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End of sale investments that I personally recommend
Sale, Style

End of sale investments that I personally recommend

By Midlifechic|2025-01-17T13:22:21+00:00January 17th, 2025|Categories: Sale, Style|Tags: 2025, Autumn, sales, Winter|

Ways to make the most of 2025
Midlife, Project Happier

Ways to make the most of 2025

By Midlifechic|2025-01-10T17:02:44+00:00January 10th, 2025|Categories: Midlife, Project Happier|Tags: 2025, Christmas, Project Happier, Winter|

Christmassy midlife lately & what I’ve been wearing
Christmas, Style

Christmassy midlife lately & what I’ve been wearing

By Midlifechic|2024-12-13T17:06:02+00:00December 13th, 2024|Categories: Christmas, Style|Tags: 2024, casual chic, Christmas, date night chic, night out chic, OOTD, Winter, WIWT|

Winter brightness – clothes for the cusp of the year
Christmas, Style

Winter brightness – clothes for the cusp of the year

By Midlifechic|2024-12-10T16:47:13+00:00December 10th, 2024|Categories: Christmas, Style|Tags: 2024, Boden, casual chic, Christmas, date night chic, dressed up chic, Winter|

Christmas finishing touches – a few ideas
Christmas

Christmas finishing touches – a few ideas

By Midlifechic|2024-12-06T16:59:46+00:00December 6th, 2024|Categories: Christmas|Tags: 2024, Christmas, Winter|

Black Friday 2024 – best offers compendium
Christmas, Sale

Black Friday 2024 – best offers compendium

By Midlifechic|2024-11-29T09:32:18+00:00November 29th, 2024|Categories: Christmas, Sale|Tags: 2024, Christmas, sales, Winter|

Smaller gifts and stocking fillers 2024
Christmas, Gift ideas

Smaller gifts and stocking fillers 2024

By Midlifechic|2024-11-28T11:40:12+00:00November 26th, 2024|Categories: Christmas, Gift ideas|Tags: 2024, Christmas, gift ideas|

Travel gifts – the promise of good times ahead
Christmas, Gift ideas

Travel gifts – the promise of good times ahead

By Midlifechic|2024-11-22T17:05:28+00:00November 22nd, 2024|Categories: Christmas, Gift ideas|Tags: 2024, Christmas, gift ideas, travel|

Gifts for you and the women in your life
Christmas, Gift ideas, Hair & Beauty

Gifts for you and the women in your life

By Midlifechic|2024-11-25T17:07:03+00:00November 20th, 2024|Categories: Christmas, Gift ideas, Hair & Beauty|Tags: 2024, Christmas, gift ideas, Winter|

Great party finds at M&S
Christmas, Style

Great party finds at M&S

By Midlifechic|2024-11-20T13:37:34+00:00November 19th, 2024|Categories: Christmas, Style|Tags: 2024, accessories, casual chic, Christmas, dressed up chic, new season, Winter|

Making midlife outfits stand out
Christmas, Style, Style Seminars

Making midlife outfits stand out

By Midlifechic|2024-11-15T16:59:40+00:00November 15th, 2024|Categories: Christmas, Style, Style Seminars|Tags: 2024, Boden, casual chic, Christmas, date night chic, dressed up chic, metallics, new season, Winter|

Updating your festive wardrobe for 2024 – bumper post!
Christmas, Style

Updating your festive wardrobe for 2024 – bumper post!

By Midlifechic|2024-11-15T17:03:11+00:00November 12th, 2024|Categories: Christmas, Style|Tags: 2024, casual chic, Christmas, date night chic, dressed up chic, new season, night out chic, Winter|

Winter outfit building – working with texture
Retail Review, Style

Winter outfit building – working with texture

By Midlifechic|2024-11-15T17:05:16+00:00November 8th, 2024|Categories: Retail Review, Style|Tags: 2024, Autumn, casual chic, Christmas, dressed up chic, retail review, Winter|

Midlife lately – pockets of October joy
Midlife, Style

Midlife lately – pockets of October joy

By Midlifechic|2024-11-01T19:07:14+00:00November 1st, 2024|Categories: Midlife, Style|Tags: 2024, Autumn, casual chic, date night chic, dressed up chic, night out chic, OOTD, Winter, WIWT|

