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Back to the Workplace Fashion ideas

April 15, 2021 by Anne Sweet 2 Comments

Now that work places are opening up again It’s time to start thinking about what you are going to wear. So many of us have been working at home, mostly in our comfortable clothes. But for others, it’s time to get smart again. This generally means suits for men, or smart clothes for women, depending on the type of work you do it’s time to consider the workplace fashion.

My very first job was in a college for blind students and the dress code was smart casual. Trousers and blouse were okay, jeans and t-shirt was not. Then I worked in an high street casino and we had a uniform. All the females wore blue A line skirts with a blue spotted blouse and a waistcoat. It was kind of like being back at school, but at least the customers knew who the staff were as we were mingling around the arcade all the time.

Smart Wear

I always imagine it’s easier for men. All they have to do is put on a smart suit and make sure they have a clean shirt. I’ve never had to wear a suit for work. If your work requires a smart style you could wear a pair of black trousers and team them up with a neat top or blouse.

workplace fashion, black trousers — Trousers from Littlewoods

Or you could go for a skirt suit like this really classy co-ordinating black skirt and jacket from Hobbs.

workplace fashion skirt suit — Leila Pencil Skirt Suit

Adding Colour to the Workplace Fashion

If you are allowed to wear what you like to work. Then why not add a pop of colour. This spotty blouse would look great with trousers or skirt.

I can’t do a fashion piece without mentioning my favourite brand, Joe Brown’s. I love this brand new dress vintage style dress and would definitely be happy to have it in my collection.

Joe brown's blue spot vintage style dress — Joe Brown’s vintage style dress.

Working from Home

A lot of people have chosen to continue to work from home. This means you can basically wear what you want, unless you have to do zoom meetings.

So here are a couple of ideas for both.

Keep it classy with a plain white blouse. You can team it with a skirt, trousers or even keep your joggers or jeans on!

white blouse for zoom meetings. — White shirt from Studio

Or for a bit of colour, how about this lovely print blouse.

Casual working from home

Even though you work from home I still think it’s important to get dressed, even if it’s a casual outfit. I’ve worked from home for years now and I rarely stay in my pyjamas. Getting dressed makes you feel more ready for work and in turn makes you more productive. I tend to stay in casual wear though. My favourites are loose fitting trousers and my favourite Joe Brown tunics. Here is today’s outfit.

fox burgundy tunic from Joe Browns — Fox Tunic from Joe Browns

black trousers — Black loose fitting trousers

If it gets warmer then the cardigan will be removed 🙂

What are you wearing today? Are you back at work, or working from home?

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How to Wear a Collar Necklace This Spring

April 7, 2021 by Anne Sweet 2 Comments

Necklaces are a staple jewellery item and I really love this gold collar necklace. In this post I hope to give you some ideas on how to make the most of a necklace of this style.

Other types of necklace include silver, gold or silver plated, gemstone collars, fabric or statement necklaces which can be chunky and beautiful.

I wore a pearl collar necklace on my first wedding day. It was on loan from my auntie as my ‘something borrowed’ and looked something like this one. Mine was real pearls but this one is on Ebay so you don’t have to fork our a fortune for something cute.

How to Wear a Collar Necklace

Whatever type of necklace you choose, there are several ways to wear one and I’d like to share some ideas with you.

Make it the Star of the Show

Go for an off the shoulder dress or thin straps and use the necklace to draw attention to your neckline. If the necklace is really fancy then it will be shown off more with a plain coloured top or dress. If it is a minimal type necklace then you could get away with a pattern on your clothing. It’s all about the balance of making the necklace stand out.

Wear over a shirt Collar

You can wear your necklace over your collar. This works best with chunky type necklaces but it does depend on the collar. Wearing your necklace like this makes a real statement and it also looks good with layering. Wear the necklace over your collar and then add a v-neck jumper.

