So.
I met this man.
*grins*
I’m not going to tell you anything about him at the moment as he is my Special Secret Thing. I don’t want to ruin it all by having him realise I am the kind of girl who blabs about boys all over the internet, although of course that is exactly what I am. Don’t tell him though.
What I can tell you though is that he is doing funny things to my head. I have found myself thinking about him rather a lot, possibly around 98.6% of the time. Roughly. A friend described me as ‘giddy’. That about sums it up.
One of the side effects of meeting someone new is that you start to look at yourself and your surroundings in a new way, over-analysing every detail. You look at your mismatched crockery and wonder whether it reflects your eclectic interests and thoughts, or if it just makes you look a bit cheap. You look in your underwear draw and physically shudder. An examination of your wardrobe reveals that you are going to be a little stuck after date three, unless your date is really into old jeans and fleeces, and you start feeling the urge to spend money you don’t really have on pretty new things. Pretty new things you can casually brush off as old favourites should said date compliment you.*
Cue an email from Joules, asking if I fancy writing about their new range. ‘Well sure Joules’, I reply. ‘I was in your new Taunton store only today, contemplating all manner of possible future scenarios.’
Here are my thoughts on four key looks that all single mummies need to master:
Outdoor adventurer
I’m not really one for hiking. At the weekend, what I really want to be doing is lying in bed reading the papers and drinking tea, perhaps with a selection of pastries. At the start of any new relationship though you have to pretend that you enjoy nothing more than a brisk countryside walk, so as to appear wholesome and athletic.
For that you need one of these for sure:
Nothing says ‘ready for a wholesome adventure’ like a gilet
Sweet yet sexy girlfriend
‘I’d really love you to meet my friends’ is a line every girl looks forward to hearing. It implies that he has got to know you well enough to believe that you’re not a total clod, and aren’t about to do something embarrassing in public. Oh how little he knows you.
Your outfit of choice for when you first meet his friends is very important – you want to look just about pretty enough so that his male friends secretly quite fancy you, but not so much that his female friends decide there and then that they hate you and go off into the kitchen to bitch about you. It’s a difficult balance.
This from the summer dresses range shows a little bit of leg but has that very important female friendly neckline: 
Proper grown up lady
I’ve never been very good at coats. There is something about a nice coat though that can transform a woman from ordinary into ‘Wow, look at her and her coat, she must be a Proper Grown-Up.’
For extra impact, turn up at his workplace in this coat and nothing underneath. Only if he has his own office though, not if he works on a building site or anything. And not as a first date thing unless you want to look like a crazy person. 
Practical yet stylish parent
‘Oh I don’t know,’ you have to say, whisking a batch of freshly baked muffins from the oven, ‘parenting isn’t really that hard, it’s just about empathy and creativity.’ Rubbish. It’s about the Disney Channel and grabbing any moment of peace you can to lie in bed with a mystery novel. Your new man does not need to know this though.
Convince him that you are an in control parent with some sort of lovely blouse:
You just know this woman doesn’t feed her kids chocolate Pop Tarts for breakfast
*Come on, none of this is just me surely?
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That blouse woman looks like she carries around seed sprinkled rice cakes in a handcrafted wooden box
Author
Just like ME then Bee :-)
I love that blouse. It probably needs a new bra underneath, though, as there’s nothing worse than a bit of old grey lace poking out from under a pretty top. And nothing sexier than a nice smart blouse with a hint of nice bra underneath.
You should probably go and get some new undies, you know, just in-case anyone sees you in them. ;-)
Author
I may be one step ahead of you there…
:) funny because it’s true!
I like and would wear all the pieces except the gilet – that’s TOO grown up for my liking.
Author
I know what you mean. I think of I actually wore it I would feel like I needed to be on a horse.
I dont’ have a new man, just my normal husband, but my tip would be anything that doesn’t reveal your ass crack when you bend over with your kids for the 100000th time. Ditto a skirt you can sit cross legged with in the park and not give him a sneak preview. Good luck, it’s nice to see someone so positive about the love life!
Author
My jeans were doing that today! I had best not wear THOSE this evening.
I actually really like that dress, all the better if it won’t cause me jealousy issues with other women, cos I get that all the time, snort. So pleased you have some fizzy, fun, new relationship stuff happening for you, enjoy.
Author
I really like it too Ella! It would look great on you, it’s a fab shape for you. *in best Gok voice*
Lovely choices. The dating news is especially yummy.
Author
:-D
I love Joules and would love an excuse to update my wardrobe!! It sounds like you have the perfect excuse. How exciting…I hope it all goes well :)
Author
I just wish I had the money to actually afford it all!
Ah such good news on the dating front! I’ve never actually been on a date before, it must be rather exciting as well as nerve wracking I’d imagine! x
Author
You’ve never ever been on a date a Jess??? How did you get those children??
Woohoo! How exciting, very happy for you!
This made me cry laugh! I tried on that blouse the other day and tried to imagine myself as exactly the person you’re describing… it was way too removed from reality for me to even properly fantasize about it!
Author
It would be for me too! I am more Bridget Jones in the skiing scene…
I love that dress too (just featured it on my blog so great minds think alike!). It’s such a lovely exciting time when you’re getting to know someone special – enjoy!
Author
Clearly we are women of great taste :-)
I love the ‘proper grown up lady’ look, I also love the S.S.T! AND I thirdly love Bee’s comment ;) x
Author
Bee is so funny! It’s the perfect image though!
Oh I am so happy for you and I really hope it goes well. I love these picks – perfect for a very stylish single mama – every piece is perfect
Laura x
Author
Thank you Laura :-)
Love the dress and blouse, I love the cuts with joules, always so flattering! Definitely good for wooing!