Frills 'n' Spills

I love the length and monochrome stripes will always look good, I can't wait to layer it up this autumn. I was very grateful of the little sleeves on this too, perfect for covering my slightly sunburnt shoulders (courtesy of the aforementioned BBQ) and much more professional too...

 A slightly better and less strobey look at the stripes, they made me feel very French, I felt like I should be carrying a string of onions around with me! Also wearing my current favourite combination of accessories...

A slight outtake but a better look at my make up and hair, I'm still loving this red lipstain, especially now the weather has gone gloomy again! 

Have you ever tried a clothes swap? What are your favourite accessories?

 Accessorized with red lips and natural make up...

...and my favourite vintage belt, I love the width of it, so many belts are either too fat or too skinny and the gold buckle appeals to my inner magpie...

Finished off with nude fishnets and patent red shoes- I love nude fishnets for adding a bit of texture and when I saw that Accessorize was selling them, it's safe to say that I stockpiled a few (!) pairs! They are perfect for making a comfy outfit a bit more interesting and I would definitely recommend these as comparable to these Jonathan Aston ones! 

Which clothes can you just not part with? How do you jazz up a 'comfy' outfit? 

 I did take some photos without my sunglasses on but the light was so bright that I was squinting horribly in each one. For a change though, I was glad it was sunny, two of my best friends came to stay and we spent the weekend just chilling out and catching up...perfection!

I wasn't intending to wear much make-up (if any) with this outfit but I was paranoid about my nails not matching with anything else so I  whipped out my trusty lipstain to tie everything together. With the addition of some flicked liquid eyeliner, I was retro-ified and good to go! 

Hilarious pin-up style pose.... with a Ford KA, oh what glamourous lives bloggers lead! ;)

What has been inspiring you recently? Do you panic buy clothes?

Since I bought this blazer, I have worn it numerous times, it adds the perfect amount of colour, texture and pattern to an outfit and makes me feel like some sort of 80s powerhouse with those shoulders! 

I would like to meet whoever said that wearing white and/or makes you look more tanned because as these pictures show, IT'S JUST NOT TRUE! I think the white has merely highlighted just how ghostly I really am! I love wearing white but I think colour is needed to ensure that you don't look completely washed out so the neon band was perfect. Saying that, the only time I have worn neon was for a neon party at uni, I love bright colours but all out neon, not so much...

As ever, I went to new lengths with being matchy matchy, I was tempted by my pink blazer to wear with it but I felt a bit 'Legally Blonde' so I went for a slightly more understated option instead...

Which clothes do you wear for work and play? Would you wear white or neon?

One of my colleagues remarked that they thought I looked "a bit Miss Moneypenny" in this dress and I can see what she means. The wiggle shape definitely reminds of something that someone from Mad Men would have worn to their office in the 1960s...

I have had this blouse from Zara for a few years now but it has only been worn a handful of times due to the shape. It is almost tunic length, but the panel above the hem is gathered in such a way that the fit is downright bizarre and rather unflattering, when I attempt to wear it with slim trousers, so I tend to layer it with skirts and dresses instead. I probably shouldn't have bought it as it is not particularly flattering and yet the colour and print made me throw caution to the wind.

Wearing 'Percolated Pink' by Max Factor and a much loved ring which I found in the bottom of my handbag.

Would you wear 'unflattering' clothes just because you liked them? Can you make sheer blouses office appropriate?

 Coral is definitely one of those colours that completely lifts your mood, I wear it all year round but it looks best with a bit of sunshine and this Max Factor lipstain is the perfect shade of coral, perfect for disguising a complete lack of sleep too!

Another chunky necklace to add to my collection, the colours are really bright in real life and the rope style chain adds a more interesting detail...

 

I completely blame Claire and Kate for these glorious shoes, I admired them both in their Docs and they persuaded me to try these out and boy am I glad I did! I was nervous when they arrived as I had heard all kinds of horror stories about how difficult they are to break in but actually, so far, I have had no trouble *fingers crossed* 

I bought them as I was looking for some ankle boots to wear in this less than lovely weather but everything I was looking at seemed so wintry and I'm not ready for that just yet! I love the floral print on these and the rubber sole makes them perfect for splashing through puddles [yes I am actually 5 years old!]

As you can tell from my milky white arms, we haven't had much sunshine here although I seem to have developed a million new freckles! This top is a size 12 although it is so loose that it would fit a size 16 so I only ever wear it when I have something to tuck it into as otherwise I would look completely shapeless...

My trusty cardigan which I wear 95% of the summer as it is the only light coloured cardigan I own. I want some more neutral coloured cardigans but I haven't seen any I like, in the shops, any recommendations?

My 'tin foil' ring. This is a chunky textured ring which I love wearing as it is such a statement piece. The only problem, is that  it weighs a ton so I tend to get cross with it and take it off after a few hours....

Where do you buy your cardigans? Does chunky jewellery annoy you?

 This top seems to work equally well with slim fit or wide legged trousers and I'm not sure which I prefer...

I do think that they make my legs look longer (GOMI had a fab post about fashion bloggers and their long trousers recently but I can't seem to find it?!) but I did get annoyed with the hems dragging on the floor all day!

Luckily these Office shoes have a chunky enough heel that they were comfy enough to wear all day at work and they made me just tall enough to wear the trousers...

Would you wear wide-legged trousers? Which outfit do you prefer the top with?

 I have been looking for a replacement for my white H&M summer dress for a while now and after some gentle persuasion yesterday, I bought this one. I love the colour and the shape of it, despite it reminding me of my favourite nightie, and I think the looser shape will make it perfect for holiday...

The lace detail on this is absolutely stunning, and I love the fact it continues down the sleeve too, I have been really drawn to things with sleeves recently so this was a big draw for me...

Plus, it has buttons down the back! This is definitely one of those dresses that I will end up wearing back to front as the detailing is just so pretty, I have been doing this a lot recently with some lower cut tops and dresses, just having the slightly higher neckline makes them infinitely more wearable and the detail on this makes it an equally attractive candidate!

Another day, another Max Factor lipstain, this one in a bright punchy coral (number 07) to add some colour to an otherwise pale outfit...

I am dreading the photos from last night appearing (no-one needs to have my Dad dancing revealed in all its glory!) but I had such an amazing time and I can't wait to see Eloise, Claire, Sarah, Gemma, Gem, Emma, Rebecca, Char, Alex, Sian and Annabel again very soon. 

Where have you found unexpected treasures recently? Who have you been partying with recently?

 

The cat eye sunglasses and red lips added to the retro feel of this outfit and I did feel pretty glamorous wandering around town. This is such an easy outfit and it's my go to for those days where I don't know what to wear...

I have been trying to do more with my hair recently and I keep twisting up into a bun for work as there is nothing more annoying than your hair on your face when you're trying to work is there?! 

Do you like wearing retro inspired looks? What decade do you look to for inspiration?