Frills 'n' Spills

They say imitation is the highest form of flattery right? Because when I saw the beautiful Nicole Ocran in these jazzy flared trousers, I couldn't help but copy her. If you're not already following her, you should be, she has an awesome eye for an outfit and is as lovely as she is stylish. Yes, I may have a slight crush! I was a little unsure of how to style these trousers but decided to embrace the 1970s vibes and incorporate these earthy tones to match. This top is actually a dress I have had since 2011 (!) and it matched perfectly. It's always fun to dig back into your own archive and I still have all but the coat and scarf from that outfit post. I'm not sure whether that's impressive or tragic but let's go with the former! It's not often this happens but this trouser/shoe combo has made me look relatively tall which is always a win in my book!

I can't resist a good lipstick and this is Nars Giusti satin lip pencil, it's a gorgeous rosy brown and  the perfect 'your lips but better shade' if you are pale like me. I really rate their lipsticks and this has been on repeat for when I just want to look slightly more polished. Over the last year I have also become obsessed with earrings. I have never had my ears pierced (and I probably never will!) so I have been enjoying clip on styles from people like the lovely Julia de Klerk or adapting non-clip on styles with some clip backs and superglue. That way, I still get a jazzy fix without having to resort to anything more permanent.

A slightly better look at the shoes. I usually would avoid slingbacks (I have weirdly narrow ankles!) but they are the perfect summer-y shoe and as they are leather, they should last for a long time. I love a block heel all year round so these are a nice way to 

Who is your style crush? How would you style these trousers?

It's weird. I never realised how immersed I was in the world of books and publishing until I moved jobs. It was very strange to go from being surrounded by stacks of books to only having them at home. I have always loved books but I didn't realised how much I missed them until recently. Unfortunately time constraints and a rising level of stress has meant that my reading has suffered massively over the last few years but I have been making a conscious effort to switch off the TV and my laptop in the evening and curl up with a good book instead. My new job also allows me a slightly longer lunch so I'm able to whiz through a chapter (or ten!) during the day too. The best thing though was when my friend Tash decided to start a book group last year, it is super fun when we get together and although I have missed the last couple of sessions, I still manged to read the books. I really enjoy it and it has forced me out of my comfort zone to find new books and authors to love. I'm always on the lookout for new books (don't tell Mark and my poor buckling bookshelf) so please do share your recommendations!

These are some of the books I have read recently and although I wasn't a massive fan of Never Let Me Go (It fell flat for me as I just couldn't connect with the characters) I have really enjoyed the rest, especially The Talented Mr Ripley. Nicky, you will be pleased that I really loved your latest pick for book group, no moths in this one! ;)

Whilst I tend to read fiction, I have a lot of non-fiction on my TBR pile too, including the lovely Farfetch Curates Design book which was sent to me c/o the publishers Assouline. Whilst it is much smaller than you would expect for a coffee table book, I really enjoyed reading it and it is a really pretty package. It's the second book in the 'Farfetch Curates...' series and I am going to have to order the food one too as it looks great! Whilst £16 isn't cheap, the book feels like a lot of care and attention has gone into it (bonus: it smells amazing too!) and it would make a lovely gift for anyone interested in design, especially as it doesn't take up tons of room when you have a tiny flat!

This post contains a bikini that was sent for review

Buying a bikini can be stressful, especially if you are not a standard size or a consistent size on top and bottom. I love my red ASOS bikini but it needs just a few tweaks to be perfect. Luckily Surania have come to the rescue with their custom bikini maker where you can choose the style and fabric you want and then choose your size to get a perfectly fitting bikini or swimsuit. I'll be honest, I had never heard of them before they got in contact but as soon as I saw their offering, I fell in love and have been raving about it to anyone and everyone ever since. When I ordered mine, I had a lot of fun going through the different fabrics and styles, finally opting for the balconette top and high waisted bottoms. The whole process is pretty easy and best of all is super fun, I could (and did) spend hours on here trying to decide what to go for!

I like the fact that there are lots of different shapes to choose from, I prefer quite a retro look but I imagine that there is something to suit pretty much everyone's taste. The best part though is that fact that you can enter your own measurements and have something that you know will fit you like a glove. For instance, I have an 8 inch difference between my waist and hips which usually means that clothes fit one but not the other but this arrived and it fits perfectly!  The regular sizing goes up to 90-93 cm but the custom sizing allows bust, waist, and hips from 70cm up to 200cm. Still not every size but a hell of a lot more inclusive than your average swimsuit shop!

The fact it has 'Maria's measurements' as an example swung it for me! ;)

I just love the little ruffle on the top- isn't it the cutest?!

