Tuesday 19 February 2013

Style Guile never was meant to be about the perfect outfits or the perfect photography - and here's the proof!

"If you want me to take your photos today, the rabbit has to be included. Deal or no deal?"

These weren't the exact words of little Miss Chatterbox this morning but that was the gist. So the rabbit was included and here are the results! Well dodgy by anyone's standards I think.

The soft play area was calling this morning so armed with this week's copy of Grazia and a bottle of Diet Coke, off we went. I think that there were some children included in the trip as well. Three, or maybe four. Anyway, there were a lot of them.

Given that those places are always cold I wore my uber (un)sexy brushed cotton checked shirt from Jack Wills and put it with a Whistles scarf in a similar colour palette. The burgundy cords (GAP) picked up the burgundy in the shirt and the blue in the bag (Kausar) picked up the blue in the scarf. So it all kind of worked in a non-matching, mashed up, matching kind of way. Which is officially a new technical term, you know.

I thought it only fair that a better picture of "rabbity" was included because that was the deal, after all.

Not wanting to miss out on the act, here's Jamie in the making, making one of his spectacular chocolate cakes. He was bored and wasn't sure what to do so made a cake, which I guess is a whole lot more constructive than irritating his sisters, at which he is also very proficient.

The final article, with the word "skill" piped in chocolate beforehand and chilled - oh the modesty of youth!

I am very honoured to have been invited to speak at a magazine launch tomorrow at which PR Directors, newspaper and magazine Editors, Fashion Designers and Influential bloggers will be present.

In desperation I dragged the children to the beauticians get my mono-brow turned into a single brow. I have painted my nails, sketched the topics I would like to cover but as yet I have absolutely no idea what to wear. I really need to pull a rabbit out of the hat on this one. Now where has that flippin' rabbity gone to?!

Monday 18 February 2013

Holly's wish list and a little pondering of the comments made by Vivienne Westwood about the Duchess of Cambridge

Following on from Natalie's wish list, it's now the turn of Holly. This is what she said when she got in touch:

"I love your idea so thought that I would send my list. It's not that long so I hope that's OK.

I'm 41 just, a mum of two based currently in Woking and I am a stylist for Stella & Dot. Firstly I would love a really good pair of dark denim jeans that hold me in and fit perfectly. I am not as slim as I strive to be and know that a great pair of jeans can really make a difference. The problem is I have yet to find the right ones for me.

I also love boots but have yet to get a pair of Uggs. I know there is a love hate thing going on with these but I am into comfort and one day I will push the boat out and indulge. These look perfect."

When it comes to jeans, Holly didn't really mind whether they were bootcut or skinny. My advice to Holly (if she would like it) would be to take a look at the following brands. Hopefully you will all have something to add too!

Cos - they do in between sizes too and they have a decent rise on them. I particularly like these dark wash skinny jeans £59;

M&S five pocket jeggings - good price and a decent rise;

I have had success with the H&M straight regular jeans £29.99 in a dark denim blue. I like them for the fact that they have a regular waist and that they come in in between sizes. A straight jeans can also be a good half way house for ladies who like a skinny leg but who feel that a boot cut is balances their proportions better. The GAP real straight are a good option too.

Hobbs - great dark wash and cut to fit the more mature figure, I like the Aurelia Jeans (£85);

Oasis Scarlet - a bootcut jean which is fantastic for dealing with a gaping waist. One of their best sellers and designed for the over 40's. GAP curvy are good for dealing with the gaping issue too, although sometimes their bootcut style is better.

Oasis also have the high waisted Cherry skinnies. Both the Scarlet and the Cherry retail at £48 but they are often in the sale.

Gap high waisted skinnies - good colour, nice rise and a good price - when they do them!

Not Your Daughter's Jeans - supportive tummy panel and good colour although some say that they don't last too well given the price;

J Brand - ditto;

Topshop indigo Kristen high waisted jeans which go up to a waist 34" so they're not just for skinny minnies!

Salsa jeans are available at House of Fraser. They are slightly more expensive than Hobbs but have amazing pull in, push up technology and they look fantastic on, especially on curvier figures. They do several different styles in different washes, so are worth a look.

I could go on forever but finally, the Benetton skinny ones that I tried last year were great. Lots of pull in technology too. At £37 they are a great price but the rise is fairly low on the skinny ones and you will probably need to go up a size.

