Sunday, 11 January 2015

Black and white and red all over


 
I love colour - you all know that. 

But I can appreciate the drama of monochrome too, so Saturday saw me wearing nothing but black and white. Oh and a splash of silver.
 


1970s white faux fur coat, Wallis dress, lurex leggings, vintage silver gloves, 1960s tapestry bag, and sequin beret - charity shopped
Boots - retail (sale, ancient)


 
Off we go to town...
 


on a girls' shopping trip...

 
 to H&M...

Claudia had a gift card (Christmas present) burning a hole in her pocket.
 
She's on a black and white kick too. She really wanted a bright blue jumper, but there wasn't one to be found in H&M. Lots of black, white, grey, some mustard and red, but the Fashion Powers That Be seem to have decreed that blue is not in
 
I was decidedly unimpressed by the clothes (and may have expressed that view loudly enough to be shushed by my offspring), but Claudia enjoyed getting to choose something from a proper shop, just for a change. 
 
 
Nina and I entertained ourselves while we waited outside the changing room.
 
Mirror mirror, on the wall...


The purchases - striped top, patterned jeans (half price), pack of socks, and a floral hairband.

(I'm not linking, cos I do not love.)
 
Clothing bought, we headed off for lunch...
 
 
and I had to explain why this made me laugh quite so much.
 


Who's he? asked my girls... 
 

Chip off the black'n'white block.
 
But today...
 
 
I thought it was time to add some colour, and try out this rather flamboyant new-to-me 1970s blouse, a gift from Marie of The Queen's Drawers (linking cos I do love.)



1970s pussy-bow blouse - gift from Marie
Jumpsuit, ankle boots, beret and belt - charity shopped
Vintage faux fur collar - gift from Sarah Misfit
 
This outfit comes in at under a tenner. Including shoes.
 
And I like that a whole lot more than shopping on the high street.



I'll be joining Visible Monday over at Patti's as usual. 

Nothing says visible like a vintage lipstick-red pussy-bow, sequins and some faux fur!
 
PS. Guess what? I found my purple glove, a little grubby and utterly sodden, lying on the pavement just up the road.  I am ridiculously pleased!
 
xxx

51 comments:

Diane said...

A perfect mini me! Love your black and white outfit. Shame you weren't in town today - one day we will bump into each other x

Connie said...

Well, I do love black and white A LOT. They are my favorite non colors. I was getting all mushy about b&w you and the lovely stripedy Claudia when POW! You hit me with a jumpsuit and a pussycat bow. So much to love here. Oh I know that teen age shopping thing. Phoebe used to drag me to Abercrombie and Fitch. It was torture for me, heaven for her. The things we do for our kiddies.

Kezzie said...

Phwoaaaar, look at you!!!!! I love the red and black outfit (that collar!!!!)
How nice is that blouse!?
Ha, I love the fact you didn't link. I just cannot be bothered to link to items that are possible to still buy on the internet (and more often than not, unlinkable!)
Your girls are seriously cute!!!x

Kezzie said...

Numero TROIS!

Kezzie said...

P.P.S. Bravo re the gloves. I was distraught to have dropped my new green gloves going into the station on the way to London. Forgot about it as we left the station on the way back but to my delight, as we drove past the station, saw them lying on the ground by the station! Two glove rescues!

Helga said...

I've been on a black and white kick too! Must be something in the air.....
I bloody LOVE that blouse!
Sylvester Stallone is still alive?! Bummer. What on EARTH can he offer for one night only?! The girls don't need to know who he is. Aside from Rambo, he sucks!!!! Arnie, on the other hand...!!!
O the joys of chainstore shopping...not! Hopefully it's a phase that she will grow out of due to the AWESOME influence of her amazing Mama!
Love! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jayne H said...

You found your glove, hurrah.

Nice to have a trip to town with your girls, maybe charity shops will do gift cards one day . . . .xx

Fiona said...

Not only is Sylvester Stallone still alive Helga, so is his mum. She's about 103 and has mutilated herself with plastic surgery. Ahem, I digress. Hoorah, Claud spent her voucher...rather liking the snazzy jeans but even more the blouse she was already wearing.
So glad you found the glove. I rescued one of mine from the road last night too...the relief!
Love the glorious colour of your new blouse and wondering what exactly it is lying on the deck by your side?

Mrs C said...

Your girls are pretty! Are they twins? I have twin boys myself and since I have no girls, they sometimes are forced to accompany mom out, much to their annoyance ;)

Kylie said...

