House of Fraser press day SS15

Don't get me wrong, I love winter, and everything that goes with it. By the time it gets to the end of summer I am ready to laze around on the sofa on those cold icy nights, glass of wine in hand watching my favourite movie and wearing my favourite knitted jumper. But there is something equally as exciting about summer; the thought of being able to walk around in just a summer dress, or a pair of culotte, and those hot sunny holidays away that we eagerly await for throughout the year!

I was lucky enough to be invited to the House of Fraser SS15 Press day a few fridays back and I had the best time there. Greeted with elderflower cordial I quickly began making my way around the show rooms eager to see what's in store for our wardrobes next summer!

I totally fell in love with the Pied a Terre bag which you can see in the first photo, the marbled black and white effect grabbed my attention straight away and its just one of those simple pieces that would go with absolutely everything. As for the Hugo Boss black bag (second photo) and the Ralph Lauren paint splat jeans (third photo); they will be going straight on my 'to save for' list. I am tempted to try a bit of DIY with an old pair of boyfriend jeans and some acrylic paint so watch this space!!

As for Biba, they seem to have got it right too; we have seen a lot of metallic leather as of late, especially on the catwalks and their metallic leather jacket will be special edition with only a small amount made so make sure you grab one before its too late.

You can also see that I had a sneak into the Homeware showroom and needless to say it was absolutely insane; lobster print cushions as part of their nautical collection, copper trinkets, vases, and candles holders to ad warmth into a minimal room and all those necessities to really make home 'home'.

While most of you will already know, today is black Friday and cyber monday is around the corner. If you're looking for  a party dress for the Christmas season or a present for someone social look no further and click the links below...

Black Friday, Cyber Monday and some more Tempting offers

Happy friday, 

S x

Noisy May

Pink coat- ASOS (similar here) || Pink jumper- Noisy May || Faux leather skirt- ASOS (similar here) || Black shoes- Topshop (similar here).

This outfit is super pink and super minimal and I love it. I thought double pink might be too much but bahhh, you know me, nothing is every too much right?

Im not a super girly person, but last year when the 'it' coat was a pink one, I could not resist. I am so happy to have this fabulous long, fluffy, pink ASOS number back in my life and I so don't care if pink is the colour of '2013'.

I decided to team it with my new Noisy May pink jumper. Its so cosy; all fleecy inside and adds a minimal but girly twist to any outfit. As for the skirt, I treated myself a few months back to this faux leather pleated a-line midi one from ASOS (of course) . Its brilliant for all occasions. I wore it to mine and Tom's two year anniversary dinner with a metallic top back in October and its perfect to dress up or down. 

I hope you guys have had a wonderful weekend. I spent it with my Nan while my Aunt was away and we've had a ball. I have even learnt how to knit and it has been so lovely to chill and relax, get some uni work done and spend some time with her and my sister.

Have a great week guys, 

S x

Blogging on a budget

Blogging on a budget. It's something that sprang to mind and is probably more poignant than ever at this time of year for those of us who blog, who read blogs and who have a general love  addiction to shopping including me for all of the above!

I decided to write a post on this, purely because I myself am struggling financially at the moment (which is all self inflicted) due to buying too many 'must have' items of clothing the past few months; cue sighs. The way I have justified it is that believe it or not I have managed to lose almost 2 stone from turning gluten and dairy free in the past nine months. Being able to wear things I wouldn't have dreamt of before, and replacing must needed essentials has meant that my semi healthy shopping addiction is now somewhat of a massive problem.

The way in which I look at it is that for those of us out there who blog, whether it be for 100 readers or 10000 we are always thinking about the next outfit that we can feature in a post. The temptation of never wearing anything twice for the fear or being labelled 'boring' or 'too much of the same' does flicker in and out of my mind more often than not. You know what; were all only human and realistically everyone even our favourite super bloggers wear clothes more than once. 

I want to give some easy to live by tips for all of you out there to keep your wardrobes exciting without having to break the bank; something I know all of us will struggle with as some point or another and especially now that Christmas is approaching.

Having the needed 'essentials'

If we make sure that our wardrobes contain all the basics it should, we enable ourselves to introduce different items and change outfit looks easily. For example, having a few white, black and grey t shirts albeit 'boring' really helps when it comes to mixing and matching. This goes for shoes, bags, jumpers trousers etc. By having a few simple pairs in a style that suits our body shape it means that 

all you need to jazz an outfit up or make it different is a bit of jewellery or a fun bag.

