The Dublin Dress

Whenever I go away somewhere I always try and pick up something that I'm not going to see everyone wearing back in the UK. Ricky and I recently went to Dublin, Ireland and I discovered the A|Wear shop which, in their own words, is a "Irish born female fashion brand" based in Dublin. They have great pieces at really great prices and I immediately fell in love with all of their dresses - they were all so pretty! 

After trying on a selection of dresses I settled on this gorgeous navy blue swing dress which I thought was really classy.

Navy Swing Dress - A|Wear, 45 Euros
Nude Heels - Primark, Old

As soon as I got home I was very happy to find out that it is very easy to find A|Wear online and they ship to the UK for the reasonable price of £3.95! Time to get online shopping...

The Check Addiction

Oh dear... It seems that I have got a little carried away with the tartan and check trend that has popped up all over the high street recently. It started with my tartan dress (see: The Tartan Fetish), it continued with my check scarf (see: The Transitionals) and now my wardrobe is becoming overrun with checks galore!

Black Oversized Jumper - H&M, £14.99
Red Tartan High Waisted Shorts - River Island, £16.00
Black Leggings - Topshop, Old
Black Chelsea Boots - Topshop, Old

I just love these shorts from River Island and they were such a bargain! They look great with leggings for a casual look but I am also going to dress them up with heels and a sheer black shirt.

Short Sleeve Check Shirt - Topshop, £28.00
Black Tube Skirt - Primark, Old
Black Leggings - Topshop, Old
Black Chelsea Boots - Topshop, Old

How cute is this little checked shirt? So easy to chuck on with a skirt or black skinny jeans and a great way for me to get some different colours into my wardrobe.

Black Boob Tube - H&M, Old
Tartan Tube Skirt - Topshop, £25
Black Skinny Belt - Primark, £2 for pack of 2
Black Chelsea Boots - Topshop, Old

I think that this skirt has to be one of my favourite items in my wardrobe at the moment. If you're a regular here, you'll know that I love a tube skirt! I've also worn this one with a baggy black t-shirt for a more casual look.

Must stop buying tartan and checks now... what will my next fashion addiction be I wonder? Watch this space!

The Studded Accessories

So ever since I bought my studded handbag a few months ago (see: The Rock 'n' Roll Accessories) I have always been on the lookout for more studded beauties and my dreams came true when I discovered Zoe Victoria's little shop on twitter. She has some lovely bits and bobs and at such reasonable prices! Here are my faves:

Heart Studded Bag

The heart shapes make these studs a little less 'punk' which I think is a great twist on the embellishment. You can't go wrong with a little black bag! It's great for nights out and those days where you only need your purse and phone.

Studded iPhone Case

Not only is this case stylish, it's also very practical - I'm very clumsy and always dropping my iPhone! I love the lilac colour as well. 

Studded Socks

Aren't these just adorable!? They are the perfect alternative to those cute frilly socks that I have never been able to pull off! I'm going to wear mine peeking over the top of my converse. 

Check out Zoe Victoria's other items here or follow her on Twitter here or Facebook here. 

The Transitionals

So it's September - the kids have gone back to school, it's getting dark earlier and I can no longer ignore the fact that Autumn is slowly but surely taking over. Although I will be sad to say goodbye to the sunny days and warm evenings we have enjoyed this summer, I cannot deny that I love A/W fashion and I knew that it was time to give my wardrobe a bit of an update.
Today my Mum made her way over to Reading. As usual, we headed off to town for some retail therapy and, as usual, I got spoiled! Take a look at these transitional pieces that I picked up today...

Black Marl Knitted Jumper - H&M, £14.99

H&M was by far my favourite shop today - there was so much A/W goodness to choose from! I bough this jumper simply because I love a comfy day and because however many times I try to pull off a chunky cardi or jumper they never look quite right... sigh.

