Showing posts with label What I wore. Show all posts

Christmas jumpers galore with Boohoo and the Teenage Cancer Trust

Boohoo Christmas Jumper


What a weekend!! I've helped a friend move house, been to see Beauty and the Beast Live at the Royal Albert Hall AND THEN we were surprised by snow and I spent all day in it. I'm so tired, but it was seriously the best weekend.

We are so close to Christmas now and I'm incredibly excited. I'm that kind of annoying Christmas person in the office who insists on wearing Christmas Jumpers on the 1st December and will definitely have already put my tree. What with the snow falling and mulled cider FINALLY available in my local pub, what better chance to properly get into the festive spirit for an ENTIRE DAY.

Red Christmas Jumper Boohoo

Christmas jumpers are one of the many things I look forward to every year. I always buy a new one just to make sure that I'll always have one on hand if the situation calls for it, especially with Christmas Jumper Day just around the corner. I don't even know how many I have now but my collection includes a Frozen's Olaf, Merry Christmas ya Filthy Muggle and a really tacky work one that I adore. I don't know how and when Christmas Jumpers suddenly became acceptable and a fashion statement again. I'm just so very glad it happened.

reindeer chirstmas jumper boohoo

My latest Christmas Jumper is this happy looking red number from Boohoo. This year Boohoo have Partnered with the Teenage Cancer Trust who help provide support, care and services to young people, and their families, who are suffering from Cancer, a horrid disease that is very close to my heart. There's a mini range of jumpers on their website and for each Christmas Jumper sold, £5 of that sale goes straight to the charity. Just look for the Teenage Cancer Trust banner on the picture as you browse! You can also see the full Boohoo and Teenage Cancer Trust range right here.



If mine's the one you want, because it is GORGEOUS, it comes in a variety of colours including emerald green and navy blue. You'll have to be quick though, they sell our quickly and there's only a short amount of time left where Christmas Jumper wearing is still acceptable.


MASSIVE thank you to Leigh for putting up with me being awkward in front of the camera and actually taking some nice pictures of me!
*Discliamer: I was sent the Christmas Jumper for free but all words, silly faces and festive cheer are entirely my own


Read more »
Labels:

Bangarang X Zeal & Heart - Jewellery Collaboration



I bet that there's at least one of you sittig at your desk right now dreaming of your next holiday. Maybe on Pinterest rearranging some of your travel inspo or maybe you were even lucky to get some bargain flights in the Black Friday sale. Either way, we're all always looking for our next break, whether it's staycation or jetting off to somewhere entirely new.

I never thought I'd be a travel person. Sure, I haven't packed my bags and buggered off to some far corner of the world, but I am definitely seeing more of it.

I always thought I'd never be able to afford the travel life, or that I would never have enough holiday at work. It's very recently that I have decided 'fuck it'. I'm going anyway. I'm nearly thirty now and life is far too short.

This is a kind of bravery in my own way. I decided to JUST GO.



JUST GO is a quote from the Bangarang Girls that pretty sums up what we're all about. No matter how down we feel, how stressed, no matter what restrictions or reasons not to... we JUST GO.

Zeal & Heart is an adorable Etsy store where you can get a variety of quote pendants, with their help Bangarang have been able to carry around our own bravery every day to remember that no matter what, we should JUST GO.

The pendant itself is a lot smaller than it looks in this picture, it's so small and delicate I have pretty much lived in mine since it arrived. As I wear it, it makes me think of my favourite people in the world, the obstacles we have crossed and all the adventures in the future to be had.


Our little pendant is also helping to raise money with each purchase for Headway, Headway are a charity for brain trauma and helped Bangarang by Proxy Amy when she sadly passed away after an accident last year. Amy really was the epitome of JUST GO and she lives on in a way through the adventures Captain Charley goes on with us.

If you'd like one of these of your own, just visit the Zeal & Heart Etsy store, the pendant on it's own is £25 and £35 with a chain. They'll make an amazing Christmas present for the adventurer in your life and will help to support the patients and families dealing with brain trauma every day. You'll have to be quick though, only 100 were made so once they're gone, they're gone. I'm number 8!!

