Vivienne Westwood Anglomania for Melissa (AKA The Most Beautiful Shoes in the World)

Posted in Daily Outfits, Fashion.

I’ve wanted a pair of Vivienne Westwood Melissa heels since the two brands first collaborated. The utter childishness of them – like jelly sandals but with heels, glitter and a bubblegum scent – and the fact that they’re entirely inappropriate for the majority of my everyday life only fuelled my passion. I’ve resisted them for many years because £100+ is a lot to spend on glorified plastic shoes (no matter how pretty they are). But when they popped up on Sarenza, just as I was deciding how to use my Sarenza blogger code, I decided it was fate. Or maybe the Sarenza buyer just has excellent taste.

So into my basket they went, and this morning they showed up on my doorstep. Like a kid at Christmas, I cannot contain myself when new things arrive, so they went straight on my feet (after much sniffing and aaaahing) and I’ve been stealing glances at them all day long.

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Trousers c/o Next, Vivienne Westwood for Melissa heels c/o Sarenza, Primark t-shirt, ASOS necklace, H&M ring, Topshop lipstick in Brighton Rock. The old fashioned phone is a car boot find and cost £3.

They are very special shoes and I can imagine wearing a pair for my wedding (maybe in blue?) but I adore the life they bring to this simple outfit. I don’t think I can bear to save them for best – such beauty deserves to be seen and admired!

What do you think – shoes to shout about or a bit too girly for your liking?

PS – It’s the last day of the Sarenza sale today – I picked up a pair of leather boots for £25 down from £80, so it’s definitely worth a look!

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Dressing for the In Between

Posted in Daily Outfits, Fashion.

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Gap t-shirt, skirt c/o Next, Jonak boots c/o Sarenza, Primark belt and bangle, H&M ring

The end of summer always trails along like a dachshund puppy on a long walk. I’ve been ready to dig out the 120 deniers since July and have even tried to will autumn into existence by wearing a huge poncho cardigan in 20 degree heat… clearly to no avail.

So as summer soldiers on, I’m looking for ways to wear my new winter wardrobe without triggering a bout of heatstroke. This pretty printed skirt has been waiting for its first outing for a while and although I  was imagining berry-coloured tights and a leather jacket when I bought it, I think it looks just as good with bare legs, ankle boots and a crisp t-shirt. If, like me, you just CANNOT WAIT to wear your new season pieces, here are a few more tips to help with dressing for the in between…

  • Mix cosy colours with white for a fresh look
  • Wear ankle boots or brogues with bare legs instead of tights
  • Balance heavy fabrics like cord and leather with breezy, sheer materials
  • Add autumn accessories to summer outfits – a felt hat, leather satchel or pair of ankle socks
  • Try an autumnal makeup look – rich red lips, dusky brown eyes or plum nails 
Are you ready to pack away your maxi dresses and start the next season, or will you be clinging on to your sandals when there’s frost on the ground? Share your tips for in-between-season dressing below!

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Fashion blogger in jeans and t-shirt shocker!

Posted in Daily Outfits.

I’ve mentioned it many times on this blog – I’m a real jeans and t-shirt girl at heart. Nothing thrills me more (well, maybe not nothing) than figure-fitting denim, an easy t-shirt and a nifty jacket. You can crow about leather leggings and shredded crop tops all you want, but good jeans are hard to beat.

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Jeans c/o Next, Gap tee, H&M jacket, wedges c/o Sarenza, H&M jewellery

High has been my waistband of choice for a few years now – nothing flatters child-bearing hips like a high waist – and I usually go for a skinny leg. Topshop’s Krista jeans have been my favourites for a long time, but these front pocket flare jeans from Next may just take the top spot. I love the dark denim wash and extra long leg for all those slimming and lengthening properties the glossy magazines will tell you about.

This is my uniform for the days I need to look pulled together but not OMG fashionable. Suitable for – sweet talking bank managers, signing mortgage agreements and visiting school children. None of which I’ve done today.

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The Not-So-Bling Ring Collection

Posted in Fashion.

