Winter Sparkle

Style Theory: We all need a little sparkle in our lives right? It is never too early to add an item of sparkly clothing to your wardrobe...


It is easy to make it daytime acceptable. Just wear one glitter item, I am thinking this season a jumper or a vest top, and dress down with jeans, trainers (or wellies!) and wear a parka over the top so just a little sparkle is showing. I wore my new Primark black and silver jumper with my dungarees, completely dressed down and during the daytime I still managed to get a little sparkle in my life..
Jumper: Primark £9 (avail in store)
Dungarees: H& M similar here
Converse: House of Fraser now £35.99
Bag: &Other Stories similar here
The Primark sweater is available in store (also in a gold colour) and was £9 or £10, my local store had lots so it worth checking if you fancy a little sparkle!

There are some gorgeous sparkly tops available on the high street, here is my edit of the best:
The Dream Top...
Bella Freud in Selfridges £270
The dream sweater from Bella Freud, blue merino wool with metallic yarn, sparkly and extra special, the kind of Christmas jumper I would be more than happy to wear. Also comes in black... 
Travelling Bazaar £179
Travelling Bazaar £179
This Munthe sweater from Travelling Bazaar has a stunning, super glittery (sparklier in real life) panel of sparkle across the middle. The beige has silver, the pink has gold, it is a super soft sweater mohair and wool mix, not itchy at all. Wear with wellies or with heels this sweater would be a hard worker in your wardrobe!
&Other Stories £65
Another gorgeous sweater with a nod to metallics, merino wool, supersoft and at a more affordable price than the Bella Freud sweater, this is on my wish list. I love the skirt too which will available soon..the outfit above is a really cool Christmas look, add black opaques and little shoe boots.
&Other Stories £45
This sweater looks really luxe, I would size up to wear it slouchy. 
H&M Poloneck £29.99
Love the gold colour with blue denim, wear underneath a denim pinafore dress with opaque tights and trainers for a relaxed look. *one to try on just to check it is not itchy..
H&M £24.99
Love the shade of red of this jumper, it looks a fine knit so would not be itchy. I would size up on this sweater and wear slouchy with black ankle length jeans and a pair of heels for a night out. Or for daytime with a pair of blue boyfriend jeans and stan smith trainers.
H&M £49.99
Slightly 'out there' but I adore this jacket. Again I would size up, wear slouchy, completely dress down to make it daytime ready, wear a white/grey/black t-shirt underneath, a pair of loose boyfriend jeans and stan smith trainers. Or wear with a tee, a pair of black skinny jeans and black converse.
Topshop £20
This top speaks for itself, wear it instead of a grey Tee to add a little sparkle.
Topshop £36
Love this top, the shape is gorgeous, a real swing top, balance the volume by wearing skinny jeans and a pair of heeled ankle boots.
Zara £17.99
This has a subtle gold thread through the fabric for a gold sheen. Love the sleeves on this top, this would look great under dungarees or a pair of leather shorts, thick tights and a pair of trainers.

I am well and truly onboard with a bit of Autumn sparkle, I think I may 'need' the &otherstories sweater and the H&M zip top, love the sporty vibe.

Are you a fan of shimmer and sparkle or do indulge at Christmas or avoid completely?! As always I would love to hear your thoughts and comments, until next time Frances xxx

Mini-Me's with River Island

Style Theory: Sometimes your little ones like to look a little cool, slightly edgy but you still want the clothes to be a good quality, durable and cut well. Step forward River Island mini...utterly cute,  trendy and ideal for disco/party outfits. 

For little ones all the key trends seen in adult fashion are filtered down, diluted a little to make them child friendly and can be mixed and matched with more traditional items in your child's wardrobe. The range is reasonably priced (think H&M kids pricing) but just slightly more cutting edge.

The good news is River Island kids have 20% off today - enter the code KIDSMINI20 

Here is my edit of super cute mini outfits, I still lean towards slightly classic in my selection but I think the outfits below are a happy compromise, cool but not too 'grown up'...

For the boys....


For the Girls....

My 8 year old daughter has just breezed past the computer and announced she loves the whole outfit (I think she may be a little too big) but she said it was 'epic' ..!

