Style not Age say Yes to the Dress!

Good morning everyone. 

How are you?

I’m doing okay and have had a super weekend. 

It was David’s birthday yesterday so we had the family round. We also welcomed some family and friends throughout the day to celebrate with us with a couple of drinks to boot. We’d decided on having some tapas so David and my youngest daughter Sophie went to the supermarket to buy ingredients to prepare the following delicious dishes! Meatballs in spicy tomato sauce, chorizo & peppers in sherry sauce, tortilla (with and without potato) spicy garlic king prawns, hummus and flat bread, mushrooms in garlic butter and a tasty salad which consisted of peppers, cucumber, red cabbage, spring onions & parsley with a dressing of orange juice, white wine vinegar and olive oil. This was topped with pomegranate seeds and was truly delicious. It really brought everything together and the meal was devoured and I must add enjoyed by all the family!

Today is the last Monday of the month and I’m not sure how that happened, however it’s time to welcome Hilda, Emma and Anna to the stage to share their looks for Style not Age which are based around the prompt  ….

Say yes to the Dress. 

This beautiful pink maxi has my name written all over it. 

Another Spring Dress from Izabel.

Good morning.

How are you?

Well this week just ran away from me, I’ve woken up today and realised no blog post!

So here’s a hasty catch, up with stunning spring dress to share. 

Yesterday was my eldest daughter’s birthday. We popped over to see her and had a couple of drinks to celebrate but came home early to have dinner, so that was a quiet affair. Today I’ve a couple of errands to run and then I’m looking after Max as his mum and dad are out this afternoon seeing a show in London. I hope the weather improves as he loves playing in the garden. We might go to the park if it’s warmer - as there more to do and again, he loves it. 

I went into town on Saturday to change a couple of bits. I’m trying to find the best pair of barrel leg trousers and after finding some from Next but thinking they’re a tad snug, took them back & found another pair in M&S. They’ve come up great but have quite a baggy section on the back which I don’t like. I might take some photos to see how they look but maybe change them for a smaller size! My Keto diet has really worked as I’m a stone lighter and possibly getting into a size 10, albeit from Marks & Spencer which offer generous sizes, but I’m taking it!

So today I’m sharing a stylish maxi from Izabel London. 

I’ve added items to dress it up and make it suitable for Spring dressing when the weather is still cold. 

Items marked with * have been gifted to me, however these are 100% my own honest comments. 

Spring Maxi Dress from Izabel.

Good morning, thanks for joining me on Easter Bank Holiday Monday. 

I do hope you’ve had a super long weekend, I certainly have!

After a really busy week, the weekend was hectic too!

I keep waiting for things to die down, but there’s always something by to do! Are you the same?

Friday went quickly ending with my usual ballroom class. We finished learning a tango routine and it’s another I fell I love with. In the afternoon I went to my nephew’s house to enjoy a birthday celebration for his little boy, it’s nice to share time with my sister and her family and we took full advantage of catching up with my nieces and nephews. 

Saturday morning was a bit of a nightmare, well I got myself up and ready early and had planned to go into town to change a couple of bits. I’d been so occupied with making sure I’d got change of clothes for working at my MIL’s house and also planning the food for the following day I managed to forget the bits I was going to take back!! Yes I had to return home to collect said items and head back into town! I was furious with myself! I keep doing silly things like this and am worried I might have a problem! Anyone else do stupid things like this?

On Sunday after a clean at the Airbnb, I prepared food for our roast turkey dinner. Eighteen of us enjoyed a roast with all the trimmings and I put my diet on hold devouring everything I shouldn’t! I certainly paid for it in the evening as my tummy wasn’t happy at all! There’s something to be said for following a certain diet and veering off piste isn’t as good as it seems to be. I’m back on the diet today and am starting to feel much better. The diet I’m following is keto which means no carbs, I included potatoes, roasted parsnips and various vegetables, some of which do have carbohydrates in them. Let’s not mention the chocolates and cakes I picked at though, if I don’t mention them then maybe I didn’t have them! 😂

Today, will be a quiet one and although I’ve not planned dinner, it’ll definitely be keto friendly. Are you following a diet and did you go off plan over the holiday weekend?

Items marked with * have been gifted to me, however these are 100% my own honest comments. 

Aery - Sharing Products to help Stress Awareness Month.

Hi everyone. 

How are you doing?

A really busy few days for me! It’s been great sorting & editing for the blog and with the weather so nice I’ve taken some cracking shots. Just not enough hours in the day to get more done, which is a shame because I feel like I’m on a roll!

I’ve actually been working on some lovely clothing reels and can’t wait to share them with you. Spring is most definitely in the air and dressing for the temperatures has been fun. I’ve even been out without a jacket or coat a few times and even wore sandals the other day!

Did you know April is Stress Awareness Month? If you need to de-stress after a busy day or need to wind down from your troubles Aery have you covered! I’m delighted to share a few of their unique and individual products to help you along the way. DISCOUNT CODE BELOW. ⬇️ 

Items marked with * have been gifted to me, however these are 100% my own honest comments. 

Collared Jumper with my Denim Skirt.

Good morning everyone. 

How are you?

