seasonal Skinny, the merlot jeans, without the overall effect being too dark.

And if you want an alternative colour to black on your feet, grey suede boots (or brown) are a light touch and are less severe than black.

Embroidery Anglaise tops have really come into their own in the last couple of Spring/Summer seasons and I've seen them trickling into the shops again for this Spring.  But can you wear them on a freezing February day?  

With a long sleeve, tunic top style; absolutely.  I just layered a cami top underneath for added warmth as yes, cotton isn't the most heat giving of fabrics.  

But what the embroidery anglaise does give you in spades is beautiful, delicate detail and texture and is a step up, sartorially speaking, from a plain or striped tee.

After a pretty horrible February, with Mum being in hospital for most of it and our kitchen still not finished, Tall Brown Fox and I decided that someone else should do the cooking for lunch.  A vote was taken and the unanimous winner was traditional Sunday roast down the pub.

The plus about this outfit is that when you're ready to go out, you just wrap the coatigan around you for added warmth, grab your bag and go!  No need for a belt to hold it in place, as the necklace very conveniently does the job.

And if you need another layer, throw a wrap around your shoulders and you stay with the casual vibe of the outfit.  

Berets are optional!

Last one now, as we're going to be late for lunch! 

Plus I'm beginning to get cold, that darn wind is icy you know!

And my tummy is rumbling like the sound of a train hurtling down the tracks at great speed, so let's be 'aving you.

Right, I'm off, before I get frostbite and all the yorkshire puddings are eaten.

See you in the pub.  Literally!

 Now that folks, is what I call a Sunday roast!

Welsh lamb, piled high on roast tatties and veg, a yorkie pud balancing on top of it all, 

with lashings of gravy.

Dorothy Perkins Skinny Jeans (old)

Bhs Embroidery Anglaise Top (S/S15)

F&F Cascade Coatigan (A/W 15) Charcoal Grey Checked Coatigan or currently in the sale Alpaca Relaxed Stitch Coatigan

Red Bead Tassel Necklace currently in the sale

Pewter Suede Ankle Boots currently in the sale

Debenhams Bowling Bag (old)

 

Linking with Visible Monday / Creative Monday Blog Hop / Style Stories / Garay Treasures / Confident Twosday / Jersey Girl/Texan Heart /

Featured on Links à la Mode: 18th February

One of the benefits of blogging is being part of a global community, discovering new blogs and celebrating the enormous diversity of bloggers that are out there.  It's why from time to time I submit a post to Independent Fashion Bloggers as it's a great way to meet other bloggers and read posts I wouldn't necessarily find on my own trawls around the internet.

And if along the way, your post actually gets chosen to be included in the weekly Links à la Mode  round up, then that's a wee bonus on top!  Thanks to Lisa at IFB for including my post.

And if you happened to miss my original post on 15 Reasons to Wear a Beret, then here's the chance to read and learn why I wear so many berets in my blog posts!

I particularly enjoyed reading Norbyab's post of mixing print on print, as this will inspire me to be bolder with my pattern mixing.

And if, like me, you own a bouclé jacket, and get frustrated at what to do when it snags, then you'll want to read Christie's neat way of fixing them!

All the links are below so dive in and discover some new blogs!

Lisa Walker writes: Recently, I was able to watch Dior and I from start to finish without interruption {Happy Valentine’s Day to me}. What impressed me most wasn’t the immaculately designed line, the beautiful venue, the craft of the atelier, it was the tears that Raf Simons fought back at the beginning of his showing. I can only guess that it was the culmination of many factors attributed to a high pressure position, but what also translated to me was a love and commitment to Dior… the brand, the people, and the man. As I write this my eyes are welling up just recalling that part of the documentary.

IFB Bloggers were also on top of their game this week with so many wonderful and varied posts to choose from. Topics ranged from trends, women’s fashion styling, the business of blogging, how-to’s, fashion industry, the Grammy’s, and of course New York Fashion Week. There were also quite a few of you who didn’t want to talk about fashion at all. You had cake, dogs, Black History Month, and love on the brain. After the month we’ve had already, who wouldn’t?