Black Skinny Jeans - Dorothy Perkins, £25

I decided  it was time to get a new pair of black skinny jeans as they are always a staple item in my A/W wardrobe. I often struggle to find jeans long enough for me but these 34" beauties are just right - and the price wasn't too bad either! (Dotty P's have got a special promotion on at the moment as well! 25% off everything on their website at the moment when you enter promo code DPFW25 at the checkout. Now that's an excuse to shop if ever I heard one!)

Printed Scarf - H&M, £6.99

H&M had an amazing collection of scarves to chose from but I thought this red/black/grey check number would be perfect to see me through A/W and at only £6.99 how could I resist!?

Black Pumps - Primark, £4.00

No shopping trip would be complete without a cheeky visit to Primark. I snatched up these slip-on pumps for £4.00 - what a bargain! They're plain and simple so are perfect for a quick finish to any outfit, day or night.

Leather Jacket - Zara, £159.99

Check out my gorgeous Mum! She splashed out on this gorgeous real leather jacket from Zara. It may not be your everyday purchase but she had been saving up her pennies for a long time! What a stunner (my Mum and the jacket)!

The Tartan Fetish

Tartan Dress - Topshop, £36

Tartan has been popping up all over the high street as the Autumn Winter 13 collections start to take over and of course, I've jumped on the bandwagon! I picked up this cute blue tartan dress from Topshop for £36 and although it's rather summery, I will be able to add opaque tights and a cardi to when those dreary winter months are upon us. For now I'm making the most of the sunshine and keeping it simple with minimal accessories and flip flops.

The loose fit is so comfortable when it's hot and I love that the back is slightly longer than the front - gotta keep that derriere under cover!

The problem is, now I've had a taste of tartan - I want more! Here are a few pieces on my Tartan wish list...

1. Tartan Pencil  Skirt - Glamorous, £16.99
2. Tartan Crop Top - Glamorous, £13.99
3. Tartan Cigarette Trousers - River Island, £30.00
4. Tartan Hareem Trousers - Boohoo, £20.00
5. Tartan Midi Skirt - ASOS, £36.00

The Perfect Jumpsuit

For ages now I have been searching high and low for a jumpsuit that fits me properly - they're always too short / too tight in the wrong places / just look plain awful - but I have finally found my perfect jumpsuit from River Island. After searching for so long I was beginning to give up hope but when I spotted this one for only £28 I had to try it on.

Here are some pics of me wearing the lovely jumpsuit to Reading Festival this weekend. It was nice and sunny so I had to pull the legs up a little higher. 

Pork Pie Hat - Topshop, £25
Patterned Jumpsuit - River Island, £28
Black Bandeau - New Look, Pack of 2 £5
Suede Ankle Boots - Topshop, Old

When I bought the jumpsuit they had sold out off my usual size so I opted for a size bigger and popped a bandeau on underneath and hey presto - perfect comfy festival outfit!

Leather Look Backpack - Primark, £12
(See previous post: The Mothers Purse)

The Floral Frock

Every summer I feel like it's not officially summer until I've purchased at least one pretty, floral print item of clothing. This year my item of choice was this lovely daisy print dress from Topshop. I bought it as part of my uniform allowance at work which meant that I got some discount off of the £46 price tag, which would normally be a little out of my price range. However, there are some lovely details on the dress which make it worth while; it nips in at the waist perfectly without being too small everywhere else, it has lovely slightly-puffed sleeves and last but not least some subtle cut-outs at the collar bone and waist.

Daisy Print Dress - Topshop, £46

I apologise for this ridiculously posey picture! Here's one of me and my lovely Mum where I look a bit more human...

What floral pieces have been your wardrobe must-haves this season?

The ASOS Dress

Everybody knows that I have a serious ASOS addiction. I always find myself browsing their app whenever I have a spare minute. I have worn the grey swing dress that I bought a few months ago to death (see post: The Busy Week) and decided to treat myself to a more summer-y version. They're only £18 so there was no excuse not to. 

