Thrift Inspiration..... Doing it Designer Style for Bags in Neutral Tones

 Leather handbags in beige, ivory or cream that fit the trend for this Winter Season!

Hi everyone! So on my last thrifting trip I bought another handbag- but in my defence, I don't have a neutral beige or ivory bag!

There are some awesone designer bags that fit the bill if you're keen to get a light colour bag for Winter- going neutral means it will go with any colour coat or jacket you choose to wear and makes a perfect change from the traditional black or brown, 

Here are my favourite designer picks:

Wandler bag, Net a Porter

Laurent bag, YSL.com

See by Chloe at Farfetch

I picked up this cute vintage leather mock croc bag for just £3.50 in the charity shop and it's so well made and definitely will go with so many of my coats and jackets for this season:

Liz Clairborne vintage leather cross body bag

I love cross body bags as they're so stylish and versatile and particularly in Winter your hands want to be in your pockets and holding as little as possible!

Is a neutral colour bag on your radar for Winter? What colour accessories are you wearing this season?

Thrift Inspiration....Doing it Isabel Marant style!

 The Tale of my Isabel Marant Manifestation True Story Find, Plus my Marks and Spencer Coat Finds!

Hi everyone! So this is an awesome account of how my weekend went on the coat and thrifting front and how I came upon my latest purchases!

So I'm constantly evaluating, culling and adding to my coat collection- it's certainly an ongoing work in progress as many of you stylish ladies can attest to! 

My eldest son had kindly said he would pay for a coat that I had ordered from H&M for Christmas. It's a camel teddy coat and it was £39.99 in the sale but although it's a gorgeous coat I was constantly in two minds as to whether it actually suited me and eventually decided it didn't. So Friday evening, I packaged it up ready to be returned and then decided I wanted to hunt for a tweed coat or jacket and was busy happily browsing (hunting) eBay for a good few hours until past midnight! 

I remembered that a few years ago I had thrifted- and sadly gave or sold on again- a fabulous tweed coat which was very similar to the Isabel Marant Bator coat- see my post from 2013 here I actually screenshot this picture on Friday night from my blogpost (manifestation starting!) and as it was a Debenhams Classic coat I was stalking eBay for the exact coat- but no joy!

This is the jacket that sadly got away, pictured from my 2013 blogpost:

Well I ended up finding a coat on eBay before I went to bed, although its not in the same kind of style as above it's grey wool herringbone tweed, single breasted and looks great so I went to bed quite happy! I also bought another scarf- so am eagerly awaiting both of these to now arrive!

So Saturday morning I decided to go thrifting in two towns I hadn't been to in a while. So I arrived in the first town and parked up right outside a charity shop. I immediately spotted a beautiful lilac coat in the window and once I was in the shop the lady kindly let me try it on and did a sterling job of selling it to me!

It's by Marks and Spencer from their Autograph range and is a beautiful colour and weight too- as soon as I saw it and tried it on I knew I wanted it!!

My pictures don't do the coat justice, its really so lovely and was a fabulous bargain at £25, so worth the price!

Although £25 might seem fairly high to spend in a charity shop I figured that high street coats are generally £40 upwards anyway and the quality and niceness of this one meant it was well worth paying for, plus it's a decent amount for charity too!

 So I carried on my browsing in the charity shops and ended up visiting the next town, where I found a lovely leather handbag- blogpost to come on that one!

I was queueing to go into one shop but decided to leave it till last and visit two more before returning to queue to get in! So the last rail was the coats and right in front of me was this beautiful brown wool Isabel Marant coat!! Again my photos do not do the coat justice- it's a beautiful find and definitely a forever coat for my winter wardrobe for years to come.

As soon as I saw the label, the size and that it was in immaculate condition I queued to pay and the best part was that is was actually cheaper than my previous coat buy- just £15!!

A true manifestation of an Isabel Marant coat purchase going on- I was utterly amazed at my fabulous find and not only had I bagged two wonderful bargains, they actually came to the same price as what the H&M coat was! It just goes to show what awesome bargains you still can get from thrifting and at a lesser price than the High Street too.

I'm always amazed at what you can find and there are so many lovely bargains post lockdown that have been donated- I definitely recommend you go thrifting for your winter coats if you haven't done so already!

I headed home and both coats fit like a glove- perfectly just slightly oversized so I can get jumpers underneath and both colour coats I don't already have too. So I'm now definitely taking the H&M coat back and also donating a black faux fur coat I bought in September- sadly it's too big- in my excitement of buying it I didn't really notice how big it was but I'm sure it will go to a good home once I've donated it!

