Frills 'n' Spills

Another day, another summery outfit! I bought this stripy dress in the Gap sale a while ago and have been waiting for the weather to be warm enough to wear it. Summer workwear is a tough one, especially if you have a stricter dress code than I do (I certainly don't tend to be this smart at work usually) but crisp dresses and bright accessories are a pretty safe bet. They feel professional but still fun and this outfit ticks all the boxes for me, I can't be dealing with fussy outfits when it is warm outside! I am impressed that I managed to keep this clean for the entire day when I wore it, no mean feat when you are as clumsy as I am! Gap's shift dresses can be a bit hit and miss on me, they can look a bit sack-like on me and the waist often hits me in completely the wrong place but this one is surprisingly flattering. It is loose enough to be comfortable in a hot office but the tie waist helps me feel less shapeless. Don't get me wrong, I love oversized pieces but I just look and feel awkward when I try and pull them off! 

I couldn't resist wearing these shoes either, they are just such a good colour and you can't help but smile when you have such a cheery pair of shoes on your feet!

How do you dress for work in the summer?

This gorgeous white dress was another one from the wardrobe of the lovely Alice and it is absolutely beautiful. I have been waiting to wear it as it is definitely an 'occasion' dress and although I imagine it would be lovely for a christening, no-one I know has had a baby so the big Easter meal with my family was the perfect opportunity to give it a whirl. I will take any excuse to get all dressed up and I know that this dress will become a staple for family occasions where I need to look sophisticated. I felt really elegant in this outfit and had a massive grin on my face all day- it's amazing what a gorgeous dress can do for your confidence and mood! I was originally going to curl my hair but I actually think that the straighter hair helps it look a little more modern, especially paired with a pinned back fringe. I went for my favourite red lipstick, Max Factor Colour Elixir Lipstick in Ruby Tuesday to jazz it up and it did the job nicely!

You can see just how gorgeous the heavy crochet lace is here and the black grosgrain ribbon too. I was a little bit nervous about how fitted this dress was but I think it looks OK, what do you think? I know I keep raving about Essie 'Aperitif' but it is just such a good classic red! I need to get some more Essie polishes- which shades should I try next?

I have been loving peachy make-up recently (nothing new there!) and the Laura Mercier Foundation Primer I got in my Glamour Beauty Box is my new favourite. It makes my skin feel velvety smooth and my make-up stays looking flawless - it's true love! ♥ I have also managed to master a hair routine that takes no time at all too, which is ace. Anything that gives me more sleep is a winner in my book! I recently renewed my Glamour subscription and my free gift was this Alterna Caviar CC Cream. I must admit that I was dubious when it arrived but I have been using a 20p sized blob on my hair before I towel dry it and have been pleasantly surprised by the results: frizz free waves with minimal effort. Hopefully I won't have to repurchase either of these products any time soon though, they are not cheap! 

My hair had got pretty long and I was so nervous about chopping it all off but I couldn't be happier with the result- hopefully I will have an outfit post to show it off properly soon. 

How would you make a white maxi dress seem less bridal?

Whistles is one of those shops that I had resigned myself to gazing wistfully out for at least 10 more years before being able to buy anything. I always love their clothes and when I saw this dress on the reduced rail I snapped it up. It was originally £110 (!) but the label said £30 and I finally bought it for £15 and I couldn't be happier. My love of white dresses (especially if they are broderie anglaise!) is well documented and this is a worthy addition to my collection. I love the sleeves and the length is perfect for work, I imagine this will be getting a lot of wear this summer...

A close up of that gorgeous cut-work! I have had this bag for quite a while now and it matches perfectly with my beautiful new shoes from my beloved Clarks. 

I have been looking for a pair of pink flats ever since I bought these pink heels for my graduation. I love the colour but heels are completely impractical for everyday wear so I have been looking for the perfect pair of flats ever since... These are a beautiful soft suede with a teeny block heel and so far are ridiculously comfy, here's hoping they don't need much more breaking in! I was so excited when I saw them and I was so happy to finally add them to my wardrobe. 

