SS19 - what to wear now and midlife lately

Happy Easter! I hope this post finds you at the beginning of a long break either at home or away. We aren’t going anywhere – the boys are in revision lockdown so it’s a very serious house at the moment. I am also on enforced rest. I’m going to have to rename this blog MidlifeCrock because I’ve now hurt my back. All I did was bend over to pick up a pizza that had slipped out of my shopping bag into the footwell of the car and everything seized.

The osteopath tells me it’s disc trouble and so I have a two hourly routine involving frozen peas and lying on the floor. It’s so frustrating because thanks to my new intensive gym regime I was feeling really fit… and yes I realise it’s probably also thanks to my intensive gym regime that I’ve hurt my back… ‘too much all at once’ is a stupid mantra.

Mr MC of course thinks the idea of an Easter of enforced rest is a good one. He’s delighted that all plans for domestic improvements have been cancelled and is busy imagining a four-day movie marathon. Anyway, at least I can blog and so I thought I’d bring you a ‘what to wear now’ post as for the last few days it’s actually felt warm. The days of no socks are here and as I say that, I’m wondering whether the ‘in sickness and in health’ pledge runs to a home pedicure. I suspect not.

So, a few weeks ago we established that there isn’t a huge change on the style front this season. Updates are subtle and mostly based around colour so let me give you a few ideas for refreshing the outfits you already have in your wardrobe.

SS19 – what to wear now – Blazers

I, for one, am delighted that a blazer with jeans is a strong look again this summer. Last year the silhouette moved towards a longer cut and this year it remains the same – but lighter, brighter colours abound. Although navy and black blazers remain a classic look, there’s room to add paler or spicier hues to your collection. Here are a few ideas:

Washable longline blazer: like a cream coat, a cream blazer is a luxe look. I’ve bought this one for summer because it’s washable and I like its louche tuxedo styling.
Modal blend blazer: (also available in biscuit and pine green) for those who favour the very on trend double breasted look. This has good structure which is important if you like to wear your blazers open.
Safari jacket: I absolutely love this. Safari chic is bigger than ever this year and the belted waist means that it would work with a dress or dressed down with jeans.
Yellow textured blazer: (also available in jade green) texture always elevates a blazer and helps extend wear between dry cleaning. This is beautifully tailored and I like the rounded hem at the front which gives a more streamlined look. It has 25% off for Easter weekend.
Single breasted taupe blazer: the ultimate jacket for SS19, a longline beige blazer, easy to wear because it goes with everything.

SS19 – what to wear now – jeans try-on

Moving on, I thought we’d have another look at jeans. As we’ve already discussed, this year’s summer jean is a lighter wash than it has been for a long time, going as far as a bleach or acid wash. Jeans are still cropped and high rise but stiffer denim is coming through to the high street as part of the general 80s revival. These are the pairs that I’ve seen recommended most often by magazine editors and street stylers this season but jeans have to be tried on to be assessed properly so I thought I’d order them in to review (probably not the best project with a bad back but I’d started so I was determined to finish). Quite a few were sold out in the lighter washes in my size so look at them for shape and then decide on your own colour preference.

1. Relaxed ankle grazer jeans

So starting with a reminder of a pair you’ve already seen, the relaxed ankle grazer jeans. These are the lowest price of today’s selection and after the initial sell-out they’re now finally back in stock.

Relaxed ankle grazers

They’re a light, soft denim and a looser cut, this is how they look on me in a size 12. If you’re between sizes, they come up a little big.

Relaxed ankle grazer jeans

2. High waist straight leg jeans

The next lower priced pair are these high waist straight leg jeans. They’re a good choice if you’re playing around with a lighter wash for the first time and don’t want to spend a lot. The denim is lightweight and they’re true to size.

High waist straight leg jeans:

High waist straight leg jeans; Blouse (gifted SS19, currently 30% off)

Ecru wide leg jeans

These wide leg crops have been raved about in both Grazia and Red magazine. The fabric is so soft that it almost doesn’t feel like denim and they’re ecru rather than white. They’re a Rolls Royce pair and a great choice if you liked the white ones I was wearing in the last post but weren’t keen on the raw hems.

Ecru wide-leg crops

By the way they say size down on the website but I found them true to size.

Ecru wide-leg crops ; Blouse (gifted SS19, currently 30% off)

Updated 501s

501s. Just the thought of them makes me shiver with nostalgia. I remember finding the perfect pair in a vintage shop on Endell Street in Covent Garden in 1989 and I wore them for years, they literally fell apart on me in the end. Levi’s updated them as a skinny when skinny jeans were in but that never appealed to me, it seemed a brand extension too far from the original. However now they’ve reverted to a style that is close to the original cut but they’re cropped, as you can see.

Updated 501s

And here they are on me in a 29 – they fit but there isn’t a lot of blood getting to my legs. Having said that, I really, really like them. They’re heavy, stiff, unyielding denim but you know that if you started to wear them, they’d soon soften up and mould to the shape of your body. It’s only when you compare cheaper denim alongside more expensive denim like this that you really start to notice the difference. I don’t need another pair of jeans but I’m so very tempted to order them a size up – or maybe two sizes up so that they’re a bit looser as in the model pic above.

Updated 501s; Blouse (gifted SS19, currently 30% off)

Ribcage jeans

And finally the jeans du jour – the Ribcage. These are the jeans that you see on the streetstylers and they always seem to look great. I’m very partial to a high rise as you know and these are called the ribcage because… you’ve guessed it… they come up to your ribs giving you the appearance of legs that go on for miles and miles. Here they are on the model…

Ribcage jeans

… and here they are on me (I clearly missed a trick by not styling them with a shoelace as a belt though). So, this isn’t the first time I’ve tried them. Last time I ordered my usual size 29 and there was no hope of doing them up. My conclusion was that they were not made for anybody who has weathered a pregnancy. They were so tight that when I returned them I ordered a 32″ in exchange. That’s the size I’m wearing here and they’re much too big (thankfully) so they’re looking pretty sloppy on me. This look, I suspect, is the one that will be coming through to the high street next: wider, longer, higher. If the sizing is right I think they would look really good for winter with boots but it’s summer jeans I’m looking at so I’m not going to try again with these now. I’m definitely not ruling them out for next season though.

