Frills 'n' Spills

It seems that I can't get enough of Oasis midi dresses at the moment! This black one is slightly plainer than this jazzy printed one but has been a key part of my wardrobe recently. I was looking for a casual LBD that I could replace this ASOS number with and picked this one up when it finally went into the sale. I really like the simplicity of the black against my pasty pale skin and red lipstick, it looks striking without requiring much effort (always a win in my book!) ;) Confidence is a funny thing and although mine comes and goes in waves, I think you can see how happy I look here. I have pushed myself out of my comfort zone a lot recently and it has definitely made me braver, here's hoping that continues! 

I always feel most like myself when I am wearing red lipstick and MAC Lady Danger is my favourite at the moment. It is definitely not for the faint-hearted but it matches my shoes so well that I couldn't resist, haha! The neckline on this was pretty revealing so I dug out my bandeau top again. I would have preferred a lace trimmed cami but haven't been able to find any pretty ones, does anyone have any recommendations? 

These orange-y red suede shoes were a bargain from when we visited the M&S outlet at Gloucester Quays back in April and I really love them. Block heeled shoes are my favourite and the studded heel sets them apart from the other pairs in my wardrobe. I think this is supposed to hit just below the knee but thanks to my less than lanky legs, it is nearly a maxi on me. I suppose it just means that I will be cosier when I start layering it up for Autumn!

I have raved about French Connection several times over on this corner of the internet and this dress was from my recent splurge in their sale (P.S. it is still on sale here!). I really love the geometric print and the retro shape is oh so flattering! Until I was seduced by skater dresses, I was a massive fan of tea dresses and this may have rekindled my love affair with them. I was going to go more retro with the styling but I thought a sharp bob would look better than my usual curls and it made it feel a bit more work-y too. I may have a relaxed dress code but I do like to dress up every now and again! I thought I had managed to share all of my outfit posts from the old flat but this one managed to slip through the net and even though I have worn it since I didn't manage to take any more pictures!

I must admit, I didn't realise just how short this skirt was until I wore it all day, luckily I had my little lacy shorts on underneath as otherwise I would be very self conscious otherwise! I love these gold wedges, I planned to throw them out in the great wardrobe clear-out when we moved but they survived another day! The pale gold colour is super flattering and the wedge is comfy enough to wear all day, they may just be the perfect summer shoes!

Any ideas where I can get my hands on some tea dresses?

This dress is somewhat of a blogger favourite, Sarah wore it first back in November (and I loved it then) then when Alex posted about it at the end of January and it was in the sale, I caved. It is such a gorgeous dress and as well as getting so many nice comments about it (both online and off!), I know at least 3 people who bought it as a result of me being so excited about it. There's a stained glass dress wearing army out there! ;) I took Alex's advice and sized down a couple of sizes and it fits perfectly. I have avoided smocks up till now as I was worried about looking like a sack of potatoes but I will definitely be trying more (there's something I never thought I would be saying!) I'm not sure why I look so confused/grumpy in these photos, as I was super smiley for the whole day, perhaps it's the 5.00 am starts?!   

The look of love! I love the little sleeves on this dress (they make it way more work appropriate) and it is made of a gorgeous heavy jersey so is super flattering too. This fits just like a skater dress as I have sized down. Not bad for a mere £14 eh?! It is still available in a few sizes AND you can get it with am extra 20% off here with the code 20MORE, go go go! 

What unusual prints have you got in your wardrobe?

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...

When I first put this dress on the other day, I was a bit unsure about it. With my less than willowy legs I have always been quite wary of midi lengths but with my favourite pair of heels, I felt surprisingly elegant for a Thursday- usually by that point in the week I have resorted to cosy knits and jeans! This dress is a good compromise, though. The material is lovely and heavy, making it super cosy but thanks to the fact it is a dress, it still looks fancy! Based on the response I had from people (online and off) this has been one of the most popular outfits I have worn for a while. I have never had so many compliments! :D I will definitely be pulling this out again when I am in need of a confidence boost...

I have seen quite a few bloggers wearing those amazing checked Uniqlo trousers and when I saw how awesome Jen, Hannah and Claire looked, I wanted in on the checked action. I picked up this pair of trousers after a lunchtime trip to New Look and I love the slim cut mixed with the check pattern. 

Sometimes I wish I was a 1980s teenager. I have a real penchant for 80s pop music and the garish fashion and I finally watched The Breakfast Club this weekend, which really sealed it for me. I have written before about 80s style work wear and this was another outfit that looked like I had pulled it out of my mum's wardrobe 20 years too late...

Outtake of the day: trying to flip my hair out of my face, I'm not sure I could look much more ridiculous!

What outfits put a smile on your face? Do you have clothes that are blatant catwalk rip offs?

I wore this outfit on Saturday night and I was totally overdressed for the pub, but sometimes it is nice to get dressed up for no reason at all and I would rather be overdressed than under-dressed! The main reason why I wanted to wear this dress though, was because I unearthed it in a box which we hadn't yet unpacked (along with some other wardrobe favourites which will be reappearing on here soon)