Dorothy Shoes in Blue

I am a high heel type of girl, since I was fifteen and my mum caved in to my nagging I’ve worn them daily. I just can’t do flats, they make my heels feel all bruised and I trip over in them constantly. The width of my feet also mean that most of them cut in on the sides and squash my toes.

But a couple of weeks ago I found a special pair.

They aren’t cheap at £99 but they have a proper sole with a tiny heel unlike most cheaper ballerina pumps, so my heels don’t feel bruised after walking around all day. The sides encompass quite a lot of foot so they don’t cut in on my big or little toe joints and they make my wide feet look a normal width.

And did I mention they’re sparkly, covered all over in diamantes? They are like Dorothy’s shoes but in blue. Dune have done very well with these and if they could make them a bit cheaper they would be perfect.

I am on my way to being converted to flats. Are you most comfortable in flats or heels?

My Skinny Love

I have a new skinny love.

Not skinny jeans, they’re pretty unflattering on me and inspire people to exclaim “Isn’t your bum getting fat!”. Not skinny lattes, the caffeine in them has me bouncing off the walls. But THESE skinny heels…

I love the bright clashing colours that will go with so many outfits.

I love the strappiness of them and as they’re 100% leather there should be a good amount of give in them so they won’t cut in to your toes.

I love the £45 price tag.

I love the super skinny heels on them. Let’s look at the back…

Well done Topshop!

I don’t love that I’ll have to wait for the rain to stop so I can wear them though. I trash shoes but I’d try my best not to trash these so my skinny love could last the year.

Are you a skinny or chunky heel type of girl?

Red & White Vintage Threads

Yesterday after an unsuccessful trawl around my local shopping centre I was feeling disheartened. It would seem I’m in-between sizes as everything I tried was either too small or too big, the one dress that fitted was bright orange and I could foresee taunts involving Tango from my nearest and dearest.

When a sales assistant came and asked me if I was ok, as I’d been there “an awfully long time”, I decided it was time to head home. On my drive back I passed Mela Mela Vintage and popped in. They’ve got such a beautiful range of vintage clothes and although it’s always pot luck what sizes there are, they have some gorgeous stock.

First on my list of hankers is this red and white long 1950s sundress.

Such a beautiful cut that frankly left everything I’d seen on the high street in the shade and at £130 it’s a lot less than many dresses on the high street. At first I thought the print was of teacups with steam coming out but on closer inspection I saw they were actually fountains.

Although I loved it, I didn’t get it as I just don’t wear long dresses and after toying with the idea of getting it altered to be shorter, I decided that would be an awful waste of such beautiful material.

Also in red and white was this stunning 1950s crepe dress with embroidery and cut away detail. You’d have to wear a slip underneath this but a blue or yellow one would look great, or even a bright clashing pink.

At £175 it is a little more, but it’s in such good condition and still has the original belt.

I left with this plastic bunting style necklace from the 60s/70s which I picked from a lovely display of red, white and blue jewellery in one of the many display cabinets.

At £25 it put a smile on my face.

Pleat Surrender

I’ve never really got on with pleated skirts. I wonder if it’s the reminder of my big hipped and bad-tempered country dancing teacher sashaying round the school hall in one in the 80s. Maybe it was that time I turned up to a party in one aged ten, only to find every one else in shorts and t-shirts laughing at me. Perhaps it’s the hurried re-ironing of my daughter’s school skirt each morning after she’s thrown it on the floor and walked across it several times the evening before.

Whichever one it is, I’ve generally avoided them. Until yesterday, when I saw this printed midi skirt from Ted Baker for £119.

Yes, I’ve surrendered to pleats.

It was the pattern that caused me to stop because it is oh so pretty. But it was the belt that made me pick it up from the rail. I love the contrast of the (faux) brown leather against the floaty floral pleated fabric.

Then I saw the maxi version.

To be honest I thought it would make me look like a tent and I tried it on half-expecting to hate it, but it was actually so flattering that I didn’t want to take it off. It comes in royal blue or fuchsia pink and is £139.

They’re not cheap, but they are so pretty that you could team it with a simple vest and flip flips and look fantastic.

With all the talk of the 80s and my pleat surrender I’ve got that Wet Wet Wet song in my head now.

Are you embracing pleats or standing firmly against them?

Dresses Fit For a Church

After I wrote about the beautiful Junkaholique dress, a lovely reader asked me to keep my eyes peeled for a shorter dress suitable for her daughter’s christening. I’m not altogether au fait with what a mother should wear at a christening but I’ve found a few dresses that I think  are smart and elegant but not too sexy for the church. If you’re attending any spring or summer weddings they’ll work for them too.

This navy lace pencil dress from Dorothy Perkins is really pretty and only £30, there are also grey, blush and lavender versions.

I think this bubble pink Suzie Wong draped silk dress is really special and teamed with a little shrug might be perfect for a spring christening or wedding. On ASOS at the moment it’s down from £365 to £125. With the draped front you could eat several plates from the buffet and not have to hold your tummy in all day.

Ele Horsley’s Jubilee Dress is very elegant, I love the floaty sleeves and the square buttons on the waist band. At £210 it’s not cheap but it’s timeless and no-one else will be wearing it.

