You may know that I've been selling scarves for over a year now. I love it! But what to do with the stock in the summer? Turn it into a sarong of course! I adore a sarong on holiday. I love the way they fall, they're cool to wear and I have used one more and more to protect my body from the strong sun when on holiday/in the garden. It's also a MUST for a wrap in the evenings when it's chilly.
There are many resources online to show you how to tie a sarong: My favourite is this one. It's very easy to follow not, as I tried and couldn't do it. Can you?
So I stuck with my usual ways. All sarongs are only £10 and that includes UK P&P. Email me (fiona@avenue57.com) or contact me via Facebook (click here to jump to the shop page)to order.
How do you wear/tie your sarong? Stuck in a rut like I am?!
Fiona
xoxo
This has to be the quickest blog post in history! I am so out of time since I started working for a new client. It's only an hr a day so far (and I ADORE the company and work) but it's an hr where I would normally blog/read blogs/catch up.
Quickly sneaking this one in whilst sat in my other day job.
Here's what I've been wearing. I cannot tell you how happy the sunshine makes me. I have been floating on cloud 9 all week.
Pub lunch
Top - Avenue 57
Jeans - H&M
Flip flops - New Look
Work
Top - Zara
Jeans - Mango
Shoes - TK Maxx
Pub lunch
Shirt - H&M
Jeans - Zara
Shoes - borrowed from Mum
Work
Dress - TK Maxx
Shoes - Debenhams
Work
Dress - Tesco
Shoes - M&S
Necklace - Avenue 57
Happy Friday 13th to you all and don't forget it's a full moon too tonight. Men, animals and children will act weirdly #fact
Fiona
xoxo
I love the warmer weather which means I get to wear my heels! My absolute second favourite ones have to be these nude ones. I bought them in TK Maxx about 2 years ago and I can't believe I'm nearly didn't buy them. They are BCBGeneration which are an American brand I'd never heard of before. I now own a gorgeous pair of leopard print ones also from them and bought in TK Maxx. They fit me like a glove, they are amazingly comfortable and the heel height is JUST PERFECT for me. At 5 ft 9 I have to be very careful. . I don't like kitten heels, I don't like mid heels, I like a high heel but not too high. These are 3.5 inches high.
Mine are starting to get a bitty tatty and because they're patent they're scuffed unfortunately. Won't stop me wearing them until I find a replacement though!
Here's a round up of potential ones I've found online and a TOTAL leather bargain at £25, is the heel high enough though? Scroll down to find out.
LK Bennett £170 - (I do believe these are the nude heels worn by Catherine Middleton)
Dune - £59 (only available online in size 6 or 7)
Dune - £65 (size 3, 5, 6 and 8 only)
Kaleidscope mid heel nude court shoe - £35
New Look - £19.99
A slight twist due to pattern but my absolute MUST BUY - only £25 and leather! LOTS of sizes available and other colours too (pink/blue etc) - these deserve a post all of their own!
Can you believe Marks and Spencer didn't have a nude court shoe online? Me either!
NEW JOB!
I started a little part time job today! I'm running the social media channels for a creative agency called Planet. It's only an hour a day but so far so good (writing this after having done the first day). I then skip across the way to my second job part time job where I am business development manager/marketing/social media for Performance Web. Today I turned down another job because I don't think I want to work full time or be THAT stressed. The boys have 9 weeks off in the summer and it's a struggle to juggle them and work as it is. So all that "I've got 56 part time jobs" I posted about the other day, is now down to the two mentioned here, blogging, A57 and selling clothes. I think that's enough for now)!!!
What I wore today:
Top: ASOS
Jeans: H&M
Shoes: TK Maxx
Blazer: Zara
Nude heels? Do you own? Yes or no?
Fiona
xoxo
I'm just going to jump straight on in and say - I LOVE CHERYL COLE. There, said it. I adore how she dresses, her radiant beauty and just well everything. What I loved even more about her the other day were her metallic shoes! Check them out
And Lily Allen (same night, same place but fortunately different colour)!
I love Pinterest for inspiration
Where can you buy metallic heels?
ASOS Gold Metallic Heels - £40
Click here to view/buy
LK Bennet - £130 (in the sale)
Click here to view/buy
Dune - £39 (BARGAIN)
Click here to view/buy
KG by Kurt Geiger via John Lewis
Click here to view/buy
Karen Millen via House of Fraser - £140
Click here to view/buy
What have I been wearing this week?
The week ahead of me is CRAZY so I won't be blogging unfortunately
Fiona
xoxo
Last night I went to bed at 10pm as I always do, started to read and then switched off my Kindle at 11.00. I wanted to sleep, I needed to sleep, I have the busiest Wednesday ahead of me and sleep would (and will)make or break me today.
