Review - Muddy Puddles Waterproof Jacket

We were kindly asked to review an Originals waterproof jacket (RRP £24) from the website Muddy Puddles.

My initial impression of the product was good. The jacket material feels a nice quality and the design is practical. I particularly like the elastic waistband at the back so it's a bit more fitted than your usual waterproof jacket and it also goes a bit longer at the back so it covers his bum if he were to sit down (or fall over, as he usually does!!).

If I'm honest, my son wasn't keen to wear the jacket for some reason unknown to me. He was of the opinion that it was too big for him (which is possibly was a little, but as all parents know it's good to have room to grow and I wanted him to be able to wear it over a fleece if it was cold!). My sister also managed to fit into the jacket, albeit the sleeves were 3/4 length. Not sure if that helped matters though in terms of him complaining of the size!! Anyway, whilst we were on our Easter holiday at Piperdam he loved his waterproof jacket as it kept him nice and dry during a water pistol fight!

I certainly think the product is great value for money and he will most definitely be wearing it again. Waterproof jackets are a must here in Scotland and this one will tuck nicely into his school bag! I haven't washed the jacket yet, but I have spotted that it is machine washable - this pleases me greatly as there is nothing worse than a jacket that needs to be handwashed!!

Here are our scores out of 5 (5 stars being excellent and 1 star being poor):

I've marked the comfort lower because my son was complaining about the jacket a little. He only had a T-shirt on underneath and I think he would have liked it more if he had a fleece on or perhaps a longer sleeved top, just something to bear in mind.

We received this complimentary jacket in exchange for an honest review. As always, opinions are our own.

{Baby It's Cold Outside}

I've been 'window shopping' (online!) and lusting after a winter coat which is cosy but equally smart enough for a day/night out. At the moment the only warm jacket I have is my North Face parka, which isn't ideal for heading out for dinner or drinks! On the other end of the scale, I have an amazing big black faux fur coat which was gifted to me by my good friend Perth Mummy, but it's really glam and I've love something that's in the middle of the two! Too much to ask??

Keeping with the faux fur theme (it is warm after all!), I love this black jacket from Phase Eight. I just wish there was something along these lines, but with a hood as I hate having to carry an umbrella!

Fern Faux Fur Jacket, £130 at House of Fraser

This grey coat from Biba at House of Fraser looks equally cosy:

But again, no hood :-(

Short Fur Coat, Now £118.30 at HOF

This one from Next is less pricey and comes in at £70, but it doesn't look as cosy without the collar:

Neutral Short Faux Fur Jacket, Next

My other thought was to get a shorter parka with a hood which would hopefully be cosy, but smarter than my North Face. Something along the lines of this Mint Velvet parka perhaps... 

Mint Velvet Storm Grey Fur Hood Padded Parka, £169.00 at HOF

Or this fur lined one from Oasis, which is a much more reasonable £88:

Fur Lined Parka

Or how about a duffel coat with a hood, in navy unfortunately but fits the bill in terms of smart/casual I think:

ASOS Hooded A-Line Duffle Coat with Fur Trim Hood, £70

And lastly, I wanted to share this beauty... totally glam and not what I'm looking for, but I love it! 

Karen Millen Ultimate Coat in Leo Print, £350 at asos.com

Tell me, what coat and jacket style are you wearing this winter? I need some inspiration! :-)

PS Thankfully tonight I don't need to head out into the cold, as Social and Cocktail are coming to mine for an intimate cocktail party with a few of my friends. Watch this space for more details...

{Baby & Toddler Winter Wardrobe}

I was kindly invited to the exclusive #VIPmums preview event at the new Mothercare Coatbridge store a few weeks ago. I normally visit the East Kilbride Mothercare, and for those of you that know the EK store will understand how difficult it can be to navigate and the small ELC is jam packed and you can't get a pram round very easily. It can also be difficult to get a member of staff to help you.

Well, the Coatbridge store is lovely.  It's bright, airy and there is lots of room. There is also a central help desk - this will hopefully save you having to hang around in the hope that you catch a salesperson's attention. The fitting room is spacious - lots of room to take in a pram - and there is also a parents area. The big plus point to me is the large ELC. There is space for the little ones to try out the toys and the staff are engaging and helpful.

Here are some of the pics provided to me by the store:

Whilst I was there I found the perfect hat for my son. I had been looking for something like this as I had seen one in House of Fraser but it was black and I ideally wanted a navy one so it would match his jacket & waterproof gear. It's super cosy and looks so cute!

Boys Navy Trapper, Mothercare

Here's a lowdown on the rest of our winter gear:

Regatta pack-away waterproof jacket (gift from Granddad & Nanny Jo)

Waterproof dungarees, Jojo Maman Bebe

Parka Jacket from Next (gift from Uncle Tom & Auntie Fi) - this is a year old now and despite being worn loads it's still going strong and still fits well.

Wellington boots, Next

My daughter also has her winter gear sorted....

Hat, Next

Wallaboo Footmuff (picture is from when she was a tiny newborn but we still use it)

Bear All-in-one, Asda (was a gift from Auntie Ali & Uncle Chris for my son)

As I said, the ELC at the new Mothercare Coatbridge store is brilliant - I was very impressed. They also stock Schleich plastic animals and I bought my son a horse and sheep to join the pig and cow that he already owns. They're brilliant and my son loves to role play with the animals at all opportunities! Plus lots of singing of 'Old Macdonald'...!!

If you're nearby then I'd definitely recommend a trip to the store. There are also some really good bargains on at the minute in the ELC... snap them up whilst you can. This wooden construction train set is currently half price. We love traditional wooden toys in our house!

Train Set, Mothercare