Red Isn't Just For Christmas

Hi peeps, it's getting hot over here, but not in a Nelly way!

I'm talking red hot shoes.

I've been drawn to vibrant red of late and I've observed how shoes drive an outfit.  Red shoes have been driving my OOTDs this month.

But first, let's just deal with the elephant here.  Red shoes.  Do we all know what they are supposed to signal?

Some friends of mine got together over a pair of red shoes.  She was wearing them.  His chat up line was to ask her if it was true what they say about red shoes.  She is French and hadn't heard of  the old myth before.   So, embarressed and uncomfortable, he had to spell it out and now they're married with a lovely little family (See what I wore to the wedding HERE)

So that's got that one out the way.  I'm wearing red shoes, to heck with what they say!

Leather flatties, M&S 

These flatties casualise my posh red linen sheath dress (2002, from Alexon).  Worn with a sun hat and red straw bag kept the vibe easy.

This is my attempt at a sightseeing-in-Rome look, which I shall soon be doing, hence the try-ons marathon I'm putting myself through for the next few weeks.  I'm in a what-to-pack panic!

Switch to wedge espadrilles (charity find).

The heeled shoes immediately push the dress into take-me-out-to-dinner territory.  My Il Ristorante look!

But shoes aren't the only thing at play with a red linen sheath.

A spotted scarf can take the dress to another place.  The 60s!

Headscarves are a big thing this summer and this one took me straight back to the early '60s.  Ladies were smarter back then, eh?

A little cream cardi with red embroidered daisies is a perfect slip on for the evening chills.  Which just isn't going to be happening any time soon - are we loving these hot summer nights, ladies?!!

Yes, things are kinda hot around here right now and it's not all down to the abundance of red in my outfits.  It's stinkin' hot!

So shorts have been high on my agenda.  Not the four inch inner leg shorts, no no, for I accept my legs' limitations.

Knee length shorts work for a lady nearing 70, at least I hope they do!

I've recently ditched two pairs of HUGE  knee shorts.  They'd gone way past 90s grunge, they had become so big on me that they were positively clown-like!!

So it was a relief to find myself with some slim fitting replacements that look a trillion times smarter than my circus shorts.  They have become an overnight go-to.

And because I've ditched the baggies, my world has been opened up to new possibilities for shorts, with styling so far removed from when those baggies drove me towards a grungier look with every single wearing.

And thus my current red shoe bonanza pushed me to posh up my Peacocks denim knee shorts.  I love this OOTD, inspired by my red flatties.  I took my cue from the dark wash to team the shorts with a navy linen shell top (Next), added red and navy necklace ... and a red neckerchief used as a headband!  Am I bang on trend or what, ladies?!!!

So red, there's a lot of it about right now and it's not just restricted to my feet.  I'm quite literally top to toeing my red right now.  I may be turning into a tomato ...

Red isn't just for Christmas.  Do YOU like wearing red in summer?

(Oh and in case it's just a British thing, the myth is "red shoes, no knickers"!)

And on that bombshell, 

A la perchoine,

Mary x.

Red and Black and Rum Balls - Day 3

"You've got a 2 minute photo window before I leave for golf", warns The Photographer.

Oh dear, what a dilemma.  I need one of those minutes for the photos.  But I am in my dressing gown and my hair isn't dried and pouffed up.  I can't do both in my remaining one minute allocation. 
What do I do?  Hair?  OOTD? 

Well, I went for the OOTD of course, dear reader!

The hair will have to wait. 

In the space of 1 minute I donned the laid out clothes which today were black Peacock jeans and polo neck (tres Left Bank).  The necklace is from East.

On top of my existentialist outfit, I put on a red jacket; it is the other half of my skirt suit, the skirt having featured the previous two days.

The suit is from Principles.  I've had it 16-17 years.  Its age is important because this is the first time I have worn it without the skirt.  I'm rather embarressed about that but I think it's a perfect example of why I need this blog and other bloggers challenges to get me to think outside the box when it comes to outfits.  I have been a paradigm of dull dressing.  In 16-17 years I didn't have the imagination once to think "I wonder how this jacket would look with a nice pencil skirt.  Maybe some black trousers.  Or jeans".  And that kind of thing is not rocket science.

But that was then, this is now.  For today I wore the jacket with jeans!  And here are my accessories. 

Yes, me, The New Dresser, is now accessorising too!  

And here are my accessories. 

I give you the aforementioned necklace, Black fedora from Peacocks, Tie Rack silk scarf.

I think the necklace is so pretty.  It's quite heavy so it hangs well.  It goes with casual jumpers and posher outfits alike, so a pretty good buy (ca. 2002-2003) as it's been worn a fair bit.

Here's a close up of my scarf, which I promised you yesterday.  It has drawings of girlie stuff like perfume, handbags and sunglasses.  So lady-like, so Parisienne, so Audrey Hepburn.  So not me!



