By SolihullStyle Jul 10, 2020
The weeks are whizzing by and it’s not long until the school summer holidays kick in if they haven’t already for some. This year there’s not the big signing off and the blatantly obvious end of team. My kids have been home for over four months and I have to keep reminding myself that the hols will soon be upon us. It should’ve been quite a send off this year as the youngest leaves his primary school. Such a shame for so many children for lots of different reasons.
Of late the blogs have revolved around the IGTV styling video. This one is no different!
It’s all about a skirt. I’ve used a bias cut slip skirt ( previous season) but it could easily be any floaty or even pleated skirt that you might have in your own wardrobe. It could even be a wide floaty culotte or palazzo pant to be honest. As always it’s a mixed bag of my own clothes that I have at home. Ive included ideas for the summer, ideas for work ; a shopping trip or lunch with friends and some ideas to take you from desk to dinner with a “Mary Poppins” style bag!
I can get a bit funny about dress lengths with coats, maybe that’s why I love boyfriend blazers so much? As this particular skirt was asymmetric it kinda didn’t matter and made bringing you different looks with my own coats easier. Stuff like that is a matter of personal taste and will depend on what suits you as an individual. I’m afraid I can only dress myself for the purpose of these videos! Tweak the proportions to suit your own shape!
So once again I hope you enjoy the video. It’s a little longer than normal as I got carried away….I could’ve kept going!
I’ve linked some other skirts that are available at the moment, I’ve no personal experience of now they fit or what the quality is like but I’ve tried to find a few different price points for you and some sale bits! Most sizes were available for the sale finds at the point of writing this blog but stock sells fast as there are some incredible bargains out there.
SATIN SKIRT ABOVE – Massimo Dutti
LINEN VEST – H&M current season
CERAMIC MISS MATCH EARRINGS – Zara
RING – Nomination
BASKET SHOPPER – MMAA Social
TAN SLIDES – DUNE
BLACK SANDALS – & Other Stories
LINEN MIX COAT – Zara sale this season
CARDIGAN – Pure Collection London sample sale but LOVE this!
SKIRTS ABOVE – Both SALE at The White Company left right
SWEATSHIRT WITH SIDE ZIPS = ARKET sale (may be stock in stores?)
TRAINERS – sold out but I like THESE
TRENCH = M&S old
TOTE BAG – LK Bennett lots similar online HERE
COURT SHOES = LK Bennett HERE
SATIN SKIRT ABOVE – ARKET
TUXEDO POPLIN SHIRT – ARKET sold out …similar HERE
BLAZER – ME+EM options HERE
BLACK ANKLE BOOTS – Zara but styles widely available
JUMPER – The White Company lots HERE
TALL BOOTS – ARKET
LEFT – ME+EM
MIDDLE – ARKET
RIGHT – ME+EM
Makeup throughout is Trinny London.
Thank you for reading and now I’m off to plan some outfits for holiday! Yay! XX
By SolihullStyle Apr 04, 2019
The next video is now live on IGTV (Instagram) and YouTube. We’ve chosen to download onto YouTube for readers that aren’t on Instagram.
Last week we had that one day of glorious sunshine…you know the one…that one day that was probably our summer!!!! I was court out to be honest, I know! I’ve spent so long trying to manage transition and the extreme change was so out of the blue after all the hail and frosty mornings that even I thought …there’s gotta be a catch here..it must be cold even though it’s sunny!
As a knee jerk reaction to the situation and the need to get out of the door as opposed to being super organised and all over it like I should’ve been, I pulled out my culottes. Paired with a linen shirt and gold sandals I felt suitably dressed for the day ahead.
I know I bang on about the weather like ALL the time but it’s the main driver to what I choose to wear these days. It used to be what I was doing that day, it sorta still is, obviously, but the weather is driving me nuts as it’s become such a huge factor in everything. I’m either freezing because I’ve been over optimistic or all wrapped up and dressed for winter and then the sun comes out! GRRRRRR! Ha Ha!
Anyways, the culottes gave me a life line that I’m very grateful for! They are super versatile throughout the seasons and can be easily dressed up or down. From super sporty to super smart. Great for work too or the weekend with trainers. They are one of those pieces where you can play with juxtaposition … you know…something seriously utility on top like a shirt with pockets but pair the ensemble with heels for a night out to give that all in one look. The styling options are endless. They could easily be a super bright colour if that’s your bag or more of a tailored fit if you’re petite. The high rise works well for me as it keeps the length in my leg despite being cropped.
By SolihullStyle Nov 12, 2018
OUTTA NOWHERE!