Did you have a good weekend? I’ve had another hectic one! Well Saturday was very busy! I was painting ceilings! The family are getting my MIL’s house ready to sell so there’s a few little bits and pieces that need doing before it’s put on the market. It was a hot day so once I’d finished that I came home to do some gardening. I cut both front and back grass and strimmed the edges as well. I also did some weeding, giving special attention to an area I’ve decided to use for taking photos - I fancy getting something like trellis or a mirror and some pots with tall plants in. It’s sort of a rockery area and might work well for taking shots! I’ll keep you informed about that one. 

On Sunday after helping my daughter do an AirBnb clean I spread some weed killer. There’s an area in front of our house that draws loads of weeds and every year one or other of us weeds it for it to grow again! I vow this year to keep on top of it and get the weeds under control, let’s see how that pans out! 😂

With the weather being so nice lately, I’ve actually even wearing some outfits more apt for Spring. Today’s look is an easy to wear feminine and casual look featuring this fabulous little top. 

Items marked with * have been gifted to me, however these are 100% my own honest comments. 

Giveaway win - Chic & Stylish Linkup

Good morning everyone. 

How’s it going?

Another busy week after a busy weekend. 

I went to my grandson’s birthday party on Monday evening - he had a roller-skating party and guess who just had to have a go? Yep me! It’s been many, many years since I donned a pair of skates and I did wonder if it was a silly thing to do, but I did it anyway. I put the boots on and immediately felt like I would fall over so I grabbed onto the side and carefully slid my way along till I got into the arena. Still I didn’t give up and gingerly pulled myself around the rink holding on all the time. The kids whizzed past me egging me on, but I didn’t leave the side. I did a couple more laps letting go at various times and grabbing onto the side again to steady myself. By the fourth circle I’d made some progress, actually letting go and trying to go round corners with a bit more elegance. By lap five I decided to take my boots off and quit while I was ahead. I didn’t want to tempt fate and hurt myself. But I’m pleased I decided to give it a go and promised to go again when my daughter takes the kids! Fingers crossed that goes well too! 🤞

Items marked with * have been gifted to me, however these are 100% my own honest comments. 

 

March Review

Morning my friends.

Hope you are well.

April has arrived and the weather has stayed nice here.  Still quite chilly at times and especially in the evening - but if you can find a nice little sheltered spot the sun is quite warm and soothing.  I've been embracing a slightly more Spring like look with my outfits and have been wearing jackets when I've just been popping out to run errands.  Anything like walking along the beach or being outside for longer stretches still calls for a coat or thicker jacket.  I'm excited to share a new one with you on Thursday, it was part of a competition win and I'm elated with the fashionable leopard print classic and it's been on repeat since I got it!

The weekend seemed to fly by - well actually the week did too!  What with my three gym classes, swimming session and two dance classes the days have been filled!  It's our turn to have the wave of birthdays and last weekend there were two!  I popped over to see one of my grandsons on Friday evening.  He attends a karate class and it was a nice treat for me to watch him!  He, along with his sister loved to show off what they could do in the session which was 45 mins long and it's a brilliant way to teach discipline, fitness and have fun at the same time.  When it was finished I quickly rushed over to enjoy my ballroom class.  We learnt a new routine which was a Tango - I managed to grasp the steps and was lucky enough to show the rest of the class whilst it was being filmed.  We can watch the routine on our phones so we can practise at home in order to be ready for the next class!  

Saturday was spent with Sophie (the baker) and Emily.  We went to a local school that was holding a Sci Spy Comic Con event.  It's all about characters in films like Star Wars, Ghost Busters, Marvel characters and other Sci Fy people (you might have seen my IG stories) and Sophie was asked if she’d like to have a cake stall there. She took loads of cakes and bakes to the local event where her cake stall was a great success.  She sold so many cakes and tray bakes along with cake jars - yes cake, jam or chocolate and cream in a jar!  They are delicious and a lovely alternative to a cake that can get dry when left in a tin!  These don't last long and I had to use lots of self control so's not to hinder my Keto diet!

I raced home once it was finished to get ready for a night out with friends.  We went for a few drinks and to have a curry.  I was really happy with that meal because since dieting I'd not had my favourite takeaway!  I was very good and only had a small amount of rice (no carbs on Keto) and managed to eat all the chicken patia.  We had side dishes too, a cauliflower and mushroom bhaji - which are both our favourites, we scoffed nearly all of it!

Sunday was fairly quiet.  The second birthday of the weekend  - which was Freddie's. We celebrated at his house with nearly all the family before returning home for an early night.  School holidays for the next couple of weeks so it'll be great to spend time with the grandkids.  We’re planning a trip to the woods, possibly to a Wildlife park or maybe a trip to the cinema.  

So shall we get back to today's post?  It's a new month so time for the .....

March Review.

Spring Floral from Izabel - Chic & Stylish Linkup

Welcome dear readers.

Thanks for being here today. 

Hello April. 

After a busy weekend, it’s been a busy beginning of the new month. I’ve got so much planned so along with birthdays, blogging, photo taking and shopping I’m going to be a very busy bee!

On Sunday it was Mother’s Day as you might well know. I was feeling a bit jaded after a late night and few too many glasses, but I can tell you I was completely spoilt with gorgeous cards and some lovely gifts, but what makes it even more special is being with all the kids along with my mum! 

I’ve finally ordered some new trainers.  I’ve wanted a pair in a mink brown so am waiting for them to arrive (should be today). I’m not too obsessed with having named trainers, I prefer to have something that’s good quality and look right so these from M & S should be just right! I’ll let you know how I get on!

