A DAY AT THE SEASIDE

There is something so beautiful and serene about the seaside on a bright winters day, the light is cool and definitely flattering for us bloggers!.  Lizzy and I took advantage of a crisp bright day and took ourselves off to Bridlington for a few hours.  It was so lovely to share the beach with the hardy dog walkers and very few other people.  We both took advantage of the day and took pictures for a blog post, a link to Lizzy's is here.

 I sported one of my favourite Autumn jackets - a black and white knitted piece from COS.  As you know they are one of my go to stores for coats and jackets and this one must be at least three years old now.   I am delighted to say that COS has now opened in Leeds in the rather swanky new Victoria Gate shopping centre.  We went to the opening evening and I was very impressed by what we saw and can't wait to go back and get some serious shopping done.

I teamed the jacket with a long line V neck sweater, also from COS (they have a range of these in different colours) , and some black skinny leg jeans from Won Hundred.  The boots were from last years Uterque collection but there are plenty of this style around on the high street at the moment.  I am never out of ankle boots in the winter so will be heading for the shops soon to add to my collection.  I have an awful tendency to find a pair that are really comfy, then wear them to death and really miss them when they are just too past their best. 

I just love this style of jacket as it is so easy to style and looks great with a casual outfit.  It is really cosy too and hasn't been plagued by the current trend for poppers on coats or jackets - why oh why does anyone think that looks good on a coat?  Great when done up but really ugly when left undone and just looks like a cheap alternative to buttons.

I can't remember the last time I had been to Bridlington, having always favoured Whitby but I just loved what we saw and really need to go back and explore some more. 

TRANSITIONAL DRESSING - COATS PART TWO

So last week we featured a couple of our new Autumn coats, but I had bought this pink number  from Simply Be in the sales around the back end of July, but which they still have on their website, having seen it earlier in the year.  As many of you already know, I love anything pink, so this little number was perfect for me.  It is unlined so very light and works just as well for popping over jeans or wearing with a dress and heels.  In fact I do have an occasion pink dress which matches it exactly, so would be great even to wear to a wedding or christening if the sun goes in!

I have teamed the coat - which doesn't actually have any buttons - with a scarf from a boutique in Wetherby which was a gift, and it also matches.  The patent bag is from a gift fayre picked up at a local hospital, and the suede boots with studded heels are from Primark.  I am wearing my trusty M&S black straight-leg trousers, bought a couple of seasons ago.

There is a distinct advantage to having a daughter who is a fashion blogger and that is when she wants to feature you in her blog.  She did a really lovely post in September in conjunction with H&M about Women who Inspire and I was really chuffed when she chose me as her subject, which you can read here on her blog Shot From The Street.

As part of H&M's fall campaign she was asked to focus on the importance of equality and the evolution of women.  I'm probably old enough now to talk about the evolution of women!  Is that a good sign?  H&M was kind enough to send us some clothes to wear and I thought, what better than show them to our readers, particularly this lovely camel coat.  This is a perfect piece for stylish Autumn dressing which can be worn with plenty of layers underneath or with just a shirt for a more tailored look.  Apart from the shoes all my outfit is from H&M and I really loved the length of this coat which will look great with both boots and trousers.

Lizzy's cable knit and her jeans are also from H&M - I think I need to try to get that jumper from her on my next visit.  It would be perfect in my wardrobe.  

TRANSITIONAL DRESSING - COATS

Well, it's that time of year again when you start to think about the colder months.  I have already been rummaging under the bed to retrieve the storage bags and review my winter jumper collection. It is always rather lovely to see some of the old favourites that have been with me for way longer than they really should have - but they are too cosy to throw away.

Anne C and I have had a little pre-winter shopping spree and thought we would share with you our transitional coat buys. We are having a bit of an Indian summer here in Yorkshire so the jumpers will have to wait. There are lots of berries on the Holly bushes so I think we may be in for a cold winter.  I hope so, I prefer the proper seasons to the endless grey skies we can experience.  

First up is this Joseph Ribkoff coat that Anne C purchased from Hoopers in Harrogate (with some birthday money!).  It has a lovely shawl collar and is a really flattering length and shape for Anne.  It is great for both day and evening and she has accessorised it here with a scarf which was a present, and handbag from a gift fair at the local hospital. Her trousers are from M&S and boots from Primark (proving that you can mix and match high end high street with cheap and cheerful and still look good).

She is pictured in one of our favourite shopping haunts - the Victoria Quarter, which has some great shops, including Harvey Nichols where we stopped for a spot of lunch.

We're not too sure what the man in the shop behind Anne is doing in the window though!

