Frills 'n' Spills

I have been a lot more confident with wearing darker lipsticks this year and I really love the pared back look with the really dramatic lips. Unfortunately my skin has now gone completely mental so it will be a while before I wear this little foundation/concealer!

You know I can't resist fun accessories and when Out There Interiors offered to send me something from their website, I couldn't resist. I have worked with them before and as I was so impressed last time I knew I was onto a good thing! I had a pretty hard time choosing what I wanted to review until I saw this wonderful mannequin. I have always wanted one but never had the space until now so when I saw it, I couldn't order it quickly enough! I was super excited when she arrived and Maisie (as I have christened her) is happily ensconced in the corner of my living room. 

She arrived in a big box in pieces which Mark and I put together on Friday night (who says I don't know how to party?!) Thank goodness my Grandad takes in my parcels for me as the 2 ft tall box this came in would never have fitted in our letterbox!

I will always have a special place in my heart for striped dresses and this beautiful Boutique by Jaeger dress is my current favourite. I bought it back in July in the sale and have been willing the weather to cool down since then so that I can wear it. You can tell from my beaming face here how much I love it and thanks to its sturdy jersey fabric that manages to smooth over any lumps and bumps without feeling too restrictive, I officially have found 'the one'...

The fit of this just demonstrates why it is worth spending that little bit extra on quality clothes; even after wearing this dress doesn't lose its shape! I paid £35 for this, about the same price as the average Topshop dress and this is way more flattering on me! 

The best part of this outfit though? The slight V-neck back is lovely (the back is the new erogenous zone dontcha know!) and it is all topped off with a lovely grosgrain ribbon! My ribbon unfortunately needs a few stitches to repair (I think I was a little too eager to unwrap it) but a safety pin is doing the trick until I dig out my sewing kit ;) On the ASOS website, they had the ribbon tied at the front but I much prefer it at the back. It may seem like a sensible dress but still has a little pizazz!

One of the best (and weirdest) things about being a blogger is working with your favourite brands on posts. I was so excited last week when Sarah, the lovely PR lady for Seasalt got in touch with me. Seasalt is one of my favourite brands and there is nothing better than working with a brand you really really love, especially when they send such a sweet card with the package! They very kindly offered to send me a coat from their new 'Rain' range which is both wind and rainproof; I accepted faster than you could say 'snug as a bug'. I have always hated having to choose between being warm and staying dry and with this beautiful coat I don't have to (hooray!). I wanted to talk about the rest of my outfit (like how much I love my new jeans) but let's face it, it was all about the coat! 

For some reason it looks ridiculously crinkled here but it looks less scruffy IRL. Despite my face here, I love the coat, especially the fishtail hem (no more mud splattered legs for me!)

How could you not love a cosy fur-lined hood?! Honestly, wearing this coat is like being wrapped in the world's most stylish sleeping bag, perfect for my early morning starts! 

Here you can see the lovely blue-y grey colour and the beautiful anchor buttons on this, the details really do make it and it really does feel luxe (which let's face it, it should for the money you are paying!) I have been wearing this nail varnish for the past week or so as the colour is amazing. I had been looking for a true orange for a while (everything I already have is too pink or coral coloured) and this Nars x Pierre Hardy nail varnish set is perfect - such a punchy colour! 

Waterproof, windproof and totally cosy, what more could you ask for in a coat?!

Have you found your winter coat yet?

Tweed is one of those fabrics that I really love. Whether it is the country girl in me or just because I can't resist these most Autumnal of fabrics, if I see something even vaguely tweedy, you can guarantee that it will end up coming home with me! This dress was an impulse buy from Tesco early one weekday morning but despite that, I really love it! I have worn it quite a few times when I need to feel more pulled together at work and it always gets complimented (which is always nice!) I have just realised that everything but the tights in this outfit is from Tesco, clearly I can't resist their clothing ;)

As it has still been pretty warm recently, I didn't need anything more than my cardigan to keep warm but I plan to layer this dress up with sheer shirts and blouses when the temperatures do drop, I have a green top that would go perfectly with the checked pattern. 

As you may have seen from my increasingly grumpy tweets this week, I have been off work due to being ill- always fun when you have lots of work to do (!) Unfortunately, despite being poorly, I have still had to leave the house (usually to top up on painkillers and Coke!) and unfortunately pyjamas are still out of the question in polite society, so what do you wear when you would rather be curled up on the sofa? This tomato red dress from Monki (yes I know, I am a Monki-aholic at the moment) is perfect for slobbing around the house in but is still suitable for leaving the house in. The shape of this felt really 90s to me and although I would never normally go for this style, it was definitely nice to try something different. I will be layering this dress up with one of my striped tops or slouchy jumpers this winter which places it more in my comfort zone, I have never been very good at casual wear but hopefully this dress will ease me into it!

Do you have any tips on how to deal with stress when you are poorly? (I think I need some!)

P.S. This post was done in collaboration with Spartoo

Welcome to October everyone! Just like every other person on the planet, I can't believe that we are so far through the year but I have to say, October is my favourite month (and not just because it is my birthday!) This outfit sums up Autumn for me; cosy checks, chunky cable knit tights and brogues, you really can't go wrong with comfort at this time of year! I have wanted this dress for a long time and I managed to pick it up when French Connection had it in the sale. It is a gorgeous soft, brushed cotton and although I bought it a size bigger than I needed to, I think the slouchy fit actually helps to give it that cozy weekend vibe which I love. I wore this for a day of running errands and it has to be one of the comfiest outfits that I own, short dresses are great for just throwing on but I never know where to find them, any ideas?