Outfit Post: Denim Jumpsuit

I love all the slouchy denim jumpsuits that are around at the moment. They can be worn as a casual, low maintenance outfit, with flip flops or Birkenstocks, or dressed up with a pair of heeled sandals for a more glamourous look.

Here are some images from Pinterest to show some of the ways they can be styled:

Love the jumpsuit look rolled up with pretty silver sandals:

And perfect for the beach teamed with flats and a straw sun hat:

And a denim jumpsuit could easily be worn into the autumn with ankle boots and a coat:

And a jumpsuit is easy to dress up with a pop of colour from heels or a handbag:

A boiler/jumpsuit is this season's must have and there are some fantastic versions on the high street. First up is this one from Zara and is the one I've chosen!

Zara Denim Jumpsuit £39.99

I prefer the long sleeved version with the sleeves rolled up, but there is also this one if you like a short sleeve:

Zara Short Sleeve Denim Jumpsuit £59.99

Another option from Mango, in a fabulous drapey tencel material:

Mango Tencel Long Jumpsuit £59.99

Tencel again, this time from Topshop - this one has the perfect slouchy fit:

Topshop MOTO Tencel Denim Boilersuit £68

Topshop also has this version in a soft denim, perfect if you like a more defined waist:

Topshop MOTO Denim Jacquard Boilersuit £68

And here I am in mine from Zara! I wore it last week on a sunny day with Birkenstocks, a very easy outfit to throw on to go to the beach or a barbecue. Last night I dressed it up with leopard print heels and statement necklace to go to the pub for drinks with my Dad and his friends to celebrate his 70th birthday.

Jumpsuit - Zara

Shoes - Boden (ancient)

Handbag - Boden

Necklace: Acessorize

And being well and truly photo bombed by my youngest little monkey above!

So would you wear a denim jumpsuit and have you bought one yet? Next time on the blog - jumpsuits to wear to a smart occasion! It's a jumpsuit tastic week here!

Abbi x

Outfit Post: Midi Skirts

On Saturday we celebrated my Dad's 70th birthday at The Watch House Cafe on the beach in West Bay. (If you love seafood you should check it out, we had the most amazing fresh lobster). It was actually Part 1 of his birthday celebrations and was arranged so that he could mark the day with all his grandchildren. It was a very special day as my sister and family joined us and although it was a bit chilly, it was mainly sunny!

I was determined to wear a midi skirt that I've had  hanging in my wardrobe for a few months. It is this one from ASOS:

ASOS Midi Skirt in Painted Floral Print £35

It's the perfect midi skirt for lots of reasons:

- The shape is just right, not too voluminous, so easier to style/wear

- Perfect length

- Excellent price, I wouldn't want to pay too much for a midi skirt as I'm not sure how much I will wear it and the cheaper versions seem just as good as some of the more expensive ones

- The colours are perfect for wearing with black, grey or white. - I think I could even wear this into the autumn with tights and ankle boots?

Having said all of the above, it's actually quite hard to find tops to go with midi skirts. Most of the pictures on websites show models wearing them with crop tops (don't think so!). The best option is a shirt or a tee tucked in or a tee/knit that isn't too long and kind of sits on the waist. Tricky to find, but I have found one and here it is:

French Connection Summer Mozart Ribbed Jumper £49

It's a wonderfully light textured knit and was so perfect for a breezy lunch outside. Here is how I styled it:

I would normally wear midi skirts with a heel of some kind but I knew I would be walking/playing on the beach so the Birkenstocks were ideal. And the statement necklace is from Zara, borrowed from my mum.

There are so many midi skirts around at the moment. Here are some others that I like:

Also from ASOS, this gorgeous pleated midi skirt in a bright floral print would be lovely in mid summer:

ASOS Pleated Midi Skirt in Bright Floral Print £40

And in monochrome, always really easy to style:

ASOS Midi Skirt in Check Print £45

Another monochrome one, but pleated this time:

Black Colour Block Pleated Midi Skirt £38

And more for every day, I love this one in lightweight denim:

Warehouse Denim Midi Skirt £38

And a pretty crochet skirt, from Warehouse again:

Warehouse Crochet Midi Skirt £55

And I love the quilted material of this more voluminous black skirt from Topshop:

Topshop Diamond Jacquard Midi Skirt £48

And finishing with this stunning lace skirt from New Look:

New Look Cream Floral Lace Hem Skater Midi Skirt £39.99

So have you bought a midi skirt for the summer and how are you styling it? As always I love to hear from you!

Abbi x

Leather Leggings for Daytime

Leather leggings and skinnies are so versatile, I can't imagine my wardrobe without a pair! They can be worn from season to season, and have always been my favourite item for an evening out, teamed with ankle boots in autumn/winter and a little jacket. They make a great alternative to jeans and look equally as good  dressed up with strappy heels (I love them with leopard print ones) for a more summery evening look. Lately, I have been wearing leather trousers more during the daytime, teamed with an oversized shirt or a cosy sweater and Birkenstocks or sneakers, depending on the weather.

