PARTY DRESS

It was my Auntie's birthday at the weekend so the family headed off for a big dinner in our party frocks (well, my Mum and I did). My Mum has just 'discovered' Cos, which is great because Cos is great, but bad because she bought the frock I wanted. We can't be bopping around in the same stuff - can we? So, she wore an amazing Cos dress and Clarks studded brogues, and I wore my sparkly Toppers party dress. And then I ate too much goose and fell asleep. 

Dress - Topshop 

Tights - M&S

Shoes - B store 

OUTFIT PANICS

This outfit was basically a lie in bed at night awake trying to work out how to tone an old lady style wool coat I bought from Zara and make it, well, less old lady. 

My Mum and I would term this coat a 'Judi Dench' and that is not a bad thing at all. It's just at at least half her age I'd prefer people to not walk down the street and think 'Judi Dench' just yet. At first I was thinking perhaps a belt would work, but either the coat was too bulky or I am. 

So in the end I went for trainers, turn ups and a hat I was given by my Ma at the age of oooh...17? Still, I kind of liked it. 

Hat - ???

Coat - Zara

Top - American Apparel 

Jeans - Uniqlo 

Socks - Topshop 

Trainers - Nike Air Max

Bag - Zara

GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI THIGH HIGH BOOTS

My blue sparkly cuban heeled Giuseppe Zanotti ankle boots are probably my shoe of the year. Nabbed in the Barneys sale back in Jan / Feb at the beginning of the year, they have become my go to boot. Comfortable enough to spend all day on your feet, sleek enough to feel dressed up and with the right amount of disco to put a spring in your step. 

When I saw a similar boot, thigh high with an identical heel and foot shape, on Yoox.com I knew I had to have them. Thigh high could be a bit street walker but with a 1 and half inch heel they don't feel that way. In fact I managed to go out on Saturday night in these and only had my friend notice I was wearing them after about 2 hours they are so under the radar. 

Jumper - Zara

Jeans - J Brand 

Boots - Giuseppe Zanotti 

TOPSHOP AMBUSH GLITTER BOOTS

I've been waiting to wear these amazing glitter boots from Topshop for a while but with my 50 day shoe challenge I'm trying to be strategic about what I wear and when (do I have a big night? A meeting? Lots of walking to do? etc). 

They are clearly meant to be a jazzy rip off of the Acne Pistol boots and quite frankly for £80 rather than almost £400 who's complaining? The black version is probably more suitable for day to day wear, but I like the walking glitter ball ones - for obvious reasons. 

I think it was the boots that put me in a good mood, because I pretty much danced my way through Friday at the office wearing these. I danced at the printer. Shuffled away in the kitchen. Had a little bop by my desk. I couldn't stop moving and it's all down to the disco boots. It's impossible not to be chipper whilst wearing them. 

When I left for the day there was a halo of glitter on the floor around my desk. 

Jumper - Markus Lupfer from Bicester Village

Dress - Topshop 

Tights - M&S

Boots - Topshop

BEEN GONE

I've been M.I.A. from this blog for a while now. It's partly down to being busy at work, life in general being a bit pants and also my full blown addiction to Instagram. 

I'm going to try to get back in the routine of taking photos (on something other than Instagram) and being more upbeat. So here's what I wore yesterday. Hurrah. 

Dress - H&M

Belt - Topshop 

Tights - M&S

Shoes - Bertie 

Nails - Barry M Nail Effects

THE FIFTY DAY SHOE CHALLENGE

My friends at work set me a challenge...since I have so many pairs of shoes I had to see if I could wear a different pair every day for an entire 50 days. 

I am currently 28 days in and going strong. Occasionally it's annoying that I can't slip into my favourite pairs or the 'easiest' option but forcing myself to put something new on my feet every morning has helped me used more of my clothing wardrobe, not to mention find hidden gems within my shoe collection. 

