Dresses for Christmas Day

Do you dress up for Christmas Day? I always used to (think Sunday best) as a child but as the years went on my main focus was comfort over style! In the past few years I've aimed to do both 'dress up' and 'comfort'. I think it also depends on where you spend Christmas Day. I've been at home on our own (major comfort outfit) and we've been to my folks (mix of dressing up and comfort) and this year we're at friends for the big day so I want to make more of an effort than I have in recent years.

There is not a week that goes by that a 25%+ off code/offer lands in my inbox. At the moment it seems to be mainly Wallis and Mango that dominate with offers. My love for Wallis has been renewed recently as I tried out their online style app and I loved it.

Wallis have some of the widest selection of party dresses going. Apart from M&S I can't think of anyone else online that has this kind of selection.

I chose 3 (I could have chosen 53) to see which one will suit me most for the big day and beyond. I have a 50th birthday party to go to in early December and I'm thinking one dress for both events.

Wallis have 25% for today only - be quick (equally wait a week and I'm sure there will be another code)!

Red Party Dress - Was £65.00 Now £48.75
A gorgeous dress but man alive I was sucking in! I did have support underwear on but even still, this is not a comfort dress when you're conscious of your wine belly like I am. I was also unsure of the mesh top half and showing off your bra strap. I had a purple bra on (don't own red) and I don't like that. I don't own a good strapless.

Navy Polo Neck Dress - Was £60.00 Now £45.00
I was drawn to this when I first started looking, It ticked all the boxes. It fits well but I don't think the high neck sits correctly. It kind of shunts down without standing proud and I wanted a proud polo neck! I am totally torn between keeping this and the one below.

Zebra Print Dress - Was £40.00 Now £30.00
I only added this at the last minute but I think it's the winner. The style is nice and loose, I can dress it up or dress is down with boots for everyday (chuck on a chunky knit and biker boots). I love the shoulder detail too.

So ladies, help me decide! Red, navy or zebra?

Fiona
xoxo

New Look Haul

I do love New Look. I always have. I particularly love their sale. When they say sale, they mean it and big discounts are to be had.

I bought some boots (not in the sale but did need an item to boost my basket to be over £50 so I qualified for free delivery), a dress (£9) and a jumpsuit (£9). The latter two items were from their tall range.

The boots are amazing but they smell of cheap synthetic material - I've suede protected them and frebrez'd them and they're all good now. They are exceptionally comfy and for £24.99 I'm impressed!

I had high hopes for the dress because of the pattern, the colour and of all the ways I thought I could style it all year round (denim jacket, little cardigan, court heels, ankle boots etc etc etc) ... WRONG! It was MASSIVE! I ordered a size 10. Here it is on the site, the model and on me. The model must be over 6ft for it to appear as short on her. I'm 5ft 9 and it was most defientlay knee length.

If I pinned it back (as I suspect the above model has) it was marginally better but still, I think this dress is wearing me! I'm returning which is a shame because £9 is a total bargain.

On to my favourite item - the jumpsuit. I absolutely love this. It fits like a glove on the top, the bottoms are long (because it's from the tall range) and its RUDDY COMFORTABLE!

And look how easy it is to wear during the day - I cannot WAIT to wear this!

Have you been over to New Look to check out their sale? There are LOTS of bargains!

Fiona
xoxo

Animal jumpers

The good thing about having too many clothes is that you often discover little gems in hidden wardrobes around the house. This morning I was in my sons wardrobe sorting his rail out when I noticed to the left a WHOLE load of hangers with my things on them. There must have been 10+ items. So I quickly sorted through and found an amazing jumper with a fox on the front. I bought on a whim last year from Sainsbury's. I know I know I know I know, jumpers with animals on them are like marmite. I've always hated them but in the past 12 months I've come to love them. I'm not alone, check out these three beauties from the NEW AVENUE 57 GROUP ON FACEBOOK:

Left - Right: Hannah, Amanda and Kat

Where to buy an animal jumper today online?

ASOS - £28

Next - £28 (borderline daft I know)!

Joules via Next - £70

Peacocks - £16

John Lewis - £45

Topshop - £42

Dickins & Jones via House of Fraser - £49 This is my absolute favourite

Boden - £69

Biba via House of Fraser - £55

Joules - £69.95 (check out the front and back)!

Joules - £69.95

Here I am in my £18 Sainsbury's one from last year.

What do you think about jumpers with animals on the front? Best left for the children or funky and quirky for adults?

Fiona
xoxo

Black shoe boots

I bought my first pair of shoe boots/shoots/shoebooties/schbooties - whatever ... around 3 years ago from Clarks. I'd seen a few people on Avenue 57 rock the dress/shoe boot look and thought I'd better have a go. I also bought the most amazing pair of ankle boots with a little heel that I also wear with dresses/skirts etc but the heel just broke and I will admit that I nearly cried. I'm going to take them to the cobblers (such an old fashioned term) to see if they can do anything. If they can't, then I will cry.