Just remember this, if you're ever doubting yourself, thinking you can't do something or go somewhere. Just bloody do it. Live your best life and JUST GO.

What I'm wearing

Coat: Ebay Bargain 
Velvet body: Primark
Brogues: Clarkes ( a year ago..)
Necklace: Obviously Zeal & Heart



*Disclaimer: Bangarang are not profiting from the sales of this necklace in anyway. We're all about small business and raising money for charity
Read more »
Labels: ,

Feeling Sassy with Ellie Salon

Ellie's Salon Putney


I have been trying to write this post for WEEKS. So long, in fact that I'm ready for another hair cut. bloody typical.

People who have known me the longest will know that since I started uni I have had short hair. Pixie Cuts mostly. Like, proper short. One day, I woke up and decided to grow my hair because as much as I don't like change, it is just necessary. This was also news that made Gary VERY happy.

Two years and no haircut later, it was time to sort the barnet out. I have had a fair few bad haircuts, haircuts that have made me cry, so I normally refuse to go anywhere that isn't my usual place. Sadly, I can't afford the £80 it tends to be... fortunately I know a lot of people and they all have recommendations. After previous experience, I wouldn't normally go to an independent hairdresser again but seeing how people like Pink Julep goes to Ellie's Salon at least once a week for the most gorgeous blow dry I have ever seen, it was totally worth a go.

Ellie's Salon is all the way in Putney, and considering I live in East Finchley, it was one hell of a journey, I dragged Gary with me as well. Mostly so I didn't feel a whim of change and get the hair all cut off again!! Despite how raggedy I felt, he likes the long hair.

Everyone at Ellie's was warm and welcoming, so unlike many of the chains where you're just another customer who will be in and out. There was an in depth discussion about how I had used henna on my hair the night before (turned the water green during that AMAZING head message we all love) and how it's made my, what I thought was ratty, hair in really good condition. The benefits of using more natural products than just endless chemicals. All the recommendations on how to make my thin hair look fuller without the product, turns out a diagonal parting is the way forward, has changed my life and just shows that they know what they're doing. There was never a time I felt uncomfortable, I have never been one for the hairdresser small talk, and I found myself nattering away endlessly. Seriously, hats off to them!



After what I can only describe as the best haircut and blow dry I have had in a VERY long time, I left feeling sassy and confident, my previous views on independent salons has definitely changed and it was more than worth the hour and a half journey to get there.



If you're in the South London area, I would 100% recommend Ellie's. I'll be booking my next appointment soon because I want to finally carry on having fabulous hair.







*Disclaimer: I was given the haircut and style for free in exchange for a review BUT if I wasn't happy, I wouldn't be writing about it. Why would I, that's just rude.
Read more »
Labels: ,

Body confidence in fashion


I am 4ft 11". I have size 2 feet so pretty much NONE of my shoes fit. I get mistaken for an 18 year old (if not younger) and jeans shopping is an absolute bloody nightmare. I don't own a single pair that I don't have to roll up... I really struggle to try new things and fashion styles because I'm convinced I'll just look even shorter and dumpy than I am so I tend to just stick to jeans and a t-shirt. The safest of all choices. I can blend in, rather than stand out.

Recently it has really been winding me up and my body confidence is at an all time low. I recently had a fitting room breakdown while trying to find a new dress for a wedding when one I ordered didn't get close to doing up. The size I always used to be.

The dress itself.
My constantly changing body as I get ever closer to 30 (next year, guys), is something I have really been struggling with. I know I'm not big by any stretch of the imagination but I have been used to being a certain size for my whole life so when I look back on older pictures (some even from just 2 years ago), I feel a little sad inside.

However, I am refusing to mope and am trying to embrace it instead. I have joined a gym and have been going to classes regularly, I have also decided to be braver in my fashion choices. There's only so many times I can wear jeans and the same Harry Potter t-shirts on rotation.


Even last year, the idea of wearing something full length would be a nightmare. I convinced myself that it would just make me look shorter so tend to stick to a more midi length. Bold prints and anything more than a subtle floral were a no go because a pair of jeans I once had with blue flowers made me look like a potato.

