pretty things to see, feel, eat

Tuesday 2 July 2013

Mama Likes - Floaty summer dresses and getting polished toes out!

I absolutely love a floaty bohemian vibe for summer - I could waft around all day in floaty dresses given the opportunity and the weather.  Last weekend we had two wonderful London summer days that I wrote about over on my alternate site Mama and More here, when the sun shone through and our local pub threw a street party, and so my daughter and I donned our summery frocks and wafted around, Pimms in hand (for me, not her, naturally!)

For Saturday, I wore this dress from London Fashion Weekend sales, bought at least 5 years ago - does that make it vintage yet? Watch from Michael Kors, neon pink belt, Cos, handbag Tamara Fogle, Sandals, Zadig Voltaire as usual.

On Sunday, amazingly enough, the sun continued - it's a rare thing to be much appreciated to have two consecutive weekend days of sunshine here!  My girl and I rocked summer smock dresses - hers from Next last year, mine from H&M, four and a half years ago.  I talked about gladiator sandals in my last post, here (what's your take on them? Love or loathe?).  I do have one caveat with sandals - if toes are out, grownup toes to be exact, polish! Just a quick slick of something - for me, it's like remembering to brush your teeth or wear underwear before leaving the house.  You just wouldn't not!

 I last wore this dress when I was 5 months pregnant with her, and for a long time, unless I was pregnant, I've stayed away from floaty smock dresses, as they just remind me of a time when I wore little else, but now I am back to enjoying them again.

Today I discovered two new pairs of sandals that practically begged me to take them home - they are from the children's section of M&S, so if you go up to a Eur38/US 6.5-7/UK5, the kids' sandal selection is definitely worth checking out... especially as there's no VAT on childrenswear.

These do come in a more grown-up colour way in the adults' section - in silver glitter or black glitter.  I was dubious about the pink until I tried them on, and then just couldn't resist!  They sealed the deal by being only £14.00.
These are a more muted gold than my Zadig & Voltaire gold sandals, so I convinced myself that they do a different job.  I try to do "one in one out", so came home and expunged two pairs of shoes to make room.  They were only £12.00, so I got 2 for the price of... um at least half the cost of one normal pair? It would have been rude to say no!


I hope that you're having a lovely week, what are you wearing?


Linking back to
Transatlantic Blonde What I Wore Wednesday // The Pleated Poppy What I Wore Wednesday // Because Shanna Said So Random Wednesday // Small Town Big Wardrobe - Whatever Works Wednesday // The Mummy Chronicles Watcha Wearin Wednesday // Fashion's Greatest Hits

Monday 1 July 2013

Mama likes... Gladiator sandals - a summer favourite!

Gladiator sandals have been lingering around for a long time - well, thousands of years really, if we go all the way back to Ancient Greece and Rome, but in fashion terms, it's been a trend on repeat for a few summers - like pashminas and UGGs, it just won't go away! Personally, it's is a relief, as I fell in love with this sandal style years ago - probably in my early teens - and couldn't wait for certain other sandal trends to go away (don't make me mention the "B" or "C" words!), so that I could get back to what my husband calls my "Flavius Maximus footwear".

Here's a little pic of me and my girl in ours - mine from Kurt Geiger last summer, and hers from Zara Kids.


Here are a few other beauties in the shops right now - quick, summer may actually be here, time to get those (well manicured) tootsies out!


Chunky silver leather from Top Shop

Multi-strap leather from Bertie

Gold pared-back luxe from Chloe (from ShoeScribe)


Leather and Leopard print from Whistles (via Asos)

Or a fierce studded leopard print version from Zara


Studded black toe-post from River Island
Statement leather and mesh sandals from Sergio Rossi (from ShopBop)
Neon yellow by Rebecca Minkoff (from DJ Premium)

(now tell me that "Flavius Maximus" ever dreamt of rocking such a fabulous pair!)


Last summer, my daughter wore these to death from Monsoon.  I'm not a fan of kids wearing grown-up style, and these are just adorable, while letting her copy mama just enough!


They do something similar for adults, but sadly not in the fuchsia pink.  Still, there's a sandal out there for everyone!  

  I haven't dared wear the high gladiator sandal, although if I did...


(Givenchy sandals from 2011 - I'd love to see what my husband would make of these, although not sure I'd wear them to the supermarket!)


What do you think, would you dare?  Are you a gladiator sandal lover?