Frills 'n' Spills

I have always found that clothes are the best indicator of my mood, whether that is bright and exuberant or more restrained. So much of our confidence is tied up with how we look and blogging has made me a much more confident person (just look how far I have come since one of my first outfit posts!) but recently I have been feeling all kinds of rubbish. I realise that most people won't want to know about my self esteem issues but I have always been honest about the lows on this blog as unfortunately life isn't always sunshine and flowers! Since starting my job last April, I have put on a lot of weight and much to my dismay, some clothes are now off limits as they are too small. As a result of this, I have been quite self conscious of my problem areas (hello hips and torso!) and so have been looking for ways to disguise them. I am working to lose my weight gain, replacing crisps and cake with  salads and more exercise *sob* but as anyone who has lost weight knows, it can be a slow process! Despite all of the above (!) I really love this outfit and am looking forward to recreating it when I want some cosy layers...

TL;DR- I put on weight which is bad because I can't fit into some of my clothes and my self esteem suffered as a result...

This nail varnish is part of the rather wonderful Nails Inc set that I picked up in TK Maxx recently (along with this Rouge Noir inspired shade) and is a gorgeous pinky burgundy colour. It is the little details that make all the difference and I always feel much more pulled together when I paint my nails. I have also been trying to appreciate the little things in life; there's nothing nicer than scented candles or fresh flowers! 

How do you stay upbeat? What makes you feel more confident?

Sometimes it feels like I have been blogging for years, days become weeks and sometimes inspiration is sadly lacking. As a blogger, there are hundreds of photos stored on a hard-drive, just waiting to be made into posts, some don't make the cut, due to a bad angle or less than flattering pose and others probably should  have been consigned to the recycling bin on your desktop. It is interesting how blogs offer a slice of your everyday life up for perusal and yet we insist on everything being 'just so' rather than showing what you actually wear or do on a daily basis. This outfit is one of those that I wore on an ordinary day at work and although it isn't particularly fashion forward, I really like it. It is funny how our wardrobe reflects how we see ourselves and actually sometimes, what you wear doesn't have to be 'an outfit', it can just be a nice dress... 

I guess what I am trying to say is that recently I have been more introverted and my clothes choices are reflecting that ;)

In a roughly chronological order, some of our highlights, from school prom through to getting our first flat together. I can't wait for all the new adventures with you ♥

P.S. Apologies for the pukey-ness of this post but it's a huge milestone for us and I wanted to celebrate that!

Occasionly I am struck with a sudden bolt of inspiration when it comes to getting dressed and this outfit was one of those times. You all know how much I love my little red bag and this hat matched the tan tones on it perfectly. I have also been wearing this belt a lot recently, the floral print helps to jazz up an otherwise plain outfit...

I love it when I can match my lipstick to what I'm wearing and this scarlet Max Factor lipstain is perfect. I desperately need a haircut though, does anyone know of any good hairdressers in Cheltenham?

In one of those rare sunny interludes partaking in my favourite past-time: watching the cows.  What more could you ask for?