Crunching through the leaves...

Stereotypical title I know! Recently Joules got in touch to see if I was interested in reviewing a piece from their new Autumn range and I jumped at the chance as they are a brand I really love. I chose this beautiful navy Portia wool peacoat and couldn't have been more excited to try it. It was delivered to my office and when I unwrapped it, all of my colleagues were cooing over it and stroking it. What more can you ask for in a coat?! I wore this outfit for my birthday and the coat was the perfect finishing touch for crunching through the leaves in the park. I look slightly like a flasher in this picture but there really is no good way to show off the lining of your coat! This is the perfect Autumn outfit in my eyes, there's nothing better than cosy coats and woolly knits for when the temperatures drop...

Coat: c/o Joules, jumper:Warehouse, skirt: Sainsbury's, shoes: George at ASDA
This coat is a different shape to the ones I would normally pick out but I actually love the more masculine look of it as it helps to toughen up my girlier outfits and adds a much needed dose of cool. The fact it is a gorgeous dark navy wool also helps, this is sure to be a classic in anyone's wardrobe!


Just look at the gorgeous gold buttons too! When I unwrapped the coat, each of these buttons was individually wrapped to prevent them from being scratched- now that's attention to detail...


Just look at that smug grin! I had said to Mark that I was looking for a navy jumper just the day before and I found this in the Warehouse sale for just £12. It is a lovely slim cotton knit and has really cool semi-sheer sleeves too which make it much more interesting. I know I will be getting a lot of wear out of it this Autumn/Winter!


I found this cute checked wool mini skirt in Sainsbury's a few weeks ago but had forgotten about it until Jen was asking about yellow wool suits on Twitter, whoops! I love wool mini skirts and this will look equally good with thick cable knit tights as it does with nude ones although I'm not ready to give up (nearly) bare legs just yet! This bag is one of my favourites and I always seem to pull it out at this time of year, the red is perfect for jazzing up duller colours... 


Are you a Joules fan?
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P.S. Joules sent me this coat to review but if I didn't love it, I wouldn't feature it!

25....


As you may have seen, I turn the grand old age of 25 on Monday and this entire weekend has been spent with some of my favourite people, eating drinking and being all round merry. I am taking a mini break to eat my way through this amazing owl shaped cake (my friend Lucinda is so talented!) and drink a few more cocktails. See you in a few days...!
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P.S. Aspire Style are also celebrating their birthday this week although they are a few years younger than me and have £10 off their 10 top sellers which I may be treating myself to with my birthday money!

What I wore to an Autumn wedding...

Last weekend, Mark and I hopped into the car to head up to Chester to see one of my closest friends get married. I first met Ian on my internship four years ago and we have been friends ever since. I had never been to Chester before, despite my Grandad being a huge fan (it is where he went to college) and although we didn't get to see much time in the city itself, we will definitely be making a return visit. We stayed at a Travelodge the night before so we had plenty of time to get ready and these photos were taken in the car park- just be glad we managed to keep the Little Chef out of shot! The wedding itself was lovely and the reception was at Highfield Hall, a beautiful manor house in North Wales. Weddings can be tricky things to dress for and I wanted something a little different to the dresses that I wore to my cousin's and my best friend's wedding so I dug out my trusty 'prom dress' instead. I felt really comfortable in this dress and I think that shows in the pictures. There's nothing better than an outfit that make you feel like you can take on the world and this is certainly mine!

Dress: Tesco, bag: ASOS, shoes:Clarks, fascinator: Umberto Giannini via Boots
I finally managed to get my haircut the evening before the wedding and the blow dry lasted overnight. This is my top tip for good hair at a wedding, I certainly couldn't make it look this good myself, especially as you know that there will be plenty of photos being taken throughout the day. Vain, moi?! As we are now definitely in Autumn, I paired some liquid eyeliner with this awesome orange lipstick (a mixture of the orange Max Factor lipstain and the Revlon Just Bitten lipstain in Rendezvous). I always cry at weddings so I tend not to wear any eyeliner or mascara on my lower lashes so I can blub away without ruining my make-up- there's nothing worse than smeary panda eyes! I picked up this jazzy barette in my local Boots store where it was reduced to 50p rather than £8 and it was perfect as it didn't overwhelm my short hair but was still fun.


I bought this clutch bag in a moment of minor panic last week but I couldn't have been more thrilled when it arrived. The colour is ace, it matches my shoes perfectly and best of all, it is absolutely massive! It also makes me feel pretty cool so it definitely gets bonus points for that! Orange is one of my favourite colours and it made this dress seem more Autumn appropriate...


I couldn't write this post without giving a shoutout to these wonderful shoes. They are so comfy and the colour makes them super fun to wear. I just wish Clarks did them in ever colour!


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Stripey Seasalt...

It should come as no surprise that I am obsessed with this Seasalt dress, it is super cosy, comfy and fun too, what more could you ask for in a dress?! I bought it back in their summer sale but it is a cotton knit so it was far too warm. I have been willing the weather to get cooler ever since then so I could wear it so I was jumping for joy when we finally hit Autumn. We have been so busy recently and have barely had any free time at the weekends so my outfits have been completely lazy more pared back recently and I have a new-found appreciation for cosy knits and leggings. It is my birthday in just over a week and I cannot wait, I have a full four days of fun planned but I have the feeling that I will be needing something cosy to curl up in next week!

Dress: Seasalt, leggings: Tesco, shoes: Clarks
These photos were taken just before I had my haircut and I couldn't believe how long it had got. My hairdresser is convinced that I am completely abnormal as she has never known anyone to have hair like it! I have been loving fresh, barely-there make-up recently and Benefit's Thrrrob blush and Max Factor's Xperience Sheer Gloss Balm in Pink Opal are my go to products for that fresh-faced glow.


