Breton Stripes in Paris

It had to be Breton stripes for a day in the fashion capital, so synonymous are they with the Parisian chic look. They are such an everyday staple that  never go out of style, and a dress in particular is an easy and comfortable option for a day's sightseeing. I fell in love with Paris when I lived here for a while as a student and later made regular work trips, always finding time for a spot of shopping! Now I am doing the touristy thing all over again, taking my boys to see some of the sights. Naturally, they wanted to start with the Eiffel Tower (125 years old this year!):

We were lucky to have such a clear day, so the views were incredible and the seven year old was able to recognise all the major monuments:

And more importantly, back to the stripey dress, which is a black and white striped jersey dress from the Hush Spring/Summer range, so no longer available. I'm wearing it here with a Topshop denim jacket, sandals from H&M and Mulberry bag:

Hush has a dress in a different fabric, but the same shape in their new autumn collection, in black and in aubergine, available here

I don't have a stripey dress for autumn/winter but there are lots of lovely ones -  they are so easy to throw on with tights and boots.

Here are some that have caught my eye, starting with Boden, who always come up trumps with their Breton tops and dresses:

Boden Collared Breton Tunic £59

Love the contrasting pockets on this one from White Stuff:

White Stuff Stylist dress £49.95

A jumper version from Seasalt that will look great when it gets colder:

Eastern Dress £75

A classic shift dress with stripes and a contrasting polka dot pattern by Great Plains:

Breton Spot Stripe Dress £60

And a timeless version featuring diagonal stripes from Petit Bateau:

Breton Heavy Jersey Stripe Dress £120

Do you wear stripey dresses in the autumn as well as in the summer? As always, I love to hear you comments!

Abbi x

Drystar - Not Just for Festivals..

At the start of the summer I was lucky enough to be sent a super stylish waterproof jacket from the new range by Drystar. Founders Jo and Helen started the company earlier this year, after they failed to find a waterproof to wear to festivals, that wasn't sporty or shapeless. They have thrown themselves into every detail of the design, from the roll back sleeves and metallic finish to the inside pocket, collar and hood. The result is a wonderfully lightweight jacket in stunning colours (mine is the pink fizz):

They are definitely the best way to stay gorgeous and dry at a festival in a downpour, but they are so much more than that! I took mine on holiday to a French campsite in the Loire valley, and it was perfect for the one day that it poured with rain:

Waterproof Jacket c/o Drystar

Grey T-shirt - Topshop (old)

Black Double Zip Jeans - Mint Velvet (AW13 - available here)

Espadrilles - ASOS (SS14)

The waterproof is light enough to roll up and fit into a bag, without taking up much space. It's also a great trans-seasonal jacket to use when there's a chance of rain, but it's still too warm for a proper coat. For this reason, it will be ideal for the school run in early autumn, as well as walks on the beach, watching the boys play football, my weekend at Center Parcs in September, the list is endless!

You can check them out at www.drystar.co.uk

Abbi x

My Hush Crush Continues..

The Hush autumn/winter 14 collection is here, and as always I have a wish list as long as my arm. You will know by now that I'm a massive fan of their contemporary dressed down style, and each season just gets better and better as the range continues to grow with the addition of boyfriend jeans this summer and more choice for autumn including a fabulous pair of coated biker jeans.

Here is my top ten, I want them all! There is a special preview offer at the moment - just enter AUGPREV at the checkout to get 10% off plus FREE UK delivery and returns on all orders placed until 25th August. Happy Shopping!

First up, the parka mentioned above. The shape of this looks perfect, and it's so useful for the school run, walking the dog, in fact it would work with any daytime outfit:

Parka £170

Knitwear is always my biggest weakness with Hush, and this collection certainly doesn't disappoint with its beautiful, rich colours.