This dress by Oasis is £65 and is available with a pink or blue skirt and belt. The back has a lovely draped section and although it has a shorter under-skirt I think the longer pleated over-skirt keeps it suitable for a church.

With the Sophie dress Coast give you monochrome, a halter neck, bow (which I thought was a butterfly) and ruffles. What more could you want? A discount? That too, it’s half price at £75.

This tie neck knitted dress is my wildcard choice from Anthropologie. The style is demure but the colours make a bold statement and I love the forties feel to it. It’s £128.

Now I’m not really one for hats but I think this would look great with a wide-brimmed hat. I know hats are traditional at weddings but do people wear hats to christenings?

Winter Warmers

Last night as I was lying in bed dressed in leggings, thermal vest, thermal top, socks and dressing gown under two duvets and two blankets next to all 6’3″ of my husband radiating body heat, I was still cold. Even turning away from the breeze coming through the failed double glazed windows didn’t make its usual difference. Yes I know it’s winter and it’s meant to be cold, but how many layers can a person wear?

For Christmas I received a Marks & Spencer Heatgen Long Sleve Thermal Top and I promptly went to my local M&S sale and bought as many as I could hold. I have literally worn them every day since, they don’t look thermal and are so warm. They are 25% off the normal price in the sale and come as leggings too. Or pop over to American Apparel where their thermals are going super cheap in the sale – I’m talking £5 cheap. For those of you put off by the picture below, they also do ones with full-length sleeves.

Wrist warmers are what the woman above needs and what I need when I’m typing, these soft Mermaid Cashmere Mix ones by Avoca Anthology would do very nicely. They are £18 from Inis.

If I had this Blanched & Buckled Cardigan from Anthropologie I don’t think I would feel cold at all. It looks so thick and warm and I love the contrast of the leather buckles. At £158 I have my fingers crossed it might go in the sale and I can snap it up for next winter, or more likely this spring and maybe even during our British summer.

But still the thing that keeps me warmest is my onesie/baby-grow/all in one/bunny suit – whatever you want to call it. I used to come home from work every night and put it straight on but since living with my husband who hates it (what? I don’t look attractive in a baby-grow?), and as I’m still trying to keep some sort of attraction alive, I only put it on at select times. But he’s out tonight so I think I will spend the evening in it feeling warm.

What keeps you warm in this weather?

Wear Your Heart On Your Clutch

I saw this red leather Heart & Soul clutch when I was looking online for a Valentine card and promptly started hankering. Farrago Bags personalise their bags with initialed key-rings which adds a really nice touch, especially for a present.

Despite my best efforts to the contrary we don’t really ‘do’ Valentine’s day in our house (every day is Valentine’s day!) but I might keep my fingers crossed anyway, or you know, just buy it for myself…

It’s quite small but look how much it can hold!

It’s just under £60 including shipping and is a limited edition design for Valentine’s day. It ships from Hungary so if you’re ordering one make sure you leave enough time.

I’m thinking black dress, red shoes and red lipstick but then I am a little matchy-matchy. What outfit would you wear it with?

One Love for Baby Ceylon

Reasons I shouldn’t hanker after this One Love dress from Baby Ceylon:

a) It’s £230.

b) Spaghetti straps mean no bra, with my bust that is not a good look.

c) The colour will either make me look naked or like corned beef.

d) The dropped waist will sit just on the widest point of my child-bearing hips.

e) It’s winter.

But I am hankering after it.

The broderie anglaise detailing on the bust is beautiful, the 1930s feel is so elegant, the gorgeous drape of the fabric, the colour. I also love the gold jewellery Baby Ceylon have styled it with. I’m having visions of wearing this whilst sitting side-saddle on a horse galloping along a beach with the sun setting and my hair flowing out behind me…

Ahem… Fantasies aside, maybe one of you ladies with a perkier bust, smaller hips, warmer complexion and imminent holiday will have more success?

Vintage Seasonal Cheer

With Christmas and New Year only days away I’m hankering after something special to wear. These gorgeous vintage numbers from Mela Mela Vintage would provide some much needed seasonal cheer.

They say if you wait long enough trends come back around and these two 1950s felt skirts prove this to be true and fit in beautifully with the animal adorned clothes filling the high street. But these are far nicer than anything on the high street. Imagine the twirls you could do in these skirts…

Christmassy red or baby pink? I’m really hankering after the pink one, that fluffly poodle and silver lead are gorgeous…

Why not really embrace Christmas and dress as Mrs Claus in this red 1940s suit? It’s smart enough to double up as work-wear afterwards and I bet you won’t find a suit as nice for the price… brand new or vintage.

The shape of this festive green and gold 1950s wiggle dress is so classic and so flattering. It would be perfect for seeing in the New Year and best teamed with a glass of matching gold bubbly in one hand.

Mela Mela really do vintage well. If like me, you prefer to try before you buy you can visit the lovely Mela Mela ladies at the shop in Teddington, Middlesex. They are very passionate about vintage clothes, their infectious excitement rubs off on everyone who enters the shop and all the customers join in and chat about the clothes so there is a really friendly atmosphere. I challenge you to leave without a smile on your face, whether you make a purchase or not.

Just a warning though… you could lose hours looking through their accessories; there’s everything from shoes and hats to lingerie and swimsuits, with trays and trays of gorgeous jewellery in between.