One minute photo-shoot, done!

Today I had lunch with Son.  I took him a new batch of Leslie's mummy's yummy rummies that I made for him this morning.  That's because he never got a whiff of the batch I made last week.  I was Guardian of the Yummy Rummies but, errr, The Photographer and I started having a couple (OK, perhaps more than 2) with coffee and the rest is history.  Anyway, Son was very happy with his new batch. 

And following my rum ball debauchery, I am on a diet!  My diet is mainly based on not eating any more rum balls.  Until Christmas. Well, that is all my diet is based on. 

It is said that you have more chance of success with diets if they are kept simple. 

My diet is simple. I will not be eating rum balls.  Until Christmas.

I think this diet is going to work!!!

A la perchoine.





My Staycation Postcard

I'm kicking off this post with my homage to Bridget Jones and her exceptional diary, for that is what it is - quite possibly The Greatest Book of Our Time.

Meals out 3, though weight has remained surprisingly stable

(note to self: cal. expenditure when stressing over dressing dressing for meal out evidently negates cals consumed; can incr. to 4 p.w.)

Days spent with grandchildren, 1.  Most enjoyable. (OK, that's not really where Bridget was in life!)

Quizzes in which sister and I have beaten brother, 1, v. Good. (note to self: be kinder to younger male sibling).

Fires lit - 1. (Guess Bridget didn't do cosy fires either due to constraints of tiny attic flat).

Alcohol - well, errrhhmm, some.  Could have done this one better.

Fags - 0.  OK, I'm not a smoker, can I count that?

Outfits made from core items, at least 7.

My Bridget Jones summary above is clearly in the "spirit-of" as some of it is definitely not Young Singleton, but it actually makes sense to have started in that way as I can see that it was, in fact,

 a pretty good week, all round. 

The Outfits

Clothes-wise it was v. good. 

One of the things I enjoy about being away from home is working with what clothes I have in the suitcase.  An enforced Capsule Wardrobe.  OK, finalising that holiday suitcase can get a bit messy (read frustrating and running over MANY days) but the end result is usually good.

So I decided to try dressing for a week here at home with a selected capsule wardrobe. 

Rather like a staycation.   

With pre-holiday excitement I selected my items last weekend and hung them on display on pegs in the bedroom, creating a budget hotel mood for my week's staycation!

Result:

1. Dressing each day was a doddle as no desperate rooting round in wardrobe was required. 

2. Displaying in that way meant I could see at a glance the mix n match potential. 

3. I enjoyed at least one different outfit each day, depending on what I was up to. 

4.  And this is the big one - hubs didn't endure any of my Dressing Dilemmas, for a week at least!

Did I feel limited on choice?  Definitely not and I could have worked happily with far less. 

Will I do this again?  Most definitely.  It made for such an easy week as I pitched the choice just right with my week's plans and as you can see from the few outfit samples below, I would have been able to work quite a few more variations with the core items selected. 

They weren't uber-stylish outfits but they worked for my lifestyle (and my age!)

Should I have thought to do this before now? Duh, yuh!

The smallprint. 

My 10 basic items were 2 jeans, 2 cardis, 1 jumper, 2 tops, 2 vest tops, 1 jacket; accessories were 2 prs boots, 3 scarves.  That little lot would easily fit in a carry-on.

Cardi similar here, black/white jersey print top SS15, black Per Una Roma jeggings, all M&S; black Gabor boots. 

It was chilly but that was good as we lit a fire!

 

Same cardi, jeans and boots worn with a black version  of M&S Limited Collection Modal vest; print scarf







Wearing charcoal long-line cardi (now on sale) with vest top, both Woolovers cashmere/merino. jeggings and boots as before, "hairy" print scarf.

Ready for Quiz Action.
Woolovers black cashmere/merino V-neck here, with same boots and  Next sculpt jeans, old but they're still doing them here; the East embellished wool scarf (so versatile, so warm) was a birthday pressi 18months ago but similar here

Forgive the windswept look - just returned from windy walk!

Next black safari-style jacket, years old, ivory Artigiano long sleeve modal top, about 10 years old but similar on sale at rock-bottom price!! Goodness Me! Same jeans and scarf as before, Clarks heeled booties, old.

The Meals

 Lunch with Son at Red Grill Bar

I'm not a big steak person but I shared a Chateaubriand with Son and Red's top quality meat selected made it a super meal.

The other meals were a Quiz supper at The Vault (result as above :-)) and La Perla; I've been going there since it opened and Tony pitches it consistently right on food quality, menu choice, price, ambiance and friendly staff.  Well done, Tony, keep doing what you do so well!!

The Aftermath Guilt-Trip

It's back to the salads for me!  Prawns in a tangy homemade Marie Rose dressing today.

Must dash now.  I'm off to pack for next week's Staycation!

A la perchoine.