Near-Identical Winter Boot Round-Up

The nights are drawing in, it's perishing cold, the potted olive trees and bamboos on the deck are repeatedly blown over in the night thanks to the bizarre hurricane-style weather we've been experiencing in Manchester recently - which all adds up to one important fact, namely that it is the season of Choosing A New Pair Of Winter Boots.

It's actually with some sadness that I make this boot-related announcement, because it comes hard on the heels (ha ha!) of my enforced realisation that my beloved French Connection boots (shown above in comedy pose on rooftop of hotel in Oaxaca, Mexico) that I bought five years ago and have had glued to my feet ever since, have gone past the point of no repair. Man, I loved those boots - butter-soft taupe leather, no embellishments (not even zips), lovely flat soles, calf length - they were just perfect. I should have bought seven pairs, not one.

So, I need a new pair. Here are the contenders:

 

Office, TopShop, Aldo

Office, French Connection at ASOS, Schuh

It's surprisingly hard to find plain, brown, flat boots. Spindly stiletto boots, yes. Practical I-have-two-dogs-who-are-so-badly-trained-on-the-lead-that-they-would-cheerfully-pull-me-off-my-feet-if-I-tried-to-walk-them-in-heels boots, no.

My favourites are the TopShop ones, but natch they sold out just before I bought them. Waah. I keep checking the 'back in stock' page - so far the black and chocolate versions have come back into stock, but not the taupe. Well, I suppose until they do (if they ever do...) I'll have to make do with my wellies instead.

White Office Chair Round-Up

I've spent some time recently searching for a new home office chair. I'm looking for something white, with wheels, and adjustable height. Here's what I have come up with:

Sources (left to right, and top to bottom):

Heals, Tesco, John Lewis

Design Classics, Dwell, Ikea

Dwell, The Conran Shop, Ikea

So, naturally I love the Eames chair. The version from Design Classics costs around £400, and the Tesco version costs £100. Go Tesco! But I'm kind of feeling that the Eames chair, while gorgeous, is a little ubiquitous? So maybe I should consider one of the other options... What do you think? Which chair do you prefer?

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Round-up: Wellington boots

Shopping: Gorgeous allium wall lamps

Neighbourhood: A little tour of Manchester's Northern Quarter

Wellington Boot Round-Up (Blues, Greens, Browns and Creams)

On the weekend we took Penny and Enrique to Clumber Park, a National Trust property close to my parents' house in Yorkshire. Both dogs had a fine time bolting around through the woods:

 

I also picked up some birch bark (from fallen branches, not from live trees, natch) that I plan to use to create some DIY vases in the style of this post from Design*Sponge. Watch this space!

Anyway, this walk taught me a very important lesson - I am in desperate need of a pair of Wellington boots. On previous dog-walking excursions I have always worn either my beloved (and battered) French Connection boots:

Or my snuggly chocolate brown Ugg boots:

However, neither pair of boots is exactly up to coping with the sea of mud that is Tatton Park at the moment, so I've decided to invest in a pair of wellies. Now, I'm aware that the chicest option is probably to purchase a pair of classic green Hunter wellies, but hey, I guess I'm not chic, cos I really want a patterned pair. Naturally they have to be in a muted shade of blue, green, brown or cream (cos pretty much every single item of clothing in my wardrobe is in a muted shade of blue, green, brown or cream).

So after extensive googling, here are the options I have come up with:

 

Sources (top to bottom and left to right):

Cath Kidston Teal Spot, Hunter RHS Thistle, Chantabelle Aqua

Tamara Henriques Toile, Regatta Patchwork, Hunter RHS Oak Leaves

Regatta Tapestry, Ivory Wedding Wellies, Turquoise Spot

Cute, eh? Which pair do you like best? Hmm, now I just have to decide which ones I like best :-)

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Interiors: In five years I want to be living here

Our neighbourhood: A walk through the autumn woods

DIY: Customising Ikea boxes