I am wearing a coat I purchased last month from Zaras Trafaluc collection, which also comes in light grey.  I really love the boiled wool fabric style (it is a wool and viscose mix) and I like coats that don't include buttons for Autumn wear.  The wide shawl collar and mid length make this a really wearable piece and I have teamed it with a scarf from Covet and jeans from 7 From All Mankind. I'm really pleased that flares are coming back in as they really help to balance a heavier top half.  

The jumper is from White Company last years collection and is a really flattering length and shape, they have a very similar one in this years collection so I have linked that for you here. My glasses are from Miu Miu (Model VMU 04N)  and were purchased in New York - very jet set, I know.  

The handbag, which is the size of a small suitcase, is from Loxley and surprisingly is one where I can still find things inside.  I don't know about you, but a large bag becomes like the Bermuda Triangle and everything disappears into its depths.  This one has enough pockets to secrete keys, phone, lipstick etc so they don't get lost in the bottom with all the other junk.  Why oh why do we women carry so much stuff?  I am surprised I don't walk with a list.

The top I am wearing here is from Phase Eight and comes in some really lovely colours including pale blue, navy, charcoal as worn here and a colour they call Popsicle - which Anne has and which she bought independently from me - co-incidence we bought the same top but in different colours! The necklace was purchased from Seattle Art Museum and is a real find as it goes with everything - result!

SEATTLE

The last part of our journey was four nights in Seattle.  We travelled from Vancouver Island on the Victoria Clipper which takes approx 3 hours.  It is a really efficient service which handles the border crossing and saw us disembark in Seattle with ease.  We were staying at the Hotel 1000 which was brilliantly central for the attractions we were looking forward to visiting.

Top on our list was a visit to the SEATTLE CENTRAL LIBRARY on 4th Avenue.  Lizzy's boyfriend Harry is studying Architecture and was raving about how amazing this building is, and he was not wrong.  The 11 storey structure is made of steel and glass and was designed by Rem Koolhaas and Josua Prince-Ramus (such cool names) and it is an incredible place to visit.

You can look down onto the library floor from various levels, although I was not brave enough to go to the highest.  Even the views of the city through the steel and glass honeycomb is pretty awe inspiring.

Top on my list was PIKE PLACE MARKET and this was the first place we headed to after checking into the hotel.  One of the oldest operating markets in the U.S. there is an incredible array of fresh produce and flowers and the hustle and bustle of the place just adds to the atmosphere.

Make sure to stop by the Pike Place fish throwers - yep, we were a little shocked when salmon started being chucked through the air!  I wouldn't have wanted to buy that one for sure but would have had no hesitation in sampling some of the fish on offer - just look at the size of the scampi and scallops!.  This area is also the home of the original Starbucks, but there are lots of other coffee shops here too and restaurants, bars, a record shop, book sellers .... the list is endless.

BELLTOWN was another favourite as it is a vibrant neighbourhood with a real arty air and some fabulous restaurants and cafes to choose from.  It is a great walk from Pike Market through Belltown to the Space Needle, stopping for coffee or drinks on the way.

We didn't make it to the top of the Needle but did tour round the EMP Museum which is next door and really loved everything there - from the world of science fiction to the Star Trek expo, the music rooms to the gaming areas.  It was a really immersive and enjoyable experience and well worth the visit.

We took the monorail from Seattle Centre, next to the Needle and EMP Museum, back along 5th Avenue to downtown and the shopping area which completed a varied day of sightseeing and shopping.  Never a bad combination.

The following evening we opted for some culture and headed towards the Seattle Art Museum which was only a couple of blocks from our hotel.  But  our cultural vein deserted us and we only made it as far as the shop before heading for dinner.  So bad.

We just loved the Hammering Man outside the museum, which was created by Johnathan Borofsky to honour working class men and women.  Measuring 48 feet he clips his hammer two and a half times per minute with a rhythmic swing that is quite mesmerizing.

On our final morning in the city we ventured to Pioneer Square and enjoyed the ambiance of this pretty, historic, area of the city.  We wish we had longer to see more and all felt on leaving the city that we had really only seen a small amount of what was on offer. 

To just touch on some of our favourite places to eat is a must and top amongst those was Roxy's in Freemont where we had the most fantastic brunch.

We also visited El Borracho, which is at Pike Market, on two occasions.  Their Margaritas were the best ever and we all enjoyed their Tacos and Burritos.  A must to visit if you are in the city it has a really relaxed atmosphere and great food.

Seattle is a beautiful city, but we did not feel it beat Vancouver.  I think the size was the main disadvantage, which left us with a feeling that we were missing something.  We were also struck by the number of homeless and their encampments, plus indigents at most street corners downtown.  A sad problem in most large cities but particularly marked here.