How to make outfits interesting
Style, Style Seminars

How to make outfits interesting

By Midlifechic|2024-10-25T17:06:12+01:00October 25th, 2024|Categories: Style, Style Seminars|Tags: 2024, accessories, Autumn, Boden, casual chic, new season, OOTD, wardrobe essentials, wardrobe staples, Winter|

Charity sample and pre-loved clothes sale AW24
Sale

Charity sample and pre-loved clothes sale AW24

By Midlifechic|2024-10-18T12:42:22+01:00October 18th, 2024|Categories: Sale|Tags: 2024, Blogger sale, sale|

All-inclusive Turkey holiday – unexpectedly fabulous!
Style, Travel

All-inclusive Turkey holiday – unexpectedly fabulous!

By Midlifechic|2024-10-28T11:59:21+00:00October 11th, 2024|Categories: Style, Travel|Tags: 2024, Autumn, holiday chic, Summer, travel, WIWT|

3 style tips for autumn outfits
Style

3 style tips for autumn outfits

By Midlifechic|2024-09-27T22:35:12+01:00September 27th, 2024|Categories: Style|Tags: 2024, Autumn, casual chic, new season, OOTD, wardrobe essentials, wardrobe staples, Winter, WIWT|

Casual chic for country life
Style

Casual chic for country life

By Midlifechic|2024-09-27T11:09:54+01:00September 24th, 2024|Categories: Style|Tags: 2024, Autumn, casual chic, new season, retail review|

M&S – what’s in store for AW24?
Retail Review, Style

M&S – what’s in store for AW24?

By Midlifechic|2024-09-24T17:11:46+01:00September 20th, 2024|Categories: Retail Review, Style|Tags: 2024, Autumn, casual chic, new season, OOTD, retail review, wardrobe essentials, wardrobe staples, Winter|

Midlife lately – summer lived to the full
Midlife, Project Happier, Style

Midlife lately – summer lived to the full

By Midlifechic|2024-09-13T16:46:58+01:00September 13th, 2024|Categories: Midlife, Project Happier, Style|Tags: 2024, casual chic, OOTD, Summer, travel, WIWT|

Autumn fashion trends 2024 – what’s new?
Style

Autumn fashion trends 2024 – what’s new?

By Midlifechic|2024-09-06T16:59:14+01:00September 6th, 2024|Categories: Style|Tags: 2024, Autumn, bags, casual chic, new season, trend, wardrobe essentials, wardrobe staples|

Midlifechic reader event – save the date
Midlife

Midlifechic reader event – save the date

By Midlifechic|2024-08-30T16:51:03+01:00August 30th, 2024|Categories: Midlife|Tags: 2024, Autumn, events, Summer|

Another slice of summer midlife lately
Midlife, Style

Another slice of summer midlife lately

By Midlifechic|2024-08-23T16:57:31+01:00August 23rd, 2024|Categories: Midlife, Style|Tags: 2024, casual chic, date night chic, night out chic, OOTD, Summer, WIWT|

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Instagram – On the road @midlifechic

midlifechic

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Dec 31

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Just emerging from the Twixmas bubble to wish you the happiest of evenings as 2024 takes its final bow. There’s a fresh start ahead - let’s hope the new year brings contentment for everyone, everywhere.

I’ve been rubbish at posting over the last couple of weeks so here’s a random spin through my Christmas camera roll… my last day at work… general joy of having my boys and their girls back home… Christmas Day moments (who knew Wetherspoons gift cards and gardening gloves could bring so much pleasure?!)… a carol service takeover by the village cat… and various outfits I haven’t posted of being out and about.

Thank you so much for following my feed this year and the biggest of new year kisses to everyone who reads my blog… that’s where my heart lies, as you know.

Happy new year and may all of your resolutions be fun ones! In 2025 let’s spend our hard earned money on experiences not things and our precious time living in the real world not online.

