Roman Holiday ... what's in my suitcase?

At last I am on holiday ...!

After the busiest few weeks ever in work, it's now time to unwind.  Of course, my holidays had to start with me getting a stinking cold, oh joy!  However, I still have time to try and recover in time for my trip to Rome tomorrow.

The only downside to this Roman holiday is that we point blank refused to pay the budget airline any extra for checking in luggage.  I mean, come on ... £50 to check in 15kg? You are having a laugh.

My scrooge-like wisdom has left me with the problem of squeezing in all I need for 4 days and nights into a neat and compact 10kg bag.

Rome at this time of year is still fairly warm with the nights a little cooler.  The plan was to pack a few pairs of shorts and tops for daytime but again, me and my silly ideas .... after a ruthless wardrobe detox, I have managed to throw out all my 'city appropriate' shorts! TUT!  Aah I could kick myself.  That's what happens when summer decides to not show up in Scotland!

I have tried to create a capsule wardrobe, sticking with a colour scheme of mainly blue and black that can be mixed and matched as I see fit.  Some grainy pics below will give you an idea of what I am going for ...

L-R: Blue H&M blouse; H&M vest; cream Primark blouse; Black Zara shoulder pad top

L-R: Warehouse floral trousers; H&M graphic trousers; Warehouse Maxi skirt; Reiss pleated dress

L-R: Marc by Marc Jacobs flip flops; Reiss wedge boots;Topshop wedge sneakers

Accessories:  Raybans, pashmina, sunhat, mango clutch, necklace, cuffs, glasses

L-R: Mango blazer; Esprit leather jacket

All this and I am still under 10kg ... JUST.  It is do-able after all!  Even my make up bag is severely pared down with some foundation samples, eyeliner, bronzer, blush and red lippie. 

All that is left now is to do a little reading on what is sure to be a wonderful city and make sure to pack my camera.  

Next time you hear from me, I will have eaten my weight in pizza and will be cultured out of my nut with any luck ;) 

The H&M Blazer and a new kind of Ombre

I have always felt a little too chunky to carry off the boyfriend blazer trend but a shopping trip to H&M a few weeks ago had me changing my mind.

I guess it's not a boyfriend blazer in the traditional sense but it is far less structured and fitted than my normal choice of blazer.  It hangs quite lose over the body with relaxed rolled up sleeves and loose roomy pockets.  For £19.99 (*i think*) it was too much of a snip to miss out on.  

Because it's a creamy off-white, I do feel I need to be tanned up to carry it off well but it's such a versatile jacket that can be worn with anything - proof of this is the fact I haven't had it off my back since I bought it.  

Case in point ... 

Super casual, t-shirt (Marc Jacobs), Scarf (Warehouse), jeans (unseen), trainers (unseen)

Smart Casual for a spot of shopping.  Vest (H&M), Necklace (Topshop), Wax look trousers (H&M), Snake Print bag (Mango), Studded pumps (unseen) 

Dressed up with a sequin cape for a quick makeover to take me into the evening.  Cape (Topshop), Vest (H&M), dark blue jeans (Primark), stilettos (unseen)

I also decided to bring back the ombre this week but a much more subtle version courtesy of the wonderful Stacie, whose blog you can read here.  It gives a much more sunkissed appearance than my first foray into Ombre but I will probably take it a few shades lighter on my next visit to see Stacie.  

A more natural red/auburn dye with bleached ombre weaved into the ends 

I am absolutely loving the new hair and have been wearing it in a middle parting more often just for a change.  My hair has also grown so long, at last there is so much I can do with it! :) 

What item of clothing are you obsessing over at the moment? 

x

Fone Jacker

There's something I am not quite comfortable with seeing fashion bloggers pose for photos in next to nothing in front of a backdrop of snow covered fields, mountains, park, delete as applicable.