My favourite colour is this one (that they call everglade) and I love it in this fine knit that's thin enough to layer under a jacket for the perfect transitional piece:

Fine Knit V Jumper £49.50

I'm also still mad about the star jumper - I have the summer version with the coral star, but I love the updated winter knit in grey and black:

Winter Stars Jumper £75

Back to the everglade colour again, the Iris Shirt Dress is my favourite of all the dresses. I would wear it with tights and ankle boots for a more polished look and then dress it down with leggings and a biker jacket:

Iris Shirt Dress £79

In the winter I live in jumper dresses a lot of the time and I adore the Rosie dress which I have worn for the past couple of seasons and it's still going strong (see post on it here ). This year it comes in this gorgeous berry colour:

Rosie Dress £65

I also love the look of this sweater dress for a more modern version of the jumper dress - it looks so comfy!

Two-Tone Sloppy Joe Dress £45

And here are the new coated jeans, I will be trying these if I need to replace my Zara ones - love how they've styled them with a silk shirt for a more feminine look:

Coated Biker Jeans £79

Leopard skate shoes are still a huge trend and these would look effortless worn with leggings or jeans and are super comfy:

Leopard Skater £85

And not forgetting the basics, as they do a fantastic range of leggings, layering tops and vests, updated this time in new colours like this vest in everglade:

Soft Cotton Vest £20

And finishing with something I don't have but is now a must - how cool is this fedora hat to update your look for the new season?

Fedora Hat £40

And finishing with me in my Hush fine knit star jumper from the summer collection, totally love it! Wearing it this evening, relaxing at the campsite in France, with a Topshop white vest, New Look jeggings from three or four years ago and Birkenstocks.

So, is there anything that takes your fancy? As always, I would love to hear from you!

Abbi x

Hero Item: The Khaki Military Jacket

One of my best purchases of the year so far has undoubtedly been my khaki military jacket. Mr DF bought it for me from the original True Religion store in LA in February, at the same time as buying the boyfriend jeans that are constantly featured on this blog! I had been searching for one for a while to wear with denim and a slouchy tee, but it actually seems to work with most things, across all seasons, proving to be a great investment. Less formal than a blazer, but smarter than a denim jacket, it's so easy to throw on over most outfits. As well as looking great with jeans, I've also worn it this summer over a maxi dress and with a pretty floral dress to toughen up the look. This autumn I will get more wear out of it over thin, layered knits, paired with leather trousers, skinny jeans and bright scarves or shoes to add a pop of colour.

Here are some pictures from Pinterest for inspiration:

Perfect over a simple grey tee and black jeans:

It goes so well over a classic Breton top:

A fabulous pop of colour from the shoes:

Works surprisingly well to dress down a dressed up outfit:

And some khaki jackets that I like at the moment:

The ultimate camo military jacket from Current Elliott that would go with anything:

Current Elliott Infantry Jacket £201.44

A shirt rather than a jacket, but looks great at this time of year over a grey vest or tee:

Topshop MOTO Khaki Tencel Shirt £42

Perfect for autumn in a heavier twill cotton with a drawcord at the waist to make it more fitted:

GAP Military Jacket £69.95

A cropped version from Mango:

Mango Military Cropped Jacket £44.99

And finishing with mine from True Religion (no longer showing on their website)

So do you have a khaki jacket and have you found that you also can't be without it?

As always I like to hear your comments!

Abbi x

Transitional Item: The Open Toe Shoe Boot

I haven't written about open toe shoe boots before, but it's one of my favourite footwear trends of the last few years. The change of seasons can be a tricky fashion time, and the unpredictable weather can mean jeans one day and shorts the next. For cooler summer weather and in early autumn, the peep-toe ankle boot is the perfect transitional item, combining the best of both sandals and traditional boots.

They can easily take you from the office to a night out, and add a stylish, modern finish to any outfit. They look great with jeans or leather trousers and are the perfect choice for adding an edge to a pretty dress.

