New Favorite things for Winter

Winter is officially here and its cold! Today I thought I'd share with you some bits and pieces I've picked up during the last few weeks that I've been wearing constantly. Tartan has been massive this season  and its all over the high street and catwalks so naturally its been creeping into my wardrobe...
I bought a cardigan from primark with a similar print to the dreamy Stella McCartney ones but in black. It's really warm and can been dressed up or down which is essential for a good winter cardigan. I also noticed I've been buying a lot of same colours recently, with my wardrobe slowly becoming a mass of grey. black, olive green and burgundy. Primark are also doing these great beanies for only £2! so I picked up three colours black khaki and grey to add to my winter staples. 

I try to find good bargains when I shopping and love sharing these. I love the chanel nail polishes but I cant afford to splash out £16 everytime a colour I like comes out. I really like Chanel's green polish  601 "mysterious"  but when browsing in my local drugstore I bought a new winter polish Revlon Colourstay in 225 Jungle, beautiful deep green for £7.99 almost exactly the same shade as the Chanel one. 
Whist on the hunt for a good winter handbag/tardis to chuck my stuff in, I came across this amazing burgundy beauty from Dune reduced from £70 to £34.  It's really soft and has handles and a long strap.The gold hardware on the zips and buckles also make it look a lot more expensive than it really is. 
Layers are the easiest way to keep warm so I picked up this red check shirt which could be worn on its own or maybe under a jumper for a cool collar pop. This jumper from George cost me a £1 basically because I won a tenner on a pound scratchcard and bought this olive woven jumper. I really like the faux fur shoulder detail and it has big brown buttons on the back. Finally to add to my growing tartan collection I got these vintage wool scarves from Urban Outfitters which look really nice with plain t shirts.

Revlon Colorstay Polish in 225 Jungle £7.99

Dune Burgundy Bag £34 (sale) TK Maxx

Beanies Primark £2 each

Check Wool Cardigan Primark £14

Red check shirt New Look £18

Faux Fur Shoulder Jumper George@Asda £10

Vintage Tartan Scarves Urban Oufitters £14 each

I hope you like a few of things I've picked up recently, what have you been buying?

xxx

Floral Print Jeans How To Wear For A/W 4 Ways

Hey my lovelies , hasn't it got cold all of a sudden? I've started to organize my wardrobe and start sorting out my winter woollies. I've been packing all my summer clothes and shoes into boxes for their little hibernation bless them. I need to get my big coats out, get them dry cleaned/ washed and give all my boots a good polish. I haven't got a lot of space in my room and I share my wardrobe with my mum so organization is super important to me (and also to avoid parent wrath!).

Getting ready for A/W is also about updating your wardrobe essentials for the new season. Florals are always in season you just need to update them accordingly. These floral print skinny jeans are a good example. I've created 4 different outfits based around these jeans but nodding towards the colder weather. By being able to create different outfits around on key piece for all seasons, you've definitely upped it's cost per wear factor or CPW for short. So this is what I came up with.

Outfit one Classic Breton

Ahhh, good old breton my faithful friend. A year round staple, this outfit was also about updating this top for A/W too. Clashing florals and stripes seems a bit mad but strangely it works as long as I keep the rest of my outfit fairly plain. A leather jacket with fur collar, pretty scarf and brogues should make this outfit fairly weather appropriate though maybe when it's sunny.

Outfit Two Add A Complementary Jumper

Straightforward this one just add and jumper and boots. I would suggest plain block colours for daytime so I chose this old deep purple jumper I got in a topshop sale about 3 years ago. I only got these jeans this year so I'm pleased that I've been able to combine it with some old stuff. CPW again people!

Classic black boots keep you toes warm and a plain grey beanie to keep your head toasty, job done.

Outfit Three Evening Meal/Night Out

Like above, I chose a plain coloured jumper but the embellishment on the shoulders just make it little bit more glam without taking away from the jeans. A black blazer and heels keep it classic and let the jeans take center stage. I added this satin flower clutch as an extra touch because I thought it went well with the print and colour of the jeans. 

