Benetton printed trousers...

i love a printed trouser, or slacks as i like to call them because it reminds me of what Jessica Fletcher might call them in Murder She Wrote. i bought these beautifully coloured and printed pair from Benetton in Villamoura, Portugal, a few weeks ago...

ive been wearing them with a white camisole, white or grey slouchy tshirt or white shirt. shoes are also my favourite posh sandels (from Topshop) for when trainers or flip flops just wont do.

summer workwear...

                      image courtesy of www.misskasia.com

im fortunate enough to work somewhere without a uniform or strict dress code (although Stylist magazine published a fascinating article about a woman who wore the same outfit to work everyday to boost productivity...)this is also a bonus because it shakes me out of the jeans and tshirt rut its all too easy to fall into on a weekend with a toddler. but again its all too easy to wear the same skinnies and blouse week in week out.

so this re- surge of energy i wrote about post holiday came into good effect and i popped on my fresh wardrobe glasses and re discovered some beauts...

okay okay so i said this wasn't about wearing the same skinny jeans and blouse time and again but black skinny jeans are the base for a good working wardrobe (i swear by M&S 5 pocket jeggings) and this vintage blouse has been hanging in my wardrobe for about eight years and before that in some other ladies for about 20...

im all about fuss free. i cant be bothered to spend more than 5 minutes on my hair (a big reason its short) and i love anything that can be worn with a simple, slouchy tshirt. this cream lace skirt from Gap outlet has just a touch of sporty with the elasticated waistband and its boyed up a bit more with just a t. i think the best ones are H&M with the little pocket and only £7.99...

in the summer months its hard to know what to wear because its windy but boiling on your walk to work, you need comfy shoes but it might rain and once you get inside the aircon might be freezing. i found these tailored shorts, from Topshop, and i thought they worked perfectly with this loose white shirt (Barbour but bargain of the century from Oxfam) so there's flesh on show to keep cool but sleeves to keep the chill off. finished with good old tan loafers...

and my working wardrobe of the last month, actually the last year, is not complete without my smart joggers, again H&M. ease, comfort, smart. done deal. again with the white shirt or slouchy tshirt...

this fresh- eyes malarkey tends to happen every few months, thank god, because it saves me pennies and space. as much as i love a splurge as much as the next girl there is something far more satisfying opening your wardrobe doors and pulling out just what you want to wear. or fancy trying something new and finding that actually you have just the thing already.

inspiration...

since we got back from Portugal ive been a bit quieter on the posting while ive been catching up with my mini jobs; chasing up traders and emails for the park party (which is fast approaching) and, now the season is in full swing, its write ups galore for the triathlon club.

but i dont think i could jump into these tasks with such gusto were it not for a break. we all know how much better we feel after a few days away, it doesn't have to be abroad (but a bit of sun often helps)it just needs to be a change from the norm. a switch off off the mental and the email type.  while i was away i found relaxation, peace and from that inspiration in the sun, the wine and the copious amounts of magazines i digested.

and it was while i was thumbing the pages of Vogue (£2 in Manchester airport's WH Smiths, bargain)that i started thinking about the constant complaints with women's glossies being demoralising, out of touch with normaility and encouraging eating disorders. now we could sit here until next week discussing the whys and should theys of the use of extreme skinny, that's a whole other post. and there's a whole world of truth that the upmarket glossies want to create an elitism, but I don't read them and feel demoralised and unworthy. i feel inspired and energised.

i feel encouraged to strive for more work wise, building my skills and my cv now to achieve a career i can be proud of once Seb is a bit older. i want to be able to afford some of what i see on these pages, it doesnt make me feel depressed that i cant afford it now. instead my brain sparks off ideas of where i can find similar items on the high street or second hand, it makes me think about whats already in my wardrobe. i dont see the models photoshopped stomachs and want to cheese-grater off some of my own mum wobble, instead it reminds me to keep working hard to stay fit and strong. and the beauty pages remind me to experiment more with colours and makes me feel happy i have the confidence to wear shorter hair.

