Seasonal Skinny Wk 31: Role Reversal | Embroidery Anglaise, Chambray & Brogues | Red, White & Blue

Having hit triple figures with my 100th post at the beginning of July, it may not have escaped your notice that it suddenly went all very quiet for the rest of July.

****    Tumbleweed rolled through the blog    ****

I decided to take a couple of days off from blogging, which turned into a week, then a couple of weeks, then a month and then POOF, before I knew it, we were into August and I had only blogged once in July!

But fear not, there was no behind the scenes drama; my Dad is still ok despite the cancer.  I was simply enjoying being off line, taking time to nourish a social life and busy with real life stuff!  Tall Brown Fox and I have had some great days out together, we’re onto planning the next project on our house, I organised with my siblings a surprise BBQ party for my parents 56th wedding anniversary last Saturday with friends and family, plus work has been craaaaaazee busy, despite Summer usually being a quieter time, teaching wise.

But I’m back and to make up for lost time and haul my Seasonal Skinny Style Challenge back on track, I’m aiming to blog every day this week.  Yup, I’m letting the blogging pendulum swing way over to the other extreme.  You’ll all be bored of me by Saturday. Perhaps by next week the blogging pendulum might settle somewhere in the middle!

Following on from yesterday’s post, which featured some kick ass Snakeskin Statement Shoes, today’s post also showcases a cool pair of Summer shoes – this time white brogues.

But before we get carried away by more fun and fantastic shoes, let me first explain why I’ve called this post Role Reversal.

Denim and embroidery anglaise are undoubtedly a great pairing which many of us wear.  I suspect that more often than not though, most of us would wear a denim jacket as a top layer, over an embroidery anglaise top or shirt.

However, to mix things up a little, I’ve reversed the roles.  Instead, I’m wearing my embroidery anglaise shirt as the top layer over a chambray top.  Although my top isn’t denim – chambray and denim are so close they’re practically fabric cousins – it’s near enough for me!

Having slipped the white embroidery shirt on over the chambray, I just had to choose my white brogues for a little white topping and tailing.  These are only the second pair of brogues I’ve owned. My first ever pair was only bought last year – yes, I’m a tardy brogues lover, having never really given them much of a glance before.  You can read why here.

But after taking a chance and buying a grey pair in the sale, which I showcased in an Autumn Seasonal Skinny outfit called Geek Chic, I rather got over my aversion to them!  

When I spied this white pair on e-bay a few months ago, my immediate reaction was, 

‘Ooooh, they’ll be spiffy for Summer!’

And they certainly are!  

In fact, not only are they spiffy, but they’re also a little bit cheeky.  They make me feel quite light on my feet to the extend, I must confess, that I had a little ‘jazz hands’ moment but nothing that would’ve troubled Fred Astaire.

Then off came the sunnies.  I was totally getting carried away by now.  You see, the right footwear can DO this to you.  I am the proof of that!

But this is really what it’s all about, isn’t it?  

What you wear should enhance your mood and how you feel about yourself.

and after a few months of life feeling a darn right slog, I can’t tell you enough how it does you the power of good to have some fun, not just in life but with your threads.  It’s all too easy to become a little po-faced about clothes, to fuss and fret about whether your bum looks big in something, whether a certain garment is on trend, past trend or never was a trend to begin with, whether we’re keeping up with the Jones’ in the real or blogging world, or any of the other myriad of trivial things we can fuss and fret about regarding our personal style.

All that matters is that I love my embroidery anglaise shirt with my brogues and I’ll certainly be wearing more of each of them and probably more of both of them together.  I have a pair of navy wide linen trousers that would love to pair up with these two. 

And they’re still dancing!

Dorothy Perkins Red Skinny Jeans and Necklace (old)
White Embroidered Shirt and Chambray Top from TK Maxx
Marks &Spencers White Brogues (e-bay)

Role Reversal Footnote

And as the Olympics get underway in Rio, it’s rather fitting that my outfit is unwittingly a patriotic one of red, white and blue! Go Team GB!

What pairs of shoes or clothes make you smile and feel good?

Read the story of how my Seasonal Skinny Style Challenge came about.

Linking with Linking with   Confident Twosday / Garay Treasures /  Style Me Wednesday /  High Latitude Style / Flash Back Friday