Mama loves - the last burst of brights for autumn

Autumn is definitely here, so while we can still indulge the last bursts of brights - both weather-wise, and with outfits, here are some pops of colour that I just love to brighten up these rather grey days...

Spotted these fab eye-wateringly bright coral beauties on a very elegant lady on the commute to work last week - she wore them flared with flat black pointed shoes, and her snakeskin belt and pattern-clash silk scarf over a white shirt, and looked really chic!

I wore this Vionnet dress (from The Outnet) to an evening do out with Mr.G a week and a half ago when it was 27' - it has slashes of red and yellow against the monochromatic white and black, and I toyed with my shoe choices, before finally going for the t-bar sandals I recently bought (and am still talking about them over on my big sister site Mama and More. 

See, I'm still wearing those t-bars!  Just a little obsessed!  This is one of my favourite dresses, yet somehow I only managed to get it out once this year - mainly because I'd forgotten about it while it lay packed away in a bag marked "pre-pregnancy body" that I finally dared to unpack! I love the bright cobalt blue colour and the cut.  It's by Full Circle, but I can't seem to find their womenswear anymore.  

Funny story about this dress - a few years ago a friend suggested I give her a re-style, and we went straight to a little shop in the Portobello by a designer that I knew did dresses that would be perfect for her shape - his name is Philmore Clague, and the cuts are usually very sculptural, in a slightly Vivienne Westwood way, but without the price tag.  A year or two later when Mr.G and I attended my friend's son's christening service, I took my new Full Circle dress along to wear to the church, and she was wearing a dress by Philmore.  It was the EXACT same dress, same fabric, same colour, identical.  I can only guess that perhaps a buyer saw his dress and did a replica or ordered from him for their brand.  What were the chances?

Here's hoping that it's brighter where you are, and if not, well, pull out some brights to cheer you up!

Linking up this week to
 Transatlantic Blonde What I Wore Wednesday // The Pleated Poppy What I Wore Wednesday // Because Shanna Said So Random Wednesday //Style Sessions at Style Elixir// The Mummy Chronicles Watcha Wearin Wednesday // Fashion Friday at Mummy's Got Style // Fashion Canvas // Walking in Memphis in High Heels

Working Mama Style

I haven't updated this space in a while, but I am back!  I started a new job in mid-July, and have been unsure about whether to continue this blog as well as my main site, Mama and More.  No decisions yet, so I've decided to keep them both going for now, although who knows, in future they may just end up together.

My new job is with an upscale fashion brand, and so I've been back to dressing up to the nines for work.  It's interesting to be in this kind of company, and all sorts of thoughts are going through my head about it, about body image, about perceptions of style.  One thing is for sure, it is full steam ahead at work, with turbo engines roaring, so we'll see when I get to write about all of the above.

In the meantime though, summer is still here, so the legs are still out, enjoying freedom from compulsory layers.  

White Shirt from Twenty8Twelve (it really had been ironed when I took it out, this is what happens when your children are so delicious you HAVE to cuddle them!); Navy shorts from Hennes; Burberry wedges

Floral dress - no label, gifted; belt from Mango, wedge sandals from Pied a Terre

I hope you're having a wonderful summer.
Let me know what you're wearing to work?

Linking to these stylish gals: Transatlantic Blonde What I Wore Wednesday // The Pleated Poppy What I Wore Wednesday // Because Shanna Said So Random Wednesday //Style Sessions at Style Elixir// The Mummy Chronicles Watcha Wearin Wednesday // Fashion Friday at Mummy's Got Style // Fashion Canvas // Walking in Memphis in High Heels

Mama Likes - Floaty summer dresses and getting polished toes out!

I absolutely love a floaty bohemian vibe for summer - I could waft around all day in floaty dresses given the opportunity and the weather.  Last weekend we had two wonderful London summer days that I wrote about over on my alternate site Mama and More here, when the sun shone through and our local pub threw a street party, and so my daughter and I donned our summery frocks and wafted around, Pimms in hand (for me, not her, naturally!)

For Saturday, I wore this dress from London Fashion Weekend sales, bought at least 5 years ago - does that make it vintage yet? Watch from Michael Kors, neon pink belt, Cos, handbag Tamara Fogle, Sandals, Zadig Voltaire as usual.

On Sunday, amazingly enough, the sun continued - it's a rare thing to be much appreciated to have two consecutive weekend days of sunshine here!  My girl and I rocked summer smock dresses - hers from Next last year, mine from H&M, four and a half years ago.  I talked about gladiator sandals in my last post, here (what's your take on them? Love or loathe?).  I do have one caveat with sandals - if toes are out, grownup toes to be exact, polish! Just a quick slick of something - for me, it's like remembering to brush your teeth or wear underwear before leaving the house.  You just wouldn't not!