Today is the ideal time to buy a few little pieces for the little wardrobes, the 20% off makes such a difference and they will last them the whole winter and spring and these items are good layering items and could be worn in the summer too,  I'm off to do a little kids shopping at RI (my kids have grown out of all of there winter clothes grrrrr!) 

What do you think of this range, did you know RI also had kids clothing range? I found it last summer and my little boy loved the items I bought him.

As always I would love to hear your thoughts and comments, until next time Frances xx

*this was not a sponsored post I just thought the clothes above were cute and it is sometimes nice to have a fresh approach to kids clothes..

Diamonds and Pearls...

Style Theory: Pearls will never go out of fashion, they look chic, sophisticated and beautiful. Models on the AW15 catwalks were adorned with pearls, Givenchy, D&G, Stella McCartney and Chanel sent their models sashing down the catwalk accessorised with pearls..


Pearl accessories, thankfully are not only restricted to a designer purchase, they are affordable and look amazing dressed down...


I used to always wear pearl earrings but recently had been wearing plain gold studs, just due to laziness of not changing earrings to go with my outfits, so when Claudia Bradby asked me if I would like to choose a couple of items from her collection I jumped at the chance and as soon as I received the stunning pieces my love for pearls was re-ignited and I have worn them every day since..

All of Claudia Bradby pieces are made from freshwater cultured pearls and they are truly beautiful. The pearl reflects a flattering glow on your face, the earrings look understated and undeniably classy. I love to wear them with my sweater and jeans, they just add a sophisticated touch to my casual, everyday outfits.

Here are my favourite pieces from the range..

Pearl and Diamond Cocktail Earrings £294

These are extra special earrings, they are made from freshwater pearls and diamonds set in stunning blades. These are truly eye-catching, they look quite 1950s in styling, so original, I have not seen this style before and adore it. The blades are removable so the pearls can be worn by themselves. A truly indulgent gift..

Pearl and Diamond Cocktail Earrings (with Blade removed) £294
Eclipse Silver Ring Necklace £69

The pearls are the beautiful colour worn alone. The Eclipse necklace is subtle and stylish, the length for me is perfection (it has an extension chain so you can wear at the height that suits you, I love to wear my necklaces quite high) There are two tiny pearls on either side to add a touch of luxe. This would be the most beautiful christmas present...



I also adore these earrings..

Pearl Duo earrings £70.50



A little twist on the classic pearl earrings, a little more glamorous and edgy.

Audrey Pearl Stud Earrings £45

Classic pearl stud earrings, you cannot go wrong with these as a gift, each pearl is grown individually then put into pairs, completely unique and undeniably elegant.


Essential Pearl Necklace £57

This necklace is so subtle and beautiful, it can sit high on your neck and looks gorgeous on. One to add to the Christmas wish list..


From left: Lucia Pyrite and Pearl Bracelet £82.50
Santorini Bracelet £82.50
Mimi Pearl Bracelet £75
Essential Silver Bangle £82.50

Each one of these bangles is beautiful in it's own right but stacked up they look fabulous. 


I am officially back on board with Pearls, and thank Claudia Bradby for bringing them back into my life!

Are you a fan of pearls do you wear them or have they fallen off your radar too? As always I would love to hear your thoughts comments...Until next time Frances xx

I was gifted the earrings and necklace but was under no obligation to blog nor was I paid to do so, just really wanted to share them with you as I do think they are stunning! Thank you for supporting the brands that support my blog xx

The Black Ankle Boot Edit

Style Theory: Every year the same dilemma, I look for a black ankle boot that has everything; comfortable, flattering, soft leather, the right heel height and will go with every outfit from skinny jeans to dresses and take my feet cosily through the winter months.

In short I look for the perfect ankle boot, the question is 'is it out there?!' well, you know what, this year the high street have given it their all and I am pretty sure there is the perfect ankle boot out there for you..(and me)

First a few looks that have re-kindled my love and renewed my 'need' for the elusive perfect ankle boot..

Photos via Pinterest
Now to my favourites on the high street..starting with the dream pair..
Net A Porter Acne Jensen Boots £400
These are my dream black boots but sadly wayyy out of my price range. They are the perfect height, beautiful leather and I love the shape of the toe..so  on to the more affordable high street ones.
Office Imply Point Chelsea Boots £85
Not a bad 'homage' , these boots are definitely on my 'to buy' list. They will look good with 3/4 length skinny jeans (I always chop one pair of skinny jeans short so they sit slightly above the boot..it works for warmer Autumn days..not so good for the winter, that is when I wear them with longer skinny jeans) This style of boots can also work with black opaque tights and a little swing dress.