However if anyone feels that the High Street doesn't cater for them and they want to make a one off, significant investment in the perfect pair of jeans, I would suggest heading to Donna Ida in London/the South East - the jean guru if ever there was one!

Thanks to Holly for putting her suggestions forward. Please keep them coming!

It's a veritable media circus in this house. Actually remove the word "media" and that would be about right. Having been on the radio at 7.50am, I was invited on again this evening, between 10.30pm and 11pm. The inspiration for the story has come from the comments purportedly made by Vivienne Westwood about the Duchess of Cambridge's clothes and the fact that it would "be good for the environment and send out a very nice message" if she wore the same clothes over and over again.

I don't think that we were really meant to be focussing in on that in particular but in my pre-show call I ranted so "impressively" about the comments made by Viv (not you Mum, though you do share the same name but fortunately little else) that we may be discussing them after all.

Whilst Viv's viewpoint isn't without merit, telling someone who can't answer back to buy fewer clothes and re-cycle them, just because that's her current "thing", despite the fact she has spent the last few decades flogging as many of her designs as she can to as many people as she can at not insignificant prices, is a little dis-tasteful. And anyway, one of the biggest criticisms levelled against the Duchess of Cambridge is that she wears the same clothes too often.

On the other hand, maybe she should be applauded for commenting on the Duchess of Cambridge as opposed to anyone else - at least she got the coverage she wanted for a cause in which she believes. In any event I think I'll be too tired by then to string a sentence together anyway so it's probably all academic. It's all the half term activities you know - cooking, painting, going to the park, playing games (with a dice which equals a proper game as you have to give it your full attention) reading stories and baking. Holidays are tiring and I need a rest!

Sunday 17 February 2013

Mum on the Run - 4 days of outfits to cover the snow, ice, a day out and everything in between (as long as it involved jeans)!

Well that didn't go to plan did it? Eight and a half hours at a cheerleading competition, with only 2.5 minutes being taken up with watching our daughter compete, should have left me with eight hours and twenty seven and a half minutes to:

prepare, in advance, blog posts for the week ahead (unheard of);
respond to client's emails (necessary now that it is half term);
update my website testimonials (important given that people have been good enough to send them) and;
draft up the outline for my next workshop (time is slipping by).

But it was not to be. When it came to the lap top I needed a password for the wi-fi, the dongle was playing silly whatsits and all the while I watched the life drain out of the battery. Realising I was on to a loser I gave up.

However, looking on the bright side, it meant that I got to read the paper properly - as in really properly (something I probably last did on the 21st Jan 1999 - the day before the first baby Goodrham arrived) and not just a quick flick through with a promise to go back to it, which never happens . Thanks to the ipad, I also got a chance to read, and comment, on other blogs.

I always feel so guilty that I don't find as much time as I would like to look at other blogs, so today I dropped by Lottie's Interiors, Does my bum look 40 in this, the Flaky Fashionista, the Online Stylist, Susie So So (loving the Zara jacket), School Gate Style, Style at any age, Poppy's Style and Heart and Soul.

Unfortunately I don't have time to insert links to all of the blogs but you will be able to find links to most of them under the "blogs I love" page at the top. However, I still didn't get around to finalising our thank you cards, despite starting them on boxing day!

So, this is a quick whizz through of the things that I have worn this week - all trousers I am afraid but generally for a reason. Here is what they are all about - in as much as my outfits are ever "about" anything!

It's all about the scarf: Last Sunday's outfit for ice skating: With the risk of going bum up on the ice, it had to be jeans!

Jeans: GAP high rise skinnies, Jumper: Jesire, Boots: KG London, Scarf: Jaeger Boutique

School run last Monday: With snow on the ground and the risk of going bum up in it (see the pattern - snow/ice/me - not a match made in heaven) it had to be trousers again.

This outfit was all about the mix of prints and keeping warm! Jeans: Proably either GAP again or Hobbs, Bumper boots, Jumper: Hobbs, Scarf and coat: Zara, Bag: Boden

This outfit was all about the bright sweatshirt. Because I am without socks the snow must have gone. Also, with the "falling on bum risk" gone, I have also worn wedge heels.