#happynewyear #newyearseve #agelessstyle #familychristmas #newyeariscoming #over50blogger #over50fashion #midlifechic #styleoverfashion #everydaystyle

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Dec 16

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Pictures on the fly from a weekend in Leeds. ⁠
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If you read my blog you'll know my guilty pleasure is disco - both the cool contemporary kind and cheesy 70s joy. Last weekend was a celebration of the latter in 70s regalia... one of those dancing until your feet blister kind of nights. ⁠Never, ever let anybody tell you you’re too old to dance, just go out and do it anyway… whenever and wherever you can.
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There was also time for a wander around Leeds in all its festive splendour and on Sunday we retrieved the much missed students from the youngest's university lair, driving back through pretty Yorkshire towns, stopping for tea and cakes along the way until we returned to the glory of the Lancashire countryside. ⁠
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One more week of work to go...⁠
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Outfit details:⁠
Rainbow jumpsuit: Etsy festival shop 2020⁠
Gold platform sandals - Hush 2021⁠
Mals' shirt - Rush in Ambleside 2024⁠
Mal's jeans and shoes - vintage⁠
Red jacket - Boden current (gifted)⁠
Jeans - Me+Em 2022⁠
Boots - Zara - 2023⁠
Navy sequin top - Whistles 2018⁠
Gold twinset - Zara 2024⁠
Jeans - Me+Em 2022⁠
⁠
#agelessstye #discostyle #outout #wiw #ootd ⁠

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Dec 13

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Thank you for so many comforting comments after Wednesday's post - you'd think by midlife we'd be ready to live without our parents but there are times like birthdays when their absence just hits you. ⁠
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Partly because of that, this week has just run away with me - I don't know if you feel like you're just behind with everything too but at least when I looked at my calendar I realised that we're a weekend short in December this year so it made more sense. ⁠
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So this serene looking picture isn't me right now at all, it's from this week's blog post and if you're a reader there's a huge new catch-up just gone live there on everything else I've been doing, wearing and thinking over the last month. ⁠
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For anyone else, here's a Christmassy-ish outfit option that's still available from my Boden edit this month. (I haven't been paid to post this but the pieces were gifted). ⁠
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Happy Friday everyone.⁠
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Outfit details: jumper, skirt and boots all Boden (gifted)⁠
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Dec 11

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Grief doesn't stop for Christmas. ⁠
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We adapt to life without our parents but we never stop missing them. Today would have been my dad's 101st birthday and isn't it sad when all you can do to mark a day that's always been important is visit a grave? It always feels wrong when a date that has always been a celebration turns into one that just passes by. But then I realised I could mark it here and pay a little tribute to the kind, funny, gentle man who shaped me.⁠
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Most people believe their dads are special but mine really was, in his own quiet way. He was unquestioning in his belief in me and that's what you need from a parent isn't it... knowing that you have someone who is always on your side? ⁠
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There's comfort in visiting him for a chat and saying hello to my mum and my beautiful niece Kay who lie there too... in the grounds of the church where I was christened, confirmed and married... a place that mirrors the full circle of life. ⁠
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They're kept company by so many other people who were part of our village lives - the headmaster, the vicar, the grocer, the mechanic, the parents of friends and, sadly, a few of my school friends too. ⁠
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But today is my dad's day, a day to say thank you - if I could send him one last message, what would it be? ⁠
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It's quite simple - "of all the dads in the world, I'm so glad that you were my mine." ⁠
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And as I left the grave and all of those people who are no longer here it felt clearer than ever that life is for living to the absolute max - I'm sure that's the message that they'd want to send back to us. Every single day.⁠
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Photo notes⁠
Picture 3 with my dad at the same church on my wedding day - Kay my lovely niece is the bridesmaid next to my sister who is in the cream lace dress.⁠
Picture 4 the same church again, this time Kay is the bride and I'm her matron of honour. She lost her battle with leukaemia four years later.⁠

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Dec 10

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Work outfit - green and silver.

Moments from a Christmassy day. Feeling the whiplash of a mad few hours so apologies for random pictures taken along the way:

an early start for my last trip down to London

an end of year meeting and the wonder of Heal’s (try not to miss it, there’s nowhere else like it)

a festive working lunch

a haircut with the best hairdresser in the world (@hair_by_premlee)

… and now trying to make it back to the north for work drinks at 6pm - but I think I’d be quicker on foot than by train. Grrr!

