Category Archives: dresses

The Prettiest Pastels from Coast*

28th February 2017

The days are slowly but surely getting longer which means Spring is on it’s way. It also means that impatience to be back in short sleeves and sandals is peaking and my obsession with pastels is ramping up a notch.

Today I’m fuelling that obsession by bringing you a wish list of the prettiest pastel items from Coast whose website is home to some of the most gorgeous dresses and skirts that I have seen in a long while. Never mind the fact that I have no need for occasion pieces any time soon- now I’ve seen them I can’t help but want them, even if the closest I’m likely to get to a wedding this year is walking past the Bristol Register Office.

Fancy florals, cloud-like chiffon and the swishiest skirts I could find make up this wish list and should you have a wedding to attend, a prom to dance at or a super swanky garden party invite on your hands then Coast should definitely be one of the shops you head to on your mission for the perfect outfit. Alas for me these pieces shall firmly remain in my dreams, I don’t even think turning 30 in a couple of months gives me reason to splurge on any of these- not to mention the fact that my budget probably just about covers a packet of pastel mini eggs right now. Ah well, if I can’t wear the colours I’m craving at least I can snack on them…
Have any of these pieces captured your imagination? What’s on your wish list for Spring?

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Posted in brands I love, dresses, fashion, inspiration, shopping, wish list

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Dress of the month with boohoo

23rd January 2017

I’m always up for a challenge so when one of my favourite online brands boohoo got in touch asking if I would like to take part in their “Dress of the Month” campaign I didn’t waste much time in saying yes! The idea is quite simple, boohoo send out one of their dresses to a few selection bloggers with the idea that we all style it in our own way. All I knew before the dress arrived was that it was going to be grey- the rest was a complete surprise and one I eagerly anticipated.

Dress c/o boohoo (get it here) | Boots: Miista | Backpack: River Island (alternative)

With this kind of challenge it generally has one of two outcomes- you either love the product you’re sent to style and it becomes one of your staples OR you wear it for the blog post then it never sees the light of day again. Thankfully this dress falls in to the first category and I’ve been getting a lot of wear from this since it arrived. The dress itself is an absolute bargain at £12 and also comes in blush and black. I did opt for a size up from my usual and I am glad I did as it’s a little tight across the shoulders so if you do decide to purchase perhaps bear that in mind!

I had several ideas on how to style the dress- a sports luxe vibe with trainers and a bomber jacket, something girly with pastels galore or a toughened up look with killer boots and a statement bag. In the end the toughened up look won, I’ve been favouring that style a lot lately and really I just wanted an excuse to get this kick-ass Miista boots out in to the light of day again as I love them so much and they don’t get nearly enough wear (and yes, they still remain one of my best ever bargains at £6.50!).

So there we have it. My take on boohoo’s dress of the month. How would you have styled it?

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Posted in boohoo, brands I love, challenge, dresses, fashion, outfits, shoes

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Duchess London- Investment Party Dressing*

25th November 2016

These days when it comes to picking out the perfect party outfit we are spoilt for choice. By October the high street is awash with fast fashion pieces that are pretty much disposable, I know myself that I’m guilty of buying a dress and wearing it only once before discarding it a year or so later not wanting to be seen in it again.

Now I’m getting older I often think it’s time to take things back to basics, to invest in some good quality and simple evening wear that might cost a bit (or in this case a lot) more but will last for years and years. When you strip back the sequins and glitter and opt for a simple yet impeccably made piece you actually open up a whole new area of party dressing- choose wisely and you can transform your outfit for multiple occasions with clever use of different jewellery, accessories and shoes.

Above is a selection of dresses from a brand called Duchess London who have recently popped on to my radar. Each piece is beautifully made in London, designed to be a blank canvas to suit any occasion. Forget for a moment the lure of that spangly mini dress that will only see the light of day once, focus instead on the beautifully cut classic designs made in the most luxurious of fabrics- actual silk for example, rather than some questionable nylon that fills with static at the most inopportune moments.

I’m rather taken with the light blue sheer sleeve dress. It’s currently on offer at 20% off (as is every piece until NYE) making it £159. Enough to buy ten dresses from Primark perhaps, but cut to perfection and will last for years. Sadly out of my current budget but a girl can dream…

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Posted in christmas, dresses, fashion, shopping

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Space Cats

31st August 2015

The dress is this post was a long time coming. I first saw it on the New Look website a few months ago and fell in love but just couldn’t justify spending £36 on it at the time. It haunted my thoughts for a while and I kept checking up on it and hoping that it might end up on sale. Patience paid off as I managed to snap it up for £17 the other week. It was love at first sight and I’m glad I held out. Shopping karma at it’s finest.

Dress: Cutie at New Look (available here) | Shoes: Adidas Gazelle

The dress is by Cutie who I am not overly familar with but on further browsing appear to do some seriously cool and quirky printed clothing. It could be dangerous territory having discovered them but for now I am quite content with this dress featuring the most perfectly perfect SPACE CAT print. I’m all for standing out from the crowd when it comes to prints and this just fits in with my slightly odd, crazy cat lady persona perfectly.

You’ll have to forgive the slight sunburn, I had not long got back from a glorious weekend in Devon with two of my best girl-friends. I actually debuted the dress there and they both agreed I couldn’t have found anything more me if I had tried. Althought the frilled detail and midi length lend themselves perfectly to a lady-like outfit I decided to branch out and pop on my magenta Adidas Gazelle trainers to keep this outfit casual, I really like how this turned out!

Have you ever found anything so you that you just had to buy it?

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Posted in dresses, life stuff, outfits, shoes

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Who Wore It?

12th April 2015

Each year there are outfits from awards season, tours, movies and every day life that stick in our minds. Dresses seem to be one of the most memorable of these and over the years there have been some real highs, and lows in the world of celebrity fashion. The folks at New Look have come up with a brilliant (and challenging) quiz to test your frock knowledge- can you match these dresses with their Celebrity wearer?

New Look is always one of my go-to shops when I’m looking for an outfit for any occasion and right now they have some exceptionally lovely pieces that are perfect for Prom, a Summer Wedding or a day at the races. I have at least one special occasion on the horizon this coming Summer and *hopefully* I won’t be making it on to any “who wore it?” lists for the wrong reasons!
Leave your quiz scores below, it’s not as easy as I thought it would be, I can’t get past 14!

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Posted in dresses, new look

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