Frills 'n' Spills

I have always been a fan of statement jackets and when I spotted this one in Seasalt, I knew I would be taking it home with me. I love the colour teal and this print is perfect for adding a bit of interest to a pretty basic outfit. Admittedly I would usually associate Seasalt with stripes or anchors than with prints like this but it was definitely a pleasant surprise! Paired with bright lipstick and glasses, it did feel like something an art teacher might wear, I just need to figure out how to layer my necklaces...

Pink lipstick is always so fun to wear and I have raved about this Bourjois velvet formula many many times. You should definitely get your hands on it if you like bright shades that last all day! Statement pieces need a blank canvas to really shine and this beige top from Gap was ideal. It is a lovely soft cotton and crucially is long enough in the body for me. I can't stand tops that are short in the torso!

Are you a fan of statement jackets? How do you jazz up your basics?

It's been a while since I posted about wearing a crop top but since February, I have been introducing more and more of them into my wardrobe. They are the ideal match to my high-waisted skirts and surprisingly comfortable if you can find a good one. I am a fan of H&M's selection, mainly because they have them in a comfortable stretchy jersey material- I may be feeling more confident but I still need some wiggle room! This River Island skirt could have been made for me, I love the bright red colour and it is so comfy to wear, even when the weather is roasting! The adjustable waist is also a real bonus, there's nothing worse than feeling trapped in your clothes when it is boiling. I am someone who always burns in the sun (I even managed to burn through factor 50 after 20 minutes in the park the other week!) so you will usually find me lurking in the shade during the summer... if you see me outside at all! This lack of time spent in the sun does mean that my skin can be almost translucent but I'm hoping to be rewarded with fewer wrinkles in the future...

You know that I am a stripes fiend so it was inevitable that I would end up adding this top to my collection. The soft ribbed cotton is ridiculously soft and comfy and was the perfect backdrop to this delicate gold necklace. I bought it a while back in the Warehouse sale but the chain was ridiculously short so I used the broken chain from an old necklace to lengthen it slightly. It may not be the prettiest solution but it works!

A better look at this dainty bracelet. I originally bought it for a friend's birthday present but it was too nice to give away so I bought her something else instead!

Maxis are perfect for the summer, they're covered up but keep you cool and they are super fun for swooshing around in. Shoes in the summer are always a bit of an odd one for me, I can't deal with stuff between my toes so I always opt for single strap sandals. This pair are getting a little bit shabby now but they are so comfy that I can't bear to throw them away. Here's hoping Matalan bring out a similar pair next year!

I have been sharing a lot of dressy outfits recently but I promise that I do go to work sometimes! ;) Getting dressed for work in the morning can sometimes be a bit of a challenge (I will always choose an extra 5 minutes of sleep!) but a brightly coloured dress is always an easy option. Sadly since I wore this gorgeous red dress our washing machine took offence and it has shrunk :( I did try and hunt down another one as I loved it so much but as it was a sale piece I wasn't able to replace it so this post will have to serve as a kind of eulogy! This dress reminds me of something Joan Holloway would wear, doesn't this outfit look like this Mad Men cartoon version of me I made way back when?!

Which TV characters inspire your wardrobe?

Have you ever tried Jewel Street? Who are your favourite jewellery designers?

P.S. Jewel Street sent me this ring to review but if I didn't love it, I wouldn't feature it!

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?

I was really keen to share this outfit, it is one of my favourites that I have worn recently but my exploring Cheltenham post was getting a little overcrowded so I thought I would save these outfit pictures for a separate post (lucky you!) These photos were taken with Mark's phone and they came out rather well I think! This was perhaps a bit work-y for a lazy Sunday but I loved all of the separate pieces so much that I ended up including them all in one outfit post instead... I've ended up looking like a flamingo in these pictures, I promise its my dodgy posing skills rather than a bad Photoshop job ;) As you know, I am a massive fan of bouclé and although this jacket isn't available anymore, there is a very similar one from ASDA here...

I seem to be saying this a lot recently but apologies for the rubbish photos! I bought this gorgeous lemon yellow jumper a few days after my birthday and have worn it so often- it is just so darned cosy! The office is always freezing first thing in a Monday morning so a cosy knit is essential. I usually go for deeper jewel colours in the winter but maybe I can make wintry pastels a regular feature in my wardrobe again? The jumper is quite a feature on its own so I decided to keep the rest of my outfit fairly simple. I am guilty of often over-complicating things but hopefully I have managed to pare back my worst tendencies recently!