And incase you’re not a boob like me, Everyday Starlet explains why it’s OK if you don’t cry {when you say yes to the dress}.

Links à la Mode, February 18

• Al Balsam Life: Diana Vreeland on Love
• Alive as Always: No-Bake Cheesecake in a Jar | 3 Ways
• Attire Club: A Look at the Men of 2016 Grammy Awards
• Christie Moeller: How to Fix a Boucle Snag
• DressCode:HighFashion: Fashion Trend Overview S/S 16
• Everyday Starlet: Top 5 Wedding Dress Shopping Tips
• Fashion Moriarty: 5 Floral Shirts for Valentine’s Day
• I’m a Norbyah: Prints | More is More
• Lady Goodman: The Imminent Rise of Direct to Consumer Shows
• Les Assorties: Vernez | A Platform Calling Out Aspiring Fashion Editors
• Modavracha: How to Use an Editorial Calendar to Improve Your Blog Content
• Mox and Socks: Meet Mox, My Incredible Dog
• Petite Silver Vixen: 15 Reasons to Wear a Beret!
• Prime Butterfly: Macy’s Celebrates Black History Month
• Rain of Peonies: Shorts in Winter | Pourquoi Pas? good but 11 photos
• Rolala Loves: Why I don’t Celebrate Valentine’s Day & Choose Love Everyday
• Savage Gazelle: 10 Essentials For a Chic Winter Wardrobe
• Style Context: NYFW F/W 2016 | Lovely Gowns at Leanne Marshall
• The Classy Junk: How to Use Pinterest to Create a Personal Valentine’s Day Look
• We Are Ready Made: Keta Gutmane

SPONSOR: Shopbop Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent, BCBG Dresses, Private Party Tops, MISA, Moon River, Ace of Something, Fringe Jackets, Wildfox Tees, Micro Satchels, Men's Ted Baker

Styling a Winter Coat | Nordic Blanket Scarf & Bright Tote | Grey, Cobalt Blue & Black

We maybe over the hump of Winter but in many parts of the world, Spring is still a way off, even if the daffodils have started to pop their yellow heads through.  We may have escaped snow in London but we've had freezing temperatures and when you're out and about in your Winter coat, you want to feel both warm and stylish.

Now I adore colour but not everyone wants to own a brightly coloured coat.  And even I, the colour lover that I am, sometimes want to wear a neutral colour in my outerwear.

If you own a neutral coat, and by neutral I'm meaning black, brown, grey, you can either wear it as a statement piece in its own right or let it be a blank canvas to decorate with brightly coloured accessories.  Then you have versatility.

I deliberately kept my canvas neutral for two reasons.

First, because the decorative colour would then be more striking.
Second, because I wanted to show that even keeping the canvas to one colour - in this case, grey - I could still gain light, texture and depth.  I've used not quite 50 Shades of Grey (!) but at least 3 shades of the grey palette from

the silver of my beret,
the pewter and suede of the boots,
to the darker charcoal grey of the coat.

From there, it was dead easy to take two simple accessories in a bold colour, to elevate my neutral Winter coat:

a blanket scarf - a big trend this season
and
a brightly coloured tote - a classic bag

The cobalt blue of the scarf and the tote I chose, really makes an impact with a little assistance from my polka dot gloves.

I've loved seeing all my fellow bloggers wearing colourful blanket scarves the last few months. It seems this past season, we've all gone 'mad for plaid'; me included!  I went especially LARGE with my 'mad for plaid', in that last Autumn I bought a plaid wrap, which I've worn several times now on the blog (including Autumn Pastels,  Denim Skirt & DM's and Plaid Accents).

However, if you're feeling plaid is slightly passé, go nordic!

Now you might think wearing an item with reindeer on (or elk, or caribou or moose or any of the other 9-13 subspecies there are apparently of reindeer; I profess to not being an expert on what exactly the quadrupeds are on the scarf), would feel silly in February, but not at all.  The blue and the pattern is far from Christmassy in my eyes.

It's only a recent addition to my expanding collection of scarves and I spied it shortly after Christmas and it's from Tu at Sainsbury (sold out online now, sadly).  Supermarkets really are doing some great pieces at the moment and when the colour caught my eye, I really did ask myself;

'Do I need yet another scarf?'

