Retirement Dressing AW18 - The Casual Shirt

Today I'm looking at casual shirts in retirement.  I'm not going to lie, I haven't been throwing myself into shirts too much in retirement, or even prior.  Back in the mid nineties I stopped wearing shirts in the office because, well, they invariably needed ironing and hey, life's too short; instead I turned to the lovely tops with elastane which needed none of that palaver.

So I find myself looking at an AW18 wardrobe which is pretty devoid of shirts generally.  And in my retirement, if any shirt is going to come to the fore, it had better be of the super-casual ilk, for I don't feel good in a crisp white or striped shirt.  Plus those need ironing 😰.

 Casual shirts in denim or flannel have been calling my name lately.  These casual-end shirts are proving a great solution for easy wear and layering as the temperatures drop just a degree or two (have I told you about our Indian Summer?!!) and make for a pretty good fit with life in retirement.  They provide a lighter, softer and versatile alternative to a cardi or jacket.  Plus these need mostly no ironing 😊.

And, just to throw some crazy stuff into the mix, I've found myself recently adding a couple of plaids to my repertoire, and I never thought I'd be doing that!

A loose covering layer AND zero ironing - just what is there not to like about the casual shirt!!


But without further waffle, I give you how I've been wearing my casual shirts lately, some looks worn previously and some inspo courtesy of Pinterest.



COWBOY/PLAID


Now

New plaid #1.  Primark.

New plaid #2, au naturel.  Primark.

Try it layered with a denim shirt.

Or over a white tee.

Ok, these are all tried and tested ways with a plaid but I'm a late arrival at the flannel shirt party!

Previously on the blog

M&S (bought ca. 2013)

Yup, BITD I was a one plaid gal (bought for a barn dance) so just the one "previously" here.

Inspo

DENIM



Now

H&M denim (bought 2000), au naturel.

And with a cardi layerlayer, should it cool any time soon!!

Previously on the blog

Levi denim (bought 1997).

From 1974, definitely pre-blog, and pre- pretty much everything !

But I just wanted a visual showing how denim shirts have been around a long time.

Inspo

I fancy trying this look before my last whities standing go into winter storage.  

Is your shirt style changing, maybe from smart to casual?

Do you even like denim and plaid shirts?!

I'd love to hear from you in the comments box below.

And whilst you're here, it would put a big beaming smile on my face if you follow/subscribe on my blog, MY INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT HERE and/or MY PINTEREST ACCOUNT HERE.

Thank you, my sweets 😀 💕 !!!

A la perchoine, 

Mary.

WIW Wednesday

So I continue my week playing my "as if" game.  Acting as if I'm a professional blogger with a posting schedule.  As if! I hear you exclaim, for you know full well that consistency is definitely not my forte.  But hey, I'm a hobby blogger who fits in her posts around her busy pensioner's life!

So, it's Wednesday and of course you've popped in to the blog expecting pics of what I wore the previous week … don't I always post that each and every week, consistently (haha, having fun with this role play!).  Joke!
But seriously folks, I thought it would be nice to do a post of what I wore each day for a week.  It's a good discipline for me to take regular shots and I hope you enjoy it too.

I was without The Photographer, so it was selfies all the way, every day.

Day 1 - Tuesday

Took TP into hospital for open surgery.

Ultra Violet cardi, white skinnies, pewter sandals and multicoloured beads (all M&S) and a V T from Peacocks.

I played around with my Accessorize silk scarf.

A beautiful scarf takes a plain outfit to a whole new zingy level.

Day 2 - Wednesday

Continuing with colour, it was cool enough for a twinset.

This ultra soft Cashmillon set was bought in the M&S sale.

Only a bigger cardi size was left available - so I'm calling it a slouchy fit, but truth is it's just too big!

The s/s sweater is nearer to size.

I'll tell you this scarf's story in another post.


Day 3 - Thursday

(Clearly an updo is mandatory when wearing orange!)

