Frills 'n' Spills

I'm not sure why, but I look really unsure in these pictures. I love this bright lipstick, it was another Tesco bargain and can brighten up even the dullest Autumn morning. This may be an unpopular opinion but I can't wait for the colder days, hopefully then my radiator-like temperatures won't be quite so ridiculous. Summer is pretty hellish when you are as warm as I am (I even overheated in my leather jacket when I wore this outfit!)

I told you I loved these shoes! They are just deliciously chunky and add the perfect amount of 'stomp' to any outfit. It's no mean feat to toughen up such a saccharine dress! My legs look super tanned in these pictures, which I love. My pasty pale legs make even natural looking tights look super brown on me which is no bad thing!

It should come as no surprise that the Orla Kiely x Clarks range is a massive hit with bloggers, I mean who could resist the cute patent heels and dreamy leather boots? My love for Orla Kiely is well documented on this blog and although the shoes are still expensive, the shoes are much more affordable than the catwalk collection and I know I will get a lot of wear out of them. I ummed and aahed over which pair to get but practicality won out and this patent black Dorothy pair were soon winging their way towards me.  I had to size up half a size, as did Sarah so just something to bear in mind if you are investing in a pair. As soon as they arrived, I knew exactly what I wanted to wear with them- this H! by Henry Holland dress is one of my favourites and the polkadots are suitably fun. I didn't realise just how short it was though, I think I will be sticking to black tights with it in the future! We decided to take these photos by the river again as I wanted somewhere prettier than my usual spot and I think they really worked- thank goodness Mark is such a patient photographer!

This is the face of unmistakable glee- there's nothing better than when your outfit, hair and make-up conspire to work with you, rather than against you! I recently bought Max Factor's new Skin Luminizer foundation and I absolutely love it, it makes my face all bright and glowy, perfect for when I have had less sleep than normal!

And just look how pretty the soles are! I have worn the shoes a couple of times and the pattern is already starting to wear off so I can't imagine it will be long before it all goes :( I can attest to how comfy the heel height is too, I am awful at wearing heels all day but these are as comfy as flats so I couldn't be happier. Pretty and practical, what's not to like?!

Printed trousers can be tricky to pull off but luckily this black top can make even the loudest print more wearable. This is one of my favourite work outfits, it is fun but still pulled together. I am so glad that my office doesn't have a dress code because I dread to think how I would cope with having to wear a 'corporate uniform' of dark colours and no prints. I look pleased as punch in these photos, this was definitely a strutting kinda outfit! It took us so long to get some photos without rows of traffic in the back of them too, isn't the fading light causing me enough problems?! ;) #fashionbloggerwoes 

Originally I was going to wear this lime green jumper but the weather has been too warm to pull out my proper wintry knits so far :( This cardigan is perfect for this time of year, it is super thin and the colour is perfect for jazzing up any outfit. The fact it matches this gorgeous bright lipstick (Max Factor in Bewitching Coral FYI) is just a bonus! I recently bought the Glamour beauty box and the Laura Mercier foundation primer I got in it is beautiful- it makes my skin look and feel amazing! I just hope that I can eke out this tube for a while - it is pretty pricy...

These trousers were another Warehouse bargain (I  seriously love their stuff at the moment!) and they fit both my hips and waist - hurrah! Peg leg trousers seem to suit everyone and the print on these force the eye to skim over your lumps and bumps. What more could you ask for?! This Primark top was such a bargain buy and I love the slight peplum effect the double layer gives. Now to find a replacement before this one gives up the ghost...

Which outfits put a strut in your step?

It's been a while since our last visit but Mark and I paid another visit to Weston-Super-Mare this weekend with his parents to celebrate his mum's birthday. We used to go fairly regularly with Darby and Joan as it is the closest seaside to where we live but it has been 4 years (!) since our last day-trip there. Although the weather was grey and mizzly, it was nice just to get out of the house and breathe in some fresh air, things have been a bit manic recently! 

A drizzly view of the old town...

I love seeing all of the bird footprints on the sand before the tide washed them away- yes we even saw the sea (a very unusual occurrence at Weston!)

You can't go to the seaside without having fish and chips! These were from The Waterfront Fish Bar and are definitely the best chips in town :)

You know you're at the seaside when you see a mini train!

Mark seemed pretty keen to go on the rollercoaster and/or the wheel but I couldn't think of anything worse! I am not a fan of heights!

I loved the little signs dotted around the pier, I knew donkeys were cool but this is a whole new level!

I love this picture as it looks like I am riding on the donkey! They all looked quite sad, I wish I could afford to free them all... 

The most terrifying hot dog on the pier...

They also have a super cool sand sculpture festival on at the moment and Paddington Bear was standing guard outside!

My newest Brit Stitch satchel couldn't have been more fitting - there were certainly some stormy seas around yesterday! 

We also paid a quick visit to Burnham-on-Sea (about 20 minutes away from Weston) as my grandparents had recommended an ice-cream parlour to us as apparently it was somewhere that my great-grandma loved. Fortes have the best ice-cream around and it was the perfect ending to a lovely day. Apparently my grandad's cousin also married one of the Fortes family so I had to drop in! ;)

My knickerbocker glory was ace but utterly humongous, I ended up having to give half of it to Mark!

