I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane...

…don’t know when I’ll be back again. 

No, don’t worry, this isn’t a ‘Dear John’ letter that I’ve copied you all in on (though that would make a damn good blog wouldn’t it?). I know exactly when I’m coming back and I’m taking ‘John’ with me, so all good.

We’re off to Majorca for 5 nights/days. It’s a ‘sans rugrats’ trip and so we’re looking forward to a much needed adults only holiday.  Not saying that our caravan family trip last week was anything short of the sugar coated, Kath Kidston-esque, all-smiles holiday that we had wished for of course. Ahem.

So, with it only being a short break, we made the decision to take carry-on luggage only. This way, we won’t be wasting our precious time at the baggage carousel.  Instead, we’ll be winding our way up the mountain-side to our beautiful hotel. Though if ‘John’ gets his own way, we're off to find the nearest Lidl – don’t ask!

For those that read my Pack Up Your Troubles post a couple of weeks ago, you will know that in the past I have struggled to travel light and have tended to over-pack, over-sized suitcases. Therefore, ‘carry-on’ luggage is a whole new concept to me and dare I say it, a challenge. A challenge that I thought you’d all like to be part of.

So, please recline your seats, unfasten your seatbelts and enjoy the in-flight entertainment. 

‘Dun dun dada dun dun dada dun dun dada dun dun dada dun dun dada dun dun dada doo de doo doo de doo doo de doo doo de doo doo do’.

Taking the lead role is my new suitcase. 

It measures in at a small, but perfectly formed, 48x32x19 - I think I’ve seen larger handbags hooked over the arms of wags to be honest. And interestingly, at 48cm high, it’s the same height as the numerals on Big Ben’s clock face. My usual suitcase is 66cm high which is the height of a Victorian coal mine tunnel. Oh, and as you asked, I am the required height of a NASA astronaut - could be useful. Hours of fun with our silly height chart - love it!

Anyway, sorry, where was I? Here in pictures and words, is what I want to take on my trip:-

Shorts, T-shirts, old Converse...

Pretty dresses for daytime and evening...

Formal Joggers, Skort, Sandals...

Bikini's, Beach Cover-up, Book, Toiletries...

• x 1 pair of shorts
• x 4 t-shirts
• x 2 day dresses
• x 2 bikini’s
• x 1 beach cover up
• x 2 evening dresses (smarter than my throw-on day dresses, not ball gowns!)
• x 1 skort
• x 2 pairs of sandals
• x 1 pair of old converse (for walking up steep hills and mountains!)
• x 2 belts
• x 2 pashminas
• x 1 trusty denim jacket that won't need packing as I'll wear it to the airport (it's chilly at 3am!)
• x 1 small brown day bag
• x 1 small evening clutch
• x 1 very foldable, very old freebie Topshop cloth bag that will act as a beach bag
• Undies
• Toiletries
• Straighteners (pray for me that there’s a hairdryer in the room)
• And I haven’t forgotten a beach towel by the way - it would take up way too much room, so I’ll hire or borrow from the hotel.

But will it all fit in The Teeny Weeny Suitcase?  There’s only one way to find out! Why not take this opportunity to ask one of the cabin crew to fix you a cheeky Cinzano and I’ll be with you shortly.

I loved this advert as a kid! 

‘Dun dun dada dun dun dada dun dun dada dun dun dada dun dun dada dun dun dada doo de doo doo de doo doo de doo doo de doo doo do’.

Sorry, not quite ready...

‘Dun dun dada dun dun dada dun dun dada dun dun dada dun dun dada dun dun dada doo de doo doo de doo doo de doo doo de doo doo do’.

Nearly there.....

Full!

Voila! (I don’t know what the Spanish equivalent is).

It’s a tight squeeze but the zip does up, I didn’t have to take anything out and so it’s definitely MISSION IMPOSSIBLE! 

So, dressed in my super comfy, super silky, ‘formal joggers’ from Topshop (that I would definitely have worn with heels of an evening out had they fitted in my case!), I bid you farewell. I will take full advantage of the beautiful scenery whilst away and ask Mr. B (aka ‘John’) to take some photos of me wearing the outfits so I can show you when I get back.

