My new Dressing Room - #Chicandstylish #LINKUP

Hi there my friends.

How are you all?

Been a strange couple of weeks since Christmas, it's always an odd time of the year without having a lock-down on ours hands!  I hate this time of the year and usually have a skiing holiday to look forward to, alas this year our plans are in the hands of Covid.  So I've something up my sleeve to pass the time and get excited about - my new dressing room.

Since blogging I've seen many a stunning room full of clothes, shoes, bags and jewellery and have a big one planned for our new build.  I don't know when that will happen so decided once my daughter and her family moved out to turn the spare room into my own little space and fill it with my outfits.

January Review.

Morning all.

How you doing?

February already!

With vaccines being steadily rolled out, I can't help but begin to feel slightly more positive for an end to this horrible drama.  I know quite a few people who've already had their first jab and the calculator has given me an earlier date for when mine's due.  Let's keep praying for Summer holidays to be back on the agenda this year as I've a whole host of new outfits to wear.

Since completing my dressing room, I've got the bug to decorate more of the house.  I've borrowed a wallpaper stripper so will be removing the ugly paper from the hall, repainting the horrible dark woodwork and painting the walls so they're nice and bright.  It will need some kind of flooring, which I've not picked yet.  I won't be spending a fortune but just need something to tidy it up!

As it's the first week of a new month, I'm happy to share my January Review with you all.  If you've missed any from last month you can catch them all here.

Bright Pink Boots & Bag - Chic & Stylish Linkup.

Dear readers,

Thanks for joining me today.

How's the new month going? Busy again for me and the baby is due this weekend so I’m sure within the next few weeks I won’t know if I’m coming or going! Emily has got everything ready and we’ve decided to change my dressing room to another very small bedroom so she can have another space to use if she needs it. Her new build is in touching distance to being finished with most of the painting done, electrics fitted bar a couple of lights, the kitchen is due to be fitted at the end of the month as are the bathrooms & tiling - with carpets and flooring installed next week so before long there’ll be moving home and leaving me for the second time .. well that’s how it feels to me! I want them to have their new home and enjoy all the extra space, which has all the new fittings - but I know I’ll miss them all so much especially Max, he’s very much a proper little boy complete with a cheeky character to boot!  He’s only going to be down the road and hopefully will be of an age that he’s happy to come and stay with us, but at the moment he’s very much a Mummy & Daddy’s boy … let’s hope the new baby goes down well! 🤔

As I mentioned above my dressing room will be repurposed to a bedroom so photo opportunities might be a bit intermittent in the next couple of weeks, please bear with me my friends. I’ve taken some lovely photos over the past couple of days albeit drizzly weather, but still quite bright. Fingers crossed the weather will stay similar to this for the foreseeable future. 

I thought I might as well show you an outfit I wore yesterday. It’s a casual style and it’s a new way of dressing for me, colour wise I usually keep with similar shades, but here I wanted to mix pastels with brighter tones, let me know what you think. 

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. 

It's a Wrap ... Dress from Per Una - #Chicandstylish #LINKUP

Hi there my friends, hope you are well.

How's your week been?

Since Monday's post I've been doing a little bit of DIY.  For the first time ever I've put wallpaper on the wall!!  I'm so proud of my achievement and you'd have thought I'd painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel .. lol  Let me tell you a little of the back story, you see David and I are planning to build two new houses on our property - so we haven't done much to our house and most certainly many of the rooms need serious attention.  You'll have seen my new dressing room that we created back in January, but I only did a little bit of painting then.  This week I've been putting wallpaper up! (Is there a proud moji?)  I was watching some TikTok's showing how to make-over a cloakroom and was introduced to self adhesive wallpaper!  Have you heard of it?  Well as you can guess you peel off the back and stick on the wall.  It was a bit fiddly in places, but I eventually got to grips with it and managed to paper the whole of the room.  It was only halfway down as the rest will be painted, but so far so good.  Will share some photos when it's all done.

For my birthday the other day I had a gorgeous wrap dress given to me from the children, they tend to put their money together and buy one or two big presents - I got this pretty wrap dress, the lilac mules, a statement summer hat and some chocolates.  I'm happy to say the dress is a perfect fit and just what I would buy myself.

November Review.

Morning all.

Well what have you been up to?

I'm so excited as hubby and I have been decorating the spare room.  I've wanted a walk-in dressing room and have a stunning one planned on our new build but simply can't wait for that to happen.  So once the children moved out we've been hard at work painting and decorating arranging carpets, wardrobes, curtains and the ever popular Billy Bookcase from Ikea (so popular apparently one is sold every 5 seconds 🤯)  Once it's all finished I'll share some piccys with you as I've got a real statement piece that I'm thrilled with. x

I didn't post much in November but what I did share I'm condensing for you in today's post -

November Review

Moncler Sunglasses - #Chicandstylish #LINKUP

Morning my friends,

Hope you are okay and having fun in the snow (UK & certain areas).

