What I Wore to a Wedding

Tall and I went to the beautiful wedding of two lovely friends on Saturday. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and we were childless for ten whole hours.

 Despite not having the boys with us, I ended wearing a dress I could easily nurse Pickle in if I was called to come home; it was a 40 minute drive to get home, and I didn’t want to waste any time if I had to see to a distraught little man refusing to go to bed without his mama.

Pickle wasn’t happy about it, but ended up falling asleep in his grandad’s arms, and was fast asleep by the time we arrived home.

I did try on two other dresses – I didn’t want to wear black – but I was too self-conscious about my chest, so went for the dress I felt most comfortable in.

Outfit details
Dress: House of Harlow
Cardigan: Glassons
Shoes: Dorothy Perkins
Necklace: a gift when I was a bridesmaid seven or eight years ago
Earrings: Etsy, my wedding pearls
Bracelets: Esteem Jewellery (my fake-but-so-sparkly bling) and Oroton, a gift from my sister for my 30th birthday
Rings: wedding band and engagement ring, and a gift from my nana for my 21st birthday – bought 10 years after the fact!
Clutch: Aldo

Tall’s suit is from River Island

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For the first time in aaaaaages, linking up with Kelly for

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Dressing for Date Night

Last week, Tall and I celebrated four years of marriage with a lovely home-cooked meal, followed the next evening with dinner out.

It was our first proper date since before Pickle was born…when we went out for our third wedding anniversary. It’s a sad state of affairs, especially when we’re lucky enough to have babysitters (ie: my parents) living five minutes away, but when you’re breastfeeding an unpredictable little person, date nights become something of a distant memory.

BEFORE

I spoke to my sister the afternoon of our date, and she asked if I was going to wear a skirt. I hadn’t decided, but told her I’d definitely wear heels.

I ended up wearing both.

I even managed to straighten my hair (and realise how desperately I need a trim), put on a bit of make up, and pull together a pretty acceptable outfit in a short period of time (because of course, that was the night Pickle decided not to be asleep by 7pm, and I was still shushing him in his room twenty minutes before our 8pm reservation).

AFTER

Tall complimented me and told me I looked “very nice”, which I gladly accepted…but he was outdone by Tiny, whose eyes widened when I entered the lounge, where he gasped, “Look at YOU, mummy!”

Heels…little ones, but still heels

I almost cried…but that would have made my mascara run, and we really had to leave. Not even three, and he already knows how to make the ladies swoon!

Outfit Details:
Dress: Doll House
Shoes: Platino
Bracelet: Esteem Jeweellery
Earrings: Etsy
Rings: wedding band and engagment ring from England

(I wore the same jewellery the day we were married…and for two out of our four anniversaries, I’ve also worn my bridal underwear. The two I haven’t…I was pregnant!)

Linking up at Kelly’s, the new home of

Wardrobe Wednesday: the ‘W’ edition

Last week we went to a wedding in Waitotara, west(ish) of Whanganui. It was warm and windy, wonderful and well-worth the whirlwind weekend.

Aaah, my fourth form English teacher would be proud of all that alliteration.

The night before the little ones and I left (Tall came up the following day; flying with two was easier than expected, especially when air stewards and passengers alike were all so lovely and helpful), I spent a while trying on a load of dresses. One was a little tight in the chest area, so it got hung straight back up. Another fit well, but needs to be shortened. Another is my go-to dress, a dress I can easily nurse in – but this time, I would be sans bébé (which didn’t go so well, but hey, we all survived, despite Pickle’s stubborn refusal to take a bottle for five hours!), so it was gladly put away.

I settled on my very favourite LBD from Monsoon; another dress that conjures up strong memories.

Please excuse my TERRIBLE posture! #needtogetbackintoyoga

It is the dress I wore when, at 11 weeks pregnant with Tiny and still suffering from severe morning sickness, we ate at Le Gavroche, Michel Roux Jr’s Michelin Two Star restaurant in London. We had an eight-course tasting menu, and it was d-i-v-i-n-e.

I love it. It has a v-shaped back and a wide neckline which gives me a bit of much-needed shoulder width. You possibly can’t tell from the photo, but it is slightly layered, and has a lovely, subtle movement to it.

