Cute & Cosy

Jumper - GANT* / Dress - Topshop / Boots - The Whitepepper (RIP) / Belt - River Island
Scarf - Topshop / Beret - eBay / Necklace - Rock N Rose

Well it's been almost two years since I last published an outfit post so I figured it was about time that I started doing them again. A few days ago it was my blog's 8th anniversary & blogging has changed in so many ways since I started this website. I think that fashion blogging in particular has become a lot more professional with many bloggers hiring photographers to take their outfit pictures. One of the reasons I stopped documenting my outfits was because I felt that my photos taken indoors against this same ugly yellow wall were no longer good enough.

Back in the OG blogger days everyone took their photos like this & it wasn't a problem at all. But when everyone else started taking more artistic shots outside, I didn't think that anyone would care about my posts anymore. I can't afford to hire a photographer & my attempts to teach Andy to use my DSLR have been fruitless so I just stopped. I've definitely missed doing it though & as always comparison is the thief of joy. I shouldn't have let what other people are doing affect me & stop me from doing something that I love. Fashion blogging is supposed to be about showcasing an outfit, not competing to see who can take their photos in front of the prettiest house in London. I still get quite a few emails & messages asking when I'm going to start doing fashion posts again so this one is for all of you!

Looking cute when it's absolutely freezing outside is harder than it seems. More often than not I end up throwing my burgundy parka & beanie on top of a hoodie & thermal leggings because it's too cold for anything else. In between the recent snow showers we've had, the weather has been a lot more agreeable & it's not long now until Spring arrives. One of my favourite ways to make my outfits more exciting whilst still dressing appropriately for the cold weather is to layer. It's much easier than you might think as you can play around with length, colour & texture to create an entirely new outfit from pieces that are already in your wardrobe.

The mini polka dot wrap dress I'm wearing here is rather revealing despite having long sleeves. I paired it with a thin cable knit jumper to cover my chest. The length of the jumper covers up too much of the dress so to keep things in proportion I rolled it up which makes it even cosier & doesn't hide my shape. I added a belt under the jumper to further emphasise my waist. I'm obsessed with these double ring belts from River Island. They give the same effect as those £300 Gucci belts but without the hefty cost! These gladiator style boots from the much missed The Whitepepper are another great Winter/Spring transitional piece. They feel much warmer than they look & are just a bit more interesting than your standard black boots. Winter is the best time to experiment with hats. I recently bought loads of cheap berets on eBay & they are my new favourite way to hide my roots! As I'm wearing a grey jumper & a grey hat, I decided to finish off the outfit with this super cosy nude pink scarf. It adds a bit of colour to an otherwise monochrome outfit & the texture contrasts nicely with the cable knit jumper. If you keep your top half warm, you can get away with wearing less on your bottom half & I always like to show off my legs haha!





One thing that has definitely cheered me up during all this cold weather we've been having was the arrival of this package from GANT. I love the timeless preppy style of their clothing. There's no better brand if you're looking for a classic button down shirt or premium casual knitwear. I'm wearing their Mini Cable Jumper & it's the perfect piece for transitional layering. This lightweight jumper is made from 100% Merino wool so it feels super soft & keeps me really warm even though it isn't a chunky knit. I adore the look of the mini-cable pattern & the elegantly draped sleeves. Layering this jumper with a short skirt & boots is my favourite way to stay looking cute & feeling cosy this Winter.

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Black Magic

Top - River Island / Trousers - Patrizia Pepe* / Sandals - New Look / Necklace - Rock 'N' Rose
Watch - JORD* / Bracelet - H&M / Rings - Regal Rose & River Island

I'm probably wearing more black clothing here than most would deem suitable for the Summer but I like to indulge in my gothic tendencies all year round! Cold shoulder tops aren't normally my thing as I'm quite broad but I thought the shape of this one from River Island was really cute. The body is relaxed & floaty so it's very comfortable to wear when the weather is hot. I love the neckline & it dips down at the back as well. I definitely want to get it in a few more colours & they've just brought out a lovely polka dot version too! I think it looks great with jeans or trousers so I paired it with these black Patrizia Pepe jeggings from Repertoire Fashion. For some reason I've avoided jeggings in the past but these are such brilliant quality. They're so well made & very flattering on my figure. I don't think regular leggings are acceptable as trousers but these are completely opaque & quite thick so they really hold you in. They also look smart enough to pass off as work trousers whilst providing all the comfort of leggings. Repertoire Fashion offer some amazing discounts on designer brands. The jeggings normally cost £109 but Repertoire Fashion sell them for just 40 quid so it's well worth checking out all the designer bargains on their website!