Jeans: Gap boyfriend, Denim shirt and suede wedge boots: New Look, Sweatshirt: H&M, Belt: Topshop.

Today's outfit was about the bags. One needs a to take a lot with them when out for a whole day!

Jeans (practical/warm/comfortable and the last thing I took off last night!): GAP, Jumper: H&M, Jacket: Oasis, Scarf: Lola Rose, Large bag :Orla Kiely, Small bag: Kausar, Shoes: All Saints.

I am speaking on the radio first thing tomorrow and given the choice of a 6.50am or 7.50am slot I went for the later one. I side stepped the option of going into the studio, choosing the telephone option instead. I fear that the outfit that I will be wearing at that particular time in the morning, especially as it is half term, is one best kept hidden!

Friday 15 February 2013

Mums on the Run - In wide stripes and H&M necklaces

Last Friday I posted a pic in which I was wearing a new necklace from H&M. It was a bright coral statement necklace which I wore against a coral sweatshirt. I also had it in mind to wear it with black, grey and navy. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be online - although it could be me.

Since then a friend of mine, Sarah, got in touch to let me know that she had bought the same necklace and that she had worn it for her son's fourth birthday party. Here is a great picture of her wearing it complete with a striped top (Gerald Darel) and a rabbit jelly, for a colour block effect. Loving the spotty top in the background too!

I wore my necklace again during the week, strangely also with stripes. When it comes to stripes this season, it's all about the width - the wider the better. The jumper dress is also from H&M and I bought it last summer. By sheer fluke it's bang on trend for the season but I'm wearing it because it's hugely comfortable and great for those days when you feel like letting it all hang out without anyone knowing!

If it's stripes you're after - and I know they're not for everyone - GAP has a couple of blazer options, which I think is a nice way to wear stripes. Blazers pep up a pair of jeans or a plain dress a treat.

The GAP striped ponte academy blazer (£54.95) is a traditional blazer style with a v neck which is a great shape for anyone with a curvier bust, or wide shoulders.

Alternatively, the GAP striped zipped twill jacket (£54.95) is more of a varsity/bomber style jacket, so probably more "the shape of the season". I've seen this one in store and I have to say, for me it's a bit of a winner. For anyone thinking updating their wardrobe this could be a really good place to start.

Hope that your weekend is shaping up nicely. Me, I'm off to a cheerleading competition on Sunday. Unfortunately there won't be a pom-pom in sight but I'm expecting lots of hairspray and giggling girls. Oh help.

Thursday 14 February 2013

"Boden my Way" feature Part 2 - some more great looks from the staff at Boden

Yesterday I was diverted from the post I meant to write by the gems that I spotted in Topshop. So here is Part 2 of the "Boden my Way" feature which the social media team will be running on their tumblr blog

As I mentioned on Monday, seven members of staff, all with very different styles, chose an outfit of their own into which one, two or sometimes three Boden pieces were worked.

Ashley went for a vintage look, mixing a dress from Rocket vintage with the Boden floppy felt hat £39 which is an internet exclusive. It looked amazing against her long dark hair and the addition of these sunset sixties slingbacks (£99) completed the look, adding some colour. However the black or sand version of these shoes would give it a monochrome look, which is so big for the season.

Beta, who is a web-designer, looked to the men's collection for her shirts. Nice idea and one which I might pinch! The shirts don't come up too huge either, so that opens up another option. As does Johnnie B, which is really popular amongst the Boden staff - their shoes in particular.

Beta is wearing the jean shirt (£39) in a medium and the zip ankle skimmer in guava (£49), together with the pointed slingbacks in rose gold metallic. I really like the colour of these - they tap into the metallic trend and have a real warmth about them. At £69 they are a cheaper option than the Michael Kors rose gold watch! OK so they might not tell the time but that's just a minor detail.

For her second outfit, Beta wore the Bloomsbury printed shirt in ecru spot. I love the floral stripe version too - it's very Cath Kidston and would work really well on the beach in the summer with denim shorts and a big sun hat. Anyway, off I go again - dreaming.

Beta's trousers were from GAP, her necklace from H&M and her shoes were the Boden casual loafers (£69) which have a very slight brothel creeper look about them. We also used the leather folded clutch (£59) which is a great bag in that it's a good size, really versatile and it comes in a range of colours.

