Will You Be Checking A Suitcase Madam?

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That was the question that OH asked me when he was booking the weekends forthcoming flights to Norway. A strange question to ask your reasonably high maintenance wife who has taken to packing half the house since travelling with Small Child for the last five years. Also he didn't actually address me as Madam in the manner of a chirpy 1960's airline check in desk clerk. Nor was he dressed as Leonardo Di Caprio, dressed as a pilot. Unfortunately.

I did consider my answer for all of five minutes. I mean we are only going for three nights, the only clothes we'll need will be ones that provide extreme warmth in extreme cold and there are no nights out planned. It's strictly a relaxing weekend with lovely friends, all about comfort and coziness.

Lovely friend H is a naturally pretty, blonde healthy Norwegian type who does not need to faff about in front of the mirror like I do. Her time spent on the whole bathroom/getting ready routine always leaves me in awe. I've tried this minimalist approach and whilst I can pare it down to a level suitable for a snowbound weekend, I'm nowhere near her olympic best time!

I mean I hate keeping people waiting but I simply refuse to go yomping about in the countryside sans moisturiser, a bit of make up and half a pot of industrial strength lip balm. And maybe some gloss... and a dab of perfume. Yes I do have to apply body lotion after every shower and whilst I can get by with twisting my hair back to let it dry wavy, the time taken to actually wash and condition it usually borders on tedious.

These revelations might lead you to think I'm not a very adventurous girl and one who cannot bear to be parted from her Kiehl's, GHD's and warm fluffy towels. I'll have you know that I once went walking and camping in the Welsh hills with nothing except a tent, bed roll and some ration packs. I learnt the best position for outdoor pee'ing, (up against a tree trunk, back to it and in a seated position in case you were curious) and also how to wash in a freezing cold stream in the quickest possible time without losing a limb to frostbite.

Obviously the key word here is once. You wouldn't catch me indulging in such foolish undertakings these days. I'm not ashamed to admit I like my creature comforts when travelling and have now extended that category to include such accoutrements as cashmere socks, ear plugs and a satin sleep mask.

So yes please, we will be checking a suitcase. And I will be joining in with snow angels but only after I've slapped on the serum and the cross country skiing will definitely require a generous pre application of Clarins. I'm a high maintenance kind of girl... and proud of it!

Reiss's Pieces

Ever since I discovered Reiss on a trip to London a year and a half ago, I've been in love with their clothing and accessories. They seem to pull off that polished look of tailored glam without venturing into fuddy duddy territory. I think most people would be able to find something to fall in love with in their stores.

Despite my unhealthy attachment to the label I only own two pieces so far. This coat.....

.... and this belt.

I don't shop there that often as I don't have a branch near me... which is possibly a good thing where my wallet is concerned. The nearest available indulgence is a concession in a John Lewis store about forty five minutes away. I also consider them to be top end High Street so in order to make a purchase there usually has to be a treat/investment/special occasion on the horizon at the very least.

But here's the thing....because there's always a thing. I keep seeing this dress.

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First I spied it on the Marie Claire website and fell in love. Not just because it was Reiss or that it covered the print and draping trend in one hit. I could picture it with tanned legs (preferably mine), an oversized clutch and a pair of nude/ tan leather sandals. Its always bad news when I start mentally adding accessories at first glance.

Then it was on Grazia's most wanted page last week. Is this fate I asked myself. Do I have an occasion to warrant  a purchase? Is anyone getting married this year? Sadly the answer to both questions was no.

Last Sunday we stopped in John Lewis en route to meet my brothers new puppy, Baxter. More on him another day. Other Half and Small Child took themselves off to the technology and toy floor leaving me to wander at will through the fashion department, Starbucks in hand. For the majority of mums that I know this is approximately equivalent to nirvana.

And there it was. The Dress. Hanging there. Looking pretty. In my size damn it. And guess what...... it's still there and not in my wardrobe. From somewhere deep within I found the power to resist. I didn't even try it on because if I did and it looked great, I would've shown OH and he would've waived my temporary shopping ban. What can I say - the man is a sucker for me in a great dress. I hope you're impressed that I didn't use my feminine wiles to get my way.... because I sure as hell am!

So if anyone that I know is reading this, can you please just get on and decide now that you're going to have a function that demands such a dress and then invite me? Before it sells out. Thanks ever so!

Do You Do Trends?