I've decided 'Fuck it'. You only live once and I'm always envious of people who can get away with it so I might as well give it a go.

At the weekend I went to Scotland to visit my family. We were going to be going 'out out' and I had brought nothing with me that was appropriate and the jeans I wore up were covered in dog hair from cuddles with Stanley within about 5 minutes. I had to go shopping and ideally on a budget.

After having no joy in T.K. Maxx (other than a pair of shoes IN A SIZE TWO), we headed to the local super markets. It was in Asda that I found this amazing Maxi Dress. Hating fitting rooms and the mirrors in them, I quickly shoved it on over my jeans and t-shirt just to see how ridiculously long it was. Only two long by an inch so a bit of wonderweb will sort that out, in the meantime I'll just wear MASSIVE shoes.



I actually felt ridiculously happy in this dress. I wore it to afternoon tea at the Cupcake Cafe Bar in Torphicen (JUST LOOK AT THOSE CAKES) and had plenty of room to eat ALL the food and still feel awesome at the same time. I feel silly for avoiding proper maxi dresses. It certainly didn't make me look shorter, I felt amazing and looked amazing. *sassy hand lady emoji*

Next. A Jumpsuit. I have tried a jumpsuit before and just looked and felt like a sausage that was about to burst, even though I was tiny at the time (yeah, I know). I was lumpy in all the wrong places and returned it the next day.



THIS one from the delightful Tesco, caught my eye immediately. Who doesn't love a cold shoulder with tropical/floral/madness print? wrong people, that's who.

I picked it and doubted myself for a long time so I did what I never do and ran to the fitting room and obviously sent a picture to the Bangarang girls. They are my to for all advice and we share 'what do we think of this outfit' pictures a lot knowing that everyone will be honest. This one had mixed opinions because of my tinyness and the length. Until I paired it with my new shoes and leather jacket.

What I never realised is that jumpsuits can be really flattering. They're smart and casual at the same time, it hid all the parts I didn't like, I found myself wanted to stand out. I felt like a superwoman. Silly to some but very different for me.


I danced so much that night, I was more confident and happier than I have been in a long time. The power of a jumpsuit.

I'm really glad I tried something new that used to worry me so much and will definitely be looking for more as I go on my merry way.

What do you think of Jumpsuits?

Read more »
Labels:

What I wore to the House of Lords

Lumos Charity


I love any excuse to dress up really. I'm one of those people who still puts on fancy clothes to go to the theatre. Why not, eh?

Really, you don't get a better excuse to dress up than an oh so very casual invite to the House of Lords. That's right, the dudes with the fancy wigs.

The reason I was at such a fancy place is that earlier on in the year I was made an ambassador of J.K. Rowling's charity Lumos. Through Lumos I have been able to see the Cursed Child, meet their higher profile ambassadors such as Evanna Lynch and Warwick Davis, plan how I am going to raise further money and awareness and, most importantly, learn more about the work Lumos are doing in Moldova, Haiti in beyond. You can find out so much more about Lumos in my charity Gala post  right here.

I didn't want to go too overboard with my outfit, but still wanted to feel dressed up. What with the rush to sort everything out before work started, I decided to go with the exact same thing I wore to my last Orchestra performance of the year at the weekend. A mixture of cheap as cheeps and slightly more expensive but paid for with a voucher...


A dress/skirt combo for extra layers and something a little smarter than your standard LBD, The sparkly top bit is actually a woollen jumper dress from Primark that cost me a grand total of £8, the skirt itself is an Oasis number that I traipsed across what felt like the whole of London to find. Srsly.

The two together give extra swish and the ability to hide my drunken Henna errors... (work Christmas party drinks were had and poor decisions were made)

I'm SO happy with the combo in general. I felt so fancy but also comfortable. No time for choosing between the two.



My hair is the longest it has been in over ten years so I'm trying to learn how to do things with it. I mostly just know how to twist and plait (currently rocking milk maid plaits like a BOSS. I feel like Heidi) but at least I'm trying. The hair didn't work out the way I wanted it but the Gryffindor makes it work... right?


