Mid-Week Treats

What girl doesn't like to spoil herself rotten every now and again. Personally, I'll take any excuse to hit the shops and bag myself a little bargain any day of the week. But today I feel it was a reward I had actually earned, well slightly. And, like a dog that's learning a new trick I guess I'm bribing myself (sort of) into working harder and doing better.

After a tutorial with my Final Major Project tutor I was told that "I was definitely on the right track" - what great praise indeed. Well, it certainly was if you consider the small fact that I wrote the feature I handed in at a ridiculous time this morning, whilst sleep deprived. I'm on the right track, always good news. Right?!

Anyway, after this small treat at 10.30am this morning I decided to meander into town, with the sole purpose of just window shopping. But who was I kidding, what fun is there in browsing. I don't have the will power or the self restraint to not actually buy something that catches my eye. And so this is how I found myself at the till in Topshop, arms laden with goodies once again.

Here's a peak at my purchases:

Floral Checkerboard Camisole - £26

Available here

Floral Tapestry Shorts - £32

Available here

Ikat Printed Culotte Shorts - £28

Available here

I absolutely adore this checkerboard style camisole top, so different to anything I have in my wardrobe at present. I've seen it in Topshop a few times yet always managed to resist adding it to my basket, but not today. I'm thinking of wearing it out tomorrow night with some disco shorts. Then again it is supposed to snow and I do not want to be freezing my arse off - quite literally.

The tapestry shorts are so cute and also quiet versatile. They could be warn in the evening with a pair of heels or styled for an afternoon lunch date with a pair of opaque tights and brogues. And the culottes, just so adorable and it just looks as if you're wearing a skater skirt when you try them on. The pattern's pretty funky too.

Have you bought any well deserved purchases this week? Drop me a comment, I'd love to know!

WANT WANT WANT

If you've been keeping up with my blog lately you will definitely be aware of my love for shoes. Boots in particular. I have my own increasing collection which has recently burst the constraints of my wardrobe as is currently taking over every available space in my bedroom. Yet, in spite of this, I still want more. I definitely don't need anymore, but a girl can but dream. And dream I do, all day everyday.

 

Anyway, after a lengthy internet browsing sesh I have compiled a small but very expensive wishlist for the coming weeks. Luckily I was able to restrain myself from whipping out the debit card and actually purchasing anything, something my mother would be proud of. However, I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to be able to resist these absolute beauties.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Top Left to Bottom Right:

 

Cutout Buckle Boots - Topshop, £85

Chunky Strappy Heels - Topshop, £58

Platform Wedge Boots - Topshop, £165

Cutout Flat Ankle Boots - Topshop, £75

Burgundy Studded Ankle Boots - Topshop, £85

 

 

 

I've seen a couple of pairs of these cut out boots around and although I was rather sceptical at first, I have to say that I have fallen head over heels for these. They offer a slightly different take on the usual style of ankle boots seen on the high street at the moment and would be perfect to carry me through from winter to spring and beyond. At £85 they may be a little out of my price range, but I am almost sure I will be able to find a slightly cheaper (for cheaper read student-budget-friendly) alternative on eBay.

 

I love the shade of burnt orange these chunky platform heels are available in, slightly different to my usual shoe-uniform of black, black and black. Although they do appear to be rather high I feel that the chunky, almost wedge-like heel will make them much easier to walk in - and believe me I need all the help I can get when it comes to walking in heels, think Bambi on ice. Again, I believe these shoes will be great to carry me through to spring/summer and will hopefully make my legs appear slightly longer, which is always a bonus.

 

These platform boots are simply amazing. I have a similar pair bought from H&M last winter, however they've now seen better days and a new pair is badly needed. I love the chequered detailing on the wedge heel, contrasting nicely with the its leather finishing. At £165 I'm not sure I would risk wearing them on a night out in Southampton, far too beautiful to get ruined by the sticky dance floors of night clubs and spilled drinks at every turn.

 

These flat ankle boots with the cut out detailing are too cute, I need these in my wardrobe immediately. They look quite smart and I definitely think they would be able to style up any casual daytime look nicely. They remind of the ever-popular brogues, but in boot format. I would most probably wear these boots with a cute floral tea dress, pulled in at the waist with a thin leather belt. Either that or a pair of skinny jeans, rolled up to expose the ankle. Just perfect.

 

Finally, these burgundy boots offer a great alternative to the classic black chelsea boot. This shade is possibly my absolute favourite colour at present and I basically just want to buy everything that is available in burgundy. My collection seems to be growing by the day. Therefore, obviously I need these boots in my life.

 

 

What shoes are you dieing to get your hands on at the moment?

OOTD: Travel in Style

It's been a busy weekend and I haven't really had a chance to post. It's been great to see my lovely boyfriend and as we do spend so much time apart during term time, especially so during third year,  it was just nice to spend a few days together. Edd, as you may know, is a photographer and is my go to for any photography needed for the blog and for my FMP magazine. He also decided yesterday to use me as a model for a mini photo shoot and I surprised myself by agreeing. Normally I hate being used as a model, I'm very uncomfortable on camera and this is obvious when viewing the resulting images. The photo's, however, turned out a whole lot better than I expected and I was actually rather pleased. I doubt I'll be sharing them on the blog though, as I'm not wearing many clothes and it's not really in keeping with my theme.