I’ve got a stunning dress to share with you today. If you’ve got plans for a special occasion like a wedding or christening, I’ve got you covered! Check out this beautiful chiffon maxi, it’s got all the elements you need to get noticed, but not take all the limelight. You’ll want something that’s fairly classic and quite modest. A maxi or midi is a good choice and something that’s a modest fit is ideal. 

Items marked with * have been gifted to me, however these are 100% my own honest comments.

 

Style not Age Wear Their Greens!

Good morning my friends. 

Hope you’re well. 

It’s the last Monday of March so it’s time to see what the ladies from Style not Age have been choosing for our latest monthly challenge.

I set this month’s challenge and having noticed green will be popular for the new season I opted for the prompt …

Wear Your Greens. 

I had a wonderful weekend  & it was quite busy, so went very quickly.  Saturday was spent doing a few chores and then looked after three of my grandkids whilst their mum and dad watched a local football match where my eldest granddaughter, Amelia was a mascot, she had an amazing time and fortunately Whitstable won!  It was a quick change when I got home as we were out to dinner at our good friends house.  It was for a 60th celebration and we all had a lovely time dining on Steak with salad followed by a delicious cheese board.  As you would imagine I had a few glasses of champagne followed by one of my favourite wines which is a rose wine from Spain.  It's a dreamy pale rose wine that's got a slight fizz to it.  I've enjoyed many a bottle when holidaying in L'Escala over the years, and I've now found a site that sells it in the UK!

On Sunday after a long lie-in I finally got myself ready to enjoy time with the kids.  My son came round as he couldn't join us for a takeaway in the evening.  He bought me a sweet card which had lovely words on it.  I'm a sucker for receiving cards and love the personal words my kids always put in them.  Four more from the others followed - all with equally as touching words inside.  They got me a joint present and I was elated to receive a fab little clutch bag to replace the jaded version I've been using recently.  It's from Fiorelli and the leather pouch bag is just what I've been wanting.  I also got a bottle of Prosecco, a lovely candle that smells amazing, a gorgeous bouquet of flowers, a treat box from Little Berry Bakes along with a tasty Chinese takeaway, which we all tucked into.  My mum came as well and enjoyed being with the family as much as I did!  Once I’d dropped her home I relaxed on the sofa and had a very cheeky chocolate cookie that was from the selection of goodies in the cake box. What a lucky lady I am. 🤍

Life Lately - Chic & Stylish Linkup.

Evening everyone. 

Sorry I’m so late with this post, I have no excuses I plain forgot!

Out last night, yes on a school night and didn’t get home till late so no time to blog! I went with David to our good friend’s 60th birthday celebration. We went to a local restaurant that served a selection of mixed tapas. I’m really pleased that was the food choice because I’m following the Keto diet there’s a lot I could eat! I nibbled on charcuterie, baked Camembert cheese, pickles, olives and a tasty chorizo which came in a hot sauce. I declined the Spanish omelette and missed the chicken dish but I was stuffed so it didn’t matter! I had a few glasses of fizz and as I took it easy didn’t wake with a fuzzy head!

Light Wash Mom Jeans.

Good morning everyone. 

Thanks for stopping by today. 

Not much to report to you all, it’s been a slow weekend and I didn’t take any time out for photos and outfit planning. I am popping into town in the week and hope to have some new bits to show you. Have you been purchasing recently? I know there’s some sales on so I hope I’ll bring some bargains home and a few ideas for the new season. I’ve got a small list of things I really need, so as I’m trying to only buy what I need, I’ll have to see how that pans out. 

The weather took a turn for the worse with rain and dreary clouds over the weekend which was a shame because last week looked so promising! I hope that’ll just be a fleeting visit as I’m really needing Spring and better weather to arrive. 

Today how about an outfit that will fit in when the weather decides to stay a bit longer than the few days we had last week!

Denim, Tan and Patterns - Chic & Stylish Linkup

Hello and welcome to my blog.

I hope you've had a nice few days, have you done anything exciting?

The weather here has been amazing we hit the high teens recently and I even decided to take my vest off! Yes you heard correctly! I did have to put a cardi on in the evening though but it’s a start isn’t it!

I took my granddaughter for her birthday treat on Tuesday. We went to a local salon that caters for children as well as adults and also has a training facility! Autumn enjoyed having her nails painted a bright red along with having a soothing hand massage. She also had a relaxing facial complete with face pack and moisturising massage which she loved. I took loads of photos to show her mum and dad and she sipped a homemade strawberry milkshake between treatments. After that we went to McDonald’s for a happy meal. She didn’t want to eat inside so we took the food away with us which she ate some of it in the car, taking the rest home and I’m sure her Dad might have finished off!! She wanted the roof off the car which I let her do! We took a slow drive along the seafront before finding somewhere to park. I know she had a brilliant time which reinforced my opinion of taking each of my older grandkids for one to ones instead of having a big present. It’s worked out well so far and I’m clocking up cinema trips, swimming dates and a musical in London to my list. I’m excited to see what two of the boys want in April!

My outfit today is what I wore yesterday. I was very much a Spring day and I went out in this casual ensemble and even dropped my jacket out because it was that warm!!

Items marked with * have been gifted to me, however these are 100% my own honest comments. 

