Hello and happy Tuesday, apologies for there being no post last Friday but as I mentioned I’m juggling madly at the moment. Anyway I have a retailer focus for you today. It’s time for my JD Williams edit SS19 and this time I decided to look through their current collection for some outfits that I’d wear for my usual tasks of working from home, weekend and night out. As you know, I enjoy working with JD Williams (this post was commissioned by them). They’re one of my favourite entry point brands because I like what they stand for. They dedicate themselves to midlife women, using only midlife models for their campaigns and they fund all kinds of research that helps retailers understand what it is that we’re looking for. They’re a company that’s going through a transformative stage; it’s taking time because they have a huge inventory of product to address and a legacy of loyal customers. However they’re working at meeting the demands that we voice by thinking more about natural fibres and simple pieces that multitask. So let me show you what I’ve found.
Working from home outfit
I work from home whenever I can because I can concentrate better when I have no distractions around me. It might be different soon because the boys are going to be on exam leave from early May so I’m not sure how that’s going to work out with four of us bouncing around working under pressure – I’ll probably need to leave the house for a break. Anyway whether I do or not, I’ve included a coat because I try to take Gary for a walk at lunchtime. I find my best ideas come when I’m pounding the canal path and it’s nice to stop every so often for a chat with someone along the way.
So, what have we got here? A simple unlined spring trench which importantly for me is single breasted so it has less bulk than a double breasted one and doesn’t flap around if you want to wear it open. I’ve gone for red (as always) but it’s also available in navy. There are two options for shirts, I like the inky blue one because of the mandarin collar. It’s viscose so it has a slightly silkier finish than cotton and it’s breathable. The other alternative would be the pale denim shirt in cotton, an easy way to be on trend. The jeans are a high rise dark indigo which is a finish that’s almost impossible to find on the high street at the moment. It featured heavily on the AW catwalks so hopefully it will filter through next season but in the meantime, here’s a pair with a slim fit. They’re true to size fitting snugly all the way down to the ankle where they’re a little looser. I’ve accessorised with resin tortoiseshell earrings and a simple leather jeans belt.
Short trenchcoat; inky blue shirt; jeans belt; resin earrings; western style shirt; indigo slim leg jeans
I was invited to choose some of the pieces to put them through their paces so this outfit was one of them. It was almost impossible to get any photos last week when Storm Gareth just didn’t let up but here’s one where my hair wasn’t standing on end…
Short trenchcoat; jeans; resin earrings; indigo slim leg jeans (Hush boots past season/gifted)
… this one is a bit more sheltered and it gives you an idea of the colour blocking effect of the red and navy…
Short trenchcoat; inky blue shirt; jeans belt; resin earrings; western style shirt; indigo slim leg jeans (Hush boots past season/gifted)
… and it was just too bitter to take the coat off outside so I retreated…
Inky blue shirt; jeans belt; resin earrings; indigo slim leg jeans (Hush boots past season/gifted)
… before you ask if I’d wear those boots along the canal, I wouldn’t – just swap them out for wellies in your imagination.
Weekend outfit
We’re looking ahead here, it’s a bit too chilly for this outfit yet so I didn’t order it in but I’ve based it around chinos to make a change from jeans. Blush pink is a great alternative if you find that beige drains you. I find that coats are a real challenge with lighter fabrics and colours, the longer coats that work so well with winter boots don’t always work proportionally with summer flats. I’ve learned to veer away from cropped jackets that are stiff and boxy because they hang straight down from my broad shoulders and just add width. I therefore always have an eye peeled for a softer bomber jacket like this one. I’ve added a choice of graphic tee or a simpler one with a wide V neck and some great value animal print ballet flats – a very easy way to try out the trend if you’re not sure about it.
Pop art tee; Polka dot cotton jersey bomber; Wide neck cotton tee; Snake ballerinas (standard and wide fit available); Cotton chinos (also available in blue or sea green); Zebra ballerinas (standard and wide fit available)
Night out
When I had my clearout I forced myself to sell a lot of my more formal outfits for evenings because they just weren’t earning their keep so now the pieces that I introduce have to be able to work hard. As you know I often wear jumpsuits for occasions like awards events because they look a little less ‘try hard’ than cocktail dresses, especially for the dreaded ‘smart casual’ dress code. This one is made from simple cotton jersey and I find a jumpsuit is a great way of pulling off wide leg trousers because you don’t have to worry about proportions and keeping your top tucked in.
Now the sandals, I have to tell you how much I love these sandals, they’re perfect for this season with their squared off heel and they’re great value. I just wish they did them in a standard width – it’s another point that I keep bringing to JD William’s attention – they do some great sandals including ‘barely there’ ones which are perfect for events but they’re almost always in a wide fit. If you have wide feet, order them – they’re really comfortable.
Cotton Jersey Jumpsuit; Sandals
Here’s the outfit on me, I’ve dressed it up for evening to stick to the brief but you could easily wear this jumpsuit casually too.
Cotton Jersey Jumpsuit; Sandals
A close up of the sandals, you can see that the yellow strap is just a bit too loose for my standard width feet… I’m wondering if they’ll work in the heat of summer, maybe my feet will swell a bit to fit them (it isn’t often that you wish for that to happen).
Swimwear
Now you may think I’ve gone a bit mad here but last summer I discovered that JD Williams have some great swimwear. By the time I was able to wear the pieces they sent me it was too late to tell you about them because everything had sold out so I’m giving you early warning.
JD Williams beachwear SS18
I’ve put together some of my swimwear favourites here – a perfect capsule for a beach / poolside holiday. The pieces I’m personally recommending are the Magisculpt swimsuits (numbers 3 and 4). They have ruching around the middle which avoids the sausage skin effect but importantly there isn’t too much of it – that always looks frumpy. And they don’t have the dreaded horizontal leg that cuts your thigh off at its widest part. I know swimwear manufacturers say they do this so that you can cover your behind but a slight 45 degree angle like this is a much better compromise.
- Pink and orange swimsuit
- Tassel trim viscose kaftan
- Magisculpt swimsuit
- Magisculpt swimsuit
- Long cotton shirt
- Black and grey swimsuit (with long body option)
I haven’t worn a high necked swimsuit before but I liked it firstly because it actually fit my long body but also because it also rebalanced the proportions. I often feel squat in one-piece swimsuits but this style worked for me. I’m not sure that anyone would ever say they feel perfect in swimwear but feeling confident is a good start.
Magisculpt swimsuit SS18
So, there you have it – my picks from JD Williams for Spring 19 and a quick look ahead at Summer too. Have a brilliant week and I’ll be back on Friday.
Disclosure: ‘JD Williams edit SS19’ was commissioned by JD Williams. All outfit selections and photographs are my own.
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How to build a capsule wardrobe part 6 – the summary
How to build a capsule wardrobe part 5 – body shape and silhouette
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How to build a capsule wardrobe part 2 – defining your personal look
How to build a capsule wardrobe part 1 – wardrobe reality check