L to R 

Row 1 - Topshop / Marc by Marc Jacobs & Carvela / Vivienne Westwood / Zara

Row 2 - Zara / Vivienne Westwood / Opening Ceremony / Chanel 

Row 3 - Giuseppe Zanotti / Primark / Emma Hope / Robert Clergerie 

Row 4 - Zara / YIN / Russell & Bromley / H! by Henry Holland

Row 5 - Vans / Nike / Vivienne Westwood / Underground 

Row 6 - Harley Davidson / Galleries Lafayette / Maloles / Converse

Row 7 - Topshop / Jimmy Choo / Pointer / New Look 

All taken with instagram and edited in picnik 

GIRLS AND GUYS

I clanked and clomped all the way to work in this but I felt I needed the accessories and big old boots to counteract the girliness of the dress. Turns out that Harley Davidson motorbike boots are a big hit amongst both girls and guys. I might try and wear them more often when this 50 day shoe challenge is over (on day 26 at the moment). 

Hat - H&M

Dress - Alexa Chung x Madewell 

Silver bracelets - H&M

Silver chunky bracelet - Assad Mounser 

Tights - Marks & Spencer 

Boots - Harley Davidson from charity shop back in my student days

A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS

1. Arm party - charity shop, Dotty P's & Whistles

2. Chanel bag & Mulberry bird scarf 

3. Thrift store belts

All pictures with Instagram 

MENAGERIE MIXING

Tiger print top - check 

Leopard print jeans - check 

Snakeskin print socks - check 

A whole menagerie in one outfit. 

Jumper - Whistles 

Jeans - Current/ Elliott

Socks - Topshop 

Shoes - Underground from ASOS 

RED BOOTS

Red boots seem to lift any outfit imaginable. 

Dress - Whistles 

Tights - M&S

Boots - Galleries Lafayette

Earrings - Chanel 

Necklace - Louise Gray x ASOS 

Rings - H&M & YSL 

GLITTER NAILS

There is little in life I find more relaxing than doing my nails. Sad but true. With the trend for ever more intricate nail designs - crackled top coats, nail art, stickers etc - the simple coat of varnish doesn't sometimes seem enough. 

I found some nail glitter pots in Superdrug and decided to do just the tips of my nails in for a snazzy but super simple manicure - just clear nail polish, dip in a pot of glitter, brush of excess and finish with a top coat. 

It felt a little bit 'done' but not 'I've just exploded in Claire's Accessories'.

Jumper - Whistles 

Necklace - Made from Whistles 

Scarf - T.K.Maxx 

Jeans - Current/ Elliott

Shoes - NW3 by Hobbs

Bangles - Charity shop, Dorothy Perkins & Whistles 

IN PRAISE OF TIGER

I am in need of a visit to Tiger in Hammersmith soon. Tiger is a great store, sort of a cross between a small Ikea marketplace and a pound shop. It's great for inexpensive stocking fillers, gifts and decorations (if you want cheap home wares I'd also recommend it). 

The front windows always look unspeakably naff and for years I avoided ever going in. How wrong was I? Along with a row of charity shops and the T.K.Maxx, Tiger is now up there in the list of reasons to hop on the Piccadilly line on a Saturday morning. Last year when I was working in Hammersmith I'd pop in once a week and during one of those little sorties I found this harmonica necklace for £1. I haven't been in almost and entire year. Like I said, I am in need of a visit!

Jumper - Uniqlo 

Necklace - Tiger 

Jeans - Current / Elliott

Trainers - Nike 

TEENAGE KICKS

Can you remember the 90s? 

For those of you that can't, it was all the rage back then to wear a short sleeved t shirt over a long sleeved one. It wasn't a style I particularly embraced but this outfit feels like a modern reworking of that era, what with the long sleeved / short sleeved bits and boots with integrated socks. I even felt a bit stroppy and stompy at work in this and not altogether comfortable. An uncannily accurate summing up of my youth.

Jumper - Whistles 

Dress - Cos 

Tights M&S

Boots - Opening Ceremony 

GRANNY DRESSING

I felt slightly like I was trying to pass for a granny whilst wearing this outfit. 

The skirt is a maxi from Primark that I've folded the waistband over to make it 3/4 length (those schoolgirl tricks come in handy after all, eh?) and the jazz flats probably got their first airing in a good year thanks to this whole 50 day shoe challenge. I'm on day 18 now and it's getting harder not to just slip into my old staples. I'll do a post of the pairs I've work so far very soon. 

Jumper - Uniqlo 

Necklace - Gift 

Skirt - Primark 

Tights - M&S

Shoes - Yin from Poste Mistress