&Other Stories' boot game is strong this season, I cannot decide which ones I want to buy, here is my edit of my favourites..
&Other Stories Low Cut Leather Boots £79
The low cut of these boots will be extremely flattering when wearing these with skirts or dresses they will elongate your legs.
&Other Stories Anaconda Boots £165
These are stunning boots, I love the snakeskin look and the pointed toe. These would be great for an additional 'going out' pair of boots, fab with black skinny jeans and a pussybow/silk blouse for a rock chic look.
&Other Stories Low Cut Boots £105
Buckle boots are on trend this winter and these ones tick the trend without looking too clumpy or masculine.
&Other Stories Lace up Boots £145
I spotted these and was immediately obsessed, they are a fab 'tribute' to the Chloe lace up boots which I adore but at a much more palatable price.

Wear the boots the Parisienne way..

The navy pea coat looks great too..another item to add to the wish list..
Geox @John Lewis £130
I have a few pairs of Geox shoes and trainers and can almost guarantee these boots will be unbelievably comfortable. They will be perfect for everyday and the pointed heel makes them look stylish and delicate, really like the buckle and zip detail too.

Somerset by Alice Temperley at John Lewis £140
Do you see a theme here, I love a chelsea boot/pointed toe look in soft leather and this boot ticks all the boxes.
Somerset by Alice Temperley @John Lewis £150
These a little different but completely caught my eye, the mix and texture of the leather makes them look really expensive and again I really like the buckle detail.

Topshop Master Tortoiseshell Heels £85
The fashionista favourite, too high for me for all day but perfect for afternoon/evening out. They are tight on the ankle so perfect for under 3/4 length kick flare jeans..very 2015..
Sorel Major Low Boots @Travelling Bazaar £100
These are like wearing slippers, so comfortable and really flattering on your legs as they are low so sit on your ankle. I am wearing them in this photo below and I now have to invest in them, loving the leopard print detail at the back too.

They would be ideal for the schoolrun and everyday wear..they will go with all outfits..
Aigle @Travelling Bazaar £150
These are again super comfy and look delicate on. They are leather pony skin effect, so definitely not to be worn in the rain but kept for crisp, dry Autumn winter days.. I am wearing them in the photo below..

So there is my round up of the black ankle boots that have caught my eye so far this season, I will let you know which ones I buy!

My Style:
My outfits over the last few days..Sunday a day of running around after the kids, parties etc
Sweater: River Island
Jeans: Levis 501ct
Trainers: Stan Smith
Bag: M&S (old season)
Today for the schoolrun and a local meeting..
Sweater: Boden 
Coat: Zara (old Season)
Bag: Radley similar here
Jeans; Asos (old season)
Shoes; Russell & Bromley via ebayUk
Have you already bought your dream black ankle boots, would love to hear if you have found a comfortable, ideal pair, or do any of the boots above catch your eye?

As always I would love to hear your thoughts and comments, until next time Frances xxxx

Switching to Autumn/Winter - Some Outfit Inspiration

Style Theory: The transition from one season to another can sometimes leave me a little lost...what to wear, what style to go for, what is cool this season? I always turn to Pinterest to the streetstylers for some inspiration, so here are a selection of my favourite, mainly classic looks, for this Autumn/Winter that will work for a few years to come...





















For me this year it is all about over sized knitwear, skinny jeans, or leather/suede look trousers, trainers, slouchy boots, tailored coats or jackets and a healthy dose of lurex thrown in to add much needed Autumn sparkle. I am of to hunt down my key items from the high street, I will report back...
Images above via Pinterest

MY STYLE:
A couple of my winter looks so far...
Sweater: River Island Design Forum £65
Jeans: Topshop Baxter £40
Boots: Vivienne Westwood Pirate Boots via EbayUK
Bag: Topshop (old season)

Coat: Zara (old season) similar here
Dungarees: H&M similar here
Blouse: John Lewis similar here
Trainers: Adidas £79.99
Bag: Kipling UK


What is your Autumn/Winter dream look, where do you find your outfit inspiration? As always I would love to hear your thoughts and comments, until next time Frances xxxx