Category Archives: personal style

The Spring Dress Wish List

23rd February 2019
The recent milder spell of weather and odd sunshine bathed day has me full of hope that Spring might be on the horizon; I do remember having this same train of thought last year though and then we got hit by The Beast From The East so we’ll see how long this optimism lasts! Still, un-predictable weather aside it’s been a long time since a wish list post graced this blog, so here we are with my current obsession- dresses perfect for that transition in to Spring.

Monki Wrap Dress | Joanie Star and Scallop Dress

I love the bright and bold prints on both of these dresses, especially the star and scallop print on the Joanie dress. The Monki shirt dress looks perfect for dressing up for work, or down with trainers for the weekend, and the Joanie number is a bargain at just £30.

Floral Skater Dress from Oasis | Unity Posy Midi Dress from Joy

Both Joy and Oasis dropped off my radar for a while, and both used to feature regularly on the blog back in the day. These floral dresses are both ideal for Spring and I’ve made myself a promise to frequent these stores more regularly for inspiration and the occasional purchase when budgets allow. I did pick up an awesome dress in Oasis just after Christmas which is coming up in a blog post soon. Florals for Spring may not be groundbreaking, but they sure do work.

Ruffle Floral Dress from Warehouse

I saw this dress pop up on Warehouse’s social media recently and instantly fell in love. My current shopping ban means I can’t make the £69 purchase at the moment but I’m mentally making excuses to break the ban; would it be perfect for a late Spring wedding I’m going to? I’d love some opinions on this as it might be enough to justify the spend!
What’s caught your eye lately? I’m loving the high street right now, and it’s the worst possible timing to feel so inspired to shop as all of my spare pennies are being filtered towards spends for the epic holiday Bob and I have planned…it’ll be worth it, but I can feel my halo slipping.

Posted in brands I love, dresses, fashion, personal style, shopping, wish list

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Hit Refresh

16th February 2019
Is there anything better than a fresh hair colour to pull you out of a funk? Finding this perfect red shade via my local hairdresser a couple of years ago marked a real turning point for me; it became the shade that signified re-finding my confidence after a hellish few years, and getting back out there in to the real world and embracing recovery with everything I had.

Last weekend, determined to pull me out of my January blues, Bob packed me off to the salon (he kinda owed me after telling me he’d never seen me with so many grey hairs) and I came home re-vitalised and ready to plough on through these last few kilos of weight restoration and turn my life in to something even more fulfilling than it already is.

I picked this dress up in the & other stories sale after Christmas. Still an extravagant purchase for me, but I couldn’t leave it behind. It’s exactly the kind of thing the true me loves to wear, and being all floaty and forgiving it’s perfect for those all too frequent days where body image isn’t my best friend.
And so far this refresh is working, it’s not easy, in fact this is probably the hardest phase of recovery from an eating disorder. My BMI is no longer wedged far down in to the underweight category, and arguably I don’t look underweight in the slightest. I live in silent fear of being judged for my decision to add another 5kg to my frame despite knowing I’m doing it to enable all the things I still want to achieve to happen.

Time is ticking and I know that if I want to start a family, if I want to live the rest of my life in a world where I don’t count every calorie or scrutinise every menu within an inch of it’s life I need to do this. And what’s shameful about wanting to be the best version of myself I can possibly be? What’s so wrong about wanting to have a healthy figure that has the energy and strength to start running again, or embrace the great outdoors and go on long hikes or bike rides with my boyfriend or my friends and family?

I couldn’t resist adding in this picture of Pablo and I, taken in one of his rare co-operative moments. It’s hard to believe he ever fitted in to the palm of my hand, or nestled in to my neck when we first met him at 8 weeks old. He’s a right little character who keeps us on our toes- he’s obsessed with foil, meows relentlessly at the fridge for slices of cooked chicken, he’s destroyed every toy we’ve bought him and makes our living room look like a toddler tornado has run through it. But he’s the sweetest, most sociable little creature and yet another addition to my life that simply wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t hit refresh two and a half years ago.

Posted in dresses, fashion, life, life stuff, lifestyle, outfits, personal style, recovery

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Ace the Races with PrettyLittleThing*

03rd February 2019
It’s been a very long time since a brand approached me about a clothing collaboration so I was more than a little bit excited when PrettyLittleThing got in touch about styling up some race day worthy outfits. I’ve never been to the races myself but have seen plenty of coverage from those who have and I had my own idea of the kind of style I’d like to sport- PrettyLittleThing have everyone covered though with a huge selection and my toughest choice was narrowing my selection down! In the end I picked two outfits that I feel wouldn’t be out of place at even the grandest of race days, I’d love to know what you think and what you’d have picked.

