Day 295: Happy Halloween

• Grey skirt: M&S
• Burgundy top: Gap
• Black cardi: M&S
• Black shoes: Clarks
• Scaf: Next
• Burgundy tights: M&S

Happy Halloween! I do look a little frightened in this look today, or maybe its daemonic?

Day 294: Waist not want not

• Top: Gap
• Cardi: Gap
• Jeggings Marks and Spencer
• Boots: Primark
• Belt: Marks and Spencer

I thought I would try and work in a belt to today's look as I struggle with belts as often think they make me look like a sack of potatoes. I'm not loving it but it wasn't too bad as I think the large collar balances out the waist line.

Day 293: Retro hoodie

• Hoodie: Bess
• Jeggings: Marks and Spencer
• Ballet pumps: Primark

Just a lazy Saturday, cozy in my Uni hoodie!

I bought the hoodie only a few years ago on a trip back to St Andrews as they didn't have this retro style when I was at University there. I have loved it ever since.

Day 291: Bad vibes

• Grey trousers: Marks and Spencer
• Pink cardi: East
• Grey scarf: Gap
• Black lst: Matalan
• Shoes: Clarks

I am still not feeling the work trouser vibe and this leaves me a bit lost for how to reinvigorate my enthusiasm for trousers at work.

Day 290: Season remixing

  

• Dress: TK Maxx
• Navy cardi: Marks and Spencer
• Brown tights: Marks and Spencer
• Tan wedges: Clarks
• Wooden beads: Primark

I have always thought of this dress as a summers dress but wearing brown tights today definitely made it Autumn appropriate. It will be difficult to find other new ways to wear it but I am glad to have brought something from last season to this.

Day 289: Busy, busy

• Jeggings: Marks and Spencer
• Scarf: Next
• Burgundy long T: Marks and Spencer
• Black cardi: Marks and Spencer
• Brouges: Primark

I had a really busy day today travelling around the country for meetings and then a public event. Another old colleague stopped by to visit me at the event and it was lovely to have a catch up. I also made it back home in time for my sewing class too - just!

Day 288: Business and pleasure

• Jeggings: Marks and Spencer
• Black T: Matalan
• Pink waterfall cardi: East
• Necklace: Primark
• Brouges: Primark

A friend of mine was up from London on business and I met her and her collegue for a business/catch up lunch. Was lovley to mix business and pleasure and see her.

Day 287: Stripes and grey

• Jeggings: Marks and Spencer
• Striped lst: Gap
• Boots: Primark
• Cardi : Gap
• Beads: H&M

I had a fairly quiet Sunday, doing chores and chilling.

Day 286: Born to run, born to shop

• Jeggings: Marks and Spencer
• Purple lst: Gap
• Scarf: Oscar de la Renta
• Waistcoat: Primark

I think this look was a bit experimental and it looks a bit equestrian. The waistcoat has lots of little buttons to fasten it, one of which I had lost by the end of the day and as it was cheap it didn't come with any spares? The thought of replacing them all is just a nuisance.

So how is the training going? Well so far so good. I am now comfortably jogging at one minute intervals for half an hour and whilst that doesn't sound very good it is quite an achievement for me so I am sticking with it. I felt however that I would get on a lot better with some proper running shoes so went to the Nike outlet store today. I ended up buying trainers, leggings and a T shirt and whilst this is technically against the rules they are must haves and not fashion items that will be worn anywhere other than the gym. Forgive me? 

Day 285: Khaki kecks

• Black lst: East
• Green cargo trousers: Marks and SPencer
• Wedges: Clarks

This is the first time I have worn these trousers and they are probably a bit too casual for the office, even on  Friday. The khaki green is also a bit of a tricky colour as I don't have much to wear with it. A loose cream blouse with 3/4 length sleeves and a bit of lace detail would work but I don't really own such an item. Oh to be able to shop!

Day 284: Trouser trouble

• Black trousers: Gap
• Pink cardi: Debenhams
• Black wedges: Clarks
• Flowery T: George @Asda
• Necklace/locket: Next

I am just not loving myself in trousers these days. I think it might be the shape of these  but I am of course stuck with the ones in my wardrobe so have to make do. I am happy in my skinny jeans but anything much wider and I just don't like the look. I think I will be living in skirts throughout the season.

