Sunday 30 December 2012

New Years fasholutions

since I received my first ever crisp note as pocket money I have been a shopaholic and a fashion victim. If its affordable and I love it I tend to want it in as many colours or variations as possible. For example, I own around 15 collared shirts, 3 of which are black (but they have different collars) My constant shopping over the years and desire to have all the latest must have items has resulted in a bit of a problem. As you can see below this problem is a rather overcrowded wardrobe




Every piece fights for space in the tightly packed cupboard and it often takes a while to find something particular. I even lost a skirt once and eventually found it held in place at the very back of my wardrobe. If Narnia lay behind it there would be no chance of reaching it through the wall of clothes. Therefore, my New Years resolution is to stop buying so much and try to work with what I already have. This will prove to be difficult once the new trends hit the shops so I will add some key pieces to update my collection but won't go as mad as usual. (Here's hoping) As my bf would say, this is very,iChat a first world problem. Does anyone else have the same issue?


Sunday 23 December 2012

Tis the season...

I can't believe there are only two days to go until Christmas. I'm so excited as it's my favourite time of year. No work, spending time with family, presents, eating and drinking; what's not to love?

I went to Canary Wharf today to do some last minute shopping with the bf and thought I'd give my Primark dress with embellished collar an outing











My jacket was a New Look sale bargain a few years ago. I also thought I'd take a picture of the buildings and lights as they look so pretty at Christmas. I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and enjoy the break

Sunday 9 December 2012

Busy Bee

Life has been pretty manic lately and as a result my poor blog has been neglected, so it's about time I wrote a new post and updated you on what I've been up to and more importantly, what I've been wearing!

I recently started a new job at work which involves more responsibility, more brainpower and means I often can't leave the office at 5 like I did in my old job so my finishing times vary depending on how busy I am. 

Last weekend was crazy but fun. The lovely Julie and Safira organised a Christmas Blogger meet up at the Crown and Sceptre in Kensington. It was lovely to see some of my favourite bloggers and meet some new ones too. I also very much enjoyed my steak and chips and would go back there for the food alone!



L-R Safira, Me, Joanna, Julie and Sophie. My black shirt with Crystal collar was £25 from New Look and my green jeans are also from New Look (£17) There's nothing like a bit of Christmas sparkle

I also had a couple of nights out to celebrate friends birthdays and here are my outfits of choice...

Apologies for the washing in the background, cropping isn't going too well with my new camera! This outfit was for Friday night drinks in Be@1 in Shoreditch. The dress is from River Island but the shoulders didn't fit me very well so I had to throw a Primark blazer over it. I completed the look with my trusty Primark studded flats


On Saturday I went to Oliver's in Hornchurch and wore a red peplum dress which was around £13 from Ebay with a necklace from New Look

Thankfully, this weekend has been quieter and today I can have some much needed rest!

Sunday 25 November 2012

Sequin Slapper

Sequins get me way too excited. From a young age I have always be drawn to their sparkle. To demonstrate my love for the tiny, shimmery bundles of joy I decided to do a post featuring my favourite sequin pieces from over the years
Dec 2009
asos dress, Nov 2011



NYE 2009

Paraphrase sequin blazer, Dec 2011

Ebay bargain, Dec 2011







Monday 5 November 2012

Birthday Girl

Today is my birthday but sadly, I am now on the wrong side of 25! My mum and her partner bought me a really nice Nikon Coolpix camera so the quality of my photos should hopefully improve now.
I spent today shopping and lunching with my mum which was lovely and will do a post featuring my purchases very soon.

On Friday I went for birthday drinks with 2 of my very close friends and wore a brocade dress from missguided.co.uk. (around £25) Any excuse to get glammed up!




Friday 2 November 2012

Letter to my 16 year old self

As I am approaching 26 (eek!) I thought it would be a good idea to look back over the past 10 years. I was inspired by Glamour magazine's recent issue where celebrities such as Mena Suvari wrote a letter to their teenage selves so I thought I'd give it a go. Here is my advice to myself at 16. If only I knew then what I know now...

1. Dump him NOW! You will be much happier and better off. Trust me

2. Don't waste your youth. Go out on a school night and wear inappropriate outfits while you still can. (All after you turn 18 of course)

3. In the future you will start having driving lessons. Don't bother. You will hate driving and your nerves & anxiety mean you will never pass your test then your theory will run out. Use the money for a Chanel bag instead

4. Drag some mates to Ibiza and Marbella while you still have the energy to party

5. Never let anyone treat you badly, humiliate or take the mick out of you. If you're not happy in a relationship and feel like you can't be yourself or go out clubbing with your mates then end it

6. You're stronger than you think

7. In 2009 you will graduate in the middle of a recession. Despite this do whatever you can to get another job rather than staying in the one you hate

8. Try to go blonde without using too much bleach. Your hair will thank you for it

9. Don't turn up to your first day at work wearing a miniskirt. Even if you do have great legs it's not appropriate

10. There are a lot of men out there who are only after one thing and who will hurt and humiliate you but in the end the only one who really matters will come along and you'll never want to let him go

11. Friends will come and go and you'll find out who your true mates are. Some of them are people you know now and others you'll meet later in life. Value them

12. Push for your dream job. Be brave and do all the work experience you can whilst studying. Before it's too late...

Sunday 28 October 2012

Winter Warmers & Halloween nails

How cold has it been recently? The weather definitely has the brrrr factor so it's time to wrap up in big, cosy jumpers and coats. With this in mind I popped into New Look yesterday and grabbed this burgundy oversized knit for the bargain price of £20


It's so comfortable and kept me warm and toasty all day.

