Outfit of the Day

Hello fruit crackers (!) hope you are all fine and dandy! I feel I've been away from the blogging world for a while again, although it's only been about a week! I went back to work after half term this Monday, but literally only lasted the day as I got sick again Monday night : ( Back to work on Friday though which was great. Normally I get bored at home when I'm sick, although this time, I had very strong painkillers, so pretty much slept through the day.

So, feeling better this weekend, I spent yesterday at Bluewater with my best friend, and today at Lakeside with hubby! We also visited Ikea and purchased a very nice new shoe cabinet, quite excited about that, I do love Ikea! Watching him assemble it as I type, so glad he is good at putting up furniture, I am a typical girl, pretty useless!

Today's post then is just a quick OOTD : )

I wore my dark blue Zara jeans, Red Herring chelsea boots, Hollister blue and white striped shirt and a new cream jacket that I purchased yesterday in H & M. Love the classic style, it's perfect now the weather is heating up a bit! Finished the outfit off with my trusty Mulberry : )

I also wore my new MAC lipstick in Ruby Woo, love the shocking red colour. I diluted it down a little with some lip balm to make it suitable for day wear. I matched with red nails in Victoria and Albert by Nails Inc.

Well that's everything for now, I will blog soon with my new purchases and a few other bits and pieces : ) XOXO

And then the snow came

Hello snow angels, how is everyone today?? Well the snow finally fell here, I was sooo excited last night and couldn't stop looking out the window! Today hubby and I wrapped up warm and braved the cold! We walked to the lake near our house and fed the ducks, I was very concerned that they might not be able to get much food in this weather! Bless them xx 

Wrapped up for the snow!

The lake near our house was almost completely frozen over!

Ducks!

I don't know about anyone else but I love walking in the snow... find it very peaceful and restorative. On a different note now, I have a few new H & M purchases to share from my shop yesterday!

H & M dress £24.99. Hubby called this my 'green goddess' dress when he saw it yesterday! I love the classic style which is great for work but also any smart occasion. really. I really like having dresses like this in my wardrobe as they are so versatile. Love the emerald green too!

H & M dress £14.99. Love the ditzy floral print, perfect for Spring/Summer and so easy to wear. I plan to wear this while it's still cold with a cardigan and tights.

H & M navy cardigan £9.99. Just a little basic, I plan to pair this with the dress above.

Well that's about everything for today, I plan to spend the rest of my evening with my new stack of magazines, plenty of tea and some good TV! Bliss : ) XOXO

January pick-me-ups

Hello Strawberry swirls, hope everyone has had a relaxing weekend! I only returned to work for 2 days this week but was still pretty tired come Friday night. I had a nice lie in Saturday morning and then met up with friends for a curry and catch up which was lovely. Today hubby and I headed to one of my favourite places in the whole world. Bluewater, for some shopping and lunch. Hubby purchased a couple of new pairs of trousers and some boxers, and I treated myself to a few little bits too : )

I wore my new Mango skirt and Zara jumper with my Mulberry bag, silver tassel necklace which was a Christmas pressie from a friend, and my new chelsea boots from Red Herring at Debenhams.

I cannot express how much I love my new boots, and they are so comfy too! : )

I bought this cute Vero Moda dress for £32. Peter pan collars continue to be big this season, and I love the oversized one on this dress, as well as the cute tiny heart print. 

Floral sheer tunic dress from Vero Moda... £5! Someone had left this in the changing room and it was my size so I tried it on when I was trying the other dress on. I love the simple shape and classic styling, plus at £5 in the sale, I couldn't really turn it down! ; )

This is a terrible photo, this Mango skirt is more of a deep red colour than in the picture. This skirt only cost £10.50 in the sale and is the identical shape and structure to the floral one I am wearing in the first picture. I bought it because I love the floral skirt I bought the other day and have worn it to death since I bought it! I thought red would be a good classic choice, and would work well with black tights and boots and my black leather jacket.

