Category Archives: life stuff

Dressing Up with House of Fraser

16th September 2016
Firstly, how is it Friday again? I honestly cannot cope with how fast time is flying right now, the only upside being it means I’ll be back at work before I know it. With back to work in mind I was really excited to be given the opportunity to add to my wardrobe recently thanks to House of Fraser and their fabulous array of dress covering everything from work wear to party perfect pieces. As I’ve mentioned time and time again, shopping is not on the cards right now so the chance to pick out something new was a real little boost and I’m very much in love with my new frock.

Dress: Oasis at House of Fraser | Boots: Irregular Choice | Bangle: Banana Republic

I love that House of Fraser stock so many brands under one roof, it does make shopping a breeze. Oasis are one of my favourite high street dress retailers- they always have at least a dozen dresses I’m coveting at any one time and this one with it’s pretty collar and amazing flared sleeves won me over in an instant. What I failed to capture was the little bow popper fastening on the back too, it’s these little details that make all the difference to me. It’s one of those pieces that will keep on giving for years to come, it’s on trend enough to be cool but not so much as to instantly date.

I’m not sure what else I can add to this post, I certainly have no interesting anecdotes from life this week as it’s been same old, same old so I’ll spare you my inane ramble and let you appreciate the beauty of this dress instead.

Anyone else having a constant battle with the odd lighting at this time of year? I need to find a new photo spot as my parent’s garden gets no shade during the day and come evening it starts getting dark that much earlier it makes getting photos a nightmare! It’s high time I learnt how to use my camera properly to be honest, there’s a little mission for me.

end

Posted in life stuff, outfits

Permalink 3 Comments

The Statement Ankle Boots

12th September 2016
I’m not usually one to jump straight on a trend. Usually I’ll let it pass me by for a while (read, wait for key pieces to go in the sale) then tread cautiously in to it. I do make exceptions sometimes though and when statement ankle boots started hitting the stores I knew that sooner rather than later I would need to own a pair.

Pinafore: New Look (black version) | Top: New Look | Boots: ASOS (keep a close eye out for more stock!)

Most high street retailers have a version of the statement ankle boot (or six) available but it was the ASOS Emilia that won my heart in the end, although there are several other pairs that I wouldn’t say no to should I come in to some money. I did wonder at first how on earth do you style such a piece but since their arrival I have found them surprisingly versatile, they go with denim and block colours perfectly- I’ve not braved clashing patterns yet but it’s only a matter of time.

These days I tend to go for flat shoes and boots over heels and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to walk in these but they are really comfortable. I’m quite literally head over heels for these beauties and have absolutely no guilt about owning yet another pair of boots.

This New Look pinafore dress is another relatively new arrival in my wardobe, before the news that I wouldn’t be back to work quite as soon as I thought. It was a steal at £14.99 though and can easily be smartened up for work or dressed down for a causal look so I anticipate a lot of wear from it and it has plenty of layering potential.

Have you braved the statement ankle boot yet? Which trends have caught your attention?

end

Posted in life, life stuff, outfits, shoes, shopping

Permalink 8 Comments

Branching Out

07th September 2016
Look at me on a roll with the outfit posts at the moment, I suppose I’m starting to feel a bit more like myself again & feeling like actually getting dressed rather than sticking on the same denim pinafore or skirt every day. Getting signed off from work dented my confidence somewhat, but with a new resolve to get well and some good news in that I’m finally starting to turn a corner I hope it’s not too long before I’m back now. In the mean time I’m enjoying spending time with my nearest and dearest who have all rallied around to support me over the last few months. The perfect example of this was when Mum and I packed up a little picnic last week and went to visit a favourite park of ours near to where my flat was to make the most of some late summer sun.

Dress c/o George at Asda | Sandals: Primark (last year)

We decided to take my camera along on our picnic as the park is really pretty and I was having one of those days where I felt like moving away from my bog-standard denim. Actually, I really pushed the boat out here and put sandals on instead of trainers which has been almost unheard of for me this year.

I don’t know how much of my personal life/eating disorder recovery people are actually interested in reading about here. I’ve always been open about it as it’s taken up half of my life so far so if anyone would like to know a bit more about how I’m doing and follow the journey to health then let me know. Alternatively, if you’d rather not…then let me know that, too!

