Frills 'n' Spills

Teal is a colour I really love and it is moving from my soft furnishings into my wardrobe . This blazer was from Matilda (I love having a friend who is a similar size to me!) and it has quickly become a firm favourite in my wardrobe. Imagine my excitement then when I realised it matched my teal suede shoes, you really can't beat a bit of matchy-matchiness! Jeans and a stripy tee probably wasn't the most exciting way to wear this blazer (I am imagining it will look awesome with my Hawaiian print dress) but it was the perfect way to jazz up a Wednesday! I'm not quite sure what is happening with my face in this picture but I promise I was a lot more enthusiastic about this outfit than I look here...

I love the three-quarter length sleeves and the material was really comfy. Usually I end up taking off my jacket as soon as I get into the office but this lasted until after lunch- a new personal best for me! 

Even though I loved this jazzy work dress, this here is a more typical work outfit for me. However much I love the look of heels, I just can't wear them on a day-to-day basis (although I admire anyone who can!) I never thought I would buy a drop-waist dress but I have been trying to break out of my sartorial comfort zone recently and this jazzy little dress from Monki (where else?!) was the perfect introduction to a less fitted style. I really love the mini hand prints that make up the pattern and it is one of the comfiest dresses I own. I imagine you will be seeing a lot more of this one!

Have you got any drop-waist dresses?

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!

When the lovely ladies at Zaggora offered to send me some of their iconic Hotpants (no, not like these!) I was super excited. I have wanted a pair since Sarah posted about them on Where Are My Knees back in 2011 but until now I have never been exercising regularly so it wasn't worth spending the money. I was pretty dubious about their claims and as someone who is always warm (I am known to friends and family as a human radiator!) I wasn't sure whether their "signature Celu-Lite heating fabric technology" was for me. Don't read on if you are about to eat or drink or are particularly squeamish as (TMI) these bad boys are seriously sweat inducing. The first time I wore these, I had to literally peel them off me afterwards. Weirdly when I was wearing them I didn't feel sweaty at all but afterwards was a whole different story! After wearing them a few times, I can confirm that despite the weird noise they make when I move (wetsuit-like material sure makes a funny old sound!) they are really comfortable and high enough in the waist for me not to feel self-conscious about my stomach - definitely my problem area!

P.S. This post was done in collaboration with Zaggora.

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?

I don't exactly what it is about this outfit but it just feels a bit 'Real Housewives'- perhaps it's the combination of the low cut top and the high cut of the skirt?!  Luckily a black slip dress helped to make it a bit more work appropriate and it was actually super comfy too. I picked this wrap dress up from a charity shop but I will definitely be looking out for more to add to my wardrobe as the weather cools back down. Until I can afford a Diane von Fustenberg one, any ideas for where I can find some nice ones?

Despite its popularity amongst women of all shapes and sizes, I have never been one for wearing all black, I find bright colours much more flattering and way more fun to wear. With my dark hair and pale skin, an all black outfit just feels a bit costume-y. Don't get me wrong, I love it on other people (Steph at Faiiint always looks amazing in black) but until now, I have remained unconvinced. As you can see though, this all changed  last week when my Monki order arrived containing this rather lovely black jumper. I loved the mix of textures when I paired it with my (p)leather trousers and I felt super cool in this outfit, I definitely got my strut on!

I don't know about you, but I can't get my head around this weather (how very British of me to complain about it...) It goes from being freezing cold when I leave the house at 6 am, to being a balmy 25 degrees by the time I get home. My answer to the weather dilemma? Layers. I really loved this combination when I last wore it back in June and it has made a reappearance here because it is perfect for these inbetweeny days. I picked up this orange jumper in a local charity shop and it is so warm, especially considering how thin it is! I love the bright orange colour and I can see this getting a lot more wear in the winter. I just wish that I had played with the proportions with this outfit a bit more, it would just make it a lot more interesting if I had worn a flowier top or something ...

I have always loved the buttoned up look and although I'm never convinced that I can pull it off, I can't resist a polka dot blouse paired with a high neckline, especially if it is brightly coloured! I liked this pairing with the glasses too - the oversized frames and it feels quite androgynous too, a rare occurrence for me. This polka dot top has been in my wardrobe for a couple of years now and it is so versatile although I am more likely to wear it like this than how I last wore it on the blog. I'm not sure I can pull off  little cropped tees any more!

How would you make my outfit more interesting?

Even though I have a lot of clothes, I don't have much from the high end of the high street. A few Hobbs pieces aside, the majority of my clothes are from places like H&M or Tesco (I have absolutely no issue with picking up my clothes in supermarkets!) I don't tend to venture to the 'expensive shops'- even Topshop or Miss Selfridge are too expensive when it isn't sale time but I have been trying to add a few more hard wearing pieces to my wardrobe, Primark just doesn't cut it for me any more. I completely blame Gem and Sarah for my recent foray into the Jaeger sale, they are very good enablers and very bad for my willpower! ;) Strangely enough,  this outfit manages to combine Tesco, Hobbs, Primark and Jaeger in one. Not bad really, especially considering I didn't pay full price for any of them...

Do you ever venture into the expensive shops? Who are your enablers?

I hate to be a cliche but I am not a fan of hot weather. The combination of pale skin and a body that is always warm does not make summer a very pleasant experience for me. Weirdly enough when I was in Italy I was OK but here, I just melt- perhaps it's the humidity that I have a problem with?! Unfortunately I can't use my time-tested method of lying in a cool dark room and eating ice-cream during the week so I have to find suitable outfits for work, never an easy task when it is 27 degrees outside! For me, sleeveless dresses, leggings and sandals have been the perfect combination in the heat this year. I last wore this mint dress back in May last year and I couldn't believe how short it was when I tried it on again this week. I am all for comfort but without leggings, I think this would be far too short to be decent!

How do you dress for the heat?

Who would have thought that 12 years (!) after I left primary school I would be looking back to my uniform for style inspiration?! I spotted this beautiful dress when I was on holiday in Cornwall a couple of weeks ago in the window at Seasalt (a brand I am loving recently!) and I fell in love. I love gingham and midi dresses are all I want to wear in the summer. There's nothing better than lots of material to swoosh around in and to help me keep cool! I also like the fact that they are more work appropriate than a lot of my summer clothes, I never know what to wear to work when it's warm!

I am a big fan of Seasalt clothing, their generous sizing gets a double thumbs up from me and I like the relaxed nautical feel of all their pieces. I have always found casual difficult to pull off (see this 2011 post for proof!) but I think I am starting to get the hang of it, what do you think? 

Are you a fan of Seasalt? How do you 'do' casual?