Style Challenge: Winter Pastels with Cabot Circus

I do love a good challenge, and when Cabot Circus asked me to pick out and style up my favourite trend for A/W 14 I was oh so up for it. I picked pastels as my trend (you can see SJ’s take on red here) and thought I’d have quite an easy task; oh was I wrong, pastels might be hot news for A/W but this hasn’t really filtered through to the high street yet and it was a bit of a mission to find an outfit as nothing I had seen online was in stock in the stores I visited! Still, never one to back down I resisted picking a new trend and eventually found an outfit I loved.

Dress: Topshop c/o Cabot Circus | Cardigan & Necklace: New Look c/o Cabot Circus | Backpack: Accessorize c/o Cabot Circus | Boots: Miista

I usually avoid Topshop as I don’t ever find things I like that I feel are worth the price tag. This dress caught my eye as I was racing around, just hanging innocently on the back wall. At £30 it was a really good price, it fits beautifully and is a lovely crepe fabric that will be warm enough to wear all winter with some thick tights and a cardigan. Pastel item number one? Check!
I didn’t want to over-do the pastels as together they can all look a bit sickly, this soft grey midi-length cardigan from New Look was only £19.99 and is super warm and snuggly. I’m a fiend for cardigans and have been after a longer length one for ages, I love how it looks against the dusky pink of the dress. I also grabbed this necklace in New Look as the colours work really well with the rest of the outfit and it’s great for dressing the outfit up a little. The backpack from Accessorize was an impulse purchase, I had been looking for footwear, but I’ve been after a bag like this for ages and again the soft grey works really well, and the gold zips match the necklace. I’m all for a spot of matching every now and again!

With my beautiful Miista boots on my feet I feel I did just about ok with this challenge. I went in to Cabot Circus with a vague idea of what I wanted and this wasn’t it…but it’s a very “me” outfit and I can guarantee I’ll be wearing it to death!

The whole challenge is in aid of Cabot Circus’ Fashion Fix which is happening this weekend. I’ve been to a couple of these before and they are always brilliant. Over the course of the two days there are several catwalk shows displaying all of the hottest trends for A/W. General attendance is free but you can apply for VIP seats too, right up until the 25th September (get your skates on, there are only 80!) If you manage to reserve your seat you’ll also be entered in to a prize draw to win a £50 Cabot Circus gift card (per show) so really…get going!

Cabot is probably my favourite place to shop in Bristol and this event is going to be brilliant, going from past experience. The atmosphere is always fantastic so if you’re in Bristol over the weekend then I strongly suggest you pop on down…

…See you there? I’ll be milling about on Saturday.

end

Colour Me Happy with McArthurGlen

To celebrate the arrival of Spring/Summer collections at McArthurGlen’s six UK designer outlets, we are set to launch a Europe-wide accessories campaign, Colour Me Happy, from April 5 –May 3.
To launch the campaign, fashion’s most sought-after accessory brands have designed a series of exclusive products for McArthurGlen. Renowned British handbag designer Lulu Guinness is launching the exclusive ‘Katie’ clutch in cobalt blue, whilst Kurt Geiger have created two sandals in vibrant shades of lemon and coral. Links of London have worked on an ornate ‘Tapestry’ cuff, whilst Folli Follie have created a tote in striking red, available in two sizes. Luxury leather manufacturers OSPREY LONDON are launching a range of leather handbag mirrors in a kaleidoscope of colourways, and renowned sports brand ASICS, will introduce an exclusive line of trainers in an array of seasonal hues.
With over 250 brands including All Saints, Church’s, Ted Baker, Reiss, French Connection, Jaeger, Kurt Geiger, Lulu Guinness and Nicole Farhi offering year-round savings of up to 60%, McArthurGlen is a haven for savvy shoppers looking to update their new season wardrobe with lust-worthy accessories.
To celebrate the campaign I was invited to take part in a Blogger Style Challenge which involved creating three different looks all involving two bright and beautiful accessories gifted to me by McArthurGlen. I was super excited to be picked for this and SO up the challenge, especially when last Saturday two rather large boxes appeared at my door- one containing a stunning blue L.K.Bennett. Handbag and the other some rather snazzy orange suede brogues from Hobbs.
Click the images to enlarge.
Look One: I wanted to go with something casual to prove that smart looking accessories don’t need to be reserved just for workwear. I really liked how the colours of the bag and shoes worked against the camoflague jacket which came from Glamourous. The pinafore dress is that £5 Primark job I always wear!
Look Two: The second I saw the two accessories I knew this Zara shift dress was going to have to be involved. This is such a simple outfit really, but makes quite a statement as every colour appears to compliment the others. I think this was my favourite of the three looks I put together.
Look Three: This one was a bit random, but very typical of what I’d wear on a work day or after work if I’m doing something other than lounging around the house. I am so in love with these brogues, they are the softest suede imaginable and so comfortable- usually shoes like this cause me great pain to begin with but I didn’t want to take these off! I’m very much in love with the bag too, as are most people who see it. I’m going to have to watch very carefully to make sure Mum doesn’t wander off with it.
So those are my three looks. They may not be high fashion, but I see the accessories I was sent as classics and better suited to my every day style than something I wouldn’t actually wear. I didn’t see the point of getting all dressed up and extreme for a challenge when it’s not a true representation of who I am. I hope you like how I styled the pieces…I’d love to know what you’d have worn with them!