The jumper is so deliciously cosy and is the perfect accompaniment to my current favourite necklace. As always, I am loving coral toned make-up, I bought a mini Benefit set from Boots which had a mini Coralista blusher and although I go through phases with how much I like the colour, I do wear it a lot. It is pretty subtle and adds a healthy glow to my everyday make-up but I can build it up if I want something more intense. I probably won't shell out for the full size one though, I have my eye on the Majorette blusher instead! I know I have raved about Percy & Reed's Wonder Balm before but it really is such a good product for my hair- fellow curly and wavy haired girls take note!

I was so chuffed when I found these Clarks grey shoeboots when we moved. They are ridiculously comfy to wear thanks to their slim wedge heel. Paired with my Warehouse skinny jeans they make me look much taller too which is never a bad thing! This is probably the closest match to the real colour of the jumper, I will have to take some proper pictures of it at some point!

Are you a fan of pastels?

Smart casual is a tricky one to pull off, it is very easy to look crumpled rather than chic but this tried and tested combination is my favourite on days when I want to look pulled together, but still be comfortable. There's nothing worse than feeling trussed up all day when you're at work! It's the lovechild of this outfit and this one and is such a cliché 'I work in marketing' outfit- I blame the buttoned collar and the hipster glasses ;) I can't believe how different I look with longer hair either, those pictures were only taken a few months ago but I look (and feel) like a completely different person. It's amazing what a sassy haircut and a slick of jazzy lipstick (MAC Impassioned FYI) will do for your self esteem and your wardrobe!

I really love these dalmatian print shoes and they were perfect for adding a bit of excitement to a fairly plain outfit. I seem to be drawn to plainer outfits than I used to be, is this a sign that I am growing up?!

How do you shake up your style?

P.S. Joshua James Jewellery sent me this watch to review but if I didn't love it, I wouldn't feature it! 

I used to spend a lot of time stalking my local charity shops hunting out bargains and my final year at uni was a goldmine for bargains. Seriously, if you are anywhere near Kenilworth, go and have a rummage, the shops there have the nicest stock!  Tewkesbury also has some awesome ones and I picked this top up a few weeks before Christmas but it has been hanging unworn in my wardrobe. I really love the colour but I wasn't sure how to style it. I have a couple of white and striped draped tops from H&M already but the colour of this one makes it much more difficult to  wear- at least in my head. I originally planned to wear this with either a patterned skirt or blazer but the colour was statement enough by itself. 

What details do you look for with clothes?

Gloomy days call for bright clothes and they don't get much brighter than this jumper! Another Monki bargain, it cost a mere £8 in their sale and it is the perfect 'inbetweeny' jumper, warm enough to keep you warm but not so thick that you boil to death (anyone else who thinks that their work has put on the central heating far too early?!) Before it arrived, I didn't realise  just how bright it was but this is one very loud, very neon jumper! Despite worrying that it might be a bit *much*, every time I have worn it, I have had so many compliments from pretty much everyone who has seen me in it. If you are feeling grey, this neon cherry red Trudy jumper is a mood-booster in knitted form...  Although I like bright colours, I never think of myself as liking neon clothes (too many uni flashbacks) but this was way more wearable than I expected . Because the colour is enough of a statement on its own, I opted for my favourite stripey dress and plain shoes to (try) and tone it down a bit. 

I never used to like layering jumpers up with dresses but recently it has been my go-to when I'm not sure what to wear- all the fun of a skirt without having to find a top that matches! You all know how much I love Max Factor lipsticks and it seems I'm not the only one! This perfectly pinky coral is the 'Bewitching Coral' shade and the lovely Amy is also a fan (although it looks like a completely different colour on her!) Being matchy- matchy may not be cool but if this is wrong, I don't wanna be right! 

How do you make neon more wearable?

I was clearly looking to a slightly earlier decade for inspiration than I usually would here, I don't usually wear anything non-fitted or oversized but there's something about Monki that forces me out of my comfort zone, I love the cool yet accessible Scandinavian feel of their clothes, even if I'm not a tall willowy blonde! This is the cream Precious jumper dress which I really love, I am seriously tempted to get the blue version too... I really like the relaxed shape of it and paired with my string of faux pearls, it felt very 1920s inspired. I can imagine it looking really nice with some t-bars or Mary Jane shoes for a dressier look too which is always good. You can't go wrong with a good jumper dress in Autumn/Winter! 

When John Greed got in touch with me to ask whether I was interested in reviewing some Pandora charms, I was a little dubious - I have never liked the silver bracelets. But when this grey leather bracelet with this charm arrived, I fell in love and I have worn it every day since. I have even started a wishlist of the charms I want (*cough* this owl one *cough*) It is strange how the people who are most disapproving of something become the biggest converts ;)

Are you a fan of charm bracelets? Which charms would you recommend?