Category Archives: personal style

For the Frill of It with MissPap

03rd October 2017
It feels like an absolute age since I last did an outfit post- looking back it would appear that it was way back at the start of September which is probably some kind of record for me! I’ve not been feeling all that inspired by my wardrobe lately, I’ve been on a pretty tight budget and haven’t shopped much, I’m also living in work clothes (of which I own very few and are therefore highly dull) and I’ve been crazily busy. Still, I managed to take enough time out to grab some snaps of some new arrivals from MissPap, a brand I’ve seen a lot of recently on social media and on blogs- they sell some fantastic on trend pieces at highly reasonable prices and I was really excited to be given the chance to collaborate with them.

Frill hem skinny jeans c/o MissPap | Embroidered jumper: New Look (last year) | Studded ankle boots c/o MissPap

I can’t say a pair of frilled hem skinny jeans were top of my list when I was browsing the website for items- it’s a trend I’ve admired on other people but wasn’t convinced of for myself. Still, in a fit of recklessness I decided to order a pair (word of advice, they come up on the smaller side) and I’m sold on the concept from here on out. The fact I’m in skinny jeans at all right now is nothing short of a miracle, but that’s a story for another day. A more typical pick from me were the stud detail ankle boots, which cost a very reasonable £30 and are hands down a pair of the comfiest boots I’ve owned. I’m all about the ankle boots, as any long term readers will know and given that I so rarely wear anything with a heel these days having a pair of boots with some eye-catching detail is a great way to inject some life in to my style.
How do you feel about the frill hem trouser trend? I’d consider myself a semi-convert by this point, the frill on these jeans is subtle enough not to draw too much attention. I admire any one who dares go any bigger- whilst they might suit many people, as for me, I fear I’d resemble a clown escaped from the local circus.

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Cats&Coffee

08th September 2017
So this post concludes my trio of outfit posts in collaboration with the fabulous Wearall and it just so happens that I was given another opportunity, this time to create a personalised top from YourDesign (who have a whole selection of personalised t-shirts to choose from) which when added together made for the perfect casual outfit. It’s also a debut post for my spur of the moment hair colour change- booked in to go for my usual pinky/red shade I made the snap decision to go, well, orange! I’m not 100% sure how much I love it at the moment, I think I’ll probably go back to red after this but it’s fun to have something to bright- especially given how bleached out my hair was looking prior to my trip to the hairdresser- it’s not usually this floofy but humid weather conditions and a disposition to frizz were against me.

Skirt c/o Wearall (get it here) | Baseball tee c/o YourDesign | Trainers: Puma

I love a good slogan tee so being presented with the opportunity to create my own was fantastic. Out of the range that YourDesign offers I decided to go for a classic baseball tee, which costs a very reasonable £15 and emblazoned it with two of my favourite things in life- cats and coffee. You can select from a range of images and fonts from those on the YourDesign website or you can upload your own photos which also makes it a great gifting option. The whole process was really simple to do and delivery was quick so if you can’t find the slogan you’re looking for on the high street, or are looking for an extra special gift then I can’t recommend the service from YourDesign enough.

I have praise for Wearall as well, each and every item I’ve been sent by the brand has been great. Sizes do tend to be a bit on the small size so do bear that in mind, but again with swift delivery and plenty of special offers and discounts I strongly suggest heading over there for a new-season spend up.

This is me signing off for a week or so now- I’m off on holiday tomorrow- a week in The Highlands with my boyfriend and I couldn’t be more ready for the break!
Blogging will resume once I’m home and recovered and hopefully I’ll be feeling refreshed and full of new ideas for the blog as well as a whole host of new content from my trip away.

If you were designing your own slogan t-shirt, what would it say?

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Posted in brands I love, fashion, gifts, lifestyle, outfits, personal style, shopping

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Autumnal Embroidery

06th September 2017
Allow me to join the bazillion people pondering out loud how on earth we find ourselves in September again- it wouldn’t feel so much of a shock, or shame if we’d had a noteworthy summer, but the fact the nights are drawing in and it’s looking decidedly grey and dull outside makes it feel more like a punishment. Still, it’s an excuse to change up one’s wardrobe I suppose and embrace a whole new colour palette- gone are the sugary sweet pastels, replaced instead with rich and earthy tones such as the beautiful berry shade that features in the second of my outfit posts in collaboration with Wearall.

