CHRISTMAS LIST

CHRISTMAS LIST by mustownmore featuring lace up boots

DRESSED DOWN DON'T YOU KNOW

Slumping in the pub on Sunday I had to go for a majorly casual outfit. I just couldn't face 'proper' clothes because I'd run a half marathon in the morning and was super shattered. After I've been on a long run I can't wear dresses or tailored clothes for some bizarre reason, it can only be jersey and stretchy fabrics.

I've also rediscovered my loudest pair of trainers, bought in a Nike factory shop in Houston, Texas. I wanted a pair of comfy shoes for the plane home and then never wore them again after that trip home. On Saturday I saw a girl wearing super loud Nikes with bright laces and the flash of "I should go to a trainer shop and buy some now..." was quickly replaced by my common internal refrain "I already have them!". Yup, I often covet things I then remember I own. 

Hoodie - Christopher Kane 

T shirt - Rodarte 

Jeans - Topshop 

Socks - Tabio 

Trainers - Nike

BEFORE AND AFTER

I was in a mega rush the other day. A personal training session running up and down Primrose Hill at 7am in the morning had meant that my morning routine was curtailed to about 18 minutes from getting back from my session to leaving for work. Phew.

No makeup, wet hair tied back. The bare minimum of acceptability. 

So I was rather nervous about going to my first beauty type event for bloggers at Earth Hairdressing, a Central London salon just off of Oxford Street. It's a stand alone salon in this country but in Japan it's one of the biggest chains. The salon is deceptively big - from the outside it looks small, but the rooms go up and up - all sparkly, well equipped (and with a very nice VIP room to boot). 

We were treated to a pampering session, something that is not my usual territory but to my surprise, with the shoddy foundations I gave the hairdresser and makeup artist to work with, they managed a quick turnaround. Big bouncy curls and smoky eyes! Very exciting. We were then treated to a photo shoot with a photographer. I was probably the world's worst model as I can't smile on camera without feeling like a prat. I'll have to wait and see what the outcome is...

T shirt - Christopher Kane 

Jeans - Topshop

Shoes - Poste Mistress

Jacket - Luella x New Look 

Scarves - American Apparel 

THE FORGOTTEN ZARA TROUSERS

My confession - I totally forgot I'd bought these trousers from Zara just 3 weeks ago. Upon discovering I at once felt obliged to wear them, a kind of sorry, if you will, for an inanimate object. And if you think it's all a bit busy, it was a grey rainy day in London yesterday, hence the O.T.T. pattern clashing.

Jacket - Zara

T shirt - Christopher Kane 

Trousers - Zara 

Shoes - NW3 by Hobbs 

SILVER

Jacket - Primark 

T Shirt - Christopher Kane x Versus by Versace 

Jeans - Topshop 

Shoes - NW3 by Hobbs

ZARA BRIGHT SHOPPER

Can you tell I'm still obsessed with my Zara bag? I only noticed that it matched the colouring on my t shirt in the elevator at work, but I'm totally taking all the credit for the coordination. 

T shirt - Christopher Kane

Jeans - J Brand 

Belt - Charity shop

Shoes - French Sole 

Bag - Zara

CHRISTOPHER KANE GALAXY PRINT

My spoils from the Christopher Kane sample sale - this mens hoodie. Loving it. There are not many things in life that are worth a 90 minute queue, but I've got to say this probably is one of those rare things. Even my Grandma, living in a care home in Jarrow, recognised this top as something awesome. Does that say more about the top or the fact that my Grandma is amaze?

It was ruddy cold in Newcastle. Ended up buying H! Henry Holland boots in the sale to keep me warm. I always forget that up North is way colder than down South. Luckily, all the high street shops have all the good stuff for far longer than London, hence more spoils. 