'To which, of course, the answer is no', replied small voice of reason.  'But that's never stopped you before!'

And indeed it didn't!

In my defence, it is reversible.  Turn it over and the blue becomes black and the black, blue.  A striking way to wear it for evening trips out.

To pick out the lighter grey in the scarf, I topped with my silver, wool beret which has delicate clusters of beads over it; a subtle touch of texture and detail.

Although the blanket scarf and bag are the stars of the show here, let's not forget the coat!

Rather like the story behind the scarf I wasn't intending to buy another coat when this popped up in my e-bay feed several months ago.  I've already got a workhorse coat for everyday, a couple of coloured coats and various jackets so I'm well kitted out coat-wise BUT...

this gem was new with tags on

is wool and cashmere, so uber light yet warm

and 

is Minuet Petite, so fits perfectly on the shoulders, has the perfect arm length and hits just below the knee... yup... so is the perfect length!

Perfect circumstances I think you'll agree in which to purchase?

It would have retailed for £160.00.

I could've bought it for £55 but I offered £30 to the seller and 

BOOM!!!

if that coat wasn't winging its way to my wardrobe.

You're darn right I'm looking so pleased!  

It's why I never mind taking a chance on e-bay.  You can snap up some extraordinary bargains if you know what you're looking for, or, in this case, at!

I'd been casting my eye about for a while, for a pair of grey boots.  I fell in love with the Margot Boot in Granite Nubuck, from Rag & Bone, but fell off my chair at the price!  Got a spare £375??? No, neither do I!

But then I found these on Boden.  

Full price they were a nudge over 3 figures (£110) but in the sale they dipped below (£83.30), and into my online shopping cart! They have a leather/rubber sole giving them a good grip; useful on potentially slippery surfaces in Winter.

A quick word about the boots, if you're the same size as me and thinking of buying.  Mine are a UK size 3 / EUR 36  BUT the fit is more a 3½ . Technically, size 36 is a UK size 3½, which is why I love Marks & Spencer's footwear so much, as their size 3 is a 35½.  A proper fit for my narrow, petite feet.  However, I slipped a half insole inside and that solved the problem of them being a teensy bit loose.

Minute Wool & Cashmere Coat (ebay)
Precis Petite Wool Coat currently in the sale.  Regular Phase Eight Asymmetrical Charcoal Coat also in the sale.
Wallis Coated Jeans.  H&M Coated Jeans or Next Black Coated Jacquard Leggings sold out in petite but available in regular.  For petites here are Wallis High Waisted Jeggings available in the sale.
Accessorize Beret (old)
Tu at Sainsbury Nordic Style Blanket Scarf.  Sold out  Etsy Nordic Blanket Scarf
TKMaxx Cobalt Blue Tote (old) Cobalt Blue Crossbody Handbag
Camaieu Polka Dot Gloves.  These are cute with a little bow Ladies Polka Dot Gloves
Boden Pewter Boho Boots  Currently in the sale and available in size 3.  Also available in Black and Navy in a few other sizes.

Moral of the story is two fold.

You're far from fading to grey, if you play with your shades of grey.  In fact, grey is a more forgiving colour to wear for many skin tones, especially so for those of us t'other side of 40.

Reindeer are not just for Christmas but for life!

How do you style a neutral coat?
Do you keep it as a statement piece, or do you let your accessories do the talking?

Linking with Visible Monday / #iwillwearwhatilike / Creative Blog Hop / Bloggers who've Inspired Me / Confident Twosday / Turning Heads Tuesday / JerseyGirlTexanHeart / Colorandgrace / ProjectSisterAct / High Latitude Style / Daily Style Finds / Fashion Should Be Fun / Fabulous Friday / Flashback Friday / Style Stories /

Pick of the Petites: Footwear in Pantone's 2016 Colours | Rose Quartz & Serenity

Unless you've been on a year long retreat on an isolated island in the Indian Ocean, I'm sure that by now, if you're a regular reader of blogs and take an interest in fashion, you'll know that this year's colour from Pantone isn't just one colour.

