Coming Home to my First Love for Christmas

 

I'm coming home for Christmas.

Back to this blog where my online style journal began.

For the past year I have been playing away on Instagram - that fickle friend - where just a click of the fingers can upload a photo and post in next to no time.

I have met some lovely people but missed the time and space this blog gives me to ruminate and remember.

In my defence, time has been short and I wanted to photograph myself for a year to see where my style is heading.

Its interesting that the outfits that I enjoyed wearing the most and what I like to see myself wearing were not the most popular.

Far from it.

But here is a collection of my personal favourites.

I will still keep the Instagram account but I want to pledge to post at least once a week here next year.

If you got this far, Happy Christmas and if y ou are reading this in 20 years time Jane - I hope you enjoy your memories.

Happy Christmas.

Jane X

No students + Inset Day = Jeans

I love wearing jeans to work.
When the students are not in college we can wear what we like.
Before the students started college in the summer there were lots of teachers showing off their tans in shorts.
At this time of year it is all about layering to stay warm.
The day was spent sharing good practice.
I picked up some lovely tips on Kung Fu Teaching and using decorated lollysticks for role play.
A good day all round.

I wore:
Boots - Clarks
Jeans - Gap
Shirt - Marks and Spencer
Sweater - Top Sjop
Bag - TK Maxx

I Put My Blue Jeans (Skirt) On

"When I wake up
in the morning light
I put on my jeans
and I feel alright....."

This song takes me back to Guide Camp in 1977 when I was 11 years old.
In those days each pack had to create their own show and we used a popular song which we acted out by getting out of our sleeping bags and putting on our jeans.
The jeans I had to dance around in were some old cheap jeans that while serviceable were pretty unflattering.
The other girls in my pack were older, shaplier and their jeans looked great.
I remember feeling very small, dumpy and unattractive against these long-haired, long limbed lovelies.
Ever since I have hoped that one day I would find a pair of jeans that made me look like them.
I never did.
And now I have to accept that jeans emphasis all the worst parts of my body.
I can just about get away with wearing them when I am at my fighting fit but when I am caryring a few extra pounds as I am at the moment they make my wide hips look wider and my short chunky legs, well, shorter and chunkier.
But thankfully I have the antidote - my faithful denim skirt from Marks and Spencer.
It is knee length - the perfetc length for me.
The waistband emphasies my smallish waist and skims over my childbearing hips.
It feels so good I wore it both Saturday and Sunday - just like you'd wear an old favourite pair of jeans.
So it is no wonder that:
"When I wake up
in the morning light
I put on my jeans skirt
and I fell alright!"