Which brands can you only dream of buying from?

The collar felt very Victorian but I am sure they would be scandalised by the amount of leg I have on show here! ;) I was going to pair it with black opaques but I think the bare leg is needed to add some contrast to the demure cut, what do you think?

  The lace is a gorgeous off-white colour too, I think it is much less harsh a colour than a dazzling white and much more flattering for pale skin tones... Again the sizing on this is a little strange, there is a lot of material in the body but the neck buttons up very tight at the back and I think it would have been claustrophobic if I went down a size- I suppose it leaves me plenty of room for a big dinner now! ;)

My lovely black glittery ankle boots- definitely one of my best buys from Primark!

Outtake of the day: me doing my best Kate Bush impression. She may look a little deranged in the video for 'Wuthering Heights' but her dress is fab- definitely a worthy début! I remember listening to this song when I was younger and throwing myself around the living room, not much has changed!

Do you 'dance' to Kate Bush? How would you 'de-frump' this dress?

 Really this outfit was sort of a test drive for Italy to see just how comfortable it was (very!) and whether or not the length would be suitable for places which require you to be a bit more covered up (e.g. the Vatican) and it passed on both counts.

This cardigan was a bit of an impulse buy too from a few years ago when I was interning in London as I had to go on a business trip to Preston... and I forgot my coat. All Northern stereotypes came to the fore that day and I grabbed this to add an extra layer to protect me from the wind and rain from the tiny sale collection in the Wallis store. It never gets worn enough but I love the bright blue colour and it matches perfectly so I am determined to wear it more- it is probably one of my favourite impulse purchases!

 These are possibly the comfiest pair of shoes that I own, perhaps tied with my other pair of Keds, and I thoroughly recommend them when you are doing lots of walking as the bouncy sole is beyond comfy- these are definitely going on holiday with me! 

What do you wear on holiday when you need to be demure? What is your favourite impulse buy?

Since I bought this blazer, I have worn it numerous times, it adds the perfect amount of colour, texture and pattern to an outfit and makes me feel like some sort of 80s powerhouse with those shoulders! 

I would like to meet whoever said that wearing white and/or makes you look more tanned because as these pictures show, IT'S JUST NOT TRUE! I think the white has merely highlighted just how ghostly I really am! I love wearing white but I think colour is needed to ensure that you don't look completely washed out so the neon band was perfect. Saying that, the only time I have worn neon was for a neon party at uni, I love bright colours but all out neon, not so much...

As ever, I went to new lengths with being matchy matchy, I was tempted by my pink blazer to wear with it but I felt a bit 'Legally Blonde' so I went for a slightly more understated option instead...

Which clothes do you wear for work and play? Would you wear white or neon?

 I have been looking for a replacement for my white H&M summer dress for a while now and after some gentle persuasion yesterday, I bought this one. I love the colour and the shape of it, despite it reminding me of my favourite nightie, and I think the looser shape will make it perfect for holiday...

The lace detail on this is absolutely stunning, and I love the fact it continues down the sleeve too, I have been really drawn to things with sleeves recently so this was a big draw for me...

Plus, it has buttons down the back! This is definitely one of those dresses that I will end up wearing back to front as the detailing is just so pretty, I have been doing this a lot recently with some lower cut tops and dresses, just having the slightly higher neckline makes them infinitely more wearable and the detail on this makes it an equally attractive candidate!

Another day, another Max Factor lipstain, this one in a bright punchy coral (number 07) to add some colour to an otherwise pale outfit...

I am dreading the photos from last night appearing (no-one needs to have my Dad dancing revealed in all its glory!) but I had such an amazing time and I can't wait to see Eloise, Claire, Sarah, Gemma, Gem, Emma, Rebecca, Char, Alex, Sian and Annabel again very soon. 

Where have you found unexpected treasures recently? Who have you been partying with recently?