The September Issue

With just three more days of August left I feel well and truly ready to swap the slides for boots and start embracing layers again. September is always my favourite month in the fashion calendar, the January New Year for the industry. Out with the old, in with the new, a time for new beginnings and fresh thinking. Not only are there the fashion weeks to look forward to but the shops pack away the sales dregs and the shiny new stock sits waiting to be bought full of hope and promises of an Autumn Winter full of style. It’s the perfect time to sit back and assess how you’re AW wardrobe is looking. A good idea if you’re keen not to squander too much on throw away fashion and be a bit savvy with your purchases. Look for the gaps in your wardrobe, sell/give/throw away anything that doesn’t fit you anymore and strategise! Be a woman with a plan. But save some budget for those mid season ‘I just had to have it’ buys.

Wannabe Gypset

It’s not often I have the patience to browse an online store. I love internet shopping for what it is – quick, easy, hassle free. So when I find myself on the huge department store type websites with hundreds of products to trawl through you can be sure after page three I have given up and closed the window. This is why the Zara ‘new in’ tab is so my best friend. Having said that – I am learning a new online shopping skill. Key words! So with my new weapon at the ready I have been taking on sites I would never normally try, and most recently its been Boohoo.com the fast-fashion, trend driven, global site that I always thought was for teens, or at least carefree twenty somethings who went out every night of the week and never wore the same £12 dress twice.

Sunrise to Sunset… in a little black dress

If you only buy one thing this season then you will need it to work hard for you and I am championing the little black dress. Choose it boxy, easy to wear and with delicate thin straps. This little number will take you from sunrise to sunset without a moments hesitation. Pair with loafers, biker boots or trainers for day, and slip a breton or little t-shirt underneath for true nineties nostalgia. For sunset go without anything underneath… fancy adding some glamour – throw on a pair of heels and you have a simple chic cocktail dress.

Playing it Down

On a Friday I would usually write what I’ve been calling my ‘weekly confession’, but as the blog has evolved I have started sharing my purchases on the blog shop that day – hopefully making it much easier for you to shop my favourites at any time rather than that particular week. But this does leave me with a bit of a gaping hole in my blogging schedule…

So this Friday I thought I would take a look back at the week, and see what you’ve liked the most… the Zara leopard skirt.

The Sunday Edit: Your Style Dose

This Sunday I wanted to take the inspo back to style… a nice big, healthy dose of style. The shops are brimming with new season collection right now, which can be a total minefield in the middle of August.. how do you know what you’ll want to wear come Winter?! Trust your gut, if you love it, buy it now before it goes. If you don’t love it, don’t buy it just because it’s a dead ringer for that designer version. Wear only what you find beautiful and you will feel beautiful wearing. Make your clothes work harder. That Summer slip will work perfectly over a long-sleeved breton with your trainers and a biker jacket. And the new Winter trousers you buy now – enjoy them straight away with a cami and sandals. Play with the trends and bend the rules. What is fashion without fun?

The Sunday Edit: FOMO

The past week I have really noticed my FOMO (fear of missing out for anyone as clueless as I usually am) has peaked. My friends, some with children, most without, out and about in town, in Ibiza, dancing on tables or prancing around at festivals without a care in the world. When you’re at home on Saturday night yet again its so easy to feel you’re missing out. Don’t get me wrong I am happy with my choices, knowing my baby is tucked up sleeping soundly as I tuck into another boxset with my Netflix husband is one of the best feelings in the world. Especially when accompanied with a giant pizza and a plenty of good wine. Sometimes I just need to remind myself of just how lucky I am, and that I chose to be right here right now. And when I choose not to be those tables are just a babysitters call away from being danced on. But it’s not always simple, being able to enjoy the moment. Whether that moment is prancing around at a festival, skinny dipping in Ibiza, or in my pjs sat on the sofa finishing off the last of the Malteasers treat size bag (whoops). So this weeks Sunday inspo post is about the here and now. Living for the moment, whatever that moment is. And making the most of it. You don’t get it back. You can’t relive it. So make it worth living.

The Shopping Edit: Chanello…

Ok the title might be a tad misleading, I haven’t gone and dropped a few thousand on Chanel… but I have spent a modest £8 on a pair of Chanel inspired shoes which I absolutely love and will have no guilt wearing to death over the next few months. They are by New Look, and are so easy to slide on and run out the door, as I am normally doing chasing a two year old on a scooter. I’m wearing mine with my Summer saviour the Levis denim mini, but will also be wearing with jeans. They are by no means exact look-a-likes they are just a nod to the trend and give an otherwise casual look a bit of a Chanel-luxe update. I am totally sold, and if I change my mind… for £8 you can’t really complain.

The Shopping Edit: Summer Days

Here in London we have finally seen Summer arrive and what a relief. I can wear my favourite cut-offs without feeling like a loon. And this week I received a very exciting package from Dune London with these beautiful tan suede loafers inside. Totally in love with them,  soft, classic, and leg-extending. They’re from the new AW16 collection which is trickling into stores and online at the moment. These are the perfect Summer purchase, they’ll see you through the last of the Summer weather and will look great with jeans for Autumn and Winter.

The Sunday Edit: Inappropriate

Now we are mothers are we still sexy? Our bodies may have changed but we are still the same person, we have just created small humans. We still like the same things, still have feelings, desires… we still want to be desired and feel attractive. When so many people are so quick to judge, where do you feel comfortable drawing the line?

The Shopping Edit: Denim Update

Happy Friday ladies, time to crack open a bottle of wine and relax… and maybe do a little bit of internet shopping?!

This week has been a mixed bag weather wise and its totally reflected in my random shopping basket… a pair of linen trousers, a denim mini, more gingham, super soft t-shirt and a seriously shiny vest top.