What is it that makes you go out and make a purchase? For me, I think I either buy for a particular occasion or I try to identify holes in my wardrobe and I buy something that would work with what I already have. I’m trying to be a bit more disciplined and so I try to ask myself if I can make the new purchase work with three other existing outfits in my wardrobe, and only then I can justify the purchase.*

Having said that, increasingly, I’m finding quite a bit of my style inspiration has come from people I follow on Instagram. Obviously there are eleventy-billion brilliant influencers out there, but just recently I discovered the Marks and Spencer insiders. I’m late to the party on this one, but basically, they’re M&S staff who work in purchasing etc. who post pics of themselves in the latest M&S stock. No, really, it’s loads better than you think. Have a look at marksandspencer_dominque, marksandspencer_rachel and the inspiration for this very post – marksandspencer_michelle.

It was the above pic that did it. I don’t own any tweed jackets and I thought this jacket would update my existing wardrobe and I loved the hot pink lining. Here it is in close up.

Marks & Spencer Pure British Wool Tweed Hacking Jacket £89

After the jacket purchase, I decided I could tick a few other of this season’s style boxes and make a slightly different outfit, but I also picked items that I could wear separately. So two other purchases followed.

Asos Pieces wide leg cord trousers in green £35

Asos Petite Pussy Bow Blouse in Bright Pink (sorry, this is no longer on the website, it must have sold out pretty quick).

This colour combo is not something I would usually try, but I saw it in a shop window somewhere a little while back and thought it looked pretty sharp, and it popped back in my head again when I bought the jacket. This is the final outfit, and I will be adding a brooch a la the original inspiration.

Obviously, I’ve moved away from the original pic from Michelle (I’m a bit more matchy than the trendy M&S lady), but I could easily dress this down with a stripy t-shirt and trainers. Although in all honesty, I don’t wear flats that often, but the point is, I could if I felt like.

I also had a total flap about what colour shoes to wear. I’ve gone with tan. But grey would work too I think.

Next time, I will be confessing about my tulle skirt addiction.

* I proof read my posts before I publish them. I just re-read this sentence and it is utter bollocks and I can only apologise. The only reason I left the sentence in at all, is because it is genuinely a good idea. But in all honesty, I must have had practised this particular discipline about twice in my entire life.