Catching Up

Another long absence I'm afraid - full of good intentions but again events held me up

Catch up on Christmas!

Off to London in the first week of December, a very grey London 3 out of the 4 days we were there. 
This year we were determined to see the Christmas Market in Hyde Park so we went there on the first evening. It was much bigger than we imagined. Fabulous pokes of chips for eating on the go - one of my weaknesses!

The highlight of Day Two was our visit to see Wicked. Great production

Day three  saw us set out to visit the Geoffrye Museum in East London. We got on a train in Chelsea Harbour , where we were staying and detoured to Westfield Stratford as it was on the way (!!!! sort of) It was a long way. But lovely to see the Christmas room sets at the Museum - worth a visit . It's such a beautiful building and just beside the tube/rail link. It feels so peaceful in their gardens in the middle of the city.

We also caught the new Paddington Movie as it as so wet one teatime. I had my doubts about the bear but do love Hugh Bonneville - as the father. ( In fact as anything)

Of course there was some shopping but not much - hand luggage is very restricting - maybe a good thing. I said I wasn't buying any more Christmas decorations - but of course John Lewis got me ! Had to have something.

My only fashion buy was a cashmere sweater from Uniglo - had seen them on lots of bloggers and as they were reduced in the colour I picked it seemed silly not to buy - and it folded up neatly for the journey home. 

Well that's a bit of a catch up- pennies have been short ever since , thank goodness January is almost over.

Three for two

I am a fan of offers. Sometimes though I end up with things I would never have thought of buying.
Last month I needed some Primer. I had been using the Rimmel one since before the summer - having run out of my all time favourite from Maybelline. I ended up with the Rimmel because it was £4.00 cheaper than the Maybelline one, and from memory it was in a three for two deal as well.

I rather liked the Rimmel and so set out to buy it again - hopefully in another three or two  - but by the time I got myself organised there was no three for two offer ( very sad face)
However I also needed a new bronzer/shaper. So that's how I was tempted into buying 17. I am a very old person but inside I do sometimes feel 17! Also I am on a budget and these are good budget items.

How have they worked for  me. Well I found the primer a little stiff - it is a flesh colour and although once you get used to it it does make a nice base it just somehow feels a little stiff. I thought it was me but my daughter found the same - she also thought it strange. It is a neat little size for your bag thought.

The instant glow brick  I have used once- maybe too summery for now  and I haven't had any big nights out.

The define and Conquer was a good buy - it does what I want. It's maybe a bit dark if you are heavy handed( I am quite fair skinned)

I did buy the Rimmel primer the next time I was in Boots though - back on three for two.

My other items this time were the brow gel - this is a good product but beware it will lift any other powder colour off your brows if you have added it first- maybe I am using it all wrong and my brows did need dyed at that time.

Do you splurge or save on Cosmetics. DO you believe you get what you pay for?

You need one of these - but maybe not just yet!

I don't know about where you are but here the weather has generally been unseasonably warm. Today when I went out the car said an unbelievable 18 degrees. It wasn't a day to go out without a coat due to a wind blowing but certainly anything heavy was completely unnecessary.

I must confess that due to this sort of weather I have only had the contents of my second parcel on once so far.

At the start of this season I made a  - short - list of what I needed for winter. On the list was a replacement black padded type outdoor coat.
I last bought a coat  like this in 2009 for a trip to New York in the February of that year so I didn't feel putting a new one on my list was an extravagance.

My old one was from Per Una at Marks and Spencer (did I hear someone tut!) It had a concealed hood , pockets to the front and a zip and popper fastening. My criteria for the replacement was that it must have a removable  or concealable hood, pockets  and a zip and popper fastening.

I was passing TK Maxx one day and tried on two there
There was a wonderful Betsy Johnston one that had amazing little built in finger gloves thingys but the hood didn't come off and made me look and feel muffled - it was a great coat for a thin person - not me!
I also tried and bought a Michael Kors coat which had all the things I wanted, sadly reurned it as I was not convinced the zip was up to much pulling and hauling and would not last me another 5 years as my first one had.

I spotted one on Marks and Spencer's website - irritatingly it appeared only to come in Plus sizes. I sat back and waited for it to appear in other sizes.
Also irritatingly it has now disappeared from the site - I never found it in my size.

I did find this one in store - I even bought it - and returned it. It did have it all - removable hood , pockets - but it just felt too boring on - I know all black coats may be boring!! It was also Per Una - sorry.



Meanwhile I found one I liked on Mango. The girl looked like I wanted to look -ha ha!
I looked and looked at it, I tried to assess how long I could look without missing out on getting it.
I worried and fretted over the sizing. I fretted over how I would return it if it didn't do - decided I could maybe cope with the return.
And then fate took charge - a 30% off weekend arrived just before I went off on holiday.
It arrived while I was away. 

When I opened it on my return I knew I had done the right thing in the end. I loved it. I loved it even with the belt - and no I don't quite look like a sack of potatoes in it. 
Sadly the weather hasn't needed it so far but with the forecast today for winter giving a very gloomy prospect I think I just might.
It has pockets ( with zips)
It has a detachable hood - which covers really well when up.
It has snug elasticated wrists.
I love it.
Now it isn't a light coat - but boy does it make me feel I can face whatever the winter throws at me - unfortunately this time not  a trip to New York, but almost hoping London in December will be cold. As long as its not so cold I am snowed in here.

Other coats in a similar vein

Zara

Also Zara

Dunnes Stores

what's in my parcel - one

I did say I had some parcels waiting.