If you haven't already checked out my Instagram feed, you will see another recent lovely coat find that I thought I would share on here too. It's a beautiful alabaster colour and is a Marks and Spencer wool Autograph coat which I found for just £4.50 and it's come up a treat after being dry cleaned too.

The Autograph range at Marks and Spencer are really premium coats and if you can source them preloved these are forever coats that will last forever- I now truly understand why my mum has loved Marks and Spencer for years for her clothes and food!

So I think I'm nicely up to date with my coat purchases for the moment and I have to say the Isabel Marant one has to be up there with one of my best charity shop finds ever!

What coats are on your winter wishlist? I hope you've enjoyed my coat finds and they inspire you to seek your own fabulous finds for this winter season!

Lockdown Loungewear this Winter with FemmeLuxe

Enjoying comfy stylish co-ord's and separates with FemmeLuxe

Hi everyone! When I realised I would be mostly at home for lockdown, I decided what better way to lounge in style than with FemmeLuxe with gorgeous pieces from their stay at home edit!

I have pieces from Autumn that I'm still enjoying wearing and as I've previously chosen neutral colours then I knew that separates such as their joggers meant I could easily co-ordinate and mix and match pieces with style!

When I saw the Cailleigh black boxy cropped jogger loungewear set I knew this was on my list of 'must haves' for lockdown. It does not disappoint- it washes and wears beautifully, is so cosy and comfortable and the cropped hoodie is a style I wanted for winter and with it's cute side adjustable drawstring waist it's such a perfect choice for lounging in style this season!

I sized up in this- I normally like my loungewear to be fairly loose and I'm so glad I did- even going up a size I've not compromised on the fit as the joggers are still a slim fit but feel roomy too-result!! Not only do they have a stylish stitched seam down the front, they also have the perfect cuff for wearing with black ankle boots- such a fabulous trend this winter that I'm really loving!

Each piece can easily be worn with so many other things already in my wardrobe- the hoodie will be perfect with jeans or leggings and is great under my winter jackets as an extra layer! I'll definitely be wearing the joggers with different colour hoodies and sweatshirts that are in lockdown rotation! I really recommend a black co-ord as it's such a versatile set to have and I'll be wearing mine lots in lockdown and beyond!

I've recently started buying cream and sand colour neutrals and when I saw these fleece front pocket Elina joggers I knew they would be a welcome addition to my wardrobe! These are perfectly true to size and unbelievably comfortable.

Not only are they super warm and cosy, they wash well- no shrinkage and minimum creases and they're the perfect neutral piece for mixing colour tones! The pockets are massively stylish and in size too- it's the finishing touches that really draw me to choosing FemmeLuxe pieces over again! 

I already had this cute cropped FemmeLuxe hoodie from Autumn and it's a real favourite of mine- I wear it so much and love how it's perfect for any season just by adding a layer underneath or over the top when necessary!

I opted for some dark green khaki joggers as this was a colour I don't have- these Lizzie joggers are true to size and again just so cosy and co-ordinate well with many neutrals for winter! These particular style jogger have a hidden drawstring which you can see well in my last picture- this is a great style bonus and I love how effective it looks with no strings hanging down!

 It's such a lovely Autumnal day that I'm wearing them with my white oversize t shirt that has also been an invaluable addition to my wardrobe thanks to FemmeLuxe!

I naturally chose dark grey joggers for winter- I don't have this colour and I've got a few grey sweatshirts and jumpers that will go with these perfectly! I love wearing joggers with ankle boots-the cuffs on all their joggers perfectly fit into them and make a stylish change from trainers! On a mild Autumnal day then wearing a hoodie over the shoulders is an effortlessly chic way of elevating a simple casual style and ensures you're carrying that extra layer for when it gets a bit colder!

 I really hope you've enjoyed how I've styled these pieces from FemmeLuxe- a big thanks to the team for providing such stylish and value for money pieces that will have longevity in my loungewear wardrobe for sure! Regular readers of my blog will know that I really enjoy wearing FemmeLuxe as they are consistently good quality and so reasonable too- be sure to check them out for your winter items of choice!!

Its All about the Dress! Transitional Dressing from the High Street

Choosing print dresses for end of Summer and Autumn styling!

Hi everyone! I've noticed that on Instagram that dresses seem to be the most popular go to for effortless style and comfort this Summer! Whether it's a puff sleeve, little black dress, grecian maxi or a flowing floral number, I do think dresses are definitely on many stylish IGers and Fashion bloggers radar this current season!

I really love dresses in Summer although I do tend to gravitate towards jeans and sweaters in Winter! However, I would like to carry on wearing dresses as we leave Summer and go into the next couple of seasons and I've found two dresses that I feel fit this remit very well indeed!

