Hello, I am running a bit late with my blog post this week, on Tuesday morning I was working at my desk and the internet went down.  Called BT and logged a fault, then later on found out that the builders working further up our lane had broken the overhead cable with their digger.  This did not impress me as you can imagine.  So any plans of getting on with my blog writing were rather scuppered - a smart phone is good for lots of things but it does have its limitations.  Anyway, all fixed and I am madly trying to catch up!

Red jeans!  I had a pair from French Connection a few years ago, loved them, wore them lots and then felt they were a bit tight and got rid of them.  Slimmed down and regretted that decision.  So when I saw that Mint Velvet had a rather nice pair this season, I decided to give them a go.

The red of the jeans do all the talking so I can keep the outfit quite simple.  Of course red will work all seasons not just summer.  This pair have a frayed hem and a lovely stretch, they are quite a nice weight too.  They are a higher rise - comfortable and flattering!  Paxton Red Jeans - £69..

Here I have styled them with a slogan tee - this one is from Whistles 'Merci Beau Coup' and the animal print belt and bag are from Boden - pretty old but similar here - belts - classic belt or cowhide belt and bags - leopard print clutch and camera bag.

I love to wear trainers on down days, well any day really, these Vionic ones are so comfortable (read my full review here) and go with most things - even skirts and dresses, a style I thought I would never embrace.

I wore this outfit for an Instagram networking event in Marlow.  The blouse is from Hobbs last summer and I love these pelmet style tops and jackets - did you see my Zara jacket on this post?  My open toe espadrilles are from Next and they do similar every season - see here.  And my bag is from Karen Millen, a brand I love, especially their dresses - see this years bag here - currently on sale at £70.

There are lots of red jeans on the high street - as well as some other statement colours.  Here are a few to have a look at:

​Phase Eight Sasha Stud Jeans in sale at £49
Next Soft Touch Skinny Jeans at £28
​M&S High Waist Super Skinny Jeans at £19.50

Hope you enjoy reading this post, do let me know if you have red jeans or if you fancy trying some now?

Love from
Michelle xx
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I rarely go into the high street now, I tend to shop online, and I will often buy something I have seen on another blogger on Instagram or just by browsing and loving something.  And I mostly mix what I already have with a few new things - I build outfits now rather than start from scratch.

A couple of weeks ago I did find myself in our local shopping centre and wanted to have a proper look around, to discover a few things I hadn't been able to find online.

I walked into Zara and did my usual scanning as I walked around.  I love Zara but it can be a bit hit or miss and I am a scan shopper - I can spot something a mile off - I don't like searching through rails of untidiness!  

Right at the back I saw 'this' jacket ... I took a photo of it as it really caught my eye and thought I will add that to my insta stories later.  Then I walked back and thought err why don;t I try it on?  It was £29.99!  No brainer really and I bought it (obviously).  Certainly no regrets there!

I've since had so many compliments about it - I even got stopped in Top Shop a few days later when I was wearing it with navy culottes and doing a quick pick up of an online order.

My version one of this post didn't have the online link as I couldn't find it but then a lovely friend emailed me and she had found it so this is an updated - version two - with the link to the jacket - Summer Thread Peplum Blazer - I was searching for a jacket not a blazer!

It is a summer jacket, lightweight, not lined (well it was only £29.99) - it is embroidered in lots of different colours and has a lovely split detail on the three quarter length cuff's.  It has a simple hook fastening and looks great done up or left open.

I've styled it here with my black coated jeans from Next (total wardrobe staple - thank you Donna at I Won't Wear Sludge Brown for the recommendation) and a simple black vest.  But I have also worn it with a cream camisole and navy culottes (see my windy photo at he bottom of this post).  I think it will work equally as well with white jeans to get that cream and white classic look.

And here are a few other lovely jackets from Zara that I did find when I was searching for this one originally!

Love from
Michelle xx
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A windy day in Marlow!  Taken at the Marlow Rowing Club.  Such a beautiful view over the church and bridge.  The camisole is from New Look and the culottes are from Warehouse.  My gorgeous espadrilles are (gifted) from Vionic UK.

This week I had a really wonderful day out in Oxford.  My sister is an Oxford City Tour Guide (qualified blue badge accreditation - I have written about her before and the fabulous tours she offers).  And her oldest son is in his first year at Worcester College, Oxford University.  It was his 19th birthday so I joined my parents and my sister for a tour of his college and lunch.  I'll be sharing more photos later on as the gardens are so stunning.

But on the way to meet him we did a quick detour into the new shopping centre in Oxford - Westgate.  There are lots of the big names situated in there and it is light and bright and clean and very pleasant.  This was only a very quick visit and not enough time to do any real shopping.  But I spotted & Other Stories and the only other branch close to me is Oxford Street and although I have been in, it is exceptionally busy (queue for fitting rooms and tills) and it put me off.  

This branch however was quiet and I had the opportunity to have a quick browse.  And I liked what I saw - very much.  It is a bright, clean store - all white and everything laid out in beautifully co-ordinated tidy rails.  My idea of heaven (you may have seen my comment on Instagram recently about my dislike of Primark and H&M because they are so untidy).  

