Lazy Day Legs - The boyfriend short

I always hated shorts. I've always thought they were hideously unflattering. That they were for men and female hikers only. I always thought they made my waistline look podgy, my bum doughy and my knees thick. But in the last two Summers I've changed my mind. I started to turn when I bought my first

The blues - Chambray Dress

Hooray! The sun is well and truly out! Which, of course means that so are my legs. Yesterday's sunshine-ready outfit was a new purchase. I can't remember the last time I bought anything other than for the children from Next. It's womenswear just isn't normally on my radar - I don't know why. But I clocked this lovely little chambray racer denim dress when it was featured in some of their press advertising. I thought it had potential. In fact, I searched for it online, but they were sold out in a size 10. Then, I was returning something in store this week and there it was, hanging near the doors and I just had to try it.

Sunshine and Showers - Loving the Leopard

Well, what a difference a day makes! Yesterday the sun was shining and so I was out in the garden all day - weeding, planting, picnicing and playing with the children. Our garden is a small urban garden, but it is such an oasis of calm and remarkable quiet in the midst of the city. We were feeling some serious garden love yesterday.

All Over the Overalls - The Wren Shops Dungarees

Ok. Now just wait. I know what you're thinking? Dungarees? I can see the images running through your minds - Huckleberry Finn, Charlene from Neighbours, Super Mario. But wait. If you haven't seen the legions of super-cool bods who have brought the denim dungaree back, then you are missing out. Dungarees are a major Spring-Summer look and I have become slightly obsessed with finding the perfect pair.

Summer Breeze - sunshine, weddings & celebrations

Well, that's more like it! Summer sun all weekend and today. There's nothing like a bit of sunshine to make me feel that all is well with the world. I have had the most wonderful weekend. A beautiful Cotswolds wedding on the hottest day of the year, a world-beating first barbecue of the season and to top it all off another pretty major reason for my family to celebrate. Today's is a pic-heavy post!

Dress - Diane von Furstenburg, Jacket - Rag&Bone,
Bag - ASOS, Shoes - Shoemint.

My wedding outfit was a riot of colourblock (although, in 23 degree sunshine that jacket was a bit surplus to requirements). My jacket and dress were Yoox designer bargain finds and that bag was a half price ASOS steal (still available too - link here.

A sea of coral - outfit of the day

Is it still Spring? Someone forgot to tell the weather. Last week I managed to get one outfit from my Spring/Summer wardrobe into our weekly half hour of sunshine. And my wardrobe is currently a sea of coral coloured clothes. Ditto my make-up bag. I must have about half a dozen coral/orange/tomato toned lippies and it is my warm weather nail shade of choice too in variant hues. My favourite colour to combine it with is azure blue, or turquoise. Two new purchases have added this much needed pop of accent colour to my much-loved, oft-worn Rag&Bone coral skinny zipper ankle jeans. Hands down, these are my best fitting pair of skinnies - a true skinny fit, perfect mid-rise waist, ankle-grazing at exactly the right point, with just enough stretch so that you can actually sit down in them, but without them getting saggy and stretched-out after a couple of wears. They are great Summer jeans for when it finally (if ever) arrives. On Thursday, I wore them with the new Marc Jacobs handbag I got on last weekend's London trip (read about it here). And my beautiful new Charles Philip Shanghai slipper shoes.

Weekend in London - The Details (The Wren falls in love with The London Edition)

"When a man is tired of London, then he is tired of life"

                                                                     Oscar Wilde

What a weekend! It was at least two days too short, but our two day sojourn to the Big Smoke was a feast for the senses. It almost ended before it had begun with all trains cancelled from Worcester to Paddington (aaaaarrgh!) but a detour to Birmingham and a mad dash across New Street station to make the connection meant we arrived no later than originally planned.

A black cab took us the short distance to our hotel - The London Edition on Berners Street. When you walk into the lobby your jaw hits the floor. It is INCREDIBLE! The grand period features - double height ceilings, unbelievably ornate cornicing (there are angel carvings, for goodness sake!) and wrought iron balconies give the feeling of intense old-moneyed luxury whilst the furniture and fittings remaining entirely modern. Breathtakingly beautiful...