I wasn’t planning to write this blog at all after I’d got up and got dressed. I’d got up in the morning and thought..and I’ll be totally honest, there’s nothing new here. No point taking any pictures as there’s nothing helpful to tell. Then I thought I would go along the lines of the outfit being about feeling a bit poorly so being comfortable is sometimes, if not most of the time, ones priority with the busy lives we lead. Hmmmm, but then I’m wearing heels aren’t I so I knew you’d all be screaming at the screen at me! I was feeling poorly so I couldn’t really be a**** to wear much more than my slobs….oh yes I have those!! My youngest son had been nagging ….oh my goodness can he nag… he has this way of grinding us both down until we say yes. Nagging to go bowling! Rugby was cancelled for Remembrance Sunday so after lunch it kinda worked as an option even though I’d rather saw my own arm off. Choose your battles I guess and no one else came up with a better plan. I stared at my wardrobe. I did! I know I can’t say to anyone “I’ve got nothing to wear” so I had to suck it up buttercup and get out of my PJs. I really didn’t want to!!! I even ate my lunch in my bathrobe trying to pretend the inevitable wasn’t about to happen. Sundays is usually auto pilot for me. Put on thermals, put on jeans and really snugly jumper; put on puffer coat and hat and scarf…oh and boots and off to rugby we go! Easy. Today I had to think and I wanted to hibernate!
STRIKE ONE!
I might’ve had a couple of strikes. Is that what you call it?! I am fairly useless at bowling. It starts with the shoes for me and it’s all down hill from there! Back to my thought process of getting out the door when I really didn’t want to! My velvet jeans, that’s it…I’ll start with them! They are the only new purchase. I bought them a couple of weeks ago as I wanted a really black pair of jeans. I can’t tell you how comfortable they are. They are almost as good as gym tights but you can totally dress them up or down. There are other colours available online and they’d make a good staple for smart/casual party season looks. I’m hankering after the others as a change from black. With a true high rise they have become a go to when I feel my brain switching off. When I feel really lazy or under the weather I just reach for black basics. I just do. Something made me reach for something different…no idea why. Maybe it was just there in the pile on the chair! It happened to be a camel cashmere sweater. No rocket science here! If I could’ve put my bathrobe on top I would’ve! I think poor MR.W wants to burn said robe. It’s not even nice! I bought it whilst camping in Devon one year. I was so cold at night that I couldn’t sleep a wink. We found the nearest shop.. which happened to be LIDL and I bought it there. Unfortunately for him it came home from Devon! Still in denial I instinctively reached for my camel coat. Bathrobe like in it’s appearance and just as oversized and cosy. This coat is HUGE. It’s why I love it but sometimes hate it if that makes any sense? I’ll try to explain. LOVE it because it fits over everything, even really sloppy jumpers, HATE it because it’s not the most flattering garment in the world and I need to be in the right mood to want to wear it.
WHY THE VIDEO!
We did the video to show movement. We don’t stand still in life. Sometimes it’s the way clothes make us feel on a particular day that’s important. It can be how something moves too. It might be how we push up a sleeve or how we flip up a collar. You’ve heard the phrase “she wears it well”. Have you ever put something on one day and hated it only to love it another time? I know I have. That day I wanted to feel safe and in something that felt like a hug. I didn’t want fitted and tailored and camera friendly. I get asked all the time. “Do you ever look at someone and think…they shouldn’t be wearing that”. No is the answer. Who am I to judge someone else’s choices. I don’t know what that person has been through physically or mentally to make that particular choice in the morning. I’ve dressed ladies with all sorts of health issues and problems. I rarely get clients that find shopping easy or are a perfect standard ready to wear high street size, who is? If they did find the whole process easy they wouldn’t need me. Some of the things ladies tell me about how they feel about their bodies after child birth, surgery or ageing often breaks my heart. When I can help someone feel better in their own uniquely beautiful skin, it’s the best feeling in the world.
THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM!
It’s the heels isn’t it? Why oh why if you felt like do-do would you wear heels?! I don’t know! HA ha ha!!! I knew I wanted boots…it was cold and I felt really cold. I couldn’t help myself. I knew I needed black “feet” at the end of my jeans to keep the illusion of height to balance out the oversized coat… I knew I was going to have to take them off at the bowling alley anyway. I failed at the final huddle to not completely let go didn’t I! I couldn’t help myself! In my defence, if I owned some black leather trainers I would’ve worn them…maybe?! Te he he!
ON A SERIOUS NOTE!
