Frills 'n' Spills

I really love the cool scribble print of this top and the gold detailing (does it count as a necklace?!) means it doesn't need any extra accessories which can only be a good thing! As usual, I am wearing my favourite red lipstick, I know it's not exactly ground-breaking but I just really, really love it! 

How do you get out of a clothing rut? What's the longest you've gone without repeating an outfit?

Dorothy Perkins is one of those brands that I always forget about (probably because I can't get it on ASOS!) but I had a mini spree in there to stock up on some new workwear and there is some gorgeous stuff in there. Until you are settled into a job, playing it safe is definitely the right idea and for most offices, monochrome is definitely that! The print on this skirt makes it feel more me though and it should be pretty versatile too. I can definitely see it being paired with this teal blouse or a cosy burgundy jumper and ankle boots come Autumn (yes, I sad the A word!) too.... Overall I really liked this outfit although I did think it needed a bit more jazz to it- perhaps a bright jacket or pair of shoes? I am notorious for over accessorizing though so maybe it's good that I didn't have any to hand! ;) I tried on a lot of tops before I settled on this old faithful from H&M  picked mainly because it is so plain. Anything with pockets that I tried looked too fussy and my plain t-shorts were too casual... Put it this way, as I stood in front of my wardrobe, I knew what Goldilocks must have felt like! 

This Bourjois lipstick was a welcome addition of colour to the monochromatic ensemble and it was nice to not wear a red lipstick for once! I am awful for getting stuck in a rut with what I wear and although it won't be long before I am back wearing red, hot pink is a fun, more summery alternative... My hair is looking a little unkempt in these pictures but I am managing to squeeze in an appointment this weekend and am hoping to go back to around this length. I do like having it longer as it gets colder (on me it looks better with hats and no one likes a cold neck!) but hopefully I have a few months before I need to start thinking about layering!

I was umming and aahing on this skirt for a while before I bought it as I can be pretty self-conscious about my tummy and wrap and pencil skirts just seem to draw attention to my diabetes 'salami sausage' but I really liked the shape of it and I was determined to make it work for me. I added my beloved lace trimmed cycle shorts under this and thank goodness I did as this skirt is pretty darned revealing! Don't let its modest length fool you, every time I sat down or even walked more than a few steps, I flashed a little more flesh than I would have liked. I think I'm going to have to either sew down the seam slightly or get a natty kilt pin to hold it together!

How would you style this skirt?

You have glimpsed this dress before, here but I loved this outfit so much that I thought it deserved its own post! My new dress code is a bit smarter than the one at my previous job (I can only wear jeans on Fridays for example) so although I despaired at first, it did give me a good excuse to go shopping and I can't complain about that too much! ;) I'm a great believer in the fact that classic doesn't have to mean boring and this cute monochrome dress is living proof of that. Although I never normally choose to wear black and white, I think the print looks bold, rather than plain, especially with the red lipstick. It has been quite fun picking out 'proper' workwear again and I'm looking forward to sharing some of the outfits I have worn to work here on the blog.

I never thought that there would come a time when you would find me happily prancing around in a smock dress but apparently that day has come! I found this beauty in the French Connection sale a while ago and I loved it. Realistically it's the opposite of everything that would be flattering on me but that tinge of rebellion makes the smock shape and panniers even more appealing!  The first time I wore this dress, I was craving some sunshine but the novelty has well and truly worn off now and I am craving some cooler weather (don't hate me sun lovers!) Inevitably when I am faced with a looser shape, I try and belt it but I resisted and I actually love this look. Slightly out of my comfort zone but very bohemian feeling. I really like how my hair looked here too, every day when I wake up, I thank my lucky stars that I chopped my hair off!

It is so annoying when you notice something in a photo that you can't go back and fix it; my wonky sleeve is now immortalised on the internet forever! You can see the gorgeous embroidery and mesh panels (less scary than it sounds!) here too. It's this kind of detail that elevates it beyond a lot of my cheaper clothes. French Connection always have the prettiest dresses!

These tan Dorothy Perkins sandals are possibly the comfiest heels of all time, I have had them since uni and they always get pulled out when I am looking for a little boost in my step. The heels are low enough for day time but high enough to balance out all of the volume in my skirt from those panniers - milkmaid chic here I come!

What unlikely looks have you rocked recently?

I had forgotten about this necklace until I unearthed it whilst looking for another necklace I had lost. I got it as a birthday present years ago and hadn't really worn it in the meantime but when I saw how perfectly the colours matched, I was chuffed. There's nothing quite like finding old favourites to cheer you up! Now that the weather is nicer I probably should have gone for a brighter pink lipstick rather than this berry shade but I'm having difficulty giving up my dark berry lipsticks just yet!

A trumpet style has to be the most fun you can have with a hemline, they are just so darned sassy! I really love the print of this dress, it looks like a thick woolly bouclé/tweed but is actually a kind of stretchy polyester which is much easier to wear, even in summer!