Outfit details:
Grey Coat - Jigsaw 2018
Green Dress - Me+Em 2023
Silver boots - Boden current (gifted)
Silver leather bag - John Lewis 2015
Green scarf - M&S 2019

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Dec 9

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My daily advent calendar of outfits has been mostly about rewearing what I already have and making the things I've bought in the past earn their keep.⁠
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I've had a few messages asking if I can show some outfits with items that are current stock though so here are some pictures from blog projects over the last few weeks. ⁠
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And just to be transparent, I haven't been paid to post any of these pictures but I have been gifted samples for photography which I'll mark with *. I can't link them here but if you get stuck, go to my blog and you'll find them there with chat about sizing and fit too. Most things are still in stock as I write although not in all sizes. ⁠
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My top tip for Christmas styling is always going to be texture - contrast shine with soft wherever you can to play with the sparkly light. And when you're buying a major piece, ask yourself how many other ways you can wear it. If you can't instantly think of three then it needs to be very special indeed to pay its way in your wardrobe. ⁠
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Outfit 1 : jumper, skirt, coat, necklace and shoes* @marksandspencerstyle ⁠
Outfit 2: jacket, blouse and jeans* @boden_clothing ⁠
Outfit 3: skirt, nacklace, earrings* @whitestuffuk, jumper Duffy cashmere (past season), Boots Hush past season⁠
Outfit 4: jacket, clutch and jeans* @boden_clothing, blouse @boden_clothing, shoes @boden_clothing (past season)⁠
⁠

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Dec 8

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Well I could give you the Bing Crosby version of our Christmas decoration weekend or the real one... let's do the real one.⁠
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1 Went out in Storm Darragh to buy the tree⁠
2 Pretty wild out there⁠
3 Failed at making mince pies - went to Sainsbury's instead (Ecclefechan are nicer anyway)⁠
4 Came home to find cellar flooded by storm - new sump pump needed (all the glamour of a trip out to Toolstation!)⁠
5 Rescued Christmas stuff from cellar (the joys of a 300 year old house)⁠
6 Today was better, tree up, all rooms decorated... then power blew in one half of the house (sounds like a Mal problem - again)⁠
7 Took refuge and left him to it!⁠
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Outfit details:⁠
Red jumper - And Other Stories 2022⁠
Silver mini - Boden 2023⁠
Suede boots - LK Bennett 2018⁠
Red coat - M&S current⁠
Silver bag - Jigsaw current⁠
⁠pearl hoops - Claudia Bradby current
Black dress - Me+Em 2023

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Dec 6

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Out out (or 'oot oot' in Newcastle). And in winter, outdoor culture goes on here... even when it's so cold that you can see your breath! ⁠
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So another reason that I haven't yet become an honorary Geordie is probably because I wear a coat, especially when we're with people who I know will want to be outside until midnight. But this year I've found an 'oot oot' version so I'm happy in my layers alongside the glam strappy sequins and sandals (to whom I absolutely bow down).⁠
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And if you don't believe me about them not feeling the cold look at the boys in pic 5 - an outdoor bar and it was minus 3... still in shorts. ⁠Anyway I've added a little joke they shared with me at the end to make you smile on a Friday... it says it all.⁠
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Outfit details:⁠
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Silver puffer jacket - M&S current⁠
Metallic tweed jacket - Anthropologie 2023⁠
Dark denim jeans - Me+Em 2019⁠
Silver vest top - Hush current ⁠
Silver boots - Arket 2023⁠
Silver belt - Boden 2016⁠
Snowflake earrings - Boden 2023⁠
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Dec 5

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Oh my word the weather's just vile today isn't it (not a good day for photos!). This is when it's worth using your clothes to work with what little light there is. I never wear a pleated skirt unless it has a touch of metallic (an ordinary one just makes me think of Sunday school nights and Barbara Woodhouse on TV - iykyk).⁠
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But a metallic finish on a pleated skirt makes it work hard because it's forever catching the light in a different way as it moves. So don't see it as something that you'd just wear at Christmas, it's a great tool for any dark winter day - in January and beyond. And it sparkles in summer sunshine too - worn with a simple white tee. ⁠
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I've added the softness of suede boots and a cashmere jumper here to balance the shine - and the coat for a bit more winter richness. Texture makes all the difference at this time of year, it's worth playing around with it so that your outfits are constantly contrasting shine (metallics, sequins, satin, lurex, leather) with depth (wool, suede, silk, flannel, boucle). ⁠
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Outfit details:⁠
Metallic skirt - Boden 2022⁠
Cashmere jumper - Duffy 2020⁠
Suede boots - LK Bennett 2019⁠
Faux shearling coat - Boden 2022⁠
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#wearwhatyouhave #agelessstyle #styleoverfashion #everydaystyle #outfitinspo #styleinspiration #styleblogger #slowfashion