Let’s talk Trench Coats.

Good morning.

Hope you are well. Sorry it’s a late one today, no excuses just didn’t get the time!

How did your weekend go? I’ve had a lovely one with not much to show for it! 

On Friday I went out with some friends for one of their birthdays. We went to a cheese restaurant which, fortunately was almost Keto friendly. I did have a couple of thin biscuits but mainly had cheese, charcuterie and pickles. It didn’t actually look a lot but I was quite stuffed by the end of the lunch. The setting in The Cheese Room in Rochester was very quaint and cosy and we sat next to a welcoming open fire. We had views of Rochester Castle and the high street which was bustling with visitors looking at the various shops that lined the street. I fancy a little trip there again to have a look at all the different shops, they also have a wonderful Dickens Festival which is usually held in December!

On Saturday I dropped a couple of birthday cards off and came home to just lounge around. I managed to take a little reel in the morning, taking advantage of the glorious sunshine that beamed through the window. I’ve got a great addition to my dressing room/photography room which is a shower curtain. It diffuses the light and gives it a nice even coverage and products a flattering finish and for only a couple of quid was a brilliant buy!

Sunday was another relaxed day, although David and I cooked a lovely roast dinner comprising of roast chicken and a delicious pork roll that was stuffed with Parma ham, cheese and mushrooms - it was so tasty and I’m planning on having it again this week or next!

My look for you today is centred around my love for this trench coat. 

Items marked with * have been gifted to me, however these are 100% my own honest comments. 

Do You Know Your Style - Chic & Stylish Linkup.

Morning my friends.

How's your week going?

Not such a busy one for me fortunately, we had a couple of birthdays over the past few days and it's been lovely to enjoy treating two of my granddaughters with 'girly' presents.  Kimberley enjoyed a dance mat and a Moana dressing up outfit - she looked perfect for the occasion as did Autumn.  She was dressed very girly in a tulle dress and I can't wait to take her for her present to get her nails painted and also have a mini facial.  I'm so excited for her to experience this as I know she's going to love it!

Gym classes have been a little out of sync over the past couple of weeks. You see I’ve had my eyebrows done with semi-permanent makeup which I wasn’t allowed to get wet. I refrained from swimming and my classes where I tend to get sweaty, just incase I ruined them. So with that and the couple of classes that were cancelled it’s been a bit hit and miss. I’m looking forward to getting back to normal as I’ve missed the exercise! Dancing has been the same though and I’ve enjoyed both ballet and ballroom last week. I’m thrilled with my new brows and will be showing them off once they’ve completely healed. I promise you they look great!

Do you have a fashion style?  It's a question I often hear asked so today I thought I'd share my own fashion style with you today.  

Dark Wash Jeans and Powder Pink Top.

Good morning my friends. 

How are you?

Hasn’t the weather been glorious. Well it has here in the UK and I’m hoping you’re all enjoying some good weather wherever you are based. 

In the garden again over the weekend and it was delightful. I managed to cut the grass and collect it all rather than leaving it like I did in the first two cuts. It made it quite hard work really and I made endless trips to & from the bin and skip to dispose of the cuttings, I’m pleased to announce I did over 13,000 steps on Saturday!! The drive is very clear now and David hired a small machine to dig out the roots of the hedge we cut down previously. It’s all looking amazing now, so I just need the new house build to start and I’ll be made up!

If you follow my blog you’ll possibly remember I have a stint of birthdays coming up and two started over this weekend - well Saturday and today for two of my granddaughters. We had a gathering for Kimberley which was nice, I had a couple of glasses of fizz and then retired home for a takeaway. Sunday was a bit easier with no garden work for me, I just caught up on the washing front. Anyone else clear the washing bins only to find them full again the minute I turn around? Frustrating isn’t it!

So back to today, birthday celebrations tonight for Autumn and I’ve arranged a lovely treat for her to have her nails painted and have a mini facial in a local salon. I’m so excited for her as I know she’ll love it, we’ll follow that with a visit to McDonald’s - wondering if they have anything Keto friendly? 😂

Sharing a Spring look with you today and I’ve a nice little hack that I know you’ll all love. 

Items marked with * have been gifted to me, however these are 100% my own honest comments.

 

I’ve found the perfect Spring Dress - Chic & Stylish Linkup.

Morning all. 

How’s your week been?

I’m enjoying the warmer temperatures I must say, although the nights are still chilly and we’ve had some hard frosts here. 

So as the weather has become a tad warmer and we’re heading ever closer to Spring I thought I’d share a pretty dress with you today. It’s going to be just right for a special occasion, an upcoming holiday or just to wear over Easter (maybe with a jacket/cardi or wrap).  You’re going to love this floral beauty as it’s a favourite of mine already. 🌸

Items marked with * have been gifted to me, however these are 100% my own honest comments. 

February Review.

Good morning everyone. 

How’s it going?

Welcome to my first blog post of the month and welcome to March!

This weekend really did seem like the beginning of Spring as the weather was so nice. Mind you, It was still really cold but working outside with the sun on my face was a real treat! David and I have still been cutting the hedge. It’s not as cut and dried as just cutting things down though, there’s raking, shredding and loading into a skip to contend with so on Saturday night we were both knackered!  We’re still following a Keto diet so decided on a cheeky takeaway again which I hasten to add was Keto friendly. On a very good plus side I’ve found out that Prosecco is one of the drinks that you can have on this diet, so long as calories are counted so I’ve been a happy bunny finding this out!  