It's been a while since I last wore a jumpsuit (nearly 3 years in fact!) but I have no idea know why as I really love them! I had a bit of a faff with this jumpsuit when I first bought it as the large (my usual size) just looked too oversized so I sized down and the medium is perfect. I know jumpsuits aren't for everyone but this one is just slouchy enough to be comfortable and I feel really darned cool in it. It's from my beloved Monki but you can get it even cheaper over at ASOS and I really recommend you do, this is one of the best outfits that I have worn recently! The Edinburgh cobbles certainly help with the cool factor too...

I ended up looking a bit 80s business woman in this outfit thanks to this blazer but that's never a bad thing in my book and I definitely felt super sassy strutting along the Royal Mile! I can't be the only one who's obsessed with Absolute 80s can I?  I swear it's the only thing that is keeping me upbeat at the moment with all the stress of packing!

I kept my make-up fairly simple as the jumpsuit was statement enough- just some liquid eyeliner (I am definitely improving!) and Allure, my favourite peachy lipstick from the Poppy King x No.7 range. This dainty deco-inspired necklace was the perfect finishing touch and subtle enough not to compete with that awesome graphic squiggly print! I was stupid enough to forget to pack my hot brush when I went away so my hair went au naturel. Luckily I was still able to wrangle it into something resembling a style so I am planning to cut back on using heat on my hair, I didn't for years but this shorter cut does require a bit more maintenance!

The legs on this jumpsuit are slightly cropped so are perfect for showing off your shoes. Thanks to packing restrictions I didn't have many shoes with me but I am planning to try it out with my teal and orange shoes soon which should be awesome!

I never thought I would see the day when you would find me choosing to wear a pair of boyfriend fit jeans. I have been a massive fan of skinny jeans for a while now but anything less fitted is foreign territory. My hips and legs are less than slender so I was always worried that adding extra material wouldn't be flattering and although I have certainly looked better, I actually like this more relaxed look. I have never been very good at casual wear but maybe there's hope for me yet!

There's something quite natty about having a flash of your ankles on show, it feels way more spring like but still keeps you warm. These shoes have barely left my feet since I bought them but when they look this darned good with everything, why bother?! I have been trying different tops with these jeans but this is my favourite look so far, fitted tops are definitely the way to go!

I will admit, when we agreed that the theme for this month's Brit Pack would be pastels, I did panic. Thanks to my ghostly complexion I don't wear them that often (only a handful of times over the past 4 and a half years!) I was struggling to think of an outfit that fitted the pastel criteria when I remembered this 'Easter egg' dress which I have had for years. I love the pale yellow colour and it is perfect for the beginning of Spring, especially now the sun is out on a regular basis!

How do you wear pastels?

 (l-r)Maria of Frills n Spills, Kim of What Peggy Said,Christina of Kimi and Me, Donna of Polka-dot Pink, Erica of Being Erica

(l-r)Rachel Of Rachel The Hat, Sophie of The Story of a Girl Who Lives Above Her Means, Sarah of A Million Dresses and Gemma of Fat Frocks

I can safely say patterned velvet leggings were three words I never thought I would type on this blog but this year, in the spirit of challenging myself and with the unmistakable allure of Monki, I was swayed. I loved how cosy these looked when I saw them on the website and I succumbed to temptation and ordered them. They are even nicer in the flesh, the colours look like watercolour paints and the velvet is super soft and cosy, perfect for all this horrible weather! I decided to keep the rest of the outfit pretty simple and let the leggings do the talking, this oversized blazer is so cosy and (hopefully) smartens this up a bit too...

H&M have the best basic pieces, I am always wary of flashing a little too much flesh with leggings so a long line t-shirt is a must! Remember, leggings are NOT trousers! ;)

What items of clothing did you never think you'd wear?

Another day, another outfit featuring my cream dress and camel coat! This dress is my go to outfit whenever I'm not sure what to wear as it is such a versatile colour and I really love the shape of the dress. I'm so glad that the weather is starting to improve too, I am desperately in need of some sunshine and my pretty summer dresses are just dying to be worn. It may not be summertime yet but with (nearly) bare legs, a girl can dream, right?! 

Apologies for my over excited moon face here, the sunshine was obviously far too exciting! This floral belt doesn't get worn as often as I'd like but it was perfect for adding a bit of a pattern to an otherwise plain outfit. I have been painting my nails a lot more recently and this Nails Inc 'Tate' nail polish is my favourite red colour. I love the fact it isn't too bright too, I think the darker red looks really dramatic against my skin and I love it for adding a bit of an edge (this is as edgy as it gets chez Fallon!)

Saying that though, I have finally embraced the ankle sock/dress/ankle boots combination after many a failed attempt to pull it off. This was mainly for practicality's sake (there is nothing worse than shredding your feet when trying to break in your new shoes) but actually I liked how it turned out. I did feel like an oversized five year old for a while but I like to think I actually looked pretty darn cool in the end. I have been lusting over these beautiful boots for ages and I couldn't be happier. As with all Betty London shoes, they are ridiculously comfy and so well priced too, I think I may have a slight problem....

I think bloggers like to think that they are above such trivial things such as trends but for all my snobbery, I fell head over heels for peplums. This particular peplum top is from Matalan and although I have been desperate to wear it, I have found it difficult to style without looking as wide as I am tall but I figured black slim cut trousers will always work with a more oversized silhouette!