Me and my case ready for the off!

Swing your pants!

Yes love, very nice trousers, but stop posing and go find that passport!

Oh, and something strange happens when I put these baggy beauties on, I go all MC Hammer and have to burst into 'running man'. Quite clearly I'm going a little crazy - this holiday is much needed!

See you soon lovely people.

M x

P.S. Well done to my little man for taking the formal jogger pictures and video! 

(The video didn't play on my iPhone for some odd reason, but worked fine on my laptop. Hope your device is kind to you and let's you watch it!).

Fat Bottomed Girls...

… you make the rockin’ world go round!

Back in June, a friend of mine suggested that I write a blog on how to dress if you are a fat bottomed girl. She has a fat bottom (she said it, not me!), a wedding to go to in September and is having an outfit crisis. So, thinking she can’t be the only lady out there having a booty induced hissy fit, here are some tips on how to dress that derriere.

The body-shapes that are most likely to have an ample bottom are the Pear, the Hourglass and the Round. 

So, what shape are you?  

The basic Pear shape

A basic Pear shape has these characteristics:

• Small on top with narrow shoulders
• More than likely a small bust
• Slim waist
• Larger hips, thighs and bottom
• Think J-Lo 

Does this sound like you? If so, here are some do’s and don’ts:

Show off your waist

And by that I don’t mean in a cropped-top flesh bearing way (unless you’re under 25 and have a midriff as buff as a buff-like thing), I mean in a silhouette kind of way. Choose styles that emphasise your waist and put stylish, narrow belts to good use. It’s the slimmest part of your body and so if you hide it under baggy tops, you will actually make yourself look larger.

Pattern/Colour

Restrict bold patterns and lighter colours to the top half only. Wearing them on your bottom half will make it appear bigger.

Tops

The best thing we can do for the Pear shape is to balance out the top and bottom half. So, wear capped, fuller sleeves or shoulder pads (get that image of Sue Ellen out of your head right now!) as these ‘tricks’ will add width to your top half giving you a more balanced shape. The added bonus of shoulder pads for a Pear is that if you have small, sloping shoulders, your handbag is more likely to stay on your shoulder! Tops can be tucked in or you can choose semi fitted tops that finish at the right length if you don’t do the tucking in thang!

  

Trousers

Avoid side pockets that will gape creating the ‘frog mouth’ effect as this will add bulk where you don’t need it. Same applies to back pockets with flaps – so avoid them too.

Wider legged trousers that fall from the hip are very flattering for a Pear shape and can look extremely elegant – just make sure they are as flat-fronted as possible.  Wear them with heels and make like Katherine Hepburn!

Skirts

Go for A line, full or panelled skirts and as per the trouser rule, avoid side and back pockets.

Dresses

Dresses can be tricky depending on the size difference between your top half and bottom half but there are some great styles out there that incorporate a patterned top and/or capped sleeve that are perfect for the Pear shape. Another great dress for you Pears is the 1950’s style - a wedding disco and this dress go together like Rama-lama-lama-ka-dinga-da-dinga-dong!

Or maybe you’re an Hourglass?

The basic Hourglass shape

• Shoulders and hips are balanced
• Defined waist
• Curvy bottom
• And more than likely a fuller bust
• Think Marilyn Monroe 

Here are some do’s and don’ts for dressing an Hourglass figure:

Show off your waist

As is the same for the Pear shape, show off that waist at all times - if I had one, I most certainly would.

Pattern/Colour

You can wear pattern but go easy with it – let your body shape speak for itself and avoid anything too loud. Avoid vertical lines and geometric patterns over your curves – it will get very confusing and you’ll end up looking like one of those magic eye pictures.

Tops

As you have a balanced figure, no need to ‘big up’ your shoulders as the Pears need to do but do choose your necklines carefully so that you flatter your fuller bust. Remember to show some skin and opt for a v, scoop, square neck or wrap top - wearing a high neck top will make your boobs, and you in general, look bigger. Like the Pear you can tuck tops in if you want to.