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Seeing as I'm currently saving and not shopping (yes, at 40 I've figured out that before you do one, you need to do the other), I've been immersing myself in the Spring Summer 2010 trend reports instead to try and satiate my appetite.

In many ways the word trend makes me cringe as I think it can alienate people and imply that it's something we all must follow or we won't be allowed to play with the coolest girls in school. Trendy is also a word My Monster would use... along with groovy, geary and natty. But I digress.

Trends shouldn't be confused with style either. Some would argue that to be a true style maven you should ignore trends completely and wear what suits instead. But style is subjective and whilst I might think I'm flouncing along in a trail of understated Parisian chic, you might think I look like I'm about to try and sell you a baguette and a string of onions.

I came across two articles recently, one in the Wall Street Journal saying that trends are dead in the water and then the answer back piece from Stylist. Both made valid points. And what's mine you might ask? Good question.... the answer to which I'm starting to forget if I'm honest. This happens a lot when you get me ranting on my favourite subject!

For me it's about picking and choosing. If I like any of it I'll figure out how it could be interpreted to suit me - which is hopefully somewhat different to how a nubile twenty year would wear it. Then it's broken down into the ones that are here to stay i.e. the ones worth investing in and the passing fads.

Now that I've justified why I've had my head buried inside a magazine and my eyes glued to the screen for the last three weeks, I'll slip off my heels, climb down from the soapbox and in lieu of shopping (sigh), set out my personal manifesto for the coming season on both the designer and High Street front.

Nude
This one I can get on board with. For inspiration I love this beautiful Derek Lam dress.

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ASOS have a couple of gorgeous dresses and I'm drawn to them because one has draping (another spring trend) to hide a multitude of sins and the other one falls away in all the right places. 

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Summer Leather

When I first saw these two words together the whole heat = sticky = leather/so not good element put me right off. Whilst I can appreciate the imagery here at Bluemarine, I wasn't so sure of how it would work in the real world.

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But then I saw this at Marks and Spencer and once I'd gotten over the whole "M and S doing a summer leather trend, who knew?" moment, I actually began to like this outfit. I don't think I would do both together but separately on a cool summer evening....maybe...

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Shorts

Shorts will apparently be a big feature and I'm glad. I love the tailored shorts look and the one thing I don't mind doing is getting my legs out, providing they've had a fair few goes at the fake tan and that the shortness of the shorts in question is not too short! Low and behold it was Marks and Spencer again who came up with this look which is pretty savvy as it deals with the military trend too!

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Being a girl with expensive taste, I also love these DVF shorts from Matches Fashion 

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Nautical

Net-A-Porter, as always came up trumps with, what I feel is more a perma trend than a Spring/Summer 2010 specific. If you get nautical right then it's up there with the classic trench, good denim and tailored white shirt brigade. I love this Moschino Cheap and Chic Breton top.

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From the High Street I'd pick this Oasis Breton stripe dress at £38.00 and wear it to death.

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Now then... can I offer anyone a brie baguette?

A Girl Can Change Her Mind Can't She?

Well I have. I said that I couldn't do the over the knee boot trend (couldn't, wouldn't, shouldn't... can't remember which but there you go). I lied.

Having seen these at Pied a Terre I've had a change of heart and am now suffering from a severe case of boot lust.

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To avoid the Julia Roberts/Pretty Woman/down on the boulevard connotations I'd team them with skinny black jeans or leggings and tunic top ensemble. I just thought the lycra clingy dress with cut out midriff might be a tad too much for the school gates no?

I love you boots.... please be mine.

Jumping On the Bandwagon

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I saw Kim Cattrall being interviewed on the Jonathan Ross show at the weekend and boy does she look amazing at 54. I don't care if there are hordes of you out there shouting yes, but she's possibly had a little surgical assistance/has a personal trainer/doesn't have kids/has the money to invest in her appearance etc etc. No matter. Allow me to indulge for just a moment, in the hope that life at 54 looks that good.

I am under no illusions that I will look half as good at that age, or this age come to think of it, but what about feeling like that on the inside? That I can do. It seems lately that the sexy, confident older woman is being embraced, promoted and flaunted even.

She is being pitted against her younger rivals and coming up trumps every time. If you want sexy there's Elle McPherson versus Heidi Montag. I know which one I'd pick. Maybe confidence is your thing? Demi Moore would get the vote over Megan Fox any day. Assured, worldly wise and serene? Then I'll take Michelle Pfeiffer rather than Blake Lively thank you. No offence Blake honey... you'll get there soon enough. If fashion forward is your bag (and you know it's mine), then you may think that Sarah Jessica Parker would be given a run for her money by Taylor Momsen? Nah... come back in twenty years lil' lady. And Madonna? Well... nobody compares to this woman, although Lady Gaga could be a Madgesty in training.