I’m planning on a trip to the cinema to watch Bridget Jones - Mad About the Boy, however I embarrassed to admit I’ve not actually watched all the previous films only have I seen the first one a couple of times! I’m not even sure why to be honest, just not my cup of tea, but I’m suffering a bit of fomo so I’m binge watching all the films before I visit the local cinema in order to know just what’s going on in this one!! 😂

Sunday was a more relaxed affair, I helped my daughter out with her AirBNB and after David finished trimming the part of the hedge I couldn’t get to last year, we popped to Sainsbury’s to grab something for dinner. We came home with a small joint of beef and some veg that we roasted. He made a gravy that was fairly good (had to use 

Xanthan Gum - Keto friendly) so all in all it was a nice dinner and I was stuffed! I ended the evening with the last Bridget Jones film I’d missed!

Anyway back to this month’s review. 

I usually take a look back on what I shared over the previous month, so welcome and thanks for stopping by to read my ….

February Review. 

Back at the beginning of the month I shared this fancy jumper that’s covered in a beautiful collection of pearls. 

I’m sure this winter white look wasn’t the best choice for many of the days last month due to the wet weather, but I’m excited to think this month might be perfect for it. 

Denim Dress from Bonmarche - Chic & Stylish Linkup

Hello everyone.

How are you?

With rain yesterday it’s been quite dismal here!  I managed to get some lovely photos outside on Monday but yesterday I resigned myself to having to take photos inside in my dressing room. They’ve turned out quite well and I’ll be sharing them on IG and here next week. 

Although the weather has been pants here, as I mentioned above I’ve managed to take some super photos outside at the beginning part of the week. It was a bit windy and I’m sad to say the tripod fell over and has marked my screen protector! Fortunately as you know that can be changed but it’s got a nice little spider mark on the front which gets right in the way!  Need to get a new protector ordered and get my son to put it on!

So back to the shots, I’ve been thinking about Spring and the type of things I’d like to incorporate in my outfits. This dress gets a big tick from me as it’s going to be a brilliant addition when it’s a bit warmer. Who else loves a denim dress?

Items marked with * have been gifted to me, however these are 100% my own honest comments.

 

Style Not Age - Lovely Leather.

Good morning.

How are you?

I've had a lovely weekend, although I've not done much!  Friday evening, as usual, I went dancing and revelled in learning the jive!  I've learnt this one before but it's always nice to revisit an old friend like that dance.  We bopped, swayed and jived all rather basic really but I picked up the routine quite quickly.  We tend to learn a dance for 2 to 3 sessions and by the end of the last session I can normally blast through the dance quite well.  I just need an occasion to try this out now, however I'll be on my own as I don't have a partner!

Saturday was spent in the garden tackling the dreaded hedge!  David decided to chop some of the hedge down to the ground as most was being strangled by ivy and wasn't in particularly good condition - we plan to add a fence and cover the area with a hard standing rather than ground where weeds can grow. This is in anticipation of the new house build being started - the scaffolding will need to be put where the hedge was, AND it looks much tidier.  As you can imagine both David and I were exhausted after all the work so we just had a takeaway and watched a film with a couple of g & t's.

On Sunday, David had another morning in the garden trimming one of the cherry plum trees that is on our boundary, that too is encased in ivy, so I set about trying to untangle and cut the branches - it's an ongoing story and I plan on 'attacking' it again next weekend! David decided to cut the grass.  It has grown so long and looked a state so he put the height up on the mower and ran over it without collecting the grass cuttings.  We've done that before and it dries up and blows away fairly quickly and it's a good way to get the grass under control without too much effort.  When the weather improves I'll be back to cutting it once a week, that’ll be good for my getting my steps in eh!

Now I've told you about my weekend, let's get down to the nitty-gritty of today's post.  Today I share the post with my three friends from the Style not Age collective.  This month our prompt was set by Hilda and she chose the fabulous title of .....

Lovely Leather.

Metallic Blue Maxi Dress - Chic & Stylish Linkup.

Hi there,

Welcome to my blog. 

I hope I find you well and enjoying February. 

The weather has improved over the past week or so and it’s been lovely to actually venture outside to take photos. If you follow me on Instagram you’ll see I’ve taken full advantage of the Winter sun and taken some lovely shots in the road outside my house. It’s always a tad embarrassing doing this isn’t it. I either get lots of questions, funny looks or get ignored! lol!

On Monday’s post I mentioned I’d been to a surprise birthday party and promised to share the dress I wore. Today I’m keeping that promise and showing off a stunning maxi I’d been kindly sent by Izabel London.

Items marked with * have been gifted to me, however these are 100% my own honest comments. 

Black & White Shirt Dress for Shopping.

Hi my friends, how are you all?

I’ve had a great weekend starting on Friday when I went to my usual ballroom class. We finished off learning the Rumba and I have to say it’s another wonderful dance that’s quite hard to get right as the technique is rather tricky. It’s been a three wheeler, although I missed the second installment when I was at a party for my friends 60th last week! 