Wear it with Other Necklaces

You don’t have to wear only your collar necklace you can team it up with other necklaces for a real elegant look. If your necklace is plain then you can add some bejewelled chains to compliment it.

Simple Rules for wearing a Collar Necklace

There are only a few rules with collar necklaces. Gemstone or patterned necklaces go nicer with plain clothes so don’t over do the look with patterned or fancy tops. Plain looking necklaces work well with both patterned and plain tops. Smaller ear rings work best with a collar necklace mostly because of the proximity to the neck. Its best to avoid the dangly type of ear rings that might get caught on a necklace.

Some of my Favourite Collar Necklaces

I love this Torque Collar necklace from Etsy it would make a real statement.

At the other end of the scale, this Tiffany Diamond necklace is just gorgeous but well out of my price range.

Finally, the necklace that looks like a collar. This would look so lovely with a strapless top, a necklace that replaces the need for an actual collar!

Are you a fan of collar necklaces?

This post contains affiliate links and may earn me a little money if you click through and buy, but at no extra cost to yourself. Thanks for your support.

Raisie Bays Privacy and Disclosure Policy can be found here.

Saving Your Favourites on Etsy.

March 27, 2021 by Anne Sweet 2 Comments

Hands up if you are a huge Etsy Fan. I am and I’m thrilled that you are able to save your favourites shops and items so you don’t have to go looking for them. Great for payday purchases, or when you are not sure about something and have to budget carefully. Or simply because you absolutely love what you’ve found and want to keep it handy.

I am also an affiliate for Etsy so I may earn some money if you click through any of my links and purchase something. It won’t cost you any extra though, enjoy my favourites with me.

Favourites Folder on Etsy

How to make a favourite folder on Etsy.

See this entry for a Sea Glass Necklace. There is a little heart in the corner that if you click it turns red and becomes your favourite. You also get a little pop up which tells you that you can add your favourited item to list.

On your Etsy home page there is a heart at the top right next to the search bar. If you click this it takes you straight to all your favourites. Here are my favourites. Not only can you have favourite items you can have favourite shops too. And just for real convenience you can have lists for your favourited items, for example I have lists for Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentines Day, Crochet, Crystals and a few more.

It’s so easy to keep all of your favourite things together.

Some of My Favourites on Etsy.

I can’t leave you without sharing some of my favourites on Etsy. I’m so passionate about well made, original things to buy. I also love to support small businesses.

Personalised Father’s Day Saw £17.95

wooden saw plaque saying, You are the best dad I ever saw, and personalise with a message...love from...

Deer and Stag Heart Print £30

print of a deer and stag head in a heart shape in blue

Magic Wand Crochet Hooks from £7

crochet hooks with the handles decorated as magic wands

Forget Me Not pressed Flower Necklace £24

Red Elephant Candle Holder £7.95

red candle holder decorated with a glittery elephant

Crystals for Beginners

Are you an Etsy Fan? Maybe I am introducing you to Etsy for the first time. Do let me know.

All links are affiliate links and you can read other Etsy posts here. and here on my other blog At Home A Lot

Inspiration for Original Gifts for Mums

March 6, 2021 by Anne Sweet 3 Comments

Each year I like to scour my favourite place for inspiration for original gifts for Mother’s Day. This year, Mother’s Day is 14th March so I hope you find some inspiration here.

I am an Etsy affiliate and will be including affiliate links within this post. This means that if you click through and buy something I may earn some money at not extra cost to you. Thank you for all of your support.

Here is my Etsy list of Mother’s Day Gifts

Home Sweet Home

I just love how this artist captures your photograph in a beautiful painting. You can have her paint your Mum’s home so she can hang it on her wall.

custom water colour of a house, inspiration for original gifts — Custom Water colour

Original Flamingo tea Set

Want to give your tea loving Mum an original gift? How about this pink flamingo tea set pot and cups.

flamingo tea pot and cups, original gift for Mum — Flamingo tea set

Luxury Pamper Gift Set

You can get lots of different pamper gift sets from anywhere so you may be wondering why I’m including this on my inspiration for original gifts list. Well, this one is so beautifully put together and has a real personal feel to it. You can even choose a vegan option.

inspiration original gifts, mother's day pamper set — Mother’s Day Pamper Set

Personalised Embroidery Hoop

This gorgeous piece of embroidery will show your Mum how much she is loved.