She wears such media bestowed labels as MILF, Cougar and Yummy Mummy; admittedly not all may find those flattering or desirable but I'd pick those over Old Hag, Past It or Over The Hill any day. She (and in this case, he too) is written about in a most favourable light in the press and on blogs. She's in TV shows such as Lipstick Jungle, Sex And The City, Cashmere Mafia and Cougar Town. She does in actual fact, rock!

Whilst we know we can't all look like these gorgeous forty and fifty somethings or live their fictional lives, I'm all for glamourising and celebrating their kind. Is it the wit and wisdom on the inside that shines through and makes the package on the outside look more alluring? Or is it just the latest bandwagon that we've all hopped on whilst gaily swinging our expensive handbags and wearing our expensive shoes that only come with age? Who cares? I'm enjoying it and intend to stay on board for as long as possible. Gracefully of course.

After I declared my new found love for Kim on Twitter, fellow blogger and pretty darn hot chick herself, Wildernesschic who is about to be linked to for the second time, directed me to her recent blog post, Let's Hear It For Samantha.

I thought my one true love from Sex And The City, apart from the shoes, was Carrie Bradshaw. But I have found room for a new crush. A woman crush... not a girl crush. And that's the best part apart about it!

From The Sublime To The Ridiculous

January is over with thank goodness, the sun was shining today and Twitter was all a twitter with tales of Spring. Almost as if to seal the deal for me, whilst skimming through the Marie Claire site today I came across the new Spring Summer 2010 collection* from Christian Louboutin.

Let us presume for a moment that we were able to purchase lots of these babies. Some you would look at with your investment buy head on, all the while working out the only mathematical calculation worth bothering with, the all important cost per wear justification. Some you would snaffle knowing full well that they were frivilous, impractical and just plain attention grabbing shoes, the centre piece of any outfit. Some of us, myself included, possibly have bought shoes that fall into these first two categories. Not mentioning any names Tara, Gigi, Wildernesschic, Yummy Mummy, Mrs Fab... I could go on.....

And then there is that mysterious third category. The ones that you would never buy in a million years to wear, but you're drawn to them because they're like strange and wonderful works of art. Sometimes you don't understand but you can't help but stare nonetheless. And if money was no object you'd quite fancy owning them. Just to invite friends to gather round and discuss. Possibly as Lady Gaga does with her stage costumes once she has worn them I would imagine.

See if you guess where I cross the line from frivolity to Gaga territory...

And there you have it. The best excuse for a bit of Monday shoe porn if ever I saw one.

* All images courtesy of Marie Claire and of course, Monsieur Louboutin

Forty Loves....

..... Clothes, Camera's And Coffee blog. Creative styling and beautiful photographs. This is one lovely talented girl. Go check out her blog now... but get a coffee first.

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..... to give her feet a rest sometimes. These Katie pumps from John Lewis would do the trick; I'd have no hesitation about doing the school run in them. Now I just need to wait for Spring and some decent weather. Which may be a while as it's just started snowing again here.

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..... carbs. More specifically toast with butter. Right at this moment I have a preoccupation with it as I will not be having it for the next six days starting tomorrow. South Beach Phase 1 is about to go back into operation for two reasons. One is a girls night out next Friday and I'm am thinking sparkly dress. Two.... January has not been a good month for food and drink so February is now officially the new January. But until tomorrow.... hhhmmm....

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..... lighting candles and tea lights every night. When Small Child has gone to bed and all is calm the ritual begins, whatever plans we have for the evening. It's something we've always done, whatever the season. In Spring it's a Diptyque candle called Baies and in winter the White Company Winter fragrance is a favourite. If anyone has suggestions for Autumn and Summer please let me know! We once bought some friends a coffee scented candle that had actual beans pressed into the wax. Heaven.

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.... my own personalised Net-A-Porter page for Forty Not Out!  To see all the things that I love on one page, just waiting for me to make my fortune and purchase them....it gives me the shivers! I love it so much, it's over in my side bar too. And I can add more items. It's like a very dangerous virtual shopping bag.

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Why be discreet when you can go for signature? Happy Friday Night lovelies!