On Saturday after a few hours in the garden - tackling the dreaded hedge again, we were out for my BIL’s surprise 60th party. His daughter put on an amazing evening with some delicious picky food and plenty of drinks. You’d have thought I’d have learned my lesson from the previous weeks party but yet again I had a few too many and felt really tired on Sunday morning, so much so I didn’t get up until 11 and even then it was a slow day ending with dinner at my daughters! Her husband cooked a tasty roast lamb dinner with trimmings. I’ve started a keto diet again (I lost two stone before Covid hit, but it’s slowly piled on again!) so I enjoyed the meat and veg with one small roast potato! I’m only a week in but so far it’s going well! I’ll be sharing the maxi dress I wore on Thursday, you can tell me if you think it might need shortening!

I thought I’d show an outfit I wore shopping last week, I knew I’d be trying stuff on so wanted an easy-to-change-in-and-out-of outfit. Do you like what I picked?

Chanel Style Cardigan - Chic & Stylish Linkup

Hello and welcome to Mummabstylish. 

How’s your week going?

Out shopping later and I’m excited to see what the stores are offering now. Is there going to be any Spring styles I wonder. I’ve not bought much over the past few weeks but the couple of bits I have found have been great additions. My leopard coat has been a wonderful choice, did you see it here? These boots have been incredibly versatile, because they have a low heel which makes them comfortable to wear, so my skirts and dresses have been making an early comeback since I bought them in the sale for £12!!

Now for some of you tomorrow might be a special day. If you don’t know it’s Valentine’s Day. A day of declaring your love for someone and giving gifts and cards to prove that!  I must say it’s not a day David and I celebrate, I rather think it’s a money making hype that the industry takes full advantage of! We treat every day as a special day and don’t need one particular day to prove how much we love each other. It’s the little things that mean more in my mind, the cup of tea in bed, the cooked dinners, getting up for work each day when I spend the day at home, the list goes on. So don’t feel bad if you don’t enjoy the day, likewise if you do participate I hope you have a wonderful day with your loved one. ❤️

Here’s my casual outfit I wore yesterday and I hope you enjoy the twist!

Items marked with * have been gifted to me, however these are 100% my own honest comments. 

Weekend Wear.

Hello and welcome to the blog.

Hoping you've had a super weekend, what did you get up to?

Mine has been a very busy one, with me going out on both Friday and Saturday night.

Friday instead of dancing I went to a friends 60th birthday party.  I was unusual to venture out on a Friday evening but it was very much enjoyed.  It was held in a restaurant in my local city.  Canterbury is just a 15 minute car journey and we were lucky enough to be dropped off by my daughter.  Drinks flowed and little sushi offerings were served by the waitresses and they were all so very tempting I had to try all of them! The singer offered brilliant music to dance the night away and as you all know I love to dance I took full advantage and didn't sit down!  Having had such a fantastic night the following morning was errr … a bit challenging, especially as I'd agreed to take my grandson to his football match at 10 in the morning!  I really didn't feel like going out and would have loved to roll over and pull the duvet over me!  I'd never let the kids down so pulled myself together and headed out to the local school playing field where the match was being played.  I can honestly say I felt so much better after being out in the fresh air, albeit very chilly - but it really did wake me up!  The rest of the day was spent on the sofa with a furry throw over me.  I had to get myself re-charged for the night out with my daughter and son-in-law!

So Saturday night we went out to have a few drinks and eat at the local tapas.  Four of us spent a wonderful few hours enjoying delicious dishes including garlic prawns, tortilla, chorizo in spicy honey to name but a few.  We'd also enjoyed a G & T in a local micro pub and a glass of English sparkling wine in a new little wine bar before having the tapas and after that we popped into our local for a couple of drinks to finish the night off!  They had a band playing and it was a fantastic atmosphere as the pub was full to the brim of dancers, singers and drinkers all enjoying the night.  It wasn't a late night as we were home by midnight but after the previous evenings partying I did feel a bit jaded yesterday.  We still managed to prepare and cook a roast chicken which went down very well.  All in all the weekend has been one to remember!

I'm sad to say I didn't get any photographs of my outfits, but might try and take some to share with you a bit later on! Watch out for a late edit. 

Pearls with a cream outfit - Chic & Stylish Linkup.

Good morning my friends. 

How’s it going for you? Is February treating you kindly?

I’ve been making good use of my extra time and space since my daughter moved out. I’ve taken photos in the dressing room and a few outside when the weather was nice, today’s shot shows the clear sunny weather we had yesterday when I styled this new jumper * from Bonmarche. 

Items marked with * have been gifted to me, however these are 100% my own honest comments. 

January Review.

Morning all. 

How are you. 

How did January fair for you? Didn’t it go slowly! I think that’s because of the cold weather which, at times, was extremely cold! January is always a long month being the middle of Winter when most of your money has been spent over Christmas so there’s not much shopping etc. with that being said I did purchase a couple of items, including these trousers and long boots. (Both featured below).

I’m excited to see what’s going to be in favour this month which will depend on the weather I think, but Spring is on its way and there’s sure to be some pretty colours and outfits to dream about & work out how to incorporate them into my already quite extensive wardrobe!

So let’s take a look at some of those new bits I was telling you about in the …

January Review. 

My first post featured what I wore for NYE and doesn’t that seem a long time ago!  This sparkly top might not be restricted to the festive period and I might have to incorporate it into everyday wear like I did with this sparkly jumper last week!