The contents of my first one were much longer for. I have a coat fetish - I fully admit it. I love coats. Need Coats?? that's another matter.

My daughter and I were talking about the pale blue Autograph coat in our local Marks and Spencer some weeks ( and more) ago.
She decided as neither of us now go to work that requires wearing a coat like this on a daily basis it would be extravagant to buy this coat no matter how lovely it was. She was of course right. I don't go to work at all and this coat demanded dressing up on a daily basis. But it was lovely. I can't see it online but you may know the one I mean as it was on display at the very front of our Marks and Spencers , possibly in yours too.

I then quite fancied a camel coat. Many many years ago there was a mother who collected her son ( who was in the year below me at school) wearing a beautiful camel coat - she was incidentally a strikingly beautiful woman too. Every time I think of a camel coat I think of her.

When I was in town some weeks ago I tried on the one in Zara - seen also on Fashion Mum of Forty and Style At Every Age. I actually had been and tried it on before I saw them in it. This one. It was not for me, even though it fitted ( and Zara is hit and miss in that department for me)I felt slightly as though I was wearing a dressing gown and TBH the colour does nothing for me .
Note the model does not have it tied, if I had felt I could go through the winter without tying a coat closed it might have helped but possibly that would not be the case.

I then tried a camel one on in Marks and Spencer and to be sure, the colour still did nothing for me, my dream of being glamorous was gone.

I was then leafing through the September Issue of Glamour and spotted A COAT. It was grey and the price was unbelievable, especially for someone on a budget like me.

This one

It's the grey coat at £24.99 from H and M. I stalked the website looking for it and then finally two weeks before I went on holiday there is was. I didn't hesitate, but only ordered one size, and then noticed it would arrive while I was on holiday.

Daughter waylaid delivery - sorted.

I looked at it in Palma - it looked big but it was too hot to start to try on a myriad of sizes  - all European - to decide if I had bought the right one.

When I opened it I was expecting to be disappointed , but was I - nope! Except that the size I had ordered was enormous. But there is a happy ending - The day after I came home I beetled down to my local H and M and got it two sizes smaller , I know its meant to be oversized but there's oversized and absolutely drowning me. It's perfect , I love it. I suit grey, it goes with lots and the price is great. It dresses down as well as  up and I am in love.

Not claiming to be glamorous but hey ho!

Sorry for the very little poor picture. I will get round to taking one of it actually on in a few days.

Goodbye Summer

I was fortunate enough to have been able to have a late holiday in Majorca  where the sun still shines.

So I finally only cast aside my sandals on Sunday 5th October. Sadly the weather has turned a lot colder so I had to pack away my summer clothes too.

But for now here was Majorca last week - 28 degrees C - a bit of rain but mostly lovely.

I did try to travel light with basically a navy theme. Didn't quite succeed. Must do better.
The hotel had a lovely generous wardrobe with lots of hangers. I'm really sad to  pack away my summer things but I came home to some lovely parcels I had ordered before I went. More of those next time.

A little print

Here in Northern Ireland we've been particularly lucky with our September weather , last week saw lots of lovely days although with a distinct chill at the start and end of them.


This has meant I've been able to avoid Autumn clothing for which I am really glad, I have a late holiday coming up and didn't want to put all the summer stuff away. More importantly I didn't want to relinquish my Zara sandals which have been my utter favourite footwear this summer.


Despite the lovely days we have had white trousers seemed so wrong, never mind my inability to wear them more than a few hours without feeling and looking grubby.


So I've resorted to some print trousers I already had. I must confess I have wore black with them quite a lot as I like a block of solid colour with print and two of them have black backgrounds

First up I bought these in the Next sale a coupe of season ago. I originally intended lifting the blue and green colourway in tops but they are hard to match.

Next previous season these are slightly hotter material and do crease but very comfie. I have been wearing these with an H and M cream top as well - Avril from School Gate Style has recently reviewed it and found it too thin but I wear a thin vest or cami under it. It was really good value for me at £7.99 and so far it has washed just fine.

Next this season , these are stretchy and I think are described as harems. The background is navy and I have styled them with a white top and navy cardigan or jumper. The pink again has been difficult to match.

Others

I spotted these the other day on the Zara website and thought they were lovely

These are New look

These all could be worn with a black top and black sandals if your weather is still holding out. They give a lighter look than throwing yourself into full Autumn. I love my boots etc but winter can be so long its good to stretch out a summery feel when you can.

ARe you holidng on to summer. Ours here may be gone this morning as we woke up to rain.

My summer favourites

Sorry if this post also has no photos. My skills on the iPad are such that I haven't discovered how to add any.
For the post I thought I would look back over my summer purchases and chose my five favourites.

1. top of any list my Zara sandals. I wasn't sure if I would get the wear out of black but they have never been off my feet. Priced at 19.99 they didn't break the bank.

2. Next white linen mix shorts. Although we haven't had great weather when it was good these were so comfortable. I'm off to Majorca in 9 days so they will get another outing. They were only 16.99 I think.

3. My Boden linen shift dress for the same reason as the Next shorts. Nice and bright in a subtle way it will be a favourite for a long time to come.

4. Marks and Spencer linen mix peg leg trousers. Loved the comfort of these.

5. Next white sleeveless boxy top, I had 2 in different patterns, they washed well and stayed white, these little cheapies (at 14.99 I think they were) will unbelievably carry through to another summer.