The Perfect Spring Jacket, #3 - The More Casual End

I've completed the testing.  As before, these jackets are not worn with anything in particular, they are not intended to be "styled"  or "modelled" by me!

 

The Casual End

No 2, from Next here.  This is how it's meant to look.

And here's how it looks on me ...

The bunting?  It's Guernsey's flag - yesterday was our Liberation Day.  The flags went up, back of the house here and a giant one out of the front bedroom window.

Pretty colour, lots of pockets for bunging stuff.  It's a bit warmer than I'd imagined, but overall it looks pretty useful.  Besides, this was La Duchesse's choice in the beauty parade here so it would be rude not to call this a keeper!

The In-The-Middle Contender

Stone linen jacket from BHS here, price discounted.

How it looks on the slim model..

And on me!

This one's more lightweight, something that could be worn a lot. A serious contender, for sure.

So where am I?  It's clear that like their white shirt counterparts, fitted jackets look better on ladies with more boyish figures.  They look different on me, they hang differently.  Though I understand from one "in the know" that a lot of pinning work goes on behind the outfits in the website/cataloue photo shoots!

But, worts and all, there is no doubt that a lightweight jacket is a key item in a spring wardrobe, whichever end of smart casual it lies.  I like all three, so maybe a 100% Keeper result - a first!

My only problem is that I am eating spring's dust as it gallops off into the distance - the temperature has hotted up in the past week and summer is probably here. 

Too warm for jackets?

Aaah, the procrastinator's lot is not an easy one :-).

And Finally.  I just had to show you a close-up pic of the ceanothus.  It's in full bloom right now.

I love these little periwinkle blue fluff-balls.  So pretty.

I've had a bit of a thing going for this shrub for over 30 years.

 So, are spring/summer jackets for you?

What do you wear with yours?  I'd love to hear (a.k.a. have some help!).

And have your seasons switched from spring to summer with lightening speed too?

A La perchoine.

The Perfect Spring Jacket - The Hunt Is On!

Yes, indeedy, the hunt is on for The Perfect Spring Jacket. 

But I don't know if it exists.

Actually, I don't believe my needs can be fulfilled in one jacket alone.  I need a casual utility style with lots of pockets and a smarter jacket that looks equally good with jeans and summer dresses.  Also useful would be a patterned, lighter drapey sort of wrap-ey thing that can be rolled up and shoved in a bag.

So, it seems like I've identified my needs.

But being a buxom lass I have to be careful with jackets to avoid that dreaded sergeant major look.  That means steering clear of masculine-style jackets.  And boxy jackets aren't good for my body shape either, in them I look ... errr, a box-like!

Softer, drapey jackets hang better on a larger lady but are limiting.

This is what I've tracked down so far.

At the smarter end ...

I love this M&S jacket but its sold out so I need to source something similar.

An HM pink jacket might work well, but I have something similar from River Island so that's on back burner.

Straddling smart and casual ...

This  H&M jacket straddles, so is the sensible option if I'm going for just the one jacket.

More casual ...

These from H&M look like they'd work well with jeans and chinos.

And casual ...

Now, a practical Next utility jacket is probably what I would wear most, through summer and the shoulder months. 



And as my Sleeper has had so much use, maybe this Next shirt-style utility jacket would work for the life I lead.

I love the look with that skirt, but oh! - my knees would look awful in this length :-(.

More from Next.  Shorts? You did see what a panic I just got in above at just the thought of exposing my knees!!!  My legs were last paired with denim shorts in Greece, 1971 ...

The warmer jacket is just what I needed these past few cold Spring days!

I have something similar to this, from Cotton Traders.  It's on the masculine side of jackets so doesn't quite work for my body shape.

So, let's recap, what have I achieved so far?

Needs assessment. Done.

Research. Done.

Analysis.  Done.
Puchases.  TBD.

TBD.  Hmmmm.  Decision time.  But, I am a procrastinator and during my hunt I have noted that things are selling out.  Fast.
I need to move, con prisa!
So if you can help me make some quick decisions, I'll be a happy bunny.

A la perchoine. 



The Week's Challenge - Jacket with Jeans

I've always looked on suit jackets as being inextricably linked to skirts and proper trousers.   Seems that's very old-school as over the years, this type of jacket worn with jeans has become quite the thing.  But it was something I didn't feel comfortable with so I didn't try it. 
I was way behind the game with the ladies' trouser suit thing (I bought my first in the late 90s!) and I see jeans and jackets as being part of the Smart Casual concept which I have never been able to quite "get" (more on that another time!).
Smart jacket goes with a skirt or trousers, anorak/quilted jacket with jeans.  End of.  Slut af.  Fin de.  And that has been where my little head has remained.

Now, I have lots of suit jackets gathering dust since retiring so this past week I have been challenging myself to enter the world of jeans and jackets to see how it feels. 

I pulled a few suit jackets from the archive and this is what I experimented with.  Pretty normal stuff for most but a BIG step for me, I can tell you.

Here's what I came up with (you will have seen some outfits during the week).

M&S navy wool jacket (part of skirt suit), Woolovers navy longline V-neck,  jersey print scarf.

Marina Rinaldi fur cuff jacket (part of skirt suit), Next leopard print tunic, Per Una ("PU") black jeggings.

and worn with Woolovers brown cashmere/merino long-line cardi

M&S grey mix wool jacket (part of skirt & trouser suit), grey jeggings and Next print blouse

and worn with a Woolovers cashmere/merino grey frill cardi.

Artigiano brown virgin wool mix jacket (part of trouser suit),  Next print tunic & PU black jeggings

Peacock fake leather waterfall jacket, Next pink print blouse & PU jeggings, pink pash

and with Woolovers grey cashmere/merino cardi

Of course, the best made plans of mice and men and all that meant that this lady's plans went somewhat awry when at the weekend her cold kicked in and well, it was goodbye to the jackets - all she wanted was to be cocooned in something very warm!

 

Oh-so-cosy Windsmoor neutral lambswool cardi, with Artigiano satin-trim modal top and PU black jeggings.  Essential accessories not quite in this photo are the box of tissues and the lemsip box!

And now for this week's numbers.  Looks like my compilation was made up of 5 jackets (lots, but jackets were the focus), 4 cardis (1 unplanned as the cocoon was added when the cold kicked in), 5 tops (again 1 unplanned as before), 3 bottoms and 3 scarves.  Rather a lot, peut mieux faire, but it was jacket week and that just eats into the numbers.

How did it feel?  Well, I had thought I would feel quite manly dressed this way but I didn't.  I actually felt comfortable, quite feminine and, well, it felt quite liberating.  The added bonus was that with jacket pockets I didn't have to carry a handbag, an accesory I have mostly ditched over these retirement years. 

The men got it so right when they came up with the jacket as their go-to "uniform" - I just need to start sewing inside pockets into these jackets and Bob er din onkel!

Does this mean I am cracking the Smart Casual code?  I leave that one to you.

You know, I am learning quite a lot from taking these photos, most of it not good, but putting myself pictorially out there means that I can no longer hide from myself! 

Knowing that I will be taking a photographic record makes me think about what I'm going to wear.

And spending 5-10 minutes putting together my capsule for the week saves so much daily brainwork.  The net result has got to mean that I have more time for Sudoku, cross code and crossword puzzles so it's a win-win!

A bientot.