Yes, I'm mixing gold and silver which isn't really a thing but meh.

This is my new Lumos charm bracelet Gary got me for my birthday. The proceeds for each one go directly to the charity so being at one of their event was the perfect opportunity to show it off with pride. I do enjoy how you can add your House charm to it. Can you tell I'm a Gryffindor????

I can smarten up quite well I think!

How do you wear all black?

Read more »
Labels: ,

Royal Ascot: Wine, horses and pretty dresses



So, these pictures were plastered all over my Instagram so #SorryNotSorry for doubling up but I'm still so happy that I finally got to go to Royal Ascot... and my outfit was awesome.

Ascot has always fascinated me in some way. It can be considered as the height of British Fashion and with over 300 years of History, it's always been on my bucket list.

Appletiser invited me to be a guest of theirs and I was VERY excited about it all. I foolishly turned down the Queen Anne Enclosure tickets so some friends and I could be together but the Windsor Enclosure was equally as fun, plus we didn't have to stick to a much stricter dress code!


In typical 'me' fashion. The first thing my friend Frankie and I did was head straight to the bar... after swapping into our heels from our 'emergency flats'. Seriously, thank god we took some!


Yeah to buying all the bottles of wine.

When it came to my outfit. It was seriously stressful. As I mentioned, I feel that Ascot is of significant importance to Fashion so I couldn't make a half arsed attempt, even if I was 'slumming' it with the Riff Raff (LOL, I don't mean it).

I was stressing about it and decided the only option would be to buy something new. Turns out I was too lazy and the idea of facing Oxford Street after work would have been far too much effort. I ended up doing a (slightly drunken) dash to Accessorize to buy some variety of head device and hope one of my many dresses would go with it/was clean.

One dress went with it... but it did have a wine stain on it. Whatever.

Totally hiding the wine stain with my bag...

You've all probably seen this dress before as it was my 'dancing dress' from my cousin's wedding a few years ago but it's always good to get a good few uses out of something. Plus, it's blue and went with the fascinator.

In hindsight, we probably should have arrived earlier (my fault, I was faffing all morning... and slightly hungover) because when we got there, there was, like, nowhere to sit. We hovered near the bar for a while but when we decided to venture down to the race course to have a look, i started properly kicking myself for not accepting the Queen Anne tickets. All the tables were taken and every patch of grass had someone else's picnic blanket spread over it

BUT IT WAS OK! We found my other friend Rosanna who had managed to bag a SINGLE chair... but at least we had a table for our booze!


We weren't exactly front row but we could see well enough as there were screens everywhere and we could see the horses speeding past too so we were all good. I was mostly a massive ball of excitement when the Queen showed up. I love that woman.

We did the bet thing, with absolutely no god damn clue what we were doing. Originally we were going to bet onn horses that had the most ridiculous names but after speaking to my boyfriend and Grampy, we ended on a compromise; A horse with a stupid name + some decent odds = Cunco,

I didn't win.

Oh well.

Lack of winnings aside Ascot was awesome and I CANNOT thank Appletiser enough for the tickets. I got to spend the day with awesome people, wear awesome clothes and basically have the most fun I have had in a while.

Frankie and I plan on going back next year... we'll just see whether that will actually happen!!

Have you ever been to Ascot?




*Tickets were given to me for free by Appletiser but a blog post was not a requirement. They gave me the tickets so I could have a bloody good day. I did, so I wrote about it anyway.

Read more »
Labels: ,

Winter boots wishlist



Dresses in Winter can work, I promise. I know a lot of people aren't brave enough to even contemplate it, especially since it is currently still technically Autumn and it's bloody freezing! I'm just too stubborn to pack a lot of my dresses away. The best way I have found for this to work is to wear multiple pairs of tights with boots.

I have an annoying habit where I buy a pair of boots every year but they're always something cheap, from Primark or other highstreet stores, so they always end up looking battered after a couple of months or break. It's not the most cost effective thing and, quite frankly, it's a pain in the arse. You think I would have learnt by now.

I've been saying for ages that I'm going to 'invest' in some boots but as it's so close to Christmas, I have put together a wishlist instead of just running out and buying them. I do have other people to shop for!