Outfit Four Casual Daytime

For A/W I usually wear lots of black and grey so I put this plain 3/4 sleeve top and biker gilet for a more grungy take on florals. I think the darker colours tone down the girlyness of the print. My studded drawstring bag and floral DM's complete the look. The boots definatley toughen up the overall feel of this and who can't resist a chunky boot?

  I hope you liked my ideas. With careful planning and a little imagination you can make your wardrobe staples work really hard and you can get as much use out of them without looking the same all the time because fashion's about being creative right?

Til Next Time x

Topshop Carrie Dress How To Wear 5 Ways

I bought this beautiful dress in Topshop a few weeks ago for a friends birthday. It was fairly inexpensive at £30 but when making the decision whether to buy it I thought about how many ways I could style it therefore getting more wear for money. I think it's important especially now when moneys tight that the clothes you buy can be mixed and matched with lots of different things. How many times have you bought something and never wear it because it doesn't go with most of your wardrobe. I'm all for buying standout pieces but I'd rather spend that little extra and know that I can piece together a few outfits with it.
I came up with 5 different ideas of how I could style this dress. It's a grey tube midi length style with a netted skirt over the bottom half. I wanted to create a variety of day/night looks so hopefully I'll get lots of wear out of it.

Outfit One - Glam night out/ Dinner party

A classic black blazer will always make a outfit look more grown up and sophisticated. This Topshop one  is a few years old and I've worn it with everything from party dresses to T shirts and jeans for day.
Pretty heels are a must and I adore these glitter heeled pumps. The lower heel make these super easy to walk in, useful for when you've had a few too many! A little silver clutch  makes this an easy evening look.

 Outfit Two Parisian Daytime/Afternoon Tea

I went for a Parisian take for my next look which I would wear if I was going to lunch somewhere fancy or afternoon tea. Layering parisian classics like a Breton tee and pearls makes the dress look like a Carrie SATC skirt. This little quilted purse is vintage and I love the gold chain. Black lace up wedges dress this up a bit but black brogues would also do the trick and would be more day time appropriate. This neutral grey jacket from Next is the perfect preppy cover up.

Outfit Three Casual Boho

Styling the dress for day was the bigger challenge but it all comes down to layering. For a cosy autumn boho look I added this furry gilet from M&S and a basic grey over-sized tee from Primark. I've got lots of these boyfriend style tee's in a variety of colours and they go with everything but layering them over something unexpected is when I get the most interesting results. This furry bag doubles up the cosy feel and trusty black boots are perfect for the colder months. I got these cut out style ones from New Look and I wear them with everything.

Outfit four Rock gig/ festival

 t

This dress has a dreamy quality to it which would look amazing at a gig or in a festival environment. I wouldent risk taking it to Download but if you were going to an overseas festival this would be perfect. I added a flowery headband, studded pumps and a studded drawstring crossover strap bag to rock this girly dress up. All you need is your favourite leather jacket and your good to go!

Outfit Five Grunge 

Even though I like the dressier elements to this, the grungy style is closest to my personal style and this is how I would probably wear this dress during the day running errands. A plain grey beanie, vans and a checked shirt would be my go to's and a slouchy bag to chuck everything in!


I hope you liked all the different looks I came up with. How would you style this dress? I would love to know any other ideas

Til Next Time x

Little Birds

It was nice and sunny today but I haven't been feeling well for the last week. Feeling low of energy and spirit, I wanted comfort. I decided to wear a loose grey tee and skater skirt and a cute bun to keep my hair out of my face while I lazed about the house. I bought this skirt when we had the massive heatwave this summer but this is the first time I've actually worn it, it still had the tags on! Terrible! I didn't realise it was a bit see through too until I went outside so I'm not sure whether to wear leggings underneath? To accessorize, I wore my leather jacket from Topshop which was a birthday present last year. It comes with a detachable furry collar, but I took it off for the summer. It rocks up an otherwise girly assemble for me. Bag of the day is this pastel blue satchel from River Island that I adore. I love the buckles though it gets a really heavy when all my daily crap is in it. The only negative is the strap are WAY too long so it hits the back of my leg if I use the shoulder strap. I've found this with a lot of their bags, I must be too short for River Island clearly. My purse is this dinky little bird print from the new collection at Cath Kitson and the pink scarf  and turquoise bird pendant was from Primari. I carried on the girly theme with this pretty lilac nail polish from Rimmel.

