The Path of a Lightening Bolt

It's that time of the year when I want to wear my new Autumn purchases but it's usually too hot to wear them. Typical! It's been harder to choose outfits recently but I've been trying to go quite classic with a nod to the new trends. I bought this Lightning bolt print shoulder cut out top from Topshop about 2 years ago. The cotton is so soft and my recent gym habit has toned my arms enough to feel confident to show my shoulders off. My skirt was a recent Primark buy and is one of those versatile transitional pieces that comes in really handy 

How do you dress between seasons?

My Last Festival of the year

This year I have broken a personal record for the amount of festivals attended in a year. Ok, so it was only 4 and they were only day festivals (anyone who knows me knows I just don't do camping) but for me this is an achievement and beats my previous record of 2 in a year! Today I went to SW4 on Clapham Common which marked the end of the festival year for me and almost the end of the summer. I even went for an Autumn look of dark colours and camouflage rather than neon and bright prints. 

Everything I wore I've had for at least 2 years! The shorts are from Primark and the top and jacket are from River Island. I had a great day and a laugh with my friends but it was so muddy which smelt so bad that it was making me gag! It was nice to get home, relax and have a bath

Autumn Mini New Look Haul

Today is one of my favourite days of the month; payday! After over spending last month this day was long awaited so why not celebrate the occasion with a lunch break dash to New Look? A large selection of Autumn/Winter pieces have just landed in store and I couldn't resist a few cheeky purchases. Here's what I bought...

Tartan and plaid are key prints this season and this is my first foray into the trend this time around. (Who remembers the last time tartan was really in back in 2008?) This skirt (£17.99) reminds me of Cher from the classic 90s film Clueless. (One of my favourite films ever) I could totally see her rocking this with knee-high socks, mary janes and a cute sweater. 

I love blue and I'm a big fan of shirts so at £17.99 this was a no brainer bargain for me. It'll take me through this autumn, winter and beyond as it's pretty classic

This cute tweed mini skirt has a hint of Chanel but without the designer price tag. This was also £17.99 which seemed to be the price of many items I saw today!

This monochrome heart print is adorable so I couldn't resist this shirt. (you guessed it; £17.99) It's so versatile and will go with jeans, trousers or tucked into a pencil or skater skirt.

And last but certainly not least are these fierce cut-out boots. (£24.99) Boots are one of my favourite things about the colder weather and you can't beat a good ankle boot. The on trend cut out detail sets these apart from the rest and adds an edge to the classic heeled ankle boot. I can't do proper heels anymore so this block heel adds height but still has the all important comfort factor. I plan to wear these with skinny trousers, disco pants, dresses and pretty much everything this autumn! Also, once it gets colder I can show off a pair of funky socks through the gaps. Tartan socks anyone? 

My other blog

As you may know, I'm obsessed with fashion and shopping and it's what I love to write about the most but I also like to sometimes write about topics unrelated to fashion. As the title of my blog can be quite restrictive with what I write about (why didn't I think of this when choosing a name for my blog?) I also have another blog which I update occasionally when I want to write about how I'm feeling, what I've been doing or current affairs/issues. Please have a little look when you get the chance and let me know what you think. The address is chelseyprentice.me

Back to the old Skool

Last night I had one of the best nights I've had in a while at Oliver's Retro bar with my best friends. There's something about 80s and 90s music that encourages you to really let your hair down and the nature of the music means you can get away with silly dance moves which is perfect for the rhythmically challenged like myself. Opposite the bar there was an 80s wall which was like a mural of 80s icons such as Madonna, George Michael, Mr T, The Hoff and Michael Jackson. I would love one of these in my house one day!

The outfit of choice was a green dress from asos (£28) with minimal accessories and flat shoes. I looked very short compared to my friends but I felt comfortable all night and most importantly I was able to slide across the dancefloor! This dress does tend to cling to my lumps and bumps around the stomach area so I need to keep up going to the gym to get rid of it. To be fair though, I'd just had a big dinner before I came out so was suffering with attack of the bloat.

It was so good to let my hair down and forget about the stresses of work and life for a few hours and I'd definitely go there again

This Summer I have been mostly wearing... New Look

New Look is one of those shops where every time I walk in, without fail I walk out clutching a bag full of goodies. They interpret the trends really well with a practical spin, the prices are reasonable and the quality is good. It helps that I work 5 minutes away from the Gracechurch street branch (dangerous) but I have a lot of time for New Look

This entire outfit below (including necklace) is from New Look. They have a fab selection of jewellery in store at the moment

This varsity top (£12) has been a summer staple and this turquoise maxi skirt is demure but the thigh splits reveal a cheeky flash of leg. I also love the fringing and studs on these sandals (£17)

I can't wait to pop in there after payday and see what new season pieces I can snap up

The Teal Deal

Teal and forest/bottle green are set to be key colours for Autumn/Winter so I thought I'd get in on the trend early and snap up this classic shift dress from next in one of the shades of the season. It was £32 from Next and despite being at the wrong end of payday I couldn't resist!

