Frills 'n' Spills

Red dresses have long been a staple in my wardrobe and this smock number from good old M&S is a fun addition to my collection. I am not a fan of sleeves on dresses (although I've worn a few recently!) but I fell in love with the relaxed shape of this dress. Smock shapes are not the most flattering on me but they are very comfy and the gorgeous crochet detailing on the waistband meant I was sold! I wore this for a family meal a few weeks ago and it was ideal, especially for my postprandial snooze on the sofa! I may have gone a little overboard on the red front here (yes I do have red dress, nails and lipstick) but it is my favourite colour...

I love block heels and this slimline Whistles pair are so elegant. I just need to keep scouring eBay until another pair turn up in my size!

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?

I have written a lot about workwear over in this little corner of the internet and although I am lucky enough to not have a formal dress code, I think with a few fun accessories, nearly everyone can add a bit of pizazz to their wardrobe. This outfit is very similar to this one from early 2014 and despite looking a lot younger in those pictures, I'm glad to see that my style hasn't changed too much in the past couple of years! Gap is a firm favourite of mine for work appropriate dresses and this zingy red number was a sale bargain many months back. I really really love the colour and the shape is super fun too. Although I do have summer and winter wardrobes, I wear the majority of my clothes all year round, adding or removing layers as necessary. I can't wait to try this layered up with a polo neck and some boots, I love it too much to only be able to wear it for half of the year! It may not be subtle but hey, neither am I! ;)

I am a massive fan of bright lipstick and MAC Lady Danger is the perfect match for this dress. I really love the colour and finish and it is ideal for those days where you haven't had much sleep and need to distract from your tired eyes! ;) The detailing on this dress is great and I love the neck line, it feels work appropriate without being claustrophobic...

Has your style changed in the past few years?

Which type of clothes do you keep buying?

You know I can't resist a natty bow and this cinches my waist in nicely. I'm not usually a fan of sleeves on dresses but these ones balance out the lower neckline and mean that I don't have to cover up with a cardigan- always a good call when I am layering up in winter! Any dress with pockets gets a thumbs up from me and these drapey pockets are ace.

When Clarks got in touch about working with them recently, I was absolutely over the moon, they are a long term favourite of mine and I was so chuffed to be asked. I was sent a voucher to use instore and after a lot of umming and aahing, I picked these beautiful pointed flats. I love the snakeskin printed leather and slight metallic sheen - they are some good looking shoes! The leather hasn't softened yet so they're not the most comfortable but I know from experience that given time, they will be like heaven for my feet!

Anyone who has ever met me knows how much I love a little red dress, they were even the centrepiece of my #simplybereal moment which I shared recently! When I saw this Boutique by Jaeger dress on ASOS, I was smitten, it is red, swooshy and is even called Maria, how could I resist such a perfect dress?! The fact that the model had short dark hair was just the icing on the cake for me! I managed to snatch the last one in my size when it went on sale and I  was originally going to save this dress for the summer as it is made of 100% cotton but the swooshy shape was perfect for a (slightly dressed up) Christmas Eve outfit. A fifties style skirt hides a food baby brilliantly! ;) Don't worry, I did have a cardigan on with this but it didn't photograph very well... the sacrifices we make for blogging eh?! 

I am always tempted to bust out the glittery and shimmery make-up at Christmas but I managed to restrain my magpie instincts and go for a pared back look which was perfectly topped off with my new Burt's Bees lip shimmer in Cherry. It gives a lovely wash of colour but doesn't need constant touch ups and as it is also a lip balm, my lips have never been in better condition! I love the Bardot/ boat neck style of this dress, it is a super flattering cut and you don't need any jewellery to jazz it up- winner!

I have owned this belt for years and although I have only worn it a handful of times, I am loath to get rid of it as it is just so darned cool! To be honest this dress probably didn't need a belt but it was the perfect excuse to wear this belt which was just fancy enough to be festive. 

Midi lengths are always a bit tricky for me, I tend to look best when a skirt finishes just above the knee but a longer length is much more elegant. I think I will have to look to the lovely Sophie for some style inspiration, she can rock a midi better than anyone! 

What would your perfect item of clothing look like?

It should come as no surprise that the Orla Kiely x Clarks range is a massive hit with bloggers, I mean who could resist the cute patent heels and dreamy leather boots? My love for Orla Kiely is well documented on this blog and although the shoes are still expensive, the shoes are much more affordable than the catwalk collection and I know I will get a lot of wear out of them. I ummed and aahed over which pair to get but practicality won out and this patent black Dorothy pair were soon winging their way towards me.  I had to size up half a size, as did Sarah so just something to bear in mind if you are investing in a pair. As soon as they arrived, I knew exactly what I wanted to wear with them- this H! by Henry Holland dress is one of my favourites and the polkadots are suitably fun. I didn't realise just how short it was though, I think I will be sticking to black tights with it in the future! We decided to take these photos by the river again as I wanted somewhere prettier than my usual spot and I think they really worked- thank goodness Mark is such a patient photographer!

This is the face of unmistakable glee- there's nothing better than when your outfit, hair and make-up conspire to work with you, rather than against you! I recently bought Max Factor's new Skin Luminizer foundation and I absolutely love it, it makes my face all bright and glowy, perfect for when I have had less sleep than normal!