Sarah from the press team worked the modern pencil skirt in metallic jacquard with attitude! She wore it with her own grey t-shirt from Urban Outfitters, leopard print boots from Topshop, the Boden skinny belt in yellow and the colourblock bag, which we used without the handle as an oversized clutch.

Sarah's bright turquoise ring was from YSL. Loving this look - it's simple, elegant and the skirt has a good length - for those who don't want to reveal too much.

For the last outfit of the shoot, Sarah wore full on sugar sweet brights, putting the the Boden bistro crop trousers in pink tile and the button back jumper in bright carnation with her own shoes from KG.

So that completed our shoot - Seven members of staff, each of whom had very different styles. Boden was mixed with brands which were vintage, designer and high street. Pieces were chosen from the current collection, the men's collection and the summer collection. For me, the Social Media team achieved what they set out to do which was to demonstrate the versatility of Boden. In fact I think that it came out of it looking pretty damned fine!

Tuesday 12 February 2013

Why Topshop is currently my top shop....

Just look at that! The models in the window display at Topshop have taken inspiration for their hair colour from Helen Mirren!

Today I had an hour to myself so whizzed around the shops to see what was what. Zara still had some sale remnants which they really need to get rid of now. Everyone has just had enough, not least the staff. Their new stock is nothing to write home about yet - lots of yellow/orange and black and white - but it's early days yet. Cos was OK but a bit bland. French Connection looked too bodycon to even bother with. Just looking through the window gave me stomach ache (it was the thought of that suck-you-in underwear!) Ted Baker had a whole selection of pieces in lovely colours but I find it really expensive and All Saints had some nice pieces but I'm trying to steer away from black and navy.

Topshop however - it really came up with the goods. There was colour, print, great styles and fab jewellery. I was like a kid in a sweetshop. I know some feel a bit intimidated in Topshop but as with any store, if you go in first thing when it's empty, it feels less scary than the full on Saturday afternoon experience. Sorry for the lack of links - hopefully the pics will allow you to identify anything that you like.

So first off, I love the colours in this coat. It's just so different and would add a real lift to your wardrobe for the spring. The yellow is a bit crayon like, if you know what I mean. I think that it was £79.

A great little jacket. It's similar to the silver Warehouse one that I have. I love the fact that although it is printed, it is all in one colour. It's a great way to make an entry into the print scene for anyone who is a bit wary of prints.

This printed jumper taps into the whole graphic trend which is so big this season. Louis Vuitton did it big style with huge checks, which is probably where the inspiration for this jumper came from. I like the fact that it is accessible and that it is wearable now - even better!

This smaller graphic print is worn on a shirt. It's more subtle than the jumper and again, a good way to start wearing prints.

Sheer panelling is a big trend for the season too, as shown at Dior. This is the first piece that I have seen on the high street with sheer panelling in it. Because of the length of the skirt, the sheer panel falls in a place which is not too obscene! I love this skirt. It's a really classic style with a modern twist but it would need to be styled really well to avoid the frump factor.

I loved the colour and print of this dress. I held it up to check the length and it was knee length on me, so it could be worth trying at some point to see whether it might be an option. I can imagine it with bare legs and taupe/mushroom/tan ankle boots when the weather starts to warm up and then with sandals in the summer. Just add a Pashley bicycle for the Diane Kruger/Laura Bailey look!

Such a fab statement necklace - with orange, yellow, aqua, lilac, pale pink and chandeliers too! It was one of my favourite finds. At £30 it's not cheap but it could be used to lift any plain jumper or t-shirt, or to add interest to darker pieces. Definitely one worth investigating.

Topshop even had a lovely selection of bright scarves which just added to the excitement.

These cigarette style trousers are the same style as the spotty ones that I have and which I was wearing in this month's Easy Living article. They would work really well with not only the plainer colours such as navy/grey/white but also with a hot pink or bright yellow top (see the jumper below).

For anyone who wanted one, here's a closer look at the print.

Topshop isn't the obvious place for an evening dress but this one is really pretty...

...with great detailing on the bodice. V Kate Middy! It reminds me of a dress that she wore with some fab Jimmy Choos. It was quite revealing but it looked great on her.

Not one for me but it's a fantastic print and the structure was great. Lovely for someone with a different life/age/shape/legs!