Day 283: Prim to the gym

• Grey skirt: Marks and Spencer
• White lst: Primark
• Black wedges: Clarks
• Black cardi: Marks and Spencer
• Silver beads: Primark

This is quite a conservative look today and this skirt is a much better length on me than Monday's skirt.

I was back at the gym tonight and my training session went well again.

Day 282: Flowers and black

• Flowery bliose: George @Asda
• Black jeggings: Marks and Spencer
• Black cardi: Gap
• Black wedges: Clarks

This outfit lacked imagination today - the black is creeping back.

Day 281: A lengthy process



• Black skirt: H&M
• Striped black shirt: Marks and Spencer
• Black cardi: Gap
• Black wedges: Clarks

This skirt is really the wrong length and if I was more proficient in sewing I would try to tackle it. The slit in the back and the fact that it is made from lycra does put me off from giving it a go.

I had high hopes for my week off last week, to get back into an exercise regime and make the most of having the days to myself. For various reasons it just did not happen however, I did think about it a lot and how I could motivate myself to get moving. I have always harboured a romantic notion to be a runner. Not necessarily an athlete or a marathon runner but someone who can easily throw on some running shoes and head off out for a run. Someone who enjoys the freedom and the pounding of the streets. But I have never been good at it. Even when I was young and very fit from swimming and ballet I just could not find the pleasure in it or the stamina. I believe I am not really built that way and these days I have a dodgy knee (probably caused by the ballet). So during my week off I did some research to see if I could become a runner and how could I go about it. I discovered a website and an app for my phone which will train me from the couch potato that I am to running a 5k in 9 weeks. Will it work? We shall see. And if I lose some lbs along the way then all to the good as I am also going to try to eat healthily. Today was the first day and I headed off to the gym for my first session of interval training on the treadmill. I had to run for one minute intervals with walking in between. I am ashamed to say that I found running for one minute to be really tough but I felt good after the session. I have a long way to go and fear this will be a lengthy process!

Day 280: Rock chic

• T shirt: Primark
• Jeggings: Marks and Spencer
• Silver wedges: Primark

I am channelling my inner rock chick in this outfit. I bought this T shirt last year from the men's department in Primark and then never wore it as it looked like something I had bought from the men's department. I then set about customising it by chopping off the neck and it has certainly improved it. It wasn't the best piece to try and do this with, however, as there was different coloured stitching which went around the neck and down the shoulder seams so it was hard not to make it look like it had been set upon with scissors. I am quite happy with the result and should be more inclined to wear it without the rocker pose though I think!

Day 273: Silver surfer

• Black jeggings: Marks and Spencer
• Burgundy top: Marks and Spencer
• Silver wedges: Dorothy Perkins
• Silver beads: Primark

I had a quiet Sunday today catching up on chores and generally potttering about.

Day 270: Tweed and wool

• Tweed dress: George @Asda
• Black cardi: East
• Shoe boots: M&S
  

Day 269: Pole lathing

• Navy cardi: Marks and Spencer
• Striped T: Gap
• Grey skirt: Marks and Spencer
• Tan shoes: Clarks

I stayed down in London an extra day to attend the Worldskills conference at the Excel in London. Wow what an event. This is like the olympics for skills and had thousands of young people demonstrating and competing in various skills from fashion design, construction, welding to mechanics. In conjunction with partners we had a stand celebrating traditional heritage skills and here I am having a go on the pole lathe which is a traditional way of turning wood for making things like chair legs. Lots of fun!

Day 267: Silvery blue

• Blue cowl neck top: H&M
• Black jeggings: Marks and Spencer
• Grey cardi: Gap
• Black wedges: Clarks
• Beads: Primark

Day 266: Material girl

• Pink top: Marks and Spencer
• Grey cardi: Gap
• Jeggings: Marks and Spencer
• Black wedges: Clarks

I had a lovely day out today with my Auntie, despite the atrocious weather. In addition to having such a nice time she also provided me with a hoard of material for me to use in my dressmaking so all in all a very productive day!

Day 265: 100 days to go

• Blue top: East
• Jeggings: Marks and Spencer
• Silver wedges: Dorothy Perkins

This was actually my second outfit of the day but I didn't capture the first which I wore to speak at a conference - on a Saturday, I know, that is dedication!

So today marks the start of the final 100 days of my 1 wardrobe, 1 year, 365 looks challenge. I really feel the end is now in sight. I do, however, need to make more of an effort to try and wear items I have yet to wear and to try and get rid of more items which aren't working.