end

The Dressing Room Becksondergaard Blogger Challenge

Jeans and Jumper: Primark
Shoes: Converse
I was recently invited to take part in a blogger challenge held by The Dressing Room, myself and several other gorgeous ladies were sent this gorgeous Becksondergaard scarf and were asked to style it in a way that expresses our style and personality.
I’m quite laid back when it comes to scarves. I just sling it round my neck a few times, snood style and I’m good to go. Usually half way through the day it ends up draping all over me but to start with it looks quite neat and I wear them with or without a coat.
To me this scarf screamed laid back style so on went my trusty Primark Skinny jeans and fluffy jumper as well as my converse. I’m still on sick leave and this is pretty typical of what I’ve worn most days and well as being my go-to weekend style. I may not be able to match the other girls in the fashion stakes (or photography skills) but I’m comfortable and warm and that’s what counts to me. I had fully intended to get Mum involved in getting some outside photos but typically the day I had earmarked was one where it was pouring with rain.
If you haven’t already you should really check out The Dressing Room it’s a fairly recent discovery for me and one I feel everyone needs to know about. If you love this scarf as much as I do they have an amazing array from the AW Becksondergaard collection as well as many other heavenly beauties. Perfect for Christmas pressies.
How do you wear your scarves?
xxx

Quiz Blogger Challenge- Day and Night

A few weeks ago I was asked if I’d like to take part in the Quiz Clothing blogger challenge which essentially involved choosing a dress from their website and styling it up for both day and night. I’m always up for a challenge and although my style is nothing compared to the other bloggers taking part I thought I’d have a go regardless.
The dress I chose was the Black Graphic Print Dress which sells at £24.99
As you can see, it’s quite a bold dress and perhaps a little loud for everyday wear (but since when has that stopped me?). I kept my look really simple with no jewellery and some simple black flats from Matalan (and a random cat for good measure)

I think I just about managed to pull this off as a day dress thanks to the thick black tights…for warmth I’d add a plain black jersey cardigan to tone things down a little bit and it would be more of a shopping/lunch date outfit than one I’d turn up to work in.
For my Night look I kept things pretty similar because of the need for tights still. In the ideal world I’d be rocking a bare leg. I added some killer studded shoes and a simple but bold torque necklace (which typically you can’t see). It’d be an outfit for going to a nice bar, sitting and talking rather than walking around town but I like it and it’s exactly the kind of thing I do wear when I go out.

As for the dress itself, well, I’m impressed with both the shape and the quality of this and had I not been sent it for the purpose of this post I would have quite likely purchased it for myself at some point as I am often found browsing the Quiz website having had some great pieces from them before.
What do you think of my two looks? What would you do differently?
xxx

Cut Down Challenge



Normally a press release for an electronic cigarette would pass me buy. Destined for the “trash” file of my inbox with not so much as a second thought. This time however, I stopped. I thought, and replied.

I’ve been thinking of quitting smoking for a while now. I don’t like that I smoke, I’ve stopped enjoying it as much. It has got even more expensive than it already was, and I work at a doctors surgery…surely I should be setting an example?

I don’t think I’m 100% ready for the big quit yet…at least, not cold turkey. I want to cut down first, do it gradually; and so when this e-mail appeared I decided to take a deep breath (as deep as a smokers lungs will allow) and start my mission.

Electronic Cigarettes provide smokers with the nicotine hit they crave without any of the harmful side effects of lit tobacco. E-cigs eradicate the 4000 chemicals smokers are exposed to every time they inhale on a traditional cigarette. No tar, no carbon monoxide, just nicotine. The key to why e cigarettes are becoming increasingly popular amongst smokers, is that they replicate the action of smoking so closely. Most smokers realise that the addiction is not just nicotine, but also the habitual aspect of smoking. With a carefully developed tobacco taste, and the inhalation of an actual vapour, Nicolites Electronic Cigarettes completely replicates the action of smoking. Users even exhale an odourless, harmless water vapour to complete a real smoking experience. This whole process is completely harmless yet provides that real smoking satisfaction.

Nicolites Disposable: At Nicolites we recognise that people have different smoking habits. With this in mind we have created a range of different products. Our Nicolite Disposable Electronic Cigarettes are ready to use straight off the shelf, and requires no change in habit as it replicates a smokers ‘box of 20.’ Each one lasts for approximately 25 traditional cigarettes before being disposed of. They require no charging, and are ideal for those smokers that are always on the go. At such an affordable price they also present the perfect opportunity for smokers to try the concept of an electronic cigarette, and test how well they really work.

I’m not fully sold on electronic cigarettes. I can see it becoming one crutch in place of another; but out of curiosity and willingness to be proved wrong, over the next week I am going to see how effective the sample I was provided with proves.

Next Sunday you can expect a run-down of my trials and tribulations in kicking the nicotine habit. I’m hoping to have drastically cut my cigarette consumption and I have ordered an NHS quit smoking pack with a view to the next step!

Wish me (and those around me) luck. My intention for the electronic cigarette is for it to be an emergency backup, to quite simply not buy as many normal cigarettes and to have it to hand for emergency situations…I smoke for anxiety relief, mostly, and don’t want to land myself in a mess until I’ve developed a new, healthier anxiety fighting habit.

Have you ever used an electronic cigarette? How did you get on?

If you have quit smoking, what helped you most?

For more information on Nicolites visit their website

xx