Wide leg trousers

Wide leg trousers by fortytherapy 

I was reading one of Kat's posts over on www.doesmybumlook40.blogspot.com the other day & she was talking about wide leg trousers & how they're going to be all around this season *punches the air in happiness!!*  I really do love WLT, I find them so comfortable & if the cut is right, very flattering on my shape.  She had listed a jersey pair from ASOS which I knew would be perfect for my upcoming trips to Marrakech & New York as they'd be comfortable enough to travel in but could be dressed up when needed.

However, I was having a mooch round town yesterday whilst my car was being MOTed (it passed, phew!) & popped in to Next where low & behold, they had a perfect pair of jersey WLT just in.  They're lovely soft, but thick jersey fabric with a tie belt over an elasticated waist & pockets & they fit like a glove.

So this afternoon I had a wee trying on session to see how I would wear them for travelling & then for going out in the evening thinking about the fact I've got to keep my packing to a minimum.  I kept my Converse on for both outfits as we'll more than likely still be out & about walking in the evenings but you could also swap them for dressier flat sandals for the evening.  I wouldn't personally wear them with heels as I think they look better with flats & also, I'd need another pair in a longer length for heels!

Apologies in advance for the grainy phone photos, I think I need to re-jig the settings a bit as my photos keep coming out dreadful at the moment!!  I've also taken them in my daughter's room as I can't get far enough away from my mirror in my room to get a full-length shot!!

The second photo is my ideal sort of outfit for travelling in as it's just so slouchy & apart from the laces on the Converse, very easy to slip on & off through customs.  In fact, I may just swap the Converse for my slip-on Skechers, which sadly don't look as good but are so bloody comfortable, it's like walking on marshmallows!! 

 I always take a scarf on plane journeys because even if I'm not cold (highly unlikely at the moment - hot flushes are back with a vengeance, hence the pink-faced photos!!) I can use it as a pillow.  Also, no makeup, just a really good hydrating serum, moisturiser & lip balm to stop my skin from drying out too much during the flights.

For evening, I'd chuck on the trousers with a simple fitted black t-shirt & my favourite leopard blazer, minimal makeup, slick of hydrating Revlon Lip butter in Candy Apple & that's me done & ready to go in 5 minutes!!

When I was making the board on Polyvore, I noticed that Next also do them in navy which I know I'm going to have to get too.  Are you a fan of the wide leg trouser?

What's in my bag?

I love these sort of posts as I'm such a curious nosey mare!  This was the topic today for the Instagram #JanuaryPhotoChallenge but I thought I'd share it on here for those of you not on IG.

A lot of posts like this consist of very neat & tidy bag contents.....well mine today was basically full of crap, crumpled up receipts & fluffy mints included!!

Today, I was using my lovely Nica bag that I bought in John Lewis last November.  When I carry a larger bag like this, I tend to chuck everything into my lift-out organiser from Primark, it's so handy!  In this, I always keep a notepad, pen, tape measure, tissues, paracetamol & mints - standard bag contents really!  My friends take the mickey out of me for carrying a tape measure but I can't tell you the times it's come in handy.  So much so that's it's falling to pieces!

My Cath Kidston pouch contains Kiehl's lip balm, Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream, Cath Kidston mini hand cream, plasters, my library card, a perfume sample & 4(why?) lipsticks (Revlon Lip Butter in Candy Apple, Clinique Chubby Stick mini in Super Strawberry, MAC Brick-O-La & Plumful)  

I've also got a sample pot of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Graphite that my friend had picked up for me the other day.  My new bar stools & bedside tables are going to get a hit of this!  Oh, and of course my phone (Samsung Galaxy S4 mini), my keys & my purse - which for some reason I forgot to add in the photo.

Please tell me I'm not the only person who has a stack of old receipts & fluffy sweets in their bag!!

Autumn outfit - lunch date

                      

Autumn outfit - lunch date by fortytherapy


Oh I do love Polyvore, it's becoming very addictive!!  My latest outfit post, as you can see, is my ideal get-up for a lunch out with my fabulous husband - nothing too fancy or smart but I love it all the same.  We very rarely get to enjoy a nice, relaxed lunch these days so it'd be nice to smarten myself up a wee bit!

I've started with a really simple ivory jumper from Phase Eight at John Lewis, currently in the sale.  I love that it's not too fitted but is long enough to cover my bum & bits - nobody wants to look at that when they're eating thank you very much - or ever!!  It's quite a fine knit so I've added a nude vest to wear underneath from H&M - well, it says it's pink but it looks nude to me.

For the bottoms, I've chosen some comfortable high-waisted leggings, again from H&M, as is the gorgeous leather bag.  I've added these lovely wedge knee-high boots from M&S as I spotted them on their website & they very quietly - but very definitely - called my name!!  If I can actually zip them up over my wide calves, they're going in my basket.....

Camel coats are all over at the moment but I just can't find one I like enough to buy but this Mango cape, I love & would get an awful lot of wear from it.  The honey coloured faux-fur scarf from Next would look great with it as would the black hat & fabulous pony gloves & let's face it, they're all necessary additions in this cold, dreary weather!