Well that's about everything dolls, I have an incredibly busy week coming up including a parent's evening and  a full day of revision organised for my exam groups on Saturday (!) so I'm set for a relaxing evening now to get me geared up for the week ahead! More soon XOXO

Mulberry Day : )

Today I purchased my first Mulberry bag. I say first, as I have a sneaking suspicion it will not be my last. So today dear readers, my best friend Clare and myself took a little road trip to Bicester outlet village in Bicester, Oxford. We were excited about the designer shopping experience but had a very clear goal in mind: head to Mulberry, seek out and purchase a classic bag. And boy did we succeed!!

I have wanted a Mulberry for a fair few years now. For me, Mulberry symbolise quintessential British style, and the bags never date. There have been a fair few opportunities in my past where I could have snapped one up, however I have always declined, putting the greater good (purchasing our house quicker, having an even more fabulous wedding) ahead of my desire for this bag. I decided recently however that the time had finally come for me to indulge; the house is bought and filled with furniture and style, the Wedding was fabulous, the time had finally arrived! This tied in well with Clare's birthday, and we set the date a few months ago now for our trip to Bicester.

So, this morning, I filled up hubby's car, picked Clare up en route and set out, filled with hope and excitement. Upon arrival, we were shocked at how busy the car parks were, and spent a good 20 minutes searching for a space. We struck lucky though and dashed straight to Mulberry.

Now picture the scene. We enter the shop. 'Right or left shelf?' Left. Our eyes scan quickly and then we see them . Two perfect East West Bayswater bags, one in black and one in chocolate brown. I reach for the chocolate brown, Clare reaches for the black. Women huddle behind us, pushing to see if there are any more. Clare and I hold on firmly and grin inanely at each other. I couldn't have planned it better myself.

You see, Clare and I have always wanted these bags. We love the classic Bayswater style, the way you look at the bag and instantly know its a Mulberry. Still clutching our bags, Clare and I scan the rest of the shop, just to be sure. We look at the lesser known bags, styles in shops for a few months in seasons past, and decide they are not for us. No, we have got what we came for. Purposefully, we march to the tills, I can still hardly believe it as I hand over my card. The bags are beautifully wrapped and handed over to us. Done.

So beautiful

My bag is the chocolate brown crocodile East West Bayswater, and Clare has the identical bag in black. It is current season (A/W 11) and has absolutely no defects. The saving on the store price was good, obviously not as good as if it had a defect, but still a pleasing saving. I am absolutely in love with it, the fact it is a classic, a beautiful colour (I would only ever consider a black, tan or chocolate brown Mulberry), 100% perfect and current season. It is the perfect size for weekends and I imagine will last me a good many years.

My beautiful new bag is now sleeping soundly in its dust bag, and I imagine tonight I will be sleeping soundly too, knowing I have such an amazing and iconic new bag in my life! : )

A summer's day in October

Hello Cupcakes, happy Sunday, hope you have all had a fabulous day and if you are in the UK, enjoyed the weather! I cannot believe that it is the second of October today and the weather is as beautiful as it is! Amazing. To make the most of the sunny weather, hubby and I decided to go to a castle quite near our home, about 30 minutes away or so. I had never been to Scotney castle but it was breathtakingly beautiful. There was so much to look at and it was a perfect time to go as the trees are all currently in their transition phase, with beautiful leaves in shades of crimson, rust and even pink! (my favourite!) Hubby and I spent a lovely few hours walking round and snapping some beautiful pictures, before stopping for snacks and ice cream! A perfect day : )

Beautiful sunshine on an October day

Loved this cute little house! I'm moving in ; )

Beautiful crimson leaves

Scotney Castle

I never thought I would still be wearing dresses and sandals in October! I decided to wear a dress that I bought in H & M yesterday, it was a bargainous £10 in a special promotion. My best friend bought the same dress too we liked it so much! I also wore my Warehouse toe post sandals, a simple pair of diamond studs and my Tiffany heart necklace that hubby bought me for Christmas a couple of years ago. Perfect for the warm weather!


