Basic Appreciation.

I've found that going shopping with Moon, if he's not in the right mood, can make me feel a little rushed, so it was nice when he was away a few weeks ago to get in a good few hours of quality shopping alone-time. I have been trying to have a clear out, but in doing so, I manage to have gotten rid of kind of tatty but essential things - here is where H&M was my friend.

Maybe I'm growing up or something but I am finding that having a few go-to items is a little more satisfying than flimsy fashion pieces, I'm always going to be a little all over the place though, at least, I'm not ready to be a sophisticated grown up all the time just yet.


1. Cable Knit, £24.99 – I'm totally missing my faithful chunky knit teal cardigan so this was an adequate replacement, and will be great for Ireland next week. It's really soft and comfortable and I can definitely see myself wearing it heaps more once the season changes.

2. Cotton Harem Trousers, £14.99 – I was pretty big on these a few years ago, until I said goodbye to them after ruining my final pair at Glastonbury 2011, so much mud... I can't decide if these are acceptable to wear outdoors really, they're far to comfy to not be day-pyjamas. I'll admit they're not the most attractive trousers but they do for pottering around the garden. I'd love to know what you think about harem pants, and what to wear with them, I'm feeling a little stumped.

3. Green Leggings, £7.99 – Nice to have a change every now and then. I had steered clear of H&M's leggings for a little while because they were really thick and chunky, these ones are pretty nice though and a lot of their coloured ones seem to be like this too, I may have to pick up a few more. I mainly got these because it came to my attention that I pretty much only have black leggings now, anyone else remember when H&M did the coolest crazy leggings, I was all over those.

4. Yellow Skater Skirt, £14.99 – I've been unsure about skater skirts for a while, but this one isn't as short as the rest I've seen usually seem to be. I just really like the colour, yellow is one of my favourites and I really don't think I have enough of it in my wardrobe at the moment. One bad point about this skirt is that it is slightly see-through, which I don't think will be as much of an issue when it gets cooler and I can layer up but isn't something I'm too happy about at the moment.


Have you been stocking up on awkward Summer/Autumn clothing yet, or am I little early?
I blame the unpredictable weather, I miss the heatwave.

What I Wore: (on a day like today).

Bag: Rob Ryan for Alphabet Bags
We weren't up to much over the weekend other than going to see Dry the River on Saturday evening and spring cleaning so this was really a fancy outfit 'just because'. Sometimes it feels like nothing's that much of an effort when you have your favourite clothes on, I only really wore this to go up the town. This is a current favourite combination, I've been looking for excuses to wear this t-shirt all the time because only the best kind of people will get the reference and essentially wearing one of my favourite films is pretty much where it's at for me.


I picked up this t-shirt in the sale on Ohh Deer after having my eye on it for ages, I'm glad I waited but I'm even more glad I was persistent. The t-shirt's sold out now but you can check out more of designer Tim Easley's work over at his website or get some of his artwork for your own from his Etsy.


Cardigan: Pacsun
T-shirt: Ohh Deer
Necklace: Designosaur
Belt: New Look
Pin: Cath Kidston
Skirt: H&M
Tights: Target
Shoes: Converse


The camo-cardigan kind of offsets the Bueller-vibe I feel, not quite that famous leopard-print sweater-vest though...


Still loving tie-dye-effect nails, trying to perfect it in time for Glastonbury.

Lemon Dinosaur.

Here's what I wore to Dot-to-Dot Festival on Saturday, I went for being a little sunshiney to match the weather (who would have guessed this was just a few days ago?). My hair is entering an awkward phase where it doesn't quite know what it's up to - I think I want to grow it out again but having it shorter is so much easier. I think I kind of like having my hair done like this but would love some tips on how to make it stay this way for longer than a few hours; it seemed low maintenance at the time but ended up needing adjusting every hour before I finally gave up at around 5 o'clock.

I love this lemon-patterned dress, it's definitely one of my best Primark finds ever, I've had it for a couple of years now and it's still going, it does have a tendency to get a little 'boobie' but I can live with that for such a great, summery pattern.


Cardigan: H&M
Necklace: Designosaur
Dress: Primark (about 2 years ago)]
Belt: New Look (with skirt)
Tights: Primark
Shoes: Converse



I really am not happy with these shoes at all, I felt like I was walking around on painful blisters all day, not really painful but just painful enough to be annoying. Not great considering they're coming up to two years old and have been worn loads of times. I miss my turquoise Converse, which I stupidly threw away after coming back from Ireland, they were the comfiest shoes and the best colour.

...And now it's back to covering up in my parka, here's hoping there will be nicer weather by the time Glastonbury rolls around in a few weeks. I might just start dressing the opposite the what the weather dictates and stay summery, but it's so much easier to be floaty and bright when the sun is out, nothing really feels like an effort. I don't mean to complain about the weather so much and I know the rain is good for my garden, but I just want the days to feel longer and to be able to have teatime outside...

