What are you hoping to find now the A/W stuff is coming into the shops?

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

I'm after a proper old fashioned denim mini (not too mini though!) skirt, straight not A-line and no buttons. I realise that this is far from being 'in' but I like them.

I also want some really lovely big scarves - ideally a burnt orange one, a bright pink one and a red one.

Also, a pleated red skirt and the perfect grey v neck jumper.

You?

Right I've got that M&S Barbour-ish jacket with the hood. I'd been holding out for something knee length and I don't understand why it should be so hard but anyway I like it, I'm bored of looking and I'm sure you're all even more bored of listening. I'll have to dig my horrible old one out of the charity shop bag as a reserve but I'm sure on really bad days, people are too busy trying not to fall over to notice my coat.

And I've also ordered the fake leather jacket as I just cannot resist the burgundy. Picking it up on Wednesday and will report back.

Thanks again for the code doctor

Good news Floisme and I have to say although I have a longer length waterproof coat I hardly wear it in favour of my shorter ones just because they look better! Although when I look at other people sometimes I think we worry too much!!

Please report back on the pleather burgundy jacket as I bought the black one in the spring and have worn it much more than I thought I would - bit of a real leather snob ( why I don't know) .
Have you worn your new long leather jacket yet?

I did buy yet another dress today - over the past two years since really deciding what I like I seem to have accumulated more dresses than ever before!
www.marksandspencer.com/ditsy-tea-dress/p/p22488143?image=SD_01_T42_1708_Y4_X_EC_90&color=BLACKMIX&prevPage=plp&pdpredirect

It is polyester but fits really well ( much better than it looks on the model) only cost £28 with discount and hope to wear with black opaque's, boots and biker jacket. Tbh I still think of ditsy flower as farmers wife but DH was with me and encouraged me to try it and I was pleasantly surprised. May only be in fashion for this year but doesit really matter. ( very aware of Floisme post's re menopause and changing shape, 45 last week! )

Not worn it yet doc Damn this fine weather.

Nice dress and my advice from beyond the menopause is to wear tea dresses whenever you can and for as along as you can. I miss them.

Sorry yes should have said the slacks are short short. I'm 5ft 0.

I also have a 10, a 12 and a 14.

Try them on I guess is the advice in h&m

I've already bought Leopard print trainers from M&S which are awesome. I've ordered a Tara dress in forest from Hush. I'm also wanting a pair of ankle boots but am swithering between some classic Chelseas (but in black or dark brown?) and Astro from Esska. Plus I want a cashmere or merino relaxed fit jumper in grey and some shirts for work.

I went to m &s and thought id look at the burgundy biker but fell in love with this :
www.marksandspencer.com/tailored-fit-textured-jackets-with-buttonsafe/p/p22459153?image=SD_01_T49_3548_M0_X_EC_90&color=CAMEL&prevPage=srp
However, the Blue is more versatile in their, but i love the camel.

This jacket is absolutely gorgeous irl. I've tried it on twice now and not bought it, but will almost certainly be getting it at some point soon, I think.

And these boots are beautiful.

Very nice. I thought about that type of jacket but think id get more wear out of the one i linked above as i dont have a biker.

I said I'd report back on the M&S fake leather burgundy biker jacket. This may be quite long....

In terms of appearance, I'm impressed. I guess if I stood next to someone in the £300 Whistles job, you might well tell the difference but otherwise I think it's really pretty authentic. There are a couple of stretchy fabric inserts I hadn't spotted on the pic: down the sides and on the inside sleeves. I'm fine with that: they're not obvious and being stretchy, they arguably help it fit better.

Colour is great. I thought it might be a bit bright and shiny but it's muted and a matte finish, which is what I wanted. It possibly goes with everything I wear at the moment (which has got me wondering if I've fallen into a bit of a colour rut but that's for another thread).

I'm normally 8 at M&S and it's true to size. Sleeves are fractionally long but they always are, everywhere.

It doesn't feel like leather. It's smooth and slightly silky to touch but really that's my only criticism so it depends how much that bothers you.

So all in all, it's good, very good for the price. But ... dunno I'm just not feeling it yet. I'm surprised as I thought I would suit a biker style but I'm barely 5'3 and there's a lot going on in a small space: zips, quilting, shoulder detail etc. It looks a bit busy. I think I prefer my Oxfam leather jacket which is more bomber style (short, fitted but straight zip and less detail) or my vintage leather coat: straight, simple, clean lines.

I still want to try it with some more stuff so I could change my mind but as things stand, I think that sadly, it might be going back. But that's just me. If bikers suit you but you don't have a biker budget then I would still say it's a good buy.