My shoes were an easy choice: I was determined not to wear black, and so chose the strappy green ones that I knew I could walk in for a little while without feeling like a teetering baby giraffe. They were a good choice – the day was HOT – but I took them off as soon as we were seated for (thankfully-not-a-buffet) dinner…I am NOT a heels wearer!

Outfit details:
dress: Monsoon (London); shoes: Overland Footwear; earrings: Rockbourne Jewellery; circle bracelet: Oroton (a gift from my sister for my 30th); sparkly bracelet: Esteem Jewellery; flower hairtie: no idea…have had it for years!

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Linking up with Miriam for

Channeling My Inner-Miriam

One day last week, my husband arrived home and asked his usual question, “What have you guys been doing today?” with an unusual air of suspicion.

“I’ve been channeling my inner-Miriam,” I replied gaily.

*blank stare*

You see, I was wearing a dress. And a belt and bangles and a long dangly necklace. Most days when he gets home, I’ve already had to change at least once, and I’m usually in the kitchen in jeans or trackies.

But it had been a warm, warm day, and I just felt like wearing a dress. We’d spent most of the day at home, popping out only to get a few groceries and a couple of things from The Warehouse.

I thought I’d feel too dressed up, but I didn’t. I felt pretty and feminine and relaxed and rather proud of myself for thinking of adding a belt to an otherwise-plain dress. I added a 3/4-sleeve swingy merino cardigan later, which also went under the belt, and I thought it looked pretty good, personally.

Also, do you like my impulse-buy silk top??

I was buying coffee beans, and had forgotten that the best little coffee place in town only accepts cash; the lady is so lovely, and seeing me lugging in Pickle in his capsule, she sent me over the road to a second-hand designer store to get cash. I was feeling bad about just asking for cash, and while I waited my eyes fell onto something red and ruffly. I pulled it from the rack, saw it was roughly my size and about half the normal retail price, and fell promptly in love.

I wore it for our early Christmas celebration with my mum and dad; it was a hot day, but I was nice and cool, and it allowed for quick access when Pickle wanted Christmas lunch too.

Oh, and a couple of weeks ago I was wondering which shoes to wear to a wedding in Hanmer Springs. I desperately wanted to wear the pink stilettos, but I tried walking in them and felt (and looked) too much like a baby giraffe, so I ended up in a pair of slightly lower heels. Which I wore for an hour, and then swapped for jandals because I needed to pop Pickle in the Ergo, and my balance was thrown out in the heels.

I didn’t get through all my shoes, either…there were some (like my wedding shoes) which I didn’t want to wear, and some that I didn’t get a chance to wear. But the point of the exercise was to stop automatically reaching for a pair of Chucks, and I definitely feel as though I’ve broken that habit. It’s been fun thinking about what shoes to wear, and I’ve realised that other shoes can be just as comfortable and practical.

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Linking up with Ms. Style herself for

More Shoes…

Another week of not wearing a pair of Chucks, another step closer to wearing very impractical shoes. Shoes that Tiny likes to bring out of my wardrobe and tell me are “very pretty”. The boy has good taste in shoes.

I’ve recycled a couple of times this week, mostly due to ease of shoe-removal and other such practical considerations as the weather, jobs to be done, and time available. Which is where I usually fall back on a pair of my old faithfuls.

We have a wedding to go this weekend, and I can’t decide between these three pairs of rather high heels. My dress is black (boring, I know, but it’s the only dress I can breastfeed in), so I’m leaning more towards the pink (especially since they’re new)…unless you can convince me otherwise??

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Linking up over at Miriam’s for

Wardrobe Wednesday: Shoes Week Four

I have a confession to make.

On Saturday afternoon, I wore a pair of my Chucks.

The purple ones *hangs head in shame*.

I kinda had to, though. It was a cool day, so I needed to wear closed shoes. I could have worn some ballet flats or pumps, but I needed to wear socks, too. I could have worn boots, I suppose, but I was taking the boys down to watch their daddy play cricket, so I needed something comfortable and practical for chasing a small boy across a field. And without really thinking, I put on the Chucks and stepped out the door.

And oh! how comfortable and welcoming they were. I now remember why I choose to wear them so often; they love my feet and my feet love them.

