Sunday 7 – A proper “new in” drop from Zara: at last!

Hello there,

And just like that, we’re in February!

Always a great month in shopping terms: we’re getting over the post-chrimbo-skint phase, and (more importantly) those stores who like to draaaaag their sales out for the.longest.time.ever. are finally, finally getting their new stuff dropped.

Properly.

Not just the odd piece here and there…

LOTS of new-in.

Zara…?  

Yep, I’m looking at you!!

So, after an entire H&M Sunday 7 edit last week, I didn’t plan on this, but, it’s another entire ‘one brand Sunday 7’ again this week, all from Zara…

I couldn’t help it, honest!

There was an awful lot more than 7 pieces from Zara which caught my eye this week: so incorporating the other bits and pieces I fancied into the in the Wildcard looks makes sense, right?

7. Zara – Slim Cat’s Eye Sunglasses (£15.99)

I know, I included this style of sunnies last week – but the H&M Black Cateye sunnies are the now sold out online – probably still available in store.

{not my local though: the most useless crud filled H&M… doesn’t even stock *any* sunnies FFS!}

Anyway, these  Zara ones are a pretty good alternative.

They are double the price of the H&M ones, yes… but they’re still pretty cheap, considering the designer style they are based on…

And you’d get change from 20 quid.

All in all, good value, PLUS… Zara have other colours available too:

These red ones would brighten any outfit up… but I think with red, you’d probably need to be wearing red lippie, or always tying another red item in…?

I can’t trust myself to do that.

It’s the  brown tortoiseshell version which are in my basket:

That said, the reality is I want both the red and brown.

I already have a similar black pair… so you know… it would be good to get a full set, right?!

But I’m being cheap at the mo, and haven’t actually bought either.

When you’ve bagged a decent enough pair from Mango (last Autumn) or H&M (current) for just £8.99, you don’t really want to spend £15.99 on a pair.really.

#betillstillbuythemthough

6. Zara – Printed Top (£29.99)

Kinda off piste for me, eh?

Slightly boho… but I like it.

I like the embroidery, the buttons, that you could wear it as a little jacket over a vest top, the whole kimono style.

I might order this just to see…

5. Zara – Checked Coat (£119)

It’s kind of unusual for winter coats to be dropped at the end of January – or does Zara always do this and I just never noticed before?

I know it’s cold in England and trust me, I am well aware that it’s not Spring yet.

However, this lovely check coat (and others like this insta-favourite Teddy Coat) would surely have been better dropped in Sept /Oct?

Anyway… I don’t know…

What I do know is: I like this check coat!

4. Zara – High Neck Top (£15.99)

Cute top.

(try and ignore the footwear!)

But it’s one for my taller friends… properly tall in fact: look at the length of the sleeves on the model.

Love the sleeve frill detail, though clearly these frills would be dangling down around my knees.

Pfft!

#shortgirlproblems, eh?!

3. Zara – Checked Pencil Skirt (£49.99)

So this is basically a re-hash of Zara’s sell-out skirt from Autumn.

Smaller buttons, smaller check… but still the same same cut.

And still a great looking piece.

They also have this skirt, which would give a similar overall silhouette,  but a it’s a wrap style with tie – in Pantone’s colour of the year: Purple (well, the colour of the year is actually Ultra Violet, but let’s not get picky, ok?!)

2. Zara – Round Cotton Bucket Bag (£49.99)

Not what I’d call this a bucket bag exactly, but… I’m just splitting hairs!

I missed out on the black version of this bag last year.

But, as much as I want this bag… the price is putting me off a little.

Especially as it doesn’t look like the longer strap is detachable, which I believe was the case with last summer’s version.

And… well… it’s those little details that make a difference, isn’t it?

 

Ultimately though – I reaaaaaaaallly like it.

Going through a “gimme ALL the bags phase” at the mo.

#greedy

1. Zara – Trousers with Belt (£25.99)

 

In love.

I absolutely blOOdy love this shade of pink.

Alas, blush pink is no friend of mine and does NOT love me at all…

But that’s if I wore it against my face.

Pink trousers on the other hand… I think I could wear.

Things to note…. firstly, the lovely waist details:

I do really love this paper-bag-style waist, it’s super flattering on most.

The cropped length is something else to consider… remember Zara trousers come up long so these would probably only be cropped on tall ladies.

However, if… and I do mean *if* these were full length on a shortie like myself: I don’t think that would be a bad thing at all.

Equally, it’s a pretty straight forward ‘taking up’ alteration – even if you can’t sew, there’s always iron on Wundaweb hemming tape!

These would work with so many different styles of top, whether t-shirts, actual smarter shirts, fine-knits tucked in or a half tuck chunky knit…

And likewise, you could pretty much wear any style of shoe you like with this style of trouser, whether points, flat scrappy gladiator sandals, slides, sneaks… most (though not all) footwear basically!