Styling my Leopard Print Coat - Chic & Stylish Linkup

Good Morning my friends. 

How are you?

I'm getting back into the swing of things now.  The house is sort of back to normal, but there is a gaping hole where Emily, Dan, Max and Violet once were, but I've seen them nearly everyday and we're off to their house for dinner tonight, so things aren't that bad! David and I went to our other daughter's for dinner in the week and I still have two at home, so it's still a very busy and very much a fun-anything-can-happen household. 

I've been taking photos again in my dressing room and have moved things around so I've got a bit more space which is good - you'll have to let me know what you think of my latest photos, because these were taken in there on Tuesday.   

Now it's all about my new coat today.  I spotted a friend on Instagram styling a similar version and loved the whole look so set about re-creating it.  It's not a total copy but basically very similar - with my twist on it.  Here's a link to my friends look, let me know if you think I've succeeded please. X

Style not Age share their Winter Woolies.

Morning my friends. 

How are you on this last Monday of the month?

I’m a bit sad. Emily and family moved back home to their new house over the weekend and I have to say I’m feeling the empty nest syndrome again! They’ve been here for 18 months which is a long time and I’ve got used to them being here including little Max and our new darling Violet. I’ve given myself a talking to as I know these feelings will pass, after all I’ve done it with her once already and I’ll still spend quality time with them in the future. It’s such a beautiful little house now, everything is new and it’s been lovely to watch it all come together after so much hard work. I’m hoping to get back into photo taking, blogging and sharing on all my social media platforms much like I did before they arrived. I’m sure many of you know how I feel and I’m very fortunate to have her and her older sister down the road only 5 mins away and my son is just 1/2 hour away too. X

So let’s get into this post. As you know I get together with three other ladies (did you see that Gail has taken a step back so is no longer joining us)? I wish her well and all good vibes for whatever she does, I’m sure you’ll still see her when she puts a blog post out. 

Our challenge is set by one of us to style clothes around a particular prompt and this month it was Anna’s turn and she came up with a snuggly title of ….

Winter Woolies. 

Items marked with * have been gifted to me, however these are 100% my own honest comments.

Do you need Orthotics? - Chic & Stylish Linkup.

Good morning my friends.

How has your week and month been?

With the days being short, dark and damp I've not felt like doing much at all.  I've not been into any shops so don't know what new pieces have arrived, although my local city Canterbury is big we don't seem to be one of the first places to receive new styles, they seem to come along a while after I see things posted on Instagram.  I've been shopping my wardrobe quite a lot but long to see what's 'new in'.

On Saturday I went to a friend's surprise birthday dinner.  His wife had arranged a super meal with 18 of us being served a delicious dinner and she had a table and chairs laid out for all of us!  You remember I'm doing 'dry January' so I took a bottle of Nozeco and marvelled the next morning when I had no headache.  I'm wondering if this will change my views on drinking and I might just have a tipple at the weekend in February, but I'll see how that goes.  

I'm not looking forward to the weekend as Emily, her husband and two kids move out.  It's been a super 18 months with them all and I'm going to miss little Max immensely, not to mention my new grand-daughter Violet, it's going to be very weird. My house is going to be very quiet, albeit very tidy, but I know what I prefer to have!  Their home, which was a bungalow, has now been extended up making three bedrooms, a bathroom and en suit upstairs, with a big space for a kitchen, dining room and sitting room along with an office, cloakroom and play room/snug.  They've got lots of storage and extra space and will be enjoying it all in brand new surroundings!  The best part is that it's only 5 minutes down the road, so I'm really excited.  x

This is a sponsored post, all comments are my own honest views.

December Review.

Good Morning.

Hope you’ve had a super weekend. 

I’ve been a bit all over the place with posts recently, and you eagle eyed people might have noticed I didn’t do a December Review! I hold my hands up to basically forgetting about it! I was so caught up with posting, I hadn’t realised the first Monday of January should have been the review, so without any further excuses here’s last month’s review. 

Welcome to December Review. 

My first post for the festive month was so apt and featured me making a door wreath with my daughters. We had an amazing couple of hours squeezed in between dropping kids to school and pre-school with all of us creating some quite magnificent masterpieces - well I think they were, what do you think?

A Floral dress for Winter - Chic & Stylish Linkup

Hello and welcome to the blog. 

Thursday came around really quickly for me!

I was literally sitting scrolling through my phone, IG and TikTok last night and suddenly realised I’d not sorted this blog post out!

After my two gym classes yesterday I’m feeling tired and very achy. The first class on a Wednesday morning is Body Attack (anyone do this class?) and it was a new workout and was filed with star jumps, and bouncing on the wrong part of my feet making my calves really sore and so I have ached all the time since doing the class yesterday morning. I reckon it’ll take a couple of weeks to get used to the new routines & then I hope it’ll get a tad easier! 🤞

I’ve been trying to up my Instagram game over the past week and a bit, posting every week day and it’s been great to look at that social platform in a different way. Instead of comparing myself to other accounts, I’m just sharing my daily outfits most of which I shop my wardrobe for.  

I’d wanted to wear my latest boots, so picked this dress to style them with. The boots came from my local George store and were in the sale for £15. Now I know I didn’t really need them, but had been wanting a lower heeled knee high boot for a while, I wanted to wear my dresses but didn’t want ankle boots of my older leather pair. These have a ruched effect and are made from imi-suede and are nice and cosy with side zip on the ankle. They sit just below the knee and will look super with all my dresses and skirts so you’ll be seeing these again very soon I’m sure. 

