OOTD: Black and White Stripes

Outfit:
Black and white sleeveless top: Primark (similar)
Textured black midi skirt: Topshop  (similar)
Chain handled cross body black bag: Zara (similar)
Pony haired block heeled sandals: New Look (similar)

The last few weeks I feel like I haven't stopped. In a good way. I've been lucky to get some freelance shifts at a magazine but working in London again has made me exhausted. I absolutely love being back in the city and wouldn't change it for anything. It's where I want to be without a shadow of a doubt. But I would love some more sleep! The long days and early starts are taking a while to get used too. It doesn't help that my to do list is getting longer by the minute. I need to stop arranging to be such a social butterfly and lay off all the dinners/drinks I've been arranging. My body can't cope and nor can my bank account. But it's just hard when you've been away from The Big Smoke for 18 months. I just want to do everything! You can sleep when you're dead right?

Photos thanks to the beautiful Sarah!

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OOTD: Floral Culottes

Outfit:

Black leather jacket: Zara (similar)

Multi coloured tropical culottes: New Look

Black jersey top: ASOS (similar)

Black pony haired sandals: New Look (similar)

In less than three weeks I’ll be jetting off to Barcelona for a week to bask in the sunshine, eat lots of tapas and soak up the sights. I’m a fairly casually dressed flier and I have to be comfortable. I usually wear lots of layers as I’m always a little bit cold on the aeroplane - air conditioning is not my friend! I wear the jacket I take on holiday to save room in my suitcase. Patterned culottes like these feel like I’m wearing my pyjamas so they’re great for getting cosy on a plane. They’re made from a lightweight, thin material so they won’t be too sticky on the other side as you struggle to cope with the heat. Am I the only one who loves that first feeling of the heat hitting you as soon as you step off the plane?! I like shoes that are easy to take off because I like to air my feet while I'm flying. I've worn these sandals as we land in the morning, that way I don't have to root around in my luggage for things to wear when we get to our apartment. I can head out as soon as I've dumped my luggage.

Purple Parking have a cracking table on hand luggage requirements so you don’t have any nightmares at the airport. They’re so fussy now! I usually go make up free on flights because I’m always napping on and off and plus who can be bothered to do a full face of make up when you’re so excited?! In my hand luggage I always keep my favourite lip balm, some moisturiser and some hand cream as flying can take it’s toll on my skin. It gets so dry and needs a pick me up as soon as I land. I have my camera, iPad, phone, kindle, money, travel documents and passport all tucked away safely in a side pocket for easy access. Getting stuck at customs is never fun!

What do you take in your hand luggage when you travel?

This post was written in collaboration with Purple Parking. Thanks to Sarah for snapping these pics!

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A few favourites #4

It's that time again when I talk you through a few of my favourite things! It's been a while since my last set. A real mixture of clothing, beauty and food this time!

Ryan Gosling Mug*: What will cheer you up more than a mug with the handsome Ryan Gosling on it? Not much I don't think! For days where your brain doesn't function and all you can think about is being elsewhere, this mug sums everything up in one sentence. Sometimes the Goss and Chocolate can be the only way to tackle the day. Make sure you check out Tea Please for some more quirky mugs.

New Look Tropical print culottes: I am having a massive love affair with culottes at the moment - it's all I seem to be buying! These beauties were less than £18 and fit like a dream. They will be perfect for sight seeing while I'm in Barcelona and with just a pair of heels, they work for the evening too.

Rio Rio Topshop Lipstick: I'm always impressed by Toyshop's lipstick offering and this gorgeous red is no different. It's a fantastic orange toned red and I'd imagine it'd look brilliant with a tan. Definitely going in my Barcelona make up bag!  It tends to bleed so a lipliner is an essential.

Organic Gusto Cola*: At only 49 calories per can, this is the ideal low calorie treat. Anyone else feel slightly alarmed at the fact you can drink almost your whole daily calorie allowance thanks to some drinks?! Fairtrade and organic means it's practically guilt free. It's perfect in a glass with lots of ice and a slice of lemon.

Hubby for Dessert Essie Nail Polish: This is actually part of their bridal range but I thought it was perfect for the summer so snuck it into my suitcase when I went to Chicago earlier on in the year. It needs a good three coats to become opaque but it's well worth the hassle. It's such a gorgeous, subtle shade for the warmer months.

St Moriz Medium Fake Tan*: I used to be all about the fake tan but for the past few years I've kinda fallen out of love with it. But I had a Christening last weekend and my pasty pins were offending my eyes so I brought out the big guns. St Moriz. Now I know why I love it so much. The mousse is easy peasy to apply, dries almost instantly and gives a lovely golden colour without looking too orange. I think I'm going to be a slave to this fake tan until my holiday in August.

Bounce Energy Balls*: I'm the first to admit that I'm not a fitness addict - these wobbly thighs will agree with that. But I am trying to get into running. I completed a 5k back in May and have been keen to keep up the momentum. These tasty energy balls have been great to snack on after I get back home - I'm always so ravenous so they do the trick. My personal favourite is the Cacao Mint flavour.

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OOTD: #GeorgeousRacewear

Outfit:
Black cut out neck dress: c/o George At Asda
Black duster coat: Topshop (similar)
Nude embellished block heeled sandals: c/o George At Asda
Slogan print cross body bag: c/o George At Asda

George at Asda got in touch to see if I wanted create an outfit fit for the races from their range of dresses. This year is actually the first time in about five years that I've not got a day out at the races planned. Usually I pop along to either Newmarket or Ascot. I absolutely love the whole atmosphere of horse racing, the chance to buy a fancy new dress and of course the pimms drinking!