Anyway, I thought I'd try out an OOTD post for a change. I'm spending the majority of my day sat on a train travelling back to Southampton after a beaut weekend in Plymouth. I say beaut, yet it rained pretty much non-stop. Anyway, I obviously want to be as comfortable as possible but, on the other hand, I certainly don't want to look like no slob. I've found a perfect middle ground and although my look is simply styled I'm fairly sure I don't look too beige - a Plain Jane I am not (at least I hope).

High neck crop top - Boohoo, £5
Shorts - Urban Outfitters, £32
Belt - H&M £7.99
Shoes - Boohoo, £15
Necklace - New Look, £3 (sale)
Watch - Urban Outfitter, £10 (sale)

For the journey I've put together a pair of over-sized denim levi shorts from Urban Outfitters, every girls must-have wardrobe item, with a black high-neck crop top from Boohoo, a bargain at just £5. The crop top is just long enough to tuck into the shorts, which is perfect as it is winter and god forbid I catch a chill. I've added a berry coloured belt from H&M which is a necessity as the shorts, although labelled a small, are rather large and would not stay in place unaided and I don't particularly wish to be walking round with my shorts round my ankles. I'm sure no one else wants to see this either.

I've completed the outfit with a gold necklace found in the New Look sale. I don't tend to shop in New Look as I rarely find anything I wish to purchase, however this necklace was a bargain and it looks great with everything. I don't think I've taken it off since I bought it. I've also added a lush watch I found in the Urban Outfitters sale, it has the letter 'B' in the middle which, of course, is just perfect. The thin brown leather strap gives it a vintage-y feel and, as I'm not really one for bling, its simplistic nature makes it so versatile. Finally, the shoes are from Boohoo and are unfortunately no longer in stock. A bargain at just £15, they make a change to my usual shoe-uniform of black heeled chelsea boots. I also love the gold lions on the front, I haven't seen anything like these anywhere else.

For added warmth I will be wearing my huge tartan scarf and a denim jacket complete with a fur collar.

For anyone who wishes to look at Edd's photography here's a link to his tumblr, always willing to do photography for anyone/anything: http://eddtaylorphoto.tumblr.com/

What I'm Coveting

Just a short post today as I'm away in Plymouth for the weekend. I thought I'd share with you the pieces I absolutely cannot live without during these rather dreary winter months.

So, I am one hundred percent loving high-neck tops at the moment. Definitely my most coveted item of 2013 so far. I am aware that I may have mentioned this before, but I have well and truly jumped on the bandwagon with this one. I'm even wearing one as I write this.

I was a bit wary of the trend at first. I'm fairly short, and for some strange reason I thought the high neck would make me appear even shorter and stumpier than usual. Far from it though. I definitely think, and this may sound slightly dramatic, that I am in love with high-neck tops of the cropped variety. Paired with high-waisted shorts, skirts or disco pants, they're fast becoming my go-to item for any occasion.

I apologise in advance for the photography. However, my boyfriend was not on hand today and I am just a little bit lacking in that department, as I'm sure you will agree.

Long sleeve, black velvet and glitter roll-neck crop top - Asos, £25
Available here 

Black Lace high-neck crop top - Topshop, £26
This is no longer available, but here's a similar alternative

Same as above, here you can see the lace detailing

Dark green high-neck crop top - Topshop, £10
This is no longer on the website, but you can find it in store.
Black high-neck crop top - Boohoo £5
available here

In particular I would recommend the long-sleeved style tops to anyone feeling slightly self-conscious about their weight following the Christmas period. I'm quite aware of the size of my arms and am grateful for anything that will cover them up in a stylish way. This style flatters your shape and hides any unwanted wobbles on your arms, and for this reason I love them. The sleeveless versions are great for those of us feeling slightly more confident. However the darker shades that I have chosen also aid in disguising any lumps and bumps. All in all, a great buy to add to any girls ever expanding wardrobe.


I've packed each and every one of these tops into my case for the weekend ahead, and I intend to wear them all at some point. What are your thoughts on this trend?

Did Someone Say Shoes?

I seem to have gone a bit shoe mad of late. To give you a little insight; I've bought three pairs in the last two days, to go with the the three pairs I had for Christmas, which all helps in adding to my already mammoth collection (I'm definitely pushing 60 pairs).

