Guest Blog - My Midlife Fashion
This month we're pleased to introduce our guest blogger - Jane Grainger the founder of @mymidlifefashion
Jane's love of fashion led her to take the plunge and start her own blog, she writes,
'In February 2013 in recognition of the year I hit the big Four-0 I took a huge jump outside of my comfort zone to begin this blog about one of my main passions in life.'
Jane focuses on the kind of effortless styling that has always appealed to her and is now sharing that with thousands of avid followers on social media and on her website www.mymidlifefashion.com
Last year Jane and her family took another leap into the unknown by leaving the UK and setting up home in France. You can see glimpses of Jane's beautiful home in the images here and on her Instagram page @mymidlifefashion
We recently asked Jane if she'd like to style pieces from our AW2020 collection and we were delighted when she agreed - over to Jane......
As a ‘midlife’ lady who’s always had a keen interest & love of fashion, my huge passion lies with timeless, effortless fashion, that can be dressed up or down with the addition of a few accessories. The kind of pieces that can be worn season after season & that stand the test of time.
I generally love a neutral palette of well cut pieces that earn their keep on a cost per wear basis & can be mixed & matched to create many a look. I was recently approached by Helen Moore to see if I would be interested in collaborating & as I love pairing statement accessories with wardrobe classics I immediately said yes.
With age comes the wisdom to buy better. For me that means quality, timeless pieces whether that be new or preloved items, that may not necessarily follow the latest trends but are pieces I'm going to have hanging in my wardrobe for years to come.
I think a lot of us 'midlife' ladies feel the same way & of course with the environmental impact & all that has happened this year, a lot of us are now making more considered purchases.
Effortless style is a bit like having the right underwear & building up with the right foundations. If you have a good solid capsule wardrobe then with the addition of some statement accessories you can transform the simplest of looks into something amazing.
As winter approaches fashion becomes about layers & keeping warm & what better way than to add some faux fur accessories to you look. Whether that be by layering a faux fur gilet, like this one, accessorising date night with a statement stole such as this, or wrapping up with a faux fur scarf like this. Not only are these pieces stylish, they're practical too as faux fur keeps you cosy & warm.
I've been lucky enough to be able choose a few of my favourite pieces from Helen Moore to show how I'd style them. So let's get started with my first pick - their faux fur shrug.
As you can see from the photo above I've teamed the shrug with a simple cashmere roll neck jumper & tiered maxi skirt but you could equally substitute the separates for a maxi dress. Equally the options don't end there - I plan on wearing mine with cropped faux leather trousers & a simple white shirt as well as dressing it up with a statement ruffle blouse & cigarette pants.
Exquisitely made this shrug is true to size (I'm wearing a size small) & is definitely something you'd find yourself reaching for time & time again. Not to mention it's that little bit different & more stylish than a a normal style gilet.
My next piece, their faux fur cowl is perfect for elevating a simple crew neck jumper as I've shown below but equally it would be perfect for pairing with a wool coat for added warmth.
Plus, due to flecks of different colours this cowl can be worn with a whole host of colours from black, white, grey, navy & red.
I also plan on teaming the cowl with the shrug I'm wearing in my first outfit for a more statement faux fur look on colder days.
For the third piece I choose their cropped collared jacket that comes in this most stunning shade of navy blue & is also available in both a soft pink & off white.
I find this length of jacket perfect for dressing up or down. It would look gorgeous worn over the shoulders with a special party dress as much as it would look great dressed down with jeans, trainers & layered with a cashmere scarf.
As you can see from the above photo I've paired it with cropped jeans, a simple everyday breton & some statement heels. The kind of outfit I'd wear for date night with hubby - something that's warm & cosy but with the additional of the statement jacket heels feels special & glammed up too. Again the jacket runs true to size, I'm generally a UK8 & am wearing a size small.
Of course as much as I love my paired back neutrals I also have a strong weakness for leopard print, something I put down to the years spent admiring my Grandma in her leopard print coat & it's grown from there. Whilst we're lucky enough to now live in the South of France & enjoy warmer temperatures than we did in the UK, living in an older property means that it can get cold in the winter so when I spotted their faux fur slipper boots I just knew I had to style them!
Like my taste in clothes I also prefer my loungewear to be neutral, making these slipper boots the perfect accessory for not only keeping my feet warm & cosy but a great way of injecting a little personality. True to size, I just know these slipper boots aren't going to leave my feet during the winter months & should I need to I could even slip a pair of socks on for added warmth.
For my final piece I decided to pick this gorgeous tote that is not only stunning but perfect for hugging/stroking when you feel the need.
Faux Fur Kersey Bag In Brown Quail
Again as with all Helen Moore's designs it's perfect for adding that dash of 'je ne sais quoi' to an outfit & like all her accessories will be perfect for bringing to life a simple jeans & chunky knit outfit as much as it will when dressed up.
Faux Fur Kersey Bag In Brown Quail
Needless to say as with all Helen Moore’s collection, the pieces I’ve showcased are all incredibly versatile & can be styled a whole host of ways. I hope my post has given you some inspiration & ideas on how you’ll style yours.
Follow Jane @mymidlifefashion to get an exclusive 20% discount code to use at www.helenmoore.com