Remember this post when Nina receives her birthday present (and no it's not from H&M!)
It's lovely to see you in pants(ish) again Curtise. You look so good in them. I love your beautiful blouse too!

p.s. it looks like you have a lot more fun shopping for clothes with your girls than I do with mine...

Patti said...

The girls are so adorable and they look happy to be together (and with their gorgeous mum). Your silvery faux fur jacket is divine! Thanks for sharing with Visible Monday, xox.

Sue @ A Colourful Canvas said...

Yeah! You found your glove. I know what it's like to find something, even a little thing, that you think is forever lost. I found my husband's glasses in the garden under the rose bush, and we whooped and hollered like nobodies business. Then I lost my sunglasses...I moaned about my favourite pair gone, never mind that I have a dozen other thrifted pairs...and they turned up in the cupboard below the drawer I keep them in! I guess it gets like this, now that we're fifty or better, LOL. Of course, gloves are one of the easiest things to lose...especially just one glove! Yikes...enough ramble Sue!

The girls..you both look ADORABLE!

And you and Claudia are both looking oh so fine in your black and white! (I so hear you about the ahem quality of the clothing..sigh)

Sheila said...

Woo hoo! So happy to hear that the glove appeared - I would have been giddy as well.

Love the pussy bow!

Goody said...

H&M opened in our city a few months back, and it is *all people talk about*.
"Have you been to H&M" blah, blah, blah. I haven't, but that's not my idea of "destination shopping."
Still, Your daughter has your good taste and managed to find a lovely outfit (it may fall apart in the wash, but it is cute).

I like your new photo spot by the door, and I loved that sparkly beret of yours so much, I bought one a few weeks back. Alas, my big stupid head won't fit! No amount of pinning will keep it on, so I am left to admire you in yours.

Black, white and red feel right at this point in winter, don't they? Glad you found your glove.

Beth Waltz said...

Ah, another fabulous faux fur! One can never have too many faux furs.

So glad you found the missing glove; so glad you didn't discard its mate too soon. (It's exactly this sort of serendipity that accounts for my collection of single earrings.)
I

Melanie said...

Oh, your glove didn't like life on the open road and decided it wanted to come home. How sensible. What luck!
Shopping with your girls and lunch, a day for the picture book. Stripes and dots, all in the family.
Your style shines through in everything you wear.

Olga Rani said...

Haha, it made me laugh too, your daughters question about Stallone.
You look like a queen of the 70s in your jumpsuit and the bow-blouse. The black and white look, I like it too, the dress has very interesting print and looks really great with the silver coat.

Trees said...

Yah! You found the glove! I know what you mean about the high street stores, they are SO uninspiring. But it looks like you had a fun girls day out and that's all that matters. That is an extraordinary catsuit - nothing as fabulous as that exists in ANY chain store xox

Sue said...

Black and white is great, I am guilty of adding some other colour tho. Your girls are so sweet, so like you. Two mini you. Woohoo for finding your glove!!

hippyatheart said...

Really lovely to see you all in black and white and I love the last look!

I decided NOT to close down the blog, as I would miss you all too much! Blogging is a too big thing for me and emphasizes too many aspects of my life that are fab! So come back to my blog, a new outfit post is up, too!

Natalia Lialina said...

Hurray for your find! I am pleased for you too!

Curtise, your daughters are sooo lovely, it's always great to look at their photos. Claudia grew into a pretty young lady, and look at her - she loves mixing patterns, and apparently loves bright colors (hopefully she'll find a blue sweater somewhere else soon!). It's always interesting to see how their personalities grow - some things are so far from us, while others are so similar. Nina is such a cutie, love the photos with the mirror, they tell stories.

You look wonderful as always! Love your monochrome outfit for it's drama, textures, that bold pattern, and I see that you sneaked in a bit of a color in your purse - wahoo! Your second outfit is also dramatic AND colorful! Gorgeous! I think you need to be in theater in some role. Maybe as a costume designer or something like that. Though I can totally see you as an actress too, there is just something about you!

With love xxx

Jane and Lance Hattatt said...

Darling Curtise,

You would most probably despair of us as we are rarely to be found in anything other than black and white. Indeed, when peering into the wardrobe it is difficult to see anything in what resembles a galactic Black Hole. So, we covet your monochrome look and the sparkly tights are divine!

However, the lipstick red blouse is a total winner. It looks fabulous on you. Guaranteed to herald an entrance into any room, you wear it with such panache. What a wonderful gift!