Trousers

The book I’m reading at the moment is called ‘How to Be Chic & Elegant’ which is written by a stylish French woman (aren’t they all stylish?) called Marie-Anne Lecoeur, who says that those with an Hourglass figure should ditch the trousers altogether and stick with skirts and dresses! I’ll leave that decision to you but if you do enjoy wearing trousers opt for side zipped or flat fronted ones and again, avoid the frog mouthed effect, and pockets on the bum as mentioned earlier.

Skirts

Go for A line, panelled or pencil skirts. The Hourglass will find it hard to find skirts (and trousers) that fit well because they will more than likely fit on the bum but be too big on the waist or fit on the waist and be too small on the bum. It’s not easy having a sexy shape is it?! So, look for styles without a waistband and/or that sit lower down on your hips. And avoid side pockets and bum pockets (I’ve said that so many times now – use it as your mantra!).

Dresses

Just make sure you choose a style that has shape at the waist and a lower neckline as per the guideline for tops. Pop on some elegant heels and give it some Jessica Rabbit swagger - you sexy thing you!

Oh, and one thing I must mention as it will save you a lot of faff and heartache - dieting will NOT change a Pear or Hourglass shape into anything other than a smaller Pear or Hourglass shape. If you’re a size 16 Pear who goes on a diet, the end result will be just a smaller size Pear. So, embrace the shape you are and wear clothes that flatter it – don’t fight it!

And finally the Round

The basic Round shape

• Plump and rounded all over
• No definite waist
• Perhaps sloping shoulders
• Wide bottom
• Think Dawn French

There are some very simple rules to follow for this shape and so I won’t break it down into garments as such.

Pattern/Ccolour

• Dark colours, as we all know they are more slimming – so always a good choice.
• Use the ‘column of colour’ trick. This is where you have the same colour running up through the middle of your outfit with a cardigan, or jacket of a different colour, over the top. The eye will notice the narrow 'column of colour' which will make you appear slimmer and draw the eye up towards the face. Perfect!
• Avoid really tiny patterns as they will, in contrast, make you look larger. 

Styles/details

• Clothes need to skim not cling - but make sure you don’t go too voluminous.
• Empire line tops (and dresses) are very flattering 
• A good fitting shift dress is also great on a Round.
• Ensure there’s some cleavage exposed – a sure-fire way to draw the attention away from a tummy!
• If you want to wear trousers, make sure they are flat fronted (no pleats) and that they fall straight from the thighs.
• Opt for A line or panelled skirts.

 Accessories

• Wear stunning necklaces and scarves to draw the eye towards the face.
• Make sure your accessories aren't too small, as again, they will make you appear larger.

So, there we go! Not an exhaustive list of do’s and don’t’s because I have focussed on rules that lend themselves to choosing a more formal outfit, but you should now be able to eliminate some choices and combinations that you may have chosen before - which I hope has helped.

I’ve created a Pinterest board that's well worth a look at as it will provide you with some inspiration or what those guys and gals over at Pinterest call, Pinspiration. 

Click HERE

Go forth my fat bottomed, curvalicious beauties and keep this rockin’ world going round!

M x

TMI moment….when I was about 11 or 12, before I hit puberty, I was a scrawny little thing whose new, tight fit, pinstriped jeans (they were very trendy I’ll have you know) didn’t fit on the bum as tightly as I wanted them to. So, I came up with what I thought was a cunning plan to pad-out my derriere. What did I do? I wore 3 pairs of knickers at once. Underneath the jeans darlings, underneath! 

Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag...

When Mr. B suggested I write a post about how to pack a suitcase, I did wonder what his agenda was. But, given that schools break up soon and a lot of you will be heading off on your holidays, I thought it was a good idea.