I love the neon accents on this dress, they are so fun and make it much more unusual. I just wish these shoes were in stock in my size, wouldn't they be the perfect match?


What are your fresh-faced essentials?
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Copper and burgundy...

I know it's a total blogger cliché but I love this time of year. The horrible heat of summer is gone (can you tell I'm not a fan?!) and I love that I can wear cute jumpers and Autumnal tones again. I spotted this jumper when I was doing my shopping in Sainsbury's a couple weeks ago and promptly placed into into my basket; there was no way I was leaving without this baby! Unfortunately I am having to take my photos early in the morning before I leave so the light is a bit weird in them all :( any tips for evening the light out? It's such a shame as I loved this outfit, especially the dark lipstick. It is another supermarket bargain- who knew Tesco had so many gorgeous lip shades?

Jumper: Sainsbury's, skirt: Miss Selfridge, shoes: George at ASDA
Aren't these little guys just the cutest?! I love their little faces and the burgundy makes the whole look much sleeker. Not bad considering I am basically wearing a cartoon jumper! I got lots of compliments on this outfit and no-one could believe that it was from Sainsbury's. I am a massive fan of supermarket clothing and all of them have come on leaps and bounds in recent years. It's not often that I can leave them empty-handed, put it that way! ;)


If you are a long-time reader, you may remember this coppery midi skirt which I bought back in 2011 (!) as it has popped up a few times on the blog over the years. I just can't believe how different I look here and here, it's amazing what a difference a few years can make to your style!


Any tips for taking blog photos in the winter?
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Cajun barbeque pulled beef brisket recipe...


Pulled meat has been having a bit of a moment recently but it has taken till now for me to jump onto the bandwagon. I have been trying to use our slow cooker more recently and when I saw this beef brisket joint reduced in Tesco, I was super keen to try Sarah's slow cooker pulled pork recipe and it was absolutely delicious! Apologies to any vegetarians, this is a meat filled post!

Pretty in pink...

It's inevitable when you have been blogging for as long as I have, that certain pieces pop up time and time again and I have loved this bright pink blazer and zebra printed scarf combination ever since I first picked it up in 2012. Bright colours are definitely my favourite thing to wear and despite pink being a bit of a divisive colour, I can't resist it! I decided to wear my new favourite jeans and the faded grey was the perfect colour to tone down the Barbie connotations, good job past Maria! These photos were taken a few weeks ago when we still had light in the mornings and I am already missing the early sunrises. Autumn is my favourite time of year (I don't even mind when it rains!) but I definitely don't enjoy the dark mornings... Won't someone think of the fashion bloggers?! ;) Mark reminded me that I had missed my 5 year blogging anniversary last week and although I am (clearly) rubbish at remembering dates, I just wanted to thank everyone who reads this little blog- you're all awesome! 

Jacket: H&M, top: Matalan, scarf: New Look, jeans:  Warehouse, shoes: Clarks, smug face: model's own
I'm not sure why I look quite so smug in these pictures but never mind! I have the tendency to look a little grey without sunlight so bright blusher (I am currently loving Natural Collection in 'Sweet Cheeks') and even brighter lipstick to cheer up my pallid looking skin. I love Revlon's Just Bitten Cherish stick and Mac's Impassioned but am keen to expand my bright pink lipstick collection- any suggestions are welcome! I have to pay special tribute to this scarf too, it is just such an unusual print and is perfect for snuggling into at work, especially if you rather be at home in bed!


Without the scarf though, I swear this looks like a completely different outfit! This Matalan top has been on constant rotation recently and despite turning pink in the great washing disaster of 2014 ™ , Mark's mum fixed it for me and it is now hanging back in my wardrobe. I almost cried with relief when she showed me the clothes that she had fixed, the woman is a genius!


What would you like to see on Frills 'n' Spills? Any recommendations for pink lipstick?
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Broderie and blue...

It's been a while since I have worn this Whistles broderie anglaise dress on the blog but I actually wear it fairly often 'offline'. It's funny which outfits actually make it into photos and online. I guess if you are having fun, taking a picture of yourself is the last thing on your mind! This dress is easy to jazz up (just add heels and a snazzy blazer) but I actually prefer the dressed down look - I can't be dealing with dresses where I have to wear heels all the time! I actually think this outfit would be perfect for a summer wedding, if it wasn't white... maybe a summer party instead?! I have been utterly in love with Whistles recently, keep an eye out for some more of my sale bargains appearing soon (including a very special birthday dress...)

Dress: Whistles, shoes: Betty London c/o Spartoo, watch: c/o Joshua James Jewellery
I have been loving peachy make-up recently (nothing new there!) and the Laura Mercier Foundation Primer I got in my Glamour Beauty Box is my new favourite. It makes my skin feel velvety smooth and my make-up stays looking flawless - it's true love! ♥ I have also managed to master a hair routine that takes no time at all too, which is ace. Anything that gives me more sleep is a winner in my book! I recently renewed my Glamour subscription and my free gift was this Alterna Caviar CC Cream. I must admit that I was dubious when it arrived but I have been using a 20p sized blob on my hair before I towel dry it and have been pleasantly surprised by the results: frizz free waves with minimal effort. Hopefully I won't have to repurchase either of these products any time soon though, they are not cheap! 


I usually wear this dress with some fun coloured shoes (my pink flats and yellow sandals look particularly ace) so these blue flats were ideal. I just need to get some similar pairs in every other colour under the rainbow, they are just so darned comfy!



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