Whereas last year's colour - marsala - was rich and deep, for 2016, Pantone fairly zipped along to the other end of the colour spectrum and two pastel colours were chosen for this year: Rose Quartz and Serenity.

Now I know that not every blogger is necessarily jumping for joy with these two colours.  Pastels can be tricky to wear for certain skin tones, me included.  I can very easily wear Hot Pink next to my skin...

... and candy pinks also work well, especially if worn on the lower half of my body and paired with a stronger colour, such as in my French Artist Palette post.

However, really pale, baby pinks and blushes worn next to my face are too insipid and can wash me out.  Fortunately, I can wear any shade of blue, so at least I've no problem with the other 2016 colour. Serenity makes me feel serene!

What if you want to stay on trend though?  How can you still incorporate this year's colours if 

pastels are a tad too much on the girly side for you

and / or

they are the least flattering colours for you to wear?

Step forth footwear to the rescue!  

By wearing them away from your face and in a smaller amount of colour, you can easily circumvent the problem.  And it's easy pairing these colours with so many shades in the colour spectrum.

I'm showcasing different styles in each colour, covering all options from the casual to the more glamourous, with the added bonus of them all being suitable for those of us blessed with petite feet! Let's start our footwear shopping trip by looking at what's currently available in Rose Quartz.  

Casual

For the ballet flat lover, these feature a gun metal bow and are currently in the Office sale reduced from £35.00 to £25.00.

For petite feet they start at size 3.

Chloe Ballerina Butterfly Twists

If you prefer your casual to be more sporty looking, then these part textured trainers would look ideal with midi length, lightly pleated skirts and jeans or with shorts or wide legged linen trousers in the Summer.

For petite feet, these start at size 2 / 35.

Kurt Geiger Pink Flat Low Top Trainers 

There'll be those who'll be saying now bring it on, Petite Silver Vixen.  Let's be having a full on, die hard, pink moment here.

Er... can you have a die hard, pink moment?  

Anyway, Finery, an online womenswear brand, who I keep my eye on (I own one of their Summer Sandals from last year) and who have only being trading a year - Happy Birthday Finery - have really knocked it out of the ballpark with our next pair. We're pink as pink can be, we've tassels, we've even got crocodile stack embossing, they're patent leather, heck, they're even made in Italy.

I mean here's a statement shoe that's just dripping in class and style.

For petite feet, they start at size 3 /36.

Embrook Italian Tassel Loafer

But if the tassel loafers are making you run to put your sunglasses on, then these brogues are a calmer, more low key alternative.  They are a fun, yet muted mix of peach, pink and nude leathers in the classic brogue style.  A masculine style shoe with a feminine twist.

Ideal for petite feet as they start at size 2 / 35 AND they come in half sizes.  HURRAH!

Clarks Hamble Oak

Stylish

Now I do love a good wedge and these wedged courts from Dune, tick both the dressing up and dressing down box.

For petite feet, they start at size 3 /36.

Dune Anisa Wedge Court

Ghillie style shoes are still as popular as last season and if you're dreaming of being pretty in pink like a modern day Mollie Ringwald, then these block heel ones are equally perfect for summer weddings, or weekend chic. New in at Kurt Geiger, priced £100, they have a decent heel without it towering, leather uppers and a comfortable round toe. I'm swooning already.

For petite feet, these start at size 3 / 36.

Carvela Kurt Geiger

Glamorous

If the idea of wearing all pink, plus laces on your feet makes you feel like you're 5 years old again in ballet class, wearing a tutu, then these Court shoes with a delicate ankle strap in black are guaranteed to make you feel grown up again.  But they do come with a more grown up price; £180.  

For petite feet, these start at size 2 / 35.

Myra Kurt Geiger

Before we all feel we've gorged on too much candy floss, let's now take a look at what's on offer with Serenity.

Casual

Pair these diamante trimmed pointy pumps with everything from skinny jeans to floaty dresses for an easy chic Spring/Summer look.

For petite feet, they start at size 3 / 36.