I have admired this brocade printed dress for a few weeks now. It also comes in shorts for those brave enough! Again it won't be for everyone but it's nice to have some choice.

Love this cropped yellow jumper, which also comes in blue.

And one or two other things that I spotted. I love brogues and don't need any more but if I did happen to be on the hunt for a pair, these would be high on my list of possibilities. They are from Clarks and come in black, tan and a sort of grey colour too. I like Clarks for its half sizes and its comfort!

And finally the one piece in Zara that I did like. A spring parka in different shades of green and grey. In fact I think that the Zara parka and the Clarks brogues would look great together.

I hope that there was a little bit of something for everyone here. If nothing else, hopefully it may encourage some to go and have a wander around Topshop. Just borrow a nearby teenager if it makes you feel more comfortable!

Monday 11 February 2013

Boden staff wearing Boden "their way" - and what do you think of the outifits worn to the BAFTAs?

Last week I was invited down to Boden HQ to work with the social media team there for a feature that they will be running on tumblr There was a photographer there for the day so there will be some fantastic images coming up on the Boden page over the next few days.

For the feature (currently, unofficially) entitled "Boden My Way" seven members of staff, all with very different styles, chose an outfit of their own which included a few Boden pieces.

The idea was inspirational. Rarely do we wear a brand head-to-toe, so mixing Boden with pieces from Topshop, Zara, KG, Asos and H&M, together with vintage pieces, showed it off to its best and demonstrated its versatility. Everyone looked fantastic and so very different.

I think that it's fair to say that there are both stereotypical Boden pieces (the words hotch-potch/fun/ditsy) spring to mind and stereotypical Boden customers (40 ish/Mum/likes baking and holidaying in Cornwall). Oh, that would be me then.

However, over the past couple of seasons there has been a shift away from the traditional Boden pieces - or rather an inclusion of more trend led, stylish pieces, which have seen the clothes appeal to a much wider audience. Grazia, Red, Easy Living, InStyle and Marie Claire Magazines have all picked up on this and you will regularly see Boden pieces featured in them. Their simple cashmere pieces and cotton and linen T's are fantastic quality and something that the staff stock up on.

So first up we had Chloe, who is a print designer. Wearing her own outfit of leather shorts, wedge shoes and a statement necklace, she added in a black Boden cashmere jumper and their Canonbury coat. Her black and purple combo, including her hair colour, looked incredible.

It was great to meet Chloe and Jess, below, who is also a print designer. They were due to go to LA the following day to scour markets for vintage prints. They both certainly dispelled the image that I had in my head of the Boden print designers!

Occasionally, if the timing was right, I snapped at the same time the photographer's flash went off. I loved the results!

This is Jess, who is wearing her own Topshop dress and Aubin and Wills shirt (bought in the closing down sale) which we layered under a Boden jumper, effectively turning the dress into a skirt. Her cute block fringe together with the Peter Pan collar on her shirt gave Jess' outfit a real 60's/vintage/Edie Sedgwick kind of feel. She totally rocked the Boden brogues.

For the shoot Jess also used this electric blue Boden tote, which is due to be released later on in the season.

For her next outfit, we swapped the brogues for Jess' own Topshop shoes and the Boden Leather Folded Clutch to give it a slightly dressier look. Those Topshop shoes were amazing - but sadly no longer available.

Vikki was up next. A Production Controller, I thought that she had a little bit of an Angelina Jolie look about her. For her first outfit she wore Topshop jeans, a Zara vest, a Tiffany bracelet, a bright yellow Boden tote (also available later in the season) and a fantastic Metal Disc Necklace (£29) (sort of visible here but best to click through for a closer look) which looked great layered over the simple vest.

Vikki also wore the Boden pointed slingbacks which worked really well with her jeans. All the neutral colours allowed her bag and bright lips to be the main focal point of what was a really relaxed laid back summer time outfit.

For her second outfit Vikki was almost head to toe Boden, wearing their navy spotted Bistro crop trousers their Linen slub tee, which is a great texture and has a lovely relaxed fit and the hand crochet jacket, which she wore with her own necklace from Asos, together with KG shoes.

Finally for today's post we had David in a Boden jumper with H&M trousers, Clarks shoes and a Uniqlo shirt. Being in front of the camera like that was really difficult be he relaxed into it, chatting away with the photographer. Being surrounded by women, I think that he appreciated having another male in the room!