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Dec 4

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So this was as we arrived in Newcastle for our Christmas celebrations there last week. It was right in the middle of the cold snap so the locals @greggs_official had come out with hot free pies and drinks for everyone.⁠
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Did we try one? Well it is Christmas and actually I hadn't had one before (which is probably why I haven't achieved honorary Geordie status) and I still prefer proper Lancashire pies with shortcrust pastry to the flaky nonsense... but Mal was right at home. ⁠
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And then we went to see mum-in-law who had forgotten we were coming. The double edged sword of dementia is that she hadn't been able to look forward to it... but at least she had a nice surprise... we find the silver linings where we can. ⁠
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Outfit details:⁠
Navy leather bomber - Me+Em 2021⁠
Tinsel jumper - Mango 2023⁠
Silver belt - Boden 2016⁠
Snowflake earrings - Boden 2023⁠
Denim culottes - Me+Em current⁠
Silver boots - Boden current (gifted as part of a blog project)

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Dec 3

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Christmas farm shopping - and yes that is a camel not a cow (as a native Lancastrian I find strange things happen when you cross the border into Yorkshire!). ⁠
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A super quick Christmassy outfit today on the way back home from Newcastle... still wearing Christmas sparkle (just) - silver boots, silver bag, silver belt, silver flecks in the jumper. ⁠
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And a small moment of joy for me happening upon this brussels sprout tree, knowing my boys will wince when they see it. Sometimes Christmas is all about the anticipation isn't it?!⁠
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Outfit details:⁠
Sparkly jumper - Boden 2023⁠
Silver belt - Boden 2016⁠
Paris cropped slim jeans - M&S 2022⁠
Silver boots - Arket 2023⁠
Silver leather shopper - John Lewis 2015⁠
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Dec 2

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Oh my word thank you so much for the flood of encouragement after yesterday’s post. When I used to post here regularly people tended to be annoyed if I was wearing past season clothes - they wanted to be able to buy what they saw but it seems that’s changed which has to be a good sign. ⁠
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And maybe style on Instagram’s changed too - perhaps it’s no longer about extraordinary lives and the ordinary is ok.⁠
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Anyway I thought that as I started this on 1st December I could try to do some sort of old fashioned advent calendar with a picture of a different Christmassy(ish) outfit each day. I have a full time job so they’ll just be quick posts but here’s today’s outfit. ⁠
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Back to work this morning (boo) and after a few festive days off my soul was shouting that it should be sitting on the sofa with a big box of chocolates. ⁠
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“Not yet,” I whispered... “but not long now...”⁠
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Meeting outfit details:⁠
Fur jacket - Boden 2018⁠
Cashmere jumper - John Lewis 2022⁠
Sparkly skirt - Hush 2022⁠
Gold boots - Hush 2019⁠

#agelessstyle #everydaystyle #styleoverfashion #over50style #christmasstyle #christmasoutfits

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Dec 1

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A lovely woman came up to me yesterday and told me she missed me putting my outfits on Instagram. I explained I stopped a while ago because I feel they’re very simple - and she said that’s exactly why she liked them… because they’re doable.

And that made sense - sometimes a kind word like that can rock your world can’t it? So without further ado here are some pictures of what I wore yesterday and today - I’ll try to keep it up this month to see how it goes.

A bit of context - we’ve been having our Geordie Christmas over the last week, catching up with family and friends in my favourite city which has been bright, crisp and cold, full of joyful people - if only you could bottle the essence of festive Newcastle you’d probably solve a lot of the world’s problems!

Outfit details today for Christmas market mooching
Coat - Hush 2017
Scarf - Boden 2018
Jumper - M&S current
Jeans - Me+Em 2022
Boots - Zara 2023
Bag - Boden 2021

Yesterday for a daytime disco
Jacket
Boden current (gifted for a blog project)
Top - Zara 2023
Jeans - Me+Em current
Boots - Hush 2018

#agelessstyle #ootd #midlifestyle #over50style #wiw #newcastle #christmasstyle #christmasoutfits

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Oct 18

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I had a special night out at the gala premiere of Rivals this week. It was as magical as you’d imagine from Disney and the highlight was a really good chat with Dame Jilly Cooper.