Black ankle boots seem to be a favourite with me at the moment. I have several pairs, all fairly similar, but beautiful all the same. I just cannot seem to resist, they're incredibly versatile and will carry me from season to season, not to mention the fact that the small heel gives me some much needed added height, so why not. Despite this, I still felt it necessary to purchase another two pairs whilst browsing the Boohoo website yesterday evening. Here they are:

Black Leather Look, Metallic Tip Ankle Boots - £38
Available here

Block Heel Buck leAnkle Boots - £35
Available here

I couldn't decide which I preferred. They're both gorgeous and the affordable price tag along with a twenty percent off discount code meant that I could buy both feeling largely guilt free. The leather look metallic tip boots provide a classic look that will work with any number of outfits. They can style up a daytime look and take you through to the evening - what else could you possible want from a shoe? The cut-out, buckled ankle boots I could not resist. I've seen a few girls sporting similar boots and I've been obsessed with finding an affordable, student-budget-friendly, alternative ever since. I can't wait to experiment with this pair, they're definitely a great look for the following few months, the cut-outs will expose ankle and make a nod to the British attempt of springtime weather.

Anyway, today I ventured out to Cardiff to check out the vintage shops - all very helpful for my FMP. In between research I managed to take a quick detour into the Saint David's centre to check out the shops and came across these beauties in River Island:

River Island - £15 (unfortunately I cannot find them online anymore)

Of course I had to get them. It was fate; the only pair in sight, my size and at half price. Only a fool would walk away from that.

And just in case you haven't seen enough of my shoe collection already, here's a few pairs I got for Christmas. Each and every one I am truly and utterly in love with.

Tan Suedette Studded Back Ankle Boots - £35
Available here

River Island - £25 (unfortunately no longer online)

What shoes are you coveting at the moment?

B is for Baking

Everyone loves a spot of baking, especially when the result is a nice bit of cake to enjoy with your cuppa of an afternoon. I loved making cakes when I was younger, every week without fail I would go to my auntie's house (who loved to spoil me rotten), she would make the mixture and I would lick the spoons. However, since I've gotten older and realised just how much washing up is involved my laziness has taken over and baking hasn't been something that I've partaken in regularly.

But, yesterday evening I decided it was time to embrace my inner domestic goddess and give this baking malarkey a spin once again. It started off with a trip to Tesco, shopping list in hand and mother in tow, in order to pick up all the bits and pieces. I'm not going to lie, I got very distracted by the cake decorations and ended up spending an absurd amount on edible silver balls and pink glitter, because obviously this was a priority.

I'm not used to being laden down with shopping bags filled with icing sugar and flour, it's certainly a far cry from the usual contents of Topshop and H&M. Anyway, I soon got into the swing of things. Well I say this but actually it was my auntie that measured everything out and whisked it all together, apparently I was not trusted to get this right and we wouldn't want collapsed cakes now, would we.

Once the technical bit was done and dusted, all bowls licked clean and cakes rising nicely in the oven it was time to get started on the fun part - making (and eating) the butter cream icing. Here I was finally allowed to experiment and revert back to my five-year-old self. Food colouring was chosen in pastel shades of yellow, blue, pink and purple along with decoration to fit in with each colour scheme, these ranged from wafer daises to tiny snowflakes and edible pearls. I was certainly in my element, never had a piping bag and icing sugar created so much excitement.

I have to say, I was proud of the result. Never have I seen myself as a perfectionist, but this spot of baking kicked off some serious OCD. I actually found myself using a pair of surgical tweezers to place tiny silver balls symmetrically in place, for god's sake.

Here's the result:

Just call me Nigella!

Sales findings

So I planned on doing a post about New Year's Eve; what I wore, what I got up to and so on. However, in true NYE style, I got far too drunk to take any decent photos and have decided not to bore you with the details sans pictures. Instead here's a little post on my experiences with this year's sales shoppers.

I'm not really one for sales shopping. Nothing makes me angrier than fighting off people to browse through a mismatched rail of clothing than most probably contains nothing I would buy on a normal shopping day but hey, knock it down to half price and I'll buy it, take it home, try it on and bring it back because it's as ugly as it was at full price.
Sale's make shops look incredibly unattractive, full stop. The aforementioned rails upon rails of mismatched clothing do nothing for me. I have neither the patience nor the inclination to browse through these, especially whilst being elbowed and shoved by a group of crazy women all eager to get a look in. No thank you. The feeling of satisfaction experienced when I manage to pull out that dress that I've wanted for ages but haven't been able to afford is quickly quashed by the fact that it's four sizes too big.

I like a shop to look neat and tidy, where I can see everything and browse at my leisure. I do not want the shop to look like my own full-to-bursting wardrobe; nobody should have to deal with that.

I love a bargain as much as the next student, but I point blank refuse to join in with this January sales malarkey on the high street. I will, however, spend whole days trawling the internet for cut price deals. There is nothing wrong with shopping from the comfort of your own duvet, cup of tea in hand and obligatory New Year’s feel good film on in the background. It certainly makes for good procrastination.

Here's a few of my finds:





'B' Watch - £10 (was £26) Urban Outfitters

From left: A-line skirt - £15 (was £35), maxi skirt - £25 (was £40), high-waisted denim shorts - £10 (was £38) ALL Urban Outfitters

What are your opinions on the January sales? Have you found any unbelievable bargains?