Mark and I decided to head to our local lido to test it out properly and I spent a lovely morning swimming (badly), eating ice creams, sunning myself and enjoying The Knockoff, (my latest trashy read) in the sunshine. It was just what I needed to relax and I will definitely be back, I love that there is somewhere like this so close to home! We did get a couple of strange looks when Mark was snapping these photos but I wanted to try the bikini out properly and share some pictures of it actually being worn as I think it can be difficult to visualise what it looks like on otherwise...

Honestly, I felt like a million dollars in this, it fits me perfectly and that gave me all the extra confidence I needed to put a real spring in my step. The print is awesome and paired with the shape I felt like a 1950s pin up, never a bad thing in my opinion! 

Body confidence is a strange thing and although I hardly have an unusual shaped body, I hated it when I was growing up. It all came to a head for me when I saw a family of photo of me, on holiday when I must have been about 15 and I am hiding behind everyone else because I hated how I looked in a bikini. Fast forward ten years and although there are always things I would like to change (like the scars on my tummy from my cannulas) this body of mine is pretty darned awesome. It has been through a lot over the years and this photo of me just brought home how far I have come, no more hiding behind anyone else but revelling in how good I look and feel in a bikini and spending a day just enjoying myself. These photos aren't the best quality as it was so  bright but trust me when I say that I will always love them because I look and feel so alive and isn't that what summer is all about?! 

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!

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?

I was clearly looking to a slightly earlier decade for inspiration than I usually would here, I don't usually wear anything non-fitted or oversized but there's something about Monki that forces me out of my comfort zone, I love the cool yet accessible Scandinavian feel of their clothes, even if I'm not a tall willowy blonde! This is the cream Precious jumper dress which I really love, I am seriously tempted to get the blue version too... I really like the relaxed shape of it and paired with my string of faux pearls, it felt very 1920s inspired. I can imagine it looking really nice with some t-bars or Mary Jane shoes for a dressier look too which is always good. You can't go wrong with a good jumper dress in Autumn/Winter! 

When John Greed got in touch with me to ask whether I was interested in reviewing some Pandora charms, I was a little dubious - I have never liked the silver bracelets. But when this grey leather bracelet with this charm arrived, I fell in love and I have worn it every day since. I have even started a wishlist of the charms I want (*cough* this owl one *cough*) It is strange how the people who are most disapproving of something become the biggest converts ;)

Are you a fan of charm bracelets? Which charms would you recommend?

I know some people can be a bit snobby about supermarket clothing but some of my favourite pieces have been picked up alongside my weekly shop! F&F recently got in touch about their 'How You're Wearing It' feature and asked me to choose my favourite piece from their range and show how I would style it up. In the end, I chose this red pinafore dress (my love of red dresses is well documented on this blog!) and as is usual with pinafore style dresses, I paired it with a stripey top - this here is one fashion blogger who isn't afraid to mix it up ;)

I really love the fit of this dress, it hits at that perfect sweet spot just on the knee and the pleats are fab, plus you just can't beat a swooshy skirt....I know it will get a lot of wear layered up with long sleeved tops in the winter and I have a few jumpers that would be perfect for that preppy/schoolgirl vibe I love so much! I bought the dress in the next size up so I could layer it but to be honest I didn't need to, there is more than enough room...

Looking at these photos, I probably should have worn some lipstick with this but at the time it looked a bit much with the glasses, I guess photos can be deceiving!

Which things are you loving from F&F this Autumn?

P.S. This post was done in collaboration with Clothing at Tesco

I have been searching for a new pair of jeans for quite a while now, I found some way back in May but they not completely perfect (I would have preferred them to be more high waisted) and so when I saw these ASOS jeans in the sale (they are now a measly £12!) I thought they were worth a shot. The colour takes some getting used to, mint green is definitely less forgiving of lumps and bumps than dark blue but I really like it and hopefully it will force me out of my comfort zone a little! It's typical that I have bought these as the summer is coming to an end but I imagine I can prolong their life with some cosy knits (this one would be perfect!) 

Other than my wardrobe full of stripes, I never normally go for patterned tops but I love how garish OTT this satin patterned tee is. It almost feels like it should be jewel encrusted, that's how jazzy it is! Although I wore it to work here, I can definitely see myself dressing this up with heels and some black jeans for a nice meal...

It even has lace all along the hem, maximalist is definitely the way to go this Autumn! However much I would like to be a sleek Jil Sander's kinda gal, I definitely fall into the Dolce and Gabbana camp, give me crowns over cocoon coats any day!

Do you prefer a minimalist or a jazzy look?