The Citizen watch is another on my birthday wish-list, I love the splash of colour on the face.  And in keeping with the whole autumnal colour scheme, I'd stick with a nude lipstick & cocoa brown nails.

Do you love Polyvore too?

Autumn casual

                 

Autumn casual by fortytherapy


So there's a definite nip in the air in the mornings now, the cosy cardis are being unpacked & I get the urge to walk a lot more! I don't know what it is about autumn, but I love it when wee man has been dropped off at school & I can come back, harness up donkey-dog & take him over the park for a wander.

I've spoken before about how I have a mahoosive country park just across from our house & it's great walking round the reservoirs on sunny, crisp mornings.  I'm one of those annoying people who love this transitional stage from summer to autumn, the clothes are so much more 'me'!!

The above outfit is my standard sort of everyday, chuck-it-on outfit & what you'll mainly find me wearing on a daily basis.  I'm suddenly being drawn back to boot-cut jeans again after many, many months of skinnies & these from Next are gorgeous.  They're a slim boot-cut with a high-waist to suck in the muffin top - fabulous! - and are my preferred colour of denim.

On top is a simple white slub t-shirt, again from Next with a boyfriend blazer from Matalan.  I don't go here an awful lot but popped in a couple of weeks ago & spotted this.  I knew it'd be perfect to throw on & it was only £16, bargain!  I've also added a grey & white animal print scarf - just because I love it!

I spotted this Fossil bag on the John Lewis website & love it but I can't justify spending £129 on a cross-body bag so I'll have to find a cheaper alternative!

The red Converse are a staple item in my wardrobe & I've gone through many pairs of them.  I am actually in need of new ones again but I'm trying to hold out until we go to New York as they're much cheaper over there!!  And with such a plain colour outfit, I have to add a wee pop of colour on my lips & the Revlon Just Bitten crayons are fab for a hint of tint!

You may be wondering why there's a camera on my outfit list too.  I'd been looking at getting a new compact advanced system camera for all my travels next year but my husband pointed out a few weeks ago that I would then be lugging around a bigger camera & needing to change lenses etc so as a compromise, he went out & bought me this fab Fujifilm XF-1 instead - he's fab!!!  Although it's essentially a point & shoot camera, it's jam-packed full of extras & it's taking me ages to suss out all of the settings, hence why it comes out with me all of the time now so I can practise!!  But I so love the retro style of it & the fact it has a red leather casing!

I'm also loving Polyvore at the moment so expect a few more outfit posts coming up - I need to build up to WIWT posts with full-length photos of myself!!

*I wrote this post 10 days ago & have only just realised that I'd left it in draft form, doh!!!*

A day oot in Auld Reekie

 

 

 

 

Very rarely these days do Mr F & I get the chance to have a whole day to ourselves so when my mum came home after visiting my sister for 6 weeks & offerered to do the school runs etc. we jumped at the chance!  I'd received a fair amount of pennies for my birthday a couple of weeks back so we decided to go to Edinburgh for the day so I could go to John Lewis & Harvey Nichols & spend them!!

 

I love Edinburgh so much, I would live there in a heartbeat.....I just need to do some serious praying to the Lottery gods first though!  We normally take the train through but we find more often than not, there are never any seats on the return journey so have to end up standing for an hour & a half.  Not good at all when you've paid good money for a ticket, in my opinion.  So this time we decided to use the park & ride just beside the Forth Road Bridge which turned out to be so fast & easy, I just think we'll use this option from now on!

 

Anyway, I had a very successful day & picked up a load of new skincare & cosmetics.....and the obligatory pair of new shoes of course!  No shopping trip is complete without new shoes but instead of a pair of sky-high heels, this time I opted for the sensible-but-damn-comfortable ballet flats from Clarks. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.  MAC Viva Glam 1

2.  No7 cream blush Maple Silk

3.  Soltan Gradually Golden for face

4.  L'Oréal Nude Magique CC Anti-fatigue

5.  Stila Prime Pot

6.  MAC lipliner Spice

7.  Revlon Lip Butter Red Velvet, Raspberry Pie & Pink Truffle

 

I also purchased more of my favourite cleanser, the fabulous Cleanse & Polish by Liz Earle & a lip balm from Kiehl's, a range I've never tried before but I'm loving the product so far.  I also bought a new make-up pouch & some mini handcreams from Cath Kidston to keep in my handbag rather than the great big tubes I normally stash in there & finally got my hands on some Real Techniques brushes.  These things are like gold dust around here, they're always sold out but a full review of these will follow.  And finally, every trip to Edinburgh involves a visit to Bravissimo for new undies.  I was fitted by the brilliant & very patient Brigit & came away with 2 new sets.

 

Mr F wanted to go to the Hard Rock Café (again!) for lunch where I enjoyed quite possibly the tastiest steak I've had in a looong time & a couple of beers went down well too!  So that's me well & truly spent up for quite some time now.  Well, except for this fabulous bridge camera that I have my eye on that is!  I may have to do quite a few eBay & carbooting sessions to raise the funds for that one though!

 

À la prochaine!