Category Archives: shopping

the cosiest jumper in the world

23rd October 2017
I’m absolutely delighted to see an abundance of chenille on the high street as we run in to the coldest months of the year. Ever since I was small I’ve loved the look and feel of it and wear it instantly makes me feel snug and secure. On a recent and long overdue shopping trip with my Mum I fell in love with THE most perfect chenille jumper of them all- from the colour to the fit it ticked all the right boxes and it just had to come home with me- Mum clearly felt the same way as she pounced upon and purchased the pink version within seconds!

Jumper: Pull and Bear (here) | Skirt: Monki (on sale at ASOS) | Boots: Banana Republic

How great is this bright Teal shade? At £19.99 it’s also one of the most affordable chenille jumpers I’ve seen on my travels with the added bonus that it isn’t cropped- call me old fashioned but I just don’t get cropped jumpers…the whole point is to be warm and snuggly in them, clearly I am just showing my age here though as the damn things are everywhere.

Rant over, the skirt is also a recent purchase as I loved the entire cosmic print range Monki bought out. I already picked up the dress so when I saw the skirt reduced to £16.50 in the ASOS sale I couldn’t help myself.

It’s so nice to be able to shop again- I’m pretty much back to working full time hours now, most of the time and actually having some spare cash after over a year of having to watch every single penny is so nice. It was also amazing to have an afternoon of un-interrupted mother and daughter time, since we both took on new job roles we very rarely get to spend much time together so we appreciate it all the more when we do get the chance.

It’s been a while since I did an outfit post, life has genuinely been so busy and this has reflected in the type of content I’ve churned out on my blog. I’m really hoping that now I’ve got in to a routine and I’m finally started to feel a bit more settled and confident in my changing body shape and size that I can get back to sharing a bit more of my personal style in amongst the likely plethora of gift guides and lifestyle posts.

If there’s anything you’d like to see more of on the blog or anything you’d like me to answer then feel free to leave suggestions in the comments section below. I was going to some kind of “life lately” update post but I’m not all that sure how interesting that would be, and I might just save it for an end of the year recap given that before we know it we’ll be entering the start of 2018 (what a startling realisation that is!)

Anyone else feeling the chenille love?

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Posted in fashion, life, outfits, personal style, shopping

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Gift Guides: Paddywax Candles at Rooi

19th October 2017
There seems to be differing opinions as to whether a candle makes a good gift. Some might say it’s generic or a cop out, but I love to receive them and I also love to give them, especially when you stumble across the recipients favourite scent or some seriously luxe style on a budget.

I was recently introduced to Paddywax candles thanks to interiors retailer Rooi and was seriously impressed by their aesthetically pleasing style and intriguing sounding scents. I was lucky enough to be able to pick out one of the candles for myself- testing out their gift-ability if you will…read on for my thoughts and whether I’ll be hoping that Santa delivers me more from this brand.

I picked out the wild fig and cedar scented candle from the brand’s Hygge range which costs £27.95. This might seem expensive for a candle, but when you stop and think about what you pay for a large Yankee candle, or splurge on a Jo Malone one it’s really quite reasonable.

The candle itself is beautifully presented in a duck egg blue matte ceramic pot with a very on trend copper lid. This is a large candle weighing in at 425g and promises plenty of gorgeously scented burn time.

It’s always a bit of gamble ordering a candle online when you’ve not smelt any of their scents before but somehow I just knew this would be good- and it is. Whilst some candles have a highly artificial aroma to them this one smells fresh and natural, and once lit cannot help but make it’s surroundings feel cosy.

I’d be delighted to receive any of the Paddywax Hygge range as a gift, and will certainly be gifting them myself. If you’re on more of a budget or fancy a little treat for yourself then you can pick up smaller but equally easy on the eye candles on Rooi- next on my list is the delightful sounding “sunset sherbet” candle from the prism range.

