This is a sponsored post with F&F Clothing 

Ahhh the festive season is upon us! I have to say it is without doubt my favourite time of the year especially now that the girls are totally into it all. Being a Mum though I have no Christmas party to attend per se but I have plenty of nights out planned with friends. For this blog post I was tasked to talk about party wear ultimately, but I want to think about it a little differently. I’ve spoken a bit about this on my social media but I’m starting to rethink my attitude towards shopping and clothes in general. Lately I find myself thinking more about where my clothes come from and being more conscious about how much I buy. Honestly you are not going to find me in a short sparkly dress on more than one night out in the year so I’m not going to approach this a little differently, with not just the festive season in mind!  

You may remember I did a blog post with F&F back in September where I spoke about their denim range and the changes they are making in terms of sustainability from an environmental and ethical perspective. This time round I want to show that the same basic piece I took for that post, the jeggings, which are just brilliant and comfortable and they wash well and they fit well, can be dressed up or down. I paired those same jeggings with this beautiful, simple yet elegant top which has the most gorgeous, classy pearl detail. This too is a piece that can be dressed up or down, wear it out for brunch with friends paired with boots (like I did right after I took these pictures!) or add a pair of heels and it would be perfect for a night out for dinner or drinks or both. Both of which I plan on enjoying in the run up to Christmas!So for me, not just his festive season but in general, I’m going to focus on rethinking how I style my clothes in the long run. I feel like fast fashion isn’t for me anymore, I want my clothes to give me options, I’m sick of buying pieces with no long term plan in mind and then standing in front of my wardrobe and thinking ‘I have nothing to wear’. It’s not a radical stance I’m taking, I’m not going to dress purely in vintage clothes or sustainably sourced organic cotton because that’s just not practical nor is it financially feasible. However, I want to buy less, buy smarter and buy clothes that will last me more than one season, timeless pieces. I want to strike a more healthy balance in a world where ‘hauls’ seem to dominate my Facebook feed.And with the festive season just around the corner I also treated myself to a little something. I have so many ideas floating around my mind lately it’s like I get no rest. I am not a note taker nor a list maker but I’m going to give a whirl to see if writing down my thoughts makes them somewhat more real. There was the most lovely selection of note pads in store and I treated myself to a beautiful Parker pen too which I know will stand the test of time. Maybe this might be a nice gift idea if you have a friend like me or if you are like me, and maybe 2018 will be the year our thoughts become a reality!

Sustainable denim from F&F Personalised Cuff Links from Sally Clay Jewellery