Feeling Lucky

I’m such a lucky girl. 

I’m lucky that I had an old but luxurious “fur” collar to add to my frock coat to give the look a bit of old-school glamour. 

And I’m lucky that the birthday presents keep on coming after my Big Birthday last month.  

Seems that’s one of the good things about a 70th birthday.  

Another is being lucky just to get there. 

Out for dinner with the girlies in all-black.

Frock coat, Zara, 2018
Coated jeans, Next, 2017
Pearl/diamond big jumper, Dotty P, current
Boots, Gabor, 2014-15

Are you feeling lucky too?

A la perchoine, 

Mary x 

Retirement Dressing AW18 - Posher Shirts and Blouses

You should know my attitude towards ironing by now.
Can iron, won't iron.

So all potential fabric purchases get the scrunch test as I drift along the aisles.  And as posher shirts and blouses are invariably of delicate fabric, not many get into my wardrobe.
However, for some unfathomable reason*, I've found myself desirous of a few shirts of late (see my recent plaid shirt acquisitions HERE )  and adding them to my denim shirts makes me feel I've pretty much got AW18's shirtage covered at the casual end of smart.


A few posher shirts in easy-care fabrics definitely do have a place in the retiree's wardrobe.


And I'm pleased to report that more fabric is passing my scrunch test of late.


Given that retirement dressing is pretty much wall-to-wall casual, I've woken up to the upgrade to smart casual that is to be had with a simple switch from jumper to posher shirt.  Smarter end of casual, done!
I'm discovering that a posh shirt fits pretty darn well in a retiree's life.

 Of course, when coming up with posher shirt smart casual looks, you will invariably be wearing them to go out.
So it helps in the planning process if you know where you are likely to be putting smarter casual into action.
Well, socialising, that goes without saying.   For me the socialising involves a meal (brunch,  lunch, afternoon  tea or dinner) or coffee or drinks (and that would more likely be visiting friends these days, rather than a pub).

Let's look at some smart casual looks for socialising where it really is all about the shirt.

Now

Berry hearts print shirt (Primark) worn with Next berry coated leggings (💕) and heels, creating a long sleek line (in my mind!).

 This outfit would be ideal for a date night dinner.

The addition of a chunky jumper instantly creates an outfit for a pub/drinks with friends.

Long sleeved blouses can be another smartener to an outfit at this time of year.

A chiffon top with a strong boho vibe creates another dinner date outfit with with black skinnies and heeled boots.

Switching to blue jeans would give this an instant scale down look more suited for the pub, or drinks with the neighbours, for example.



Next, let's take a look at a pretty print blouse from Zara.
I've said it countless times before but I do so rarely find a print I like and when I do, I fall big time!

So  my heart is still pitter-pattering 💓 when I wear this beaut.

The print and style are reminiscent of the 1940s - well, in my mind anyway!  And I like that.

I also like that a pussy-bow can look pretty serious and lady-like, yet can instantly give off a boho vibe when left to hang loosely, as I did here.

Black skinnies bring balance to the flowing top.

A black cocoon cardi (M&S) is just the light layer this delicate blouse needs.

The old trick of a posh top worn with blue jeans is a perfect teaming for this fabric, maximising on the wearability of the this type of shirt and blouse.

So switching to jeans will give you a more casual-smart vibe.

And add a cardi to the mixed and you're ready to go see your cousin's new home reno, which is what I did wearing this.

And then I took it Halloween shopping - well,  it's a versatile outfit!

Previously on the blog

Inspo

credits above, @jagta8 - check her out on Insta, she's uberstylish.

So, dear readers, although I drifted away from shirts when working, I think perhaps the unfathomable* is that 

I'm finding that easy care fabric and a desire to smarten up my retirement casual have got together and are luring shirts and blouses back into my wardrobe.

And an even posher shirt or blouse can be a life saver for taking an outfit in a more formal direction around the Christmas period.  But I'll save that piece for another time, for I've taken up enough big your time today, dear reader.



And you know, I'd love it if you'd now take up a bit of my time.
Tell me about your posher shirts in the comments below, or about your style change as you move through life, oh tell me about what you had for tea last night cos I love hearing from you!



A la perchoine,
Mary.

Inspo credits, Pinterest and Instagram

Thieving Thriday - The Pink Cocoon and MIA

I like cocoons,

And I cannot lie.

Yes, I cannot lie, I'm more than a little caught up in the cocoon cardi craze.

I didn't know I even had  a cocoon until in recent months when the name was popping up all over the stateside blogosphere, but it would seem that my old Windsmoor cardi is pretty much an Identikit cocoon - 

curved at the bottom edges,

shawl collar

and that certain something that creates a constant need to cocoon it around you.

I'd like a smarter version of my old cardi love* but search as I might, I couldn't find any online in the UK, but I've followed my blogging sista's reccie into Cocoon World on her blog.

Check out Kellyann's stylish look HERE

Beautifully styled eh?  I love the combo of pink, white and taupe - it pops up an image of ice cream.   And I like icecream!