I’ve also decided every time I get something new I will get rid of something either to the charity shop or be sold on Vinted - seems a good idea don’t you think? Out with the old and in with the new!

Styling my Fleece Lined Leggings from Lovall.

Hello it’s great to have you here. 

Well hasn’t it been cold!

I’ve been freezing all the time, well unless I’m wrapped up in my bed! It’s all been about layers for me and these dreamily warm leggings from Lovall Leggings have been a godsend, I excited to share them below.  How are you coping with the weather. Isn’t it crazy how lots of places are struggling with awfully cold weather and others are in a terrible predicament of the wild fires! My heart goes out to the poor people in America who are facing this catastrophe. 

My weekend went well and wasn’t too busy. On Saturday I took my grandson to the cinema. We watched Sonic the Hedgehog 3, he loved it and although it wasn’t my sort of film I had a brilliant time with him.  I’ve been doing presents for the grandkids a little bit of a different way in recent years, so rather than getting them a big expensive present I like to take them out and do something special on their own. I took Amelia to see Frozen with her mum and my other daughters, I took Freddie to the cinema and also swimming in a local private pool and last year I took Peyton to the cinema too. 

After the cinema, where we loaded up with sweets and a slush drink we went to McDonalds for burgers. I throughly enjoy my one to one’s (well a bit more of us with Amelia) and plan to do this sort of thing a lot more with the rest of the kids. ❤️

Sunday was a lazy day, avoiding the cold by staying in with the heating on. We had a nice roast chicken with a tray bake of various roasted vegetables which made a lovely alternative to a traditional roast dinner, do you like to go “off piste” for Sunday dinners sometimes?

Items marked with * have been gifted to me, however these are 100% my own honest comments. 

Winter Whites with Tan Boots - Chic & Stylish Linkup.

Good morning everyone. 

Thanks for joining me today. 

It’s the first linkup of 2025, I hope you’ll add all your wonderful outfits so we can all enjoy them. 

I’ve been back to the gym this week and gosh how tired I feel after three classes and a swim! I reckon it’ll take me a couple of weeks to get back to my normal fitness. 

It’s also good to get back into blogging and taking photos. The weather has been fairly reasonable recently so I took full advantage of having a bit of free time and with nicer temps I managed to get these super photos sharing my tan boots which I was kindly gifted a few weeks ago. 

Items marked with * have been gifted to me, however these are 100% my own honest comments.

 

Grey Trousers with Pale Blue and Burgundy Bag.

Morning everyone and welcome to Mummabstylish. 

Apologies for another delayed post, I promise things will get back to normal in due course. 

So pleased you’ve found my blog and thanks to you all for joining me today. 

To any new followers I thought as it’s a new year I’d take the opportunity to tell you a little bit about myself and why I started this blog. 

When my youngest left school and went to work I suddenly felt out of place, having not worked (well paid work) since having my eldest daughter I feared I wouldn’t find something that suited me, fitted into my lifestyle and that I could do! I wanted something that would fit around my busy life helping my hubby and looking after my children (not that they needed me much) & subsequent grandchildren. I also reached an age where I felt my fashion and style should change. I looked to other outlets namely blogs to find out what I ‘should’ be wearing and do you know what I found & realised? Well I found that I could decide what I should wear and not be dictated to by anyone else. My one rule is that I wear clothes that I feel flatter my figure and don’t wear anything that I feel looks wrong. I dip into fashions here and there but generally I’m a classic girl and prefer to wear things like wide leg trousers, midi skirt lengths and elegant styles. With that being said I do grab a trendy item if I think it looks okay on me. 

So before I knew it and with a bit of help along the way ( ok a lot) my blog was born and has thrived. I look to it as almost a diary and like to look back on posts to find out what I was doing, wearing and thinking … to be honest it’s rather therapeutic too, although I tend not to go into too much detail of more personal matters, you just never know what could happen the future do you!

I’m intrigued to find out what 2025 will bring and am excited to move forward with the blog and my other social platforms. I hope you’ll stick around and continue to follow and support me and will be publishing the brand new Chicandstylish Linkup on Thursday so I hope you’ll pop by for it. 👏

I’ve been so fortunate over the past few months having received some amazing gifts, therefore needing more clothes has been almost negligible. However needing and wanting are two completely different things aren’t they! 

I had to return a couple of bits last week, so like you do came home with these lovely trousers from Matalan. 

Items marked with * have been gifted to me, however these are 100% my own honest comments. 

Happy Sparkly New Year - Chic & Stylish Linkup.

Hello and welcome to the blog which is my first one of 2025!

How did your Holiday festivities go? Did you have a wonderful time seeing in the new year?

The last few days were typical “twixmas”, with me not quite knowing what day it was!! David has been off work which has been lovely & I’ve not been to the gym or any classes so everything has been upside down, I love having David at home but can’t wait to get back to my gym classes and I’ve got my first booked next Monday. I’m also undertaking Dry January. I did it last year and surprised myself at how easy it was. I’m hoping this year with be the same, so I’ll be getting the Nozeco in for starters!

Items marked with * have been gifted to me, however these are 100% my own honest comments.