Your daughter's black and white outfit looks great. The bold pattern on pattern would be something we should be shy to wear but it looks great on her.

Well, you are all stepping into the New Year in style. Perfect!

Vix said...

Black and white is good! Both you and Claue look brilliant in it (but I bet the clothes you're wearing will still be around years after the H&M ones have gone tatty in the wash!)
The girls' day out looks cracking. Love Nina's raincoat! Are the girls missing much but not knowing who Sly Stallone is? Escape to Victory, a film about arm wrestling and Rambo? They're best left in blissful ignorance!
That jumpsuit, pussy bow outfit is a triumph, you look bloody stunning.
Tittering about "not linking 'cos you don't love!" No sponsored posts here!
Love you! xxxxxxx

Unknown said...

Loving your black, white and silver combination bless your daughter she had a great time :-) I find it very hard to go into the mainstream shops but I have found a range of dresses called Mantaray in Debenhams that I like vintage style pattern fabrics and easy to wear every day. My vintage dresses are leaving me a little uninspired at present, but get into the slightly warmer weather again and they will be back on :-) So glad you found your glove :-) Have a lovely week, dee xx

bahnwärterin said...

hooray for the found glove!!!!
your b&w outfit has a cool gogo style going on! but i love the flamboyant look too - especially with the fur!
best 2 ensembles lately!!!!
in the end claudia bought some classic and some individual pieces - you´r a good role model! last thing from hasi&mausi: marine striped leggings 3 years ago. 3 years after a wooly capelet.....
the actual clothes there are to bad made and don´t fit me anyway.
wish you and the little ones a wonderful week! xxxx

Mim said...

Oh, hoorah for finding the glove! I completely understand why that made you happy.

I kind of understand Claudia enjoying shopping in proper shops; we had no money as a kid and I can still remember the time we went to C&A and I could buy something that no-one had worn before! My mum finds it hilarious that after all my childhood protests, I buy secondhand now. (I wish I had a time machine so I could go back and ask her to stockpile some decent vintage for me while she's at the jumble sale...) But Claudia has good taste, new or secondhand.

Bobbi said...

You're quite brave to go shopping at H&M but she looks nice in her new outfit. You both rock the black and white - of course, you look more like "you" in something bright and cheerful.
One night with Stallone? It takes longer than that to understand what he's saying.

Miss Magpie said...

Huzzah for the purple glove.

I feel I must defend the High Street, I love shopping full stop including chain shops on the High Street, you can still find good, well made bargains out there though I will admit you have to hunt them down under all the shit. I do like H&M too, though to be fair it can be a bit hit and miss.

Shawna McComber said...

It took a large dose of motherly love to brave the high street shopping! The music usually makes me feel murderous in such places. Claudia does look cute in her black and white though and Nina is clearly the master of goofy faces. You look great in both of your outfits, both are put together with that unique Curtise touch. As I write this I am wearing thick grey work socks with a long cotton embroidered skirt. I wonder if that is the Shawna touch.
xoxoxo

diaryofapennypincher said...

Congratulations on finding your glove, I'm hoping for similar karma as OH lost his new Christmas present of a scarf the other day, gah! Love your black and white outfit, and totally agree about the boring high street.

at my dressingtable said...

Your girls are so sweet , I love the black n white outfit ,but how fabulous is the red pussy bow outfit !!! have a good week Curtise x

Lizzie Cole said...

The black and white outfit looks amazing.

Lizzie Dripping

Becky said...

You look so good in the black and white! Glad you found your glove---rather lucky! My daughter is 7 and also like H&M... Except she wants to shop in the adult section. NOT happening any time soon lol

Mrs Bertimus said...

Phew! So glad you found your glove!
Both yourself and your daughter have such panache x

freckleface said...

You are looking beautifully sophisticated in your black and white, while Claudia looks really funky in hers. Oh, do you remember being that age when you could start to choose some of your own clothes? No wonder she was so excited and she chose well. It's a Mum's job to go 'humph' over their daughter's choice of clothes. Thank goodness for The Return of The Glove. Oh wow to the second outfit, that's redressed the colour balance, wow and WOW Curtise! Sly in Sheffield! Imagine! Xxxxxx

silvergirl said...

that black and white graphic print dress is to die for
so hip, so cool
Brett

Anonymous said...

I much like you and love colour but the difference is I've had an issue with black for a long time. But I've surprised myself in recent months by styling with more black and liking it. Your daughters look so lovely and I hope you had a lovely time together. Oh and I adore you in they fabulous jumpsuit.