We reminisced about a day we spent together back in 1993 and I tried to tell her what a big impact her books and her gentle advice have had on my life.

The thing is that she’s very self-deprecating and she just wouldn’t believe me. I suppose her books were so often dismissed as ‘bonkbusters’ - and yet they were so much more than that.

Who else was a bookish GenX girl like me, studying Coleridge by day… but savouring Cooper by night?!

Jilly has no idea how loved she is by us - so I thought we could tell her. If she’s meant something to you please make a little tribute in a comment and I’ll collate them all and get them to her.

At 87 she deserves to know how treasured she is - so often we pay tribute when it’s too late - so here are just 3 of the ways she’s impacted my life:

1. At 17 her books opened my eyes to a world beyond my northern town and showed me I could be whoever I wanted to be (I have)

2. At 25 she told me not to settle until I found a man who was steadfast and true and would always make me laugh (I found him)

3. And at 29 I named my first born son after my favourite Jilly Cooper character (not Rupert - he isn’t in Rivals!)

So please share a thought of any kind - I’ll make a little book and get them to her.

And don’t forget that Rivals launches today on @disneyplusuk - it’s brilliant - don’t miss it!

#rivals #jillycooper #midlifewomen #bookstagram #womenauthors #iconicwomen #bignightout

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Aug 20

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Ad/press stay | A little recap of our stay in the Lake District the weekend before last. If you’re looking for a break up here, I do think I’ve found the best place to stay @rothaymanor.

It’s in Ambleside so you’re centrally located for good outdoor activities but if/when it rains there are alternatives… shopping, good restaurants and pubs and the best independent cinema I know.

That, of course is if you can bear to leave Rothay Manor itself - hands down the nicest spot I’ve found so far for a luxurious Lake District weekend.

#lakedistrict #lakedistricthotels #lakedistrictfood #ambleside #midlifetravel #travelblogger #smallluxuryhotelsoftheworld #boutiquehotel

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Aug 7

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Well it had to happen one day. 27 years of being a mum and this is the first time that I haven’t seen one of my boys on their birthday.

So it’s happy 23rd to my magical middle son who is currently being whisked away to Budapest by his lovely girlfriend… I’m doing my best to sit on my hands and not interfere so here’s hoping you see this.

It was so hard to pick just 10 photos that encapsulate everything you are! Thank you for (almost!) always being such a ray of warmth and light in our family. We love you so much.

(And yes, that really is a stage fight with Sir Ian McKellen in shot 9!)

#birthdaythoughts #mumofboys #mumofsons

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Jun 16

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Today’s joy - all my chicks back in the nest for the first time since Christmas. To anyone who’s a parent of younger children who are driving you mad, trust me - in a few short years your definition of pure pleasure will be just having them all home again. There’s nowhere in the world I’d rather be than here with this lot today.

But life goes on when they leave so I’ve added a few recent outfits/times that you won’t have seen unless you’re a blog reader.

Hope you’ve had a lovely weekend and happy Father’s Day to all the brilliant dads out there, I wish mine was still here.

Outfit notes

1. Jumper marks&spencer (old), skirt @boden_clothing (ad/gifted current)
2. Top @zara (current), Jeans @me_andem (sold out)
3. Dress @me_andem (ad/gifted)
4. Top @johnlewis, jeans @marksandspencer, trainers @nikeofficial (all current)
5. Top, jacket, trousers, bag @johnlewis (ad/gifted current)
6. Top @arketofficial, trousers @cosstores (all current), trainers @adidasoriginals
7. Dress @@me_andem (ad/gifted current), sandals @massimodutti (old)
8. Top @boden_clothing (ad/gifted current); jeans @me_andem (old)
9. Jumpsuit @me_andem (ad/gifted current)

#agelessstyle #over50style #midlifechic #midlifeblogger #fathersday #wiw #ootd

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May 19

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It’s my birthday today - lunch out and they brought a ‘cake’ (the clue lies on the label - it’s my Heinz birthday!)

Last year flew by - some things went very right, some went very wrong - as they do for everyone - but the good thing about this stage of life is that you’ve learned to ride the waves and roll with the punches.

