The lovely little checked blouse that I am wearing is by Woven London. Laura designs the prettiest of blouses but what I particularly like about her designs is that they never look too pretty. The blouse that I am wearing here has a neat fit with a frilled collar but the checked fabric adds a more masculine edge. Its’ colours are perfect for my wardrobe as the fabric encompasses the colours that I wear on a daily basis. When choosing a checked blouse/shirt it’s worth thinking about this. It is much easier to layer an outfit if the under layers and outer layers are complimentary colours to the blouse..

The Lina indigo spice blouse is made from organic, hand-spun cotton by Womenweave in Maheshwar India. The brand supports fair livelihoods and preserves the traditional craft of handweaving. Woven sizes range from a 1-6 which translates to a UK 8-16. I would say that they run small so if you’re between sizes or prefer a looser fit, size up. I am wearing a size 2 and I am a UK8/10.

Obviously I have styled my blouse very casually but if you wanted a slightly smarter outfit, worn with trousers like these and a fitted navy blue cardigan would look fab.

Mum’s jeans are a couple of years old and she loves them. They fit like a glove. They are incredibly plain making them easy to slot into lots of different outfits for lots of different occasions. I’ve said it before, and I'll say it again, it’s worth taking the time to find yourself jeans that you really love. It makes daily dressing so much easier! If the jeans look good, then everything else will look good too. Jean shopping is BORING though. I always suggest setting aside a day to shop for the perfect pair. Jeans that suit your friend, won’t necessarily suit you. Brands generally cut to a specific shape. So the good news is, if you find a brand of jeans that you like, you can usually rely on them to stock alternatives that will also fit your body type. For example, Scandinavian brands tend to come up quite long whereas Spanish brands are usually cut more petite.

I have had these jeans for about 14 years (and mum would say that it looks like it too!! hahahaha) but hey, if they’re not broke (in my opinion)…..

This gorgeous dark blue, pin striped blouse poking out from under mum’s knitwear is by Ma + Lin. It is made from 70% wool and 30% Belgian linen making it warm and breathable. The wooden buttons, subtle pin stripe and sweet Peter Pan collar are really special. It’s perfect for wearing on its own, or under knitwear as mum has done here.

Another interesting brand to know is Rise & Fall. They have good ethics underpinning the brand, produce high quality clothes and interestingly, proudly under cut the big mark ups on some other brands of similar quality. This jacket that mum is wearing here is made form 95% wool and 5% cashmere. The gorgeous nipped in waist and fluted sleeves add a glamour to the jacket, making it a chic choice for this festive season - and beyond! As you can see from these pictures, the simple, flat front lends itself nicely to slipping under a heavier wool coat for the frosty days and nights to come.

At the moment, Rise & Fall have offered our Graham St community an extra 5% off on top of their current 20% discount applicable across the whole site. So if you’ve seen something that you like, or something that you think someone else might like….now would be the time to pounce! (Details below)