Dress | Shoes both c/o PrettyLittleThing

I fell in love with the retro vibe of this chocolate brown midi dress instantly, the sleeve detail is so unique and it hangs beautifully. I wouldn’t usually go for such a delicate shoe but I love how the rose gold looks with this outfit, and despite having to size up in the shoes (hello wide feet woes) they are a lot more comfortable than they look.

Dress | Shoes | Bag all c/o PrettyLittleThing

This emerald green dress is unlike anything I have ever owned before and I was in two minds about picking it as I wasn’t sure a plunging neckline would be my friend. Thankfully it worked, although a bit more in the boobs department might have helped! I was taken by the tied cuff details and the wrap around effect, I kept shoes more subtle this time as the dress is far more revealing than anything I usually wear, and I couldn’t resist adding in this little marabou feather clutch bag for a finishing touch.
Have you ever been to the races before? As a complete novice, how did I do with my outfit selections?

Posted in blogging, brands I love, dresses, fashion, look book, outfits, personal style, shoes

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4 style ideas to help you sparkle during party season*

20th December 2018
Party season is officially in full swing, but with so many occasions to attend it can often be difficult working out what to wear. So, whether it’s a New Year’s bash or a great night out with friends why not give one of these simple ideas ago? These four finishing touches will have you standing out in any crowd, whatever your style.

Fancy footwear

Whether it’s sequins, embellishment, prints or bold colours, the rule with footwear at this time of the year is the fancier the better. One of the easiest ways to feel fantastic as you head off for a night out this winter is to invest in a new pair of statement shoes. Regardless of your preferred heel height, choose a design that really speaks for itself leaving you free to pair them with a simple little black dress at a moment’s notice. Think embellished sandals, velvet mules and printed pumps. The Gucci shoes collection has some perfect designs for hitting the dance floor in.

Colourful clutches 

A simple way to add some wow factor to your favourite outfit is with an eye-catching clutch and, they were spotted all over this season’s catwalks from Valentino to Balenciaga. There are so many options when it comes to accessorising with a clutch bag; think big and relaxed hugged close to the body or small and structured. As far as colour is concerned, any hue will keep you on trend, but metallic tones and sequins work great for party season and allow you to leave the rest of your look relatively simple.

Jaw-dropping jewellery 

Ever get the feeling something is missing from your outfit? It may be time to invest in some statement jewellery. If earrings are your thing then hoops are always a great option and are perfect for dressing up any look. Alternatively, if you’re looking for some a little classier, embellished pendant earrings could be the accessory you’re looking for. Team with an off-the-shoulder dress for Old Hollywood glamour and maximum impact.

Statement make-up

It’s the oldest trick in the book but nothing adds some extra oomph to an outfit quite like a slick of statement lipstick. For this season think deep shades of plum and red depending on your skin tone. Pair it with simple eye make to make sure your look isn’t too overpowering.

Have fun with hair accessories 

It’s one of the more difficult trends to pull off but quirky hair accessories could be the perfect solution to taking your festive party outfits to the next level. This season’s trends included feathered clips, tortoiseshell slides and leather Alice bands. Max Mara even sent models down the runway wearing crystal-embellished monogrammed hair clips. Again, the key to making this look work for you is to tone everything else down. If there’s too much going on your hair accessories may overwhelm your outfit.

Posted in christmas, fashion, personal style, shopping

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Indulging my ankle boot obsession with Fashion World*

11th December 2018
If I could only wear one style of shoes for the rest of my life it would without a doubt be ankle boots, it doesn’t matter what time of year it is, they are what I gravitate to and I’ve been living in the same two pairs of boots for the last couple of months. This could, of course have something to do with the fact that these are the only shoes I’ve got around to moving house with me- the perks of having my parents’ living near by is that I didn’t have to move everything at once, handy as we’ve had a couple of storage hiccups, and to be honest I haven’t really missed most of my shoe collection (although I will be glad to have them all under one roof in the new year!)

Now I’m done with my Christmas shopping- insert smug gloat here- I’ve gone back to my routine browsing of things I would quite like to own, although now all of my money has gone on Christmas, and unexpected vet bills, it really is a case of browsing only.

Today’s edition of “share my pain in lusting over things I can’t yet afford” features ankle boots (as the post title might have given away), specifically those from the magnificent collection over at fashion world.

I kind of feel I’ve covered all bases with my browsing here, from smart to casual, from day to night, I’ve fallen in love with an ankle boot for all occasions. I think my favourite pair has to be the black ones with the pearl detailing, such a pretty way to liven up an otherwise plain party dress, or for wearing just to feel expensive…and expensive they are not, costing a very reasonable £26.00 in the wide fit style, which is perfect for my flipper feet.

You’ll also find a selection of familiar brands on the fashion world website – from irregular choice to mode in pelle (which is who the delicious burgundy button detail boots are by).

What shoe style would you choose to live in?

Posted in brands I love, fashion, personal style, shoes, shopping, wish list

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