Category: jeans
The Pull x
The one thing I’ve been grateful for every day of this lockdown has been the weather. Nine times out of ten the sky has been a forget-me-not blue, possibly bluer, with each passing day as the urban pollution has cleared. It’s had an effect, not only on all our moods, but also on the garden that has now burst into acid green, waving fronds and baby buds. It feels we are in early summer rather than spring and I can’t imagine the same time with grey skies and pouring rain. As yet, I haven’t dared swap over my summer wardrobe, not wishing to give this gift life the kiss of death, but I have moved back to transition dressing – the same basics but with lighter layers, one step away from high summer cotton dresses. The last thing I’ve wanted to do in lockdown is buy clothes. But the truth is, if we want there to be a recovery, spending needs to happen, and not just at Amazon. With this in mind, all these pics all come from Massimo Dutti, offering the sort of pieces that stand the test of time: strong, classic and well made; if there are any holes in your wardrobe, here’s where to look to fill them..
(All pics Massimo Dutti and Pinterest)
And regarding prices? think Zara rather than Chanel. Just saying.
Laters, Kate x
The power of the written word..
Summer showers x
The weather is still strange here, if the sun shines it’s getting warm, but we can have sudden cold carrying squalls arriving from nowhere. In the evening, no matter how blue the sky has been, the temperature is still dropping away steeply. It means the transitional wardrobe is in full swing with the similar layers of winter, except they are lighter and looser: cotton instead of wool, silk instead of cotton, bare feet and summer colours…
(All pics Pinterest)
Oh for the days summer simplicity..
Laters, Kate x
Power seat x
Choice and too much often equals confusion: where once there was just coffee, we now have a list of decision, all meant to supposedly showboat progress and quality. The same is true for jeans: lots of noise and shouting, but most of them have a tang of the emperors new clothes. Except possibly one…
There’s a new jean strutting it’s stuff on the high street: The ribcage, and particularly Levis ribcage straight.
(All pics Pinterest)
Perfect with t-shirts, they manage to feel both transitional and just on the right side of different.
Slam dunk.
Laters, Kate x
Sweet style x
My jeans are dying. Worn through on places where holes equal a problem. I know what I’ll replace them with: You can’t improve on perfection and for me, vintage mens 501 Levis will always hit the sweet spot. But that doesn’t mean I can’t indulge in some brain boosting denim porn, particularly as size and styling can make all the difference between blend in to simply sublime…
Delish.
Laters, Kate x
Holy holes x
This post makes me think of gentle waves lapping on sandy shore complete with bucket, spade and cricket bat. It’s old fashioned, timeless and harks back to simpler times in an eat it now sort of way.
Celia Pym is a knitting/embroidery artist and much of her work centres around visible mending – taking something worn, discarded and unloved…
..and adding a new, contrasting layer to marry the piece together.
The finished work takes on a whole new personality – the ghost of the past with the mend of the future. The work is seamless but showy, in the best unshouty kind of way.
It makes me think I would love to do something like this to a much loved cashmere cardigan that’s seen better days. 
Or mend the knees in my jeans like this. Maybe it’s the integrity of the craft that’s so appealing? But I looked up on You Tube to see how to do it..
(All pics Celia Pym)
Even watching this was meditative.
Now where’s my darning mushroom?
Laters, Kate x
Lady of Misrule x
Do you look at clothes for their integral beauty or as something you could potentially add to your expanding wardrobe? Take the By. Bonnie Young clothes – a veritable smorgasbord of gorgeousness – but the chances of them say, fitting me? Limited. But it doesn’t stop me drooling. Or do you dream of what you want and hope that somebody out there can read your fevered mind and actually produce it?
It’s a subtle twist on that age old question, does style come before fashion? (Which one could argue is a posh way of saying if you wear what suits you first, do you look better?) which also the means, the chances of finding what you’ve dreamt of are low.
Which as cunningly as a foxes tail on a badger, brings me to the point of this post: The eternal hunt for the perfect pair of jeans..mainly because there’s an imaginary pair I’m desperate to find…high waisted that flare from the hip rather than the knee…and I suspect these: Irina High Rise by Citizens of Humanity could be them.
So I’m looking and thinking would they fit? would they really suit…… And who at Citizen of Humanity has got the power of telepathy? Maybe if there’s ever a chance I could try on a pair in the right size in a half price sale, I’ll jump.
Laters, Kate x
Temptation..
Ahhhh the summer sales..that obstacle course of want versus need against lust. Thankfully there are some good places to plunder – MiH being one of them. Offering reductions up to 60% at the moment and they don’t just flog off crap stuff. Hold out if you dare and it eventually drops to 75%.
Practical, effortless and the right side of quirky.
Laters, Kate x
Timeless x
The AW15 lookbook for MiH fell into my inbox yesterday. WHAT??
…Does that mean summer’s been and gone??
And nobody told me?
If so I’m perilously close to tears..
There’s enough time slipping away without anyone else turning the speed-up dial.
Honestly, halt with the Christmas lists already.
I just want to enjoy my pina colada on the beach.
Laters, Kate x
MiH Magic x
MiH, the original British jean brand have brought out their easy wear, always stare SS15 Collection.
With their love of denim and lashings of groovy inspiration, their designs are classic, pragmatic, clever and very independent.
You really sense it’s an high energy, slow process with thought and quality poured in.
They catch the nostalgic vibe of pre-mass market, when things were built to last and gently soften in the sun, improving with age and use.
To be worn collecting sea-shells on a sandy beach..or blinged up with statement jewellery at a posh party in London.
They work.
Wholesome, exhilarating food for the eyes, I can eat it all standing up…and always want more.
Laters, Kate x
Maison Bentley Style 