Here are my current favourites:

I've always loved boots from Whistles and these beauties would be top of my list if I had the budget:

Ania Open Toe Boot £165

And a very flattering pair from Karen Millen:

Leather Peep Toe Shoe Boot £155

Karen Millen also has a mid heeled pair in black:

Mid Heel Leather Shoe Boot £155

Mint Velvet do some fabulous shoe boots - I love this chic cut out leather pair:

Black Melissa Shoe Boot £129

And a more summery pair from Mint Velvet in taupe suede, which also comes in a soft grey:

Taupe Tyla Suede Shoe Boot £129

I've been really impressed with shoes from Next over the last year or so and these look like a classic and more affordable version:

High Front Buckle Shoots £46

And here are mine from Topshop (now sold out), worn here last weekend to dinner at friends, with black double zip jeans from Mint Velvet and a grey knit top from Karen Millen that I borrowed from my Mum:

I love the detail on the back of the Karen Millen top:

And here is a close up of the shoe boots:

And I wore them again this week when I was staying with my sister this week, with faux leather Zara trousers from a couple of years ago and a wrap top from Mint Velvet:

Do you like open toed boots? I would love to know what you think..

I am now on holiday count down, four more sleeps!

Abbi x

Dungarees - to wear or not to wear?

Dungarees have continued to make a comeback this year although they are the classic Marmite item - you either love them or loathe them.

I have always been a fan, they are comfortable and stylish, and allow you to be practical while having a bit of an edge. They are a tricky trend to pull off for sure, but I thought it would be fun to try them! They are actually surprisingly easy to wear,  just add a Breton tee and sandals or a pair of converse for the weekend.

I spotted a pair in the NEXT directory a few weeks ago and when I was ordering some school uniform for the boys I decided to give them a go. I've waited ages to wear them as it's been too hot, but this weekend they made their debut at the beach (worn here with a dark green and cream striped tee from Whistles about three years ago):

And again on a walk with the family (worn with a tee from Zara from last summer and Birkenstocks):

I've had fairly mixed comments about them so far. My five year old said they look 'really bad' but I'm not sure he was really listening. My seven year old said they make me 'look like a little girl'. Always nice to look younger, but not really what I was aiming for. Mr DF laughed and said they make me look like a builder and then said 'they are not very feminine'. Actually you can make them more feminine by wearing with heels and putting a blouse underneath instead of a tee, but I am sticking with the more relaxed look. My Mum really liked them, and she will always give me an honest answer, so I felt confident enough to leave the house!

If you are thinking of dipping your toe into this trend, I would advise getting a cheaper pair as dungarees are not something you'll wear ever day! My NEXT ones don't seem to be online anymore, but these from New Look are very similar:

Dark Blue Denim Skinny Dungaree £26.99

I also love this summery striped pair from Zara, now only £9.99 from £39.99

Striped Dungarees

And new  in at Mango, a distressed pair in dark denim:

Dark Denim Dungarees £54.99

So what do you think - more farmer than fashionista or does it sort of work?

Abbi x

Sales confessions

My last post may have been all about autumn clothing, but I am still well and truly focused on summer clothes with only a week to go until our fortnight in France. The sales may be in their final stages, but there are still bargains to be had - last week I picked up this embroidered smock dress from Mango for my holiday:

Mango Embroidered Smock Dress £33 from £44.99

I'd had my eye on it all season and couldn't believe it when I saw it in the sale as it's been so popular. It is still available in small sizes at ASOS, but has sold out everywhere else. I love the woven cotton material and the stunning embroidery detail. Here I am wearing it this week - such an easy breezy dress for the beach and I will wear it as a tunic over skinny jeans when the holidays are over:

Yes, the other sales purchase was the fabulos yellow bowling bag from Boden:

Soft Leather Bowling Bag £69.50 from £159

This was a very planned purchase, again something that I had admired all season, and at half price in the sale, it would have been rude not too! It's the perfect size and the leather is so soft. I didn't take it to the beach, but I do love it with the Mango dress as there is yellow in the embroidery:

Have you made a final sales purchase or are you looking ahead to autumn?

Abbi x