MN Vogue - vol. 72

[libertydoddle]

Summertime, and the livin' is easy...some of us are basking on beaches, others are managing the madness that is school's out but work goes on...either way we want to look chic in the heat while it lasts

Come tell us what you are wearing on these balmy days...it's friendly here

Wow! Thats a shop and a half Blingy lovely things!

Bernice I agree with you about the pinafore & am looking forward towearing it with ankle boots. I bought a skinny black polo neck to wear under it. Thought it might be a good travel outfit because the straps undo & it'll be easy to take the jumper off in aeroplane toilet.

My most worn outfits this summer have been these dresses I bought them in every colour & am so glad I did. They hide my flabby belly & are perfect on cooler summer days.

My TK Maxx parcel arrived this morning. I've bought a pair of alexander McQueen glasses & will have my prescription put into them. Now that i wear glasses most of the time, I really like having a choice of frames. They were a bargain at &£19 reduced from £150!!!!!!

Enjoy your hol Blair and welcome home and bon voyage all in one sentence to Amber

Wow blingy what a great haul! Love the shoes and the dresses!

lib that jacket is gorgeous. Shame the uniqlo skirt isn't a keeper as it looked nice online.

dream those sunglasses were a bargain. I've got prescription sunglasses too but never thought about buying my own frame before, what a great idea!

Enjoy the wedding amber. I enjoy spending time with my family too. DH's family, less so

As we've had a pretty decent summer I feel like I've worn a lot of my summer stuff. Particular good buys were a black and white ravello top from Boden that I've worn loads for work and a navy blackberry dress which again I've worn for work or casual. Also a pair of gold sandals from dune which have got a low heel have been worn loads, unlike a pair of gold wedges which hurt my ankles. I feel like I've bought a lot of basics this year, which are not overly exciting but have filled wardrobe gaps so have been worn.

Ordered a couple of new season bits from Warehouse, which arrived today.

this cami - love the print

suede skirt - plan to wear with flat black OTK boots and crew neck knit to work in the winter.

Both small sized. Skirt just fits in an 8 - I now see the model is in a 10, which should have tipped me off!

So I had a big trying on session today as my outnet order arrived. I will definitely keep this DvF and maybe this one but the rest were disappointing including the Zarita

The Outnet are going to love me not I reckon I have about £2k worth of clothes to return, including the various party dresses that I didn't bother telling anyone about

Bernice I love that Monsoon dress, I would be all tall and Boho chic like that if I wasn't 5'1".

Amber love that top and skirt! I can't seem to do camisoles well and I have pretty much given up on skirts as I am too hippy.

Bernices question about summer buys made me go back and look at this year's pins. I have bought less than 10 bits of clothing this year. I could have done Libs challenge after all! As long as all the accessories don't count!

Lots of loveliness here

My best summer buy is my Whistles black shirt dress and my silver mirrored Ray Bans. Worst, the Zara espadrilles. I should have kept the 7s not the 8s but even then, I struggle to get the ties to work.

My best summer buys have been my Sam Edelman gladiators, my black Whistles shift dress (think the same one as Shop) and for work black cheap and cheerful Next culottes.
And a late addition from the sales, my Topshop pony skin midi heels, have worn them lots already.

Best summer buys:

In terms of usefulness:

Rayban clubmasters (£50 from outnet!)
Boden ruched dresses, skirt and top - get on so well with these!
Black crochet shorts from Topshop (bit of a curveball but have loved these)
Black equipment silk shirt. So versatile.
7FAM black ripped boyfriends

In terms of joy:

Pink TS blazer. Makes me happy whenever I wear it
Gucci printed clutch - just a thing of beauty and reminds me of a really happy day (DH and I had a wonderful day/night out together - Harvey Nics, Shard, Karaoke etc)
Loeffler Randall gold strappy star sandals - have actually had a lot of wear from these and they really jazz up an outfit.
Diamond Monica Vinader ring - first 'nice' piece of jewellery I've bought myself - all my decent stuff had previously come from DH. Like what it represents about getting my career back on track (though it wasn't £££ really).
The 1975 T-shirt (I am obsessed with this band - I listen only to their songs).