More soon my loves enjoy the rest of Sunday. xoxo

Easy like Sunday morning

Hello cupcakes, hope this is finding you well on this glorious Monday. I am overly happy again today because of the changing season and the beautiful changes going on outside, I love driving to and from work at the moment, noticing the leaves gradually change colour and drop. I really am an Autumn person! While driving to work this morning, I heard on Classic FM that on this day, 192 years ago, John Keats wrote 'To Autumn'. Whilst studying Keats in year 13, 'To Autumn' was always one of my favourite poems, so I enjoyed this little piece of information : )


Today's post is a bit of a picture catch up of my weekend, and Sunday in particular. Sunday was a lovely day, hubby and I had a nice lie in which was much welcome after the strenuous events of the day before (see this blog post). We then had a little trip into town so hubby could get his hair cut (seriously overgrown, much like a scruffy, unprofessional student... he absolutely hates his hair long like that but claims to never find time to get to the hairdresser... men eh?!) I took the opportunity to buy a couple of birthday presents, as well as the majority of my Christmas cards (did I ever mention that I am organised??!). I also had a look around H & M and fell in love with about 10 new season items... will definitely be back soon to try on and purchase! In the afternoon, we went to the cinema to see 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy' which was an excellent film as the reviews had suggested. All in all a very pleasing day : )

Our Nutcracker tickets turned up! Eeeeee : )

What I wore: Dark denim ripped jeans River Island, leopard print pumps H & M, tiered top Primark, chunky knit cardigan (I have been waiting for the weather to wear my new super cosy cardi!) Primark. I also wore my heart necklace that hubby bought me from Agatha in Paris, and a pair of pearl stud earrings.

A couple of goodies I picked up in Superdrug. I have heard some excellent things about the new MUA range through other bloggers and in magazines so thought I would try a nail polish. I also bought a lovely natural peachy coloured blusher from one of my favourite brands, Sleek. This shade is called 'suede' and is from their new limited collection.

Awww mama's little boy : )

I know this may not be to everyone's taste, and I don't particularly love spiders but I was just so impressed by the work that had gone into this guys web! We have loads of spiders like this in the garden at the moment which is fine by me, yes I have to dodge them when I hang out the washing but better outside than in I figure!

Well that's everything for today, hubby and I have a fully loaded biscuit tin and are settling in for Corrie and Doc Martin! xoxo

Supermarket Sweep

Hello dolls, hope you are all having a relaxing Sunday! The weather has been a lot greyer here in the UK today, however this is a fact that please me! I have decided now it's September, summer is officially over. I am not massively sad about this as I love Autumn and Winter, and am looking forward to the cosy nights in, comforting food and of course, Christmas!

Over the past couple of days I have turned my attention to my work wardrobe. A new school year and a new season requires a whole new working wardrobe in my opinion! I quite enjoy shopping for work clothes (although not as much as clothes for my weekend wardrobe), although I refuse to spend a fortune on this type of clothing. I am not sure why, as of course, I spend the majority of time at work. I have always been happy to spend as I see fit on my weekend wardrobe, but never much more than £20 on a dress for work. Luckily for me, the supermarkets now have extremely comprehensive and very good value ranges, so I can pretty much pick up everything I need while completing the weekly shop!

I have recently purchased 3 dresses from Tesco, one full price at £16 and two in the sale at £7 and £8 each. Yesterday my best friend Clare and I went for a browse in Asda Living and both purchased some more dresses for work. This time both full price at £16 and £10 respectively. I tend to gravitate towards dresses for work as I find them easy to just throw on in the morning, with a pair of tights, heels or pumps and a statement necklace or bracelet. On chilly days a cardi or blazer work a treat as well, layered over the top. 