Affordable ways to keep up to date

Not all of us are lucky enough to earn 60k a year, or get sent numerous samples by PR companies to keep. So this means we have to be inventive when trying to change the look of an outfit without breaking the bank each month. The simple solution is to concentrate on accessories. Yes trends change frequently, and yes we want to keep up with this, but an easy way to do this is by investing a small amount of money into things that can radically change a white shirt and a pair of black jeans.

Having different types of jewellery (and not expensive) can really help. Topshop, River Island, Warehouse are to name but a few places to get some excellent on trend accessories for affordable prices. Next time your heading out, or planning an outfit post why don't you think about mixing pieces you have already worn and used and bring it to life with a new pair of earrings or a patterned / coloured scarf.

Keeping it simple

The simple and unplanned outfits are often the best. I used to be a stickler for prints and crazy colours when it came to clothes, and it didn't take me long to realise that this made it almost impossible to interchange outfits. Prints are a fantastic way of getting across who you are and colour is amazing for showing your style, but if your trying to save a few pounds, the easy way to incorporate print or colour into an outfit is by adding accessories or a statement tee. When you are buying new things think about what in your wardrobe they will go well with and if you have enough clothes already to match them up with. If you cannot make at least five outfits-then ditch it (unless it is a really amazing item!).

Finally: Be you

This one sounds like the easiest tip but I think it can sometimes be the hardest. With social media at our fingertips for most of the day, it is hard not to come across images and photos of people we'd rather be or look like. This is something that not only affects us women but men too. Remember who you are and if you blog like me, why you started your blog. I can guarantee most of you will have begun it for yourselves, and having readers and followers is a massive plus! Wear what you feel comfortable and most importantly confident in; thats what people will enjoy seeing most. Be proud of who you are and remember to always stick by what you love.

Thats it for now; I hope you've enjoyed this different type of post. Sorry for the rambling and happy tuesday everyone!

S x

Very Berry

Leather look gilet- H&M (previous season) || Black long sleeve tee- New Look || Berry tailored trousers- ASOS || White backpack- New Look (last season, similar here) || Black shoes- Topshop (similar here) || Watch- Olivia Burton@ ASOS.

Every winter berry is the colour I get automatically drawn to. Despite black normally being a staple in the winter wardrobe, this year I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing the mix of nudes, camels, creams and pastels filling the high street stores. It is refreshing and for once I don't feel super depressed every time I wake up in the morning and get dressed- I feel like I am allowed to wear colour!

Despite this I did pair these tailored trousers with a black long sleeved t shirt and my trusted leather look gilet. My white backpack has not made it onto an outfit post for a while and it was the perfect thing to draw the eye a little. Im trying to steer away from wearing trainers all the time despite it being super tempting as they are so comfy but my aim this season is to try and 'dress to impress' at all given opportunities... I'd be interested to know how you guys think I am getting on with that as the weeks go by and it gets colder and icier.

Until next time, TGIF!

S x

Going Geometric

Patterned jersey dress- Topshop || Masculine flats- Topshop, (similar here) || Fur scarf- Zara (similar here).

Geometry was the only part of maths that I loved at school which is probably why I fell in love with this dress as soon as I saw it and within 2 hours I was back in store buying it. Its the perfect throw on thing when you can't be bothered. Its shape hides a multitude of sins, and the print is a combination of black (my all time favourite colour) and camel, the colour of the season.

I've been trying to steer away from prints as of late as I was struggling to match and make use of everything in my wardrobe but this dress is just so versatile. The simple nature of the print and shape mean I can look good and feel comfy and snug all at the same time and I already know that its going to get worn to death this winter. Next on the list is a pair of indigo flared jeans and Im thinking that they will partner perfectly with a pair of heeled boots and my new geometric addition. What a winning combo. 

Happy Tuesday everyone!

S x

Chelsea Red

Cream knitter jumper- River Island Men || White Tee- ASOS || Black skinny jeans- Topshop || Red boots- River Island (similar here) || Black biker jacket- H&M (last season).

I had a lovely weekend last week. I met up with Mariana (from The Portuguese Pink Pie) for brunch and afterwards we managed to snap some outfit pictures with her awesome camera. I love the way my new River Island red chelsea boots snaz up this outfit turning it from plain casual to polished. Boots for me are a constant temptation and my collection is currently growing...I know for a fact that this won't be the last pair I buy this winter.

Hope you've all had a lovely weekend.

S x