#Secondhand September

 Style Not Age challenge 

Dear friends. It was my turn to set this month's prompt for the Style Not Age Challenge, and I chose #SecondhandSeptember.  This has become a popular hashtag and topic on Instagram, with many people not buying anything new.

Van Gogh, School Reunion and More

Dear friends. Welcome to my review of September, a good month for socialising with friends old and new, and seeing the big ticket event of the year.  No, not Oasis but Van Gogh at the National Gallery. 

Getting the Total Look

 And Wow on Wednesday

Dear friends. If there's one thing I look forward to when the weather gets cooler, it's The Total Look.  This is when I achieve a tonal, or contrasting, look from head to toe, with everything co-ordinating. No black shoes or handbags for me when I could choose purple or rose gold!

September Dazzlers: Latest Books

 

Dear friends. It's been a while since I shared my latest reads with you. I'm glad to say today's crop is a stellar selection!  New books from Elizabeth Strout, Clare Chambers and Sally Rooney for starters. 

Let's dive in.

Tell Us About.....Favourite Things

Dear friends. It's time for another Tell Us About challenge.  This month it's Favourite Things, set by Australian blogger Jill from Grownup Glamour.

I'm honing in on one of my many favourite things: my love of stationery. If you want to offend me, dear reader, you would offer me a Bic pen to write with, and lined paper to write on.  At the very least I expect a Pentel, although my pen of choice uses ink. From a bottle. 

The problem is, I have fewer uses for stationery nowadays.

Why I Still Wear Black

 And Wow on Wednesday

Dear friends.  One of the fastest ways to shock my Kettlewell colour club friends is to tell them I still wear black. 

Colour analysis tell us that only a very small sub group of those classed as Winter can wear black successfully, near the face. 

I took this quite seriously at the start of my analysis journey.  I could see that "my" warm and bright colours were far more flattering.

But then.....I started to rebel.

In the Pinks

 And Wow on Wednesday

Dear friends. Today I'm sharing a couple of my new season buys. I wrote last week about how I was mainly buying thrifted clothes, perfect seeing this is #secondhandseptember.  But because of the scarcity of the warm, clear and bright colours that suit me best, I'm also buying a few items from Kettlewell Colours. 

They specialise in basics and iconic pieces for women who have been colour analysed.

Making the Right New Season Choices

 & Wow on Wednesday 

Dear friends. Are you always eager to see what the new season brings in terms of latest drops at the fashion retailers?

I used to be, but now that I've experienced the advantages of having been colour analysed, my approach is more guarded. 

A brief look at M&S, John Lewis, Boden and Oliver Bonas shows that hardly any of the colours appearing in the shops for autumn are my favourites.  

The Sky Beneath Us by Fiona Valpy

 

Dear friends. Today I bring you a book I found truly magical. How I wish I had a Sherpa family, like the heroines of this book! 

I'm thrilled to be on the blog tour for The Sky Beneath Us by Fiona Valpy. 

Genres: historical fiction, women's fiction.