Black ponte formal dress £10 Asda

Mono print dress £16 Asda

F & F jersey wrap dress £16 (mine is a different style, navy blue with a print)

Just a selection of the dresses I have bought, I couldn't get pictures of the other two. Now I have new stationery for work and new clothes, I just need to stock up on tights and buy a new pair of winter heels (M & S most likely, I will only wear leather to work as I am on my feet all day and need to be comfortable!)

Well that's all for today, I am making the most of the last bit of weekend by catching up on some reading in between making my to-do list for the week, and a chilli con carne for dinner! : ) xoxo

New Season Topshop

Topshop has always been one of my favourite shops on the British high street. Every season they produce catwalk inspired looks at reasonable prices, clothes, shoes and accessories that are adored by celebrities and the girl on the street alike. Topshop is a shop that I can always find something in to buy, and I love browsing the rails for my next amazing find.

Browsing the 'new in' items on the Topshop website, I have found a whole range of gorgeous new A/W items that I need in my life very soon...

1) Rust leopard tunic dress £26 - I think this would be great in early autumn layered with a cardi and classic pumps or boots - easily dressed up or down.


2) LOVE these shoes...snaffle trim loafers £32. These would look amazing with classic or brightly coloured jeans and, a nautical striped top and blazer.

3) Burgundy skinny biker trousers £38. I love the colour of these - a slightly softer option than red. These would look great with a black biker jacket and pumps.

4) Mustard cross body bag £25. An excellent price for such a cute little bag! An amazing colour still very much on trend, this would work well with a whole host of autumn/winter outfits.

5) Knitted cream stripe jumper £36. Every girl needs a classic breton striped top in her wardrobe and this one is perfect. A great buy for winter as it is a knitted material rather than jersey - warm and cute!

6) Navy faux fur collar coat £75. I love this coat so much! Warm and cosy looking but chic too. I would wear this with skinny jeans and wedge boots walking along the Champs Elysees in Paris at Christmas time.... (hint for hubby... ; )



7) Black lace up side wellies £26. I see people wearing wellies more and more outside of festivals these days, I think these would be perfect with black leggings and an oversized jumper... cool and comfy.

Hope you like my picks and are all having a good week, one more day til the weekend! xoxo

The Big Cover Up

Right, I know we are still (supposedly) in the middle of summer, but the thing is, the high street is on the turn... Spring/Summer 11 is slowly but surely evolving into Autumn/Winter 11 and its looking mighty fine! Every time I shop (which is every few days on average hahaha), I notice more and more cooler weather items emerging, which has got me thinking about layers, coats and jackets!! In my opinion, a girl needs a good range of jackets and coats in her wardrobe (particularly in a cool and rainy country like the UK!) Each year we get a whole host of new styles and designs, however, there are particular styles that are always in style and remain classic, season in, season out. Below is my classic selection, eternally stylish and wearable season on season:

1) The classic leather bomber, ASOS £120. Best in black, cropped on the waist, zipped front and made of soft, supple leather. This jacket has been given an update with the shearling collar (removable - more the better)


2) Classic beige trench coat, Burberry at net-a-porter.com £650. Ever since Audrey Hepburn wore the classic Burberry trench in Breakfast at Tiffany's, this item has remained effortlessly stylish and eternally chic. Of course, there are some beautiful trench coats on the high street, Topshop and Zara always have a good selection. I do not yet own a Burberry trench but aspire to one day - a very good friend of mine managed to get the classic double breasted beige trench at Bicester outlet in Oxford for around £400!



3) Classic Blazer, ASOS £55. A good fit is essential, classic colours are most versatile (think blakck, navy blue, dark grey and beige). Roll up sleeves are cute and can make your look a litle more casual. Blazers are perfect for chucking over dresses as the weather cools down a bit, but look equally as good with jeans and wedges.


4) Faux Fur coat ASOS £70. Another true style classic, these days its all about the faux fur and with so many realistic faux fur coats on the high street, there is little need to go down the real route. Anything goes with fur coats, cut below the waist or hitting the knee, a fitted style is essential, and belted in at the waist always adds a touch of glamour and femininity.