Of course, they always look gorgeous and there are always style tips to be inspired by but realistically, it's not possible to spend a day out in the blistering cold and ice rinked pavements in a pair of hotpants, stilettos, vest top etc etc, you get what i'm saying, right?

I sometimes think it puts too much pressure on others to live up to this 'stylish' ideal which I would normally reserve for magazine editorials.  In my mind, blogs represent reality and what 'normal/real' people with average incomes  (i.e, not celebrity) showcase their own style, ideas and inspiration.  Recently, I've noticed the crossover to 'blog editorial' with unrealistic images of girls prancing around in the snow with bare arms/legs.  Wouldn't it be of more value to readers to present how to stay stylish and stay warm in winter?

Despite my thoughts on this,  I must stress, it still captures my attention and most of the time looks pretty cute even if I do pray the subject doesn't come down with a bout of pneumonia.

With this in mind, I thought I would show you what I wore today, on a lazy cold Sunday, to go out for the day.  Unless I am on a night out, or have the car with me, I tend to be sure I keep cosy and have a wardrobe choc full of coats, jackets and lashings of fur (faux) for all occasions.

Hat: H&M
Parka: Primark
Sweater: Warehouse
Aviators: Berlin

Two things I should mention about this outfit.  The £5 wooly hat from H&M, it's so cosy and has that perfect slouch fit and of course a furry bobble on top.  Next is the Primark Parka ... what a find.  I had been looking for a parka for winter and every one I found was expensive and 'not all that' ... I had almost decided on a fairly expensive one when I stumbled upon this in Primark (after being nudged along by a work colleague).  The quality, colour, shape and sizing was so similar to it's more expensive competition that I decided to save my pennies and opt for the Primark version - it literally was a steal at around £20-30.  Down below I wore skinny jeans and my brown bear paw boots - cosy at it's best. Obviously I stuck the aviators on last minute in attempt to look a little bit cool ... it resulted in me looking like a female Fone Jacker but i kinda like that ;)

Face: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser
Cheeks:  NARS Laguna and Orgasm
Eyes: 17 Wild Metallic Eyes in Wild Nude, MAC Blacktrack liner
Lips:  MAC Vegas Volt mixed with Angel, Clinique fireberry gloss

As for make up I stuck with an easy Sunday routine of tinted moisturiser which does give a much softer look for daytime.  Another product I love for ease of use and a natural effect is the 17 Wild Metallic creme shadow in Wild Nude.  This was recommended to me by Amanda and I have to say they are a lovely consistency and create a nice natural sheen to the eyes.  They also work great as a base but beware they do crease.

17 Wild Metallic Eyes in Wild Nude

So, in essence what I am trying to say is staying warm in winter IS stylish! How do you keep warm and stylish in winter?

x

Marrakech Outfit of the Night

Here is an outfit of the night I took while on holiday.  I managed to recycle this outfit and wore it twice, once in Marrakech then in Essaouira (something usually unheard of for me).

I wanted to make sure my shoulders were covered up and that I didn't expose too much skin.  I rarely take heels on holiday but I threw a pair of wedges in last minute and I'm glad I did as this jumpsuit had super long legs.

Despite having invested in a super new camera, these photos still aren't very good - I can only blame my photographer ;)

Jumpsuit: Primark (last minute holiday buy but it is a LOVE purchase)

Belt: attached to jumpsuit

Wedges (Unseen): Topshop

Clutch: Warehouse

Ring: Primark (yup another cheapo) 

Watch: Swatch

I love the wine shade of the jumpsuit, it looks so much richer than the actual price tag which is always a bonus when it comes to stores like Primark.  I also really like the 70's feel to this outfit which went with a new style of wearing my hair.

I have been wearing my hair in a middle parting a lot recently since my fringe is growing out.  It's a painful process and I am not convince a middle parting suits me but it helped to wear it like this on holiday as I managed to forget all my kirby grips and couldn't find any in Morocco to buy!

