First Friday Giveaway: Navy Blue!

Fashion For Grown-ups: This is what being over 40 really looks like!

Now I've reached more than 70 followers, what a great time to launch my First Friday of the Month Giveaway! Today my friend Lisa has joined me to celebrate Navy Blue.  My giveaway is a Hobo patent leather clutch wallet in midnight blue (it's darker than it photographs) which retails at $100.

Be in to win! Simply leave a comment below saying what your favourite navy item is - doesn't have to be clothing. The winner - chosen by a random process - will be announced next Friday 11 Feb. This competition includes everyone in the world, as my kids would say.

Jody:
You may already know I never wear black. It drains the colour from my face and navy is a great substitute.  I am constantly fighting my urge to visit all style lands -- oooh Morrocco in the Seventies, Preppy in the Fifties, Dogtown skater chick!  Or as Jenn from The Suburb Experiment says: "My clothing is a dysfuctional family fighting for attention and unwilling to work with others." For me, navy unites that family.

My husband gave me this cardy a year ago and I loved it but never wore it: it looked very fine and precious.  I was keeping it "for good" but it looked too mumsy with slacks and too summery with white jeans and striped tee, so broke out the worn jeans. Sorry about the weird pose, just wanted to show you the white piping under arms. These Ugg boots are slim enough to wear with just about anything. Ugg never made anything as tapered again. Ugg people - do this style again, it's brilliant!
Cardigan: Zac Posen
Boots: Ugg
Scarf: Gap

This coat always makes me feel like a kid - just before this photo was taken I found myself standing in first position, just as if I were five years old again at Whakatane's Shirley Dibble Ballet School. Love the silver buttons, unexpected and fun.

Coat: Marc Jacobs

Shoes: Ferragamo, thrift shop

I've been wearing this Little Lord Fauntleroy outfit for six years and last year added the DVF grey ruffle blouse. The stacked-heel oxford lace-ups are incredible, but sooo uncomfortable.
Blouse:  DVF
Jacket: Theory
Pants: Marc Jacobs
Shoes: Michael Kors

This was a Monique Lhuillier cocktail dress that was too low and too short and I was always tugging at it. I had it cut into a skirt and casualed it up with my good ole greige boots, old cardy and new beige belt.
Cardy: Vince
Belt: Anthropologie

I know I've posted a pic of this sweater jacket before, but I can't tell you how much use I've had out of it.  You can wear it with high shoes or boots or the UGGs above.
Sweater Coat: Anthropologie



Lisa:
This time of the year is tricky because the weather is all over the place (a warm day here...a need for layers there) the stores are picked over or showing fab but not yet needed resort wear, or while I lust over J Crew's latest catalog, I'm  still not ready to pony up the cash as I'm still coming down from my holiday high.

So I shop in my own closet and and find that I'm pretty consistently drawn to navy. I wear the blazer all the time, the striped tee is my go-to piece for comfort, the ruffled blouse always makes me feel girlie and happy. Navy is warmer than black for daytime but still sharp enough for night.

 

Navy jacket: Gap
Red flower pic: Nordstrom
Navy top: Cabi
Jeans: Seven

Navy belted dress: Anthropologie
Shoes: Anne Taylor

Navy Ruffle Blouse: Floreat

Favourite striped comfy tee: Old Navy (with photographer, Charlie, five)


Now my wonderful readers, Lisa and I will wander off into the (navy) blue, while you make your comment!