Frills 'n' Spills

They say imitation is the highest form of flattery right? Because when I saw the beautiful Nicole Ocran in these jazzy flared trousers, I couldn't help but copy her. If you're not already following her, you should be, she has an awesome eye for an outfit and is as lovely as she is stylish. Yes, I may have a slight crush! I was a little unsure of how to style these trousers but decided to embrace the 1970s vibes and incorporate these earthy tones to match. This top is actually a dress I have had since 2011 (!) and it matched perfectly. It's always fun to dig back into your own archive and I still have all but the coat and scarf from that outfit post. I'm not sure whether that's impressive or tragic but let's go with the former! It's not often this happens but this trouser/shoe combo has made me look relatively tall which is always a win in my book!

I can't resist a good lipstick and this is Nars Giusti satin lip pencil, it's a gorgeous rosy brown and  the perfect 'your lips but better shade' if you are pale like me. I really rate their lipsticks and this has been on repeat for when I just want to look slightly more polished. Over the last year I have also become obsessed with earrings. I have never had my ears pierced (and I probably never will!) so I have been enjoying clip on styles from people like the lovely Julia de Klerk or adapting non-clip on styles with some clip backs and superglue. That way, I still get a jazzy fix without having to resort to anything more permanent.

A slightly better look at the shoes. I usually would avoid slingbacks (I have weirdly narrow ankles!) but they are the perfect summer-y shoe and as they are leather, they should last for a long time. I love a block heel all year round so these are a nice way to 

Who is your style crush? How would you style these trousers?

Bright colours have long been a staple in my wardrobe and this candy pink Whistles dress was a fun workwear addition. The shape was boxier than I would usually go for but paired with some fun shoes and a jazzy necklace, it was much more firmly in my comfort zone. I am a big fan of sleeveless dresses (I am always warm!) and I can't wait to layer this one up with some stripes and a polo neck!

I have had this necklace for nigh on 7 years (!) and although the attached leaf is long gone, it is still one of the pieces of jewellery I have on regular rotation. It is simple but so unusual, not bad for a Topshop sale bargain! My hair has got so much longer recently and I have really been enjoying brushing it out into soft waves. It does have a mind of its own so I sometimes have to use my GHDs to help tame it. I really should do more with my hair as it does hold a style when I bother but I am just too lazy, I would much rather have an extra 20 minutes in bed...

These shoes were another Topshop bargain a while back and I love them They are ridiculously comfy and make a real statement without being completely impractical. I am always a bit wary of wearing heels with higher hemlines but I think the chunky block heel and the straps helps to stop them from looking too much, what do you think?

Where do you buy your workwear?

Since starting my new job, I have had to get back into the habit of wearing smarter clothes for work. Whilst I miss my more casual workwear, it has been good to challenge myself and push out of my (very literal) comfort zone. Life's too short to wear boring clothes so I have been wearing a lot of fun printed dresses (this geometric number and this blocky beauty were particular favourites) to make it a but more interesting. I have been lucky enough to find a few dresses in my favourite charity shop to add to my collection, including this beautiful printed one from Hobbs. The shape isn't one I would usually go for but the drawstring waist was able to cinch me in and it is so light to wear, making it perfect for the summer!

I love the slash neck on this and the print is really unusual, does anyone else think it looks like rain? I have been trying to be more inventive with how I style my hair and I was pretty pleased with this sleeker look, thank goodness for my GHDs!

I wear these Whistles shoes a lot and I am cautious abut wearing them out as they are just so darned comfy! Has anyone seen any interesting black blocky heels recently? I need to find an alternative to these but ideally with a pointed toe too... let me know if you have more luck than I do!

What do you wear to work? Where do you buy interesting workwear from?