Midlife is such a time of reflection and (this is key) - IF you manage not to let the punches make you bitter, you find yourself growing into a better version of you. It’s a chrysalis phase, you shed the smooth skin and taut body but you can become a glorious, fully-lived version of yourself - whatever that looks like.

So, today I’m grateful to be growing older - too many people I’ve known and loved haven’t had the chance to do that. I know that another year of living is the biggest gift there is.

And on a lighter note, it’s been so long since I’ve posted any outfits on here that last week a friend asked me if I still even wear clothes!You’ll be relieved to know that I do - so here are some of my favourite outfits from my year of being 56.

Here’s to being Heinz 57…

#birthdaythoughts #birthdaywisdom #agelessstyle #midlifeblogger #midlifestyle #57 #olderandwiser #midlifechic

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May 17

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Ad/press trip So there I was on a cold, wet evening in April flicking through my emails when I saw one from @gg2theworld saying:

“we’ve had a cancellation on our women-only sailing trip to Thailand…

can you join us…

…in 10 days’ time?!”

And as luck (and a certain amount of panic!) would have it, I could.

Cue a solo adventure. I went away from home on my own for the first time in 25 years to sail a catamaran on the Andaman Sea with a group of women I’d never met before.

This gives you a flavour of what we did. The stories behind it are all in tonight’s blog post (link in bio). And next month I’ll be talking about how it felt to travel like this in midlife.

What I’ll say for now is that as an outgoing introvert it was a challenge for me (a wonderful one, granted) but I’m so glad I did it on so many levels.

Since lockdown I’d found myself ‘settling’ too much - this blew the midlife dust off me and I feel more in touch with my younger self again. I don’t know whether you can relate to that loss of bravery that can creep up on you in the middle years.

So I ask you - what was the last thing you did, big or small, by yourself?

#midlifeadventures #midlifetravel #midlifeadventure #agelessstyle #emptynestadventures #solotravel #womenonlytravel #travelblogger #thailand #andamansea

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Apr 16

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[Ad/press trip] As you’ll know if you’ve seen my blog or Stories, I’m away on a women only trip to Thailand with @gg2theworld and this gives you a feel for the first few days we spent in Phuket.

None of us knew each other before we travelled but we quickly established a bond - the conversations have been deep and open and the laughter has kept on coming.

Even though we’re from opposite sides of the world, we’ve found that we have a lot in common. It’s a coincidence that we’ve all dedicated our last few decades to building businesses with our husbands as well as raising our families and caring for our elderly parents as so many women do.

And now we’re taking a bit of time for ourselves - to work out who we were and more importantly, who we are now.

Midlife is just the beginning of everyone’s ’part 2’. It’s the point where if we can, we should all try to aim for what we really want, whatever that may be - because we have less time ahead of us than we have behind us.

I would never have thought about travelling alone before this - it just wouldn’t have occurred to me to spend time or money on myself. It’s something I haven’t done for over 25 years and I’ve missed my husband a lot.

As many of you know I felt incredibly nervous about heading out here into the unknown but the conversations on this trip have helped to open up my mind and think hard about the next two or three decades.

I’m building new hopes and dreams. Being with other pioneering midlife women has made me feel braver - I’ve finally said ‘yes’ to the book I’ve been asked to write and hopefully that’s just the beginning.

So if time away, just for you, is something you’ve wondered about, I urge you to give it a go. It’s your life and your future - and it won’t come around again. So give it a go.

#midlifeblogger #midlifeadventures #midlifewisdom #midlifetravelblogger #womenonlytravel #solotravel #thailandtravel #thailandtrip #agelessstyle

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Feb 10

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23 years ago today.

As I said in my blog post last night, if you’re lucky, the person you choose to spend your life with will turn out to be both your safest place and your biggest adventure.

Along with all the standard ones, our wedding vow was ‘to put a smile on each other’s face every day.’ On the good days it’s been easy, on the difficult ones less so - but we’ve done it 😅.

Thank you for 23 years of smiles Mal.

I’d never have thought it would be possible to love you more than I did then.

But I do ❤️

#keepsmiling #midlifechic #wedding #anniversary #longlastinglove #marriageadvice #thismuchiknow #over50blogger #relationshipadvice #loveyoulongtime

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Feb 4

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A 10 year evolution of style. It’s a quiet celebration for me today - 10 years ago I pressed ‘publish’ on my first ever blog post.