Seeing my man later hopefully he make me feel a bit better :)

Till next time! xx

Ollie & Coat

 Hey lovelies an  OOTD post today showing what I wore to town for a quick coffee and grocery run with my mum. I did originally plan to wear a dress but it was a bit chilly  and cloudy so I got out my midi skirt instead, it's lovely and snug. There's a few new purchases here, including my coat and raspberry Ollie & Nic bag I had for my birthday. It's a beautiful colour and the leather is so soft, it will last for years to come, definitely an investment bag. It has a pretty paisley print lining and comes with a matching dust bag to keep it in when I'm not using it. I thought a lovely bright colour would be great for A/W to combat the dull and dreary days. My coat is from Topshop. I first saw this on one of Rhiannon's hauls on fashionrocksmysocks.com and decided then that was my new coat for this Autumn.  I love the elbow patches and the quirky tartan hood, so cute! I thought it could be styled many different ways and went for a grungy style today with a over sized grey tee and beanie.( A secret- the beanie is from the men's section in primark, check it out they are cheaper than the girls). Since the weather changed it hasn't left my head at all. Lastly I got this pretty necklace from New look the other day to style over t shirts and under collars. It adds a little extra to an otherwise basic outfit. 

I'm off now to drink gallons of tea and play on the sims, til next time! 

Boots Birthday Haul Part 1

Hey lovelies hope you're all good. I've been away for a while after going away for my birthday in August and since I've been back it's been work non stop but now I'm back and will try to post more regularly but I'm finding it really hard and never seem to have enough time. We'll see how it goes I guess..

Throughout the year I save up my Boots advantage card and then spend all the points I've saved to treat myself for my birthday. It gives me a great incentive to take advantage of all their amazing offers so I can spoil myself, everybody loves a free treat right?
I got some new makeup ready for A/W , some spa treats for the cold winter nights and some awesome bargains on general skincare/hair care stuff.

As it moves into A/W I tend to change my eye-makeup into more earthy, rich tones like khaki, burgundies and browns so I like to get a new set of colours and these will generally see me through till next summer.  I bought this Bourjois Smoky Eyes in 09 Lady Vert de Gris for an everyday smoky eye for when I'm in work or running errands. I'ts lovely but not very strong so you have to apply loads to build up any colour which I thought was s shame because it's more expensive than the 17 or collection ranges and you don't have to use much product with them and they last a hell of a lot longer, pfft. The Natural collection have some really good eyeshadows, I choose Asteroid and Moonshine a rusty metallic brown and a dark slivery gray. I needed new liquid eyeliner and a waterproof mascara so I picked Rimmel Glameyes eyeliner which is the best eyeliner I've tried to date and Max Factor Waterproof mascara which has finally solved the problem of becoming blind  when I get watery tired eyes after work. This lipstick is Rimmel 128 starry eyed which a beautiful rich plummy red perfect for adding some glamour at night. 
I stocked up of some new nail varnishes too form Rimmel and Barry M and got various shades of grey ranging from a pale almost lilac shade to a stormy violet grey, I think I went a bit mad but nail varnish is such an easy a quick way to finish a look.

Moving on to body products, I stocked up my favourite Sanctuary face masks and salt scrub to use when I have a a day off (eventually). There were loads of half price offers on so I got some body lotion from garnier which claims to work in 7 days for only £3, Garnier body Tonic Scrub which is my favourite and it has a refreshing citrusy scent for £3 from £7.99 and Pantene 2min Deep Repair Masque and Deep Moisture Souffle 2 for £4, amazing! My boyfriend was not impressed when I showed him the contents of my carrier bags, "Why do you need all this stuff??" he moaned. " You don't have any room for it all" which is is true I don't, but when things you like are on offer they will always end up in my bag haha.

And then just to annoy him more with my girlyness, I bought a bright pink eyeshadow brush in Topshop. It's funny winding him up sometimes.

So that was my mammoth A/W makeup/body care haul, I think I'm sorted for a while or until I'm next in Boots.... until next time byeee!