I know there must be people out there who love packing, but not me. A day before travelling I am loudly huffing and puffing around the house, still putting off the deed. Then, when I eventually do start, I put everything in my case. Why? Well, just in case I need it of course! This obviously results in what is essentially an overstuffed wardrobe on wheels and that horrible feeling on holiday when you look at all the clothes and think ‘why the hell did I bring all this stuff?!’

But luckily, after studying this style advisor malarkey, I now know that it isn’t the actual packing that’s the problem but the indecision as to what to take. So, if you have the same problem and long to be one of those traveling light, co-ordinated types, then I’m about to share with you some tips on making the whole packing debacle a lot easier. 

Here’s a mood board that I made earlier (I always wanted to be a TV presenter). It shows a good example of a two week beach holiday capsule wardrobe.

The first thing that you probably notice is that it’s very colour co-ordinated. That’s because I’ve applied the ‘two neutrals / three colours’ rule.

The neutrals are your basics and the colour adds the va-va-voom. Don’t add more than three other colours to your neutrals though because the more colours you add, the less ‘capsule’ your holiday wardrobe becomes.

Mix and Match

The idea is to make sure that you can mix and match pretty much everything that you’ve packed. For example, the patterned skirt can be worn several times but with different colour tops - the same applies to the shorts. The shorts, which can obviously be worn for daytime, can also be worn with a dressier top, jacket, heels and clutch bag for an evening look. The black and white dress on the far right would make a lovely evening outfit, but when you’ve worn it once (or twice, depending on how liberal you are with your food or sweat!) it then makes a perfect beach cover up.

Accessories

What makes this wardrobe even more versatile is the use of accessories. These are the clever, often overlooked, items that can transform an outfit, so don’t forget them - add them to your list NOW! Beachwear becomes daywear and daywear becomes evening wear with clever use of bracelets, necklaces, handbags and/or scarves. A bold statement necklace and clutch bag can make a simple, throw-on daywear dress, into something perfect for an evening out. And a pair of heels can take loose fit, patterned trousers, from cosy-comfy to trendy-wendy quicker than you can say ‘mine’s a mojito’.

What to pack?

So, you’ve got the theory, but what should you actually pack? My mood board is based on the 6 bottoms and 1 dress rule. But I’ve tweaked it slightly because following all of the rules all of the time can be so very boring. So, I have snuck in more dresses because if you’re like me, I think a holiday is the perfect excuse to feel more feminine and wear dresses. 

Here’s a list (I love a list!):

• 6 bottoms  trousers/jeans/skirts/shorts
• 2 dresses (or more but reduce bottom count and tops accordingly)
• Selection of plain tops for daytime and a couple for evening
• 1 or 2 cardigans
• 1 jacket
• 2/3 bikini’s/swimsuits
• 1 sarong/ or kaftan to match
• Beach Towel (though if you can hire them, do that!)
• No more than 5 pairs of shoes including flip-flops/sandals, high heels and trainers/walking shoes if needed
• Selection of jewellery - necklaces, bracelets and earrings
• 1 or 2 wraps/pashminas
• Belt/s
• Hat
• Evening bag
• Day/beach bag
• Sunglasses

You can obviously tweak this to your own personal style, colour choices and type of holiday you're taking – but I think it’s a good place to start.

Roll or Fold?

And of course there’s then the ‘to roll or fold’ question. Well, rolling does reduce creases and can save space in your suitcase, so I would go for that if I were you. Though I do know Victoria Beckham, queen of style, goes for the folding option. So, how does she appear so crease free you ask? Collagen pills and bee pollen apparently.

Oh and I nearly forgot underwear! Ooh la la! Select carefully. If you are wearing a lot of white, don’t be fooled into thinking that you need white underwear. No, no, no – white is very visible and that's not a good look!  What you need is the flesh coloured option. I know, it’s not the sexiest choice but it does the job. In fact, one holiday, many, many, moons ago, I was down to one pair of pink knickers and a pair of white trousers (yep, bad planning) but low and behold the pink didn’t actually show through as much as the white would have done. 

So, whether you’re catching a flight or vacuum packing the kids and the kitchen sink into the back of the car, I hope you have a wonderful time and feel happy in what you’re wearing every day of your holiday.