I have always been a fan of florals and when I spotted this skirt in my local store last summer, it took me less than ten minutes to make a beeline for the till. I mean, it was the last one left, and in my size, that has to be fate, right?! I was going to pair it with a cream blouse but I actually love the black top with it, it makes the whole outfit look much cooler (and let's face it, I need all the help I can get on that front!). I never thought I would regularly be wearing crop tops but I have definitely been more confident clothing-wise recently. I'm not sure why I look so unsure in these pictures but I absolutely loved this outfit and I will definitely be recreating it this year...

My lipstick here was actually a lot brighter in real life but it didn't photography very well which is very annoying! I have been growing my hair recently and although I'll probably never go back to my 2013 length, I do like being able to do more with it now it's a tad longer.

I have a few Radley bags in my collection but this is definitely the most fun one I own. I absolutely love the heart shape and the colour is just divine. 😍

I have to say, Oasis is one of those shops that is a bit hit and miss for me, this skirt was part of their collaboration with the Chelsea Physic Garden and is fab (when they get it right, they get it really right!) but they can edge too far into twee territory for my liking - there's only so many butterfly prints that anyone needs, amirite?!

Are you a fan of florals? How do you make them less twee?

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?

Workwear can be pretty tricky but I'm a great believer in wearing classic pieces in fun colours to brighten up the office. This teal blazer is a firm favourite of mine and is one of the pieces I reach for when I need an extra burst of confidence. I had to do a mini presentation at work and I really loved this outfit, I felt pulled together but still comfy, important if you have to speak in front of people! I'm not sure why the photos came out so bright but no end of fiddling with the settings helped so I'm afraid you will have to just be dazzled by how bright this shirt is! ;)

It is a well-known fact that Whistles make some very nice clothes and I have been lucky enough to add some of their pieces to my wardrobe over the past few years, either via their sale or on eBay. (I cannot wait to wear this gorgeous teal dress next time I go out either, it is just so swooshy!) This latest addition to my wardrobe is distinctly more casual than a lot of the dresses I own but it is perfect for throwing on when you want something comfy but still smart. I wore this over a month ago (!) but I am so behind on blogging my outfits. You will have to forgive me if there are some seasonally jarring ones although I always seem to be much warmer than everyone else, especially at this time of year! Thin layers are the only way to cope with fluctuating temperatures and this corally orange cardigan is one I keep out all year round as it is just so versatile. I love orange and blue paired together and the combination never fails to put a smile on my face.

The jersey material makes this outfit pretty casual but I really liked the contrast with the smarter heels. It has a nice nipped in waist too so I felt less slumpy and more like I could take on the world buy lunchtime! If only I had an orange blazer that matched, I could take my matchy matchiness to a whole new level ;)

You know how much I love these orange heels and they are just so comfy. It's not often I will choose to wear heels for a full day at work but these are just so fun that I couldn't resist!

How do you keep your work outfits fun?

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?

I really love the cool scribble print of this top and the gold detailing (does it count as a necklace?!) means it doesn't need any extra accessories which can only be a good thing! As usual, I am wearing my favourite red lipstick, I know it's not exactly ground-breaking but I just really, really love it! 

How do you get out of a clothing rut? What's the longest you've gone without repeating an outfit?

Guess what? It's Maria wearing stripes and red lipstick again! I know, this has been a bit of a uniform for me for many years now but when they look so good together, who can resist?! I picked up this cute striped dress on my lunch break (working in town is lethal!) and wore it into work the next day. I have no self control and new clothes are the hardest thing to resist. I love the 1960s shape of this and I felt pretty darn cool in this outfit. It was also super fun to wear which is always a good thing! I couldn't believe that I was resorting to thick tights so early in the year but I guess summer never really got started. Autumn is my favourite season (blogger cliché alert!) and I can't wait to try this with black boots and burgundy or green tights once the leaves start to drop! I really wanted to wear my favourite red bag with this outfit but a bag that small is just not practical for work, however cute it is! 

What's your uniform?