My lovely uncle bought me an early birthday present on Friday in the form of a Gunmetal fleece-lined Barbour jacket. I love it, it feels so soft and protects me from the chills


Sadly, I haven't been able to enjoy any Halloween celebrations as I have a cold threatening to come out and spoil my birthday celebrations next weekend but I still got into the spooky spirit with some skull nail stickers (£3 from Tantrum)


They are so cute and remind me of being a kid again. Here is a little pic of one of them on my nail


I plan to do some slightly more exciting nail art closer to Halloween so I'll share the results with you next week

Friday 19 October 2012

Autumn Beauty Buys

Working very close to Superdrug is dangerous as I am always popping in there to get my beauty fix! Here are my recent purchases:


I needed a new bronzer so I thought I'd try Rimmel natural bronzer (around £5) in sun light. I opted for the lightest shade as I didn't want to look orange but I do have to go over my face a few times with a loaded brush to create a sunkissed look so maybe I should've gone for the darker shade.
The Rimmel Scandaleyes mascara does give my measly lashes some oomph and I got the glam eyes eyeliner free as part of an offer. As liquid liners go it's pretty good and easy to apply. I love a bit of sparkle so had to have this glittery purple Glam Crystals eyeliner by Collection 2000. Perfect for the party season! You can really see the glitter in this pic below...



I am a big fan of Barry M's nail paints and at the moment if you buy two Barry M products you get a special effects nail paint free. I chose the web effect one which I can't wait to try out for Halloween. My favourite has to be the red glitter though, very Dorothy. Sorry about the flash and less than great photos, I clearly need someone to teach me how to use my camera as I have no idea!


I also thought I'd show you my attempt at some nail art. I cut the triangle from some left over nail wraps and stuck it on my middle finger only. 




Sunday 14 October 2012

Blogger's Block

I don't know about anyone else, but other than the usual outfit posts I struggle to find what to blog about. I like to include pictures in my posts but rarely take pictures of the things I do in my day to day life as they will mostly feature a TV screen showing the X Factor, magazine pages or my usually weekly meal at Nando's. Not very exciting, especially if I post the same photos every week! 

So this post is kind of a two for one; I talk about one of my outfits but also a bit more about what I get up to in my free time. The weather turning cold makes me want to hibernate so as winter sets in my weekends tend to become less eventful. For example, the highlight of yesterday was Saturday night TV and a Chinese takeaway with my boyfriend and his mum and so far today I have cleaned my make-up brushes and applied a peel off face mask. Living on the edge. However, I did actually get out on Friday night for a few drinks over Canary Wharf with some friends I used to work with a few years ago. They're a fun group of people and my cheeks were hurting by the end of the night from laughing so much. Those nights are always the best. 

Here's the important bit; I decided to wear a sleeveless dress from Primark with an embellished collar (I do love an embellished collar) which I paired with my New Look glitter western boots. These are my faves at the moment as they have a small heel to add height to my hobbit frame but they are also very comfortable. 


Here I am with my friend Vicki. I do like a red lipstick and plan to start wearing my shade; Rimmel's 'Alarm' more often as it looks like I'm actually wearing make-up in pictures and like I've made an effort. So that was as eventful as it got this weekend but hopefully during the next one I'll do some shopping and will have some more pictures to post. Now, back to my magazines...

Sunday 7 October 2012

London Calling

Yesterday I attended the #Ldnbloggermeet organised by the lovely Emma and I met some friendly and fun fellow bloggers. It was held in the Warwick near Piccadilly but I almost got lost on the way there as I very rarely venture out of East London! I had to ask a helpful man for directions who sounded like a fellow cockney so I still felt at home.


We had a good old natter about life in general, which blogs we follow, our own blogs and the fashion crimes we committed as kids and teenagers. My worst offence was a pvc 'binliner' suit from Tammy teamed with a multicoloured velvet zebra print shirt. Yes, you read that right.



My outfit of choice included my favourite studded collar shirt from Own the Runway, (£23) my trusty black Topshop Leigh skinny jeans which ended up digging into my hips after I ate too many chips, (£40) My New Look glitter cowboy boots (£25) and a Topshop blazer which I found on Ebay (£25)



Unfortunately, I can't seem to remove the lovely spot of sun shining on my forehead from the photos.
It was so nice to see Emma and Annabel again and it was a pleasure to meet all the other girls. Hopefully we will all attend another similar event soon

Saturday 29 September 2012

Style on a budget

As we don't all have wealthy parents and/or a well-paid job (no offence to those who do) many of us have to hunt out the best bargains in order to be stylish. The high street are at such a high standard these days with their interpretations of the catwalk trends that you don't need to spend a fortune to look fabulous. Bargain basement Primark is currently good for velvet dresses, cardigans and casual dresses for work or the weekend.

although you have to spend a bit more, I find that Topshop and River Island sell the best and most comfortable high heels for us mere mortals to treat ourselves to. They are also the best shops if you're looking for something special for a night out.
Of course, shops like French Connection, Reiss and Whistles have gorgeous party outfits but we're talking reasonably priced here so save those treats from higher end shops for the sales.