Summer Sale Gatherings

Autumn is my favourite season period. The cool air and the crispy leaves crunching under my boots is lovely. Summer for me is hard work, especially this year where it's been a zillion times warmer than usual so I had nothing hot weather appropriate. Because our weather is usually damp, windy and cloudy ( read : shit) I don't really own anything summery so I struggle to find things to wear. However what I DO like about the summer are the sales! An excellent opportunity to get a few bargains!  It could be a chance to stock up on some basics like vests or t shirts or to finally get your hands on an item you've been lusting over for months, checking in-store every time your in town to see if it's gone down yet or if it's even still there.  Also if it's in the sale I don't feel as guilty about buying a load of things when I get paid and Its also a lot easier to get past the boyfriend hehe.

Today I've got some new stuff I've bought in the last month in preparation for Autumn, some of it was was full price and some of it was in the sale. I finished my mamoth clear out and the final total was 10 bags of clothes, shoes, bags and scarves. Which gave me AN EXCUSE TO SHOP. But alas there has been a new rule introduced : 1 new item= 1 item goes. Hopefully this will stop my wardrobe reaching the epic proportions it has again. When clearing out I found this website apairandasparediy.com. There's a really useful series called wardrobe rehab which shows you how to streamline your existing wardrobe and create a capsule by sticking to a neutral palette with a pop of colour. This really helped me sit and actually LOOK AT WHAT I HAVE AND WHAT I DON'T NEED. Anything that was broken, ill fitting/ snagged or I hadn't worn for the last year was gone. I tried doing this quite quickly before I could think of an excuse however obscure to keep things. I'll try and do a few posts about this in the future, sharing what I've gained from this so look out for that

Now here's some new additions : TOP HALF

Boyfriend style cardie Primark £12, Jersey dress H+M £7.99?, Star T shirt Primark £4, Denim shirt New Look (sale!) £5

I was on the hunt for some basics and found these. This cardie is soo warm, I can't wait to layer it over everything when it gets chilly. I got this dress in burgundy because it's on of my favourite colours for A/W and it's so versatile. It would be great in the day with a cardigan or in the night with a blazer and heels. I got a denim shirt in the sale in new look as it would go with everything. The starry t shirt I didn't really need but it was too cute to put down. I suppose it could work on a night out.

BOTTOM HALF:

Here we go.. Printed Skirt Primark (sale) £5! Grey marl skirt Matalan £6, Studded Jeans Primark (sale) £5, Amelie River Island Jeans (sale) £10, Canvas shoes £3 H+M (sale), cut out boots New Look £27.99

This is where I went a bit mad... though I did get some good deals. The River Island jeans were £35 originally which I wouldn't pay for jeans. I saw these weeks ago and kept checking the sale but they never had my size until now haha. I love the floral pattern and khaki goes with everything and the Primark jeans were a steal for a fiver. I wanted some studded jeans which both pairs have. I got 2 daytime skirts which will be fine with tights come autumn and I finally got a pair of cut out boots form New look. I was planning on getting River Island ones that day which were almost identical but they were £45 and alas they didn't have my size so I got these beauties.

I'll have to go on the hunt for some fancy socks now...

Till next time! x

Sunday Snapshot: Floral Skirt

Happy sunny Sunday! I'm planning on doing a post every Sunday where I take something that I currently love and showcasing it for you.

 For the first Sunday Snapshot I just wanted to show you guys my amazing floral maxi skirt from River Island. It was a birthday present last year from my sister but I've only worn it twice! Shameful I know so I decided with the heatwave this was definitely coming out. Last year I wore it bare legged and once with black tights but as you can see it is very sheer so I felt self conscious whilst out and about. I think that's why it's stayed in my drawers for so long. I love the floral print and I think this would never go out of style. The dip hem is also quite flattering especially for vertically challenged like myself. I never buy maxi dresses/ skirts because they pool around my feet and if I bought wedges they would have to be sky high and then I would Probably trip over the fabric! The problems of short people huh?
This time I've worn it with my leggings and I feel much more safe in this. I teamed with a basic grey vest from H+M, my ever present studded sandals and this cool belt I picked up in Primark when I got paid a bargain at only £2.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday :)