Tuesday 30 November 2010

broguish charm.




I seem to have acquired two pairs of  new shoes this week and you may notice a theme, I love brogues. In my opinion brogues are the perfect combination of masculine and pretty and they are so versatile. Although I don't think I need to justify these purchases as in real life they are actual very different; the top pair were a Primark bargain at just £12 and have a small stacked heel whereas the second pair are boots, they are lovely soft leather and they have the least sensible snow sole ever, unfortunate in Edinburgh's current white out. Ah well all this snow is giving me the chance to break out my Rockness Hunter wellies again.

The third picture is my new favourite purchase (Jumper, £46 TOPSHOP) and the picture doesn't do it justice. The delicate crochet and bronze embellishment will make it a perfect alternative to the woolly Rudolph Christmas jumper plus it will look great over a bikini top in the summer months. Definitely going to be featuring this bad boy in a few outfit posts. This entry is a little bland but it's late on a Monday night and I think the arctic weather conditions are freezing my brain, I'm off to catch up with Misfits on 4OD. What did we actually do before TV on demand and Sky+?

Wednesday 24 November 2010

i'm so heavy in your arms.

Dress (worn as top) H&M, Shorts TOPSHOP, Coat URBAN OUTFITTERS

So it's another 'Here's what I wore today', tediously bad photography and even worse facial expressions but at least I am working on my editing skills! I love this dress, it is amazingly baggy and scandalously short, so much so that I feel constantly exposed when I'm wearing it but it just so happens to make a nice top too. When I bought these shorts I said I wanted to wear them with everything yet before today they had only had one outing so I decided that leather was perfectly acceptable for day wear and put them on today. The only downside was that I had to take them off midway through my dinner (DELICIOUS tapas courtesy of Dad).
The coat is from Urban Outfitters this time last year and I adore it, it's the first winter coat I've ever had that didn't automatically make me feel 2 stone heavier just putting it on. The mannish shape is pretty flattering too, and I love navy.

I have to say I am currently harbouring a MAJOR bag crush. Like most sane people I am desperately longing for a Mulberry bag and have been for quite some time. What is not to love about the effortlessly chic Bayswater or the achingly hip Alexa, named after the queen of British cool Alexa Chung? And now, just to torture my meagre back balance further Mulberry has brought out another beauty, the Edie. A cross between the Alexa and the Bayswater I have been having dreams about this piece of hand luggage, I need it in my life. But, until I win the lottery or get myself one of those mythical 'real jobs' I'll have to make do with my trusty Marks and Spencer's handbag, full of crumbs and adorned with broken zips.

The beautiful Edie Campbell with the beautiful Mulberry Edie (Small)

Monday 22 November 2010

Top, H&M
Shorts, £32 TOPSHOP
Necklace, Very old and discoloured TOPSHOP number

Still trying to get to grips with the idea of outfit posting so here is today's attire. Not very exciting I know but the chilling winds made me reach for the tights and long sleeves. I love these shorts which I first wrote about in October however I was devastated when I realised they were dry clean only due to the leather trim. I teamed them with this stripy top, firstly because it is never off my back and secondly because I like the way it almost looks like a comfortable onesie.

I had hoped to post a picture of the delicious Thai beef salad I had for dinner but the smell was so enticing I couldn't prevent myself from eating every last morsel immediately.

I have been listening to a lot of Beach House recently, despite the summery name their music is dark and otherworldly, perfect for these cold and unforgiving winter nights. Give them a listen.

Xx

Thursday 18 November 2010

about time too.

I know, I know, I am a sham of a person full of empty promises when it comes to updating this blog. I have been busy with other things but that is no excuse, like dancing on the podium in Liquid night club I gotta give the fans what they want. So here is a brief round up of my week; I dressed up as Boy George, I wore a top knot on a night out and ended up looking like a bald hunchback, I went to the theatre, I unsuccessfully hunted for Michelle McManus, I started the world's worst health kick in which I consumed a Nando's and a Domino's and I discovered how amazing Foals new album is. I live the life of an international superstar.

In case you were wondering I was dressed up as Boy George for my Uncle's 80's themed 40th birthday party, I had planned on going as Madonna but I thought that was an obvious choice. Sadly, I was one of three Boy George's and not only was I the only female attempting it I was also wearing all my own clothes. Thus imagine my horror when guests proceeded to approach me and comment on how uncanny the resemblance was, a fact which my Mother vehemently agreed with. Not exactly an ego boost. I do love dressing up though so I suppose my costume was a success however I doubt I caught the eye of the hot bar man.


Such a babe.

When I went on my shopping spree as detailed in last week's post I bought a brown faux leather top from Next which I had tried on before and found to be too small so this time I bought the bigger size. I really wanted it to be right but upon getting it home I realised that I had been caught up in the fitting room excitement of it all and in fact this one was too big. This was unfortunate but there is always a thrill about taking something back to the shop, it's almost as if you have licence to spend that money elsewhere. In this frame of mind I went to H&M, a shop which sometimes overwhelms me with the amount of rubbish it stocks however every once and a while I find a gem. On this occasion I was lucky.

As you may have gathered from this blog I have a love for all things leather, and pleather for that matter. If it looks like it may have come from an animal  then I am sold, odd considering up until a few months ago I was in fact a vegetarian. At the moment H&M is in leather look overdrive and I for one am delighted. When I spotted the simple black shift with the pleather panel on the front I was determined to make it mine even though the biggest size I could find was a medium. Thankfully it was a forgiving medium and I fell in love instantly. I cannot wait to wear it with a chunky gold chain, a look inspired by Olivia Palermo. Despite seeming like a total witch on The City I adore her and am highly flattered whenever anybody mentions a resemblance between us, her style is amazing.


My doppelganger. Or not.


Dress £24.99 H&M

Wow this is turning into a novel of a post but then again we did have a whole week's worth of inane chatter to catch up on. I will come to an end soon but first I want to remind everybody that there is a free Nails Inc polish with Glamour again this month. Nails Inc loves a promotional give away and for that I am grateful as I always feel guilty spending over a tenner on a nail varnish, not guilty enough not to keep doing it though, Anyway this time there are four colours to choose from and after a good fifteen minute deliberation in W H Smith at Glasgow Queen Street station I decided to go for what appeared to be a pink/coral colour. Upon trying it out at home I regretted this decision immensely; it took three coats of 'Warwick Avenue' before I got a solid colour and it wasn't a particularly nice colour at that. I should have been wary of something that was named after a Duffy song.

Also got this cute wee furry bag from H&M for only £14.99. Steal.

Wednesday 10 November 2010

What I wore today.

My friend Morven who has an ace blog and is totes a major babe has told me she wants me to do outfit posts so here is my mediocre attempt. I only had time to take these photos as my Dad kindly gave me a lift to work as I was really running late so this is exactly what I was wearing today. The picture quality is rubbish and my makeshift tripod consisted of my desk and sewing box but I thought I'd test the waters. Ignore the state of my room, and the hideous look on my face, I am off to have a scone and watch The Apprentice.

BARBOUR quilted jacked, H&M belt, PRIMARK Jeans and very old boots from SCHUH.

Tuesday 9 November 2010

two for tuesday.

It's Tuesday, potentially a more depressing day than Monday in my humble opinion. Tuesday seems so far away from the upcoming weekend and the hazy memories of the weekend past have long since vanished. Domino's Pizza clearly decided to cash in on the Tuesday blues when it launched it's 'Two for Tuesday' buy one get one free deal and what better way to cheer up the day than by eating yourself into oblivion. Fortunately for my waistline, tonight my Dad made me a lovely dinner of steamed sea bass with ginger and spring onion therefore I am now feeling virtuous rather than experiencing the dreaded Domino's downs. However since it is a Tuesday I have decided to give you 2 blogs in one.

As I mentioned in a previous post last week was pay day, having not had a decent wage for the last year or so it is safe to say I went a little bit crazy. First on my hit list was something leather, I love leather and it is all over the shops this season however it always comes at a price. Already the proud owner of a studded black leather skirt which I picked up in the Topshop sale a few years ago I know that a little bit of leather can give every outfit a fashionable edge without seeming too try-hard. This time round I went for buttery soft tan leather shorts. Short enough to be sexy but with a cut which meant they had a classic finish when teamed with a silver silk shirt, I want to wear them with EVERYTHING which is definitely the sign of a good buy!


Leather Shorts £68 TOPSHOP, Faux Fur Scarf £20 URBAN OUTFITTERS

I also felt it was my duty to buy a new pair of shoes, a girl can never have too many pairs and working in a shoe shop is torture. I generally find that I pick out a pair of shoes that nobody else really likes and try to win them round, this is not only a personal challenge but I like the fact that my taste isn't necessarily the same as everybody else's. This time last year there was a Rocket Dog ankle boot in stock which caught my eye; wedged and lined with fleece there was something about it that I thought was appealing however I am ashamed to say that the Rocket Dog label put me off as it is a name more commonly associated with dowdy mothers and their pre-teen daughters. This year however I could not resist and I bought the boot in tan. Perfectly on trend for this season they have already carried me, fall-free, through two nights out although unfortunately the relentless Edinburgh rain and grimy nightclub floors have left them a little marked. Nothing a suede brush can't fix though, I am a shoe professional after all!

Muddy Boots, Rocket Dog at SCHUH £74.99

Tuesday's child is full of grace.







I was born on a Tuesday. These photos are just a glimpse of my life and loves. Xx

Tuesday 2 November 2010

what katie did...


Well it's finally here, Kate Moss's last collection for Topshop hit the shops and the world wide web today and I am actually quite impressed.  It's hard to believe that this is her 14th collection and I have to admit that somewhere between the second and third lot I simply stopped paying attention. The debut range caused quite a stir and after being previewed in all of the glossies everybody had their eye on one of the 'key' pieces and unashamedly I did too. I needed the yellow pansy print playsuit, if I didn't have it my life would not have been worth continuing and thankfully I stumbled into Topshop Aberdeen the day they got their first replenishment delivery. I loved that playsuit, no wait I STILL love that playsuit; it fits well, it looks great and like Miss Moss herself it's timeless. It's no wonder that this time round Kate has re-released some of her most iconic and popular pieces.




Of course there were some major flaws in Kate's clothes. Because items are inspired by things in the model's own wardrobe there tends to be a pretty obvious theme; everything is made to look good on a supermodel. Backless, low cut and sheer are all major players, not great when you are a healthy size 12/14 with an ample bosom. And while the heavily embellished and sequin items are beautiful they are very expensive and not necessarily the most practical pieces. Moss's bohemian style while perfect for her doesn't necessarily translate that well for the masses either and this meant that often the less popular pieces were relegated to the bargain bin, not that I am complaining as I picked this gem up last winter.



This collection I think is a fitting way for Kate to end her collaboration with chum Phillip Green; she has used a variety of fabrics and silhouettes and there is an excellent selection of casual garments alongside the lavish party wear. And of course it all reeks unmistakeably of Moss. Whilst wearing these clothes doesn't turn you into one of the world's biggest supermodels it's about as close as most of us will get. Kate Moss remains a style icon and we are simply sheep.


I want this 'Iconic' Panther Dress (£100) but it's already sold out!

Sheepskin Bomber (£250)
Gorgeous Velvet and Lace Shorts (£60)

Monday 1 November 2010

I nailed it.

Tonight I decided to paint my nails since as usual there was far more nail on show than varnish. Not content with just topping up my favourite Chanel Rouge Noir and inspired by a segment that I'd seen in this week's Look magazine I decided to give leopard print nails a go. The result is questionable, for some reason I thought I would take inspiration from Spring Summer 2011 and went for a neon base which unfortunately needed 3 coats just to be visible, the other colours are a little bogeyish in hindsight but it is just after Halloween so I'm gonna keep it for a couple of days. Next time I might try it with more traditional colours. On the subject of nail polish, I read in a magazine recently that Rimmel has a matte top coat at the moment so I intend to purchase that on payday in order to nail (see what I did there?) this season's biggest nail trend.



Sorry about the dodgy picture quality, apparently my camera doesn't like neon.

 This post hasn't been too exciting but I get paid on Thursday and intend to purchase some new goodies so prepare for a long and self indulgent post about my new buys! And, as promised here is a picture of me and my friends at Halloween:


Monster Munch, The Cat in the Hat and Oscar the Grouch!