Polka Face

My new favourite summer dress is this no brand polka dot one recently bought in TK Maxx (£12.99). It looked so cutesy on the hanger though I don't think this translates well on me, especially in the awful changing room photo, ick. I feel a little like an overgrown toddler with the large collar but I love the length (not too short), the sleeves (it has them!) and the ever so slight 50s feel. Paired with my beloved H&M gladiator sandals and I'm set.



Is everyone is enjoying the marvellous weather we're having? I spent Monday lolling about in Hyde Park and only left at sunset. Think I may spend some of the Bank Holiday weekend there too as I don't think there are any Jubilee street parties happening in my area :(

I really do hope to be posting more often now that there's ample daylight to take photos. Speak soon xx

Black & Navy?

I'm attending a wedding in three weeks and have finally managed to track down a suitable dress today, this lace beauty from Next. It's now the most sophisticated dress I own even though I look nowhere as good as the model does in it (impossible task methinks). The only thing is that I've come a bit stuck on what shoes I should buy. I know a nude pair would go great with this dress but I spent the day in Zara cooing over all the gorgeous shoes and all my favourites are black!




Can you see a trend here? I do love a platform and a chunky heel.

Is it ever okay to mix navy and black? Normally I don't really adhere to certain fashion "rules" but it's a formal occasion and I want to look my very best. What do you think? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated :D

Bloggers Christmas Cocktail Party

I'm proud to be part of the first ever Christmas Cocktail Party as organised by Sarah from City Girls Fashion Box. We were asked to create two outfits, one designer and one high street, fit for a cocktail party.

I am one of three at my workplace so we don't have a Christmas party and I'm so jealous of all of you who get to doll up every year and party all night. This is therefore my only chance to plan Christmas outfits.

Designer



Anya Hindmarch Valorie evening clutch £350 | Charlotte Olympia Dolly heels £625 | Dolce & Gabbana lace and silk dress £1170 | Chanel Rouge Allure lipstick in Famous.

Even though we could let our imaginations run wild (and budgets since they are imaginary outfits), I found it difficult to stray from a little black dress but this Dolce & Gabbana isn't "strictly" black with the gorgeous lace and silk detailing. These Charlotte Olympia heels are ludicrously high but the gold accent goes well with my clutch and being a beauty blogger, I had to include a swanky Chanel lippie! I think the only party I could rock up to in this ensemble would be on the arm of a footballer but hopefully this isn't too WAGtastic?

High Street



Oasis Lexi metallic dress £70 | Zara ankle boot with zip £59.99 | Topshop fluffy leather cape £55 | Mango stud leather gloves £29.90 | MAC lipstick in Impassioned

Once again I haven't strayed too far from black and gold but I looooove this Oasis dress, it looks even better on the model. With a feather fluffy cape, ankle boots and studded gloves to complement, I know it's more rock chick than cocktail but I think it would look great! Lastly a swipe of my favourite pink lippie for an injection of much needed colour.

Make sure you check out the other outfits from my fellow bloggers :)

Becky
Michelle
Sarah F
Lucy
Hannah
Sophie
Jo
Lucy
Amy
Hannah

Ringaling

I wanted to do a post on a new lip pencil I bought but I'm in hayfever hell today and look absolutely horrendous. I'm currently looking for a dark hole to crawl in (armed with a stack of Benedryl tablets) and not resurface again until late Autumn.

Here's a post about rings on the UK high street instead. I'm not a big ring wearer to be honest because I think they can make my fat fingers look even more chubby. However I am really liking the trend for big chunky rings at the moment. I bought this turquoise pair from H&M at the cheapo price of £3.99 but sadly they don't fit and they seem to be sold out everywhere else grrr.

L-R - Top: 1/2/3/4 Middle: 5/6/7/8 Bottom: 9/10/11/12

I did a bit of internet trawling and these are some of the my picks, divided into semi-precious stones, skulls and animals. Don't think I could pull the skulls off but I do like the look of them. My favourites are the "blue irregular stone" ring and the elephant ring which are both from Dorothy Perkins. I've never bought any jewellery from there and was surprised at the good selection.

What do you think? Do you like this trend?

Peep-a-boo

Peep toe shoes are my absoulute favourites for summer not only because they help keep my feet cooler than usual but also because I get to show off my brightly polished toes! These yellow canvas ones are from Primark and boy do they get grubby really easily, however I just pop them in the wash and they come out like new. They certainly won't last very long, especially if I keep washing them, but for £6 they'll serve me well this summer.