Sorry there was no post on Monday, you know how it goes - life gets in the way sometimes!

Anyhow did you get snow?  We did and I was a little underwhelmed to say the least!  With the forecasts threatening heavy snow in my area I imagined a deep layer and the possibility of sledging in the local field.  By Tuesday and Wednesday my wish had come true and there was enough to sledge and even get the blades out of the loft for the kids to practice skiing.  I may have a go it if stays long enough. Oh but hasn't it been cold! 

Read about my skiing trips here in Sestriere & here my cheeky weekend in Valmorel.

On Saturday, before the snow hubby and I managed to trim the hedge back - it's grown so much over the years and we hacked and cleared nearly 4ft off the width.  It looks quite harsh, but wont be long until it's covered with leaves and looking healthy.  Now we have to hire a chipper to shred it all then spread the bark over the garden - hoping for suitable weather next weekend to get it done. 🙏

They're like a modern day 'Jackie O' style which just so happens who I'm named after - interesting little fact about me! 😏

Still struggling with photos because of lock-down and the weather so today I'm sharing my new sunglasses I got for Christmas.

Styling a Foil Dress - Thursday - Chic & Stylish Linkup

Morning all. 

Hope you’re well. 

I’m off to London today. I’ve been invited to the Bonmarche Press Day in Covent Garden. It’ll be lovely to see what’s new in from then and I’ve seen a few bits already and I have to say I’m impressed! I’ve been a couple of times before but it’s still excited to go. I get to see the new collection, catch up with the staff from Bonmarche and also meet other influencers. I’m meeting the lovely Michelle - Fifty & Fab. We’re having a lunch before heading to the event so I’m very excited to see her again. We always say we’re going to meet up for lunch and a catch up but so far haven’t done it! I’ll try to add some stories on Instagram. 

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

Pink Floral Shirt with Jeans & Statement Tan Boots.

Hello and welcome to my blog.

So pleased you could make it!

Have you had a good week?  Mine has been very busy as usual and it was nice to have a more settled weekend.  

On Friday I went dancing where I learnt the cha-cha-cha.  It was a great routine and I remembered the steps from my previous lesson a few months ago.  Class members get the pick two dances and then vote on what we'd like to learn, this makes it quite fair as everyone can chose their favourite.  I've moved up into the 'improvers' class which means we learn the dances at a fast pace and fortunately I can keep up .. most of the time!

Saturday was glorious, I should have been in the garden cutting the grass, but ended up doing a few chores and getting the little things I'd left done.  Things like sewing a couple of bits for my son and getting rid of some clutter in my dressing room.  I went to my daughters for dinner & we had something called tartiflette.  Made from sliced potatoes, Reblochon cheese, onions and lardons all baked to make a really tasty meal.  It's a traditional dish from the Savoy area in the Alps and always reminds me of skiing as it's a meal we always have when we are there.  It's served with cold cuts of meat, cornichons and pickles.  Yes it was as nice as it sounds.

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

Another Vibrant Dress from Jenerique - #Chicandstylish #LINKUP

Morning all.

Hope all is good with you.

Did you catch me and my four friends on Monday?  We styled our jumpsuits for the monthly challenge and you can view mine and find out my reasons for not keeping the 60's inspired abstract all in one!

As you can imagine it's been a quiet week so far (my two daughters and son are away with their families) so I've been getting on top of a few jobs that I've let slip.  I've been sorting through my dressing room and putting things away and making piles for the charity bin and for adding to my Vinted account!  I'm such a hoarder and keep nearly everything.  I'm trying to go through my things and ask myself do I really need it and will I wear it again!  Chances are if it's not been worn for at least a year (yes I keep things for longer than that .. lol) it's probably not going to get worn again.  I just find it so hard to get rid of anything, especially if it’s a loved item that I've worn for a special occasion!  

I've also been trying to up my Reel game on Instagram, and even though I say it myself, produced an enchanting reel featuring some gifted perfumes ... have a look on my page and let me know what you think!

So whilst clearing up I noticed a dress that I've not shared with you and today is the perfect opportunity to feature it on here.

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

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.

 

Cobalt blue maxi with matchy matchy accessories.

Morning all!

What’s happening in your world?

Mine is going well thanks for asking (I’m assuming you did) lol! I’ve been having fun getting back into the blogging and Instagram game recently and again as you might remember the main reason is photos. I’ve been taking full advantage of nice weather outside or my dressing room to get some super shots - todays included. So do let me know what you think. 

Todays outfit has been in the pipeline for a couple of weeks & I’ve been telling you it’s “on its way” for a while and hooray it’s here …. finally. 