Here's my list of things to do today:
Get ready and dressed for a job interview
Get the kids ready for school/breakfast/break up fighting
School run, leave house at 8am
Job Interview at 9am
Start work at 10am until 3pm
School run number 1 for Oliver who finishes at 3.45pm
Lady coming to the shop at 4.15pm
School run number 2 for Alex who finishes today at 5.50pm
Tea for children and I might remember to eat myself
Pack up shop to take out later
Babysitter arrives at 6.45pm
Clothes party in local area from 7pm through 10pm
Even by my standards that's a bloody busy day! So with all that on my mind you can imagine my frustration at STILL BEING AWAKE AT SODDING 2.30am - yes you heard me 2.30am! When the alarm woke me at 5.50am you can only imagine how I felt. I looked in the mirror and looked like I'd been on a bender, my eyes were RED!
Anyway, onward and upward, I got the job! It's working very part time for a Digital Media Agency and I'm looking forward to helping them with their social media on a daily basis.
I had no idea what to wear this morning so went for casual skinny coated jeans with a softer top, boots because it was raining and a gilet because it's cold. Did I pull off the 'I am trying to look young and funky to fit in and I hope you think I'm old enough to do what I know I can do'.
Yesterday I did a show and tell of some new things I've added to the shop in prep for a party later and another one next week.
I need to lie down, it's only 13.03pm, I've forgotten my lunch (lie .. there was no bread at home), I can't be arsed to go out to get some so coffee and water until I get home in a few hours. I know that's naughty but it's kind of the 2:5 diet right?!
Fiona
xoxo
How many scarves do you own? I own 24!!!
When do I wear a scarf:
When it's cold to keep my neck warm
When it's hot - I use to protect me (burnt chest anyone?!)
When I'm cool, I wrap around my shoulders to take the chill off in the day/evening
Where to wear a scarf:
Around your neck
Around your waist as a sarong
Around your body as a cover up
Around your head as a headscarf when in a convertible car!!!!
There are so many ways to tie a scarf and I'm still working out how to do a crib sheet of simple diagrams to teach you new ways. We ALL get stuck in a scarf styling rut and I bet we only ever use 1 of 3 ways regularly.
I also sell scarves which makes my addition to the collection too easy. I can't stop stealing them!
Here are some of my favourite ones. Click HERE to buy online. I'm currently offering free delivery so just select 'local pick up' at the checkout.
Here I am in some of my favourite scarves
Go on, count how many scarves you have and tell me you have more than 24 (I actually thought I had a lot more, 24 is sheer amateur stuff)!
Fiona
xoxo
I have written about TK Maxx lots of times in the past. Why? Because I love them! One of my first stores I go to when I'm out and about on the hunt for something new. 80% of my bags and 90% of my sunglasses are bought from them there. Why? Because they are good at what they sell. They offer a huge variety of sunglasses and bags at a fraction of the RRP. I am a total bargain hunter and so this is a shopping match made in heaven.
I often visit their stores as the stock varies so much from what is available online. But shopping online is easy too. I narrow down my search always by size. For my feet that's a size 7 and for my clothes it's a 10. If you don't narrow down your search you'll be forever browsing and potentially disappointed when the shoes/clothes you want are not in your size.
I have spent far too long drooling online today and have picked out my best buys. What do you think?
Tan Leather Tote Bag - £69.99
Orange Leather Tote Bag - £99.99
Black Leather Bag - £69.99
Black Sunglasses - £29.99
Grey Dress - £49.99
Red and White Striped Blazer - £129.99
Sandals - £24.99 (sold in black patent or white leather)
Sandals - £19.99
With free delivery on orders over £50 and free returns in-store what's stopping you?!
Are you a TK Maxx fan?
Fiona
xoxo
Olsen got in touch recently and asked if I would like to review an item from their online store. They originated in Germany are growing rapidly in the UK. I can see why too.
The philosophy behind their collection centers around the following 5 key words
- Self-assured
- Sexy
- High-quality
- Modern
- Dependable
Tick tick tick on all of the above with the item I chose.
Who is a typical Olsen customer? Well, they could be describing me!
The typical Olsen customer is a woman in the prime of life who is very active. She loves her family, her job and her friends. She loves having fun with fashion, always knows what the latest trends are and wants to dress age-appropriately but in the latest styles, colours and shapes. When she buys clothes she expects good quality and fair prices, clothes that fit well and harmonious colours.
I actually had trouble choosing because there were some AMAZING pieces, I wanted something that would be versatile, dress up/dress down and was totally in keeping with my style. It wasn't long before I came across this navy cardigan. I fell in love because it's a cardigan, it looks like a jacket but it's not - it's a cardigan - and a funky one with the frayed edges.
Let's crack on with some photos of how EASY IT IS to dress it up or dress it down. I also have about 100 other ways I could style it. If you're going to buy a navy cardigan that will last and can be worn with anything then here it is.
The cardigan is available online but I can't find it in the navy I have - only black, white, pink and green.
If you have a smart lunch/wedding then this EASILY fits the bill I think.
What about if you want to wear in a less formal way and with jeans/trousers?
And then the ultimate double denim casual relaxed look (this is my favourite)
Thank you to Olsen for allowing me to review this and adding a classic to my wardrobe.
Oh and you ALL KNOW how much I hate my hair .. it's never played ball in the past 5 years but today, just today it was the best behaved head of hair EVER. So happy :-)
Fiona
xoxo