Tonight I finally managed to complete the upload of over 1000 photos I snapped in Marrakech and Essaouira so will try and share a few with you in some separate posts.

x

OOTD: Fog on the Tyne is all mine!

Like I mentioned in a previous post I spent last weekend with a special bunch of Geordie lassies.

Before I left I presented to you how I would style some of my outfits so in true blogger style it's only fair to show you at least one OOTD from the weekend and a glance at what some of the other girls wore.

This is what I wore on Saturday night - Kay's big birthday bash.  I went for the Warehouse patterned dress with clashing jewellery - blue/green earrings, red bangle, gold cuff.

This is the only decent nearly full length photo of the dress, still missing out on the bag and shoes (which were incredibly hard to walk in).  Jenny who I am photographed with was wearing an embellished top and jeans - I was loving her nude clutch.

Here I am with Jen who is wearing a floral mini dress.  I can't quite remember the brand but it was bought from a Boutique in Newcastle.  Jen teamed her dress with nude heels, nude clutch and a gold smokey eye.

As for my make up, I went for my fail safe neutral eye with flicked liner - I made an absolute balls up of my false lashes but was too busy tanning and doing everyones make up to bother fixing them.
I love bold lips and on this occasion I chose another clashing shade of pink.  This is a MAC Pro Longwear shade in Love Forever!

This is Anne who has the most incredible hair.  She is wearing a gorgeous purple dress from Lipsy.  She teamed it with gold accessories and a golden eye and pink glossy lip.

Here I am pretending to be a super pro MUA.  Jenny is a brave girl! ;) 

I couldn't finish the post without showing you a pic of the birthday girl.  She will probably never forgive me for this one but her outfit was so fabulous I had to try and show it in it's full glory.  This gorgeous dress is from All Saints - the colour and embellishments are just divine and complement Kay's tanned skin.  She paired it with Pretty Polly suspender tights - I reckon the birthday girl outshone us all!

The weekend was ended in panic mode when I boarded a train to London instead of Glasgow - luckily I was able to jump off at Durham and was transferred onto a later train.  It all got a bit hairy for a moment but I made it home in the end!

x

On my way to Geordie Shore

With my holiday still a long way off, I am breaking up a bit of summer with a trip to Newcastle to visit some special girls in my life.

Well, Gateshead to be exact then a trip to Leeds for a big birthday bash!  Today I have made mental notes, sketches and lists of what to wear, what make up will be required and what needs to be done in prep.  This is how I stay organised.

As well as the DIY mani, pedi, hair zshoosh and fake tanning sesh this evening, I need to pack my pre-styled outfits into one measly hand carrier.

Instead of preaching to you on packing light ... (I am still in the process of mastering this but will hopefully have some tips by my next big holiday) I thought I would show you some of the outfits I will be taking for day and evening.

I have been assured by Mr Weatherman that the weather will hold out and we will indeed be in for a sunny weekend so I think it's probably a good time to get the legs out again.

White denim shirt dress: Motel at ASOS
Studded belt: purchased in Philadelphia
Crossover stone bag: Topshop
Multi colour beaded bracelet: Mango.
Trainers: Nike at Urban Outfitters

During the day I expect we will be doing a bit of shopping, lunching and the odd cocktail.  Comfort is always the key when you are up to a bit of shenanigans so I have gone for a simple summer dress that is reminiscent of Wimbledon season.

Fringed Top: ASOS
Denim studded shorts: Miss Selfridge
Fringed sandals: Warehouse
Bag: Topshop
Bangle: Miss Selfridge
Ring: Ydeltuyt
Necklace: H&M

Another daytime outfit tailored for comfort again.  I love wearing this for afternoons in a beer garden and the odd boat rave when they come around.  It is such a comfy combo that it will serve me well for farewell drinks and my train home.  The top was a bargain purchase a few years ago from ASOS and it has to be my most worn item of clothing - it can be worn in many different ways, casual and glam.  I adore fringing reflected on the top and sandals - gah, I am so 80's sometimes!

