I love to shrug!

I have long been a fan of the humble shrug (sometimes called a bolero).  It can completely transform an new outfit or give an old favourite a completely new look.  Over the years I have worn all sorts of different styles, from ones that tie under the bust, to ones with buttons, wrap-arounds and zips.


However, a while ago I found myself in a position with no shrugs at all in my wardrobe.  I am not entirely sure how this happened - I know I sent a lot of things to charity last year but I hadn't realised I had got rid of them all.


So, I turned to the place I always turn to when I need to find bargain clothing - good old eBay.  I think I searched for something simple like 'shrug' and I was met with an array of different colours, styles and fabrics.  On this occasion, I was looking for plain-coloured jersey shrugs and I was able to buy several in a wide range of colours.  I got two different styles - ones with elbow-length ruched sleeves and ones with long, plain sleeves.  Each shrug was only £4-6 each so I bought a few in order to make the postage better value and to give me a choice of colours to wear.


I thought it would be best to show them with a simple black vest for direct comparison.


So, take a plain black vest from somewhere like H&M...

And jazz it up with some short-sleeved shrugs...

Or how about some long-sleeved shrugs in a variety of rich colours...

I prefer some colours more than others (regular readers of my blog will know the bluey teal one is bound to be a firm favourite!) but I bought a wide selection so that I can wear them with different outfits.  I would not usually wear them with a vest like this but instead use them as a way of accessorising an outfit.  And of course to keep my arms warm!


Something like this...

Or this (I am wearing the black one here)...

Or how about these (bought from an outlet centre for £5 each)...

These photos show how a coloured shrug can either bring to life an otherwise neutrally-coloured outfit or pick out certain colours and hues from something which is multicoloured.

The beauty of a shrug that has minimal coverage like this is that it does not hide my waist.  This is really crucial for someone like me with an hourglass figure as I need to wear clothes that show my out-in-out shape.  A chunky belt also helps with this but is not always necessary.


So if you have an outfit that needs an extra 'something', don't be afraid to just smile and shrug!