 I last wore this dress when I was 5 months pregnant with her, and for a long time, unless I was pregnant, I've stayed away from floaty smock dresses, as they just remind me of a time when I wore little else, but now I am back to enjoying them again.

Today I discovered two new pairs of sandals that practically begged me to take them home - they are from the children's section of M&S, so if you go up to a Eur38/US 6.5-7/UK5, the kids' sandal selection is definitely worth checking out... especially as there's no VAT on childrenswear.

These do come in a more grown-up colour way in the adults' section - in silver glitter or black glitter.  I was dubious about the pink until I tried them on, and then just couldn't resist!  They sealed the deal by being only £14.00.

These are a more muted gold than my Zadig & Voltaire gold sandals, so I convinced myself that they do a different job.  I try to do "one in one out", so came home and expunged two pairs of shoes to make room.  They were only £12.00, so I got 2 for the price of... um at least half the cost of one normal pair? It would have been rude to say no!

I hope that you're having a lovely week, what are you wearing?

Linking back to
Transatlantic Blonde What I Wore Wednesday // The Pleated Poppy What I Wore Wednesday // Because Shanna Said So Random Wednesday // Small Town Big Wardrobe - Whatever Works Wednesday // The Mummy Chronicles Watcha Wearin Wednesday // Fashion's Greatest Hits

Mama likes... Gladiator sandals - a summer favourite!

Gladiator sandals have been lingering around for a long time - well, thousands of years really, if we go all the way back to Ancient Greece and Rome, but in fashion terms, it's been a trend on repeat for a few summers - like pashminas and UGGs, it just won't go away! Personally, it's is a relief, as I fell in love with this sandal style years ago - probably in my early teens - and couldn't wait for certain other sandal trends to go away (don't make me mention the "B" or "C" words!), so that I could get back to what my husband calls my "Flavius Maximus footwear".

Here's a little pic of me and my girl in ours - mine from Kurt Geiger last summer, and hers from Zara Kids.

Here are a few other beauties in the shops right now - quick, summer may actually be here, time to get those (well manicured) tootsies out!

Chunky silver leather from Top Shop

Multi-strap leather from Bertie

Gold pared-back luxe from Chloe (from ShoeScribe)

Leather and Leopard print from Whistles (via Asos)

Or a fierce studded leopard print version from Zara

Studded black toe-post from River Island

Statement leather and mesh sandals from Sergio Rossi (from ShopBop)

Neon yellow by Rebecca Minkoff (from DJ Premium)

(now tell me that "Flavius Maximus" ever dreamt of rocking such a fabulous pair!)

Last summer, my daughter wore these to death from Monsoon.  I'm not a fan of kids wearing grown-up style, and these are just adorable, while letting her copy mama just enough!

They do something similar for adults, but sadly not in the fuchsia pink.  Still, there's a sandal out there for everyone!  

  I haven't dared wear the high gladiator sandal, although if I did...

(Givenchy sandals from 2011 - I'd love to see what my husband would make of these, although not sure I'd wear them to the supermarket!)

What do you think, would you dare?  Are you a gladiator sandal lover?

Mama Likes... Statement Necklaces, a few favourites

I love how jewellery often tells a story.  As well as being a focal piece or just finishing off an outfit, jewellery is often incredibly personal, and it doesn't matter whether it's uber-expensive, or an impulse purchase.  

I've loved statement necklaces for years, here are a few of my favourites:

Possibly my all-time favourite statement necklace - gold chains on black grosgrain, that ties in a loose bow, from Donna Karan.  Donna Karan was the very first fashion designer I fell in love with when I was a child, poring over fashion magazines, and when I went into her London store years ago, this was the only thing I could afford, but I was determined to leave with something!

I wore this necklace to death (practically literally, as you can see by the one chain that is broken!) - embellished and silver & black, it went with everything and was a real statement.  I found it in a hotel shop in a boutique country hotel I visited about 5 years ago - just goes to show, there may be hidden gems anywhere!

I bought this over-sized "pearls" on grosgrain ribbon necklace, from Accessorize, some time ago, and have rarely worn it, but suddenly I've started gravitating towards it and wear it a lot.

this necklace from Stella & Dot reminds me of Grecian Goddess style, perfect with a plain white vest, or over a gorgeous dress. I've worn it to 2 weddings already.

LOVE necklace above, and pink neon cutout lace effect collar necklace below from Bershka.  I've recently gotten into Bershka, and these pieces are just a bit of easy fun.

Are you a statement necklace lover?  Feel free to leave a link in the comments if you have any favourites to share!

Linking in with Fashion Forward's All things pretty