I’m intensely particular about jewellery. I’m not bothered about carats or metals or clarity, and I rarely pay more than £10 for a piece. But I’m very sure of what I like, and what I like usually prompts gasps of horror or exclamations of ‘what on EARTH is that on your hand?!’ from my bejewelled grandmother. You see, where she wears delicate gold bands and sparkling emeralds, I wear stag heads and faux fossils.

Rings are my thing. I have far too many of them – they cover my dressing table, spilling out from vintage teacups. I love big statement pieces; things that look a bit weird or could cause serious injury when worn. My one bit of bling – my diamond engagement ring – often sits beside an owl or something with spikes. Just take a look at (a small portion of) my collection…

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My only traditional piece is my engagement ring, which is a Platinum band with a sparkly diamond and a twist inset. It sits pride of place on its own heart-shaped plate, which I picked up at a car boot.

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My current favourites sit in this hand painted porcelain bowl (another car boot find). My favourite place to buy rings is Primark – they cost between £1-2 and if you hunt around you can find some real gems. The stag head, turquoise stone and gold embossed styles are all Primark.

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More rings are kept in an assortment of vintage teacups (all car boot and charity shop purchases). H&M’s jewellery collection is another favourite – the reflective gold square is my latest purchase. Topshop have some beautiful designs but I find they’re the quickest to lose their coating and turn my fingers green. Miss Selfridge are great for jewellery sales and last Christmas I stocked up on finger fancies for less than £20. Online, I love Me & Zena for their cute and quirky styles.

Slipping on an oversized, over-the-top ring gives an instant boost to the most boring of outfits – it’s my  sartorial saviour when I’m feeling lazy or uninspired. What about you – are rings your thing?

PS – The effect on my photos is called Pale and Bright, and is taken from this brilliant feature on Photoshop actions. Get ’em all!

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Second Hand Home – the Challenge Continues

Posted in Home, Second Hand Shopping.

If you’ve been reading for a while, you’ll know a few months ago I vowed to furnish my house with second hand pieces, and have been documenting my progress ever since. A recent burst of homemaking (read – being at home all day attempting to work but getting distracted) means I’ve organised some of my car boot and charity shop finds and, erm, acquired some new ones. So here’s an update on the Second Hand Home Challenge…

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This pretty gilded mirror was £1.50 from Sunday’s car boot sale and hangs halfway up our winding staircase. Reflected in it I’m wearing a Primark blouse, Topshop jeans and thrifted cashmere cardi!

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This hamper looked a lot different (and really confused Rob, hence the note!) when I bought it for £3 at a car boot sale a few months ago. I recovered it using leftover material from my dining room chairs project and added a cute crochet trim to cover up my terrible staple job. It resides in our bedroom and holds spare blankets.

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The suitcase was a £2 car boot purchase – I think I’m slightly obsessed. We’ve had the ‘home’ door stop for years and I bought the glass vase from Ikea. The flower was swiped from the garden and was probably the only living thing left out there.

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I’m trying to build up a collection of vintage tea sets for my wedding (that’s as far as our planning goes at the moment), but I’m running out of storage space. This stack (which includes one more cup and saucer) was picked up for £1 at a car boot and sits on my desk.

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The £2 car boot typewriter has featured here before, but its permanent resting place is here in my office (clearly I’m trying to capture the romantic spirit of writing in my place of work). It sits atop two vintage suitcases, picked up at different car boots for £5 (bottom) and £1 (middle) respectively.

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Finally, my newest purchase and current love of my life – the 1970s mahogany coffee table I scooped at Sunday’s car boot for just £7. The man selling it was such a sweetheart – he wanted £12 but I’d been too busy buying mirrors and cordless phones and only had £7 (and a load of coppers which I also handed over) left. I tried to protest when he said ‘go on then’ but I think he could tell by the shine in my eyes that it was going to a good home. He had restored it himself so lectured me about the high importance of coasters before I was allowed to take it home.

Also feature: striped rug from Ikea, cream metal jug from Dunelm Mill, ceramic jug (background) from Ikea, silver candelabra (background) from a charity shop and the teacup and saucer candle was a gift from a friend. The guitars (both electric and acoustic there) are Rob’s and Red and Vogue are my magazine must-haves.

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