Quiz Blue Shimmer Jewel Pump

I've got my eye on these trainers from Topshop, although I'll have to be quick as they are only left in sizes 2, 3 or 9!  Let's hope they are restocked.  Perfect if all the snakeskin slip on's are leaving you a little 'been there, done that, got the pair'.  And there'll be little that these won't work with for a Spring/Summer wardrobe.

Copenhagen Snakeskin Trainers

These tassel loafers bring back school memories.  I wore a pair in senior school waaaay back in the 80's, reaffirming that most styles at some point go out of favour but then come back into favour! Like the brogues above, we're borrowing design from the boys again.  I love the light blue colour and the sleek look is suitable whether you wear them for work or play.

For petite feet, they start at size 3 / 36.

Ravel Brantford Tassel Loafers

Stylish

Summer might still be a few months away - I mean we've not even reached Spring yet - but sandals often get snapped up before the Spring tulips have popped their heads up!  The quirky twist of the basket weave detail on the heel and toe strap, tickles my fancy and if I didn't already own a pale blue block heel pair of sandals, I'd be seriously considering these.

For petite feet, they start at size 3 / 36.

Ravel Fairfax Sandal

 Glamorous

Patent leather always adds a touch of glamour and these ankle strap sandals will be right up your street if you're able to strut confidently in spindly heels.  More power to you if you can.  I would feel like an apprentice stilt walker in these!

For petite feet, they start at size 3 / 36.

 Debut Heeled Sandal

Tempted by any of the above offerings?  

I'm trying to decide if I can justify going all out girly and stretching the budget to the pink Ghillies!  Who'd have thunk I'd be even considering baby pink shoes?????  Shock horror!!!!!

Can someone take my temperature please?

No doubt over the coming weeks more choice will be filtering into the shops as the last of the sale and Winter stock is cleared away.
How will you be wearing Rose Quartz and Serenity this year?

Do you like these pastels colours, or are you finding them a style challenge to wear or even avoiding them altogether?

Linking with Confident Twosday / Turning Heads Tuesday / Bloggers Who've Inspired Me / JerseyGirlTexanHeart / Style Me Wednesday /

15 Reasons to Wear A Beret!

If you're a regular reader, you'll know my undying love of berets.  I may have minor dalliances every now and then with other forms of head wear, but in all truth, my heart belongs to the beret.

And with Valentine's Day nearly upon us, it seemed an amusing idea to share my love of berets with you, as an alternative Valentine's Day post because I'm sure you don't need to read yet another blogger's post about ideas for his 'n' hers Valentine gifts or outfits..... zzzzz.

Come stroll with me through 15 cracking reasons as to why you should wear a beret - at all times.

Apart from when you're in the shower.
Or possibly when you're asleep.

1. Easy to pack for holidays or trips abroad.
On my last trip to France at Christmas, I packed 3 berets in my suitcase, each taking up minimal room and barely adding any extra weight to my luggage allowance.

2. Easy to store. 
They take up minimal room and there's no need for multiple hat boxes.  Or if you do store them in a hat box, you just stack them one on top like a pancake tower!

Oh, and before you think, hang on a minute... is that a cat sitting on top of.... no, it's not a curled up, sleeping cat. It's my uber fluffy, leopard print beret!

3. You can squish, squash, fold and scrunch them in your bag and they still ping back into shape;
making them perfect to wear if you commute; just pop your beret into your handbag when it's not required to be of service, on your head.

4. They exude a timeless style.
Certain styles of hats may come and go but the beret is enduring and never looks dated.

5.  They're ageless.
40+ ladies, however open to wearing different styles, might be concerned that some millinery could make them look like mutton dressed as lamb, but berets look equally cool on a 63 year old, as on a 23 year old.

6. They are one of the most inexpensive, yet stylish forms of head wear you can buy. 
Good quality wool berets can be purchased for under £10!

7.  Über warm and light to wear in Winter.

Pom pom hats and beanies don't even come close to the warmth I feel when wearing a wool beret on a freezing cold day.

8.  And unlike pom pom hats or caps, I never seem to suffer from hat hair.
You know the look.  The one where your hair ends up literally being smeared down the sides of your head like glue whenever you take a hat off.