I've never think you can go wrong with a LBD and I was swayed by the pretty cut outs. It helps to make it a little more interesting which is always a marvellous thing! I like to inject a little fun into my outfit so went for this cool slogan bag to stop things from looking stuffy. Slogan bags seem to be all the range recently and this one was such a bargain at £8. At some races you won't be allowed certain areas of the racecourse if you have your shoulders on show so I've throw on a smart duster jacket to help bring the outfit together. Finally I always think heels are a must at the races - keep a pair of flip flops in your bag for the end of the day. These nude sandals are the perfect height for being on your feet the whole day. Trust me it can be a very long day! Although I will definitely pop some fake tan on pronto - those milk bottles are offending my eyes. 6 long months without any sun!

So what do you think of my #GeorgeousRacewear? Have you got any days at the races planned?

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OOTD: Floral culottes

Outfit:

Blue floral culottes: c/o New Look
White chiffon cami: Topshop
Silver leather lace ups: ASOS

My love for midi skirts seems to have been overtaken by a lot for culottes. I was very kindly given a gift card in my goodie bag from the New Look press day and knew immediately what I was going to spend it on. I'd spotted these culottes a few weeks earlier and desperately needed an excuse to make them mine. Thanks New Look for giving me the perfect excuse!

I wore this casual outfit during a day out in London with my mum for afternoon tea at The Wolesley. More on that later on in the week! The outfit was the perfect combination for the hot weather we were blessed with and the stuffiness of the tube. I'd forgotten the hell that was rush hour on the underground. They certainly helped to save my bacon a few times when I was nearly taken out by a gust of wind. Londoners weren't accidentally treated to a Marilyn moment!

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OOTD: Pink Midi Skirt

Outfit:

Pink textured midi skirt: H&M (Similar)
Black roll neck vest: ASOS (Similar)
Black faux snakeskin court shoes: Next (Similar)
Black faux fur clutch bag: Topshop (Similar)

This is my fall safe skirt. It's what I pick when I'm panicking ten minutes before I'm due to head out about nothing in my wardrobe looking decent. When that double helping at dinner immediately feels like a huge mistake. I know I can pop it on and immediately feel all right again. The gorgeous colour and length makes an all-important statement. In my opinion it only needs a few simple accessories to make it work - I like it let the colour take centre stage. I always pair it with black and oversized clutch, then I can head out the door with 5 minutes to spare.

Do you have an item of clothing that's your go to when you're having a mare?

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Fat Face - the wardrobe edit

Fat Face recently got in touch with me and asked me if I wanted to collaborate. They wanted me to style up a couple of pieces going from day to night. I opted for this pretty floral cotton midi skirt and the classic denim jacket. Both brilliant staples for the summer months!

I wanted to keep them both fairly summery so I chose to pick out the white in the skirt to use as a base. The Converse help to bring everything down a notch to make it a bit more suitable for everyday.  A loose cropped tee again gives it a dressed down feel.

I always think a crop top and a pair of heels immediately take a casual outfit to something a bit more dressy. Heels make everything look more immaculate in my opinion! I rolled the sleeves of the jacket up to help make a distinction between day and night. A slick of pink lippie gives it a finishing touch.

Day:

Night:

Which is your favourite look?

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OOTD: Floral Duster Jacket

Outfit:

Navy floral duster jacket: c/o George at ASDA
Black chiffon blouse: c/o George at ASDA
Light denim turn up jeans: c/o George at ASDA
Nude patent heeled court shoes: Topshop (similar)

This is the final post of my collaboration with George At ASDA on their #geniusjeans campaign. This time I opted for more of a dressier outfit with a pretty floral duster jacket. It's the perfect transition piece for Spring now that the weather is starting to warm up. Paired with a pair of heels, it can go from day to evening in one quick swoop. These jeans are a bit stiffer than my previous ones but after a few wears I imagine they'll fit like a jean. I'm such a sucker for a good turn up - just makes them look a little more interesting eh?

The weekend has yet again been a lazy one. I've tried to stay in for the whole of April in a bid to cut down on my manic spending. Bar Chicago obviously - the credit card had a good work out over there. It feels weird to still have money in my bank account three weeks into payday. But it's been nice to spend my weekend at home to be honest. Usually I'm booking things up 24/7 and find when Monday rolls around, I'm absolutely exhausted. That said, I'm ready for May to come. Looks like it's going to be a busy one!

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OOTD: Textured Midi skirt

Outfit:
Khaki trench coat: Primark (similar)
Leopard print cross over bag: Primark (similar)
Black textured midi skirt: Topshop (similar)
Black long sleeved tee: Primark (similar)
Burgundy velvet midi heels: & Other Stories (similar)

I've just gotten back from the most amazing trip to Chicago and the state of Illinois. I feel like I've been away for a month when in reality it's only been eight days. I can't really put into words how much fun I had. America completely stole my heart!  I feel absolutely exhausted but in a good way. Not sure I'm quite ready to hit reality yet - quite enjoyed being in a bubble. I've got a few posts planned so keep your eyes peeled.

I shot this outfit just before I went away to see Charlie And The Chocolate Factory at the West End. Make sure you buy tickets sharpish if you haven't seen it- it's great fun being transported back to your childhood! I threw on something together last minute as all my more causal clothes were already packed in a suitcase. Although I looked liked I was spending a day in the office, I quite liked it. Maybe it's one for the office next week! The coat is certainly proving to be value for money judging by the amount of times it's making appearances.

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