H&M linen drawstring skirt and Wallis cami under slouchy orange cardi.

I'm so pleased I bought these skirts in both stone  and white 15+ years ago, I have had so much use out of them.  They're like little playmates who I hang out with in the school summer holidays and our friendship deepens with every year.

That scarf again!  It goes so perfectly with this soft orange colour.

Something happened to this outfit in hospital.  That's for another post.

I hooked out this necklace and earring set a few weeks ago to wear with my pink dress.  Turns out it goes with orange too!  I'd fretted a little about jewellery to go with my soft orange and it's not a colour I've worn since 1967, but rather magically, the colour of the outfit is reflected in the cubes.

Day 4 - Friday

Next aqua asymmetric top, white Peacock bottoms.

Cashmere cardi, Jones of New York, bought 2009 in Arizona.

Top tip.  Buy cashmere in a hot place, they really knock the price down as they don't get a lot of buyers for woolly cardis, strangely.  I got this one for £17 in Macy's knockdown sale!

I had a hygienist appointment that day and she commented on this top and was really surprised that it comes from Next.

I like to keep my hygienist happy and always dress smartly for her.

(Bought TP a couple of pairs of shorts PJs whist I was in town, perfect for the hot ward.  Must share them with you, he loves them!)

Day 5 - Saturday

I eased off the colour on this day.  Perhaps it was my mood (yesterday had been a bad day for our patient), or perhaps it was the weather. 

M&S mum jeans, Woolovers cashmere/merino cardi, Next chunky heels.  T and leather lariat necklace, Peacocks.

And you may just be able to see my Claudia Bradby double pearl earrings in grey and my Wink leather plait bracelet with pearl drop.  Matchy-matchy eh?!.

Day 6 - Sunday

Well, I totally dropped the colour here!  Black silky jersey tunic with chiffon hem and cuffs, 7/8ths chinos, both M&S.

I had Sunday lunch (uber yummy!) with the family before visiting TP.  The day was rainy, so perhaps the rain got to me.

Black/brown/beige pendant, black leather bracelet.

Day 7 -Monday

Got a call from TP telling me he was being discharged!  It's 6 weeks of no lifting, no driving for him … so that's me as designated Slave No 1 for the foreseeable then!

Well I couldn't stay away from Ultra Violet for too long.  Here it is, back again, draped over a sequin graphic T from Peacocks.

Clarks metallic toe flatties.

So I wore this last outfit to pick up TP from hospital.  Technically, the selfies should stop at that point but, you know, I quite like the discipline and I may just pick it up again in a few days.

Perhaps it got me thinking a little more about what I was going to wear, even for those days when I did nothing but sit by a hospital bed for 7 hours!

I've really enjoyed looking back on what I wore and I hope you do too.

Perhaps it's something you fancy giving a go yourself …

A la perchoine.

Skirting The UV

Hello dear friends, and I hope that is what we are because today I'm publishing a post that any pro blogger would bin.   Let's see if you can spot why; answers in the comments box please!

The other day I was noting how a simple switch of shoes can change an outfit.  You can read that post HERE.

Today, I'm looking at skirts.

I needed a longer sleeved top as the temperature has dropped in recent days to v. low 20s.  Yes,  I hear ya, brrr.

I wanted colour and was drawn to this M&S boatneck top in ... ultra violet!  

Yup, when I discovered my UV cardi (shown HERE) I found its mate (£7) lurking on a rail as I was leaving the store.  They were the only two UVs in the whole shop, so maybe brands take all this Pantone Colour of the Year hype with a pinch of salt. 

1.  East cotton lawn/lace panelled skirt.

Perhaps too much going on with the skirt, when it was the top I wanted to showcase.  And a bit irreverent to The Rule of Thirds perhaps?

2.  White, linen draw-string skirt, H&M.

Oh yes.  Instantly I was getting good vibes from this look.

Straw hat with leoprint fabric trim, M&S.