Riding boots

 You really can't go wrong with a pair of riding boots. They pretty much work with everything. They're what I have mostly been keeping my eyes out for and have really struggled to find the perfect pair. These brown ones from Jones the Bootmaker* however are ideal.

writer's block and broken lenses.

Suede ankle boots

Such 90s. Very Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I know suede boots probably aren't the best choice for winter in Britain but they look so comfortable and I'm pretty sure they're something I would wear to death. Not only would they look great with casual winter/let's pretend it's still summer dresses but with the right accessories, they could work with a more formal outfit. Especially for Christmas parties...


Knee Length boots

Boots with a slight heel are always a good choice. I have several pairs at home but they tend to be more ankle-ish length. Something a bit higher would definitely warmer. Annoyingly these ones in particular don't come in my size but they're a good example of something I want.


Brogues!

Well, kind of. I bought a pair of boots like this a few years ago. They didn't last me very long and I was very upset when they broke. I still insisted on wearing them when they had holes in though which meant I had wet feet quite often. Stupid me. 

These brogue-ish boots are pretty much identical and it's clear that they're of a much higher quality than the ones I previously had. Much want. Especially since it would be like releasing my inner Mary Poppins!



Do you have any boots on your Christmas list this year?



*Disclaimer. This post was sponsored by Jones the Bootmaker


Read more »
Labels:

Red, white and gold: My new favourite outfit

writer's block and broken lenses

In September my friend turned 27 and we celebrated by drinking all the booze at Bourne and Hollingsworth. Afterwards, we did that whole outfit picture thing. While drunk. It was brilliant.

Instead of buying new clothes, I've been trying to attempt to save money (not working) by wearing old clothes and finding new ways to style them (is working). I decided to brave the fact that I was going to eat a lot of messy food and wear white. I rarely wear white because I am a messy eater and it almost always ends in disaster and a bright orange stain somewhere. But, #YOLO (yeah, I did that).

I picked up this dress from a vintage market in Dalston about two years ago and I have probably worn it twice. Not only because of the messiness but also because do you have any idea how difficult it is to find a pair of pants that can't be seen under a white chiffon dress? It's bloody hard.

Writer's Block and Broken Lenses

So I didn't look too much like a bride, I chose to pair it with my red Floozy bag and the gold shoes I bought from Debenhams for my friend's wedding in August. And I love it.

Writer's Block and Broken Lenses

Taking outfit pictures while drunk is amazing, even more so when you're an awkward camera person like me and you're being 'directed' by a fellow blogger who's so effortlessly flawless and good at this kind of thing... I'm looking at you Little Miss Katy! I'm sure she got annoyed with me towards the end.

Some of the results are hilarious, she told me to walk... #AWKWARDFACE!

Writer's Block and Broken Lenses


And I have absolutely no idea what was happening here or why I am pretty much on the floor WEARING A WHITE DRESS

Writer's Block and Broken Lenses

I can't even...

Thank you Katy for taking all the pictures, I'm sorry if I was a pain in the arse.

How do you think I did styling a white dress?

Read more »
Labels:

What I wore to one of my best friends' wedding

writer's block and broken lenses
Personalised spoon with my favourite tea as a wedding favour

Oh 2015, the year of weddings!

I've been to quite a few weddings over the past two years but this time it was the first of MY friends to get married. One of my oldest friends in fact.

It seems that I have now reached that age where I am going to all the weddings and that they're the only opportunity for me to get dressed up these days. So much so that I pretty much avoided shopping for it because everything I even thought about it, I went into a mild panic. I mean, there are rules about wedding outfits and I'm always paranoid about breaking one of them. I know it would never happen but that's just how my silly little brain works.

writer's block and broken lenses

In the end, it was all organised at the very last minute courtesy of the internet. The day I finally bought them all I had spent ages sending various links to my bestie. I couldn't even decide on a colour, let alone a style!

I finally got everything sorted, the dress is from House of Fraser and my gold shoes and clutch (a colour I never go for because I'm so pale) came from the wonderful Debenhams.

