Frills 'n' Spills

Now I have already posted about a million pictures from my graduation but I felt that the food was worthy of its own post. After my ceremony we went to Vintners in Stratford and it was absolutely fantastic! The food and drink were fantastic and it was obviously popular as the entire restaurant was full for the two hours we were there.

Mark and I shared king prawns pan-fried in garlic and herb butter and although they were messy, there were cooked perfectly.

For the main, Mark and I both had escalopes of pork fillet with free-range fried egg, caper butter & the crispiest French fries I have ever had!

This is the pudding of dreams. Marbled chocolate mousse cake with amaretto crème. It was so rich that I didn't actually manage to finish it but it was soon gobbled up!

Eton Mess

Isn't this the cutest?! A miniature version of Vintners! It was lovely to spend some quality time in good company and the restaurant did not disappoint. If you are ever in Stratford, I would definitely recommend it :)

Although the only guidelines that Warwick gave were 'no jeans or trainers' I decided to go fairly smart and wore my Topshop shift dress with my gorgeous cerise Mary Janes from Hobbs. I am not a big fan of heels but these were perfect and so comfortable, even after a day on my feet. The nude fishnets I am wearing were a gift from the lovely Emily at MyTights.com. I love the look of nude fishnets and they add a bit of texture to any outfit without overpowering it so they were perfect for my graduation.

This dress is one of the key pieces in my wardrobe and I have already raved about the pattern and fit but I always try and find different ways to style it and I really like the blue for a more summery look and when the weather warms up a bit more I will definitely be pairing it with my favourite New Look sandals!

I have had these shoes for about 4 years now but I have never actually worn them outside of the house. I bought them on a whim for £4 in the Office sale because I liked the pattern but have never actually managed to wear them. They have been on my 'to sell' pile for years now but I have been loath to get rid of them because they are just so pretty!

I finally decided to match them with this dress as the blue is similar enough that it doesn't clash too much. Jen has talked about mixing prints before and I love stripes and florals together! I am definitely going to wear these shoes more often though as they are the most comfortable pair of shoes I have ever worn. My parents are big fans of Keds shoes and these may have persuaded me to check out some of their newer ranges...

These shorts from H&M have become a cult favourite in the blogosphere and they have proven themselves well worth the £6.99 I spent on them. It means that I can wear all of those dresses that are just that little bit too short without tights in the summer too. 

What are your summer staples? Are there any items in your wardrobe that you find difficult to wear?

As you are reading this I will be on my way to my graduation, I just hope I don't fall flat on my face or make a fool out of myself...wish me luck!

As a blogger, I think it is inevitable that you will have several items in your wardrobe that have quite a lot in common. This dress which I wore to Stow-on-the-Wold is one of those those... brown, floral, cord... sounding familiar yet? There is something so comforting and robust about cord, it reminds me of being young and carefree (which is sounding pretty good about now!) I'm applying for jobs at the moment and am desperate to find one. If you know anyone who would want to employ a recent Classics graduate, please let me know! 

This coat deserves to have praise heaped upon it. A mere £4.99 from £50 and a steal at twice the price. Stormproof and in a gorgeous bright green colour, it would have been impossible for me to leave it behind, you know how I love a good coat! It has been invaluable in this weird stormy weather we have been having and I can see it becoming a wardrobe staple very quickly. 

I think the good people of Stow were more than a little bewildered by my posing too, I got some very funny looks as they wandered around me, trying to dodge Mark as he snapped away!  This dress was perfect for a lazy OAP day and loose enough to accommodate all of the cream teas too ;) 

A close up of the print and the gorgeous bows that form the neckline. I tend to steer away from anything that has a looser A-line shape like this but hopefully the belt adds enough definition so I don't look too shapeless... 

As uni draws to a close, the worry about adjusting to 'real life' looms even larger. It is impossible to know how easy the transition between uni and work will be but luckily I have a few things working in my favour. So many people I know don't know how to cook or clean or even how to open a bank account but luckily my parents equipped me with these essential life skills and hopefully this will make it a little bit easier for me... 

I have had this Tesco dress for a couple of years now and I originally paid £7 for it but I wore it so much that it actually wore through in certain places and the belt almost came off. Luckily my mum and grandma taught me how to sew when I was younger so with a bit of work I was able to patch up the holes and reattach the belt. It may seem like a small victory but it was a triumph nonetheless. I saved money on replacing a much beloved dress and proved that I could look after myself. 

These photos were taken next to a churchyard near to my house and provided a more unusual location than my usual brick wall backdrop. These ruins were once a gatehouse and I don't know how tall people were in the fifteenth century but even I struggled to walk through the doorways and I'm only 5'4"! 

The gorgeous reddy colour of the bricks looked lovely with the tan colour of my bag and I thought it looked quite cute perched up on this ledge! 

I am also considering whether to get my hair cut again as it just seems to be a bit unruly at the moment but I like the fact that I can tie it up when it is warmer...I just don't know what to do!

How did you make the transition between uni and work ? What skills do you think are essential? 

You may have seen my tweet about finding a grey bag and let me tell you, it was next to impossible. I have a pair of grey shoes that go with pretty much everything and have never found a bag to match them until now! After a morning traipsing around Leamington,  I finally managed to track down this beauty in Miss Selfridge. It is the perfect size and can be used for day or night so I am really pleased with it! I am hoping to wear this for the Aussie party next Saturday, are any of you going? 

(♥)

How do you cope with saying goodbye? What is the best way to relax?



P.S. Are any of you going to the Aussie party? What are you wearing?