aka the adventures of blueskygirlie: I'm a part-time marketing consultant/social media content creator, a part-time style blogger and a full-time fashion obsessive! I am also a seller of fabulous vintage treasures via Etsy, a mum to a blended family & here to help to prove you can be over 40 & still look great! I dropped 5 dress sizes between my 30's and my 40's and now run 5k 3 times a week. I changed my life and this blog helps me to share what I'm discovering along the way…
Sometimes you wake up and want to look a bit quirky. I’ve been on Pinterest quite a bit lately and have seen a lot of great blogger styling shots of maxi skirts and statement necklaces. Comfortable to wear and easy to style, maxi skirts can be dressed up or down and worn in any season and the addition of this fabulous necklace takes the outfit to another level. sourced via my Pinterest boards
I recently found a fab 1980s top in a local vintage clothing shop and loved its cute quirky wide stripes. Tucking it into a Very.co.uk petite range maxi skirt balances out its strong pattern too. A maxi skirt is a great wardrobe staple and just because you are smaller doesn’t mean you cant have one. Check put Verys petite range – it is rather good! For sizing this one is a UK10 and you can find similar here.
This look is very much about white accessories and the white bubble necklace (one of my favourite type of accessories – I blogged about them here) and a wide belt work together perfectly. A bargain pair of Peacocks flats (£4 in the sale) carries the red through.
What ideas on Pinterest have inspired you lately?
Top – Vintage Necklace – eBay Belt – New Look Skirt – very.co.uk Shoes – Peacocks
When I heard the Dawn O’Porter was launching another BOB pop up shop to tie in with Septembers London Fashion Week I jumped at the change to visit. Last season when it was in Seven Dials I hadn’t been able to get into London and had been really disappointed I had missed it.
The shop is located on Newburgh Street just off of Carnaby Street.
As well as her BOB range (new and last season items that are now in the sale) there’s a fantastic range of handpicked vintage clothing ranging from around £40 up to over £500. If you’re wondering what £500 buys you it buys the most AMAZING designer Courreges cream floor length cape that I looked at in awe… And then there was my dream skirt – the ‘Jane’ paper planes skirt. It has a print featuring stationary, Fab lollies, paper planes and Wotsits!!!! Do you remember I blogged about it back in December? Even though it is utterly wonderful, at £180 I just couldnt justify the cost while I am at home with my son and not earning much…
But as it was last season its now in the sale and with 70% off noless! In the shop they only had a small and large and even though I managed to squeeze myself into the small it was very tight – I’d say the small is a size 8/10 whereas the medium is more a 10/12. Dawn was really helpful and suggested I ordered it online and the next day I did just that! With delivery charges it came to £59.50.
It arrived beautifully packaged in tissue paper and in this gorgeous black box…Here is a close up of its brilliant Karen Mabon designed print – perfectly observed if you attended school in the 80s/early 90s…
And this is me in the skirt I’ve coveted for far too long… The newer designs of this skirt are now sized in generic dress sizes 8-14 which I think makes it much easier to find your size. Find the new designs here.
When I visited Dawn was in store and greeted me with a cheery “Hi! Ooh I LOVE your skirt!” (I was wearing a long leopard print maxt skirt) She was lovely and really helpful and chatty. I had to get my photo taken with her too – I love her TV shows and follow her avidly on Instagram. She is wearing the BOB ‘Kirstin’ dress here – the Toucan filled tropical print is adorable and you can buy it via the website here.
Get down there quick before it shuts its doors till next season…
BOB boutique: 8 Newburgh Street, London Monday to Saturday 10am-7pm Sunday 12pm-5pm
A little while ago I blogged about wearing pink (find it here), well I’m at it again while we have some suprisingly warm weather for Autumn here in the UK.
Last time I styled it subtly, to try and make it age appropriate (I’m 42!) but today my look is more a laid back homage to the 90’s – an era that is very much mine. In fact all day I couldn’t help but feel like a modern day Brenda from my 90s obsession, Beverley Hills 90210!
I’m wearing a new style of jeans for me…’mom fit’. Ok stop sniggering – its a high waisted and generous cut designed to be belted in at the waist…and I hate to admit it, but its super easy and comfortable to wear. Its not the most flattering fit as it does highlight any roundness of the tummy but all in all I think its a cute look. This ripped style pair are from Primark priced at £12 available in sizes 6-20.