Colour wise, blush pink does go with most colours… it’s so neutral, so it’s likely to work well with stuff you already have in your wardrobe.

A great piece for now, spring and summer!

These are in my basket… love love love them.

So after getting it right with so, so many of the new-in stuff, how could Zara get it so wrong with this:

Stinker of the Week: Transparent Water Repellent Rain Coat (£29.99)

I’m showing my age here, I know.

But I can’t help it.

I want a coat to be a bit more of a statement than attempting to show off what I am wearing underneath.

I realise this is from the TRF range, and that at age 46, I am not the target market for this piece, but still… it just made me wince a little.

That said, take a look at this pic of it with the hood up:

Everyone will be wearing one of these at Glasto this summer, won’t they?

Including Alexa Chung and Mossy no doubt!

So… OK… perhaps it’d be a good festival coat.

But… how many of those do most of us go to nowadays?!

This week, you’re in for a real treat!

You’re getting a Beany-bonus of a 2nd stinker this week: Die-Cut Basket (£39.99)

I had one of these when I was 7 or 8… so pretty much (coming up to) 40 years ago.

And my memories of the basket aren’t good – really scratchy on your legs, as well as hands/arms when getting stuff in and out of the basket.

I’m sure this modern day Zara version *isn’t* scratchy at all.

But when I look at this photo:

I can’t help but shudder a little.

Regardless of whether this plastic basket becomes the “it” basket of the summer or not… I won’t be buying one.

Soz.

Wildcard of the Week: Checked Blazer (£89.99)

Loud, and lairy, but I’m inexplicably drawn to this green & navy check jacket.

I love the whole shorts suit in fact, though probably wouldn’t be brave enough to wear the whole suit.

And how good does the jacket look with that 70s collar of the Contrast Stitching Shirt?

Or is that just me and my 70s obsession?!

Anyway… this jacket is quite a statement, so styling it up is both straight forward, in that you’d style with plainer clothing to show it off.

But equally, the colours make it tricky to style…

Here goes nothing:

Look 1 – Preppy Girl: The most straight forward look, a favourite of mineL just jeans, shirt and loafers!  I’d go for a more masculine Straight Leg Jean (£25.99), a plain white Poplin Shirt (£19.99) and these gorgeous Faux Patent Leather Tassel Loafers (£25.99 – which come in this deep red/burgundy with a now instead of tassel!). This Braided City Bag (£49.99 – at last! a high street version of the beautiful Wicker Wing Bags I’ve been lusting after!) would finish the look off perfectly.

Look 2 – Sneaker Smart: 

aka ‘smart cas!’… This time, I’m going for this bold Ochre Ribbed Tee (£9.99) to wear under the jacket and with the matching Checked Shorts (£49.99) .  Now Ochre, is, in theory, a brownish yellow which would tie in quite well with the brown in the check of the jacket and shorts.  It’s quite a bold look and with these Two Tone Platform Sneakers (£29.99), quite a young look to be honest.  Of course you could switch the yellow tee out for a plain white one, but I’m trying to mix things up a little here… Bag wise, I wanted to go for the round leather white bag that’s pictured all over the Zara site, but doesn’t seem to be listed.  So, going to go with this neutral Leather Bucket Bag (£29.99) and how perfect are the colours of these Resin Hoop Earrings (£12.99) to go with this outfit?!

Look 3 – Girl Boss: Going smart here, with a work outfit: these smart Skinny Trousers (£19.99), with a nude V-Neck-Body Suit (£15.99) and these cute Medium Heeled Court Shoes With Bow (£19.99).  As you’d be going to work in this outfit, heading out early no doubt (!)  you’d need a proper warm coat over your the shoulders of your checked jacket, something like this gorgeous green Textured Coat (£119) would work brilliantly.  Complete the look with some of those Brown Cats Eye Sunnies (£15.99), and this cute little Crossbody Bag with Handle and Metal Details (£29.99).

So… thoughts?

I can’t believe I didn’t find a way to include this cute as hell wicker/pleather Two Tone Bag into this post.

Or this pink and black Satin Polka Dot Blouse.

And  so much more.

But there will be other Sunday 7’s ahead… and the seasons are looooong when you blog every week.

On that note, I feel compelled to tell you that ‘Sunday 7’ has been going for one year!

{Whoop! Go me, eh?!}

Technically, the exact date of my first ever Sunday 7 post was 5th February last year but… you know what I’m saying right?

Aaaaand, I know it’s probably not that big of a deal to anyone else really…

But, I’m really rather proud of this achievement.

I’d love, love to hear your thoughts on this post – just leave a comment below, and I’ll get back to you.

{and rather like when you buy from a small business, an actual, real person does a happy dance… when you leave a comment on my blog, it really does make me do a happy jig!}

I’m looking forward to the coming year, but if you have any requests for specific themed Sunday 7s, I’m happy to take a look for you…?

Thank you for reading, and following my Sunday 7s.

B x