Frills 'n' Spills

Whenever I wear this dress, I tend to steer clear of anything too pretty and go for something a little less precious. Looking at these pictures, this outfit was clearly inspired by the 'Gucci geek', especially with the addition of this camel coat! I love the oversized, slightly androgynous shape and the longer length makes it perfect for my chilly walks to work. When I posted my Instagram picture of this outfit, people were concerned that I was out with bare arms but trust me, this was just out of shot haha!

I have been wearing this Nars lipstick a lot recently and it is such a fun colour. I was tempted to go for a more muted berry tone but the splash of pink (hopefully!) helped to stop this from looking too fusty. You can get a slightly better look at my glasses here too: I opted for a slightly less statement pair this time round and I really love the tortoiseshell frames, Marc Jacobs has done it again!  

These velvety soft tights have barely left my legs recently, they are so soft and keep me nice and toasty. They are well worth investing in if you want a luxury feel without spending a fortune. These Orla Kiely shoes are one of my favourite pairs and the chunky heel made me feel unstoppable- just what you need when your to-do list won't stop growing!

Do catwalk shows inspire your outfits?

A few years ago you would never have seen me in a pair of jeans but I have slowly been incorporating them back into my wardrobe and after a lot of searching, I have finally found the perfect pair of high waisted jeans. I used to love the Topshop Kristen jeans but they discontinued them so I had to find an alternative. The ASOS Ridley jeans are a bit of a blogger favourite and I love the fact that you can get different waist and leg lengths, my stumpy legs are often too short for regular jeans so anything that fits them perfectly is a winner in my book!

I don't often go into the Cath Kidston store in Cheltenham but I popped in when I was waiting for Mark and found this gorgeous newsprint top which I just couldn't leave behind. It is made of a really thin cotton and flares out at the hem, I'm loving it now but I think it will really come into its own in the summer! I picked up my new glasses a few weeks ago and it is love. I splashed out on a pair from the Orla Kiely range and although they are expensive, they are worth every penny.  I figure I have to wear them every day so it is worth spending the money, right?

I told you, these jeans fit like a glove, I'm seriously considering getting them in a few other colours too.  I know some people aren't fans of high waisted jeans but I love them, they help keep everything all smoothed down and tucked in- I need all the help I can get to keep my stomach in check ;)

I have been a fan of these shoes for years. They belonged to my mum and I would pinch them whenever I could but they were finally passed onto me a few weeks ago and I couldn't be happier! My mum has the best taste, I just wish we were the same size in clothes so I could pinch those too (although she is probably glad that I'm not!)

Where do you buy jeans from?

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?!

I am a massive Orla Kiely fan and I fell in love with her A/W 2013 collection as soon as I saw the pictures from the show.  The weather has been freezing recently and even I, Maria "human radiator" Fallon, have needed to bundle up against the cold. This outfit was my attempt at being an Orla Kiely girl and I quite like how it turned out in the end. It's definitely not fancy but it felt slightly more pulled together than pyjamas!

I stole this jumper off Mark as the colour matched perfectly with the pattern on my skirt - dontcha just love it when that happens?! ;) I did feel slightly like a schoolgirl when I wore this but I think combining a jumper and checked mini-skirt will have that effect! Someone at work said that I looked like I belonged in the Mad Men office which made me feel a lot happier, I love the clothes in that show!

I don't tend to layer collared shirts or blouses very often but I love the results when I do, maybe I need to be more of a blogger cliché?! I am currently waiting for a hairdressers appointment and my hair is getting a little bit wild at the moment. Brushing it out into soft waves seems to be the only way to keep it under control!

This week, Autumn has well and truly edged into winter and I have been feeling pretty grumpy about being back at work after having a (much needed) week off so I have been cheering myself up with a few treats...

The best part about getting home for me is getting changed into my 'slob suit', a term Danni and I coined whilst at uni for those oh so comfy clothes that you love but could never leave the house in. This set from Uniqlo is absolutely perfect for slouching around in, it is lovely and warm and I am seriously tempted  to get it in more colours...

With the judicious application of all of the above, I think I will (just about) get through the next few months!

What are your winter essentials? 

This top is the last of my pieces from the Uniqlo x Orla Kiely collection (I promise I will stop banging on about it soon!) I initially ordered this one but that was in the parcel that went walkabouts and they only had XS left when I went to reorder it :( Apologies for the annoying strand of hair in this first photograph, I didn't realise that it had fallen out of my plait until I looked at the photographs! I loved the printed top and the camel coat but I did feel like I was dressed like a mum from the 1970s... 

After all of my gushing about this collaboration, it's hardly surprising that I bought a few pieces, although I love my dress and my top (post still to come!) I think this scarf may be my favourite. I love the mix of colours and of course, the classic Orla Kiely print- definitely a wardrobe classic. As with all my new purchases, I wanted to wear it STRAIGHT AWAY and so it was duly worn the next day to work with my favourite rusty orange top...

How would you define your style? Any tips to stop it tipping into fancy dress territory? 

I have never bought any collaboration pieces before now  as there has never been one which I felt justified the cost of the items in question but when I saw the Uniqlo x Orla Kiely collaboration, I fell head over heels. I loved the colourful prints and the fact that it wasn't massively over-priced (take note H&M!) 

Apologies for the awkward face in these photos, I have had the most horrific cold/flu the past week or so and this was the red raw nose stage- not pretty. It was a bit of a faff getting hold of my lovely clothes as the courier seemed to mislay the parcel but luckily I was able to re-order all but one thing. I think I actually prefer this dress in the green/grey than the original red I had picked...

I love the fact that this dress has cute cropped sleeves, I prefer 3/4 length sleeves merely because I can still show off my snazzy watch ;)