Zara, in my opinion have the best workwear and jumpers by far. My camel jumper with brown elbow patches is my favourite. Very Lady of the Manor.
Everything looks more expensive than it is and most of their stuff is timeless.

Urban outfitters is great for the odd, funky item, even if it's only a piece of quirky jewellery or a unique scarf. H&M is also good for both smart and unusual pieces to mix up your look.

This Party season it's about brocade, metallic, velvet and sparkle so get dressed up and get ready to party!

You aint nothing but a houndstooth

I cannot stress how much I love these Primark dogtooth print trousers. They fit really well and are so comfortable. Along with the top and shoes they are part of a massive Primark haul which took place last Friday. I couldn't resist all the bargains!





Sunday 23 September 2012

Molten Metal

I have always been a fan of metallics. I love how they add a touch of glam to any outfit and shimmer when they catch the light. This outfit was perfect for Friday night drinks, although my legs were a bit chilly!


Top: Missguided, skirt: River Island (£25)



Saturday 22 September 2012

Holiday Snaps

Dress: Missguided, shoes: Topshop
Whilst in Spain I finally got the chance to squeeze some last minute wear out of my summer clothes because, let's face it we didn't have much of a summer this year in England. Here are my favourite photos from my holiday...
Top: H&M, Skirt: Topshop, sandals: boohoo.com


Top: Forever 21, skirt: Primark
Waistcoat: New Look

Top: Warehouse, shorts H&M








Sunday 2 September 2012

Berry Bonkers

This season I will be mostly wearing... berry shades

Wine toned hues were all over the catwalk and are therefore, all over the high street so it's easy to get a piece of the action. 


This burgundy top was only £18 from Topshop and I've already worn it 3 times. The black skirt with faux leather panels was around £17 from Forever 21 and my jewelled pumps are from next


I'll be going to Spain in just over a week so in my first post when I'm back expect a confusing return to summer trends!

Saturday 18 August 2012

That awkward transitional period

It looks like summer is making a temporary return but as all fashion victims know, it's already time to start wearing some of the new autumn/winter trends. With this in mind, for drinks with a friend last night I decided to go for classic black and white with a hint of my favourite embellishment, studs.



Sadly, I managed to ladder my tights before I left the house and had to swap them for a plain pair. My shirt is from own the runway, my skirt is from Zara (a few years old) and my belt is from Topshop (last year) My leopard print pumps are really old and from Dorothy Perkins


Monday 13 August 2012

Modern Mullet

I have been waiting all 'summer' to wear my topshop pastel pleated mullet skirt and finally got the opportunity on Sunday for my friend's daughter's baptism. It was a nice warm day with a bit of a breeze so perfect for this outfit


My top is from Forever 21 and this was the first time I got to wear that too. (The joys of British summertime)
I'm sorry about the state of the garden, the grass could do with mowing and don't you just hate it when you put on make-up and fake tan and it doesn't show up in the photo so you look pale and unglamorous?

Sunday 5 August 2012

Caught off guard

I went out for drinks straight after work on Friday night and these pictures were taken around 8pm, after 3 hours of drinking (hence the 'wine stare') so they aren't the most flattering but I wanted to blog about my outfit.



The top is from New Looks fantastic AW collection and it was only £16.99. It is so comfortable but also on trend and the red belt is a nice detail.


This photo shows more of my M&S skirt (£25) but I was saying thanks to a nice man who was waiting to walk past whilst I had my picture taken and was caught at the wrong moment!

Sunday 29 July 2012

Stud U Like

As you may know, my favourite embelishment has to be studs. I love pieces that are a bit edgy and rock chick with a nod to punk and studs seem to create that look.


I read about own the runway in magazines so decided to have a nosy and I found some real bargains. I bought the studded collar shirt in both black and white as I can imagine getting plenty of wear out of them. At £22.99 they are cheaper than similar versions sold in well-known high street shops. The only downside is that the studs only cover the front of the collar and don't go around the back but they still look great





Wednesday 18 July 2012

New season sneak peak

I don't know about you, but I always get really excited when the new season collections arrive on my favourite websites and in my favourite stores and Motel's AW collection does not disappoint.
There are some fab pieces available to buy now but two of my favourites are pictured below


A girl can never have too many LBDs and this black long sleeved bodycon dress with panelling detail is bang on trend this Autumn


I must admit, having a stomach that is a far cry from that of Frankie Sandford I have never been a fan of bra tops but I might just give the trend a go with this floral number. I can always throw a blazer over it to disguise my muffin top. The skirt is very versatile though and I can definitely see myself wearing it often. Make sure you have a nose at motelrocks.com to see the other amazing pieces.