Here I see strawberry, vanilla and coffee, and what's not to love about that combo. 

Kellyann is looking icecream-delicious and I wanted a scoop of what she's having!

So I thieved!

It's ok, my sista is a self-confessed thief of outfit ideas too, so it's ok for me to steal from her -  honour amongst thieves eh?

Cardi, Primark.

(Believe me, this was the best of the photo bunch.  The sun glared on outfit and face and showed mine and the outfit's, er, slight imperfections.  And I had to tether flapping cardi and hair from the strong wind.  Yup, it was not a good day for photos.)

Well, I drafted this post two weeks ago, then made the decision to pull back the post for a few days to give me time to re-do steal and photos, because I felt as it stood, my steal just didn't honour Kellyann's stylish look one iota.  And then the days drifted.  Drifted into a blogger's fug that perhaps can be called blogger's block, but it felt more like blogger's break.  I was not short on blog inspiration - heavens, I've probably got a couple of hundred draft posts sitting there pretty much good to go.

After I'd stopped blogging for a few days I realised I was no longer out on my morning constitutional, head busily composing next week's posts.  Instead I was looking at the falling leaves, smelling the autumn air.  It felt good. 

I realised too that I'd been blogging for 2.5 years, without pausing even whilst on holiday.

And as the days rolled on, it began to feel like I was playing hookie.  And sorry guys, but hookie felt soooo good!

Contrary to common belief, blogging isn't all plain sailing, as that sweet soul Kellyann pointed out on her blog this week.  Please pop over to read Kellyann's post on blogging HERE.  Thank you, dear lady, for writing those truths and getting me back in my garret.  It's good to read that we share common issues out in the blogosphere; reading her article helped me find some perspective again.  And as I don't earn from my blog, I really should give myself (and you!) a break now and again, eh?

But on the bright side, I tried the look again with another cardi and a patterned top and with better weather and location.

Old, from Next.

Zara cardi,

And though not what I'd planned, not the steal per se, this felt fine.

I'm going to leave the Kellyann steal where it is, with no urge to clean up a bad job.  It is my Unfinished Steal (move over, Schubert!), left for eternity as a reminder that sometimes I need to step away from the day-to-day and smell the rain-dampened leaves.

I leave you on a positive note with some of the Stateside cocoons.

If any readers have come across something like this UK-side, please let me know.

And with much thanks, love and deep hugs to Kellyann,

I leave you, a la perchoine, 

Mary X.

*Footnote

My love of my Windsmoor cocoon is indefatigable and perhaps a bit obsessive going by the post trail HERE!!!

Upgrading Summer's Jumper and Jeans Look

Hi all you sweetnesses out there, Happy Midsummer!

How do you plan to spend the summer solstice?

Glastonbury?  It your back garden?

I hope June is treating you well.  Here, well it's been a rollercoaster but not with TP this time.  

There are some rare illnesses that strike like a thunderbolt and without the filter of health or age.

Resilience, fight, cheerfulness and positivity play an incredible part in the recovery process and I thank our precious loved one so very much for having all of those qualities in wheelbarrow loads.

So, recovery is going remarkably well and it's onwards and upwards, peeps.  

And as I return to haunt your screens again, I'll release any posts I'd had queued up prior to the thunderbolt.  Like today's. 

We're midway through June and this day was a little blip in June's otherwise smooth pattern of hot, hot, hot.  On this day the sun was there alright, yet the air had been quite chilly during my early morning round of golf and the temperature stuck pretty much on chilly through the day and into evening. Or so I thought.

Thus, instead of the dress planned for my night at the local, I wore a jumper.

Not any old jumper.  My pearly Zara jumper.

This clever little nacre embellishment takes this simple jumper and jeans look to a slightly elevated level, IMHO.

And upgrade footwear to sassy heels and instantly your embellished jumper and jeans pairing is tweaked into just the right mood for an evening pub meal.

I felt comfortable in this outfit and it felt appropriate for the event, location and weather, and that's an essential formula to create confidence.

And as they say, "there's nowt as sexy as confidence", so heavens knows, I may have even felt that!  And at 68 that's no mean achievement!

I grabbed a Gap denim jacket, just in case.  For that is what I do.  Prepare myself for all eventualities, all weathers.

I think I've created Summer Cool,  Fonz-style!

So I took my Summer Cool to the pub ... and we had a window seat.

And the sun glared in through the glass.  Clearly not the weather for a woolly jumper, be it sprinkled with pearls or not.  Let's just say that I felt a tad overheated, and leave it at that.  And move quickly on to the food shots.

I passed on the starter, which I thought was quite an elegant thing to do, the kind of thing chic Parisienne ladies would do.  But I had to have a cheeky poke at TP's delicious cheese soufflé.

Oh, look at me, being all goody-2-shoes-sanctimonious with my prawn and avocado salad ... after I'd been a-stealin' off TP's plate!

