Frills 'n' Spills

I'm Maria and I can't stop buying  little red dresses. In fairness it has been a while since I last bought a little lace dress but my #simplybereal moment was right on! I found this M&S beauty on Amazon and it was the last one left, and in my size- it had to be fate! The colour s a bright scarlet and it is very bright, so much so that I had to turn the brightness down on these photos... I wore this for the Easter meal that I had with Mark's family and it was perfect for stuffing myself with plenty of banoffee pie as it skims over all my lumps and bumps nicely. Luckily the lace dresses it up enough that you don't need any other embellishment so it is super easy to wear too- who would guess that such a fancy looking dress would be so easy to wear? I couldn't believe how pale I looked in these pictures but I actually really love the contrast as it is so dramatic! 

I was worried that the neckline was a little bit frumpy as it looked quite matronly in some photos but it definitely grew on me throughout the day. I really love the sheer lace on the sleeves, I just wish the top of the bodice was the same- maybe that would help with the frump factor? I paired it with my favourite red lipstick (Max Factor Colour Elixir Lipstick in Ruby Tuesday FYI) and a different red nail varnish (for once!) This is the rather lovely Victoria & Albert by Nails Inc and it is another classic red that wears really well. I have had it on all week and it is only just starting to chip 4 or so days later.

I really  need to find a replacement pair of these shoes, I wear them nearly every day and they are starting to look a bit scruffy now. If anyone sees them in a size 7, please let me know! 

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?

There are some dresses that just put a smile on your face and this gorgeous Uttam Boutique dress is certainly one of them. I have been feeling pretty poorly recently so I needed something to put a spring back into my step. The woodland print on this dress is stunning and paired with its deliciously swooshy skirt, it was the perfect thing to wear to cheer up a rainy bank holiday. I have never seen a more enthusiastic reaction to an outfit on Instagram, you all loved it as much as I do! The dress is available here and it is on sale so go and bag yourself a bargain ;) It was absolutely pouring with rain when we took these photos so my hair has gone a little bit flat in some of these pictures which is very annoying, haha! As you may know, I have been trying to lose a little bit of weight and I was really pleased as this dress was a size smaller than I would usually wear, Ideally I could lose another half a stone or so but I have been really pleased with my progress so far!

I have definitely decided to grow out my fringe and I am hopeful that it won't take too long as it has already grown a huge amount already. I have a hair appointment later this week so hopefully we can wrangle it into something resembling a style! This Bourjois lipstick is one of my favourites and I am seriously tempted to buy it in all the colours as it is just so easy to wear!

This cardigan is another one of the hardest working pieces in my wardrobe, it was originally hip length but I managed to shrink the body of it in the wash although the sleeves stayed the same length (how bizarre!) It is made of wool so is lovely and warm but luckily it is a slim enough layer that it can even be worn under jackets and it bundles down to nothing in my bag when I overheat- brilliant!

Are you a leopard print fan? Any tips for growing out my fringe?

There's nothing particularly ground breaking about a navy dress but when you find one that fits you like a glove, then you snap that baby up, however 'basic' it is and especially when it's on sale! I go through phases with Gap, they have some really gorgeous stuff but sometimes it feels a bit too grown up for me. It does make me wonder, will there ever come a point where I feel grown up enough to class myself as an adult or does imposter syndrome apply to age too?! Despite my worries, I felt so pulled together in this dress and although simple, it was a really fun outfit to wear. It was so windy when we were taking these photos, hence why I look so bedraggled but I promise you that I looked more pulled together when safely ensconced inside!

I have committed the ultimate fashion faux pas here, matching my lipstick to my nails! Essie 'Aperitif' and Max Factor Colour Elixir Lipstick Ruby Tuesday are the perfect match and the ruby red jazzes up the navy blue perfectly. I look particularly pasty pale in these photos  but I actually like the contrast with my hair as it is just so dramatic! I seem to have been wearing jewellery less recently but I found this when looking for a different one and remembered how much I love it. It was a gift from my friend Jules and every time I wear it, I am reminded of just how nice she is :)

These sparkly gold shoes were another recent rediscovery (I may have too many pairs of shoes) and they have barely come off my feet as they are just so darned comfy. Now I just need shoe makers to make them in every colour under the rainbow so that I have a block heel to match every outfit! The waist on this dress is much lower than my natural waist so I was a bit apprehensive about wearing it but the pleats mean that it still nips me in at the waist without drowning me in material which is always a good thing!

A better look at my fringe! I have almost adjusted to it now but I still keep catching glimpses of myself in windows and mirrors and not recognising myself! I have managed to get my styling routine down now too although my current straighteners are feeling a bit ropy. I am seriously tempted by the GHD mini stylers but they are pretty pricy so I am going to have to save up! I have had this necklace for years (I think I originally bought it back in 2010!) and it makes any outfit look dressed up, perfect for when you want minimum effort for maximum return!

I was so thrilled when I rediscovered my favourite boots at the back of my wardrobe. I hadn't unpacked the box when we moved so there were a few things that I had forgotten I owned. They are looking a bit worse for wear but I guess that is the problem with wearing a pair of suede boots into the ground!

The print on this top is really unusual and I really like the sheer panels too, they make a simple shape way more interesting! I paired this outfit with Revlon's Just Bitten Cherish stick here but I imagine it would look equally nice with a bright pink lipstick or a blue smoky eye, wouldn't that be ace?!

These gorgeous suede shoes were another Clarks sales bargain and I really love them. They don't seem to be available on the site any more but you can get a better look at that gorgeous gold block here. I find suede shoes so easy to wear and these required minimal breaking in, whereas this pair are still causing me some trouble- do you have any tips for breaking in shoes?