Workwear can be hard to track down but once you know what suits you, it makes the whole process much easier. For me, sleeveless dresses will always be a core component of my work wardrobe, especially if they are as fun as this ladybird dress! I spotted it during my latest visit to Sainsbury's (always a dangerous idea!) and I fell in love. The dress is a gorgeous thick jersey material and is super flattering thanks to the gathered waist - I love a dress that skims over my tummy! I think you can see how much I love this outfit from these pictures; I felt pulled together but not dull, something that can be difficult when it comes to dressing up for work. I know people can be snobby about supermarket stuff but I have found some of my favourite clothes during my weekly grocery shop!

I treated myself to Nars Dragon Girl when I had an ASOS discount recently and I am in love. I really love the formula of the lipstick and the colour is great, although it is a lot pinker than I was expecting from the tube. I wanted to wear my MAC Lady Bug lipstick (which would have been some impressive matching!) but sadly I couldn't find it in my stash :( Although I'm not a fan of creepy crawlies in real life, these ladybugs sure make a pretty print!

I was tempted to go the whole hog and wear my red shoes but they were the wrong shade of red (!) so I opted for this nude pair instead. I am on the hunt for some nude shoes to replace my beloved ASDA pair so if you see any, please shout!

Where do you buy fun workwear?

When I'm feeling under the weather, my outfit goes one of two ways: either comfort central or dressing up to pull myself out of my funk. This outfit was definitely the latter, it's been a while since I last wore this stripy dress on the blog but it is one of the nicest dresses I have in my wardrobe. I tend to wear it with leggings but it was nice to jazz it up with some nude tights and bright shoes instead. The neon accents on this dress are super fun but as I sadly don't own any neon yellow shoes (yet!) my coral pair were the next best thing. Despite my grumpy face in these photos, I really loved this outfit, it is super fun and it was perfect for making me feel less gloomy- always a good thing! 

Yes, it's another day wearing peachy coral lipstick, why mess with a good thing right?! MAC Vegas Volt is a blogger favourite but it is one of those shades that I'm sure would suit anyone. I blotted it down slightly here but I do love how vibrant it is when it is opaque!

How do you get yourself out of a funk?

Dorothy Perkins is one of those brands that I always forget about (probably because I can't get it on ASOS!) but I had a mini spree in there to stock up on some new workwear and there is some gorgeous stuff in there. Until you are settled into a job, playing it safe is definitely the right idea and for most offices, monochrome is definitely that! The print on this skirt makes it feel more me though and it should be pretty versatile too. I can definitely see it being paired with this teal blouse or a cosy burgundy jumper and ankle boots come Autumn (yes, I sad the A word!) too.... Overall I really liked this outfit although I did think it needed a bit more jazz to it- perhaps a bright jacket or pair of shoes? I am notorious for over accessorizing though so maybe it's good that I didn't have any to hand! ;) I tried on a lot of tops before I settled on this old faithful from H&M  picked mainly because it is so plain. Anything with pockets that I tried looked too fussy and my plain t-shorts were too casual... Put it this way, as I stood in front of my wardrobe, I knew what Goldilocks must have felt like! 

This Bourjois lipstick was a welcome addition of colour to the monochromatic ensemble and it was nice to not wear a red lipstick for once! I am awful for getting stuck in a rut with what I wear and although it won't be long before I am back wearing red, hot pink is a fun, more summery alternative... My hair is looking a little unkempt in these pictures but I am managing to squeeze in an appointment this weekend and am hoping to go back to around this length. I do like having it longer as it gets colder (on me it looks better with hats and no one likes a cold neck!) but hopefully I have a few months before I need to start thinking about layering!

I was umming and aahing on this skirt for a while before I bought it as I can be pretty self-conscious about my tummy and wrap and pencil skirts just seem to draw attention to my diabetes 'salami sausage' but I really liked the shape of it and I was determined to make it work for me. I added my beloved lace trimmed cycle shorts under this and thank goodness I did as this skirt is pretty darned revealing! Don't let its modest length fool you, every time I sat down or even walked more than a few steps, I flashed a little more flesh than I would have liked. I think I'm going to have to either sew down the seam slightly or get a natty kilt pin to hold it together!

How would you style this skirt?