Tomorrow I will bring you the remaining three members of staff, all of whom had an equally distinctive style and who definitely wore Boden their way.

So, what did you make of the outfits at last night's BAFTAs? Who did it for you? Marion Cotillard in sunny yellow Dior Couture, Anne Hathaway rocking rock chick in Burberry or Jessica Chastain in cobalt blue Roland Mouret? And what about Helen Mirren's pink hair? I haven't decided whether I like it or not but I just think "good on her." She will have known that she was going to get some stick for it but couldn't give a monkeys. And for that reason, I like her style!

Sunday 10 February 2013

And another Mum on the Run - As featured in today's press!

Sometimes you just see something that warms the cockles of your heart and for me this was it. My friend who I have known since I was at school, and who runs the blog Lottie's Interiors, was today featured in an article in the Sunday Mirror Magazine which was entitled Crafty Bloggers

Lottie's blog was picked up by a journalist who was looking to write about people who blogged about their hobbies. Lottie hasn't been running her blog for very long and has kept it under the radar, doing very little to promote it, writing about interiors for the love of what she does rather than anything else - so it's great that a journalist spotted it and recognised it for its great content and her style of writing.

Although the interior's work that Lottie does is a hobby, it's pretty much a full-time, slightly obsessive (in a good way) passionate hobby at which she is very good. When she told me that she would regularly change the colour of her bedroom over the course of the weekend, I wondered whether she meant it - but she did.

At school Lottie could turn her hand pretty much to anything of an art/craft nature, from woodwork, to painting, to metalwork to cookery. Let's just say it wasn't her drawing of a certain part of the male anatomy that was held up in biology for the class to ridicule!

Here is a lovely picture of her living room, which featured in the article. I can never understand how the rest of her house is as equally tidy as this room - especially given that she has two children.

But anyway there we are! It's her thing and she's great at it. So, if you like reading about interiors as well as fashion, take a nip over to Lottie's Interiors for a snoop around. I'm sure that you will be very welcome!

Saturday 9 February 2013

A different Mum on the Run - and her fashion Wish List!

For a long time now I have wanted to open Style Guile up - to get the input, opinions, views and ideas of others on fashion. Unsurprisingly, requests for photos have been largely unsuccessful and to be honest I'm not suprised. Risking putting yourself out there to the masses is not an easy thing to do and can be met with a variety of responses - some not always as positive as they might, or should, be.

So instead, a few weeks ago, I floated the idea on my facebook page of seeing how you would feel about letting me have your fashion "Wish List".

I think that we all have things that we would love to own. Some things maybe a once in a life time present. Other things may be achievable with a little bit of saving and other things you may just see and think that they would be perfect to pep up your wardrobe for the season.

The pleasure need not come from how much something costs. It can come from suddenly possessing something you thought that you would never wear, or finding an item in the perfect colour or in the perfect fit.

So thank you to those of you who have been in touch to let me have your Wish Lists and here goes with Natalie's...

The new Baukjen collection was released on Monday. Just by way of background, Baujken initially started off with the maternity brand, Isabella Oliver, and later branched out with Baukjen, which is non-maternity but effectively both are under the same umbrella.

With the arrival of the new Baukjen catalogue, Natalie's Wish List suddenly increased substantially. One of the items from her Wish List is this Baukjen Jodie Cropped Blazer. Oh yes please!

Next on Natalie's Wish List is this Baukjen high waisted pencil skirt. She's not quite sure whether she could rock it in quite the same way as the model but I reckon she could and it's always worth giving things a try just to find out. It would be great for lifting those grey, black and navy pieces.

Next up is the Baukjen Amber print pencil skirt. Natalie would go with the whole sweatshirt look with it. I wouldn't mind betting that we will see a lot of this skirt in the press in the next few weeks. It's a beauty!

Finally - for now at least - Natalie would love to own a pair of these Stuart Weitzman 5050 boots. They are an over the knee boot with an elasticated back for added comfort and fit and given that Natalie has a problem finding boots to fit her calves and ankles, these would be perfect for her. Currently she has to go down a size to avoid them flapping around her legs.

So, a big thank you to Natalie and, if you would like to, please let me have your Wish Lists by sending them to me at style@bethgoodrham.com where I will aim to post one a week.

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