Boooo! Don’t feel like being serious but I guess I need to be helpful somewhere along the lines other than pointing you in the direction of some fab velvet jeans. I have bought a few bits of late so I’ll share when I can. In short I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the leather shoes at ZARA. You know I’m an advocate of buying less and buying as good as quality as you can with the budget you have but some high street finds have excelled expectations this season and if you love animal print, but can’t face a whole garment, then a leopard or snake shoe or boot is quite literally a fun way to dip your toe in. I’ve fallen for COS too where in the past I’ve found their styles a bit too shapeless (rather ironic really considering the oversized content of this blog!) but this season I think they’ve done a few beautiful quality basics at an acceptable price point.
COAT – H&M Premium Quality range… old season, finding your shade of camel is up to you! I like this one.
CASHMERE JUMPER – H&M Premium Quality
VELVET JEANS – Massimo Dutti current collection
SUEDE BOOTS – old season Sam Edelman
BAG – TODS at Bicester Village
I hope you’ve enjoyed my musings about nothing much in particular. Can you believe it’s November. The high street is already awash with sequin skirts and Christmas jumpers. Have you got the party season sorted?! Maybe this is the year I get a Santa sweater? Hmmmm! HO HO HO!
By SolihullStyle Jun 02, 2015
There’s one particular accessory that has been on my wish list this season and it’s been the basket. It’s more “the dress like a French girl” styling that appeals to me, as opposed to the inevitable 70’s vibe this woven wonder emits. There is a “festival” element to it’s look, however, anything which evokes memories of holidays in The South of France makes me want it in my life. I’m waiting in the car for school pick up in torrential rain and the usual irony is there. I will continue this post about an item linked to heady days in the sun with the hope that summer is on its way and that heat wave we have been promised might actually happen!! Whilst dodging the showers and heavy gusts of wind I was able to take a few snap shots of my “beach bag” and those sunny days on holiday seem quite literally miles away! Back to the project itself! Though these straw bags are seriously on my fashion radar they aren’t that easy to find in the shops themselves. I’ve had more luck online but they seem to be either really cheap and lack lustre or come with a high designer price tag. This got me thinking and the creative juices flowing!! My DIY light was well and truely switched on and another project was born. The decoration of choice was the humble pom pom. What could be easier? Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!!
FIRST CHOOSE YOUR COLOUR PALETTE
Look at your wardrobe and decide which colours work for you best and will add colour and interest to your new accessory.
COTTON YARN – HOBBY CRAFT £3.50
CHOOSE YOUR MATERIALS
YARN? I chose to use a 100% cotton yarn for my pom pom as opposed to wool to avoid my work of art looking like I’d stolen it off my old winter beanie!!! Using some different and unexpected materials adds individuality to your bag. I’ve used leather too to add a harder, smarter edge and to stop my basket looking too boho. It’s a matter of taste and what suits your own style. If you like a more tradition look then add bright colour and more “bits” and “bobs” to give that high summer holiday feel.
POM POM makers available from HOBBY CRAFT
BASKET – H&M ( home) £12.99
MY FINISHED MASTER PIECE!!!
If all else fails and you’re not up for making ANYTHING then you can always cheat?!! There are lots of funky haberdashery trimmings to use instead. If you’re not natty with a needle either then don’t panic. Buy a brightly coloured contrast thread and make a feature of your “naive” stitches, it’ll just add more character to your art work and an authentic feel!!
pom pom trim – HOBBY CRAFT
If I haven’t inspired you to have a go then there are baskets to buy from high end to high street. TK Max had lots of coloured French style baskets in store as well as Liv’s on Mill Lane in Solihull Mell Square. Other tempting treats I have scoured the internet for are to follow:-
BASKET with pom pom trim – ALDO
BEACH BAG in bright colour – Sensi Studio
BASKET with fur pom pom – Dolce & Gabbana
STRAW SHOPPER with suede fringe – H&M
JUTE TOTE with sequin stripe – Aspiga
BASKET with pom pom trim – J Crew
BASKET with star fish print – Aspiga
BASKET with pattern – J Crew
BASKET BAG in plain block colour – John Lewis
If you fancy a smarter style this is a great option. Pictured here in our John Lewis store in Solihull.
BASKET in melange fabric weave – FCUK
TRADITIONAL BASKET – The White Company
STRAW SHOPPER – TopShop
If you want to go really crazy then just keep going! the sky’s the limit!! More is more! Have fun. Fashion should be fun. Be inspired. I’ve added tassels to bags; pom poms (and more!!) to baskets and extras to scarves!!
Leather pom poms are my new invention, though a little tricky to master. I’ve included a short video made by my son for your enjoyment!
similar ombre scarf – ZARA
Thank you for reading and please let me know if you have a go at your own DIY projects.