Frills 'n' Spills

There are a few decades that I never thought that I would look to for fashion inspiration and I would have said that the 1970s were up there on that list but looking back, I have more than a few pieces that are looking bang on trend at the moment! Ideally these would have been flared jeans rather than skinnies but I sadly got rid of my bargain Boden flares in one of my clearouts so these skinny jeans will just have to do! I seem to gravitate to this faux fur gilet every Friday, it is just so darned cosy and perfect for making even the most casual outfit look dressed up. With my fringe, I felt very 1970s groupie but that's no bad thing right?!

My fringe has got so long recently and I have to admit, although I really love it, I don't think I will get it cut back in next time I go to the hairdressers. I think a side fringe is more my style, I miss my forehead! ;) This Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet lipstick in Pink Pong 06 is one of my favourite lipsticks and is a gorgeous hot pink shade that lifts this outfit perfectly.

I stupidly wore (small) heels when I was in London this week and my poor feet were ripped to shreds so I have been wearing these ridiculously comfy Betty London flats whilst they heal up. Usually ballet flats gape around your feet but this pair fit my feet like a glove and I just wish they came in more colours as they are definitely the comfiest shoes in my wardrobe!

Lemon drizzle cake is one of those cakes where everyone seems to have a preferred way of making it but this recipe is my favourite and is super easy to follow too! Luckily it doesn't require much in the way of prep and you can have a delicious cake within an hour. The secret to a good lemon drizzle cake is the syrup on top and this one is just perfect, it is sweet but has a slight sharpness to cut through the sponge. I made this along with my tea loaf when Mark's grandparents came to see our flat and it went down a treat  with them and when I took it into work- always the sign of a good bake I think! This cake also freezes very well so you can make it in batches and have a constant supply on hand which I will never turn my nose up at! ;)

Which clothes make you feel like a 'grown up'?

As you may have seen, I had my hair cut recently and decided to get a fringe cut in. I had been umming and aahing about it for ages and I finally decided to trust my hairdresser and just go with whatever she came up with. I figured it's only hair and if I hated it, it would grow back right? Recently all I want to wear are jumper dresses and this Cadbury purple one is one of my current favourites!  I wouldn't really classify this as a particularly exciting outfit but this blog is all about the highs and lows of my life and wardrobe so I wanted to share it anyway. This dress was originally from Sainsbury's (supermarkets have some seriously nice clothes in at the moment) but I got it from Matilda- I love having a friend who is the same size as me! It is probably long enough to wear with tights but it was a fairly chilly day so I thought leggings were the better option... 

Which straighteners would you recommend?

I have to admit, I was a little nervous about making this cake, Tea loaf is one of my absolute all time favourites and my mum does it so well that I didn't think I would be able to compare. Luckily I managed to make sense of the recipe that my mum sent over to me and the cake was just delicious. I made this as Mark's grandparents came over to see our new (ish) flat and it was lovely. It also went down a treat when I took it into work and as none of my colleagues have (yet) died of food poisoning, I'm going to count this as a success!

Here I present you with the final outfit post with my old hair! This outfit is usually something that I would wear to work but I was so excited to wear it that I busted it out on the weekend instead. I rarely buy things at full price but when I saw this top in Warehouse, I couldn't resist, I told you that shop was lethal! I really like the length of this top and hides a food baby nicely ;) I'm lucky that I don't have a proper dress code at work  but if you do then I imagine you could swap these jeans for some slim black or grey trousers and add a smart blazer for a smart (and fun!) work outfit... 

I have raved about this bag a lot and you can see why- it is a gorgeous brown-y burgundy leather, it is the perfect size for all of my usual junk that I carry round and it even has enough room for a book, bravo Clarks, you have done it again!

What make-up looks would you wear with this shirt? How would you style this top for work?

Weekends for me fall into one of two types- jam-packed and full of nice food and dressy outfits  and travelling to see friends and family or slobbing around, doing as little as possible whilst binging through series on Netflix- please tell me someone else is as obsessed with Agents of Shield as I am?! This outfit was worn for a weekend like the latter a few weeks ago, quite often  I won't bother to get dressed and you will find me happily curled up in my 'slob suit' but I had to make a run to Tesco so had to wear proper clothes which was a bit of a shock to the system! I rediscovered this Monki dress at the back of my wardrobe- yes I know, I need to have a proper clearout! I bought this dress back in January 2014 (along with this dress and these tights- I was clearly having a burgundy moment!) and although I have worn it a lot, it has never made it to the blog, until now! Although this is a super cosy outfit, it is slim fitting enough to be flattering and I don't boil to death which is always a bonus, I think I have finally found the perfect jumper dress!

Which TV series should I watch next? Send me your recommendations please!

Anyone who has ever read this blog knows that I will take any opportunity to get all dressed up and this outfit was the perfect accompaniment to our meal at Jamie's. I don't always wear all black but when the textures and fabrics are this fun, how can you resist? I felt like a million dollars in this outfit and I really wanted to celebrate that with these pictures. I mean confidence is always worth celebrating, amirite?! For full luxury vibes I paired my outfit with this gorgeous camel coat which I got off Mark for my birthday, it may be brighter but it is still chilly out there! The length of this coat can be a pretty tricky one when you are as short as I am but paired with heels or slim trousers, it works quite nicely.

Just look how jazzy that neckline is! I recently treated myself to a couple of new lipsticks and this L'Oreal Liya Pure Red is my new favourite. It is a really bright red with pinky undertones (although it's nowhere near as pink as the Julianne red!) and it was the perfect statement lip.

This Monki tulle skirt is just dreamy and although the midi length was a bit challenging to style, I really love it. Tulle anything is always a winner in my book and the length means it was perfect for swooshing round in! This skirt was also the perfect foil for my gorgeous Whistles Dana sandals, they are just a dreamy combination together! I can't wait to wear them in the summer, won't they look great with this smock dress? They are a pretty high heel but the caged element makes them slightly easier to walk in, I will just have to get in a bit of practice before I next wear them! ;)