There is a very fine line between and ankle boot and a shoe boot. I actually think all of these are ankle boots. The phrase I'm seeing on all these sites is 'heeled chelsea boot'. The great thing is they can be worn with jeans/trousers/skirts and dresses - probably the most versatile piece of footwear you will ever own.

My top 5 picks for black shoe boots:

New Look - £24.99

Clarks - £69.99

Office - £75 (low stock, be quick if you like)

Marks & Spencer - £35

Dorothy Perkins - £29

Here I am today in my shoe boots with a skirt (I swear the tights and the shoes in real life do look ok and not as crap as it is showing here)!

What do you call them? I call mine shoe boots!

Fiona
xoxo

Top 5 Grey Jeans

I saw this look on Kate Moss the other day and I adored it. I have never thought about tan and grey before but it works a treat. Someone on the Avenue 57 Facebook Group posted a pic of herself in grey jeans and tan boots and I thought 'amazing colour combo' stealing that.

Grey jeans can be bought from:

Topshop - £42

River Island - £40

New Look - £22.99

Mango - £39.99

Levi's via House of Fraser - £90

Here's my attempt at the grey/tan combo

Grey and tan? Like it? Worn it? Inspired by it?

Fiona
xoxo

Top 10 wax coated jackets

And so it arrives - Autumn! I'm secretly pleased because weather like this unleashes a whole new wardrobe that has been abandoned for months!

I'm layering up today for warmth and a day of working from home so never going to win any style awards but I'm warm and cosy.

My wax coated parka is the best thing I have bought in YEARS. It's exactly what I need for days like this - wet, windy and cold. It has the largest hood ever and totally protects you from all elements. I can hear you crying .. where did you buy it from? Sorry to say, USA last year (Burlington Coat Factory)! The brand is BEBE.

Oasis waxed parka via ASOS - £80

ASOS waxed jacket - £55

River Island - £90

Superdry £184.99

Marks & Spencer - £89

Marks and Spencer - £69

Barbour via House of Fraser - £250

Boden £116

Next - £58

Superdry via Next - £195

Wax on ... wax off, what's your choice?

Fiona
xoxo

End of Avenue 57 website ...

I have made a big grown up decision to shut down the Avenue 57 website. The reasons are plenty but for the most part it's lacking in enthusiasm and posts. I think Instagram has taken over with the quick burst of showing off what you wear and I am guilty of using that far more than my own website! The site is also old now, it's tired, it needs to be mobile/tablet friendly, it perhaps needs an app but for all that to happen it'll cost way more than my initial £25,000 investment. I've had a good run at it and it hasn't worked out but it's nothing to be sad about. No-one died, I've made a ton of new friends and I'm pleased I was able to help/inspire/encourage a few women along the way.

I wanted to say thank you to every single person that ever visited the site over the past (nearly) 3 years.

It aint over till the skinny lady sings - and this skinny little ass is not ready to sing yet!

I couldn't just leave my passion for helping women though. So I've set up a little group on Facebook where women can show off what they wear, talk about what they want, ask for styling advice and basically be everything Avenue 57 was meant to be but on a friendly platform that everyone is on anyway! It's a closed group so no-one can see what you post. Your friends will just know you are part of a group called Avenue 57. Since setting it up just over 48 hrs ago it's been crazy. Already more women posting what they're wearing and asking for help and where to buy this or that and what to wear with that and this - it's brilliant - I am back to being like a pig in sh1t !

If you love talking about clothes, buying clothes, showing off what you wear or are stuck in a rut and want some really lovely help and advice from other women then please do skip along to the group and request membership.

I'll still carry on with blogging (will be doing a weekly feature of those women who post in the closed group) and I have my shop and my part time work and the children and my husband and drinking wine! Some things will never change!

I'd better to a couple of visuals!

Fiona
xoxo

Wallis Style App - round up

I've been using the Wallis Style App (apart from the fact I use it online because I'm old skool you see) and I've been more impressed than I thought I would be! It just so easy. You say who you are (age/shape etc) and it suggests things to you and you get a chance to say 'nah don't like that don't show me stuff like this again' or 'OMG YES I WANT TO BUY YOU NOW' or you may not be quite as dramatic as I am about clothes.

For my final choice from the suggestions I was offered this jacket. (currently on offer for £56 down from £70). I've been after one for a long long time so I was in the 'OMG YES I WANT TO BUY YOU NOW' camp when it was suggested to me. My word of advice is to DOWNSIZE, it comes up big.

Here I am! I do apologise for lack of creativity in the photos and I will take more soon and show how easy it is to wear but we were due to go to Barcelona for the weekend and in a rush. Plus we all know James is RUBBISH at taking my photo!

Navy coat, have you got one? If you want to log on to the Wallis site to try their style adviser service out then I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Fiona
xoxo