FASHION // Wearing Good Shirts

These photos were taken before the worldwide pandemic

I have always loved wearing shirts. In fact I love wearing shirts so much that often when it comes to dressing up I have a complex about not owning any fancy tops. Seems ridiculous because even these days a white t-shirt and jeans could be a fancy thing to wear if you team it with all the right accessories.

Shirts have a place in my wardrobe though: cotton, linen, silky. Nowadays my 'go to' is jeans, a shirt and as it is cold, a jumper.

Shirts are great items to layer but also a stand alone gorgeous shirt looks great just with jeans. And that my friends is where I am at with shirt buying. I have decided you can’t beat them so best just invest in a few core basics and then have some enjoyable fun ones too. I have been wearing white shirts on repeat and whist I have been constantly pinning Outfit Ideas in your 30s I am finding a running theme of the use of a good shirt.

Not being too eager about summer either but linen shirts are just so cool. I don’t know if you can beat the look of a classic white linen shirt with a pair of jeans (I mean I do have a go) because it is just a staple and always looks effortlessly cool!

A cotton white shirt at the moment is always perfect, layered up with a nice jumper I find that I am beating the chill but looking chic.

I would say the only problem with shirts is that so often, the nicer the material the bigger the creasing! What a pain, I am just going to have to walk round with a steamer because after sitting in the car this one got crushed. To be honest the sleeves are so fancy I think it is hidden (slightly) and the oversized modern look lends itself to the impracticality of such a soft fabric.

My end point is much like the beginning, I love shirts, I think they are great, and as simple as they seem, this classic style will always be part of women's fashion because it will make you look fresh and smart at any age.

Outfit details //

Jeans, Shirt and Bag, H&M

Shoes, M&S

Hair bobble SIMILAR

FASHION // My New Fashion Rules

These photos were taken before the worldwide pandemic.

It has been so long since I have written a fashion post but to be honest I felt that I had started to repeat myself. The thing is, when it comes to fashion I am finding it hard to dictate how I think you should dress or, in fact, even what you should buy. Sharing new items and how I would wear them is all good but really I want my outfit sharing to be inspiring and about how you can use similar items (hopefully ones you already own) to create similar looks. I felt I was always promoting something, even when I wasn't being paid and as much as I love sharing outfit posts I really had to reflect on me pushing an idea of always having something new, or branded or even, wearing something once for content and it then sitting in my wardrobe.

This is a classic and bad example of how fashion bloggers can work and in a bid to rid myself of this cycle of owning stuff purely to share I have spent the last few months really sorting my wardrobe and actually finding a whole new style that suits me and my everyday needs and the lifestyle I live.

If you hadn’t seen on my social media channels, I now have a Depop sale page and have been selling lots of items on there. Most of the clothes really were being wasted with me so I decided that it was time to sell them to people (at a really fair price) to allow people to access little bits of luxury in a very eco-friendly way. In fairness I give away so many clothes to charity/sisters/friends but I felt that a lot of the things I have purchased (and wasted my money on) needed a bit of compensation. It has been liberating seeing the pile of items leave. Some I had immediate regret about selling but I know that the only way to enjoy dressing better is to really LOVE the items in my wardrobe.

I can’t explain how inspiring it has been to empty my wardrobe a bit. Turns out I really love the simple things and that jeans and a shirt go a long way in my book. I remember a time when I owned one pair of blue skinny jeans. I lived in dresses and as true as that still is (I kept a host of summer favourites) I find that latterly through the winter I have been wearing pretty much the same thing on repeat. I am happy with that, that is not a negative, and actually this wardrobe clean started with the purchase of a pair of boots which I have found I have worn everyday and kind of built my outfits around. It is safe to say that my Grenson boots have been my most used wardrobe item ever and when you find a pair of shoes like that you find that all your outfits are built around complementing that one thing. These boots just became my everyday shoe so jeans and long dresses/ skirts with jumpers became the normal (but stylish) thing to wear with them.

For a long time now I have been running with a notion of spending a bit more money and getting things I actually want. I have fallen into the “buy a cheaper version of a thing that looks like the expensive thing”. This only resulted in me filling my wardrobe with items that were completely dissatisfying and in multiples! I was buying multiple cheap items that were like the expensive one I should have just bought in the first place. Buying my Grenson boots was a big thing, a £300 big thing, but I have worn them on average 6 days a week since October; I class that as a good purchase. Not one similar option on the high street has caught my eye as much as them but I know I could have bought cheaper and not been happy with them.

Heading into spring and since the big clear out I am finding that items I spent the money on are staying firmly in their place and there aren’t any multiples because that one item is exactly what I wanted.

Since starting to think and dress in a way that is using these items I am finding it harder to shop. This is not a bad thing but my point is, when you are happy with what you have other items don’t compare and you begin to realise that you don’t need to be involved in fast fashion as much. I am gonna spurge and I am gonna spend but I can feel within me that something has changed. I don’t want to just be buying to encourage other people to be buying. It is a vicious circle so I am just trying to be happy that even though I may not be wearing something on the front page of ASOS or H&M I am buying items that I know I really want and will wear from season to season.

What's this post about? Learning to make your own fashion rules and truly enjoy buying good clothes that are not just going to pile up.

In the pictures I am wearing//

Old &OtherStories Blazer (Mine was a sale purchase originally but a classic oversized cut blazer SEE SIMILAR).

Vintage high waist jeans in Ecru from H&M last summer. (SEE SIMILAR)

Beaded Bag (An old sale purchase SEE SIMILAR)

Leather Mule Shoes (00s mules are gonna be BIG but these leather mules are a great heel height and classic colour from none other than M&S)

Blouse is a new one in the palest pink also from M&S

LIFE LATELY // Our Easter Day In Pictures

Follow along with our Easter Sunday.

Happy Easter! Here it is, can you believe it. A strange one, one to remember for years to come, but one we have all got through together. The first bank holiday of the year seems a bit different to usual. You may not have seen everyone you would usually but I hope you have been able to celebrate in a happy way at home.

For us we have spent another day at home, just us four. 

I knew I wanted to write a post today but I now don't seem to have any words so I thought I would simply share our day in photos. You can see the children's faces, their excitement and how our day panned out. A little heads up, it involved an Easter egg hunt, puzzles out of our neighbours newspaper and a bit of water! 

I hope your day was full in someway; of love, food or simple pleasures. Happy Easter.

Easter Day 2020