Sometimes I look back at old pictures and thank my lucky stars that cameras were much less evident in "the olden days" and sometimes I wish I had kept particular outfits which are right on trend years later.
Although some of my tastes have changed I find that some of the labels I used to love are still showcasing outfits I love, even if they sometimes look better on my teens nowadays.
Take Dorothy Perkins for instance. I used to spend all of my clothing allowance in Dotty P's as we used call it as I knew that sizing was always accurate and the clothes would be well made and stylish. I knew I could whizz in in my lunch hour and grab a new outfit for that evening without too much fuss.
Decades later I know I can always still find pieces I love in Dorothy Perkins - check out this beautiful vintage-style dress for example.
I think the fact that the store has survived in the High Street for so long as well as thriving online says a lot for the quality of fabric and fashion, but If I'm honest my style nowadays is much more Joules. I love that I can find great prints and quality pieces there which I love and I think suit my stage of life and style.
The sight of a SALE sign anywhere selling Joules brings me great joy but my husband is starting to wonder how many stripey tops and dresses one woman can own - especially since the nearest I get to a nautical lifestyle is to sit in a coastal cafe admiring the view.
If I had to pick who is the most stylish person in our family with a natural flair for fashion I'd say that was my eldest son who mostly manages to look great on a shoestring. He mostly sticks to his budget but does rather have a weakness for Ted Baker.
For his birthday recently I bought him a gorgeous Ted Baker navy polo shirt with the style details you'd expect from such a great designer.
My teenage daughter is a hard one to shop for and mostly I just tag along behind her with my purse out. At 16 her tastes are changing rapidly but one label she has loved for years and continues to adore is Converse.
She took two pairs of Converse shoes and a Converse T-shirt to America when she flew out last month (she's been on a 4,500 mile tour of the States with a friend) and when she returns in a few days time I am half expecting her to have filled her suitcase with US exclusive Converse designs.
She's not alone in her love of the brand - I have three pairs (white, navy and pink), my younger daughter has a red pair and my youngest son has two pairs of high tops he's desperately trying to convince me he can still squeeze his feet into. It might be time to go shopping again.....
Although some of my tastes have changed I find that some of the labels I used to love are still showcasing outfits I love, even if they sometimes look better on my teens nowadays.
Take Dorothy Perkins for instance. I used to spend all of my clothing allowance in Dotty P's as we used call it as I knew that sizing was always accurate and the clothes would be well made and stylish. I knew I could whizz in in my lunch hour and grab a new outfit for that evening without too much fuss.
Decades later I know I can always still find pieces I love in Dorothy Perkins - check out this beautiful vintage-style dress for example.
I think the fact that the store has survived in the High Street for so long as well as thriving online says a lot for the quality of fabric and fashion, but If I'm honest my style nowadays is much more Joules. I love that I can find great prints and quality pieces there which I love and I think suit my stage of life and style.
The sight of a SALE sign anywhere selling Joules brings me great joy but my husband is starting to wonder how many stripey tops and dresses one woman can own - especially since the nearest I get to a nautical lifestyle is to sit in a coastal cafe admiring the view.
If I had to pick who is the most stylish person in our family with a natural flair for fashion I'd say that was my eldest son who mostly manages to look great on a shoestring. He mostly sticks to his budget but does rather have a weakness for Ted Baker.
For his birthday recently I bought him a gorgeous Ted Baker navy polo shirt with the style details you'd expect from such a great designer.
My teenage daughter is a hard one to shop for and mostly I just tag along behind her with my purse out. At 16 her tastes are changing rapidly but one label she has loved for years and continues to adore is Converse.
She took two pairs of Converse shoes and a Converse T-shirt to America when she flew out last month (she's been on a 4,500 mile tour of the States with a friend) and when she returns in a few days time I am half expecting her to have filled her suitcase with US exclusive Converse designs.
She's not alone in her love of the brand - I have three pairs (white, navy and pink), my younger daughter has a red pair and my youngest son has two pairs of high tops he's desperately trying to convince me he can still squeeze his feet into. It might be time to go shopping again.....