Jeans c/o Wearall (get them here) | Tee: Primark | Sandals: Asda

Embroidery is the one trend I’m not ready to let die and I love everything about these jeans. From their perfectly relaxed fit through to the colour way of the details they tick all of my denim boxes and I’ve been wearing them to death. I’ve talked about autumn at the start of this post but actually these photos were taken over the August bank holiday (which granted us with some much needed sunshine!) after finally roping my boyfriend on board with the photography side of things. I think my blogging still bemuses him somewhat, but he’s a good egg and didn’t take much persuading.

The third and final instalment of my Wearall collaboration will be up on Friday, shortly before I clock out and head off on a week long break up in the Scottish Highlands. To say I need this is a massive understatement- just don’t mention the weather!

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Posted in fashion, outfits, personal style

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Late to the Game

01st September 2017

It’s probably not escaped anyone’s notice that off the shoulder has been a big trend over the last few months. As is standard with me it’s a fashion that I’m very slow on the uptake with, and it’s only now, thanks to a collaboration with online fashion retailer WearAll that I’m trying it out.

This post is the first of three in partnership with WearAll, a brand I also teamed up with last year. They’ve got some great on trend pieces in stock at the moment and everything is super affordable too.

Dress c/o WearAll (get it here) | Shoes c/o Lotus

This isn’t my usual style of dress at all, I’ve always dismissed it as being too young for me, or too dressy for the kind of life I lead. That and I assumed that the off the shoulder design would be irritating- it’s not in this case thanks to the addition of thin straps too. This is exactly why I love collaborating with brands though- a chance to try things I’d otherwise never get around to and discovering that actually, I can pull it off.

Teamed with these vibrant blue court shoes from Lotus this is the kind of outfit I’d wear for a date night with Bob. I can equally see myself dressing it down a bit with a pair of Converse or my pink puma trainers to make it more suitable for day wear. Either way I do really like this dress and it’s a welcome addition to my wardrobe. Long term readers will know I’m partial to a spot of floral and the colours in this dress make it ideal for the upcoming Autumn months.

Are there any styles you tend to avoid? If so, do you think you could be persuaded to give them a go? Let me know in the comments and stay tuned for the next of my WearAll outfit posts.

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Baring all with Quiz Clothing

25th August 2017

2017 has been the first year in a considerable while where I haven’t had a wedding or other special event to go to. I still love a cheeky browse of occasion dresses though, especially as one of my cousins got engaged at the weekend so there is definitely at least one wedding on the horizon.

I was recently contacted by Quiz Clothing who matched me with the dreamiest, most stunning dress- and whilst it might be a bit OTT for a wedding I’m very much hoping that I can find some cause to wear this other than prancing around the garden.

Dress c/o Quiz Clothing (here) | Shoes: Mary Portas at Clarks (old)

If I were shopping for a dress then nude wouldn’t be a colour I’d usually consider, I’d long ago dismissed it as a bit…naked looking if I’m honest and not something that would suit me.
Popping this sequin adorned maxi dress on though and I’m converted. For the time it took to get these photos I felt like a complete princess- I wish it was acceptable to dress like this every day!

The process of getting these photos did stir up a few conflicting feelings though. As I said, this dress really does make me feel like a princess but at the same time it clings, it sticks to curves I’m only just starting to see appear. It hammers home just how much my body has changed in the last few months and of course that is a bittersweet moment.

My main issue right now is that I’m only about 50 percent of the way through the weight gain process, but in my mind, thanks to the twisted grasp of an eating disorder I’m already there and beyond. Putting on an outfit like this can really play havoc with that mindset and it’s actually taken a huge amount of courage to post these photos due to how I see them vs. how I’m assured the rest of the world (well, my readers) will see them.

And still I persist. Onwards and onwards to a life where I don’t care that my arms aren’t stick like, that my stomach isn’t concave and my face is fuller. In the past I’ve always had in the back of my mind that if I don’t feel good at my target weight I can always go back- as warped as that sounds. This time I don’t have that. This time it’s final and I refuse to entertain ever going backwards again. It’s making this whole journey that much more difficult whilst I’m going through it- but the future? MY future? That excites me in ways I can’t even begin to explain.

Back in to the world of fashion & shopping now and I am absolutely loving some of the new arrivals on the Quiz Clothing website. I’ve always advocated them on the blog but right now there is literally SO much I want- if you’re looking for affordable and on trend wardrobe updates then do pop along and check them out…as you can see, they’re particularly good for a fancy dress or two.

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Posted in brands I love, dresses, fashion, life, life stuff, outfits, personal style, recovery, shopping

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