Do you have a favourite picnic spot?

end

Posted in life, life stuff, outfits, shoes

Permalink 2 Comments

Last Days of Summer

02nd September 2016
I’m still in firm denial that it’s September and that the next bank holiday we get will be Christmas. I’m not ready to give up on the summer months, I feel like it’s been yet another “blink and you’ll miss it” season especially as mine has been somewhat chaotic and out of the ordinary with me not being in work among other things. Thankfully the last few days have been glorious weather-wise and I’ve had a chance to get some wear out of my strappy dresses at long last. This is an outfit I popped on for a day trip to Bath with family- the print certainly attracted a lot of attention (and by some miracle I managed not to spill any food or drink down myself whilst wearing it).

Dress c/o Lavish Alice (a couple of summers ago) | Converse: Schuh exclusive (similar)

I first featured this dress just over two years ago and I’d give anything to be back at that point in my life again. I remember being so happy and confident with what lay ahead of me, I’d got to a healthy point where I was proud of my body and I kick myself multiple times a day that I ever let that slip. But with a new season comes a new start. I’m back on the recovery wagon, receiving excellent care and support and whilst sometimes I look at myself and wonder what all of the fuss is about, that I’m still the same girl physically as I was two years ago it’s these moments of reflection through the blog archive that shows me that I do still have a way to go and my focus now has to be myself and my health. I’m hoping to make September my last month signed off work. To truly embrace life again and learn to love food not just as fuel but as something that needn’t be feared or linked to any feelings of guilt. Anorexia has stolen 15 years of my life and I have a lot of catching up to do. Why delay it any further?

I’m sorry to get so personal in this post, it wasn’t actually my intention but having looked back and having a rare moment of clarity I thought it worth writing down as a reminder to myself above anything else. I’ve always been up front and honest about my battle on the blog and if any one has any questions or could do with a listening ear themselves then do feel free to get in touch, my inbox is always open to anyone.

Here’s to fresh starts and good health. For everyone.

end

Posted in fashion, life, life stuff, outfits

Permalink 3 Comments

Buying the Correct Car Tyres Online*

25th August 2016

I’ll preface this by saying that at first glance this might seem like an odd post for me to be sharing on the blog. However I’d beg to differ as it’s something I know that I’ll be referring to myself in the future (you know, when I eventually get round to passing a driving test) and therefore I’d like to think that some of my readers might benefit too. Road safety, specifically tyres is something I know very little about but I do know that it is of upmost importance once you own a set of wheels…

Justification over, let’s get on to it.

(image)

These days, modern consumers are more used than ever before to making their key purchases online. The internet offers a great deal of convenience for shoppers of all kinds and it is often a good deal cheaper to buy products too. This is because staffing and rental costs associated with traditional shops are often done away with. However there are still many of us who refuse to buy car tyres and parts for our vehicles from anything other than the local retailer. This means that we fail to shop around effectively and sometimes the outcome is that we pay through the nose for standard or even inferior products that the retailer wants to shift on. Instead of opting for what happens to be available when you have your tyres checked at the local garage take the time to look online to see what else is available.



One of the major advantages of shopping for car tyres online is that you can compare the premium brands side by side. Retailers of the bricks and mortar type will usually only stock one or two premium tyre brands with exclusive deals to sell their products only. By using the internet to shop for you car’s new tyres instead it becomes possible to view all of the major brands in one go. Manufacturers such as Bridgestone, Avon, Continental, Nankang, Kingstar and Yokohama – among others – will produce high quality tyres that last much longer than budget tyre brands. Crucially these will often be available with special offers or at reduced pricing from time to time but only from online retailers and tyre specialists.


Among the other advantages of shopping online for tyres is that nationwide tyre dealers can be sought out. This means that you can order your car tyres online from a reliable tyres dealer such as Point S, and then have them fitted professionally no matter where you happen to travel to. If you are driving from one side of the country to the other on business or for a break, then you can order your tyres at one trusted location and have them ready for you at your destination. Local retailers can rarely offer this sort of flexibility in terms of locations and of speed of delivery.

If you think that the increased choice of shopping around is for you but prefer the traditional method of ringing several mechanics and garages to see what tyres are in stock locally then so be it. However, you should bear in mind that an online search compared to one that is made by phone is commonly much more efficient at tracking down the best tyres for your car. All too often you can find a deal by phone but go on to check at other retailers. By the time you ring the best garage back your tyres could have been reserved by someone else or even fitted already. Conversely when you shop online and find your preferred tyres you are able to reserve them with a simple click of the mouse.


end

Posted in information alert, life stuff

Permalink