Come undone

This is my first outfit post in quite a while and along with it i have a wee announcement. I'm joining the likes of Sienna and Kourtney to be rocking some maternity chic in 2012. My expanding tum is getting less easy to dress already! They do say it can come quicker with the second but I'm thinking this doesn't bode well and i shall become humongous before your very eyes. Anyhoo i plan to take you guys on my journey with me but will try not to turn into a baby bore and mix it up with regular looks i'm loving/wishing i could wear, celebrity style and also perhaps some guest bloggers...watch this space! 

In my experience it's very easy to lose yourself throughout pregnancy and end up a complete shadow of your former self dressing only in leggings and stretch fabrics coming out the other side thinking - "What's happened to my wardrobe?" I'm hoping by continuing to blog and keeping in touch with the blogging and style community, i can limit this effect.

So here's my first outfit post with mini bump and the first item of clothing to fall victim to the bump is my favourite white Gap men's shirt. That middle button was feeling the strain so the last three buttons have come undone and bare bump has been suitably covered by grey H&M cardigan. I went back in my wardrobe archives to these grey Dorothy Perkins shorts  as they're more of a low slung fit. Old favourite New Look black suede ankle boots and ebay gun metal necklace. I'll admit it's not my favourite look but i want to give you the rough with the smooth. I find this early stage quite hard as much doesn't fit you yet but your bump isn't prominent enough for people to be sure if you are with child or just had a heavy food weekend, today i'm feeling like the latter...x Talia

THE dress post

I've been wanting to do this dress post for a while. I got married last September and had originally planned to do my wedding dress post on valentines day but got waylaid with having a house of germs. So in the absense any outfit posts this week i am taking fellow bride, Sarah's advice and just posting it whenever i like and taking you all back to last September to share with you all the most important dress i'll hopefully ever wear. 

The Jenny Packham Minerva.

I teamed it with a Jenny Packham headpiece, some vintage shoes and my great-grandmother's veil.  My husband is extremely camera shy so i have kept him out of these and instead included my two other favourite men; my daddy and my boy Henry. I'm a total wedding dress junkie so please send me any links to your most amazing dress...x Talia

My Great Grandmother Mabel marrying my Great Grandfather Norman Phethean on the same day, 3rd September, in 1924. Wearing the veil she so kindly saved so that my mum could wear for her wedding, and that I, 87 years to the day, could wear on my special day.

Desperately seeking costume

So due to various school girl type excuses such as my husband having man-flu, my son having a viral infection and my mother in law being a house guest, i haven't outfit posted for yonks. I will get round to this soon, perhaps when my back yard is devoid of snow and i have less chance of falling flat on my arse. I have instead decided to blog about an upcoming fancy dress party i have been invited to. It's a 40th birthday party and the recipient's favourite era (man after my own heart) is the 80s. I love love love everything 80s. From the cheese of Wham to the constantly revisited styles of Pat Benatar. However funds are not permitting a costume hire so i've decided to improvise with what i already have in my wardrobe.

With the best, and sometimes worst, of trends generally always making a come-back, it's pretty easy to find pieces that are a nod to eras past. I saw Caggie Dunlop do this on a Made in Chelsea, Come Dine With Me mash-up and was inspired. I am going for a short tuxedo type jacket over a bodice tucked into a voluminous skirt. Accessorising with a big velvet hair bow and lace fingerless gloves, a crazy curly bonce and a tonne of bangles & necklaces. All very much in homage to the queen mother of pop madonna, more specifically 'Susan'.  After a quiet few weeks, I'm very much looking forward to getting into the grove at this party, germ exodus permitting, and promise to try to outfit post pics of the real thing when the party comes around. Share your best fancy dress delights...x Talia

Bandwagon jumper

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! It's officially freezing. Snow on its way and everything. As i have a little one, i would like to have a bit of snow so we can get some snowman, snowball, sledging action on the go, wellies at the ready! Until that point i will be donning flats as to avoid any leg break, ankle twist, head bang, hip smack incidents on the ice.  These brown brogues are from Primark as my budget won't quite stretch to some Grensons quite yet although i have been flashing this pair ↓ under my husband's nose for a while so you never know, a girl can dream.

While worshipping at the alter of all things Primark i have shamelessly jumped on the blogger bandwagon with the purchase of the Primark Pleated Leather skirt. What swung it for me is the god that is Karl Lagerfeld's recent Karl collection as sold on Net a Porter. This skirt was one of the standout pieces in his collection and as i have been admiring the styling out of this skirt by Lydia, Lily and Emma to name a few, i bit to bullet and headed to ebay. I know i'm really late to it and it's a bit 2011 but if it's good enough Karl in 2012, who am i to argue?...x Talia