Daffodil Message Bottle

Simple, effective, beautiful and original

daffodil in a bottle with a little message etched on wood. — Daffodil Message Bottle

Drawing Cushion

I remember the days when we would get into trouble for drawing on the furniture, I had a habit as a child of colouring in the patterns on my Mum’s cushions. But, this turns it all around…and original child’s drawing printed onto a cushion. I love it!

Dried Flower Bouquet

I guess a gift of flowers is not that original (if you want the chance to win some Mother’s Day Flowers I have a competition running here) However, for something a little different that will last longer, how about some dried flowers. They are really stunning.

a colourful bouquet of dried flowers — Dried Flower Bouquet

Personalised Book

A personalised book makes a very original gift for Mum. I really love this one.

More Inspiration for Original Gifts

Remember, you can always find a reason to treat your Mum, or Grandma or just someone who needs a little pampering. There is so much to choose from on Etsy and I’m sure you’ll find something you’ll love.

If you need more inspiration you can visit the Editors Picks for Mother’s Day which is fantastic.

Inspiration for original gifts for Mother's Day

This post contains affiliate links and is my entry into the Etsy Affiliate competition

Find Something Unique for Your Valentine on Etsy

February 6, 2021 by Anne Sweet 2 Comments

Valentines day will soon be here but if you’ve not treated your love one yet, let me tempt you with some unique ideas that you probably won’t find elsewhere for your Valentine.

I am a big Etsy fan and I’ve favourited a lot of lovely items in one place here:

I’ll highlight some of my favourites for you.

Sole Mates

How about some Valentine Socks? These can be both for men or women and you can personalise them with any names and dates.

personalised socks for Valentines day — personalised socks £7

Or These husband and wife matching pairs with personalisation.

unique valentines gift of two pairs of matching socks — First Valentines and Mr and Mrs £25

Unique Valentine Mugs

Everyone loves a mug and here are some really nice ones.

unique valentines mugs with the word love and personalised with names. — Valentine Love mugs pair personalised. £18.99

This one is a bit pricey but the reviews say it’s a big mug and it’s such a lovely surprise sentiment.

My husband loves baked beans so this mug would be perfect for him. You can add your own personal message on the back too.

Candles

Candles are lovely and romantic, here are just a couple of unique hand made candles you can find on Etsy.

Gorgeous coconut candle in a recycled coconut shell and decorated with shells and petals

coconut candle with shells — coconut candle £21.93

This is a coconut candle in a handmade ceramic jar.

Small Unique Valentine Gifts

Looking for something small but unique?

personalised guitar pick — guitar pick £8.40

key ring which says I hope your day is a nice as my butt — cheeky key ring £11

you stole a pizza my heart key ring — Pizza key ring £5.95

date night jar — Personalised Date Night Jar £8.50

Unique Printables and Cards

Some great ideas here for you to print yourself. Or why not try a hand made card to make it a special day.

Make your wine special with a printed label

Happy Valentines Day wine bottle label print — printable label £1.80

Unique Cards you won’t find in the shop.

white hearts cut out on a red background card — handmade card £5.50

red hearts and flowers on valentines card — Valentines Card for wife £3.50

I hope I have given you some inspiration to take a look at Etsy for Valentines Day. Find loads more ideas with the Etsy Editors picks for Valentines Day.

I am an affiliate for Etsy so if you do go along and buy something you may earn me a little money at no extra cost to yourself. Thank you for appreciating the time and effort I put into producing these posts and for supporting my blog.

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