clothes

Autumn/Winter Capsule Wardrobe 2016

The term ‘capsule wardrobe’ is certainly not a new one. However, a quick Google will soon find a whole myriad of ‘rules’ and a vast variety of ‘how to’ guides. In my mind, there’s no hard and fast way that capsule wardrobes have to be put together. Some people protest that when they expand to 30+ items, that they can hardly in considered capsule. But I reckon, that whatever works for you is best!

I don’t have a huge space to store clothes, but equally live in a climate where it really wouldn’t work to wear the same clothes all year round. For that reason, I like to keep the same basic wardrobe but to update it or rotate items seasonally.

Back in March, I put together my wardrobe for Spring which saw me through most of the Scottish summer too. I had to add in a few pairs of shorts for our holiday in America, but for the most part it has remained the same.

Obviously, the return to work necessitated that I also needed to address my formal wardrobe. I’m still about 4lbs above my ‘normal’ weight now but was well over a stone heavier upon my return. For that reason, a capsule wardrobe made more sense than ever; I didn’t have the budget for vast variation but needed something that would fit well and be functional.

I do still like to adopt a more casual look on the weekends though; and actually changing my clothes is a good way to ‘switch off’ work mode. Therefore, for Autumn/Winter 16 I effectively have a capsule with two subsections. As I said before – my wardrobe, my rules!Read More »Autumn/Winter Capsule Wardrobe 2016

Spring Capsule Wardrobe 2016

Keeping up to date with ‘current fashion’ has never really been a top priority for me, but that’s not to say that I don’t like to be aware of what’s on trend.

Recently, I’ve been pondering about how to update my style for Spring 2016 and whether there’s anything out there that could work for me.

As a starting point, I turned to Vogue (as the bible of fashion) to see what they  decreed as the trends for Spring/Summer. I have to admit that this had me chuckling rather, as I pictured walking up the hill to school in a ‘Luxe Greek Chic’ number or a style best described as ‘Lingerie’! Aside from causing others to laugh, I’m pretty sure I’d freeze to bits! After all, Spring/Summer in Edinburgh usually just means slightly warmer rain.Read More »Spring Capsule Wardrobe 2016

Style: Boy Leggings

If asked to describe a typical baby boy’s wardrobe I’m not sure leggings would feature that highly. Although adult males obviously wear similar styles in the form of tight fitting jeans or more obviously, running tights, when it comes to children’s wear they seem to firmly in the ‘girl’ camp.

I generally favour gender neutral clothing but I don’t think it would’ve occurred to me to dress a boy in leggings. Probably because I wouldn’t have considered them neutral but rather more feminine – that is until I received an awesome pair of Blade & Rose leggings from my friend Megan!

I really enjoy dressing Thomas and have a number of items in his wardrobe that I love but these are hands down my new favourite. Today I give you my top three reasons for dressing your baby – boy or girl – in Blade & Rose leggings:
Read More »Style: Boy Leggings

Parenting: gender stereotyping

I have massive issues with the vast majority of marketing aimed at parents today. Any parent who has tried to find something remotely gender neutral in a typical high street store will surely understand my concern.  If you have a boy, then expect him to be dressed in blue, grey or brown garments adorned with dinosaurs or digger trucks. He will play with toy cars or trains, and if he goes against the grain and displays imagination, you can provide him with a toy tool kit.

At the other end of the spectrum, a girl will be typically be dressed in pink or lilac. If other colours are included, then it will probably have some kind of lovely animal or bird on it. Nothing with sharp teeth. Her toys will be dolls, cooking equipment or creative materials involving glitter. If, heaven forbid she picks up something blue or resembling a mode of transport, expect the question – ‘Oh, is she a Tomboy?’ As if choosing something not marketed towards girls somehow renders her masculine.

Read More »Parenting: gender stereotyping

Style: The opinion of a three-year old

My daughter Katie has very set ideas about what constitutes ‘style’ in that on any given day she is absolutely determined that she will wear what she wants to wear. On a very odd occasion, this will match what I want. On a good day, I would describe her as independent of thought, or strong-minded. On a bad? Downright stubborn.

On Wednesday, we were having one of ‘those’ days. Rather than having her usual fruit and toast for breakfast, Katie wanted sandwiches. Then at lunch, she insisted that she needed her cereal bar before her bread and butter – after I caved in and said she could eat them in whatever order she wanted to – she ate the bread first.

I knew that to leave the house on schedule, I would need to start the process in plenty of time. Forty minutes before the starting time of her Art class, I said it was time to get dressed. She had noticed that Thomas and her Grandma were both wearing blue and white stripes (by coincidence – we’re not that weird) so she wanted to as well. Thinking this was an easy request, I set out her Polarn O’Pyret striped top, navy bubble skirt, some M&S grey tights and then her new boots from the Treehouse in Stockbridge. In my opinion, this, with a coat, was suitable for the weather, easy to wash (so fine for art) and she’d look presentable.Read More »Style: The opinion of a three-year old