As this is quite a plain black outfit I wanted to dress it up a bit with my accessories. I went for my gorgeous white sandals from New Look which I consider to be the perfect Summer shoes. I got these last year but they have some similar ones in store now. They're so comfy & easy to walk in. I love a good statement necklace & it doesn't get much bolder than this gold pentagram choker from Rock 'N' Rose. I've become completely obsessed with Quay Australia sunglasses lately. The Kitti glasses are one of my fave styles but the matte black material sometimes leaves black marks on my face, boo! Red lipstick goes beautifully with a black outfit & Illamasqua Tramp is the ultimate. Sadly I think they've discontinued it now but they do loads of other fab red lippies too.




Womens Wood Watches
One of my newest acquisitions is this wooden JORD watch. I think it looks absolutely stunning & so unique! I've never seen anything like it before. The watches are all handcrafted in the USA. Each watch also looks slightly different due to the nature of the wood so you end up with a one of a kind timepiece. I chose the Ely Cherry watch as I loved the colour of the wood & I like to have a date window on the clock face. It feels incredibly light & comfortable to wear. The style is elegant & goes with everything. It has a smaller dial & band than some of their other watches so it's perfect for my delicate wrists. One thing I dislike about buying a new watch is having to get it sized at a jewellers. For just $10 JORD will actually take care of this for you. Simply measure your wrist before ordering & your watch will arrive ready to wear. It's an excellent service & I'd definitely recommend taking advantage of it. I had no problems with UK customs which is something I often worry about when ordering from abroad & delivery was extremely quick too! I'm completely in love with this watch & I've had so many comments about it lately. A wooden watch certainly attracts lots of attention. If you're after something a bit unusual or want to get someone a very unique gift then I'd highly recommend taking a look at all the wonderful wooden watches that JORD have to offer.

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White Rose Centre & Rock 'N' Rose Haul

Recently I've been looking for a part time job because we're looking for a larger place to rent and we also want to buy a car. I applied for one at the White Rose Centre in Leeds but considering I'd never visited here before I thought I would go check it out. It only took 15 mins on the bus so I knew I would be able to get here easily if I did get the job. I must say I loved it, me and Chloe spent hours walking around. I was also impressed by the MASSIVE Sainsbury's, bigger than any I've seen, even the one in Croydon. Heres some of the things I bought:



Urban Decay Naked Palette - I got this from Debenhams. I've seen this on countless blogs and I was really excited to see it in a shop for the first time. The colours are as lovely as everyone says and I don't feel the need to buy a million different Mac neutrals anymore - this palette has it all.


Satchel Bag - I bought this bag from Topshop for £55. I really wanted a traditional satchel bag as opposed to the Alexa style ones. This one is really gorgeous. It looks amazing (as it should for the price!) but the leather is a bit rough. Hopefully it will soften with use.


Love Ring - Another Topshop purchase. I saw this on their website ages ago and thought it was the perfect two finger ring. But it sold out and I never saw it again... until now. I love it, its really comfy too.


Lingerie - Bought some nice lingerie from Ann Summers. They had a 20% discount on that day so everything was dead cheap! I'm a bit obsessed with nice lingerie at the moment. I think its due to wearing the same 3 horrible nursing bras for the past 6 months!



I also had a delivery from Rock 'N' Rose. I ordered a scrabble ring with an A on it (for Andy obvs) and a wishbone bracelet. I used to have a really nice red kabbalah bracelet with a heart on it which was supposed to protect me from the 'evil eye' but Andy broke it on our first date. He drunkenly told me I wouldn't need it anymore... Ever since I've wanted a nice bracelet that was similar as they're comfy and I don't have to bother taking it off while I sleep, shower, etc.