Grey Gardens

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Dress: Kayemkay

Cardigan: Uniqlo

Tights: Walmart

Boots: Miz Mooz

This winter I seem to be wearing a lot of loose-fitting layers, and focussing more on comfort and volume in my outfits than my usual 50’s style frocks and fitted silhouettes .

My trend towards a more contemporary style is probably down to the fact that it’s been a good year for tights (BigW has had a great range of knit tights with interesting patterns and textures) and I think I’ve finally cracked the ankle-boot+wide-calf equation (the secret is having a bit of volume around the mouth of the boot).

I’ve got a few long cardigans in my wardrobe now, but I couldn’t resist adding this snuggly grey number when I saw it in Uniqlo recently. It looks great layered over the light floral dress from Kayemkay. Add fleece-lined tights and ankle boots and you’ve got a warm outfit that’s as stylish as it is comfortable.

I spent most of Saturday curled up in my sunroom with Suki on my lap, reading and mainlining cups of tea. Because the dress doesn’t crush at all (and somehow manages to also be cat-fur repellant) when the time came to leave for dinner all I had to do was relocate my lap warmer, dust myself off, and walk out the door. Then come back IN the door, get my umbrella, and leave again.

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I wore it with my Made By Emily Green necklace, which added just the right amount of soft colour. I’m loving this season’s pastel palettes, but I think I’ve finally come to terms with the fact that I just can’t wear them as successfully as I’d like to.

This braided side bun hairstyle is getting a lot of mileage at the moment as my hair’s starting to get a bit too long for most of my other favourite up-dos. Definitely time for a trim (or a whole new style?).

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Stay tuned for my next hair tutorial! It looks way more complicated than it is.

9 thoughts on “Grey Gardens

  1. Your words really resonated with me because I feel my style changes season to season……although truth be known, day to day.
    I always have the big dose of me thrown in but if I am feeling in need of a hug, I wear soft jumpers, feeling confident, something fitted, trying to get a point across, something in navy with a pencil skirt.
    I remember reading somewhere about how women complain they don’t have enough to wear when they have a bursting wardrobe, but the writer says it’s because you don’t have the right outfit for who you want to be that day.
    That is why to me there is more to an outfit than just material and cut. It’s emotional. And I love it.

  2. Lovely. Just lovely, Lilli. I’m very much into grey & a slightly more modern silhouettes these days rather than my 50s style dresses so this outfit really speaks to me.
    The colour looks gorgeous on you & it is definitely modern with a hint of vintage. Perfection.
    Can’t wait for the hair tutorial as lately my hair is nothing short of boring & I’d love to try out a few of your looks as your hair always looks divine.

  3. I like it, it’s very harried librarian, which of course is charming. I like loose styles for winter and grey is a nice alternative to black. By the end of winter I feel like I’m dressed to attend funerals every day, which is terrible.

  4. Not one of my favs on you. I don’t think the cardigan is doing you any favours. It looks messy and does not flatter your figure. I think big, oversized cardies require lean lines underneath. Perhaps belting the dress to draw in your waist? And I think you need a higher hem-line in order to carry off your boots (as they make your calves look larger than I am sure they are).

    1. What makes you think Lilli will only wear clothes that “flatter her figure”? There’s a time and place for everything, and there’s definitely something to be said for looser fits that make you feel comfortable and snuggly in the winter. Sounds suspiciously like fashion policing to me. And I, for one, actually think that wide calves can look really cute, nothing wrong with having – and showing – them.

  5. I’m loving the side braided bun! I’ve been trying to get the same hairstyle down but i’m at a loss for what i’m doing wrong. So many hair tutorials and it always just comes out weird. Try and try again I guess.

  6. LOVE the cardi. I looked high and low last autumn for longline cardigans but found very few. I’m hoping there will be a few more in my size come AW14.

    Interestingly (or not!) Uniqlo was the only shop that catered for my size when I was living in Japan 10 years ago. I can’t even get my arm in anything in the London store – which is a massive shame because its good quality and reasonable costing stuff!

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