I was 46, my parents had just died and I was juggling 3 little boys and a fledgling business.

I felt like a walking shadow.

I started my blog as a personal project to ‘get my groove back’ as I called it at the time. I began with my clothes because I felt looking better from the outside would be a good starting point.

My family took snaps of outfits, I put them into blog posts and discovered so many other women in the same boat, trying to work out who they were as they headed into the confusing new reality of midlife. Many of them have become friends.

So here you can see how my style has changed over 10 years - scroll back to 2014 and we’ll start at the beginning.

2014 - my first snap wondering if my old corporate wardrobe still worked (it didn’t!)
2015 - learning that colour helped, my look was still very formal though
2016 - feeling braver - head to toe in red but still very classic
2017 - my 50th birthday - I was learning how to dress for my shape
2018 - the biggest style win was meeting @hair_by_premlee. Still the 5th most important man in my life!
2019 - 5 years on and things were coming together - I knew my shapes, colours and had the confidence to add a bit of drama
2020 - when everyone’s style was casual, going for my first haircut after 5 months of cutting it myself over lockdown
2021 - the empty nesting year - shaking off the last vestiges of mumsiness
2022 - learning I can still wear black if the cut is right and I lift it with a bit of colour
2023 - still experimenting - I know what suits me but every so often break out into something different like a mini-skirt

10 years of blogging has been a journey out of grief and the cosiness of mum life. Thank you to everyone here who’s lived through the ups and downs with me over on Midlifechic.

And to every woman here let me say that your 50s are what you make them. Don’t let anyone tell you who you should be, what you should wear or how you should behave.

Just be you.

And if you feel lost, start a project and find a way back to yourself.

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Jan 18

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Everyone seems to be reintroducing themselves on here so I thought I’d join in with 10 pictures that sum up the everyday me

1. I’m Nikki Garnett, I’m 56 and I talk a lot about midlife and how good it can be – as well as the challenges it throws up sometimes

2. I have not just one but four very important men in my life, my husband and 3 sons - they are at the heart of everything I do

3. Here’s Alfie the cat and Ted the dog – they’re important too

4. My career highlight - 9 years as editor of Selfridges magazine (this was me at 33, you can tell I didn’t want to do this photo!) - now I work as a consultant to brands, helping them understand the midlife customer

5. My blog Midlifechic, my passion project talking about growing wiser with style (link at the top)

6. Strength training is something I’ve grown to love. My fitness mantra? “Don’t let the old woman in!”

7. Home. I live off the beaten track in a village on the breathtaking North Lancashire coastline

8. And I love travelling – I did a degree in languages so it’s great to brush the rust off when I can

9. Newcastle upon Tyne - my favourite city in the world – I’m at my happiest there, I love the people, their humour and the craic

10. Disco - my guilty pleasure… from @nilerodgers to @jungle4eva… especially at a festival with a chance to dance in the sunshine

If there’s one thing I want this Instagram account of mine to say it’s that the older you get, the more fun you can have. So live!

Find what you love and don’t listen to anyone who suggests that you’re too old for anything.

Work out what it is that lights you up. You can’t beat a list so tell me - what’s the one thing you love that you’re going to do more of this year? You never know, you might give someone a whole new idea - and change their year.

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Dec 26

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Happy Christmas everyone!

Today (Boxing Day) feels like the first time for ages that I’ve been completely empty headed… which means I don’t have anything remotely profound to say but here are some of my favourite Christmas moments.

Over the last week I’ve just been making the most of having my boys back at home after a year of seeing nowhere near enough of them and it feels so good to have the house filled with their chat, mess and laughter again (maybe not the piles of smelly trainers by each door but I’ll live with that).

Anyway I just wanted to take a moment to catch up with you and say thank you for staying with this much neglected Instagram feed of mine this year - I haven’t posted anywhere near often enough but my day job’s been frantic and there just hasn’t been time - I’m determined to get back on track with #aglessstyle in the months to come though.

Until then, I hope your Christmas has been everything you hoped it would be so far… and that you have happy days rolling out ahead of you all the way to 2024 and beyond.

#midlifechic #christmas #christmas2023 #familychristmas #christmasstyle

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