Category Archives: shoes

The Cord Pinafore

31st October 2016

Hello and Happy Halloween! I thought today would be an apt day to post up this outfit as the colours are very in keeping with the occasion.

Yes, I have added yet another pinafore dress to my collection (and may have also discovered one that I had forgotten about too)…I’m pretty obsessed with them to be honest- so easy to chuck on and perfect for layering! I think I’m up to five now, perhaps six as I’m sure one is still missing- organisation is not my strongest point in some areas of my life!

Dress: New Look (direct link) | Top: New Look (similar) | Boots: ASOS

Sorry the pictures are terrible in terms of light- Mum and I left it far too late in the day to get photos but wanted to make the most of the dry weather so we just did our best to dodge the worst of the sun glare with varying degrees of success!

I couldn’t resist the colour of this dress in New Look, and I totally didn’t break my shopping ban for it either as I was lucky enough to have it bought for me! If you look on the website you’ll see it’s also available in about six other colours and I’m wondering if I can justify adding the khaki one to my basket any time soon. I was pleasantly surprised by the length of this as New Look tend to come up on the short side, it’s so nice to be able to walk around confident that I’m not flasking my knickers at all and sundry.

I’m still obsessed with my ASOS ankle boots which are once again out of stock. I’ve been wearing them with so many different things so despite my initial worries about what on earth they would go with they proven themselves surprisingly versatile.

What wardrobe items are you bulk buying this winter? Pinafores and roll neck jumpers are my achilles heel.

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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?

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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?

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Justifying my Obsession: Versatile Ankle Boots*

26th August 2016
As you all know I am an ankle boots fan. I have a bit of a thing about shoes in general but especially look forward to the colder months when I have an excuse to slip out and buy a new pair of boots to take me through the autumn and winter months.
This year is no different. Given the awful weather we have had recently I decided to start my hunt early and made some fabulous finds. Unfortunately my shoe budget will not allow me to add all of them to my wardrobe so I thought I would tell you about some of them instead.
Boots from ASOS, I couldn’t resist!
Patent leather and other glossy finishes:
For 2016 most designers appear to have opted for leather. This is good news for us consumers because it means that we get to enjoy boots that are comfortable, built to last, and good for foot health.
This type of boot looks great too and there is plenty of choice. You can pick up suede, patent leather and textured finishes- keep an eye out for amazing embellishments too! For the 2016 season many designers have opted for a shiny finish which means you get a super smart look that works equally well for work or a night out.

Sensible yet stylish boots
There are also plenty of sensible boots available this year. You can still buy high heels but most designers have opted to use lower Cuban style heels instead of towering heights. Unusually there is also a good choice of completely flat boots available which is good news for my feet.
If you like to stay active this style of boot is ideal. You can wear them virtually anywhere and they make it a lot easier to cope if you have to stay on your feet all day.

Party boots
As you know I own quite a few (ahem) pairs of ankle boots so you will often see me wearing them at parties. They are particularly good for outdoor bashes because there is no chance of your feet getting cold or damp.
If the party you are attending is a casual affair Cowboy boots are a good choice. They look great with either trousers or jeans. However until this year I did not own a pair. This is because they were normally mid-calf length which isn’t really me. This year that problem has been solved because you can now easily find ankle length Cowboy boots.

The only problem is that they don’t really look right with a dress (unless it’s denim!) Fortunately there are still a few ankle boot designs available that work well when worn with a frock. For example there are some nice open toe shoe boots available which come in a range of shades and designs so you should have no problem matching the colour of your dress.

If you are looking for a fully enclosed boot that is still elegant enough to wear with a skirt it is also worth looking at Chelsea boots. This year you can buy slender versions of this iconic cut with toes that taper to a nice point which gives them a more elegant edge.

As you can see, the footwear designers have been busy this year. They have come up with some a wide range of different styles which means it is extremely easy for you to find the perfect pair of boots and is an excellent excuse to hit the shops!

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Ankle Boots for Summer with JD Williams

15th August 2016
Once again rather a lot of time has passed between outfit posts, I’m not sure anyone is actually missing them but I have missed doing them and now I have found myself living permanently back with my parents (well, for the for-seeable at least) I will probably get more chance to start snapping what I wear again. This Summer has been an absolute nightmare in terms of deciding what to wear- from heatwaves to torrential rain over the course of a few days it’s been tough to get any kind of consistency or theme going on or to plan ahead. I guess that’s the beauty of living in England though, it certainly knows how to keep us on our toes!

Top c/o George at Asda | Skirt: Pull and Bear | Boots c/o JD Williams

I seem to have skipped sandals almost entirely this year, opting instead for a mix of trainers and my ever faithful ankle boots. JD Williams recently asked me if I’d like to pick out a pair of ankle boots from their website and show how I would wear them for Summer and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to show the kind of things I’ve been choosing to wear lately.

The skirt I’m wearing was an absolute bargain at £5.99 in the Pull and Bear sale. I had only popped in to town the other week to keep myself busy when faced with a long day alone and I’m really glad I did! It’s quite a lightweight denim so perfect to wear now but it will also layer up nicely with tights for the colder months ahead. I’ve always loved the combination of denim skirts and ankle boots and I think the tan leather of these JD Williams pair goes perfectly with the cut and colour of this skirt.

The top is actually meant to be a bardot neckline but after trying and failing numerous times to get along with them I gave up and popped it firmly back on my shoulders. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong but I still really like how this adds a bright and breezy component to the outfit, although typically a jacket also made an appearance later in the day.

Ankle boots in my eyes are a year round essential as they go with everything from knitwear to a summery floral frock. This is how I justify having such a large collection of ankle boots to myself anyway, and that fact I have at least another 5 pairs on my wish list…well, there IS nothing worse than cold feet no matter what time of year right?

How do you wear ankle boots in the summer? Or are they a seasonal shoe in your eyes?

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