I am wearing another Primark buy on top – a pink lace tee which I’ve tucked in to make the look a bit more streamlined and put a white vest underneath. A simple thick white belt completes the look. The ‘back to the 90’s’ look is everywhere at the moment – type 90’s into ASOS and look how much stuff comes up!
On my feet I’ve gone old school! I’ll tell you a secret, these are in fact my first ever pair of Vans! At 42 I’ve finally moved away from my usual Converse and gone for a pretty mid pink colour as my first pair. They are so comfortable and chunky and I can now see why people love them.
So will you embrace the 90s vibe? And what about pink…? Fashion is like a fantastic box of chocolates – have fun picking from all those different tastes.
Last week I shared my first easy to wear outfit for autumn (see blog here). Today see my second easy to wear cosy combo…
Todays uniform – a long jumper/cardigan, leggings and knee high bootsWhat you need in your wardrobe –
Roll neck jumper
Longline cardigan (or jumper)
Leggings
Knee high boots
This look is all about proportion – a long cardigan or jumper teamed with leggings is a very flattering easy look to wear. A layered look keeps you warm too.
A cosy look for a chilly day, the roll neck jumper underneath creates a more elegant look but if the weather is milder replace it with a long sleeve t-shirt instead.
Knee high boots complete the look and always work great over leggings.
And for hair and make-up? For an outfit like this I like to keep it natural with brown and bronze eyeshadows, a brush of bronzer and neutral lipstick. I like to keep my thick wavy hair more natural in the winter and not straighten it too much so curls are the way to go for me!
Find uniform number 1 here. Look out for my next blog on creating easy to put together outfits this Autumn next week.
At the weekend I was lucky enough to go to this years London Fashion Weekend having won a pair of silver tickets from Very Exclusive.
So what is London Fashion Weekend? Following London Fashion Week, London Fashion Weekend is a fashionista extravaganza taking place straight afterwards, letting everyone experience the fabulous world of fashion. The Saatchi Gallery is transformed into an exclusive fashion experience, brimming with designer catwalk shows, pop-up shops, hair and beauty areas and days of educational panels and talks.
The beautiful location of the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea had been cleared of art and filled with lots of rooms of pop up shops plus a huge catwalk area on the top floor. The sun was shining and it was teeming with bloggers, fashion lovers and creatives.
I wore a simple, yet (hopefully you’ll think) stylish outfit of a black jersey roll neck from Select and a Primark pleated animal print maxi skirt with leather heeled boots from Next. Instead of a necklace I tied a chiffon scarf around my neck to create a pussy bow effect and added a fab studded belt I have from Warehouse which always creates the most flattering silhouette for me. All high street clothing too!
I took one of my favourite people in the world, my friend Ciara, who also loves fashion. Once there we were booked in to see the AW15 trend show by Very Exclusive which showcased key looks for the season in 4 fashion stories. It was hosted by fashion write & stylist Angela Scanlon and really filled me with inspiration.
Here are a few of my favourite looks…
A Modish colour pop dress with a retro vibe:
A stunning red statement coat:
A laid back Boho smock dress:
Luxe trousers with a berry leather biker jacket:
And the finale… My only real critism of the show was the models were so thin and there was no mix of age. In all this talk about plus size and more ‘normal’ models there wasnt a girl over a size 6/8 and no girls over about 21/22 years old… There were quite a few young girls there with their parents and you have to question what message it sent – I’m a size 10/12 and watching them made me feel enormous!We then went around the venue looking at all the different brands most of which had special offers and discounts of between 20-70% off.
Heres my top 5 favourites…
Wolf & Moon jewellery: The Cambridge Satchel Co.’s collaboration with Vivienne Westwood:Wooden Prada sunglasses: In fact I fell in love with a lot of sunglasses! These are Prada and Mui Mui respectively and its clear that theres definitely going to be a lot of fun OTT oversized styles coming out next season. Frends ‘Taylor’ headphones in rose gold coloured metal & white leather: Helene Berman London coats:
It was great fun and I’m looking forward to reading the official magazine and deciding what pieces I cant live without for AW15!
Whether it’s shopping for your new season wardrobe or experiencing the atmosphere and drama of the catwalk or a VIP experience like no other – London Fashion Weekend is a great event. To be the first to find out when tickets go on sale for the February 2016 event, sign up to their newsletter here.