Vouchercloud: Summer Fashion Tips

Lovely Ben from vouchercloud got in touch with me after reading my post about 30 Ways to Save £1 and asked if it would be cool to do a guest post. I guess it's not something I'd ever really thought about before, but definitely something I'd be willing to consider in the future, if it's relevant, obviously. So here's a quick little piece about some must-haves for men and women now that the weather is picking up and it's time for ice cream and getting accidental sunburn (I'm okay with flip flops though(!)).
Be sure to check out the great offers on Boden vouchercloud have on at the moment, the perfect site to follow up these tips with.

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Summer is the time to make a statement and one of the best ways to do this is through your wardrobe. Ruth has given me the opportunity to provide some of the hottest fashion trends under the sun this summer for both sexes, so don your sunglasses and bring out the floral dresses. You never know, we might even get some sunshine.

For the ladies
Monochrome – One of this summer’s early favourites is monochrome, which is basically rocking an entire outfit in black and white. The catwalks have been dominated by sleek and sexy monochrome garments and the stars of entertainment have been getting into the swing of things too, with the likes of Kate Middleton, Carey Mulligan and Emma Stone all adopting the look on the red carpet.
The main attraction of monochrome is what you can do with it. Stripes are also big this summer so you could go for a striped dress with a leather jacket or a smart cream jacket over dark leggings/tights with heels.


Floral Print – This design is as popular as ever with dresses, silk shirts and even shoes with floral patterns. Many see floral as the true festival look, which is always complimented by a pair of sunglasses. Floral skirts are especially popular this season.

Summer Sunnies – It is really down to personal preference when it comes to sunglasses. You have the classic Ray Bans, aviators and a host of new designs and styles, including cat eye and decoration. Cat eye sunglasses adopt a classic 50s style with rising peaked frames making you stand out from the crowd. Decoration styled glasses bring out the Lady Gaga in you, with bright and bold designs and colours attached to the frames.

For the chaps:
Gingham Check Shirts – These can be worn in long-sleeve and short-sleeve, but personally I would recommend the short-sleeve option if the sun is shining. Designers have produced a wide range of styles and colours and dependent on your style, you can opt to button up to the neck or open the collar. Gingham check shirts look great with a pair of lightweight indigo denim shorts or trousers.

Pastels – These soft colours are brilliant either as shorts and tee-shirts or as a lightweight trousers and jacket look. Pastels also allow you to show off your shiny metallic watch or bracelet and work really well with a pair of bold dark Ray Bans.


Kicks – Flip flops are out, so don’t even consider it unless you are on a beach in Cornwall. Daps will go well with most summer outfits but don’t just get any old generic cheap pair, Vans have a great range of flats with or without thick soles. Alternatively summer brogues are a good option with pastels but don’t go for these with shorts, it’s far too bold!


So there you have it. No excuses to look dull this summer. Enjoy your sunny days and free time while looking your best this season.

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Author Bio: Ben Walker is an SEO thought-leader at vouchercloud, who specialises in digital content, relationship management and fashion.

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What I Wore: Kitsune

Here is an outfit from last weekend. Do you ever buy things together without intending for them to be worn together? That's exactly what happened to me on Saturday, I picked up this bargain dress from Primark for just £5 after seeing Becky from Becky Bedbug's post about it - without ready-access to a Primark nowadays, I do tend to rely on blogs to know when decent things are in. This cute shirt was from the men's section but I couldn't see a boy wearing this 'for truesies', I love it though, mainly because I find animal prints completely irresistible.

I paired it with my pretend school shoes because I thought it was a little schooley, especially with the additon of my Flapper Girl lady tie. It could have done with being a little warmer and a little less windy, but I'll definitely be wearing this combination a lot - and I basically only put it together because I was in an 'I need to wear everything I just bought' kind of mood.


Cardigan: PacSun
Shirt: Primark
Lady Tie: Flapper Girl
Dress: Primark
Belt: Primark
Tights: Primark
Socks: New Look
Shoes: Schuh



Eeep! Such a cute little print ♥


I'm not too happy about how these have faded, not sure they're polishable because of their colour, definitely calls for some research!
They're super comfy though!

What I Wore: Criss Cross.

15/04/2013

Dress: Etsy
Necklace: Designosaur
Belt: eBay
Tights: Primark
Shoes: Converse

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This is what I wore to work on Monday, I really like it, I didn't even have to wear a cardigan when I lef the house it made me feel so bright and sunshiney. Now it feels like the weather is finally getting better, I feel like I want to make the effort to dress up a bit more. I've just discovered this dress again and it's been such a while since I last wore it. I love the shape, it's so flattering and different from other styles I have, plus it's my favourite colour and goes so well with my Converse.
It's a shame these tights get so baggy because they're such a great colour, I guess that's the problem with Primark tights sometimes, I usually find that the thicker they are the worse this problem is.