Sleeveless Swing Dress - ASOS, £18

It's so swingyyyyy! And so comfy and cool which is perfect during this amazing heat wave we're having. Fingers crossed it lasts!

I ordered the coral and jade versions but was very strict with myself and sent the coral one back (being able to return items for free is one of the many reasons shopping with ASOS is so appealing). 

What do you think?

The Holiday Blues

I've just got back from a lovely holiday with my Mum, Ricky, Ben (my brother) and Abbie (his girlfriend) in Portugal and now I have a serious case of the holiday blues!

Holidays abroad are always the perfect opportunity to grab some fashion bargains that you won't see everyone else wearing. But be careful - its easy to get carried away and buy things that you will only wear on holiday then will find its way to the back of the wardrobe once you get home. This is what I picked up whilst I was away:

Tie Dye Scarf

This little beauty was only 3 Euros (approx £2.60) - an amazing bargain! Since it's a very chic take on the tie dye trend, it will still be wearable after all those rainbow-bright tie dye tees are ditched. 

Jelly Shoes

I am forever struggling to find cute black flats that don't break the bank. These were only 10 Euros (approx £8.65) and are so comfortable! Although they're jelly shoes, the stylish shape makes them wearable back in jolly old England. I love the leopard print soles peeking out as well.

Here's a couple of holiday snaps for your enjoyment...

 Cheeky Ricky

Me & Ricky dipping our toes in the sea

(Sunglasses from my previous post: The Holiday Preparation)

Little Bro

Mum in her lovely leopard print skirt

The Haircut

Just thought I'd do a quick post - for those of you that don't follow me on instagram - on my new haircut. As you may have noticed in my photographs, I previously had quite long hair with dip dye ends but I got fed up with all the split ends so decided to have  the ends chopped off!



Now that it's shorter I'm making it my mission to make it more voluminous! In this picture I used Garnier Fructis Style Curl & Bounce Mousse which I bought for £2.65 from Boots (see my previous post: The Holiday Preparation) on wet hair before giving it a blast with the hair dryer.

Although at first I was a bit shocked at how short it was, the ends are so thick now that I really feel like my hair is on the path to being in great condition.

The Boy Buys

Whenever I go on a little shopping trip I always keep an eye out for a little treat for Ricky, since he's normally at work whilst I'm off skipping down the high street. Ricky has SO many t-shorts but I couldn't resist adding these to his collection...

Primark - 'Peace' Tee, £4

Primark - 'Diamond' Tee, £4

I bought Ricky these t-shirts from Primark when I went to Oxford Street a few weeks ago (see: The Apology) as they were only £4 each - such a bargain - and I thought they'd be great just to chuck on when we go on holiday.

Topman - Monsters Inc Tee, £18

Ricky and I are big kids when it comes to the films we like so when I spotted this Monsters Inc tee in Topman at work the other day I had to pick it up for him. At £18 it was a little more pricey than the others but he was so excited by it that it was definitely worth while!

ASOS - Noel Gallagher Tee, £10

This Noel Gallagher t-shirt was in the sale on ASOS for a tenner and since Ricky is a massive Oasis fan (he even has 2 of their song lyrics tattooed on him!) I had to get it for him.

 Ricky's Tattoos!

'Dont' look back in anger' - Chest

'True perfection has to be imperfect' - Forearm

I almost enjoy buying clothes for Ricky as much as I enjoy buying clothes for myself... almost!

The Holiday Preparation

It's only a couple of weeks until I go on holiday to Portugal and I CAN'T WAIT! A whole week of sunshine, good food and relaxation. My Mum came to Reading to see me last Sunday and as usual we popped into town to see what we could find... and we found plenty!

Primark - Pack Of 2 Skinny Belts - £2

As usual, Mum and I found ourselves mooching around Primark trying to sniff out the items that looked the least tacky. I found these belts which I thought were really detailed for just £2 for 2! They are designed to be either a waist or a hip belt so there are plenty of holes so that you can adjust them to the right size.

