As I haven't been to the shops in a while (quelle horreur!!). I know, it's not like me to stay away from them in general and by shops I mean a big shopping centers, london or similar.
I did however manage to squeeze a little peruse round a sweet little boutique in Lavenham, Suffolk at the weekend. All my boys went off to Spain for a ski holiday, so my auntie Angela very kindly came up to stay with me to keep me company, saved either of us being at a loose end. We amused ourselves with visiting family and then a trip out in the gorgeous Suffolk countryside on Sunday.
Found a fab little dress shop and bought a few things, rude not to really. Then went off and ate a roast dinner followed by jam roly poly pudding...which means the new stuff probably won't fit now anyway! :)
Having not been to any big shopping centers for a bit I've taken a different route for this blog and looked at the online shops. Today it's the turn of Monsoon, a high street hero of mine. Some 21 years ago my mum and dad bought me my wedding dress from there and since then I've had a soft spot for it. (mum bought me my wedding dress about 4 days before the wedding. I had intended on wearing a classic cream suit that I already owned but mum preferred the idea of a dress. It was/is a gorgeous dress at that. Total classic and utterly wearable today, hasn't dated at all... Just like me hahahahahahahahaha...
Monsoon can be very bohemian centric but even so there are some beauties to be had. I'm not a fan of boho. It can often feel a little too fussy and I feel like a fish out of water in it, but I've found some gorgeous outfits and dresses that I really will be trying and possibly buying the next time I pass a store (Friday as it happens).
I'm really focussing on dresses for this season, I've been in jeans all winter or so it feels and quite honestly I want a bit of relief from the restraint of the tight fit. I'm loving all these dresses for Spring/Summer. I have quite a few holidays booked this year already so even if we don't get any sun here I know I'll get the wear out of them.
With a fair few dresses for this season these a just a few of my top picks. Their occasion wear is gorgeous but I'm fully stocked up with going out clothes. It's my day wear that needs a spring re boot. Belted dresses work a treat to disguise my bag. Pockets do the same job, that said, I do approach pockets with some caution as I wore an outfit once that had pockets and it very much looked like I had a colection of marbles in there where my bag was full and I had been previously constipated! ;)
These three above are just the right side of boho for my liking, plus I don't usually wear culottes as I'm quite short but if these fit I'm having them, they just look so darn comfy. The tops are gorgeous too. By camouflaging my bag I'm not seeking to deny my reality, my reality is rather nice thanks very much - poo bag and all, I just prefer a nice, neat, clean line when I'm dressed.
My Monsoon wedding dress. 14th Feb 1996. Still a fan of the dress and the shop...and of course Chris...