And just look how pretty the soles are! I have worn the shoes a couple of times and the pattern is already starting to wear off so I can't imagine it will be long before it all goes :( I can attest to how comfy the heel height is too, I am awful at wearing heels all day but these are as comfy as flats so I couldn't be happier. Pretty and practical, what's not to like?!

Yes, it's another little red dress! It's been a while since I have worn a 1930s inspired silhouette on the blog but since having my hair cut, I seem to be more drawn to different shapes and styles than I used to be. I picked up this dress for about £15 in the Monsoon sale a little while ago and  I really love it. It's not really an everyday dress but it's perfect for things like family meals where you want to be fairly dressed up but still be able to slob on the sofa with your food baby afterwards ;) I look very windswept in all of these photos, one of the perils of the great outdoors I suppose! It was a very bright day when we took these pictures so I look slightly washed out which is a real shame as I really loved twirling around in this dress- as you can see!

I have just noticed the hanger tag hanging out of my sleeve in these pictures and it is driving me mad- I wish I could go back and tuck it in! MAC Lady Bug is my new favourite daytime red lipstick and it is lovely, I just wish the colour lasted a little bit longer on my lips. It disappears quite quickly after eating or drinking as it is the lustre finish so is lovely and creamy but wears off quite quickly. I cannot be faffed with reapplying lipstick throughout the day so I need something a little more hard-wearing! Lipcote may solve this problem but I find it very drying, any tips for prolonging the life of my lipstick are appreciated...

Red is definitely my favourite colour, it looks really dramatic against my pale skin and dark hair and the majority of my favourite dresses have a scarlet hue! I wore this outfit a few weekends ago when Mark and I went to his parents' house for dinner and I got so many compliments on it. Believe it or not, this dress was from Tesco although it looks much more expensive in my opinion. I usually wear it layered over a top but I actually prefer this dressier look. I kept the styling simple with my beloved leopard print belt and pointed heels. For me, the focus was all on the gorgeous colour and that (universally flattering) square neckline... 

I bought Mac's Ruby Woo lipstick when I came back off holiday (I can't believe it has taken me so long to invest!) and this was it's first outing. I was slightly concerned about the matte formula but Lush's Mint Julips and some lip balm ensured that it applied flawlessly. I kept the rest of my make up simple, focusing on flawless skin and strong eyebrows (I promise I will be sharing my love of my Sleek brow kit very soon!) I rarely brush my hair but I was craving soft waves so dug out my hairbrush and brushed out my curls, resulting in a 1920s style bob.

I prefer my skirts swooshy so this one ticked all the boxes. I am a massive fan of anything that can skim over my ever-growing stomach and make my waist look smaller and the pleats make this look so elegant. I definitely need more 1950s style dresses and skirts in my wardrobe, I'm kicking myself for not picking up the black and grey versions of this dress!

What colours do you find flattering?

When I decide I like something, I fully commit to the theme. Whether it is stripey tops (14 at the last count) or owl themed pieces (far too many to count!) it is clear to see that I am a bit of a hoarder. Little red dresses are another weakness of mine and I bought this gorgeous red lace dress from ASOS last November. It has become a firm favourite in my wardrobe, despite only featuring on the blog once before now. It is one of those outfits that looks nice in person but is impossible to photograph.  Luckily Mark did a good job with these photos and hopefully you can see why I love it so much.  The dress itself is made of a stretchy crochet/lace which I really like, it makes it a bit more wearable and it is ridiculously comfy too! I'm not usually a fan of sleeves but these are pretty flattering, especially with the sweetheart style neckline. Usually cheaper dresses skimp on the details but this one is fully lined which is another plus. New Look is a brand I always forget to look at but they do have some really cute summer things in, I think I am going to have to take another look... 

A slightly better look at that lace and my gorgeous new pastel nail varnish. My nail varnish collection is ever growing, especially with my recent conversion to Essie, but there will always be a place for Nails Inc polishes- probably the first 'brand' I remember spending my pennies on. This is Hallam Street, a limited edition colour in association with 'emerging British designer David Longshaw' and is one of the nicest colours I have seen in a long time, definitely one to get your paws on if you can! 

I really need to start wearing a different pair of shoes but these loafers are just so darned comfy! I am seriously tempted by this patent oxblood coloured pair too, aren't they gorgeous?! Although I'm wearing them here, I have managed to wean myself off my black opaques and have been wearing this with my nude tights. At least the dress is long enough to get away with bare legs! ;)

Last week I went with Mark to a work 'do' with him and his colleagues at a local pub. I always hate going to the pub, I never know what constitutes dressing too fancy and the pressure is certainly on when you are meeting people for the first time! You know how much I love a little red dress and this New Look number is the perfect mix between comfy and fancy. I think it's the fact that it is crochet rather than lace that makes it so easy to wear and paired with black tights, it was perfect. Unfortunately it never seems to photograph very well but you will have to take my word for how nice it is ;) 

I have been wearing a lot of dark nail varnishes recently, T K Maxx had some Essie polishes for really cheap when I went in the other weekend and the 'Sole Mate' shade is my new favourite (Fair Game isn't far behind!) Dark nails add just enough edge and I have been super impressed with the quality of Essie polishes so far- I just need to decide what shades to try next! 

 These tights are a gorgeous 100 denier cashmere blend by Aristoc and are the luxe grown up version of the tights I used to wear at primary school - perfect for keeping you cosy in all of the horrible weather. I am a complete convert to cashmere tights, they are a touch of everyday luxe that might not be overly exciting but sure are practical!