Frills 'n' Spills

When you say Laura Ashley, leopard print is not the first thing to spring to mind but this slinky shirt dress is one of the more unusual pieces in my wardrobe. I have had it for a couple of years now and even managed to take photos back in April 2014 but never posted them as I didn't like how they came out. I always tend to style it in quite a simple way, when you have a dress that is patterned, textured and almost satin-y, it doesn't need any extra embellishment! It was so windy when we took these photos that I almost blew away and revealed more than a glimpse of thigh in the process... ooer!

Are you a Laura Ashley fan?

I have been feeling pretty ropy recently but it was Mark's birthday on April fool's day and rather than wallowing at home, we decided to go out to Gloucester Quays for a little bit of shopping and a lot of food at Portivo Lounge. We are massive fans of the chain and Impero Lounge is one of our favourite places to go when we visit our friends in Portishead so we had high hopes! The food was delicious and although the atmosphere was a little lacking, it was early on a Wednesday night so we can forgive them for that! I didn't want to get all dressed up but as we were celebrating Mark's birthday, I wanted to make some effort so went for my favourite skinny jeans and a jazzy top instead. It seemed fitting that I wore my birthday present from him on his birthday so I pulled this gorgeous camel coat out of the wardrobe and it was the perfect finishing touch to this outfit. Outlet shopping can be a bit hit and miss but I am a massive fan and I even managed to pick up a few bargains (including this gorgeous Gap dress) which I will be sharing soon :)

The sleeves are the best part about this top-  they are much more interesting than regular sleeves and are super cosy too- no cardigan is needed with these bad boys! The print on this top is really unusual too, it reminds me of ink stains and is much more interesting than your bog standard florals...

Are you a fan of outlet shopping?

Chilli con carne is a meal that I absolutely love but have never made from scratch before. I don't know why I was so hesitant up till now but once I saw this recipe in the Little Leon: One Pot recipe book (a very lovely birthday present) I decided that I would give it a go! This was the perfect thing to make on a Sunday afternoon and luckily it makes enough that you can have it for dinner on Monday too. We served it with rice but it is also delicious in pitta breads...

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...

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...

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?

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!

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?

I promised you an outfit post with my beautiful red lace Rosie dress and I finally have one to show you! I wore this dress on my actual birthday for a big family meal at a local pub and it really was the perfect choice. Usually when I buy something new, I can't wait to wear it and it gets worn within a day or so (if not less!) upon its arrival. This dress on the other hand has been hanging patiently in my wardrobe since July as I was saving it for a special occasion and what can be more special than your birthday?! When I was wearing this dress, I felt comfortable but also really special (red lace detailing will do that to a girl!) and I don't think it will be long before I wear this again, it will be perfect for my work Christmas do! I'm not entirely sure what is happening with my hair here but it was in a messy bun to show off the neckline but it has completely dropped out here...

As it was a lunchtime 'do', I kept my make up fairly simple: a slick of the most idiot proof liquid eyeliner and gorgeously creamy red lipstick (Max Factor Ruby Tuesday FYI) I promise I'm not sponsored by Max Factor, I just really love their products- they just really work for a make-up novice like me :)

I swear, this dress was designed with flattering me in mind! It hits just above the knee and flares out gently to flatter those of us with less than willowy legs! ;) I should have probably paired it with a more elegant shoe (perhaps these?) but comfort always prevails and out came my trusty Office heels. I don't know what I will do when these finally give up the ghost (they are already looking a bit sorry for themselves) as these really are the comfiest heels in the world!

What would your perfect dress look like?

Trust me when I say that my weekend outfits are usually a lot  more casual than this (an outfit like this is more normal!) but it was my dad's birthday last week so I thought it would be a good opportunity to get all dressed up. This coat is definitely the most glamourous one that I own and ridiculously warm to boot- is anyone else completely fed up of all the cold now?! 

It is always difficult to know how to style your hair when you go out. I like to look polished but I hate my hair to look too pristine so I took a leaf out of Claire's book and opted for a messy topknot, which just got better-looking as the day progressed and my hair unraveled.  I used the original belt from the dress as a hair-tie which you can see in these photos and I think they worked much better this way round!

Have you tried anything from Madam Rage? How do you make your legs look longer?

Another year older, but not much wiser! I will  be spending the next couple of days drinking far too much and dancing till my feet hurt with some of my favourite people so I will see you once I have recovered! ;)

Since buying the new Kate Moss lipstick, I having been loving richer berry shades and this Revlon Matte is that perfect shade of 'just finished a bottle a glass of red wine'.