Swimwear shape guide featuring Figleaves S/S collection

I own exactly two swim suits and they're both athletic ones from Speedo, designed for lengths in the pool not exactly prime for looking good whilst sunning myself on the beach. I'm not lucky enough to be going on holiday this year but if you are, here's a guide which may be helpful in finding the perfect swimwear for your body shape featuring the new collection by Figleaves.

FLUTE ♥

Athletic and slender, with narrow shoulders and hips and a slightly defined waist. 

Show off your slim shape in a bikini and add volume to your hips and bust with bright prints and frills.

PEACH ♥

Shaped legs, shoulders and waist are balanced with a full bust and round tummy. 

Draw attention to your legs with high cut briefs and look for tummy shaping designs to flatter your mid-section.

PEAR ♥

Full, curvy hips with narrow shoulders and a smaller bust. 

A halterneck bikini top will give the illusion of wider shoulders which will balance out your hips. Ruffled or printed tops draw the eye upwards. Classic bikini briefs  will also flatter.

HOURGLASS ♥

Full bust and rounded hips defined by a nipped in waist. 

Try a cup sized bikini top with underwiring for comfortable support. Show off your well-balanced shape in bold prints

HEART ♥

Narrow hips and a slender waist with wide, athletic shoulders and a full bust.

Balance your lower half with patterned or detailed bikini briefs to draw the eye to your hips and waist. An underwired bikini top is a must for good bust support, comfort and uplift.

Sponsored post

Kate Moss for Longchamp S/S 2011

I don't know as much as I'd like to about Longchamp but I never realised Kate Moss has been the face of the brand for 8 seasons?



The supermodel has designed a range of handbags known as the Faraway collection. The designs are simple but classic, mostly made of leather and would be to most people's taste. The key piece is a basket bag but my pick would be the satchel as seen above.



The promo photos are beautiful but far more stunning is the Seventies themed video campaign (it might not show up in Google Reader). Dressed in hippy/boho clothing with kohl rimmed eyes, nude lips and her blunt fringe, I think this is where Kate Moss looks her best.

Photos from the Telegraph

This is a sponsored post

AIU London 'Sustain' Fashion Show

Yesterday evening, industry guests attended the exclusive American InterContinental University (AIU) London 'Sustain' Fashion show at the beautiful One Mayfair venue. Based on the theme of Sustainability, all designs were created using recycled materials or re-using existing fabrics - with the designers as promoters of social change. The evening also included a drinks reception, a live band and live auctions of jewellery. The theme of Sustainability was apparent through-out the construct of the show, including the venue - a church that is being saved from disrepair.

This was a theme which appealed to me because during my art foundation, one of our projects included making a garment from recycled charity shop clothing. However, I left before I got a chance to complete it so I was interested in seeing the designs of the young fashion students.

I didn't manage to get many photos from the catwalk but these two dresses were my favourites out of the whole show:

I was lucky to be invited backstage nefore the show to see the models getting their hair and makeup done by Electric Hair, The Session School and Addicted Cosmetics.

I especially enjoyed watching how the hairstyles were created.

This model had her short bob totally transformed with just crimpers and gel.

It wasn't manic or as stressed as I thought it would be, everyone was really chilled. It was great to see what goes on behind the scenes and how professionals work and I had an amazing time!

The unwatermarked photos belong to edencancan.

Shoe Lust

Image: my-wardrobe.com

I saw these Vivienne Westwood Melissa shoes in the shoe section of Topshop on Oxford St last week and I WANT. I love the multicoloured bow and the teeny peep toe - plus they smell like sweeties!

Now what are the chances I can rustle up £85 down the back of my sofa?

Winter coat woes

(Best photo I could find. That's not my photo face, I was blinded by the flash)

My current coat is a fleece lined parka with a furry hood and it is SO warm. I feel like a bit of a chav in it sometimes but when it gets this cold I forget to care. However it has a few unexplainable rips in the back so I need to replace it.



Before the temperature plummeted to -1 degree celcius I had been eyeing up a cape that I had seen in the xmas Very.co.uk commercial. Sadly I couldn't find it on the website but I did spy these two potentials:


The parka looks so comfy and warm but I'm also drawn to the duffle coat. I don't know if they keep you warm enough though? Argh!