I'm looking forward to wearing this once the weather gets a bit cooler, with tights and (low) heels. It can also be dressed up even more with a statement necklace or worn for work with a black blazer and pair of flats

Making it Big in Fashion

Most of the people I know say I should work in fashion, some even assume I actually do (I wish) but the truth is I've worked in the glamorous world of insurance (on and off) since I left school and my nan got me a part time job at the insurance company where she worked. I kept this up throughout my studies then graduated during the recession. Any job became hard to come by, let alone a dream one so I ended up staying in Insurance. However, I don't want to give up on the dream and need to put in the work and overcome my fears to hopefully one day have a job that I'm passionate about. I need all the help I can get so when I heard about the making it big in fashion event (follow them on Twitter @MakingItBig3) I knew I had to go

It was a really fun, interesting and inspiring night with some good advice from the speakers, including styling duo OmiApi  and Emma Hart from Push PR to name a couple. They emphasised that you have to be brave and just get out there, network and show everyone what you can do. Fear has held me back in the past and I also haven't had much luck securing enough relevant work experience. I would love to help out at a magazine, even if it's not within the fashion team but most of my letters and emails are ignored as it's so competitive to even get unpaid work. I would also considering trying Fashion PR or buying but again, it's so hard to get into. I need to try again and make my letters stand out this time. It feels like it will never happen but maybe I just need to keep plugging away

Here is the stylish Leon who specialises in luxury fashion recruitment giving us tips on what employers in the luxury fashion retail industry look for

There was also a fashion show from Bola Holis which I took some snaps of below

My favourite piece is the structured white dress but every outfit was on point and well constructed

I really enjoyed the event and loved how laid back and fun it was. If they put on another event I'd definitely go. Now, I just need to take some time and have the guts to get out there and try and break into the industry

How to Save for the Clothes You've Always Wanted

I've noticed that recently quite a few of the bloggers that I follow have featured guest posts on their blogs written by other bloggers. I never really thought about doing this myself until Shaye contacted me. As she shares my philosophy of budgeting and finding bargains I thought she would be the perfect person to write a post on my blog. Read and follow her money saving tips to leave more spare money to treat yourself to some fashion or beauty bargains! Over to Shaye:

With the arrival of summer comes the time for kids hanging around the house and long, hot days. It's the time when people start dreaming of shorts and summer dresses, a purchase that isn’t always feasible for many people who are working 40 or more hour weeks. The financial and time commitment of shopping can seem like too much. Luckily, there are some easy ways that you can make some extra cash and save some money around the house to be able to afford your dream clothes. These four tricks are perfect for anyone from a stay-at-home mom to someone working full-time to earn some extra spending money.

Dog Boarding

If you love dogs as much as I do, you will love the idea of taking care of someone else's pooch while they are traveling in order to make a little bit of money. Many people hate the idea of boarding their dog in a kennel and would much rather have an individual watch them. This turns into a positive situation for everyone as you get to play with a dog for a short period and the owners have the peace of mind that their dog is being cared for.

Clean Out The Garage

Summer is the perfect time to clean out the closet and garage and have a garage sale or post items on eBay to get rid of the old clothes. Your old shoes and shirts may be someone else's treasure! This not only allows you to clean old stuff out of your house but it will make you some extra money in the process. Garage sales are inherently social events, so you might even make some new friends during the day!

Skip Bottled Water

The environmental and financial cost of drinking bottled water is greater than we initially think. Most tap water is just as healthy as bottled water and if you are concerned, you can always buy a water filter from Brita. By drinking water from the tap, you will be both saving the environment and saving money!

Exercise Outside

There are countless benefits to staying healthy and fit but you don't need an expensive gym membership to do so. Exercising outside, especially when the weather is nice, is far more pleasant than spending time in a gym. Instead of going to the gym for your daily workout, walk or run outside and then buy some inexpensive weights to use at home. You’ll be able to buy those nice workout clothes this way!

Summer spending doesn't have to be just a dream. By earning a little bit of money on the side and saving money where you can, you'll be well on your way to financing a new wardrobe!

Shaye is a single mom that has a passion for family, budgeting, healthy living, fitness, and travel. She loves finding new ways to cook healthier and stay fit, all while doing it on a budget. She has a beautiful son and one eccentric dog, but wouldn’t have it any other way.. Follow her blog athttp://simplyshaye.wordpress.com!  

Caught in the Midi

I don't actually own a loose midi skirt and they all seem to be of the pencil variety due to working in an office environment. Yesterday's weather called for a floaty midi skirt so I pulled one of my Primark maxi skirts (£12) up to sit just above my bra and wore a Primark T-shirt over the top. I also stepped out in my jellies for the first time

I also can't seem to be parted from my New Look necklace as I love the chunky jewels and have a thing about triangles on necklaces. Has anyone else adapted items of clothing to fit a purpose or desired look?

In the Red

I can't believe this tomato red dress was only £18 from asos! Its so comfortable and flattering, I might have to see if I can get it in another colour! I wore it last night for a meal and drinks in Hoxton with 3 of my friends. I was sipping on my vanilla sky cocktail when Professor Green and Millie Mackintosh randomly walked in! Millie looked gorgeous and they just seemed like a normal couple

Sadly, these River Island heels were too difficult to walk in so I had to change into flatforms! I have no idea how I managed to walk around for hours in these around 4 years ago, back when I was used to wearing heels all the time. Nowadays I feel like I'm gonna fall over!