3. Beige drawstring linen skirt, M&Co.

The shape was fine, the neutral colour classy, but I wasn't getting "vibrant" from this combo, the adjective this UV top deserves.

So that was my choice of skirts and those were my thoughts.

What did I feel worked best?

My final choice was the white A-line.  My rationale:  

I felt the white made the UV colour pop.  

I felt that the simple line allowed the eye to focus on the pretty coloured top.

The differences in the change of skirts is perhaps subtle but a striking colour of top needs just the right backdrop to showcase it in all its glory and simple and white are the absolute musts for a strong colour in summer, like my vibrant UV gloriness here.

Did I make the right choice?  You tell me.

Do simple differences in bottoms make a substantial impact to your tops? You tell me.

And have you spotted my blooper yet?  You tell me!

Yup, it's over to you, readers.

A la perchoine.

Post note, 15.08.2018.

The Blooper Revealed

It's the wet patches on my right shoulder and down the front, best visible in the penultimate pic.  I must have stood under a hanging basket or something before the photo shoot and only spotted the splodges after I posted but I thought, what the heck, we're friends, so let's make a game out of my messiness!

Thanks for humouring me with your participation, x.

Mama Mia - Coral Again!

Yup, here I go again - wearing coral on repeat.

So me and my man had a movie date and my matinee performance of choice was Mama Mia 2.  

And for my date afternoon with The Photographer I found myself in coral again.

The Outfit

 

I teamed my crazy-print trousers with M&S plain T top (£7.50) and bronze sandals.

Love this T, BTW, it's super-silky so drapes well.

I draped an old jumper from Next, just in case.  Well, you never know with the AC in cinemas, eh?

Playing Mind Games With Colour

Previously I called this jumper pink, now I'm calling it coral.  

I like colours that can bat for more than one team.  Just changing the colour name in my head gives a piece a whole new colour spectrum to play around in!  Have you tried that mind game?

I am enjoying the fun I'm getting from coral.  It's such a vibrant summery colour, but yet soft and feminine too.

It feels a little strange to think that just a year or two ago I was in pinks and greys and beiges and now I'm bursting it out in some crazy colours, like coral and bright blue.

My cool coral mix was just right for the film, which I'll tell you about in my next post.

Earlier and in the heat of the day, I'd worn the T with a white linen skirt, very old from H&M.

The styling may be rather plain but it totally worked for a hot day of car purchase negotiating.

How are you handling the temperatures where you are?

ON YOUR SCREENS TOMORROW

Mama Mia - Here I Go Again!

And I know this may be stating the obvious but you can always subscribe or follow me using the buttons on the right sidebar.  It makes life that little bit easier for you, and I'm all about the easy!

I post my outfit pics on Pinterest too, BTW.

Please pop by again soon.

A la perchoine.

Introducing Janna

Allow me to introduce you to Janna, my new model.

Isn't she stunning?!

Janna is wearing a teal dress from H&M and her daughter sent me this photo.  The cut and clever seaming makes this the perfect classic dress and her trim figure showcases the dress beautifully.  

 Janna has  accessorised it perfectly with bead layering.

She bought the dress in her local store in Holland recently.  It comes in other colours as well as this so flattering teal.  Her daughter took one look at her stylish mum and advised her to go back and buy up every colour!  And this is the first time Janna's worn as dress in 25-30 years - she's a natural eh!  

So never say never - give a thought today to what you may be missing out on from your wardrobe selection and if you fancy revisiting a style or a way of dressing you've turned your back on for years, then  ... go on, give it a try!

Now, I searched for the dress online as soon as I received the photo but sadly I can't find it on the site.  But I'm not giving up that easily as I reckon this is a "3 seasons" classic, making it a brilliant buy.   

So if you're looking for a stylishly classic dress which can take you from autumn through to the end of spring for many years to come, head over to the store for a rummage through the racks!