I didn't really have time to do a proper try on so it was a quick whisk round, I quickly slipped on a pink pleated skirt but it wasn't lined so I didn't think that would work for me.  The sizing is a bit confusing so I had to ask - at a 10 I am a 36 apparently.  That information will be useful for online shopping.

If you have seen a previous post about cotton dresses you will know I am on a search for natural fabrics and cool dresses for my holiday in Sri Lanka (but I don't like linen).  I saw this dress in & Other Stories, it's cotton, it's pretty, its summery, it is a shape I love ...

​I grabbed it in a 36, no time to try it on, paid for it, had a lovely chat to the young man serving me and ran off to meet my family.

Tried it on when I got home and it fitted, it worked and I love it.  The shoulders need to be lifted a bit for me - this isn't unusual though, it is hard for me to find a dress that is short enough in the body so I look for ones that can be altered easily.  This Peony Print dress is £49 also available in a blue Pineapple Print.

Once the shoulders are lifted I will share an outfit post with you but in the meantime do take a closer look at & Other Stories!

Love
Michelle xx
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You know that really stylish friend whose outfits you absolutely adore but don't feel like you can ask this question for fear of being a copycat?  Or the one that you love to go shopping with as she will always point you in the right direction?  Come on we all have them - I have two that I can think of off the top of my head!  Well bloggers are an extension of that I think.

I started finding blogs when I stumbled across a few that caught my interest.  They still remain my favourite bloggers today.  Avril at A Life to Style, Donna at I Won't Wear Sludge Brown, Beth at Style Guile and Lizzy at What Lizzy Loves.

Then slowly I realised that sometimes I was that friend.  I got asked to go shopping, to encourage friends to step out of their comfort zone, to choose a special occasion outfit.  I learnt that I loved running around the shops choosing outfits for others.  I also get asked a lot 'where did you get that top* from'?

So I tentatively dipped my toe into blogging.  I asked my son to set up an easy to use website for me.  I thought of a name - I was approaching 50 and I wanted to feel fabulous so that was easy.  I started an Instagram account just for my blog and outfits.  I was very shy but I decided to go for it.

Here are my top 5 reasons why I blog!

1. I love to help others.
2. I love style and I love sharing ideas.
3. I don't go out to work or have a regular excuse to dress up so sharing my outfits gives me that excuse!
4. I love shopping - by myself or for friends.
5. I enjoy learning new skills and the technical side is certainly challenging me.​

​Donna at I Won't Wear Sludge Brown has recently published two excellent blog posts - she had got a bit disillusioned with the endless consumerism and perfect lives posted on Instagram and it had made her question her blogging future.  But after sharing her concerns she had a lot of feedback - we love what you do, don't stop!  So she wrote about her blogging plans going forward - and it is all about honesty and being real.

It came at a time when I have been planning my blogging future.  I had decided I definitely wanted to do more with Fifty & Fab but I didn't want to be that annoying blogger that seems to appear in a perfect, different outfit every day.  With amazing photos and an endless supply of new clothes.  Wearing stiletto heels when really they are probably at home doing their housework or on the school run like the rest of us.  I also don't want to be posting so many 'must have' new clothes that you end up becoming a shopaholic (if you aren't already, I am) and spending too much or you get fed up of me not keeping it real.

So when you see me on Instagram or posting a new blog about what I'm wearing, I can assure you that it is very real.  I will have recycled a lot of what is already in my wardrobe and mixed it with one or two (or more) new season pieces.  I will have done the housework and the school run..  I will have taken the dogs for a muddy walk or done a workout and rushed home to change.  I will be stressing over what to cook for dinner and do I need to run into Waitrose?

And if you see something I am wearing that you love - then ask me for the details or take a look to see if I have posted a link to that item or something similar.  Or look in your wardrobe and decide if you already have something similar you can wear differently?

I am really hoping to work with a few more brands in the future, I will tell you if a post is a gifted item or a sponsored post.  I am especially keen to work with smaller brands - I have noticed from my recent networking just how many amazing women are out there setting up small but inspirational businesses.  There are so many to share and tell you about.  Which I am planning to do soon.

But most of all I want to INSPIRE YOU TO FEEL FABULOUS too.  I hope you can look at me and my life and think I could do that, I could wear that, I could exercise a bit more.  Or whatever it is that you love and will help you feel fabulous!

And because of this I decided to start my own hashtag on Instagram #beingfiftyandfab I'd love you to share what you are doing, what is making you feel fab that day or how you live a fabulous life!  Post a photo on Instagram and tag it #beingfiftyandfab and I will share some of my favourite ones every month!

Social Media can be a tough place to be sometimes.  Some days I look at my feed and think 'Really?' - is her life really that perfect?  Does she never slow down?  Etc!  But it can also be a huge positive in our lives.  I have met some really lovely women since I started and there is no doubt it has given my confidence a boost.  This is an excellent Podcast from the lovely Gabrielle Treanor - all about the social media trap and how to handle it.  Do listen!

Love from
Michelle xx

Above: Donna from I Won't Wear Sludge Brown, Avril from A Life to Style, Beth from Style Guile and Lizzy from what Lizzy Loves