I think the dress might be a little too tight but overall I love the look, the shoes in particular. I love them so much that I'm keeping them separate from my other shoes because I'm scared all the glitter will get knocked off!

writer's block and broken lenses

writer's block and broken lenses

writer's block and broken lenses

What do you think of my last wedding look of 2015?

Read more »
Labels:

One dress from day to night with George at Asda

George at Asda

I am always feeling uninspired by my wardrobe and tend to avoid being creative with the things I have and always go for the same look and then start to get bored. To be honest, there's nothing worse because I then just end up spending money on more clothes that I'll inevitably do the same thing to. That is the vicious cycle of my wardrobe.

I was recently asked to take part in the #GeorgeousDresses challenge with George at Asda and it was the perfect opportunity to attempt being creative, learning the versatility of one item and potentially developing some kind of 'style'.

My aim was to take one dress from to day to night through something I have never been good at... Accessorising.


George at Asda
Dress* - £18
Duster Jacket* - £20
Tote Bag* - £16
Sunglasses* - £3.50
Snood*- £4
For my day look I put together something festival-y to help make me feel better about the fact I'm not going to one this year. I'm fortunate enough to work in a pretty casual office where I can pretty much get away with a band t-shirt and jeans, so this was perfect.


Wearing dresses with boots is my new favourite thing now and since the sun decided to pay us a brief visit I thought it was about time to bring out the denim jacket. Those glasses = <3

I jump at any opportunity to dress up so decided to create my 'night look' for a trip to the theatre with Charlie, Distracted so paired the paisley dress* and duster jacket* with some killer heels and a statement belt. I was originally wearing the belt underneath the jacket but my oh so very fashionable colleague told me it looked better over the top instead. I kinda agree. I was wearing the scarf* too but then I got to hot and it ended up in my bag*!

George at Asda
#AwkwardFace
I loved this challenge because it gave me the opportunity to play around with my clothes more and I have already started to take this on board with more of my stuff. I loved the duster jacket so much I even opted for a more casual look with it earlier this week! #Learning


Which is your favourite look?


All items marked with a (*) were gifted to me by Asda but if I didn't like it, I wouldn't write about it. 
Read more »
Labels:

Men's Fashion: Gary let me dress him!

So last month I decided to give my boyfriend the challenge of dressing me for a week and it seemed to go down pretty well so we decided to turn the tables and I had a go at being Gok.

I have to admit, I thought this would be easy, however dressing boys is a lot harder than you think. Boys don't seem to have nearly as much variety in their wardrobe as girls do, well for my boyfriend anyway, and it's pretty difficult to find something that looks different for each day. This is possibly why Gary tends to just live in t-shirts and jeans.

However! Where there's a will there's a way and I'm hoping I managed to pull it off and have one (even slightly) different look for every day.

Day one

Vintage leather jacket
Aww, he's trying to do a blogger pose!

The inspiration for this outfit was the one and only Dean Winchester. I absolutely love this jacket (it was once his dad's) and I'm a complete sucker for a checked shirt, they're totally a wardrobe essential for men and women.

Day two


He he. #FunnyAwkwardFace

Gary has this annoying habit of forgetting that other shoes exist. He will usually where the same pair of shoes every day and will then wonder why they fall apart. Just look at these converse stylie things, they're PRISTINE and he's had them the whole time we've been together!

He still had work to go to this day so I went for a kinda smart, kinda casual look and he's actually started to go for it more often.

Day three


topshop men's blazer
Getting used to it now!
I love this outfit, I know it's simple but I really enjoyed getting him in Ted Baker and convincing him to buy new shoes. It's not exactly a NEW outfit, as he bought the shoes and jacket for our LFW escapades (on my recommendations obviously) and I bought the bag for him for Christmas. It's strange to see him wearing actual shoes rather than trainers but I still feel pretty proud.

Day four

Bow Ties are Cool
Bow ties are cool
This was actually the final day because morning were difficult. I had threatened to put him in a bow tie from the very beginning and there was no way I was going to go back on my word! I actually think he looks rather dashing but maybe that's me being biased.

So, who did a better job? Me or Gary?






Read more »
Labels:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)