Here are some looks from Pinterest that show how to do dressed down leather trousers/leggings:

I love how the sneakers make the whole outfit more casual:

Dress down leather trousers with denim shirts and jackets for daytime casual:

I love the look of an oversize shirt and Birkenstocks as a more modern way to wear leather trousers in spring/summer:

And here are my picks of the best leather trousers/leggings, to suit all budgets:

I've had my faux leather skinnies from Zara for about three years and they wash so well and still look amazing. Here is Zara's latest version of them:

Zara Leather Leggings £29.99

I would LOVE to buy these, but the budget doesn't allow unfortunately:

Baukjen Liv Leather leggings £299

If I were to upgrade to real leather, I would get these as I have tried them on and they are perfect:

Marks & Spencer Autograph Slim Leg Leather and Ponte Jersey Trouser £99

Fantastic for getting the look at a bargain price:

ASOS Leather Look Leggings £13.50 from £18

And this pair from Topshop is worth a look as the material is quite thick and they are super flattering:

Topshop Textured Leather Look Leggings £22.99

And here is how I have been wearing my faux leather skinnies from Zara this week:

Faux Leather Skinnies - Zara

Black Arizona Birkenstocks

Floral Oversized Shirt Ltb at Yard (SS13)

Black Bag - Yard

Faux Leather Skinnies - Zara

Black Arizona Birkenstocks

Grey Vest - Boden (SS13)

Star Jumper - Hush

Black Bag - Nat & Nin at Yard

So are leather leggings/trousers a style staple in your wardrobe and do you wear them all year round? What is your favourite way to style them? As always I love to hear from you...

Next on the blog: My outfit to go out for lunch for my Dad's 70th birthday!

Until next time!

Abbi x

Outfit Post: Drystar Waterproof Jacket

Last Saturday was so wet and windy in Dorset, and while I would never wish for this sort of weather, it was very timely for the arrival of my new waterproof jacket.

When Drystar got in touch last week to see if I would like to review one of their raincoats I didn't hesitate! The brand was born after the founders, Jo and Helen, spent hours and hours shopping for the perfect waterproof for festivals, but decided to design their own after they were all either too short, too shapeless, too noisy, too sporty or too flimsy.

The result is a lightweight raincoat  at a very reasonable £59.99, that is both practical and super stylish - they are beautifully designed and come in a fabulous choice of metallic colours:

I found it really hard to choose a colour as they all gorgeous, but my love of all things pink won in the end:

Waterproof Jacket - c/o Drystar

Spotty Chambray Shirt - GAP (SS13)

Star Print Jeans - Karen Millen (SS14)

Logo Sweat - Whistles (SS14)

Victoria Pumps from Yard

The jacket arrived in the post, just as I was leaving for work in torrential rain, so I immediately swapped my navy blue winter raincoat for my shiny new summer one! Not only can I confirm that it's 100% waterproof, but I was also impressed with how incredibly lightweight it is, perfect for staying dry at summer festivals in the event of a downpour, and easy to pack for camping holidays.

This is how the jacket looks zipped up, I love the flattering shape:

It also has a stylish collar and hood - perfect to throw on for the school run if it starts pouring:

They have thought of every little detail - I love the roll-back sleeves and rose gold zip that matches my Olivia Burton watch:

I also wore it later that day to take my little boys to see the cygnets at Abbotsbury Swannery, just a few miles up the coast from us. I love this photo that my husband took:

The jacket also matches the pink in my wellies:

And wearing it again over the Bank Holiday weekend with boyfriend jeans from True Religion, stripy tee from Gap and Hush scarf:

I have worn the jacket every day since it arrived on Saturday, so I think that tells you how much I love it! Waterproofs are usually so functional, but with this one you can look good and stay dry!

So would you wear one of these jackets to a festival this summer? Which is your favourite colour? If you want to check out the collection, you can go to www.drystar.co.uk

As always I love to hear from you!

Abbi x

Style Trend: Ladylike Lace

I was working in London last week and staying in a hotel just off Oxford Street, the perfect location for a quick whizz round the shops. What surprised me most was the amount of lace on offer - I knew it was a big trend for spring/summer, but it seemed to be literally everywhere from tops to jackets and trousers to accessories! I had something to exchange in one of my favourite shops Anthropologie (and I could only exchange!), and fell in love with this irresistible top:

Anthropologie Pieced Petal Top £108

Even though it was chilly all weekend I just had to wear it out on Saturday evening, when we met friends for dinner in Lyme Regis, and paired it with my cropped faux leather trousers from Zara and leopard print heels from Boden (ancient). It's such a feminine top, so wearing it with leather trousers or ripped jeans toughens up the overall look:

I adore the delicate sleeves:

Annoyingly I later this saw very similar one in Zara. I keep telling myself that mine must be much better quality and will last so much longer, but actually there is hardly any difference:

Zara Guipure Lace T-Shirt £29.99

I also liked this versatile lace top from Mint Velvet that could be worn casually during the day or dressed up for the evening:

Mint Velvet Cream Teardrop Lace Tee £69

And a gorgeous pale pink version from Boden, currently reduced in price (it also comes in navy):

Boden Sophie Lace Top £50.15

If you prefer long sleeves, Topshop has this simple sweater for a relaxed off duty look:

Topshop Lace Sweat £40

And another gorgeous version from Warehouse:

Warehouse Lace Sweat £38

And I adored this vest from New Look which I would wear under a blazer paired with boyfriend jeans:

New Look Cream Crotchet Vest £17.99

For something more sophisticated I adored this lace pencil skirt from Topshop, which would look amazing with a white cotton or chambray shirt tucked in, to dress it down:

Topshop Lace Pencil Skirt £60

And if you like to show more skin, this sheer fabric is a good way to do it, while still staying stylish:

ASOS Midi Skirt in Floral Lace £50

And a sheer midi skirt in white stripy lace from Warehouse:

Warehouse Lace Stripe Skirt £50

There are also lots of lacy trousers around and I kind of like them! I loved these jeans from Karen Millen as the lace print is so subtle:

Karen Millen Lace Print Skinny Jean £99

And finally, I saw so many lace clutch bags, but this one from River Island really caught my eye, it would add a fabulous pop of colour to a neutral outfit:

River Island Lime Lace Box Clutch Bag £30

So have you been tempted by anything lacy this spring? As always, I would love to hear from you!

Next time on the blog, a review of a fabulous waterproof jacket!

Abbi x