Here's the link again: www.marksandspencer.com/faux-leather-biker-jacket/p/p22459279?image=SD_01_T49_3543_XM_X_EC_90&color=BURGUNDY&prevPage=plp

Thanks for the feedback Floisme. It does sound fairly similar to the black one I bought it the spring. Again that has the fabric inserts and I didn't notice them until it arrived, but they fine and as you say actually compliment the fit I think. It is a now you have mentioned it definitely a bit more busy though, the quilting and the poppers on the collar.
I shall ponder!

Well I may reprieve the jacket! Before my last post, I'd tried it on with trousers, stripy T, largish pendant, chunky ring - hardly OTT but with all the paraphernalia on the jacket, it was way too cluttered for me. However remove all jewellery, swap the stripes for a plain T and try with jeans or a tube skirt - it looks completely different and I really like it.

I guess I'd bought into this idea that it was a jacket I could throw on over anything and instantly look good. It's not - well at least not on me. But it will work as part of certain outfits, as long as everything else is plain and stripped back. If I'd paid £300 for it, that wouldn't be enough. But at £44, it doesn't have to work quite so hard to earn it's keep. So it may stay!

By the way, when I said it was a matte finish that wasn't correct. What I meant was that it isn't shiny but there is still a bit of fake leather-esqe sheen.

Just to say I tried on the sainsburys white silk shirt today - it was too big for me (I need petite fitting), but felt nice, £30 normally but they've got 25% off all clothes at the mo so worth a look for those with normal length arms!

Eventually got some navy trousers with a faint pinstripe in M&S but what on earth is going on with their sizing? I had to go up a size to get them to fit. I also bought a cashmere cardigan there on Monday and when I tried it on at home properly this morning it was miles too big so I will have to size down. Going to return it for a different size and colour. Red used to be one of my staple colours, and this is a nice red, but no longer does anything much for me apparently

I finally found my perfect tan cross body bag in John Lewis though so really pleased.

Just shoes needed now (though the white silk shirt from Tu sounds interesting).

I'm drawn to this dress, no idea why. I love it. But it's £78 & is it worth it, will I go off it? I am rather large of boob also. Decisions, decisions.

Just read the whole thing and now drooling and looking at a £££ shopping list

My wish list if anyone can help:
Linen t shirts, black and grey, fairly fitted and not too thin.
Waterproof warm coat with hood (practical rather than stylish, may crack and get a uniqlo down one)
Replacement for my beloved Gap Oxfords. Very soft leather and sole, completely plain, almost like jazz shoes. Never repeated
Replacement for my perfect black trousers from top shop. Cigarette style, crepe, wide waistband, really flattering despite my big hips.

All my favourite stuff has died at once

I lived in velvet jackets in the 90s when they were nana clothing and a fiver from charity shops. Will grab plum, green and grey if they're back.

Teawamutu: I have those Gap Oxfords - mine are going too ...
Have you tried Office for a replacement? Try searching for 'lace up flats' (sorry, the link doesn't seem to link on the Office website, just goes to home page). I have trouble with Office as I find their shoes a bit small (unless I size up, when they are too big ...) but they are the closest I have seen.

kylie you beauty! would need to try on to see if squishy enough (Office often v uncomfortable ime) but as you say, very close...

Ive just spent over £500 at Boden as I found a 25% off code

But some of them are duplicate items in different sizes and I will probably end up sending most of it back anyway!

Hopefully next do taupe otk boots I have some and they are lovely!

I really want a cord pinny dress to wear with boots and thick tights. http://m.dorothyperkins.com/h5/product?productId=25676693# I'm 22 so I hope I can pull it off. I really can't justify the £26 on it though so I think it'll go on my Christmas list.

Final bulletin on the M&S pleather jacket - I realise this is far more interesting to me than it is for you.

I bit the bullet and showed my husband. I rarely ask his opinion on clothes as we're both very um.... frank with each other and, although I don't always take his advice, sometimes you can't un-hear it. (We have both done this ). Anyway he likes it and he also pointed out that, although I've already got both leather jacket and coat, this is smarter than either so fills a gap. He only realised it wasn't leather when he touched it. And my 18 year-old son also said it 'wasn't bad'. So it stays.

This brings my spending to a close until I've chosen and paid for my new specs, which could be some time. But I'll still hang around and drool if I may.

Interested in the specs Flo. I had ordered some only to get a call yesterday to say they were out of stock so I have to go back to the drawing board. It has already taken me two months and several trips to the optician to get this far.

Maybe we need a whole new thread for specs.

I think perhaps we do. I was very taken with some Rayban horn rims but when I took some home to try, every single person went

I'm now eyeing up some grey cats eyes from Cutler and Gross...I'm not sure if my optician can get hold of them and a very small part of me hopes they can't as the price is a killer.

AH, Teawamutu - maybe that's my problem too that they are too hard rather than too small - same problem really! Hope they work for you.