Mint condition

Mint condition

I feel that describing this colour as ‘mint’ is perhaps doing it an injustice - hang on, let me look up what COS calls it…the description says ‘light green’. Light green… well that really does lack some imagination. I’d like to call it ‘sage green’ as it is a colour that is having a real moment and I absolutely love it, but it’s not, it’s definitely mint. Or maybe pistachio? Annnnnyway, I digress.

Mum’s jumper is a heavy-knit cotton and so perfect for this time of year. Every season Cos will do jumpers in this material and I have a few. They wash beautifully and therefore stand the test of time. The colour works particularly well with white, the look is fresh and modern and this combination is good on most complexions. It is not surprising that designers known for their simple, clean lines such as Jil Sander, have embraced this colour wholeheartedly this season. To layer under a charcoal grey coat would look particularly great, as would navy. I worry that black would deaden the colour a bit. On the catwalks we saw sage green paired with brown. I would venture to say that this is an acquired taste - that’s not to say it’s bad, just not for everyone.

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Some women, when they get older, tend to fall into a ‘jean rut’ - always going for a fail-safe not-skinny-not-straight-not boyfriend-not-wide leg-style that just looks a bit, well, blah. I’ve said this before, but I do believe that jeans are something worth spending money on. If you’re someone who likes jeans then your cost per wear will become very good, no matter how much you originally paid. I’ve never regretted spending money on a pair of jeans as they are the corner-stone of my wardrobe. If you have a great, modern pair of jeans, then everything else looks modern and cool. I also can’t think of a style that would look any better on a 3o year old, as they would on a 60 year old - get a well cut pair and the jeans create the desired figure! Im going to do a whole post on jeans so I will go into specifics then. For now, I want to flag these jeans that mum is wearing. They are by a collaboration between an East London brand called K&T by King & Tuckfield and Label Mix. When I first showed mum these jeans she looked at them and said that turn ups weren’t for her. However, having tried them on, she really liked them. A modern cut keeps the whole outfit contemporary. The jeans, and the shoes….

Shoes are another thing to watch as you get older. So many women start gravitating to ‘comfy’ shoes. I completely get this! I have the most pathetic feet that can’t seem to stand most shoes BUT it is totally possible to find comfy and stylish shoes. Trainers have had such a HUGE renaissance and there is absolutely no reason why a woman over 50 shouldn’t be following the trends in footwear as much as the 20 year olds. My husband wears Vans and now my mum does too.

Don’t just stick to trainers, there is a whole world of magnificent shoes out there, ready for the picking! If you can, spend money on shoes - you tend to get what you pay for in design, quality and comfort (trainers excluded).

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Hoodies are back!! And my goodness, are they comfy. When it comes to sweatshirts and hoodies, it is all about the quality. You want to find ones that are a lovely, thick fabric. This one is from H&M and is surprisingly good quality. Obviously any form of ‘leisurewear’ can begin to look a bit ‘Justin Beiber’ (teenage heart- throb/popstar FYI) if not paired down by the rest of the outfit. This is why I have chosen high waisted cream jeans and a chic mac. Of course, if having a hood is not for you, a good quality sweatshirt would work just as well.

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My dad wears them, my husband wears them, and now I do! The Clark’s desert boot is no new thing but in its current incarnation, Clarks have produced them in a myriad of beautiful colours (here). Im so happy that Clarks are riding with the times and picking up on current trends that play to their advantage. Their ‘Originals’ range is absolutely brilliant (the kid’s shoes are gorgeous too). Many heritage brands miss a trick - for example, why isn’t Laura Ashley delving into its’ archives and bringing out a heritage range???? Every high street brand to designer label are producing their own version of the original Laura Ashley dress and yet the brand itself aren’t producing them!! Insanity. Anyway, rant over. I’ll leave you with my ‘mint’ Clarks Originals…

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PHOTOGRAPHY AND ARTWORK - ALEXANDRA MOONEY

-CREDITS-

MUM

Shirt, Cos, £59

Jumper, Cos, £55

Jeans, K&T by King & Tuckfield @ Label Mix, £65

Neck scarf, H&M, £9.99

Plimsoles, Vans, £51.99

Earrings, Deborah Blythe, £185

HANNAH

Hoodie, H&M, £17.99

Jeans, & Other Stories, £65

Desert boots, Clarks Originals, £50

Mac, M&S, £119