Autumn is here and its time to put away the pretty dresses, sandals and cute vests. So, what to wear now? Well I personally think autumn is the easiest season to dress for with 4 ‘uniforms’ that will get you dressed in no time. In todays blog I show one version how…
Todays uniform – 1) a roll neck, short skirt, tights and boots
What you need in your wardrobe –
Roll neck jumper
Short skirt
Opaque tights
Ankle boots
This look is a really simple look to put together. Choose a slim fitting roll neck jumper and tuck it into a short flared skirt. If you’d rather go longer with your skirt pick an A-line knee skirt which works just as well.
Add black opaque tights (I favour a 100 denier tight in the winter) and black ankle boots.
Keep it simple with no accessories and for the most flattering look keep your jumper and skirt tonal – i.e. both shades of brown as I have done here. If you fancy wearing a pattern wear it on your bottom half and keep your roll neck a plain coordinating colour.
And thats autumn uniform number 1!
Look out for my blog next week on creating another easy to put together outfit this autumn.
Hello Fashion Monthly launched almost a year ago and since then has become my go-to magazine for fashion inspiration. Surprisingly, not many people I know seem to read it as its often overshadowed by the many other fashion magazines that are out each month.It has a great balance of high fashion and high street fashion, as well as smaller sections on beauty, lifestyle and weddings. The interviews are insightful and intelligent and are often with women in the fashion industry who have something important to say.
And it only costs £1! Every month! What a bargain! Hello Fashion Monthly magazine is available at larger newsagents and supermarkets – Octobers issue is out now.
You will of noticed I have quite a few of them (find some previous outfit posts here and here). They are very easy to wear and flattering and don’t take a lot of styling – less is definitely more in the case of a jumpsuit.
Todays (well tonights) look is for a date night with my lovely fiance. We try and make sure we always make time for each other and a romantic meal out is perfect for that – with 4 kids between us and busy lives its key really!
I am wearing a gorgeous sleeveless navy cotton jumpsuit from Next Petite. It buttons up to the neck like a shirt and looks so elegant. The wide leg shape balances the fitted top and it has pockets, something I just love styling wise. For sizing I am wearing a UK 10 (it has an elasticated waist) but I did have to shorten it! Yes, I am so short, a petite item was too long!!! If youre below 5’3″ I’d imagine you’d have to so the same – I shortened it by about 2″ which on the plus side, means I can wear flats with it too.
A studded skinny belt and earrings from Forever21 with with gold details accessorise the look. The belt cinches in the elasticated waist and draws your eye to the most narrow part of the body.
And on my feet, my new Primark sandals – the pop of cerise against the navy works perfectly and livens up this dark outfit.
As its a date I wore more make-up than I usually do and styled my hair into a messy bun.
Base – Max Faxtor foundation/pan stick in beige, Soap & Glory ‘Love at First Blush’ Eyes- BarryM dazzle dust in 103 and Rimmel Exaggerate liquid liner/Lift Me Up mascara
Lips – Make Up Gallery lipstick Purple Pop (find my review on their make up range here).
I loved this look and felt fabulous in it. It is dressy but doesnt look like its trying too hard! Do you enjoy a date night with your other half? What do you wear to make it feel special?
I’m just back from a 5k run and its time for a bit on my health and fitness progress I think… My change started about 4 years ago – going from a size 20/22 to UK 12. Now, I am by no means a preacher for how you should live your life but for me being fat was like being imprisoned in my own body. I hated myself, felt terrible, was a slave to panic attacks and suffered various aches and pains. I had a family history of heart attacks and looking back I was a ticking time bomb. You would never of know this though as I was always perfectly presented, with the nicest clothes, make-up etc and seemed bubbly and confident.
before and after…
before and after…
The history: my weight has always been an issue. I remember being on my first diet at about 11 years old and my issues with food carried on from there. My 16 I was about 11st ish and at a super bitchy girls school where I developed Bulima and via that, crash dieting and an old exercise bike got down to 9st 12lb by the time I returned to 6th Form that September. Of course I couldnt maintain that weight and I quickly put weight back on. During the early 90s working at Harrods, partying hard and enjoying the rave scene (plus a summer working in Greece) I slowly lost some weight and was around 12st 7lb on my return to the UK – ironically this weight became my dream weight throughout my 30s that I desperately wanted to get to. I was 13st 11lb on my wedding day – I felt great but in reality I was still a size 16/18 – my wedding dress was a size 20. I told myself it was ‘couture bridal sizes’ but the fact was I was still fat. Diets came and went, losing and putting on the same 3 stone. After the birth of my son I was at my heaviest – 16st 13lb and in desperation went liquid only for 100 days on the LighterLife plan. I lost 50lb but also felt terrible, my hair fell out and my blood pressure got so low even my doctor looked worried…and the minute I went back to normal eating my weight started going up again. I stayed big for a few years totally in denial telling myself I was big boned with a poor metalobism and that people should just accept me for who I was. I did no exercise, binge ate, had no portion control and suffered terrible anxiety.
