Braving the Brogue

I love brogues, always have. On boys and girls of all ages. I think they’re just about the smartest shoe in the shop. But how ever much I admired them on others, I was never sure if they were something I would love on my very own feet. That was until I found the perfect pair and now I can’t take them off.

My love for brogues started a long long time ago when the only person who really made fashion brogues for ladies, was the wonderful Sir Paul Smith. I was given a pair by the press office as a gift / payment for writing some press releases. I chose them myself and so strong was my longing to own a pair, I took the last remaining size 7s. I’m a small size 6. They were pale pink leather and absolutely gorgeous. I still have them in the box they came in and I have never, ever worn them. They’re far too big, I look like a clown but I can’t bring myself to part with them. I just like opening the lid now and again and knowing that I own one of the finest pair of brogues ever made.

It was years and years until I finally plucked up the courage to start looking again and then last Summer I found them. A black and white pair of lace-less brogues from Urban Outfitters, purchased in Los Angeles, in Santa Monica to be exact. They are quite possibly the best shoes I’ve ever owned, I wear them almost every day and they have reignited my love and confidence in the brogue.

So, having overcome the fear that I was possibly too old or too short legged or just too afraid to wear them, last week I pushed it that one step further….and I think it was a step too far. I bought myself – online – a pair of tan leather brogue ankle boots. I’m quite a fan of summer dresses with bare legs and boots – biker boots and the like, not Uggs – and I thought that this could be the perfect, lighter alternative. I think I might have been wrong. You see, the great thing about biker boots is that they’re loose enough around the ankle to make them flattering, as soon as you wear any kind of short boot which is more on the fitted side, it doesn’t do anything for the length or shape of your legs. Well not mine anyway.

But the thing is I still like them and I’m convinced I’ll find a way to wear them. Or they might just sit alongside my pink Paul Smith brogues in their box, as a slight fashion mistake but very nice to look at all the same.

Merchant and Mills – the prettiest pins in the box

My sewing skills aren’t anything to boast about. I’m pretty good at cushion covers and Christmas stockings and I absolutely love my John Lewis Mini Sewing Machine, but when it comes to dressmaking, I’ve never been brave enough to try. But, if there’s one website to make me even consider giving it a go, it would have to be Merchant and Mills.

Not only do they have some of the loveliest patterns I’ve seen but they also have the prettiest packs of buttons and pins I could ever wish to own.

So if you fancy yourself as a bit of a dressmaker or if a box of pins could quite easily make you smile, then have a look. They’re absolutely gorgeous.

Bring Your Own Blanket

With this rather unpredictable British Summer we’ve been enjoying of late, it seems we are facing yet more style questions and decisions. Not just whether to wear bare legs, tights or leggings….always go bare after June I say…..but now we have another accessory to consider, the blanket.

I went to a friends 40th birthday party at the weekend which was, as any June party would be, hoping for fine weather or at least to be warm and dry enough to enjoy the garden and not all be huddled around the kitchen table. So, very sensibly, my friend sent an email to the ladies of the party asking us all to bring our own blankets as she only had a few and was sure knees would need to be kept warm if we were to enjoy the garden. I rather liked this request, it made me smile and then the question entered my dreadfully affected fashion head, what kind of blanket should I take??? Now, being rather partial to blankets and quilts, I have quite a few, of all varieties. I went through a crochet blanket phase – buying not making – and found quite a few fabulous, brightly coloured vintage “granny” offerings through Ebay and little antique shops. And then there are the ubiquitous Cath Kidston checked picnic blankets, of which I also have a few. All I must add, have been picked up in the CK online sale and from one of my new favourite places, Bicester Village. If you haven’t been there, you must.

And then there are my growing collection of Indian quilts which are bright and colourful and quite possibly my most precious home ware possessions. So you see my dilemma. All these are blankets and quilts to be proud of but are they right for a 40th birthday party in a London garden will some very chic ladies in attendance and one or two cocktails. I ruled out the Cath Kidston ones immediately. They suit my country life perfectly but will remain my guilty “oh I just buy her stuff because the children love it” secret.

There was also the matter of my outfit to consider. I’m a person who spends perhaps too much thought on how things look together. Shoes, jacket, bag, scarf…all important accessories to coordinate and the blanket needed to treated in just the same way. If I was going to spend the evening in the garden with my blanket, it simply had to match my outfit. So that meant the crochet offerings were also quickly ruled out.

In the end I went for a beautiful grey throw sort of blanket with embroidered flowers running along the hem. It was understated and warm and complimented my grey silk dress and black and white brogues beautifully. Not that anyone will have noticed, but I did and that’s all that matters in situations such as these.

So there it is. Apparently there have been quite a few wedding invitations sent recently with the same “bring your own blanket” footnote and I personally think it’s a pretty wonderful addition to the British Summer dress code. So bring out your blankets, but remember they may end up saying more about you than you think.

The Kids Are Alright

Seeing as it’s my blog and seeing as Little Lucky Seven is half my company and seeing as I’m allowed to do whatever I want on my own blog with my own company, I’ve decided to give ourselves a plug.

So, here it is.

For the best custom made kids caps anywhere in the world, go to Little Lucky Seven

They’re not only very cool indeed and worn by all kinds of discerning and very fashionable children, but it seems kids actually want to keep them on their heads. Which is rare. And even better, parents seem perfectly willing for their children to wear them. Which is a bonus all round.

They cost just £20 and are only available from the online cap shop. Each and every cap is made by a real person and sent out in its very own cap box. Which is nice enough to recycle and use to put all kinds of things in.

Here are a few photos of the caps and some of our Little Lucky Seven stars……