I love this bag, it was a gift from my friend Stacie. It's so versatile and seems to go with everything.  It has a real festival feel about it and I think the blue stone in the centre is just gorgeous.

Brazilian print dress: Warehouse
Blue platform shoes:  Carvela
Blue clutch bag:  Zara
Bangles and cuff: Mango and Warehouse
Earrings:  Miss Selfridge
Selection of rings from H&M, Primark, Ydeltuyt and Accessories Online

It wouldn't be a big fat Geordie weekend without a party outfit in tow.  This dress is a recent purchase from Warehouse, I love the clashing pattern and colours throughout so I have tried to clash some of the accessories too without becoming too much of a muddle.  There is a slight twist in the front of the dress and so too in the bag which complements it nicely.

So all there is for it now is to get the vino chilled, the falsies at the ready and an endless supply of instant fake tan for these pasty ol' legs of mine!!

Scottish Fashion Awards 2011: What I Wore

Before I go into any level of detail about the awards like how fabulous Shirley Bassey looked,  how HAWT David Gandy is, how Henry Holland and his entourage brought the party, the lump in my throat when the wonderful Hilary Alexander won Fashion Ambassador or how much an honour it was to finally get to speak to Jonathan Saunders, I thought I would first show you what I wore to the event.

My evening started with a wardrobe dilemna - 2 weeks away from the gym had taken their toll and my jumpsuit had become a little tight round the edges shall we say.  I had to just make do and roll with it though.  This is the same outfit I wore for my birthday (I wore the same thing twice!! Quelle Horreur!)

Navy jumpsuit: Topshop
Shoes: Aldo
Fur Stole: Vintage Ebay
Earrings: Oasis
Rings: Karen Millen, Vivienne Westwood and some others picked up in stalls or abroad

I was hoping to wear some fabulous Warehouse accessories and a gorgeous Warehouse bag but unfortunately for me they were not in store.  I managed to make do with some last minute bits and bobs from elsewhere, including a cuff that fellow blogger Ann managed to pick me up after she learned of my accessory panic!!

Somehow I went from looking half decent and being quite pleased with my outfit to looking like a heffalump by the time photos were taken at the event.  Hmmph! Not quite sure how that happens but I'm hoping it's nothing the gym won't fix.

 For my make up I wanted a bright pink lip to match my nails which were painted in GOSH Flamingo.  I had forgotten what a fabulous shade this is!

I did my own hair up for the evening by trying to channel Chanel's catwalk look.  I literally scooped all my hair into a high ponytal, backcombed the pony to within an inch of it's life then scooped it all around the base, pinning with a few bobby pins here and there.  Naturally half a tonne of hairspray was added for extra peace of mind!

Face: Chanel AquaLumiere
Cheeks:  Nars Laguna, Nars Orgasm and a touch of Illamasqua Erzule
Eyes: MAC Brule, MAC Charcoal Brown (crease), MAC Blacktrack, Estee Lauder Blue Dahlia (Darkest blues mixed and layered over eyeliner).  MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara
Lips:  MAC Longwear Lipcreme in Love Forever

That's a lot of MAC!

I decided to forego false lashes but by the end of the night I wish I had worn them although sometimes it's nice to give the eyes a rest.

This is usually a failsafe outfit for me as jumpsuits are so comfortable.  Needless to say by the end of the evening my feet were killing me.

My fellow blogger gals who accompanied me to the do... Ann at Girl in the City and Morven from Cats and Rocking Chairs did not disappoint as they looked absolutely stunning.

More pics to come of all of us and a few schlebs too ;)

x

One size fits all.

Something I haven't blogged about in great detail lately is the life overhaul I am going through.  That basically means I am on that healthy eating, get fit wagon that I keep falling off, again!

Before I post about my gym routine, healthy eating and current progress, it's safe to say that I am determined not to buy new clothes until I have reached my goal body.