T shirt - Christopher Kane S/S 10 

Hoodie - Christopher Kane Resort 11 

Jeans - Topshop 

Socks - Tabio 

Shoes - H! - Henry Holland, Debenhams 

CHRISTOPHER KANE NEON DRESS

I finally got around to picking up my Christopher Kane dress I ordered last year and popped it on the minute I got home to check it fitted (phew, it did). I've got to say, I just LOVE it, it's more perfect that I could have ever imagined - the high neckline and half length sleeves give it just the right amount of primness, and in my mind a dress this bright needs that staid factor. The only problem with it is underwear, even with a nude M&S no VPL thong on it's still visible. What do you reckon? A slip? An underwear hunt of epic proportions? Or a more dangerous for the modesty, but much easier solution? 

Dress - Christopher Kane 

Shoes - Christian Louboutin 

FAIL SAFE DRESSING

Last year it was Topshop Jamie jeans, this year it's J Brand Agnes and Houlihan trousers that I can't get enough of. I'm trying not to wear them too often, because if I do my outfit posts would be even more boring than usual, but I can't help it because they are too damn comfy and go with everything. Do you have those items in your closet that you know are the lazy option, but still wear anyway?

Jacket - Kate Moss for Topshop 

T shirt - Christopher Kane

Trousers - J Brand

Shoes - Zara

T shirt - Giles 

Trousers - J Brand 

Shoes - Clarks 

Blazer - Krizia from Oxfam 

T shirt - Acne 

Trousers - J Brand 

Socks - Burlington 

Trainers - Converse

LOST THINGS

I seem to have *misplaced* (I can't utter the word 'lost' yet) my favourite Topshop leather jacket, so I'm having to make do with my brown New Look one that I bought in a sale a couple of years ago for 20 quid. The poor thing hasn't got much wear from me as I always favoured my black Topshop one, but now it is hiding from me I am attempting to wear this new one in and give it that battered patina that I favour. 

Losing items of clothing doesn't happen that often to me, but I still remember the searing upset of finding I'd left my Bodyglove long sleeved t-shirt at Southbank at 15. I'd picked it up in America and I think I moped for days. Years later I dropped my favourite Zara floral blazer in a jet lagged haze in a Melbourne supermarket and despite visiting the lost property in the shopping centre everyday for the entire holiday no one ever returned it. 

If you see a bashed up Topshop leather jacket in a size 14 that is so old it's gone grey from wear and tear and it has a few tissues, paper clips and an old train ticket to Taunton in the pockets, it's probably mine. 

Jacket - New Look 

T shirt - Christopher Kane 

Jeans - Topshop 

Boots - Russell & Bromley 

WAH NAILS

I ran the London Marathon last Sunday. My shirt read Katy B, but I thought I should get my nails done too, so thank you to the fabulous Wah Nails for offering such an amazing range of choices of nail art. Although I do like the music of Katy B, I should point out that Katy B was my name first (after all I am about 10 years older than her) and I am not, as people have asked, a crazy fan. 

Jacket - Whistles 

T shirt - Versus x Christopher Kane 

Trousers - J Brand 

Trainers - Converse

Nails - Wah Nails, Topshop 

ASOS KNUCKLE RINGS

Aside from the sheer amount of brands, free postage offers and their own brand collections, one of ASOS's strongest points is the jewellery on offer. You could traipse the high street for years trying to find the more unusual pieces that ASOS seems to stock - from blogger favourites like the horizontal cross ring to Susie Bubble style metal harnesses for layering over tops. Mooching around the site a few days ago I saw these metal knuckle rings and thought I'd give them a go. I feel suitably hard when they're on, like I could pick a fight and win, but I'm not sure I'd want to wear them all day. It's the kind of jewellery you leave the house with and find that by the end of they day you've taken them off and they're at the bottom of your bag because you can't use the computer / phone etc without them interfering. I always look at women with masses of rings on their fingers and think "Do they ever, y'know, type?" Perhaps my taste in jewellery is telling me to quit desk jobs?

See? The rings make me mean. 

T shirt - Versus x Christopher Kane 

Trousers - J Brand 

Shoes - Clarks 

Rings - ASOS