That Was the Week That Was

Where has time gone? What happened to my life that allowed me one or two blog posts a day? Folks, I have to give you the round up. Essentially I'm selling you a pup with the past and a small insight into the future.

What Storm?

A weekend in Swansea did deliver clouds and a bit of rain but despite sleeping like a cat on a hot tin roof anticipating squalls and fallen trees in our room in Mumbles, zero, zilch, nothing. That Monday was a 20 minute down pour at 8am with barely a leaf out of place followed by sunshine as we drove back up the M4 to London. It was obvious the following day as I walked the dog that a battering had taken place but I didn't experience it. Oh well I had a very nice Joe's ice cream instead.

Halloween

Excitement always abounds in our household when it comes to Halloween and this year was no exception. We had high hopes of the superman costume sent to us by Tesco's Pet Insurance for Patches to wear but aside from the cape it was too small, more Chihuahua than Parsons.

But being a good family dog he happily mooched round with myself and the petit garcon whilst we managed to trick and treat as well as be tricked and treated on. Hence Dracula mummy and Were Wolf son.

Revving Up

As I plan my strategy and think about my clothes fast next year, inevitably I'm lead to a few missing items that seem to have become wardrobe staples. It is exasperating how much I NEED a leather pencil skirt in my life. My research - asking twitter yes or no, resounded in an emphatic yes which has left me with the task of getting in a purchase before the 31/12/13. Who knew leather skirts were such a mind field but my best option is between a Dixie and Suzy both priced at £195 from Whistles (gulp). The rather wonderful reasonable priced £149 M&S Autograph one has sold out. Folks you are warned get in there.

But more importantly is the fact I'm looking forward to working my wardrobe hard and not spending money on clothes. I know my magpie instincts will be challenge but I have a distraction plan in place that mainly entails sorting our my wardrobe and gardening! Apparently gardening is the new fashion.
Plus there is the ever helpful Penny Golightly and her highly useful ebook series  of which How to Live on £10 a Week is a great motivational tool.

Christmas - gah, humbug!

I love Christmas, all the festive fun but this year I'm finding it hard to focus on presents. All I want to do is dress up and drink mulled wine. Are you prepared for Christmas? And please Mrs Fab, Style at Any Age don't answer that because not doubt you are wrapped!

Petit Chocolate Style

It is not often you hear the phrase 'we had a fun day out with River Island' and rightly so because it would suggest we were a family of shopperholics. Back to River Island  - it was the Chelsea Girl of my youth, when it was the go to shop on the high street once you'd managed to wrangle your way out of M&S and C&A and Clarks shoes. Apart from the occasional outing to Fenwick to get a nice outfit I mainly hung around in jeans and t-shirts from Chelsea Girl, Gola trainers and an Adidas hoodie. It was all so simple then!

Now River Island is still delivering the goods for the younger market, although I still think River Island is always worth a look for shoes, and is also entering the field of kids wear. Hence why I and the petit garcon had a fun day out. It was choctastic heaven. The lovely PR team had invited the young models for the kidswear campaign and some press and bloggers children. I had just filed a piece on their swimwear and was pleased to meet the helpful team. I just love this River Island Pacha swimsuit.

Petit garcon and I lazed around in the morning before hot footing it into central London to River Island press offices. It was a cold miserable day but that was completely forgotten as the joy unfolded. I lost the garcon to a world of making chocolate, face painting and an entertainer with balloons. I actually did pig out a little on the chocolate handed round but tell me who can resist especially when it was all Green & Blacks!

 Lots of preparation before getting stuck in!

                                                                                             Petit garcon loved the flamingos used in the campaign shoot -a boy after his mothers heart

  

  A selection of the boys wear - petit garcon choose an 'outfit'

 

 

 Some great girls clothes too!

I was really impressed with the clothes, the design and the quality. For boys the items are a great addition to the high street in respect of choice and price. My favourite the boys yellow New York t-shirt retails at £6.00.  In London the children's clothes are at the River Island shops in Brent Cross and Westfield at Stratford. The range will be available at selected River Island's across the UK.

Finally the petit garcon received his spoils and happily modelled them straight away.

Skirting the issue

As much as I have to make a massive effort this year to clear my student debts completely, I cannot do another post peddling my wares (well I'll have to do one later!). Pearl of Fashion Pearls of Wisdom and I could bore Britain with our educational sacrifices and the worth of it all despite our student debts. Which reminds me don't forget to vote for Pearl in the Company Style Blogger Awards.

Ironically both Pearl and I were awarded our PHd and MA respectively in the worst economic times. My employment options are further confounded by the delightful petit garcon and then personally I have no idea how I would work for a company as I have been freelance for so long. I'm lucky that a couple of my clients love me so much they indulge my desire to look after the petit as my first priority whilst understanding I need to earn some money. Therefore I work from home with the occasional venture into central London for style assignments. This year I set myself the tough task of clearing the remainder of my student debt. I self funded my course fees, the course and all my living expenses. I minimised the debt by a few big styling jobs but in short I hammered a credit card. It is this credit card which I need to tackle now rather than the minimum payment option.

Stella and Dot as an additional source of income has been a lifeline, more so to do with the social nature of it. I try to work twice a week with a jewellery trunk show and it is like going out!. It is hard work and effort but when I get paid weekly the difference it makes is enormous. Hence my peddling of my wares.

Even when I'm in my hard work mode I do need a break and there is one fashion garment that always lifts my spirits - the skirt! A skirt is often the hardest garment to pull off but when you do the joy is next to nothing (in my world). I love a frock but they are the easiest item to throw on and then complete the look with. A skirt is an issue - a style conundrum. You can kill a skirt by getting it wrong. When you wear a skirt it is the main feature, everything else is merely the chorus.

This coming season's offering are a wow! Lots of print, pencil, a-line and full skirt frippery. From short to maxi the choice is enormous. Here are some of the emerging high st offerings and this is only the start...

River Island black print pencil skirt £25

Topshop Large Spot circle skirt £38