Best buys for me...
UK:
Uniqlo black dress-wore this lots on hot days at work
BR coral cardigan
Jack wills navy shell top
Sainsburys White sleeveless top. Wore lots at work

Holiday:
Boden black shorts (already had the navy and indigo from last year and love them)
Office pink suede sandals. Love these in the evening.
Gap tops in various shades of blue.

Mistakes:
Jack wills flowered top. Absolutely love this but it's just a teeny bit short for me. Have given it to dd who loves it.

Shame about some of your outnet order blingy. Hope you get round to sending it back or maybe I have time to slim down in preparation for your next wardrobe clear out

Nice buys amber. I got a nice tan suede skirt last year that I wore loads.

DH and I went for a lovely lunch yesterday at the brasserie in the sky garden (in the walking talkie building). The sky garden is nice too and is free! There's a a couple of bar / coffee shops in there and lots of seating and you get some good views. I would really recommend it. I wore a red and white flowered Adriana pappel sundress from last year. This is another dress I've worn lots this year as its dressy without being too over the top.

Off out tonight with friends. Think i might give the new Boden dress an outing that lib has got.

shop think the suggestions of top shop with your niece sounds like a winner! Would she like to go somewhere afterwards for a virgin cocktail and a strong drink for you? As there's the rooftop bar Aqua (something) on Argyll street. Drinks are a bit steep but might be nice for one?

Aqua Kyoto, yes, is lovely (great bottomless champagne brunch too - £60 for unlimited Verve)! Also second Sky Garden - views are amazing!

Also you can't beat a glass of fizz in Selfridges!

God I'm spending like a woman with no arms ATM. Have ordered another 1975 tee and some gold reebok classics. Must calm myself (especially with DH hanging around all the time).

Fabulous buys Blingy love the navy DVF can't believe the Zarita wasn't great for you. The Aquazzura's well they are to die for

Lib Bernie Amber great new buys too

Best SS buys to wear in the UK
2 JCrew skirts, have worn them a lot and so pleased I bought both colour ways

Didn't really buy much this year to wear on holiday but wore my S Edelman leopard Gigis every night, evenings weren't too dressy but these sandals jazzed up the Boden white chino shorts and top in the evening.
Whispers, in the evenings I wore those ubiquitous and very easily identifiable Primark bandeau dresses, they're great I have a few from over the years, like this:
in fact I have this one and yes it is 3 years old

Am trying to be good and not get drawn into AW stuff yet as I'm looking forward to wearing some of my khaki Whistles/Jigsaw sale purchases and am especially looking forward to wearing my khaki Whistles coat. If there's anything I'm looking to buy it will be Fedup's khaki batwing jumper, I'm lusting after that.

Everyone I'm wearing a Boden blackberry dress at the moment although I'm not loving it as much as when I bought it last year but it's an easy dress to sling on have teamed it with some tan Swedish Hasbeens a like!

kitty I think they have changed the cut of the blackberry. The first one I bought the waist was on my waist and the top puffed a bit (great description but hopefully you know what I mean!) whereas the one I bought in the sale last summer didn't puff as much and the ones I bought this year had to go back as the waist was much higher and they didn't puff at all, so didn't fit me correctly. Very annoying. They are easy to wear though and can be dressed up or down.

I like the bandeau dress. Things like that are great for holidays and this weather generally.

I found my Zarita isn't the most flattering because it is loose on the waist, which is my best asset. Blingy and I are similar shape so maybe that was the problem?

Don't care because I like it anyway, mind.

Have come across this website for personalised beach bags, I think they look quite cool and am very tempted! personalised beach bags

Lovely Everyone - I'd wait and see if they reduce them once the summer is over unless you have a holiday coming up that you specifically want it for....
Amber you may have introduced me to my next musical obsession along with Christine and The Queens (seeing her in Nov - cannot wait) . Playing them loud on my Sonos.