5) Casual day to day/festival style jacket, ASOS £60. A good casual jacket is always a clever buy, and so easily chucked on with jeans and flats. I really like the below jacket, the quilting and colour is old school and a tad geeky, but I love it : )


So there you have it glamorous girls, a selection of truly classic and versatile coats and jackets. All new season but so classic that they will be just as relevant and stylish years down the line. I will feature my own gorgeous Zara leather jacket, River Island Blazer and Armani exchange winter coat (a bit of a splurge last winter but so warm!) in a future post xoxo

H & M Accessories Haul

I ventured into H & M a couple of days ago for a quick browse and walked out 10 minutes later with some fab new accessories. As I mentioned in this previous post, the new collection in H & M is looking particularly good, which bodes well for A/W 11'! I have now started to buy a few items for the coming season, as in my professional fashion opinion, its always a good idea to stay ahead of the crowd! I am now the proud owner of:

From left to right:

Black and gold/mustard toned scarf - light and sheer patterned fabric, I really like the vintage look of this (although I love vintage I draw the line at scarfs as they always have that 'old' smell that is near impossible to get out. Having said that, I would not say no to a vintage Chanel scarf!)

Off white large printed scarf - really big with different coloured leaf/feathered print and tassels. (Thinking this may be a perfect festival scarf!)

Oversized gold ring with orange stone - gorgeous with this summer's colour blocking trend.

I fell in love with this over the top feather necklace! Feather accessories were all over the catwalk and have now filtered through to the high street. I decided it was time to invest, and this necklace (as well as the print on the scarf) fit the bill perfectly! This necklace will be perfect with simple tops and shift dresses, to add a touch of glamour and style!

Hope you all had fantastic weekends girls xoxo

No sale

Sale. One little word that can stop you in your tracks and make your heart beat just a little bit faster. I have to admit, this tiny word, displayed large as life in a shop window, has this effect on me too. But all too often, the feeling fades as quickly as it arrived and I am left feeling disappointed. Over the years. I have come to conclude that I am simply not a sales person. So why do I still get this fluttery, excited feeling when sale time rolls around come summer and Boxing day??

I can only conclude that I feel this way because there is always a chance that there might be an amazing bargain to be had. And the stubborn part of my personality refuses to give in! I have to admit though, I very rarely find anything in the sale worthy of a second glance. All too often, the sale stock is the rubbish that did not sell the first time around. The price is vastly reduced and therefore women grab at items they would not normally consider, convinced they are about to purchase the item of a lifetime. There are exceptions of course, and I am not saying that I have never bought anything in a sale. I find that high end shops and department stores do sales the best. Zara for example tends to put the majority of their stock in the sale so you can easily find something current and stylish. Reiss is another high street chain that does a very good sale. By contrast, I find Topshop, Miss Selfridge, River Island and H & M messy, almost jumble-sale like, with items that look as if they have been kicking around in the stock room for the past 3 years. The messiness alone is enough to turn me off - I am too OCD to contemplate rifling through, and I immediately find myself drawn to the full price section.

Nonetheless, I have had a look at some sale stock this summer and found a few pleasing items from Zara. One of my favourite finds was the dress Pippa Middleton wore to the French open last month:

Full price this dress was a pretty good bargain anyway at £35.99. I was lucky enough to grab the only small left in the shop for £24.99. I love this dress because it is such an easy item to wear to work, as well as on a summers day with wedges like Pippa herself. I have also spotted this amazing bag on the Zara website for a very reasonable £19,99 (down from £39.99):
I am immediately drawn to the lovely bright colour of this bag, and the messenger shape and style is very current and would look amazing with casual weekend looks. I also know that I would buy this bag at full price, not just because it is in the sale, making it a true bargain.

What do you think of sales? I wonder what sales are like in other countries... let me know what you think, I love reading your comments xoxo