What I Wore 25/11: Rusty Legs.

It feels like such a long time since I last wore a pair of nice coloured tights, I blame my current distance from Primark. I hit up a Primark at the weekend looking ONLY for tights and came out with some lovely pairs, these orange rust ones are beaut and I'm so pleased to have colourful legs again. These ones are nice and thick too, pretty perfect timing considering it's supposed to snow soon.

So, this is what I wore when Moon and I were mooching around craft fairs and town last Sunday. These boots are now really comfortable, I was really worried for a second but I'm so pleased with them, they're perfect for puddles.

Accidental nearly all Primark outfit (!)
Coat: Primark
Scarf: Primark
Necklace: And Mary at Porta
Dress: House of Fraser
Bag: Jo Totes
Tights: Primark
Socks: New Look
Boots: ASOS

I'm a little bit annoyed that I treated myself to a Jo Totes bag just a couple of weeks before their amazing Black Friday offers, but I'm really pleased with it all the same. It's going to be perfect for keeping my bigger cameras in when I shoot a wedding next month and when lugging my DSLR around Florida at Christmas.

I'm so excited about owning this little guy, my second purchase from Porta in Brighton. Similar to Modcloth's trademark 'Winston' pug necklace, and I'm pretty sure he's made by the same person, but I can't resist a bulldog and I thought he was slightly better designed, he looks just like the office visitor we had last month.

Wishlist for the Weekend.

It's come to my attention that I'm pretty good at spending money like water and very terrible at saving it, so I guess I'm doing this to benefit myself in that if I put it here, I'll feel (maybe) a little bad if I go back on it.
I frittered my first paycheque away a little bit and I'm hoping to be a bit more responsible next month, mainly because I just need to be more strict with myself but also because it's about time I start saving properly for Florida in December.

Still, I like to treat myself so here's my mini wish-list for payday, in a hope that I'll be able show a little more direction and restraint if I write it down.

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One: ASOS Leather Jodhpur Ankle Boots — I've been eyeing these up since the beginning of last month with the hope that they'd soon become part of ASOS' never ending, unfortunately they haven't yet but I think they'd be a worthwhile investment. Lets face it, my faux suede £8 Primark ankle boots aren't likely to hold up for much longer.

Two: Models Own Wonderland Box Set — Models Own have been releasing some great glittery polishes lately, but I wasn't totally taken by their earlier Mirrorball set, this one is totally perfect though and I can see myself getting a lot of use out of it, particularly the Snowflake one, which is just dreamy and almost an exact dupe for a flakey GOSH one I had a couple of years ago. They'll be great for Christmas and I love the mixture of fine and chunky glitters.

Three: Samsung Galaxy 10.1 Tablet — There's been a lot of buzz surrounding this tablet so I do feel as though I've been slightly brainwashed into picking it out, but at the same time it's just what I want. As last month saw my first grown-up paycheque, I was reluctant to part with my dosh which I now see was a little silly so next month this will be first on my list. The real question though is whether I pick it up from a real-life shop or save £20 (which could go towards a MicroSD card) and get it online but have to wait around.

Four: A New Hairdryer — It's not an exaggeration to say that my hairdryer has completely fallen apart, I'm pretty surprised that it actually still manages to dry my hair because it really isn't looking so great. Luckily its demise has come when Boots has half price offers on electricals, so this cheap and cheerful leopard-print Mark Hill Style and Shine Raw Power Dryer is an obvious choice.

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I hope you have a great weekend, I'm not going to let my current churchmouse status get me down and hope to get outdoors and snap a few rolls of 35mm because it's been a while. I'm so looking forward to tomorrow's lie-in as well as cooking lots over the next couple of days; sleeping and cooking are things I don't get to do much of during the week.

What I Wore: Who Does Your Hair?

Here's what I wore last weekend to go shopping. I've since cut my hair a little so it's less lame. Not very exciting but I need to tell you that those trousers are the most comfortable ever and I'm doing everything I can to stop myself from buying ten in every colour.

This was the day I was taking fashion inspiration from my style-guru boyfriend. Exactly why I need to get myself some new cute dresses promptly. I do like this outfit though, it was really comfy and the colours make me happy that autumn's well and truly here.

Hair bow: Gift
Necklace: Found
Vest: New Look
Shirt: New Look
Trousers: New Look
Shoes: Converse
I might need to look in some other shops at some point because even my socks were New Look...


This bow was a cute gift from my #PhotoSwap2012 partner, Alejandrina. Hopefully I'll be able to share these with you soon as I've sent my photos to Alejandrina now and her photos are currently being processed. I'm so excited for the results! You can find out more about the photo swap over at For The Easily Distracted.


We actually left the house like this. :3