I made it 24 days, though. Not bad going, considering I usually wear them every day. Now, though, my shoe endeavour will spill over into December some more, as I am determined to get through them all.

This week in shoes, then, goes a little like this:

I really can’t avoid my peep-toe stilettos and sandals any longer…

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Linking up with the ultra-stylish Miriam for

Wardrobe Wednesday: Shoes Week Three

Bit of a boring shoe week since last Wednesday; I’ve worn my running shoes on three days, and slippers on one. Boring, but I’m happy because it means that I’ve been for three extra walks…and spent a quiet weekend-day at home, just chilling with my boys. “Chilling” being the operative word – it was cold the day I didn’t leave the house!

I had so many comments the day I wore my long black boots, and they made me feel slightly glamourous, despite being dribble-coated. I love the sound the heel makes on the pavement! The teal-y peep-toes always, always get attention, simply because they are quite fun. Just don’t look too closely…they had a few pub outings in London, and the satin may have the odd beer or pinot grigio stain on it!

Today’s a jandal day. I love jandal days!

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Joining up with Miriam for

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Wardrobe Wednesday: Shoes Week Two

This not wearing my Chucks thing is actually easier than I thought. However, now that I’ve gone through almost all my ballet flats and boots, we’re getting into heels territory.

I love heels, but hardly ever wear them; pushing a stroller and being covered in dribble and baby vom doesn’t really marry up too well with a nice pair of stilettos. But this month, it will. Oh yes, I’ll be that woman tottering around the supermarket in a pair of heels with a splatter of drool on them.

Today, however, I’ve been wearing slippers. Aaaaallllll day.

Playdate with friends

Lunch out with the MIL

A visit to the Farmers’ Market

Grocery shopping

A spot of shopping

Out and about with my 3 boys

Playdate at home

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Linking up over at lovely Miriam’s for
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Have you entered my giveaway? It’s open internationally!

Wardrobe Wednesday: Shoes

On most days, you will find me wearing a pair of these:

They’re comfortable, colourful and cool, and if you look closely…the grey pair are coated in the unmistakable grime that can come only from travelling on the London Underground.

It seems strange, even to me, that I wear the same shoes all the time; I adore shoes, and have a number of pairs in my closet that I love, but never seem to see the light of day.

Which is why I have decided to spend November wearing every pair of shoes I own. I’m challenging myself to step out of my Converse and into my ballet flats, sandals, boots and heels, to turn off the autopilot, and dust off  those poor neglected shoes.

Hmm, can you tell what the weather was like each day from my footwear choices?!

(I’ve been playing with Photoscape today…I don’t think I like the results, but it’s late and the blurry font could be my eyes…)

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Joining up with Miriam for

Things I’m Loving

Today, I’m a bit sad.

Actually, I’m a lot sad.

I’ve just said good bye to yet another very good friend who is moving back to England. We met when Tiny was four months old, and her son was six months old. They both have the same name, and her son has always been referred to as “Big —-“, while mine has been “Little —-” – even the other kids call them that. I’m going to miss her, but I know that she’s making the right move – back to families, and to start her dream job. It’s bittersweet.

And Tall leaves for his 8-day work trip to Mexico on Sunday. I was feeling really fine about it, but Pickle has decided that bedtime is over-rated, and Tiny has been a bit naughty the last couple of days. I know we’ll be fine, and I know I’ll cope, but I’m going to miss having an adult to talk to once the babies are asleep…and someone to take the pressure off when it’s witching hour!

Anyway…despite the little air of gloom hanging around this week, there are some very bright patches, like:

~ the arrival of a friend’s first baby, a bonny 10lb 2oz not-so-little boy

~ the arrival of another first baby, another boy, up in Auckland

~ the news that another very good friend – who is one of the best mamas I know – is pregnant again 🙂

~ days that have been 20degC-plus, reminding me that summer isn’t too far away

~ new jandals (and the sudden realisation that I now have five pairs…is that too many? I don’t think so…Tall was a bit surprised…)

Jandally goodness

~ big brothers who encourage baby brothers to lift their heads for tummy time, and who offer such lovely words of praise like, “Good job! You’re doing so well!” (someone’s a bit of a parrot!)

“Good job!”

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Linking up with the fabulous Meghan for