Ribcage jeans; Blouse (gifted SS19, currently 30% off)

SS19 – what to wear now – shoes and sandals

Footwear continues to be a primary outfit focus which is why jeans remain cropped at the ankle and as with blazers, light, bright colours are key. As far as sandals are concerned, the spotlight this season rather strangely is on the big toe which you’ll notice is often isolated from the others, making it a feature. So, I’ve included an example of that trend here (6) along with other key looks – the mule and the barely there sandal along with some updated flats (some of us have been banned from heels for a while!).

Calamine pink loafers: (lots of other colours available) a minimalist loafer that comes with guaranteed comfort
Strappy silver sandals: (also available in cobalt) silver, of course, goes with everything and is this year’s key metallic
Silver mules: (also available in beige) great value if you’re just looking for a going out shoe with the added bonus of a comfortable footbed
Orange mules: nothing says summer quicker than a pop of orange but shoes in this colour are always hard to find
Red suede with ankle ties: (also available in black) with no strap across the front of the foot, these have a leg lengthening effect but the ankle tie makes them easier to walk in
White sandals with toe feature: (also available in orange) a barely there sandal with an isolated big toe – SS19 trends encapsulated
Simple off white loafers: a pared down loafer in this year’s white, a comfortable and iconic classic that you’ll wear endlessly

So, I hope that’s given you a few things to think about as you sit down with a cup of tea and a hot cross bun. In the meantime, let’s have a quick catch-up

Midlife lately

As you know, we’re in full steam exam prep at home so I’m finding the office to be a calm sanctuary. We did all go out for tea on Mother’s Day though and I managed to get my annual mum and sons picture before we went in. The middle son you’ll notice is into the 80s retro look and currently buys a lot of his clothes from vintage stores so when I suggested he ‘wear something nice’ this reclaimed sweatshirt was his interpretation.

The eldest has alarming hair, I know, we’ve been living with it for ages. Before I explain why though I just want to draw your attention to my silk shirt that I bought last month because it’s good value. As you know I prefer shirts without a collar because they’re better for wearing with jackets but they’re really hard to find. This one is washable and it comes in four colours. It’s a heavy silk with a good sheen and I find it adds a touch of luxury to anything I pair it with. I got the cotton 7/8 trousers at the same time and they’re also good value and true to size. Back to the story…

Silk blouse, 7/8 cotton trousers, snake slingbacks (more stock here)

… so, the hair. It all began one evening in January when he came home with a packet of bleach and commandeered my (non-existent) hairdressing skills. You see the boy made a rash promise on social media that if he raised over £500 by doing Movember he’d go blonde after Christmas. He aced his target and so his rugby team mates held him to his pledge…

… and of course the whole thing had to be filmed for his followers.

So not only have we been living with a moustache and beard but also the loss of his chestnut locks that I’ve always been so proud of. Anyway, he’s promised me that it’s going to be cut off next weekend. Thank goodness.

Other than our Mothers’ Day trip out, it’s been eyes to laptops all the way for everyone apart from one night this week. You may remember that in my ‘gifts for teens’ post at Christmas I suggested buying experience vouchers, particularly with this time of year in mind. I bought a package for two for the youngest and middle but was then sent a second one by Buy A Gift as a thank you for the mention – so it turned into a family night out.

Our nearest track was in Warrington which was a bit of a drive with a bad back but here they are, ready to race, each with a quiet determination to beat the others.

There was a safety briefing and then along with the other participants they were lined up and ready to go. Now I just have to say how fascinating it was to watch because as a mother you know your tribe so well. The eldest and youngest are naturally the fastest and most competitive on land however, this was different.

I know the eldest has never been one for high adrenalin thrills and so as I expected, he started off cautiously but soon gained confidence as he went along. The middle one who usually makes a point of not going anywhere quickly, had his foot on full throttle from the outset. We joke that the youngest being a black belt like his dad is ‘licensed to kill’ and yet he doesn’t have a killer instinct. He’s known by the old ladies in the villages for his ‘wonderful manners’ and I watched as he politely pulled in to let other drivers pass him. Not quite the point of a racetrack but it made me smile. Mr MC on the other hand made me think again. He’s always been a lovely dad, hovering one step behind them whenever they’ve tried something new like this, ready to catch them if they fall. However I watched as he turned a corner to see the youngest stuck after crashing into the tyres. What did he do? He accelerated and raced past with a dastardly smile on his face! I think he’s aware that his young pups are starting to outstrip him and so was determined to prove that he’s still the leader of the pack.

And, as you can see, he whooped them!

I’d taken a book with me to fill the hour but it flew by as I watched their different approaches. It was such a good stress reliever for them all, a good bonding experience too and we made them even happier by stopping at a Burger King on the way home (something we don’t have round here). It can be so difficult to find a way to go out as a family with teenage sons but I keep hearing them laughing about it so it was really worthwhile and looking at the website, it’s currently on a half price offer here. One tip from me though – wrap up – it’s cold for spectators.

And with that I wish you a Happy Easter, I hope you spend it doing something wonderful. I was planning to cook an elaborate meal on Sunday but obviously that’s now not a good idea. However my lovely friend has invited us over for lunch so we’ll have an even better time, hopefully drinking wine in the Spring sunshine. Enjoy your break and I’ll be back on Tuesday.