9.  Berets never blow off your head when it's a windy day!
The number of times I've seen women clutching onto their floppy hats or fedoras for dear life, even in in moderate winds, whilst my beret remains firmly attached to my head is more than I care to count.

10.  Good for all head sizes. 
I have a very small head and most hats fall down over my eyes.  With berets, I can style them so they sit well on my head.

11.  They're unisex.
Perfect for adding a masculine element to an outfit as in my menswear inspired Suited & Booted look.  Yet at the same time, the soft texture is a feminine counterpoint.  Marlene Dietrich wearing her beret was the epitome of this look.

12. They add an extra style element to a smart outfit. 
Especially if they have some intricate detail such as crystals or sequins.

13.  A coloured beret adds a complementary yet contrasting pop of colour to any outfit.
Playing on colour theory, here are two colours that sit opposite each other on the colour wheel. Raspberry and teal are really only extreme shades of red and green. The raspberry jacket is the dominant colour, the teal beret, the complementary one.  

The result is two strong pops of colour that work in harmony with each other, whilst providing an eye-catching contrast.

Here the teal beret is still working on the above principle but as part of an outfit with a more sophisticated feel.

This time it's the complementary colour to deep maroon. 

14.  Ideal to wear as a linking accessory, in either colour or print.

Here I'm wearing varying shades of grey, literally from top to toe with my beret and brogues.

This outfit shows how easy it is to link your accessories with a pattern; the beret, belt, bracelet and boots are all slightly different leopard print accents.

15.  Wear a beret as a finishing touch to a casual outfit. 
More grown up than a pom pom hat, there's a touch of the Parisian chic about a beret, even when worn with a dressed down look of a maxi skirt, biker books and gothic style, biker leather jacket.

As you can see, berets are far from boring.

Find ones with tiny, faceted gemstones or beads, that sparkle as they catch the light, such as my navy, silver grey and black berets below, and this humble hat is effortlessly elevated to the chic and glamourous.

The three below all came from Accessorize; long been a favoured place to buy my berets from.  I snapped up the navy one in the sale two Winters ago at, of all places, the Gatwick airport branch!  I was flying off on a Christmas break and it came in very handy on the trip, alternating head warming duty with the one I'd already packed.

Most years, they do a variety of colours.  This past season they stocked them in Black, Berry, Grey and Mink and their Ivory Beaded Wool Beret is still available in their sale, reduced from £17 to £5.10.

Alternatively, seek out berets with unusual patterns and multi-coloured ones.

One of my favourite additions to my ever growing beret collection is the one peeping out of the top in the photo below.   My cat beret, with its felt bow around its neck, brings new meaning to Dr Seuss's The Cat in the Hat!

Convinced about the joys and usefulness of beret wearing?
Want to channel your inner Greta Garbo?
Want to know where you can buy one?

It's classic beret heaven in a huge variety of colours at The House of Bruar, plus they very handily do different sizes - small, medium and large.

And Village Hats have all kinds of berets from the tradition basque to the more military in style.

Classic black and burgundy felt berets still available at New Look

And many to be found on e-bay.

Linking with Fashion Should Be Fun / Fabulous Friday /  Flashback Fashion Friday / Visible Monday / Creative Mondays / #iwillwearwhatilike / Confident Twosday / Turning Heads Tuesday / Bloggers Who've Inspired Me / JerseyGirl/TexanHeart / Style Me Wednesday / ColorandGrace / ColorandGrace / TopoftheWorldStyle /

Seasonal Skinny Wk 22: Playful Polka Dots | Snakeskin, Denim & Hot Pink

With Mum being in hospital the last 10 days, I've got behind with my Seasonal Skinny Style Challenge.  In an effort to lighten my mood, for week 22  - two little ducks, quack, quack - 

ha, ha, I've been waiting to do that for the past 21 weeks.  Yup, I was a bingo caller in a past life.

we're going for a playful vibe or as I like to amusingly call it - funky casual.  As if I know what the heck I'm talking about  ?!?     I just like the sound of it - funky casual.

One of the many benefits of blogging is being inspired by other blogger's style choices, whether that's with a particular look, as in my menswear inspired Suited & Booted post, or in the use of print, texture and/or colour and it's the latter - print, texture and colour - that has inspired week 22's Seasonal Skinny Style challenge.