Oh and please don’t pack your troubles as the song and title of this blog suggests – leave those at home if you can. However, if your troubles are your kids and the other half, then that could be tricky!  I suggest you lose yourself in a good book. 

Click here to find out why these are some of my faves.

Mange tout amigo’s, mange tout.

M x

P.S. I need to pack a bag or two this weekend actually - but I won’t need many outfits. I’m going from dressy wedding on Friday to messy camping on Saturday. Best make sure I pick up the right bag for the right day, huh?!

Handbags and Gladrags...

At the weekend, having just been paid and without any appointments in the diary or children in tow, I indulged in a ‘mooch’ around the shops. As any of you with kids will appreciate, it’s a decadent pleasure having shopping time (or any time actually) to yourself.  On the rare occasion that I do bring my son shopping he is generally very well behaved but that’s only because I’ve bribed him with the promise of a milkshake or a new Skylander.  And whatever promise he’s on, it’s still only a small window of opportunity before he gets stroppy and we have to head home.

Anyway, Saturday was different – it was time for ‘me time’ and I had a list. I love a list. The list, which I keep on my phone, is a list of things that would be good to buy if I happen to come across them on the rare chance that I get out.  Things get crossed off, but it’s not long before something else is added on.  And it’s not always clothes; pretty bed linen was added at the weekend.

Yes, I can and do online shopping – but that can be such a faff if things aren’t right and you need to fill in the paperwork, package them up and then find a real life post office … blah blah etc!

Anyway, one of the things on my list was a new handbag.  I wanted something bigger than the across the body ones that I currently have.  I’ve been stuffing as much as I can into these smaller handbags of mine and then putting the over-flow into an Asda carrier bag.  Shock horror, that’s not what a style advisor does, is it? No, of course not. She uses a Waitrose one.

I looked in so many places for the perfect handbag but time and time again I was just so disappointed, not only with the colours and shapes but with the silly amount of embellishment that some designers feel the need to add.  Please stop! If we want bling, then we’ll wear jewellery thank you very much.  And what’s with all the gold buckles and zips? What’s wrong with silver?

Anyway, I found one I love and here it is.

It’s from White Stuff and it’s called Cruz. Yes, I name all my handbags. It’s a great neutral colour which I would describe as putty but what White Stuff call charcoal. It goes with pretty much every colour in my wardrobe. What I didn’t want is a black bag that then looks odd when I wear blue or a blue bag that looks odd when I wear black etc - so job done. It’s also a great shape, is real leather, has loads of compartments and has a short and long strap (the long strap is detachable). Oh and it’s not in the least bit blingy. Bloody bingo!

 

It also comes in atlantic blue, miso grey, tan and windsor blue.  They have a great selection of bags in all shapes and sizes and in a great range of colours – so worth a look.  BUT if it’s a black bag you want (or anything black for that matter) don’t even bother looking here. They don’t do black dahling!

This is actually the third bag I’ve bought from White Stuff in as many years and so why I didn’t start my search here in the first place is quite beyond my frazzled brain! Note to self, must add fish oils to my phone list.

Where’s my phone…..?

M x

P.S. The top I’m wearing wasn’t on my list, but I love a stripe. It’s silky to the touch, fine knit and feels great on. It’s H&M (no surprise there) - but as there wasn't a link to it when I looked online, you'll have to go into the shop when you next get some ‘you time'. Enjoy that!

Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting…but much better for going out to a nice restaurant and wearing a dress that makes you feel good!

I look so pale and deathly that I'm surprised I cast a shadow!

This is a sneaky little unplanned post. It’s been a long week and with nothing much in the diary for the weekend, Mr. B and I decided to take the opportunity to go out for dinner. Nice.

I made the decision, come rain or shine, that I would wear a dress. This little black dress is one of my new purchases and I love it so much.  

It’s a great style for a straight body-shape like mine as it gives the illusion of curves by basically hiding the lack of them. It’s also good for those that are conscious of their tummies or those that are about to go out and fill their tummies (me) as you can hide a multitude of sins (including snaffled pretty restaurant glassware if you so desire, though I'm certainly not condoning that in any way!) within the dress’s generous, billowing top half.