after the birth of my son in 2006
In 2010 my best friend announced she was getting married and I decided to try and lose weight again as she had asked me to be a witness. This time something felt different, I felt different – I was in my late 30s and so tired of being fat, feeling old and ill, being scared for my health (my father died aged just 52 of a heart attack). I joined WeightWatchers and over a year or so slowly lost weight, started walking as much as I could and going to the gym doing Vibroplate to tone up. This coincided with some big life changes and I stopped attending group and just kept up the dieting at home using the MyFitnessPal app to track my food and find support. By 2012 I was 11st 11lb and well below my ‘dream weight’ from that summer in Greece, a comfortable size 12/14 and for a while that seemed perfect.
But something niggled me…I knew I could do better. In 2013 I decided I would try one last push to see if I could lose another stone and started running using the C25k app. I was petrified of high impact exercise – it took me a year or so to run 5k without stopping but I run 3 times a week every week running on holidays and even on Boxing Day! Its been hard. Very hard. And I haven’t got to that illusive goal weight. Who knows, but for now the pain required outweighs the benefits…the body I have at 42 is not going to be the one I had at 16! I’m still technically very slightly overweight but I’m ok with that – I am so proud of the body (and new person) I have created. The saddest part as I write this is I remember every weight, at every point in my life. That’s how I judge myself. Thats how I remember things. I realise now I am more than a weight, that I have beaten my demons and found a way to change my lifestyle forever. Its not easy but its so worth it.
And most importantly I run whether its hot…
…or cold….with no excuses. And I watch what I eat. Simple really.
The here and now: So where am I currently? Ah the joy of weight maintenance and regular exercise with no excuses! I run 3 times a week without fail, my speeds are ok but I’m trying to get faster. I’ve been working on fat burning around my torso area to make it more defined especially my rib area (see pic below). The hardest part of all this is keeping the same weight while living a ‘normal’ life…holidays, parties, nights out and generally enjoying eating all are a part of life and not something that should be given up. After a bit of overindulgence on holiday I’m currently back dieting to lose a few pounds again. But thats the difference now – my weight will go up and down, the trick is only have to lose 1/2 stone not 3,4,5,6 stone…! Losing weight is relatively easy, but keeping it off? Now thats hard – for me its been like rebuilding myself from the inside out and a challenge I face every single day…
My current maintenance routine:
Restricted calories 5-6 days a week (1750kcals) but any exercise undertaken tops this up
All food tracked every day but treat day
3 x 5k runs a week
Minimum 1 hour of walking a week
Low salt, low fat, teetotal
Saturday is my cheat day and I enjoy it, lets just leave it there 😆
What I’ve learned –
Change is a very frightening thing for me.
The pain of exercise & not eating what I want is tough but the rewards are better.
Its hard to not obsess over every lb but weight is not the perfect measure of success.
Free apps and having the right kit can really help a fitness/weight loss journey – and they dont need a lot of money spent on them.
Mental heath and physical fitness are irretrievably linked. Wellness is everything.
Not giving into my food addictions is a non stop battle on par with alcoholism or drug addiction.
Find an eating plan that works for you. If you want fatty processed food once in a while (oh hello, Dominoes) then have it, enjoy it, but remember you’ll have to work harder the next day to balance it out. I eat a small chocolate bar most days but I make sure I keep my other portions small and within my calorie allowance. I realised early on that if I tried to live off of lettuce and juices I was just going to get depressed.
Vanity often drives weightloss (it did mine) but feeling healthy, strong and powerful is the best feeling in the world.
I’m realistic that having to stick to this for the rest of my life will be tough but I could never bear to go back to the old version of me.
…but I’m winning my own personal battle. I’m not totally happy with myself (who is?) but I’m very proud of the changes I’ve made – not bad for a 5’2″ 42 year old mum who used to be a size 20/22! No-one can or should tell you how to be or look, but for me being ‘normal weight’ has improved my life no end as my addictions had made me ill both mentally and physically.
me now…
Good health is everything and I aim to hang on to mine as long as I can.
sourced via my Pinterest boards
A bargain pair of Peacocks flats (£4 in the sale) carries the red through. 
And it only costs £1! Every month! What a bargain! 
always a blue sky girl 
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