Kitty and Amber the Zarita made me look older in a dowdy sort of way that's why it was a no. Dh who is brutally honest took one look and said no. He also said no to the maybe dress I was going to keep. He did like the MK dress though so I am going to have another think on that.

I have every intention of returning this pile so don't think my next giveaway will come from this lot. famous last words

Blingy glad you're returning them. I'm getting better at returning things these days. The MK dress is lovely, I love the pattern on it.

Everyone cool beach bags, sage advice from Shop. My Blackberry is from last year and doesn't puff out at all, now you.ve explained the fit, I see what you mean I think I'd be better with a puffed out one. Mine doesn't sit right and seems a bit too short, although it may be due to the extra lbs I"m carrying.

Hello team, how is everyone?

I got back on Sunday, busy sorting life out and melting in London, I miss the pool!

I haven't bought much this year and actually next year my summer wardrobe will definitely need supplementing. But the things I have bought, I've worn a lot. Cos black midi skirt, Hush coral dress and black jumpsuit (when it was cooler) and cropped flares have all been great.

I need to remember that we don't tend to go out much on holiday in the evening so day dresses are more important than night wear.

Ooh and I bought a bag in Italy, it was cheap as chips and is lovely quality

That's lovely Stokey - I loved your holiday pics - it looked so beautiful there......

Wow, lots of lovely links! Blingy great to see you're back on form - really surprised the Zarita doesn't suit you though. Also really love the aquazuraa's and pointy mary janes.

Have lost track of who has linked what now but love the suede skirt which I think was Amber and the &Otherstories dress - Bernice?

Shop I think Choccywoccydoodah is around Carnaby street-amazing chocolate creations which she's bound to love and there is a cafe there too I think.

Love the personalised beach bags Everyone but a bit at the price!

Have had a think about summer purchases:
Best buys:
Hush dress - lots of wear on holiday and at home on hot days
White company breton dress
Dune grey block heeled sandals - go with everything and have been worn for just about every 'nice do' I've been to this summer!

Mistakes
BR stripe crops - they don't look right - think they're a bit too long and baggy so not worn that much.

My most worn items to work this summer were Uniqlo Navy culottes, Jacquie B kakhi shirt dress (bought in NZ earlier this year) and Hobbs navy and kakhi print shirt dress. Also this Marant belt proved very useful making things like the navy culottes with a plain t-shirt look smarter.

For casual wear Shop’s Levi dress got a lot of wear as did this Uniqlo striped t-shirt which I have in cream and red also.

Footwear seemed to be R&B sandals and beige Superga

My Uniqlo love affair continues! I was in there yesterday and got this skirt in beige. It’s a great shape and length and the material is really thick and looks good. I predict I’ll wear this a lot. I think it would also suit Bernice and Stokey really well and the black version looks great. I had to talk hard to myself not to buy the black one

I also got this dress but in a marine blue.

My Outnet order hasn’t arrived (petulant face)….

Lovely bag Stokey, welcome back

Morning! Love that new dress Lib! And Stokeys bag. That suede skirt was lush, was wondering whether dry could wear it for work? Or whether it's not very practical for little ones?

I have taken this week off work with the aim of "sorting my life out". I am usually so busy running around that I don't get the chance to take care of personal admin type things. One of the things I am trying to do is to reduce the number of things that are low level stressors - things that are annoying but in volume can be quite stressful. I decided that a big factor of this is emails. I have already been working on work emails, asking my team to think about whether I really needed to be copied in, but the other thing I have come to realise is how many personal emails I get each day! I reckon it's about 250 work emails but about 50 personal ones. Most of them marketing emails from websites I once bought from or where they have sold my details on. I think I have unsubscribed from about 30 emails already and I have learned how to properly use the sweep function in outlook. So much satisfaction!!

Blingy I have three email addresses now. One for friends and family and school stuff, one for retail sites and one for social media sites. They all come into my Mail in one place but it means I can choose how much I see, and focus on the important stuff. I also turned off notifications for things like FB and Pinterest. Well worth it. Now I just need to work on not checking my social media just before bed and first thing in the morning for FOMO.