Instagramming

After buying my super cool new Canon 600D a few months ago, all I have done is take random snaps out and about as I try to get to grips with navigating my way around a DSLR.  However, lack of a good photographer or a decent spot to be photographed in, means I have neglected what I bought the camera for ... blogging!

Instead, I have stuck to my trusty iPhone camera to snap shots of blush, lipstick, brows and clothes.  Like many of you, I am hooked on Instagram as my photo app of choice and now have an album full of random pics I have captured day to day.

Here are some instagram pics of an outfit I wore a couple of days ago.

Hat: TK Maxx
Vest: Topshop
Cardigan: COS (sale)
Belt: Vintage
Leggings: Stradivarius
Boots: Topshop via Ebay
Bracelets: ROX

Where's my head at??

My flat is an absolute tip at the moment as I am packing up to move so there is no pretty or tidy area to be photographed in so this is the best I could find... a rare gap in my dressing/spare room that is literally littered with clothes and shoes at the moment!!

I wore my new Topshop boots that I found on eBay unused.  Originally £90 (they still had the pricetag on) I managed to snare them for £25.  The style is called 'Damsel' and they are a vintage, kicked in style of biker boot.  I really needed a new pair as my old biker boots had ripped at the zipper.

Jewellery wise I wore my ROX bracelets which are permanently attached to my wrist at the moment and my Ydeltuyt ring that resembles the YSL arty ring.  It had become very discoloured after too much wear though and actually broke later in the evening. RIP.

I have lots of reviews and bits and bobs to blog about .... sales shopping, new make up brushes,  lots and lots of new shoes!! .... I am hoping to fit in time to write about it all and do a bit of show & tell before I go back to work this week.  Hopefully I can share some better photos from my Canon too!

Does anyone else always resort back to their phone for photos instead of using a real camera?  I think I need to discipline myself in the ways of photography!

x

From drab to glam in minutes ...

This outfit was from last weekend ... I had been on a driving lesson where I simply dress for comfort.  Leggings, long top, cardi and flat boots.

I was going out straight after and not much time to change but I wasn't too keen on the drab get up I was wearing.  That's when it's time to hit the accessories.  I went with my absolute wardrobe glam staple my H&M fur stole and a new purchase from last week - a floppy hat.

Leggings: Stradivarius; Boots: New Look; Long top and cardi with belt: H&M; Fur Stole: H&M; Bag: Vintage Gucci; 

Hat: Tk Maxx

 The floppy hat was a complete bargain from TK Maxx in their sale.  For a grand total of £5 I walked away with this beautiful dove grey seventies style hat with leather bow detailing.

I wear the bow at the back

Of course, I don't ALWAYS feel the need to glam it up but it this was such an easy way to lift the glum appearance of what I was wearing ... and it always helps on a bad hair day to be able to cover it up stylishly.  I'm looking forward to Spring when I can whip out the headscarves again but in the meantime I'm keeping my noggin nice and cosy.

What do you do to dress up a plain outfit?  Do you have fail safe accessories to brighten up your look?

x

I like a woman who's got some balls ...

Another party look for you - this time for a surprise birthday party.

My favourite colour is navy and i think there is nothing that compliments it as well as black. A long time ago someone told me I should NEVER pair the 2 colours together but I have gone against their (not so good advice) many a time and love it.

Navy dress/top:Primark; Black faux leather skirt; Miss Selfridge; Navy suedette boots: Stradivarius
Accessories as usual for me were statement pieces with a pewter coloured metal ball necklace and bracelet from Mango along with my Vivienne Westwood skull ring and a hand crafted silver ring from a Thai workshop in Chiang Mai. I chose to wear my Mango moc croc bag again, it just seems to go with everything and is such a great size for fitting in my make up, phone, purse, perfume, hankies, anti bacterial spray .... la la la the list is endless!

I have a wardrobe overflowing with bags, shoes, clothes but when it comes to dressing up to go out I always seem to go for the same fail safe items. Maybe doing regular OOTD posts will help me mix it up a bit.

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