Frills 'n' Spills

What's your failsafe outfit for a night out? 

When it comes to party dresses, I am pretty fussy, it has to be comfortable enough to wear all day (and night), not be too short or revealing, have some kind if interesting detail and it HAS to make me feel like a million dollars. If I can also dance in it, then that is just the icing on the cake! When Marks and Spencer got in touch recently about featuring a party look, I was ecstatic, "good old M&S" are one of my favourite brands and they certainly know how to make a fantastic party dress! I chose this beautiful lace dress but strangely I chose the black version rather than the red - definitely an unusual choice for me! Although I loved the red, I agreed with Mark that 4 (!) Little Red Dresses may be excessive and actually I thought that the black looked much more elegant (does this mean that I am growing up?!) I actually wore this dress to my work's Christmas do last week and not only did it manage to pull off the infamous work to bar switch, it got so many compliments- definitely a winner in my eyes!

As soon as I saw the gorgeously detailed lace and slightly higher Victorian inspired collar, I was sold. Although the dress looked relatively short on both me and the model, the high neckline meant it didn't feel at all revealing. Not to sound too smug but I think I have pretty nice legs and this dress gave me a chance to show them off! It was really difficult to try and get a photo of this but my tights are actually a dark charcoal grey rather than black, much more interesting than my usual 40 deniers but not overpowering... I was originally going to wear heels with this but actually I think it looks better with flats, another plus for me! 

I wanted to show off the sleeves and collar so I kept my hairdo simple and fuss-free; a messy bun only looks better as the day wears on! I decided to attempt liquid eyeliner which was a total success despite it being about 5.30 in the morning and paired it with a glossy red lip, simple but still suitably festive! 

I kept the rest of the accessories simple and as I didn't have a chunky collar necklace to wear with this (any recommendations?) I added this skinny gold belt to break it up a bit which matched perfectly with my nails (Angel's Fire by Max Factor FYI)

 I really love the print on this top and whenever I wear it, I get loads of compliments, from both men and women, something that it is pretty rare - usually women will like something and men just hate it, or is that just with my wardrobe?! Usually I would go for a more traditional colour on my nails but I actually love this bright blue colour. I layered up my Barry M nail paint in cyan blue with a shimmery blue Max Factor nail varnish (I hate how they don't name the shades!) weirdly it makes it so much more wearable.

I bought these shorts as the only other ones I own now seem too short to be worn out of the house and I felt really self conscious in them (is this what getting old is like?) I love the frill on the bottom of these (little details really make all the difference) and although they are still pretty short, they are loose enough that I am comfortable wearing them, they really are perfection in shorts form!

There's something about a high lacy neckline that gets me every time, I guess I can't resist the peekaboo nature! Without it, this dress would be far too plain for me but it jazzes it up enough that I don't have to think about jewellery or a belt. This is always particularly useful if when I am running late in the morning (read, always!)

I have said before that I'm not a fan of a dipped hem but if a dress is pretty enough then I don't mind it too much, there just has to be enough length at the front. Luckily, unlike a lot of Miss Selfridge dresses and skirts, this isn't too short and I would even feel comfortable enough to wear it with nude tights...

Twisted curls and the pretty cut out back...

Do you like dipped hems? What styles do you gravitate towards?

Unusually for me, I went for a slightly edgier colour with my nail varnish. You are most likely to see me wearing classic reds or pinks on my nails but this Chelsea, 'Rouge Noir' inspired shade, from Nails Inc is a deep blackcurrant purple that adds a nice contrast to an otherwise twee coloured dress. The clutch I am using is my Monki wash-bag (as seen here) as the colour went almost perfectly...

A close up of that gorgeous collar detail and my make-up. I went for a soft peachy look as the dress called for something quite delicate and spring-like. I have also found my perfect peachy coloured lipstick too, Max Factor strike again with the Max Factor Colour Elixir lipstick in 'Pink Brandy' and I am in love, I really can't see me wearing anything else for the foreseeable future! 

All in all, a very spring-like outfit, let's just hope we get some warmer weather now!

What are you hoping to wear this Spring? How would you spend a lottery win?

Now I know 'kitten heels' are dreadfully uncool so if I call them midi heels instead, will I get the approval of the 'fash pack'?! I picked these up just after Christmas in the M&S sale and I absolutely love them. Red patent shoes will always meet with my approval and the bow on the front is just a bonus! 

 Another Monki-tastic outfit here! This scarf is one of my favourite purchases to date and it is so cosy! I love the fact that it is so thick and that I could easily wrap this around me as a cocoon if I needed to, perfect for those early morning commutes...

This burgundy tee has also quickly become one of my favourites, so much so that I am tempted to get the black version too! The fit is the perfect mix of fitted and slouchy and I love the leather trim around the collar- as always it's the little details that make all the difference. I can't seem to find these velvet trousers anywhere on the website but they are the Stevie high-waist pair and are ridiculously comfy, much cosier than jeans too! The only thing I hate is how badly they get covered in fluff but my scarf definitely doesn't help with that ;) They are also ridiculously long on my stumpy shorter legs but until I can be bothered to re-hem them, a turn up will have to do! I just need some inspiration on how to style them without looking like a witch now, any ideas?

Before anyone says, yes I was pretty cold in these pictures but I wanted to show you the kind of things I tend to wear when I am  bundled up underneath a mountain of knitwear and a chunky winter coat! 

What colours do you always go back to? How would you style velvet trousers?