Have you tried Paddywax candles before? If so, which scents would you recommend? You can find the entire range on the Rooi website, along with plenty of other gift ideas from brands such as Kate Spade and Emma Bridgwater. Definitely somewhere to be checking out when writing your Christmas list.

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Posted in christmas, gifts, interiors, lifestyle, shopping

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Gift Guides: Pusheen at watchshop.com take 2!

11th October 2017

My friends at watchshop.com sure now how to spoil a girl. Hot on the heels of my sophisticated timepiece from Bering came a cute little package featuring the one and only Pusheen!

You may remember last year this little grey kitty appeared on the blog– well, she’s been give a bit of a grown up makeover whilst still remaining oh-so-cute and ever so affordable at just £19.99…making this the perfect Christmas gift idea for any cat lover.

Pusheen watch c/o watchshop.com

Too damn cute right? You can find this watch plus a couple more styles, and an utterly adorable alarm clock over on watchshop.com – this particular design is exclusive to them and so very me. I’ve got to a point where I pretty much own enough watches to wear a different one every day of the month (addicted, me?) but I have to admit that between this little beauty and my somewhat more grown up Bering style the others aren’t getting much attention lately.

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Posted in accessories, brands I love, gifts, shopping

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3 in 1 with LOTD

07th October 2017
One of the major perks of being a blogger is being asked to collaborate with new and exciting brands. This is something I definitely don’t take for granted- even after almost ten years of blogging I still find it hard to believe that people would want to send me things, or pay me for content. Blogging for me is a hobby and always will be. The perks that come with it are just that- whether they came along or not I’d still put my thoughts out here on the internet for anyone who fancies it to have a read.

Recently I was asked if I’d like to collaborate with up and coming fashion brand called LOTD (which stands for Look of The Day). I was given the chance to pick a few pieces from the site to see what they’re all about, and from the second I clicked through on the link I was smitten- it took me a remarkably long time to make my decisions and my wish list for future purchases is six miles long at this point in time.

The website it packed full of on trend pieces at great prices. With everything from cosy basics through to the perfect party dress (and everything in between) I happily spent near on an hour just looking through everything before being able to come even close to making a short list.

I’ve put together three outfits from the items I was sent- I’d love to know what you think of them and also, how you’d style them too.

This dress from LOTD was the first item I clapped eyes on and fell in love with. It’s an absolute bargain at £15 and I’ve already got it ear-marked for the festive season. I was pleased I checked the size guide before ordering as I probably would have ended up getting a dress that was far too small for me, but fit wise it’s perfect and I finished off the look with my pewter ankle boots from New Look.
This navy jumpsuit is my favourite item from this haul- I was so close to not getting it thinking it’d be impractical for every day, but I took the plunge at the last minute and I’m so happy I did. Again it’s an absolute steal at £20 and the tie up front detail is great (although I need some practice with tying it!) Here I’ve paired it with my metallic converse for a casual vibe, but I’m planning on picking up some burgundy loafer style shoes and wearing it for work too- a welcome addition to my office wardrobe. This is something I never would have thought of trying before, or been brave enough for- sometimes it pays to take a risk!
This grey jersey tunic (£20) is the softest top I’ve ever owned. The LOTD website has it listed as a dress, but as you can see it is a bit on the short side and when I left the house I did stick some jeans on in place of tights. That aside it’s a great casual basic- I’d recommend going up a size for ultimate slouch though.

My final item were these kick-ass studded boots (£35). Ok so this is the second pair of studded boots I’ve added to my wardrobe in under a fortnight but who’s counting? I’m obsessed with snazzy flats and this pair have an extra badass feel.

All clothing items in this post, and the studded boots were sent to me c/o LOTD for blog consideration. I can hand on heart say though that this is a shop you want to be checking out, and I will be placing further orders from in the future. Once again I am thankful to the blogging world and the opportunities it brings me to discover new places to shop- I am not quite so sure my bank balance would agree though…

Which shops are you loving right now? Which of these pieces is your favourite?

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Posted in blogging, brands I love, fashion, outfits, personal style, shopping

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

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