the result is arriving home, albeit to a mountain of dirty washing, with a new energy to keep working, keep writing, re shuffle my wardrobe and push to run 10 minutes more. when we're abroad we often feel a confidence to try out new styles, some of which wont work at home, but i love coming back and keeping a little bit of holiday running through my wardrobe. at least for a few weeks.

so i might not have another holiday planned for the rest of this summer but i will make sure i continue to read and visit some new places on a weekend and keep that summer inspiration coming...

weekend dressing...

this weekend I spent saturday up to my eyes in bathroom cleaner and washing. not v. glam. 

so sunday I needed to put more than scruffs on to feel a little bit Lucy again. sunday shopping in my hometown of hull and a very well worn and well loved French Connection blouse was the order of the day. with maternity leggings (well we still need comfort), tan shoes and a bit of bling.

blouse from French Connection. leggings from current maternity range at Next, tan leather slip one also Next and necklace from Primark. many moons ago.

happy rest of the week everyone.

dressing the bump...

this bank holiday weekend has been great. i am properly getting into the swing of not going around and about every weekend, just enjoying time at home, busying like a bee. in my jogging bottoms. 

these are the first non sport related joggers I have owned since my mum allowed me some Ellese navy nylon jogging bottoms back in 1997/ 98 kind of time when sportswear really took off, before it became the uniform of those seen on Jeremy Kyle. to be honest those Ellese bottoms were really for P.E. but I occasionally wore them outside of the sporting events. what I didn't do however was wear them with heels like some girls did. i'll never forget the time i first saw a girl, a few years older than me, wear Adidas trackies and heels. I was in awe and yet disgusted all at the same time. you have to remember, this is rural Yorkshire I grew up in. the way East 17 dressed didn't make sense to a lot of us like it would those cool kids from London.

anyway. i happily spend my weekends lounging in skinny joggers now but my natural instincts take over every couple of days and i have get out of them and dress like me again.

now podge is becoming something more than just bloating I am embracing clothes again. and not just clingy stuff to show off, also my staple over size blouses which are great for skimming, but also make me feel like me. seen as I don't look a great deal different in them.

so this weekend i ventured out shopping and lunching which meant two excuses to get out of the grey marl.

sunday day called for my new topshop maternity blouse (but could actually be from the normal range) I found on eBay and my old black skinnies just extended at the waist slightly with a band. and of course flat shoes. in this case red slippers from Primarni. and my leather jacket. but it was actually too warm to wear it. finished off with easy hair, gold studs and pink lip gloss. 

i had seen the white version of this blouse last Christmas and really fancied it so I was very happy when I spotted it on eBay and won it for a princely £3.50. I love the gold details to just add something.

sunday evening we were heading out for a friend's birthday at a local Chinese and I fancied giving a new vintage blouse an outing.

i just changed my jeans (into less faded, more evening appropriate), chucked on some orange court shoes and swapped the gloss for orange lippy. I love love love this blouse and it is going to last me ages and still look good post- baby. I also love pops of colour for jazzing an outfit up. and even if you're feeling rubbish, bright accessories or lipstick can't help but put a smile on your face.

shopping saturday with mum...

tomorrow I'm going to partake in one of my favourite activities; shopping. but this won't be just any old shopping outing, this is shopping with my mum. this is planning the week before hand, spending, pondering and discussing in depth over lunch, coffee breaks and then digesting the whole way home and the next day too.

this shopping trip is pre- holiday, a chance to coo at baby clothes and opportunity to snap up an unexpected bargain or treat. we're heading to Leeds to check out the new Trinity Shopping Centre and so I can introduce my mum to the delights of bibis, this is a gorgeous Art Deco, great gatsby glamorous restaurant and cocktail bar that has been well loved for years but I'm such a novice to the dining and drinking scene in Leeds I have only just discovered, thanks to my lovely bestie.