You can also, very easily, dress it up or down depending on the accessories you choose i.e. heels vs flip flops, clutch bag vs an across the body bag and statement necklace vs a scarf.

The last selling point of this dress (no, I’m not on commission, but I should be when it comes to H&M) is that you can alter the length of it by how much you decide to hitch it up. It’s brilliant!

 

So, with my G&T sharpener now finished, I bid you all a happy weekend.

Taxi!

M x

 

Dress shown is H&M. For similar dresses see NEXT
 

New Shoes...

Sing along… ‘I put my new shoes on and suddenly everything is right’.  You’re not wrong there Paolo, you gravel-voiced Scottish gem you!

Recently I have bought six pairs of new shoes. That line originally said five until I found shoe box number six in the bottom of my wardrobe! I love shoes - plain and simple. Well not plain and simple shoes necessarily, but it’s plainly obvious that I simply love shoes. (Yes Mel, I think they get the idea, shhh now). And, when I open up the box, I get this rush of pleasure that I remember having as a kid when I got new shoes. Back then new stuff was a rare event, so I guess I’m making up for that now.

Why all the new shoes? Well, as I mentioned in my last post, it’s a hangover from my no jeans to work week, where I realised I needed an injection of change and newness for some extra oomph.

Nice clumpy sole!

Walk this way..

 

I shall start with the sandals that I bought from Topshop at the end of March. At this time I don’t think a sunny day was even a twinkle in 2014’s eye, which is probably why I had forgotten about them. They’re not dainty or typically pretty but that makes a nice change. They are the Doc Martins of sandal world. I like them because they add something more to an outfit than a pair of gladiator sandals would. They look great with skirts, shorts and rolled up jeans.  However, they’re not as flexible as the usual thin soled sandals - so I need to get used to the reduced amount of ‘movement’ before they get their first public outing. I’m happy for them to look a bit Herman Munster-ish but I certainly don’t want to walk like him!

Blue Loafers from NEXT

 

 

 

These blue loafers were bought to complete the ‘Prince William’ chino outfit as mentioned in She’s Got Legs. Now, a rule, or rather a question I ask myself, when buying new clothes or shoes, is, will the item go with at least three other outfits or pieces in my wardrobe? And I can safely say that these do. They have been worn with my chinos, my blue trousers and jeans. I wear them to work and at the weekend and they are comfy. I sounded old then didn’t I? But it’s true, they are. They also come in a light grey, which, had it been a slightly darker grey, I probably would have bought those too.

 Blackadder shoes

 

These pumps, which Mr. B nicknamed the Blackadder shoes, have been taken to the charity shop as they didn’t float my boat anymore.  I hope some lonely feet have now given them a new home and that they are very happy together – ‘sole’ mates even (lousy joke).  Anyway, I needed a pair to replace them. I tried on lots of ballet pumps and I found them to be either not worth the price tag or in most cases just not that great looking. Mmmm, I think a friend of mine is having a similar problem on the dating websites at the moment. Anyway, some revealed way too much toe cleavage for my liking (we’re back to the shoes now by the way) and though I’m no prude when it comes to revealing a bit of flesh, I think it can look odd. I ordered some from H&M and, with me being a big H&M fan - I was more or less convinced that they would be great. But alas no, they didn’t fit well either. Hard to explain, but my big toes kind of pushed up through the leather, which is odd as I don’t have particularly Frodo style feet.

 Cutesy black pumps

 

Anyway, NEXT came to the rescue again with these cutesy, black suede pumps. Not too cleavage-y and a good fit. I have so far worn them with my black jeans and patterned trousers from H&M. I'm sorry couldn’t find a link on the NEXT website, but they have a good choice of ballet pumps, so worth a browse.

A bargain must-have

Yes, I always play hopscotch in heels, don't you?