Last October, I fell in love with a particular print, texture and colour combination, styled by Jen from Librarian for Life.  I'd never thought to pair hot pink with burgundy and it planted a tiny seed in my head, that months later has blossomed into my interpretation of Jen's Pink, Burgundy & Animal Print post.

I kept the denim jacket with the colour palette, but instead of burgundy, I paired the hot pink and animal print with my darker shade of merlot jeans.  And as it's Winter rather than mild Autumn, my cashmere navy and hot pink polka dot jumper was ideal to wear under the jacket with a hot pink scarf to bring out the pink polka dots.

This is the second of my two polka dot jumpers I own.  I showcased its twin - the black and red polka dot one back in December with a striped pencil skirt.  I couldn't resist going back and buying its cousin, in this colourway.  There's just something so playful about polka dots.  I'm like a fizzing pink, soda pop drink!

I originally started wearing the scarf long but with tempestuous elements, that didn't last long! 

Storm Imogen, that hit the UK on Sunday evening was already rumbling on Sunday afternoon.  Talk about announcing your arrival in advance!  The wind kept whipping the scarf around my head, the fringing flying into my ears and up my nose. Every five seconds I was batting it away as if I was being attacked by a giant, rabid, fuchsia coloured, winged insect!

Although this highly amused Tall Brown Fox as he snapped away, it's not a look you want to cultivate as a style blogger!

I resorted to tucked the misbehaving ends in to restore some sartorial decorum.  The benefit of this, of course is, you get to enjoy the polka dots even more.

Jen wore a very cute pair of leopard print ballet flats in her outfit and although I have a soft spot for leopard print, I've chalked up a fair amount of leopard print love in the short time I've been blogging.

Time me thought, to showcase another, altogether less familiar animal print - snakeskin.

I've been wearing leopard print for so long it feels like a second skin but snakeskin is still quite new to me.  I only have a few items in this animal print, one being my Vera Wang clutch bag.

These faux snakeskin ankle boots feel a little bit rockstar-esque, with their pointy toe and western style heel.  Somehow this animal print feels more grown up than leopard print.  It's as if Snakeskin is the older, slightly more daring sibling to leopard print.  You know, the one that stays out to the wee small hours on a Friday night partying, and then stays in bed for most of Saturday nursing one heck of a hangover but doesn't regret getting it! 

These beauties were a complete impulse buy a few weeks ago and I have to say I'm jolly glad I succumbed to my impulse.  I already know it's going to be hard to take them off my feet!  They are relatively new in at Marks & Spencer but I bet they won't hang around long.  I can easily see these being snapped up - size 3 and 4 are already low stock on the website.

Dorothy Perkins Skinny Jeans
TKMaxx Polka Dot Cashmere Jumper
Denim Jacket (beloved yet so ancient, it's starting to fall apart)  I've got my eye on this Marks & Spencer Petite Denim Jacket
Hot Pink Scarf from a French market stall (old)
Joy the Store Fringe Bag A/W15
Accessorize Wine Beret bought in the sale but sold out.  Here's a Wool Maroon Beret currently reduced.
Leather Gloves by Tu at Sainsbury half price in the sale.  Marks & Spencer Berry Leather Gloves available in small, medium & large.
Marks & Spencer Faux Snakeskin Western Heel Chelsea Ankle Boot

I also didn't start out wearing the beret.  I do occasionally, leave the house without one. Yeah, I know, hard to believe, right, but tis true? 

However, said tempestuous elements mentioned earlier above, required the emergency appearance of said beret on me bonce. It had to tame the locks that were doing a wonderful impression of an angry Medusa!

Playful polka dots, 
edgy snakeskin boots, 
suede fringe bag, 
denim,

really, we're just having fun with print, texture and colour.   And thanks to Jen for planting that seed.

Have you thought to pair hot pink and burgundy/berry shades? 
Does your animal print wearing go beyond leopard print? 

Want to find out why I'm doing my 52 week style challenge?  Read all about it here.

Linking with Fashion Should Be Fun / Fabulous Friday / Visible Monday / #iwillwearwhatilike /