So what's a girl to do if she wants to update her wardrobe without buying new wares??

Accessorise!

It's an age old rule for me as it is ... outfits can be changed from dressy to casual, from professional to laid back with the switch up of a pair of earrings, a cocktail ring or some stacked bracelets.  Accessories ALWAYS fit too, it doesn't matter if you are carrying a few extra pounds, those earrings will still look as sparkly on.  Now, I am a bit sheepish about showing off new bits & bobs since I recently de-cluttered my whole jewellery/accessory collection with the promise to myself no more was needed.  However, there is always an exception to the rule and that's usually when there is those 4 little letters emblazoned across a shop window ...

S A L E

Yes, Warehouse had slashed the prices of their accessories and I got myself a little bundle all priced between £1 and £6.  Come on, how could I turn that down? So anyway, here is what I picked up.  Apologies for the grainy iphone pics but i'm just a bit of a lazy bum today.

I started off with these dangly earrings, £2 and £1 respectively - how bargainous?!  I never used to leave the house without a pair of statement earrings but I honestly can't remember the last time I even wore a pair of studs.  I wear my hair up a lot these days and figured that  a nice pair of danglies would go nicely with a maxi or tunic dress.  If I don't get round to wearing them then there is no major financial loss so win, win! :)

The next little set of bargains are a gold filigree style cuff, a multi-shade wooden beaded bracelet and a chunky navy & emerald bangle.  I can't remember their prices but none were more than £6 which is great.

After I left Warehouse, I popped into M&S to ask how much I had left on a gift card that has been in my purse for the last 3 years.  I honestly thought there was only a fiver left on it - I was squealing with excitement when I was told there was over £100 on it!! AMAZING! Anyway, instead of going wild in the aisles, I just picked up the one thing which was yet another pair of sunglasses to add to the ever expanding collection.

Excuse my dodgy, unkempt hair - I went for another pair of cat eye glasses.  This is my third pair in a month! Toffs certainly are careless.  These just looked so fabulous on, I had to have them.  In some light they are a taupey shade, in other lights, they look slightly green.  They were £15.

Other purchases I managed to body swerve were a gorgeous pair of black platforms and slouchy clutch from Dorothy Perkins (wow, have they gone up in the style stakes since I last shopped there!).

Anyway, Tomorrow is Monday and I am back to the grind and a super busy week involving some glitz, glamour and pampering.

What bargains have you been snapping up lately?

x

What about Lunch?

Wooaah I am on a roll here!

This is what I wore on a rather hungover day to go for lunch with some old friends. Bad quality photos but I am hoping to have a new camera soon ... then I can up the ante.

I tweeted about this particular tee-shirt, if you can call it that and had a few of my twitter pals show some interest in what it looked like.

It's faux leather from H&M and a sale bargain at £7! It's a great twist on a casual look. I wore it with a grey H&M vest underneath, dark wash Primark jeans (yes, primark - i really do love their jeans), Warehouse leopard print scarf and Black suedette boots from Matalan - another bargain buy!

I teamed with my gorgeously cosy Gharani Strok fur jacket that I picked up in TK Maxx a couple of months ago. Anyone else remember Gharani Strok? I also wore my wonderful vintage Gucci bag that my husband picked up in LA ... which I blogged about here. I still haven't had the zip fixed yet so will need to do that soon.
Accessories wise I went for my gorgeous Mulberry bracelet that unfortunately scratched to bits after I had a bit of a fall while wearing it :( my gold Swatch watch which always gets a compliment and no one can ever believe it's swatch ... and my pink Mango ring which I really should wear more often.A fabulous lunch was had by all but seriously this time of year really takes it out you. 2011 has seen me bedridden with flu which seems to have morphed into tonsilitis :( - must get better and back on track with a decent healthy diet and a strict exercise regime.

x

Country style OOTD

It's not all that often you seen outfit of the day post on this blog.