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

Pleats, Reels and Running - #Chicandstylish #LINKUP

Hi there my friends.
How have you been?
I've been thoroughly enjoying my dressing room recently.  It's proved invaluable, I'm so pleased I did it!  Along with the Roman Originals jacket and jumper my kids got me for Christmas they also bought me a ring light on a tripod.  It's been a marvellous addition - I've even managed a couple of Reels on Instagram - did you see them?  They are quite hard to master & a learning curve, but I've had fun doing them.  I'm trying to post more often too - which has been helpful to my figures, I'm happy to have reached over 2k followers!!!  You can catch some different daily styles on there, so do pop over to join me if you have a spare couple of minutes. X

It's all becoming a bit "groundhog day" isn't it.  How are you filling your days?  I can't wait for the better weather to come so I can get in the garden and start the annual hedge cutting and general tidy up.

Plenty of walks happening, I'm lucky enough to have woodland walks 10 mins away as well as the beach the same in the other direction, so my wellies have been working hard, & I still haven't got any new ones.  Mine must be nearly 30 years old and a bit tight!!

I've also started running again.  Having not done any exercise since last Summer I'm taking it easy and using a 'Couch to 5 K' app on my phone - I've done two sessions so far, surprisingly seems it okay.  I'm usually quite an active person, but the Covid lock-down has knocked my positivity making it so much harder to get started - with so much choice I just don't know where to start!  I know I can run, but just need to get my fitness back up and let the rest fall in place.  I very much need motivation as I like being in a class with other people, there lies the problem.  Small steps will be the help I need, once running is going well, I might do online classes and maybe the gym will open in the not-too-distant-future. ✌

 

Another thing I've been enjoying recently .... pleated skirts!

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

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. 

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. 

How to wear Loafers - #Chicandstylish #LINKUP

Morning my friends. 

Hope you’re well. 

Wow November, you seem to have arrived way too early. 

It seems only last week I was wishing for Summer to arrive, well that didn’t really happen did it!

I'm still working on the post from my mum's 90th birthday festivities, so for today I thought I'd share an outfit I wore earlier this week.  It's based around my gifted loafers and I'd love to know what you think of it.

I wanted to show off the shoes to their full potential so picked these peg style trousers rather than my favourites ... my black wide leg trousers.  I've had these for a while and have a love - hate relationship with them.  One time I enjoy putting them on and love the way they look, other times I think they look awful - what do you think?

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

Style not Age are Lounging at Home

Morning all.

How are you?

Welcome to the first Style not Age collective of 2021 - the first on many and we're off to a comfy start with the prompt from Gail .....

Lounging at Home.

Seeing as we are all stuck at home in lock-down we might as well be comfortable doing it eh & we all love wearing lounge wear don't we!  I've acquired several cute sets over the past few months and hubby has bought me a couple too.  Now the only down side to wearing nice baggy elasticated waisted trousers is when reverting to wearing jeans, skirts or trousers they all feel tight on!  Best advice is to wear something fitted a couple of times a week - which I've been doing!

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

Regatta Waterproof Jacket and Graphic T - Shirt.

Hi there.

All okay with you?

If things have gone to plan, this post will publish and I'll be travelling home from my long weekend in The Alps.

David and I managed to squeeze a weekend away skiing using up an old Eurotunnel ticket that was to be used before lock-down.  Does anyone else wonder just how we managed to lock ourselves away from our family and friends for so long!  Horrible wasn't it and one I don't ever want to do again.

So back to the matter in hand.  As I said I've planned this post in advance and have resorted to taking photos in my dressing room again as the weather has either been wet or windy, or both.  We've had the odd day of sun albeit very chilly but I neglected to take advantage of it and when I did it was mid sun and not very flattering.

The week before I left for my little holiday I spent a fun afternoon taking some photos.  To be fair this outfit could have been shot outside as the Blakesleigh jacket* I'm sharing is waterproof, so perfect for wet and windy weather that we often encounter! 

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

Cross-Over Maxi from Jenerique - #Chicandstylish #LINKUP

Morning all.

What's been happening?

Been a normal week for me since going to London on Sunday to see Frozen.  I've been seeing the kids, going to gym classes and thinking about getting back into blogging and Instagraming like normal.

The gym classes have been going well and even though I'm exhausted when I've done them I feel 'good' too!  It's kind of a 'good' ache rather than just aching ... ha ha ha! How's your gym activites been? Are you a regular or just started on your fitness journey?  I hate not going to work-out classes and need to get fitter for my up and coming skiing holiday in February.

The weather has been cold here of late and it's been hard to get into the swing of things.  Photo taking has been non existent, so today's post has been a difficult one to sort out.  It's either raining, cloudy, too cold, windy or too dark.  Having to resort to old photos today, well not old they were taken before Christmas in my dressing room, let me know what you think of my stunning cross-over maxi dress.  

It's from a selection from Jenerique and you can see some other items I've styled from them here (this stunning jacquard blazer) and here (my stylish khaki coat).

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