Frills 'n' Spills

As you may have seen, I had my hair cut recently and decided to get a fringe cut in. I had been umming and aahing about it for ages and I finally decided to trust my hairdresser and just go with whatever she came up with. I figured it's only hair and if I hated it, it would grow back right? Recently all I want to wear are jumper dresses and this Cadbury purple one is one of my current favourites!  I wouldn't really classify this as a particularly exciting outfit but this blog is all about the highs and lows of my life and wardrobe so I wanted to share it anyway. This dress was originally from Sainsbury's (supermarkets have some seriously nice clothes in at the moment) but I got it from Matilda- I love having a friend who is the same size as me! It is probably long enough to wear with tights but it was a fairly chilly day so I thought leggings were the better option... 

Which straighteners would you recommend?

Last weekend, Mark and I hopped into the car to head up to Chester to see one of my closest friends get married. I first met Ian on my internship four years ago and we have been friends ever since. I had never been to Chester before, despite my Grandad being a huge fan (it is where he went to college) and although we didn't get to see much time in the city itself, we will definitely be making a return visit. We stayed at a Travelodge the night before so we had plenty of time to get ready and these photos were taken in the car park- just be glad we managed to keep the Little Chef out of shot! The wedding itself was lovely and the reception was at Highfield Hall, a beautiful manor house in North Wales. Weddings can be tricky things to dress for and I wanted something a little different to the dresses that I wore to my cousin's and my best friend's wedding so I dug out my trusty 'prom dress' instead. I felt really comfortable in this dress and I think that shows in the pictures. There's nothing better than an outfit that make you feel like you can take on the world and this is certainly mine!

I bought this clutch bag in a moment of minor panic last week but I couldn't have been more thrilled when it arrived. The colour is ace, it matches my shoes perfectly and best of all, it is absolutely massive! It also makes me feel pretty cool so it definitely gets bonus points for that! Orange is one of my favourite colours and it made this dress seem more Autumn appropriate...

I couldn't write this post without giving a shoutout to these wonderful shoes. They are so comfy and the colour makes them super fun to wear. I just wish Clarks did them in ever colour!

It should come as no surprise that I am obsessed with this Seasalt dress, it is super cosy, comfy and fun too, what more could you ask for in a dress?! I bought it back in their summer sale but it is a cotton knit so it was far too warm. I have been willing the weather to get cooler ever since then so I could wear it so I was jumping for joy when we finally hit Autumn. We have been so busy recently and have barely had any free time at the weekends so my outfits have been completely lazy more pared back recently and I have a new-found appreciation for cosy knits and leggings. It is my birthday in just over a week and I cannot wait, I have a full four days of fun planned but I have the feeling that I will be needing something cosy to curl up in next week!

These photos were taken just before I had my haircut and I couldn't believe how long it had got. My hairdresser is convinced that I am completely abnormal as she has never known anyone to have hair like it! I have been loving fresh, barely-there make-up recently and Benefit's Thrrrob blush and Max Factor's Xperience Sheer Gloss Balm in Pink Opal are my go to products for that fresh-faced glow.

I love the neon accents on this dress, they are so fun and make it much more unusual. I just wish these shoes were in stock in my size, wouldn't they be the perfect match?

Anyone who has ever met me knows how easily I am persuaded to do something. My willpower is non-existent and as soon as I see sale signs, it is inevitable that I will end up purchasing something. This Warehouse dress was an absolute steal in their sale last month and I have been wearing it whenever I want to feel a little smarter at work. It is made of a lovely textured jacquard material and as the material is fairly heavy, it hangs beautifully. Warehouse is definitely one of those brands that I only seem to look at when there is a sale on as it is just that little bit too expensive. I mean the original price of this was £40 which I think is steep, but the £15 I bought it for is much more reasonable (at least that's what I am telling myself!) I am trying to cut down on the amount of rubbish-y clothes that I buy but I have still manged to add new items to my summer wardrobe. I just hope we get the sunshine I have been promised now so I can wear these dresses and shorts! 

I never used to like dresses with sleeves but I think this looks much better with the higher neckline and makes the dress much more elegant- hooray for fun, work-appropriate dresses! You can also see the texture of the dress better here, monochrome can sometimes feel a bit dull to me but the pattern makes it feel more 'me'. That and the swipe of red lipstick... ;) I have been really pleased with the improvement in my skin recently, I have been wearing Dr Jart+ Platinum BB Beauty Balm rather than foundation recently and it has really cleared my skin up. I loved writing a post on my make-up staples way back in 2011 (!) would you guys be interested in an updated version? 

I love how full the skirt of this dress is, it is deliciously swooshy and the sheer amount of material means that it skims over my ever-growing food baby. I really need to stop going out for meals, my figure is not thanking me for it, however delicious the food may be! I told you I was obsessed with these shoes, I should stop wearing them but they seem to be the perfect match to every outfit in my wardrobe...

Would you like an update on my beauty regime? How much is too much to pay for a dress? 