Do you have any winter coat suggestions?

P.s Posts may be sporadic over the next few weeks as my PC died on Friday. Will try my very best to update as often as I can xx

New winter boots from New Look

Five years ago I wouldn't be caught dead in boots like these but as fashion changes, so does personal taste (well mine anyway). My previous pair of winter boots were a much beloved calf length leather pair from Next, but after 2 years of constant wear they needed replacing. Each time it rained I silently prayed and hoped for the best but they finally gave way last month and I went home with wet socks/soggy feet.

I wanted a pair of workman/biker style boots but couldn't seem to find the right style until I met up with a friend and she was wearing these, which are from New Look. I hate being a copycat but I loved them so much and I had to have them. I only see her about twice a month anyway and I can wear other shoes! I deliberated over whether I should get the exact same black pair as she had, but decided to go with the brown version.

I have been wearing these everyday for the past month and they are yet to let rain in. They do, however, always end up getting small pebbles inside. How does this happen?! They can be worn with anything but I've been tucking my black skinny jeans into em - poor quality mismatched changing room pic here.

At £26.99, they're not real leather but you can't really tell and they're so sturdy that it makes up for it. However one of the (most stupid) reasons I love them, is because they make a satisfying "clomp" sound when I walk.

Lanvin for H&M

On sale from the 23 November 2010, this is another collaboration I will be avoiding (even though I think it's 100x better than the Jimmy Choo one). It's not that the collection is awful but not much stood out and items are highly priced. The least expensive item is a tee shirt at £24.99 whilst shoes are £69.99 and dresses from £99+. However I do love the men's collection which is more fairly priced. The shirts and blazers are really snazzy!

I love Alber Elbaz's dresses for Lanvin so it was natural that the only pieces in this H&M collection I was drawn to were these two dresses.




With the price tag of £99 each, they are out of my budget but if you're looking for a pretty party dress for the upcoming festive season, don't think you could go wrong with these.

I'm really intrigued about this lipstick though which I think is the same colour as the packaging. Might pick this up seeing as it's an affordable £7.99.



Do you think I can get away with asking for a bag for my teeny tiny lipstick purchase? I love them!

All images taken from the H&M website.

(Ballet) Pump it up

I know, I know...lame title, but I couldn't think of anything else that wasn't boring.

Just showing off my footwear of the moment. These New Look flats are exactly the same as the ones I have from Topshop but sturdier and half the price (£8). I first saw these on Sarah's blog and rushed out to get a pair in black. Sadly there were none in my size so I settled for these gold ones.



Grainy photo courtesy of my phone.

They're still in stock online (not sure about instore) and come in 5 different colours. If you're looking for a simple pair of ballet pumps these are a great buy - even more so if you're lucky to be blessed with a student card.

Impulse purchase of the summer

...and the award goes to this funky beaded/sequin necklace from Primark. A steal at £3 but I don't know how to wear it and pull the look off successfully. Bah - perhaps I'll save it for next summer.

Selfridges Shoe Galleries Competition

Tomorrow sees the launch of The Shoe Galleries in Selfridges, where there will be 4,000 pairs of shoes on display, showcasing 150 designers with 55,000 pairs in stock. Total shoe heaven!





Part of the inspiration for The Shoe Galleries was the idea that everyone has a shoe story and we have been invited to share ours via the website. By doing so you could be in with a chance of winning a new pair (one winner every week). Plus one lucky winner will scoop a year's supply of shoes from Selfridges!

I haven't entered yet but my entry would be about my beloved pair of ankle strap leather wedges from Zara. I couldn't find a photo but they look exactly like this pair from google:



They were the first pair of "proper" heels I bought and they make me feel so ladylike. It's like they were made for me as I can walk anywhere in them with ease and comfort. From the cobbled streets of Paris to the hilly roads in Sintra, Portugal, my wedges have not rubbed nor blistered and I absolutely love them. My only regret is not buying a backup pair as they won't last forever :(

Olivia Palermo, Anya Hindmarch and Daphne Guinness have already submitted theirs. Will you be sharing your shoe story?

Blair Waldorf in Paris

source: ontd
Loving these new stills from the upcoming season of Gossip Girl on the basis of Blair's dresses alone. My love for her style is already well documented (and Paris!).