HoC Spring reSprung

[Aquelven]

Hi Springs.
New thread, hopefully, with the following link to our old one....



Early Spring

[petalsandstars]

Planning on going shopping over the next few days - finally spending Christmas money, are there any shops (high street) that you've noticed are particularly good for spring colours?

[Mumelie]

Hi Petals
I bought a whole new wardrobe last spring on the back of my colour analysis (and weight loss so needed to). I've only really looked at Boden this year so not high street but found Banana Republic good last year, especially for work items. Al GAP Next and Wallis - places I hadn't shopped in for a fair few years.
Are you after work or casual?

[BeginnerSAHM]

Hi Petals - mumelie is right... banana republic has loads of spring colours in now. And Gap has a lot too. In fact, shop ASAP, while the spring stock is still plentiful, as the more summery pastel colours seem to be coming in already!

John Lewis on Oxford Street has a good mix of labels with spring colours at the moment. They have Whistles, their own JL brands (v spring colours), Reiss, Jigsaw (more sludgy or summery but the odd spring bit), Hobbs (again, a bit stiff and wintery but the odd spring coloured bit) etc.

Have fun!!

[petalsandstars]

Ooh excellent thanks, I am getting back to my " normal" size after DC2 so looking forward to a wardrobe update.

[petalsandstars]

Mainly casual ish wear I think as I have uniform for work and most free time will be with children.

[BeginnerSAHM]

Well, Gap is good if you like cotton jumpers in neutral with a bit of coral or something! And their 'skinny Minnie' khakis are a nice change to jeans (depending on your shape) for cool summers - tried on a nice grey pair yesterday in fact . Plus, get shorts now if you want any for the summer! They all sell out by June...

I like whistles for sweatshirt type tops and nice cottons tops/t-shirts.

[BeginnerSAHM]

Just a bump really!

Anybody seen any nice not-toooooo-expensive work dresses? I'm loving the look of 'The Fold' but not the prices... (Although I may succumb when I get paid at the end of the month )

[petalsandstars]

Managed to get a reasonable haul from the shops today, maxi skirts in aquamarine and navy, a pink dress, blue cardi, blouse with terracotta/cream pattern, top in the darkish turquoise and another top in a mix of springy colours.

I just need to get some cream/beige linen trousers, and another couple of light tops and I should have a reasonable capsule wardrobe for the summer I think.

[Aquelven]

Hi everyone, just catching up with everyone's posts as just back from Scotland, weather was dire
That sounds like a good haul, Petals, which shops did you find them in?

I was lured into the cashmere outlets! again
Got a couple of cardigans in aqua & coral & then another in a limey green which turned out to be a twinset, a short sleeved top lurking on the hanger underneath Plus a couple of scarves.
I need to buy some jeans not blue, in a cream or beigey colour.

[Aquelven]

Oh & I'm still carting around my Christmas M&S gift vouchers, burning a hole in my pocket. At this rate I can see me spending £200 on wine & Percy Pigs

[petalsandstars]

A mix of new look, next and debenhams as I had some gift cards, aiming to lose another half a stone then go trousers shopping :-)

Bit disappointed in the sales though

[YouHaveBeenOutbid]

Hello springs, hello petalsandstars!

Not been around in a while. I've been mostly stalking the boards of youlookfab.com recently. Lots of wardrobe building and planning advice on there I've had my style day now and came out as a natural ingenue. The natural bit I was expecting but the ingenue has taken me by surprise. Was expecting a bit of 'classic' in there somewhere but no! Is anyone else here one?

I'm now going to do some careful considered wardrobe planning! Where to start though?! I really need to start again. I've let my wardrobe get into a dire state, wearing the same old worn out navy and grey stuff for ages while more recent cheap purchases have come and gone. Part of the reason I did the style and colour days was to stop myself wasting oodles of cash on bad purchases that only last a few months. Think my first trying on session will be one of those whistles tube skirts I've been eyeing up for a while (sheep alert!!!). Think the length would be good on me not sure about the tightness.

Loving hearing what you've all bought. petals, could you link to the terracotta and cream top? Sounds ideal!

[petalsandstars]

www.next.co.uk/x532110s1#668210x53

Lets see if it works

[YouHaveBeenOutbid]

It works!