Heading into work on a Monday is difficult at the best of times but knowing that the heating won't kick in until later in the day makes it much more difficult. Ideally I would be able to wear pyjamas but until duvets are compulsory workwear, slouchy jumpers are going to have to do. I have been wearing a lot of  mini skirts to work recently (see here, here and here for proof!) they are just so easy to wear and add a bit of personality to my boring functional jumpers. This skirt has been in my wardrobe for just over 2 years now and I have been wearing it a lot recently, it really comes into its own paired with cosy jumpers and thick tights, it's just too short to wear with bare legs or nude tights! This top was a jumper dress but somehow I managed to shrink it in the wash so it now moonlights as a jumper - you can't beat a good cowl neck!

Which old favourites do you keep going back to?

I have been super lucky with the sales this year, despite being quite restrained (a very unusual occurrence for me!) I picked up some real bargains. I usually find Topshop sale a bit disappointing (not helped by the insane amount of tweenage girls who crowd my local store at sale time)  but over the years I have picked up some really nice and unusual pieces (see these jazzy trousers for proof) and this dress was too pretty to resist. Although the colour and print make it summery, with the addition of my trusty camel coat and some thick tights, it was definitely winter appropriate! I also like the fact that it isn't too short on me, despite my less than willowy proportions, I usually find most high street dresses too short so this is a refreshing change! Now they just need to find a fabric that doesn't crease so badly and I will be sorted...

Although the dress is mainly black, I wanted to try something slightly more interesting with it than my trusty black opaques and as the weather was so nice I plumped for some nude tights and my favourite pair of heels. Thank goodness for mild winters eh?! I was a very lucky girl this Christmas and Mark bought me the black patent versions too as I love these shoes so much!

You can tell how mild the weather has been, I was chilly when I took my cardigan off to take these pictures but nowhere near cold, I couldn't believe it! I know some people aren't fans of sleeveless dresses but I love them and I'm sure you could layer a thin top or long sleeved body underneath if you are self conscious... Prom dresses are universally flattering and this one has gone straight to the top of my list of favourite party frocks! I was going to wear this dress on New Year's Eve but I decided to go for my perfect party dress instead as this was still in the wash - the glamourous truth behind fashion blogging eh?! ;)

I promised you an outfit post with my beautiful red lace Rosie dress and I finally have one to show you! I wore this dress on my actual birthday for a big family meal at a local pub and it really was the perfect choice. Usually when I buy something new, I can't wait to wear it and it gets worn within a day or so (if not less!) upon its arrival. This dress on the other hand has been hanging patiently in my wardrobe since July as I was saving it for a special occasion and what can be more special than your birthday?! When I was wearing this dress, I felt comfortable but also really special (red lace detailing will do that to a girl!) and I don't think it will be long before I wear this again, it will be perfect for my work Christmas do! I'm not entirely sure what is happening with my hair here but it was in a messy bun to show off the neckline but it has completely dropped out here...

As it was a lunchtime 'do', I kept my make up fairly simple: a slick of the most idiot proof liquid eyeliner and gorgeously creamy red lipstick (Max Factor Ruby Tuesday FYI) I promise I'm not sponsored by Max Factor, I just really love their products- they just really work for a make-up novice like me :)

I swear, this dress was designed with flattering me in mind! It hits just above the knee and flares out gently to flatter those of us with less than willowy legs! ;) I should have probably paired it with a more elegant shoe (perhaps these?) but comfort always prevails and out came my trusty Office heels. I don't know what I will do when these finally give up the ghost (they are already looking a bit sorry for themselves) as these really are the comfiest heels in the world!

What would your perfect dress look like?

Tweed is one of those fabrics that I really love. Whether it is the country girl in me or just because I can't resist these most Autumnal of fabrics, if I see something even vaguely tweedy, you can guarantee that it will end up coming home with me! This dress was an impulse buy from Tesco early one weekday morning but despite that, I really love it! I have worn it quite a few times when I need to feel more pulled together at work and it always gets complimented (which is always nice!) I have just realised that everything but the tights in this outfit is from Tesco, clearly I can't resist their clothing ;)

As it has still been pretty warm recently, I didn't need anything more than my cardigan to keep warm but I plan to layer this dress up with sheer shirts and blouses when the temperatures do drop, I have a green top that would go perfectly with the checked pattern. 

It's just typical, I really loved this outfit but all of the photos came out looking really bizarre, mainly due to the light. I have to say (starting early on the moaning here!) I really miss taking photos outside during the winter, natural light is way more flattering first thing! I am lucky enough to be able to wear nearly anything to work and  my work outfits tend to be pretty casual but I try to incorporate smarter elements, like this blazer, and keep my skirt lengths relatively appropriate. 

Another day, another way to wear my favourite denim pinafore dress! Whether it is warm or cold, this dress is just so easy to wear and perfect for toughening up floaty layers like this sheer floral blouse which I have had for nearly 3 years (!) It was relatively expensive but I wear it so often and despite repeated washing, it still keeps its shape, something that my cheaper clothes just cannot compete with! Mark and I also tried a new backdrop for these photos, I love the dappled sun light and it looks much more interesting than my usual photo spot...

Anyone who has read this blog for more than five minutes knows that I have never been particularly adventurous with my hair but recently I have been pairing plaits with loose waves for a beachier look. Can you tell that I am super jealous of anyone who has been on holiday recently?! I just really wish I was sunning myself on a beach somewhere, I haven't been on holiday for ages...

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