Porcelina said...

I think that jumpsuit outfit is amazing! It's very visible, I agree! And what a bargain, all for under a tenner. I like the black, white and silver too, very chic, and no less visible.

I used to LOVE having secondhand clothes from a much older sister as a kid, wish I'd kept some of it as I'd wear it now. She wore all the cool stuff that my mother would never buy for me. I didn't enjoy 'proper' shops as a child, as my mum isn't someone who's particularly 'in' to clothes and shopping was always a necessity, never a pleasure. Oh how I've rebelled against that in my adulthood!

x

Miss Magpie said...

I was thinking about this last night in bed as you do! I have come to the conclusion that I love shopping, especially for clothes, because as a kid my Mum made 90% of my clothes, usually from her old dresses. Which is all very well but to actually get something new FROM A SHOP!!!! was so exciting somehow, I have never lost that joy.

Melancholy and Menace said...

Love the monochrome, and I have to be honest, I think you'd look awesome in anything!

Great pics with your little ladies. You all look so happy :) xx

Forest City Fashionista said...

Glad you found the glove - I tend to lose at least one mitten over the course of the winter.

Claudia looks very cool in her graphic top and pants, as does her Mama in the spectacular blouse! I used to buy the odd thing at H & M but the quality is such crap. The arse of a pair of leather pants I bought there shredded the third time I wore them, but that's my bad for buying anything leather from them. It's disposable fashion at it's worst.

Mother of Reinvention said...

Your girls are so like you, and look like they have the style gene kicking in. Monochrome looks really chic hut I have to say you are totally RAWKING that jumpsuit outfit. Glad the prodigal glove returned from its adventure. Xxxx

Angels have Red Hair said...

Kids love to do what other kids do ... it's just a fact of life! Someday she may very well decide that she loves to do what Mum does instead :0)
Love your black and white AND your big red bow.
xx

Ivy Black said...

Look at you lot! Your all bloomin' lovely.
I like a bit of black n'white with a bit of colour chucked in and that white fur is knockout.
Sly Stallone for one night only? That doesn't bear thinking about!
Love ya.
xxxx

Unknown said...

I agree with you H&M is not what it used to be and nothing beats a trip the the thrift shops, but you know sometimes the kids like a proper store -
I like your colorful outfit, you have the best vintage style and i love and love your finds at St-Lukes, My God!
That 20s, 30s brooch you had on the previous post, i swear i have one like it somewhere - I have to find it

Take care

Arianexo

Young at Heart said...

Oooh loving those lurex leggings......what is Sly doing for one night only????

Peaches McGinty said...

Yay! the purple glove has been found! I'd have been chuffed too, single gloves make me quite stressed (I have no idea why!) the girls day out looked fun, Claudia's monochrome outfit's are fab, I love the pics, having a blast in the changing rooms is a must, mine like h&m (I'm not allowed any input anymore, which is probably a good thing, I'd have them all in matching sailor dresses inc the eldest) I hear ya though - oh, and bam! flaming heck, gorgeous you, love your outfits, monochrome to fiery hotness, yes please x x x

Unknown said...

Hello! Did you think I was dead? Or just awful? I'm catching up as fast as I can ... have real life projects that insist on my attention, but trying to get out and about again. YOU look fabulous in that just BITCHIN' black and white DRESS!!!!! About a bazillion ways to style that little hummer, and you should keep it forever!!!! The jumpsuit is a year-round miracle ... so pretty (What's the print?)
Claudia did well for her Christmas money, yes she did. What a set of gorgeous creatures you've raised. Please tell her I'm so impressed! You've taught her never to fear the camera, haven't you? Wish I'd known that early on! Sorry you had to drag around in the shops, but you're a wonderful mum.
Wishing you a fabulous week, Curtise!

Mrs Bertimus said...

Hello chuck, I left a reply under your comment on my FB page.
I can't semd you a message on your FB for some reson(the reason being I am pants at FB!)
Please could you read my reply and thanks again so much for getting back to me. You're a star! X

Emma Kate at Paint and Style said...

Yay for the found glove!
Shopping with kids is kind of horrific but it does make them happy doesn't it?
xxxx

Melanie said...

Huzzah for glove finding! I lost a leopard print one once and it still irks me! It was one of those gloves on lap in car, gets out, drops glove and never sees it again moments.
And wow, your outfit really pops! I love black, red and white together xxx