So breaking away from my current Summer habit of buying plain neutrals, I've bought print neutrals which I think are perfect transition choices when heading for the Autumn season! My first buy was in the Marks and Spencer's summer sale earlier this month and with a special offer on my Sparks card too, it was just £4. 

It's a really pretty paisley and floral taupe print dress with tiers and the near maxi length is ideal for wearing with sandals, trainers or boots and also a denim jacket or cardigan whatever the style occasion as the cooler weather approaches:

My second dress was purchased this week- Primark have their new current season instore and I literally picked this up as soon as I walked in! I haven't got a leopard print dress and again, the length and style of this dress make it a perfect transition piece from Summer to Autumn- it's also an ideal Day to Evening dress simply by adding jewellery, a pair of strappy sandals and a statement handbag and I'm good to go! 

Primark do some amazing leopard print clothes every season- I wore a year old leopard print denim skirt not so long ago which is featured on my Instagram feed. If you pick well, you cannot go wrong with Primark clothes and I do enjoy styling and wearing thoughtfully chosen items that I've had year after year!

Also leopard print is such a great print to style with- adding a splash of red or gold or silver carefully curated accessories with it ensures you'll really elevate your chosen leopard print piece with style!

This dress was £15 and I'm delighted to have 2 new High Street purchases that have stood me in at less than £10 each! 

Top Style Tip I do tend to size 1-2 sizes up in Primark- sizing up on certain high street brands ensures the said item looks a lot more stylish and expensive looking and drapes better too!

I do feel that Summer is slowly slipping away- well we've had an amazing one considering it started at the beginning of Lockdown! I doubt I'll be buying anymore items for Summer now unless it's an awesome thrifted one that I will have to have for next Summer!

Will you be wearing dresses this Autumn? Are they your go to for easy styling or will you be back in jeans? I'm a denim lover anyway so whether it's a jacket or skirt or jeans, denim will definitely feature a lot in my Autumn wardrobe- and hopefully dresses will too!!

Summer Linen- choosing preloved Marks and Spencer

Last of my Thrifted Summer Buys! 

Hi everyone! Last Friday was a lovely afternoon spent with the girls, lunching, then charity shopping and then back to the local Wetherspoon's for afternoon dessert and a needed cup of tea!

My Summer thrifted buys this season have been a lot more thought out as to what can be saved for following summers- I really want to have pieces that will transcend trends and that I will enjoy wearing and will keep me cool and looking stylish too!

This first item I found was in a charity shop where they were doing a 3 for 2 offer. I've mentioned in previous Instagram and blogposts that I really do like finding preloved Marks and Spencer linen  it not only keeps you cool but I do feel it's effortlessly stylish and very practical to wear and if you choose neutral colours then separates such as tops, blouses, shorts and trousers can so easily be mixed and matched for lots of different looks within a capsule summer wardrobe. 

I really like the stripe detail and the self belt nicely cinches the waist without feeling too fussy or tight. This will go with some white linen trousers I thrifted in June, plus cut off denim shorts or one of my denim skirts.Whilst thirfting, I try to envisage if an item will go with at least three items in my wardrobe- if it does then there's a good chance I'll buy it!  Also I find linen really doesn't have great hanger appeal, but once tried on it does look and feel nice!

My next find was a second black linen jacket the first one you can see here in July's post 

The difference between the two is this one is a slightly longer length and is an unstructured, unlined style so I can wear it with shorts or trousers for a more relaxed, casual style:

My last find was this awesome vintage cream linen vintage St Michaels Marks and Spencer dress- I think it's from the 80s- it has a dropped waist, soft pleats and detailed horn style buttons. I was unsure about it in the shop, but decided to buy it anyway and once I had tried it on I was so pleased I had snapped it up. I may not get a chance to wear it this Summer but this is a keeper dress that I know I'll wear in future Summers. It's a classic style, comfortable and I've hankered after a cream dress for a while, so this fits the bill perfectly!

So the grand total for all three was £9.50- a little over £3 per item which for Marks and Spencer items I think is awesome! I've built up a great variety of items for Summer dressing  and preloved Marks and Spencer linen features a lot in it. I've four linen shirts, a couple of jackets, two pairs of trousers and a dress that are preloved M&S and I can safely say that they are definitely items that will have longevity in my summer capsule wardrobe.

I constantly culled my wardrobe this season and the things I had left and bought this season are items that I can mix well with each other for all and any occasions. I have bought a lot of plain neutral things these last few months and as a lover of prints and floral items for Summer, I feel I now have a good variety of colour and style in my current wardrobe!

Have you finished your Summer wardrobe shopping this season? My next blogpost will feature a couple of new buys that will be perfect for transitioning to Autumn- stay tuned!