I hope you enjoyed meeting my new model today.  Janna is a truly lovely lady, filled with warmth and fun.  She's active and has a vibrant, get up and go, zesty attitude to life.  

She puts me to shame.  Oh and she's 80!

A la perchoine.

Flowers and Fluff on MotherIng Sunday

 

Well, my dearies, I hope you all had a nice day on Sunday, Mum's and non-Mums alike.  Sunday's are for everyone after all!

I was pampered royally with flowers, cards, gorgeous food, a super family time, and a shellac manicure! More on all of that later but first, the OOTD!!

The Outfit

I had been longing to try out this floral skirt in winter mode (and yes, Terri, it IS 2nd Loved!).

It's a flared skirt so in order to temper down the bulk around the hips it needs something snug over the area, or a longer heavier draping to weigh down the bulk.  Have you found that with gathered skirts?

 I first tried the snug approach.

This M&S charity shop find luckily has many shades of red and in there is one that is pretty close to my winter wardrobe's berry fave.  I teamed it with a berry long sleeved t-top from Next, and the Peacocks belt in an attempt to define at least a hint of waist!

Then I moved to heavy draping with a berry "twinset" - Peacocks cardi and a berry cami from the same range.

I was over-the-moon happy with this outfit.  It brought a summer skirt into a valid winter context, creating a Spring look.  A pop of floral feminity peeping out from an otherwise monochrome berry wintry landscape.  I felt sassy in this and hopefully you see it as a successful outfit too?

Not one to waste a photo shoot on just the one outfit, I then tried my 20 year old H&M paisley skirt.  It has shades of berry in it too.

This is another variation with the berry twinset that I've had hovering in my head since I bought the cardi.  It looks a little more serious, thought I, less frivolous than the first skirt.  A bit too serious maybe?

The Photographer must do serious.  I gave him the choice - he chose the paisley.  

But I must bring that floral skirt out to play at least one more time before spring ends.  It's a challenge with opaques - bare-legs opens up the colour options. Maybe something neutral like black or grey polo neck, opaques and boots? 

The Food

Mothering Sunday lunch.

Wowzers, it was a tasty meal.  DIL makes the most amazing yorkies!  She is the Queen of The Yorkshire in our family.  And Son is The Meat Chef, The King of Steaks.  He loves cooking steaks and roasts.  Well!!!!  I'm not a huge meat eater, mainly because it has to be melt in the mouth for me to truly enjoy it.  For many years the best ever beef I'd had was in my firm's directors' dining room abroad, back in the day.  That "best" has held it's place firmly for twenty years.  Until Sunday.  Son, your roast beef was the best beef I have EVER tasted!  Thank you. 

n

The Other Granny is the Queen of Puds, just look at her yummy chocolate cheesecake that she brought to the party, together with a cherry coulis.  Black Forest Cheesecake! So yummy.

We finished off this perfect day with a family walk with His Royal Fluffiness.

Thank you, lovely people, for a wonderful day.

The Totally Random Bonus Feature

So what am I the Queen of, apart from being self-proclaimed Queen of Pouts?

Well, all I can come up with right now is Queen of the Retro Photo.  I came across this a few days ago.  1967.  Much slimmer.  I had KNEES back then.  I had LEGS!  

The dress had a matching double breasted coat.  The fabric was heavy navy/white pinstripe linen which hung beautifully and it was lined.  I loved the cut of this dress, a waist seam joined a sculptured bodice and an a-line skirt. It was my fave for years.   

I was barefoot as I was on the beach.

Ahhh, memories, eh?

Now readers, over to you!

 Tell me. do you have a favourite outfit from BITD that springs to your mind, an outfit or piece that you will NEVER forget?

Do you wear summer skirts in winter?  Do you have any tips on how to adapt them out of season?  

And if you don't mix seasons, why not test-drive the look today -  introducing a bit of summer to winter = spring outfit!

I'd love to hear from you in the comments box below.

A la perchoine.