Next on the list are these elegant heels. Bought not to replace anything actually, I just really liked them. I love the heel height, I love the simple strap across the foot and I think ankle straps are very sexy - so I just had to have them. I knew they would go with loads of things that I already had so I didn’t mind forking out the whopping, wait for it… £14.99. They’re from George at Asda. This may surprise some of you, but actually, if you’re on a tight budget, George can be excellent. They have a good variety of clothes for all ages and their beach-wear is rather good. So if you need a few extra bits for your holidays – take a look. As these shoes are not leather, I’m unsure as to how they will wear but I‘m not overly worried about that at this price. Sadly, I think they’ve sold out – but yet again, NEXT have come up trumps and have a similar pair in suede.

Guilty silver pleasures 

 

Mum, can I have my scooter back now please?

Now for these beauties! When I bought them home from the shop I left them in their box for a while as I think I was feeling a bit… err guilty is probably the word I’m looking for because they were over £50. Anyway, Mr. B saw the box and exclaimed “Converse?! Whose are they?” I replied “Mine”. And as he opened the box I said “And yes I know they are silver, but I didn’t want black because my old ones are black and I didn’t want grey because that’s not exciting enough and anyway I don’t care if you don’t like them because I love them and they make me happy!”.  Anyway, I wore them to the pub the other day and a lady made a point of telling me she had shoe envy. Ha, feel the shiny shoe love!

Yellow sunny sandals

 

And last, but by no means least, here are these yellow sunny sandals. I noticed them in a New Look email I received about three weeks ago and I had been thinking about them ever since – my love & lust sandal scandal! So, last week, I bit the bullet and ordered them (only £19.99 and they're leather!). I was concerned that the colour may be different in the flesh; too gold (which wouldn’t be good for my ‘winter’ colouring) but they’re not, they’re the perfect yellow. Having already planned what I would wear them with before I bought them, I’m now looking forward to more sunny days. They will, for sure, add pizzazz to my blue trousers and stripy top, rolled-up jeans, maxi skirt and a lovely blue dress that I wear to work. Did you picture that last sentence as one outfit? Oh blimey!

BREAKING NEWS...

We interrupt this shoe broadcast with news just in. 

As most of you will know, not so long ago, Mel used to have long hair which she’d been growing for 100 years.

100 year old hair

On the advice of Gail, her tutor at Study in Style, she took a big step and had her hair cut - approximately 10 inches off!! This cut was nicknamed the Lob (long bob).

Front of Lob 

Back of Lob

But 4 months on, having pored over pictures on Pinterest and feeling emotionally prepared, she went for an even bigger chop.

Short Bob (Shob)

 

In a statement released this evening, Mel had this to say:

“I just want to thank everyone who has been there for me on this amazing journey. Those close to me will know that all I ever wanted was long hair. And though I now know they actually thought my long hair looked quite naff, I’m nevertheless grateful for the support I received throughout the growing process. I love my new, short hairstyle – it suits my small head and features and so I don’t think I’ll ever grow it long again, in fact I may go even shorter! I know it’s a cliché, but I won’t let this change who I am. In the vein of J-Lo “don’t be fooled by the locks that I’ve lost, I’m still, I’m still Melly from the blog!”

Mr. B, Mel’s partner, who doesn’t have hair of his own, said “the reaction has been amazing, but we’d now like to have some privacy to appreciate the new style together”.

Her hairdresser was unavailable for comment but rumour suggests that her tweet “That felt so good. #abouttime” was in response to Mel’s recent appointment.

We’ll now pass you back to the New Shoes blog…

Well, I hope you’ve all enjoyed seeing my new shoes and that they’ve inspired you to get your socks off and paint your toe nails.Let’s hope they also encourage the sun to keep his hat firmly in place and carry on with the amazing weather we've had today! And just before I posted this, I checked my emails and I had one from Clarks – suffice to say, they are producing some very exciting shoes right now! Think I need some new wedges all of a sudden! Take a look for yourself.

Next time I’m hoping to share with you some of my favourite necklaces and whatever else takes my fancy at the time! Until then, take care, M x