style: the ankle boot edit

With all of the walking I have done since having the baby boy last summer, I've found myself lusting after sensible shoes - after years of filling my shoe rack with beautiful high heels. Now with winter truly here and the cold weather really biting, I've been living in my ankle boots.

These Clarks black ankle boots (above) were my sole pair. If in doubt, I will always choose black in clothes or shoes - they go with everything! These are a great height as they sit just where my skinny jeans finish.

Realising that I was wearing these boots all the time, I decided I needed a second pair. Obviously I wanted something slightly different but still sturdy enough to cope with all of the walking that I plan on doing. I decided that a pair of tan Chelsea style boots would fit the bill perfectly. On maternity leave pay, the Clarks version was not going to be an option. Instead, I found these excellent tan leather Chelsea boots from George at Asda for just £30!

If you are after a pair of ankle boots, I've found pairs to suit any budget:

Shop the post: Splurge tan Chelsea boots vs save tan Chelsea boots
Splurge black ankle boots vs save black ankle boots

style: what to wear when breastfeeding #7

I'm a big fan of dresses for breastfeeding right now. This is the first dress I've bought that is specifically designed for the job but I love it. It's so simple and easy and looks good too.

This Asos nursing dress is designed with a clever extra layer that comes up to reveal two slits for easy access!

As it is designed for maternity and post-pregnancy, I found that my usual size was actually too big (would have been fine when I was pregnant) - so I've sized down to get a better fit.

I realise that short sleeves in the winter might not be everyone's choice but I think the breastfeeding has messed with my body temperature as I'm nearly constantly hot. So I've been wearing this with tights and a cardigan and been fine.

style: what to wear when breastfeeding #6

Earlier this week I posted my first new shirt dress from boohoo, now my next - this lovely berry hued number - very festive! Both of these dresses are so easy to throw on over a pair of tights, team with ankle boots and a jacket and head out of the door - after the hours it takes to get the baby ready, obviously!!

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style: what to wear when breastfeeding #5

Breastfeeding outfits can be hard to come by - particularly if you're unprepared to leave your previous style behind. I was so excited in the final weeks of pregnancy about getting my body - and wardrobe - back (also about meeting the baby - obviously!!). Turns out though that I'd not factored in the fact that I would still be sporting a bump for quite a while and that I'd need easy access for breastfeeding too.

I'm also aware that I won't be breastfeeding forever and want to make sure that any purchases now will last beyond this period. I've mainly been living in jeans and the couple of Marks and Spencer nursing striped tops I have. But it can get a little dull. So I decided to go on the hunt for a few dresses. This star print shirt dress from boohoo is the first I found. I love the pattern on it and the placket elevates it from a simple shirt dress.

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style: mum coat

The cold and wet has arrived: it is now most definitely coat weather. This winter, I'm on maternity leave and so far, my maternity leave has been dominated by walks with the baby in his pram. I was lucky that he was born in the summer and that this particular summer has been lovely and dry but as we march on into winter, wetter days will be more frequent. With this in mind, I started my hunt for a mum coat. My mum coat had to tick a few boxes: 1. be warm, 2. be waterproof, and 3. be stylish. Not too much to ask?

I'd actually spotted this coat in Joules last winter and loved it but as I was pregnant, I didn't really feel like buying clothes that I'd soon be too big for. And am I glad I waited as I got it with 25% off a few weeks ago! It proved perfect for our recent weekend away in west Wales where walks in the countryside and along the beach were the order of the day.

If you're on the hunt for a mum coat this winter, look no further as I've found five of my favourites for you here:

Shop the post: 1. Luxe Black And Blue Parka Coat at Dorothy Perkins; 2. Uniqlo Light Weight Down Hooded Coat; 3. Hush Eskimo Parka; 4. Fat Face Cheshire Jacket; and 5. Stormaway Waterproof Coat at Joules.

review: cath kidston x specsavers collection

I've been wearing glasses for about five years now - for driving, watching TV and anything else at a distance. I love having a few pairs of glasses to go with different outfits. So when Specsavers got in touch to ask me to check out the new Cath Kidston collection, I jumped at the chance.

Specsavers have had some great collaborations in recent years, including Cheap Monday. This new collaboration with Cath Kidston is everything you'd expect from the brand: there are florals and spots and lovely bright colours. I've picked a few of my favourite styles below:

I chose the navy frames with floral arms. I really like the fact that they have a bit of the traditional Cath Kidston floral pattern without being too overtly girly. I already have a pair of black frames and thought that the navy frames would be less of a heavy look. The frames are also really lovely and light to wear - they have become my everyday glasses.

Top tip: If you've got a smaller face, the teen collection is gorgeous too (the middle two pairs, above left) - and are a bit cheaper too.

style: what to wear when breastfeeding #4

Who doesn't love a Breton striped tee? I know I have a whole host of such tops in my wardrobe. So it is no surprise that I also have this nursing striped top. In fact, this is one of my favourite tops that is specifically designed for breastfeeding. It is a dual purpose, maternity and nursing t-shirt from Marks and Spencer. I got the green stripe version in the sale and have since bought the blue version because it is just so good! (You can see it in action when I was pregnant here.)

If you're after some stripes for your nursing wardrobe, I've also found this Topshop double layered nursing dress - which also works while you're expecting.

Shop the post: Marks & Spencer Maternity Feeding Striped Top with Modal; and Topshop Maternity Stripe Nursing Maxi Dress.

style: what to wear when breastfeeding #1

If you're a breastfeeding mama, you'll know that finding outfits that work for feeding and don't make you feel like you've lost all sense of style can be a challenge. I'm taking up the challenge for my maternity leave and will be documenting my outfits here on the blog.

I spotted this Mango jumpsuit over on amothersedit the week before I was due to give birth and ordered it immediately, thinking that the button front would be ideal for breastfeeding. It took a week after giving birth for the jumpsuit to fit (despite it's baggier fit) but now I'm living in it!

Unfortunately this particular jumpsuit is out of stock now but I've found a few others in the sale at Mango which are breastfeeding friendly:

Shop the post: (left to right) long printed jumpsuit; flow long jumpsuit; and printed short jumpsuit.