As much as i'd like to do them everyday I a) don't have time and b) look like

i've been dragged through a bush backwards most days.

It was a bank holiday weekend so hub and I decided to take a trip to the Highlands for some relaxation, fresh air and amazing scenery.

We ended up staying in Glencoe but did a little mini tour of some lovely places a little further

north like Arisaig and Mallaig. The beaches near Arisaig are particularly gorgeous, in good weather you would probably think you were in the middle of the Carribean!

Since I was headed to the great outdoors, I decided I wanted to go for a Lady of the

Country Manor look. I needed to be casual, comfortable, a teensy bit glam, warm and prepared for any weather.

This is what I went with ... it was all a bit accidental but I liked how it turned out.

Starting from the bottom up:

Riding Boots from Kurt Geiger; Long cable knit socks from House of Fraser; Leggings from Stradivarius; Long vest top from Topshop; Cotton jumper with military detail from Zara; Leopard print scarf from Warehouse; Fur hood gillet from Primark; Sunglasses Oscar de la Renta courtesy of TK MAXX.

Make up was kept pretty low key with some bronzer, blush, winged liner and a bit of Ever Hip lippie by MAC.

And just incase you have never ventured to the Scottish Highlands, here are some snap shots of the weekend ...

In other news, I also purchased my very first pair of hill walking boots at the weekend so I am planning more trips up north and possibly considering the 3 Peaks challenge at some point. I just need to think of how to jazz up my hill walking outfit but that's a whole other blogpost!

After such a lovely weekend it was hard to come home to dreary wet weather and work. Oh well, another day another dollar ...

x

another little haul ...

While everyone is trying to save in blogland, it seems I am taking no notice. Tonight after work I headed to the shops with a friend. I wasn't looking for anything in particular but ended up picking up quite a few things.

First thing I picked up was this great straw trilby hat from Warehouse. I had been eyeing up an almost identical one in Topshop, but at £4 cheaper it was a bargain! I think this will be ideal for Ibiza and will go with so many things. Hats are a big thing in my household so its a welcome addition.
I have been looking for some new Gladiator sandals for a while and since my big shoe clearout this week, the hunt had upped a gear. When i seen these in New Look at a mere £25 I was over the moon. In my opinion they look much more expensive. I have still to road test them for comfort so fingers crossed they tick that box too!Next stop was Principles. I was lured in by the closing down sale as it has now gone into administration. I never shop in Principles unless I am buying something smart for work. I picked up this Missoni-esque long, slouchy waistcoat. The photo doesn't show it off too well. I plan to wear this with a little top or boob tube, probably with a belt pulling it all in at the waist and worn with little shorts and gladiator sandals and some chunky wooden jewellery to accesorize. I also picked up some a chunky wooden bangle and 2 smaller bangles with gold detailing.

Next purchase was another item I had originally seen in Topshop but at £35 I was holding out for something better .... thats until I stopped by Primarni!!! I picked up this near identical round, straw body bag. It also has a cool leopard print lining..... and the best bit ... it was only £6!!! Nearly a £30 difference!! whoopee! Here they are both picured alongside each other.
The photos aren't that clear but you get the idea. I will be taking this bag on holiday with me and possibly T in the Park too, although might not be the best if it pelts with rain the whole weekend!

Next stop was H&M where I picked up some more accessories. 2 rings and a wooden sharktooth necklace.

Finally, I went to The Body Shop. I bought 4 new home fragrance oils in 'Line Dried Cotton', smells of fresh clean washing out on the line, hmmm lovely. 'Satsuma' .. delicious smell. 'White Petals' .. such a pretty smell. Coconut ... reminds me of holidays and is burning away just now - hmmm Holiday ... Celebraaatee... ok, getting carried away now!I am quite pleased with tonights haul, quite a few bargains in there which always justifies the spend!
What do you think? Any bloomers in there you think i should be returning?

xx