so in two weeks i jet to marrakech with my gorgeous husband so the shopping list (route planned from the car park and back again of course) is holiday inspired. and by holiday inspried i mean that road we all go down when we feel that a week in sunnier climes calls for floaty things, more swim wear than you can shake a colourful stick at and traveller inspired jewelry. top of the list is another bikini; I'm down to only one that fits me and my slightly bigger pregnant boobs. black I think, let's go classic. I'm also on the hunt for a 'go with anything' t shirt for Dave, a simple black vest from H&M Mama and some flat, black, leather peep toes to see me through my last 11 weeks at work. spotted in topshop.

we're looking forward to a good primark rummage though. now primark falls in and out of favour with me. sometimes it's crap central and the next time it is full of pieces you just have to have to jazz up a lacking wardrobe. I bought a stripy cotton maxi skirt from there last month, one that can grow with me and then shrink down again. I spotted one in there a couple of weeks ago in leopard print and that might just have my name on. same goes for a cream kaftan covered in black, gold and acid beading; again will work equally well with the aforementioned black bikini as it will with skinny jeans or leggings when I get more plump. ive got a beady eye out for a sleeveless blouse too.

and once the shopping list has been made and discussed all that's left to do is plan the outfit and get my nails painted if I've not already been shallaced. so whatever you plan to do with your Saturday, enjoy. I will thoroughly enjoy my girl's day and keep you posted on the splurges...

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super sundays...

today has been one of those great days where you manage to do a little bit of everything a sunday should give you and you finish the day feeling like you've achieved.

a good sunday should always start with breakfast in bed. this morning I was woken up by the Jack R and so it was up to me to make porridge and hot cross buns. a good sunday breakfast in bed should always be accompanied by a read. be it the papers, electronically or traditionally, or a good book. this morning I started to work my way through Shopping in Marrakech by Susan Simon. it's a pocket sized, delightful insight into the medinas and souks and shops of the red city and started the excitement bubbling for our baby- moon in 5 weeks time. 

following your escape from the duvet, a super sunday always requires a decent outfit. not necessarily dressy as there are always one form of housework or job to be done. but certainly some effort should be made when going out into public. always. especially on a sunday. to starve away the rain I decided on my new raspberry asos maternity jeans that I am slowly growing into (and to be quite honest they are still to big.) I teamed these with a topshop boyfriend fit navy and oatmeal t shirt, navy whistles blazer and pink pumps with sparkles on. sparkles and sunday go hand in hand. 

i accessorised with my weekend watch; gold Marc Jacobs, a variety of bracelets and charms and some multi coloured starling ear rings.

once dressed we walked the dog (good sundays should always have some form of exercise) and frequented our local spring festival. working for a local company and living in a rural area you get to enjoy dipping your toe into community life. the sun managed to stay out just long enough for the festivities and we enjoyed a bacon sandwich (a staple of a sunday diet)within the beautiful church yard.

on our return home I relaxed with some recorded tv and a cup of chamomile tea(the rain was starting in its way) and then fitted in a couple of jobs; cleaning the bathrooms and cleaning up a second hand unit we have just purchased. dispite housework not being too fun a successful Sunday must include some jobs to make you feel like Wonder Woman/ domestic goddess. 

mid afternoon it was time to start on my real job for the day; prepping the flags for the centre pieces for a christening I am decorating in a few weeks. 

whilst I am on the subject of decor, I cannot highly  recommend this book enough. it was purchased to help me with ideas for my home grown wedding and it is full of fantastic ideas for paper crafts that really don't look naff and homemade in that 'not very handy' way. it's called paper & craft by Minhee and Truman Cho of Paper & Cup. 

and as all good Sundays should finish, we have seen out the final hours of today with a roast and good company. before early to bed of course, being a school night. 

