Sweater: Joules

Top: Dorothy Perkins

Jeans: Old Navy

Shoes: Seychelles via DSW

I can’t decide if Pinterest is the best, or the absolute worst.

On the one hand it’s a spectacular way to learn about new brands and a good sourcebook for looks. There’s some great craft projects that I’ve spotted on there, hair tutorials, recipes…

But on the other hand, for a shopaholic like myself it’s an absolutely deadly site. Not only do I see new things to lust after every single day, but it provides me with a constant, convenient place to bookmark things that I discover when I’m virtually window-shopping.

In the past I’d be like “hey, nice dress!” then I’d go onto the next site, and then the next, and then the next, and that first dress would fade from my memory. Now I go “hey, nice dress. PINNED!” and then I can go back and revisit it again and again until it reaches epic proportions of desirability, and then I buy it.

I was looking through my pins earlier today, and frankly I should be ashamed at how many of them I now own. Leona Edmiston Poppy dress? BOUGHT. Melissa Heart toe shoes? BOUGHT. Onyx and Brass necklace? BOUGHT.

Sometimes I hold out longer than others. It took me nearly three months before I finally caved and bought this intarsia sweater from Joules.

Truthfully, I probably could have kept resisting, but my gorgeous housemate bought the fox version, and oh my God, it’s just delicious. So soft, and surprisingly warm, and I love the mismatched cuffs, and wide envelope neckline.

I bought this stripy version just a few days later.

Shipping from the UK was terrifyingly quick – just a few day’s turnaround – which meant I had the sweater in my hot little hands in time for last week’s cold snap. It’s just as lovely in person as Kate’s foxy sweater. Just as snuggly, with satisfyingly long arms, and lovely colours (including elements of my current pet trend of mustard yellow). The length is perfect, and though the hem loses a little shape after repeated wears the rest of the sweater stays as fresh looking as it did fresh out of the bag. And so far, no pilling.

The little bird (a “blue tit” hur hur hur) is woven into the sweater – intarsia style – which means it doesn’t stretch out of shape, flake off, or look tacked on.

I sized down to a 16, but probably could have actually bought the 14 in the end, as I quite like a fitted sweater. And, look, I’m pretty tempted to go back for more. The french hens maybe?