Pretending the sun is shining...

On Saturday we were committed to a whole day outside, regardless of the weather, there would be no shelter and a minimum of 6 hours on a cricket pitch. I was torn between a cagoule, trainers and fleece trousers and dressing in the expectation of sunshine.  As my mother always says, if you expect a child to behave it will live up to it and so perhaps the same is true of the weather.

I went for all out sunshine in a Temperley top, this is meant to be a dress, although it must be for someone of fairy like delicate proportions.

These jeans are my new big find, they are age15 from Next (so VAT free hurrah! and fit better than any of my J Brand or 7 for all Mankind, which are slowly being sold off on Ebay as I am now being merciless in my  culling of jeans that do not fit just as they should).

The bag is from Anya Hindmarch and the jacket Zara, I was heading to Tonbridge in Kent, so I had to tick all the right boxes, nothing too revealing or too fashion forward and no logos!

Still trying to get basics right 2

Country life requires darker tones and loads of pockets, no one take a handbag when walking the dog.  The field where I walk for an hour each day is (still!)a mire and I am sick of washing everything after just one wear.  My height and shoulders rugby players would kill for,  mean that most of the time I look a little like...

He was actually quite yummy, (hence second gratuitous image) such a shame about the slightly unhinged version that we see now.

Back to clothes, these skinny cargos are from Oasis, they are a great fit and replacement to my J Brand Houlihans, which although a size 10 always seemed to stretch until I was swimming in them, (secretly I probably just liked writing that, since it has never happened before and will probably never happen again)

These were £15 in the sale (vs over £200) and a much better fit and more comfortable.

The hoodie is from Lamis Khamis, I was inspired by the owner of Bray Story near Heston Blumenthal's restaurants.  She mixes hers with original 80s Alaia and Danish jewellery and looks very chic, but then she is of tiny proportions and has a delicacy that I can only dream of.

The look isn't good on me, so I have tried to make a little more feminine with waterfall cardigan (Zara), ruched cotton top (New Look) and an armful of dangly jewellery.

 The beads are similar to Marco Bicego, if you squint and look away quickly...

A night out for charity...

Unusually we decided to go out on Saturday night, lots of husband brownie points since he is a Chelsea fan and missed probably one of the most exciting matches ever.

My friend has set up a new charity called the Well of Joy, raising money for a number of causes, the first was for 'Saving Face'. It supports anyone who has suffered facial disfigurement, for whatever reason, from birth, illness, accidents and so on, and helps them to rebuild their lives. 

The charity was founded by a group of Aesthetic doctors, and such a cause definitely seems to bring balance to the world.

The theme was 80s Italian disco, which is actually a great theme, the music is fun, the food delicious and a little retro and the men get to wear open neck shirts and sharp suits, while the ladies wore a variety of brightly coloured frocks and lots of glitter, anything goes as it is bright and fun.

We had been out all day and had 10 minutes to change, I shaved my legs whilst sitting on the loo and brushing my hair, I considered fake tan for a moment but it was one multitask too far, hence my grey blue legs (luckily venue was dark).

You know when you are getting old when you can do 'vintage' from your own wardrobe, this is one of my Club 55 lunch dresses (worn with flip flops, slicked back hair and a conker tan, still in denial about UV damage).  It is original 1980s Italian, La Perla, bought in about 1985  and still going strong.

Accessorised with gold crocodile bag (made by a friend in Southern Spain where they make Hermes and Ralph Lauren) and Dune diamonte shoes (I still covet a pair from Gina but comfort-wise these aren't bad for the high street).

 The goodie bag was fantastic, as to be expected lots of skincare bits and pieces and a free cellulite treatment...

Still struggling with good basics for the day time

The weather was bleak again and I was trying to put together an outfit that would work for a range of temperatures, and an expectation of rain. Unfortunately I think the look came off a little like the above, which wasn't strictly what I was going for, I had hoped for the elfin, Feathers style that is all luxury layering and muted tones, but with my build, I just look like a baddie from a super hero film

I'm not sure any of this works, the top is from Top Shop and would really be quite nice on someone, but not me, the boots are wedges from Clarks and super comfortable, but I think better under boot cut jeans than on show.  Where do you find the best basics that do not scream 'I am trying too hard' (a big crime amongst the country set) neither do they whimper 'I have given up completely'?

What to do when you don't have much money and want to buy....

A couture dress...

I am not a good shopper, I have a wardrobe full of ridiculously glamorous evening dresses, but nowhere to wear them to.
And my basic daily wardrobe consists of jeans and cheap tops or gym clothes, all the better for cleaning in, a more likely activity than a ball or black tie do.
My addiction to buying frivolities knows no end, and I found a version of this dress on a Chinese website that would make it to measure.
Regular online shoppers will know only too well the risk versus reward analysis that needs to be done, it could be the wrong size, fabric, colour, dress, I don't think that trading standards are too active in China so it is very much a case of buyer beware.
I have been weighing up the pros and cons for the last couple of months and happened across the website one morning last week when my mother was staying, dress had been reduced by $50, it was meant to be mine.  Mother is total internet luddite and looked very bemused, but also for the first time, a little interested as I bought a couture dress at 7am while she made her first cup of tea of the day.
And it arrived 6 days later....

It is quite a thing of beauty, the pinky beige colour is just perfect, neither too flesh nor too pink, it easily rivals any of my more expensive purchases and it is 100% silk chiffon, not the polyester I was expecting.

I can't stop looking at it...

And it fits like a glove.

A day at the zoo

Not long ago we spent the day at Chessington World of Adventures.

It is a great park for tweenies who have out grown Legoland, but are  not tall enough for the rides at Thorpe Park.  Its tweenie status seems to attract a smaller crowd and there couldn't have been more than about 100  cars in the car park.  We didn't queue for any of the rides and quickly hopped from one stomach churner to the next.  As I get motion sickness from a lift, after three rides I was very green and reaching for the nearest bin.  Thank goodness for the children's zoo  where I spent most of my day. 

The gorillas are some of the most successful breeders in captvity, (I guess that there isn't much else to do) We couldn't see the new born, but dad is looking a bit left out and grumpy. It's a look I've seen before.

The mirrored maze in the haunted house was fantastic, allbeit a health and safety nightmare.

Some one was a lot more excited about the Dracula ride than me.

These pretty water features were everywhere, they are really beautiful.

More chickens, I spent many hours with them.

And the ostriches who were quite as inquisitive as I was.

The mother was showing me her baby when the older monkey jumped in the way to have his photo taken.

The ostrich thought all of the monkeying around rather beneath her.