[BeginnerSAHM]

Hi Youhavebeenoutbid - I'm a nat ing too. But not convinced as (a) i will never wear a tea dress and (b) i still like stripes (Breton tops etc) - apparently they are too masculine for me ? Like you, I was sure I'd have some classic in me. I'm a solicitor for goodness sake, can't get a much more conservative/classic career choice . The natural is totally right though!

I have a nice Alex Monroe small feather necklace which I guess is very 'ingenue' and like smaller more delicate jewellery. So that fits! But I like (small) dangly earrings. Consultant was adamant I should only wear studs. Hmmm.

Then again, I wear black too sometimes so I'm a bit of a rebel really.

[Aquelven]

Hi YouHaveBeenOutbid, I'm a natural ingenue as well.

Beginner that's really weird. My consultant never suggested tea dresses, more separates with pretty trims to lift them. Nor that we should just wear studs, just aim for pretty but unusual jewellery. I took several bits along, no studs, & she liked the choices. The earrings were mostly drops set with stones.
I expected the natural bit as well but never considered for one moment I'd be classic, right about that at least. I started out with an ultra conservative career too but took a risky leap into a completely different way of life & never looked back She did say that was what ruled out classic for me.

[BeginnerSAHM]

I like the sound of your consultant more Aquelven!! Good to hear that!

[ojbsmum]

Hi,
I will have a couple of hours to go shopping in Brighton tomorrow - first time without kids in ages!
I really need some smart-ish trousers. I'm a blue spring, probably will be looking for trousers in blue or chocolate brown. Also I'm only 5'2 and usually need shorter length trousers.
Does anyone have any suggestions where I should head? Not been clothes shopping in forever and, much as I'm looking forward to a bit of a browse, I don't want to waste my time too much...
TIA

[QueenCadbury]

Hi all, I'm a winter lurking on the other colour threads as I love the style chat.

I'm an ingenue natural so very similar to outbid, beginner and aqeleven*. I was advised to look for items with girly details such as crochet collars,pointelle knits, embroidery etc. It's totally me and where I worried I way have looked frumpy before I now embrace the look. For stripes I was advised I could wear them but to choose fluid materials rather than stiff fabrics iyswim. Jewellery wise, she suggested small and dainty suits me best but that statement necklaces are fine if they are made up of smaller pieces rather than one solid block or big pieces and if they have some movement in them. It seems a ridiculous to limit you to just studs

[BeginnerSAHM]

Hello queencadbury!! Thanks - yes, now that kind if style advice I could agree with/follow!! But I've been doing my own thing a bit anyway and not taking her instructions as gospel. Obviously...

Try Banana Republic for smartish trousers... I'm going to get the 'Sloan' ones in navy I think. I am nearly 5'5'' and I will get the petite ones as like the exposed ankle look. The non-petite ones just look like a bit-too-short normal trousers on me. (Size up a size for petite though for some reason!)

They have a discount code at the moment too if you are on their email list (sign up if you're not!!) - £20 off if you spend over £100.

[Aquelven]

QueenCadbury nice to see you lurking on here I'm guilty of lurking on the other colour threads too. Your winter & the autumn one both give great style ideas & the links often have a spring colour option in there. Your consultant seems to have given much the same advice as mine.
Ojbsmum we must be similar ish! Blue Springs & short, I'm 5'1". Been tending towards navy & grey trousers but want some lighter ones for summer, cream or sand perhaps. At least not adding yet more black ones!
Are you looking for smart or more casual? Department stores, like House of Fraser, usually have Minuet or Précis for smart, Matalan is surprisingly good for casual. Even M&S is still ok for jeans,trousers, as you can get the short length which is perfect on me. Debenhams used to do quite a few but not so good these days though there's still their own petite range.
I picked up a pair of short length fine cord, narrow legged jeans in M&S sale earlier this week in navy for £12.

[YouHaveBeenOutbid]

The advice given to me was very very similar to queen cadbury, wonder if we went to the same consultant?! ;) I've always liked big jewellery as I felt dainty stuff looks a bit lost on me so am thoroughly confused about that one. I was told no dangly earrings for work which I do all the time. I work in a very scruffy office though. Looking round right now most of my colleagues look that they've been doing the gardening (miaaow!!).

Very jealous of your shopping trip objsmum, keep us posted on your purchases - so I can shamelessly steal ideas!

[Aquelven]

I have been doing the gardening plus grooming a couple of the mutts so look a right scruff

[Mumelie]

Just realised we are finally at the end of thread 2!
new one here
See you over there..................