Photo by Nicholas Koenig

Anniversary anticipation

Just a quickie post today, because I am running around like the proverbial headless chicken getting the house, myself, husband and children organised ready for Mr and I to set off on a night away in the Big Smoke. It's our anniversary tomorrow (11 years - count 'em!) and since we were living there when we got engaged we thought it would be great to spend a bit of time in our city of love - London.

The restaurants are booked:

Here for lunch

Polpo

And here for dinner

Berners Tavern

Brownies and Bling - Mother's Day Treats

As I type this my house smells like Wonka's chocolate factory. It is incredible. The little Wrens have friends coming for tea, so I am baking brownies. For the kids, you understand, because I'm just selfless like that. I may have made a rather enormous batch. Well it is 'Stuff-Mother's-face-full-of-chocolate-Day' on Sunday and apart from the odd very sporadic weekend loaf by Mr Wren I am the only baker in this house so I need to make sure we (I) are chocolate-filled.

Here is that recipe - any Mother in her right mind would be thrilled to receive a box of these on Sunday. Heck, any Mother in her wrong mind would too!

Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies

Roasted roots and skater boots

Last night's dinner was delish. I originally got it from the Goop winter detox recipes and have been making it lots. I'm not on a detox, I just want to eat this. All the time. It's so simple - just a pile of roasted root vegetables (I used

Pastel Sunday - Outfit Of The Day

Necklace - Alex Monroe, Nails - Essie 'Play Date'

It's another glorious Spring day and quite honestly, I should be outside enjoying the sunshine so this is going to be a quick Outfit Of The Day post. Pastel perfection today. Macaron hues galore!

Style Saviour - Equipment Silk Shirt

I seem to be practically living in one item at the moment - my Equipment Signature shirt. Equipment make the most beautifully cut shirts out of gorgeously soft silk in a great range of colours and prints. This one is in a fab blue snakeskin print. It has worked hard through the Autumn/Winter lifting the black jumper and jeans combo out of the dull doldrums by injecting a little colour and luxury. This look had an outing on Wednesday:

Shirt - Equipment; Sweater - Mango; Jeans - JBrand; Boots - Ash

And

I want it all! - The Wren Shops her Spring Wishlist

It's been utterly glorious here for the last few days. Blue skies galore. It's starting to feel like Spring and it just doesn't feel right to wear a furry hooded coat when the crocuses have bloomed. So, in preparation for when it has officially sprung I've just ordered this jacket. 

It's incredible. I'm excited. Don't worry it's on express delivery.

Soggy but Stylish - The Wren Shops Raincoats

So this just about sums up my city at the moment. It is seriously wet here. Roads closed around the city centre because of flooding, bridges unpassable. Mighty Mother Nature wreaks her vengeance yet again. Now, you could do the very British thing and wallow in our sodden misery, complain about the Environment Agency's complete incompetence, gripe

Burgundy Beauties

I have been trying to post at least every other day but no post yesterday I'm afraid as in the absence of a proper detox it seems my body decided to detox all by itself in the form of a 48 hour stomach bug. Yuk! So I spent most of yesterday wallowing on the sofa, feeling really rather sorry for myself until at 2pm the doorbell rang and the postman delivered these little beauties:

                                           Boots - Ash Bea in Prune
                                           Jeans - 7 For All Mankind The Skinny

They're here!!! And I love them.

Like Mother, Like Daughter

So much of my life as a mother involves a great deal of work in trying to getting my children to do what I want/ need them to do. They are both fiercely independent and self-assured and have their own opinions on everything. This, of course extends to what they want to wear. Particularly my little girl who would happily wear a ballgown to go rock-climbing! 

My daughter was invited to a 6th birthday party yesterday. At 10.30 am. On a Sunday. Yes, I know.

Tell me I'm not too old!

Ok people, here are the facts : I am 36 years old (whisper it), I am a mother of two, I want and love to look and feel glamorous, but I need to be comfortable and be able to run and jump and lug around children and bags of grocery shopping. I LIVE in my skinny jeans. I hate looking like 'a mum' - I hardly ever wear ballet flats because I think they prettify and take the fashion edge out of any outfit I wear. I do not and never will own a pair of pull-on stretch knee high boots. So here is the question (and I've been wrestling with it for SO long I fear I may have already missed the boat) - "The wedge high top - am I in or out?".

I think I'm in. I mean, just look at this outfit :

Great, right.