I then headed to Primark's jewellery section and managed to restrict myself to one necklace but that didn't stop me from looking elsewhere!

Primark - Ring Cluster Necklace - £3

I don't normally wear statement necklaces but I love the turquoise accents in this one and for £3 it was worth giving it a go.

River Island - Arrow Head Earrings - £3

 I like to keep my earrings quite simple and I love how these look kind of rustic (if that's the right word).

H&M - Neon Chain Necklace - £7.99

I've been looking for a short chunky silver chain necklace for a while but I haven't been having much luck. This neon number caught my eye in H&M but I'm not sure about the pink chain. If I can't make it work I'll just detach the neon chain and be left with the necklace I was looking for in the first place!

Boots - Piz Buin Tan & Protect - £8.99 Each.
Boots - Tortoiseshell Sunglasses - £20.00
Primark - Grey Speckle Sunglasses - £2 

Piz Buin has always been my favourite brand of sun protection and they've got this new 'Tan & Protect' range which I'm hoping will get me nice and bronzed during my week away. It's half price at Boots at the moment so worth grabbing it now. 
As for the sunglasses, I always seem to end up sitting on them or crushing them in the bottom of my handbag so I've made a promise to myself to look after these ones this year (especially since my Mum treated me to them!).

Boots - Garnier Fructis Style Curl & Bounce Mousse - £2.65
Boots - Maybelline Eye StudioWhite Kohl Eyeliner  - £2.99

Whilst I was in Boots I just had to grab a couple more bits. I wanted some mousse to create that wavy beach look ready for my holidays. I also decided to try a white eyeliner for a change as black is a bit harsh for sunny days and always ends up running down your face!

Think I'm just about ready to jet off to sunny Portugal now... the countdown begins!

The Market Purchase

Ricky and I finally got a couple of sunny days off together and it was so nice! I spent quite a lot of time moaning that we couldn't afford to go away somewhere for a couple of nights so Ricky promised to take me out for the day to shut me up and he didn't disappoint! After having a very yummy but very naughty breakfast at Frankie and Bennys, we headed to Henley on Thames to wander around the market and trinket shops. Ricky treated me to these amazing trousers for £15 from a market stall. I'm going to call them my Aladdin trousers. 

Boob Tube - H&M, (Old). Aladdin Trousers - Market Stall, £15. Flip Flops - Old.

Bit of a gamble as I couldn't try them on and they are size 'one fits all' which normally frightens me off but it all worked out well in the end. They are SO comfortable that when I wear them I feel like I've accidentally left the house in my pjs and as much as I love the British high street, it's always nice to buy something that's a bit more of a one off. 

The Uniform Allowance

Working for Topshop has many perks but my favourite has got to be the generous uniform allowance. Thought I would share with you a few of the most recent additions to my work 'uniform'. 

Neon Cami - I am loving a splash of neon now that the sun has finally decided to start making an appearance. This cami comes in a variety of colours (I've got my eye on the neon orange one as well) and are so easy to throw on with skinny jeans or a tube skirt. It's only £18, so even without discount it's a bargain and it brings out even the slightest hint of a tan!

Top - Topshop, £18. Skirt - Topshop (Old). Shoes - Topshop , £35.

Heeled Canvas Boots - As I've mentioned before, I'm about 5ft 8 so I tend to shy away from wearing heels on a regular basis but I decided to bite the bullet as these seemed like a good choice for everyday wear. I have worn them nearly every day to work! They are so comfy and go with pretty much everything. Even though they don't have a particularly big heel, they give you that boost of confidence that wearing heels seems to do. £35 before discount isn't too bad either if you think you'll get the same wear out of them that I have! They come in white as well. 

Shoes - Topshop, £35.

I think I've done pretty well at resisting all that Topshop has to offer considering all those clothes are screaming 'BUY ME' on a daily basis!