so a super sunday requires, in my opinion:

breakfast in bed

a good read (or other suitable activity)

a snazzy outfit

a walk

a bacon buttie/ hot cross bun/ pancakes etc etc

relaxation

domestic brilliance

something creative/ a hobby

a roast

family and friends

i hope you've had a good Sunday, whatever you may have done. it's worth stopping at the end of the weekend and thinking about the good stuff, before we get bogged down into the next week... and take pictures. it's nice to reflect back on...

hello again...

tomorrow Dave and myself get to meet our baby bubs again, for the second time. we definitely won't be finding out whether Lentil will have a diddle or a foo foo though, i'm all for surprises me.

so halfway there got me to thinking. you spend the first 20 weeks: finding out, throwing up or trying not to fall asleep in the office, informing people you are pregnant so they don't just think you are putting on weight, and working your way up to being 20 weeks. and proper pregnant, and hopefully with a bump to show for it. otherwise you are a bit of a disappointment. maybe it's just me, and being a first timer and all that, but I felt that the 10s and the teens of pregnancy weeks were wished away ready for proper pregnant time. a time of wonder. a time of blooming and no spots hopefully. i felt that when someone asked me how far gone I was i had to add the next week on: "i'm 16 weeks, nearly 17." a bit like when you're little and you say you're 8 and a half, nearly 9.

but now i'm there. at big school with the big girls. and i'm passing the bloated looking/ i've had pasta and garlic bread for lunch stage which means I can dress my podge now, rather than disguising. 

and bump dressing means shopping and clothes and eBay browsing and charity shop adapting. like raindrops and roses and whiskers on kittens.

so over the next few weeks i'm going to record some outfits for those heading the rounder way like me. and delve a little more into yummy mum to be style...

spotted...typo trend...

they are preaching to the converted in me, but the media are loving typography in the home and fashion at the moment.

last week The Sunday Times Magazine published an article about typography trends in the home and the benefits of going handmade, or bespoke, rather than the usual keep calm malarkey. 

michael hennegan quotes jane rockett, founder of rockett st george 
"be careful of mass-produced prints, cushions and mugs, which may be amusing, but quickly become dated" rockett says "go for something personalised."

he also quotes the graffiti artist ben eine "I think the handcrafted element is beautiful. the mistakes that people have made and which are in their work."

so opt for handmade.

you know where we are...www.etsy.com/shop/roughtype

wish list...

i have tried really hard not to buy too much this month (well the 19 days of it so far) and have only succumbed to a jersey midi length Aztecs style dress. and the logic there was that it will look great with thick tights and ankle boots now and a grandma cardigan and then come the warmer weather, off with the thick layers and on with the leather jacket and spring/ summer suitable footwear. and when I bought it last weekend it was the first time I had seen it in my size. so it was a good idea to buy it.

the thing I think about buying stuff now is its got to be wearable today, but equally wearable in spring and even into summer. I see very little point in buying 3 new wooly jumpers and some new cord skinnies. although on the topic I've just remembered that I did buy a big knitted jumper 2 weeks ago... but that was neon yellow and green and from oxfam so doesn't count. 

on my wish list for february, when I will allow myself to get the cards back out, is basically everything from Mango and Zara once again. their november/ december stuff was flipping good and my christmas party and New Year's Eve outfits both came from mango as it happens.

looking ahead to the new season with these two high street beauties; there are monochrome shirts galore, mannish slacks, lighter knits and my everyday favourite, the boyfriend jean (as promoted by The Fashion Guitar this last week.) i love it when you see more of what you already have and love in the stores. 

feels like someone is on your wavelength. 

my favourite  pieces from Mango thus far include this gorgeous little Eiffel Tower print dress, this slouchy mint knit (and the way it's worn in this picture is perfect) and basically the whole damn lot on the last picture.

                                    

and Zara basically nails it again with blouses. I think I can just about squeeze some more into my wardrobe.

a photo a day cont...

week two of the challenge and I missed a day...

onwards and upwards though:-

something beginning with t (a tea cosy)
paper (book poster)
one o clock (something i bought at one)
water (a globe)
circle (a tea pot lid)
something yellow (a yogurt pot)