Where are your favourite day-trip spots?

I was so chuffed when I spotted this dress in the ASOS sale, shift dresses have been my go to for work recently and I love the check print on this one. Tartan always makes me think of Autumn and I can't wait to add chunky cardigans (wouldn't this red cardigan look ace?) and my winter boots to this.  Although it looks like it is made out of cotton, the material is actually a stretchy polyester that makes the dress super light and comfy. The arms are pretty oversized but I like the slightly boxy look they give the dress - it's not often I feel quite so cool in an outfit! I love how happy I felt in this outfit, I am a firm believer in wearing fun clothes and this outfit definitely is!

Although I love the oversized fit of this dress, I wasn't sure how to style it. Originally I was going to belt it but I opted for my fake pearls instead. I like the slightly eccentric 'lady of the manor' look they give this dress - I can't wait to be a grumpy old lady, I can't help but think that I will be great at it ;) This is the perfect glossy red colour and picks up the red in the pattern perfectly. The mornings may be getting darker but my lipsticks just seem to get brighter... 

I could have worn nude tights with this but leggings are just so darned comfy! I just need to find a nice high-waisted pair that fit my stumpy legs now... any ideas?

What's the most fun outfit in your wardrobe?

On 7th September, Mark and I headed down to Orchardleigh House in Frome to see our best friend get married. Cindy and I have been best friends for 12 years and it was so lovely to be a part of her and Dan's special day. She wanted her (abso-blooming-lutely beautiful) dress to be featured on the blog so here you go Cindy! ;)

The happy couple outside the church

Attack of the confetti

I loved Cindy's hair, isn't it pretty?

Driving back to the house as husband and wife! I love how orange the car was, it matched the bright colours in the bouquets and buttonholes...

The wedding was held at Orchardleigh House in Frome- isn't it beautiful? We had such lovely weather and the house looked stunning, this is the back of it so you can imagine how fancy the front looked! We had the entire place to ourselves so it was like a very stylish house party :)

Me and my best friend Sophie all dressed up. This was the other of my two wedding outfits  and is another Coast  bargain, I just love the print so much!

A rare photo featuring Mark AND me!

And an even rarer one of all of us together as a group! Here's Chris, Sophie, Oli, Oli, me, Mike, Mark and Pete looking snazzy! We have all been friends for years and it was so lovely to be able to dance, eat and sing our hearts out :)

'My dress has pockets!'

The table decorations were beautiful. I was lucky enough to be able to take a vase filled with flowers home as I did a reading as part of the service. You can also see a bottle of some very good red wine...

Pretty party favours!

The food was delicious and we had champagne and canapes on the terrace (snazzy) before heading in for a 3 course meal. I ate my smoked salmon before Mark could take a picture but this was our main, beef stroganoff with rice...

Yummy puddings- chocolate torte, strawberry tart and sticky toffee pudding...

I love this picture that Mark took during the speeches, that really is the look of love, Congratulations guys! It was such a lovely day, I still had aching legs from dancing and an aching tummy from laughing so much a few days latwr- definitely the sign of a good day! We also got the chance to visit the Cosy Club in Bath on the Monday too, there were a few hangovers around that table! ;) 

This may be one of the best outfits that I have ever featured on this blog, it features all of my favourite things (including stripes and a splash of red) and I just felt super swooshy in it! I love the combination of red and navy together, it always feels very chic. Please excuse my smug face in these pictures too, that is just the look of love you can see! I do look at bit like a French stereotype in these pictures, all I need is a moody looking Monsieur and a baguette and I will be set... ;) As a dress lover, I don't tend to wear separates very often but I've been trying to step outside of my comfort zone recently and it seems to be working. Any day that you spend bouncing along happily is certainly a good outfit day! 

I know I keep raving about my hair but I really love it at this length as it is so much easier to manage. The natural curl in my hair starts a little bit further down so I am left with waves instead which are much easier to style! I do need to think about getting some new glasses though, a lot of my pairs look much too heavy on my face now, any recommendations for where to get some snazzy frames? I have been swayed by MAC's charms recently but this Max Factor lipstick will always be my go to red, it is just so vibrant, especially when your skin is as pasty pale as mine! 

It has been a while since I have worn this striped Jaeger dress as it is a bit short after a washing machine mishap- I always seem to shrink clothes in the wash despite following the care instructions and it is massively annoying :( It makes the perfect top though, especially with that natty little bow at the back...

This skirt was the one that I picked up in the Warehouse sale (£5! I have been very lucky with their sale recently!) before going on holiday and it is one of the favourite things in my wardrobe. The super high waist is uber flattering and is the skirt falls at the perfect length for me. I can't wear anything too short or long so just above the knee is the ideal- thank you Warehouse! I love these shoes so much that I have them in both grey and navy. The wedge is super comfy and the bow is super fun too, plus they match perfectly with the top- how could I not love them?!

What's your favourite outfit you have blogged about?