One goes to the Rockie for a glorious sunset.

And that is what one got.  Looking out from my window seat, I raised my glass to this glorious scene.  Cheers.

Enjoy your longest day.

A la perchoine.

A Study in Neutrals

It's Sunday.  The birds are singing and the sun is shining.  I'm getting ready to go out for lunch and that means a call out to The Photographer.   So what do I do?  Yup, I position myself against said sun for my OOTDs!  Sorry.

Call me sad but one of the many things I like love about this time of year is being reunited with old favourites.  You too?  Thought so.

I was so excited to pull out my fave chinos.  M&S about 5-6 years ago but boy have I been getting my CPW down on these.  These past few years it's been quite a cliffhanger with their first wear of summer.  

Are there any patches of wornoutedness?  No.  

Do they still fit?  Yes!

And then, phew, breathe.  All is right with the world.

I fear the day that they will give up the ghost on me.  So I ordered a couple of pairs of chinos this morning.  Back up, just in case.  They may disappoint.  

M&S

Do you find that you hit on something really good, then re-order from the same brand, pretty much the same cut, colour and fabric - and they just don't cut the mustard like your original item? 

White Company taupe trapeze cardi, Next layer blouse.

Yes, all neutrals but I'm of the beige persuasion.  There, my secret's out!

Necklace and earrings from way back.  I dug them out of the jewellery cupboard this morning and oh joy, did they bring back memories.   A holiday in Corfu, 2003.  Brilliant holiday.  I remember wearing this jewellery with a black vest dress for a dinner in our favourite restaurant on the island (yet I still struggle to work out what day it is today ...).

I expect Corfu is bracing itself for the Captain Corelli effect that Kefalonia experienced.  It's just as pretty as it's portrayed in The Durrells ... anyone know if it was actually filmed there?

Oh how I digress with you guys!  Back to the OOTD.  I changed it!

And we all know that TP loves all this outfit changing?  Not.

Yes, I agree with TP (and maybe you too?), the change was subtle and just swapping one beige for another may seem hardly worth the effort but I fancied some more reunion thrills.

 So my Zara pearly jumper was given its first airing of SS18 too.

And I swapped the heels for Clarks metallic toe flatties.

'Twas but a moment's work to achieve just the right amount of beige!

Sling on a string of pearls (beige).

And Sunday lunch, beige is comin' ta getcha!

A la perchoine.

Hobbling into Spring in Cream and Black

Hi my loves.  How are you? I hope you are enjoying your day.

It probably comes as absolutely no surprise that our little heatwave has now moved on to beaches new.  We have now returned to spring's low-teens temps with mostly sunny days and the occasional grey day.  Yes, we Brits do obsess about the weather - you may have noticed?

I was out last night, meeting up with Sis and girlie cousins.  Yup, what to wear?

No hair-tugging deliberations - I wore this.

It's simples really.  

1. I happen to love cream and black.  

2. I have a new lacy camisole from Next which is totally rocking my world.  

3. I have Next bikers which needed an airing.

And 4. As The Photographer is now happy to offer the odd photo shoot and fashion views service, it was an opportunity to try out variations on a cream and black theme.

Zara "gold" asymmetric top, with Next bikers and Gabor Polyanna boots*.

A black, cream and white plaited belt from Peacocks.  I added it really to rile TP, for anything I wore after my sack-tied-in-the-middle look was just bound to get his approval!

Me: What do you think, TP?

TP: Fine, but without the belt [as it looks like a sack-tied-in-the-middle].  (I know him so well!).

Me: Is this better?

Me:  Without the belt?

TP: Yes, that's more like it.  Wear that. 

Me: Oh but I just must try this lacy/biker column with my fave slouchy Windsmoor cardi.

TP: Why?

Me: Come on, you've got to love this?!

TP: No.

Me: Well, how about a slouchy jumper?

Me: Is this any better?

TP: No.

Me: Why "no"?  

TP: There's something "not right" about it.  Try the first one again.

TP: Yes, that's the one.  Now let's get out of here.

Me: OK, but let's finish this off with the obligatory leoprint draping.

TP: We're now going to be late! [huff, puff, ggrrrrr!]

And there you have it, the screenwriter's version of how I choose  TP chooses my outfit.

I like TP to engage with my outfits.  But only occasionally.

I seem to remember from previous posts that a lot of you don't.  You prefer not to give your other half a say in the outfit process.  Am I right?  Or am I wrong?

*I've reverted to socks and boots for a few days.  I did the usual thing during our surprise heatwave last weekend and wore shoes and sandals with bare feet and walked those little feet off in the baking sun.  Yup, I'm now dealing with countless foot problems - why oh why do I NEVER learn?

Do you have a tried-and-tested programme to introduce your feet to the change of temperature and footwear?  Or are you like me?  Do you throw yourself excitedly into summer's sandals without a thought of the suffering  that you know invariably follows?

A la perchoine.

Coming up

I review THIS book and film:

I try out this dress: