Daxon VIP Fashion Blogger Opportunity

Hello ladies (and gentlemen?)

I hope everyone's had a lovely Christmas! I've been enjoying some lovely down time, spending time with my lovely family and not being at work!
I'd planned staying off the blogging over the Christmas period but wanted to let you know about a great blogger opportunity with Daxon.
They are offering fashion bloggers to become part of their blogger network, and be rewarded with a £50 amazon voucher, just by letting other people know about it!

All the information about how to join can be found here, and for a little insight into what they have to offer, here are a couple of my favourite accessories from their site:

Let me know if you join the network too!

A-Z of Fashion: H

If you've not already seen me struggling my way through this A-Z, I'm referring to the one issued by Glamour Magazine that you can find here. H, they tell us, is for Heels, and to achieve the seasons key footwear look "Wear heels that have a chunky or kooky heel. Pencil-thin stilettos are not in favour this season."

For me, when I think of 'shoes' and 'kooky', I think 'Irregular Choice', and LGJGthe heels on both these pairs are fantastic! I love how the printed heels on 'Krazy Karen' really alter what would otherwise be quite a simple (though still very pretty) pair of shoes, and how the heels on 'I'm Bossy' add to a wonderfully whimsical design.

Interesting heels are also available from the usual high street suspects, such as these from Topshop - the metallic pointed heel of the Plasma shoes (£95), and the highly decoraticve laser cut Lily Wing Courts by CJG (£130).

A couple of cheaper alternatives for the animal print lover, the Ruby Rocks snake trim heels (£40), available from Barratts, and the leopard print block heels from New Look (a bargain at £10!).

Christmas Jumpers!

I'm starting to feel so so Christmassy! The tree is up, presents are bought and (some of them are) wrapped, and I'm working through my Christmas film list. To celebrate the joys of the season, here are a few of my favourite Christmas jumpers!

Cat Jumper - New Look £16.99   Snowman Hoodie - New Look £16.99   Green Reindeer Jumper - Dorothy Perkins £30   Grey Snowflake Jumper - Dorothy Perkins £28   Candycane Jumper - Topshop £50   Wine Festive Jumper - Oh My Love £27.30   Reindeer Jumper - Daisy Street £23.99

I love Christmas, and I love a good Christmas jumper - cosy and fun and just a little bit ridiculous, the best things about Christmas in an item of clothing!

A-Z of Fashion: G

Glamour Magazine's A-Z of winter fashion trends tells us that G stands for Gloves - "The longer, the better. Elbow-length leather ones are the It-accessory of the season."

I don't think Glamour were referring to the multi-coloured knitted versions of gloves I like in this weather, but an altogether more sophisticated affair. If you want to look classy yet warm this season, here are a couple of good options:

The first pair are from Marks and Spencer (£69) and come in black as well as the colour shown. A slightly cheaper alternative, the middle ones are from ASOS as £33.50, and the Debenhams ones (£25) are velvet for a softer alternative to leather.

Barratts Christmas Challenge

Anyone who has read this blog before knows I can't resist an outfit challenge, so when I heard there was one to win Barratts shoes over at kel loves blog, I thought I might as well have a go - after all, I'm trying to plan a christmas party outfit anyway!

You can find all the details here if you wanted to have a go, but essentially you have to put together an outfit from one of a choice of Christmas scenarios: A Christmas party, walk in a winter wonderland, Christmas day, or a long day of Christmas shopping! The outfit just had to include footwear from Barratts.

With this in mind, I thought I'd start foot first, and have a look through what Barratts had to offer and work on my outfit around that. I was originally looking for some lovely winter boots - I'm a fan of practical footwear in bad weather as falling over is never a fashionable look - but then I saw these adorable dalmation print platforms (£30) and knew I had to include them!
The rest of the outfit fell in around the shoes really. I wanted to keep it quite simple to make the footwear the focus, but black isn't very Christmassy and I love this deep red that suits the season so well - the dress is from Topshop (£65.00).
I imagine a well-heated party venue, but to keep the chill off going to and from party I added the cute biker jacket from New Look (£39.99).
The clutch is also from Barratts (£42.00) - did you realize they did bags too? I didn't! - and I just love the ruffled texture of it.
And then to finish the outfit off, my favourite festive nail varnish at the minute, China Glaze Ruby Pumps (£5.95), as nothing says Christmas Party like a bit of red glitter!

Hope you all like my outfit!
Did you enter too - leave links if you did, I'd love to check out your entry!

A-Z of fashion: F

Glamour magazine's A-z of Autumn Winter fashion trends tells is F is for 'Femme Fatale'. To achieve this look, they suggest: Dress like a dynamite diva with long leather gloves, 'innocent' pussy blow blouses with sheer panels and skin-tight pencil skirts.

Pencil skirts are such a wonderfully feminine and classic addition to any wardrobe, and this houndstooth pencil skirt (£23) and the embossed skirt in this seasons wonderful wine colour (£15), both from Lavish Alice, are no exceptions.

The 'sweetness' of the white pussy bow blouse from Boohoo (£20) is given a more 'femme fatale' edge by the sheer material, while the low cut neckline and deep colour have a similar effect on the Lipsy (£38) offering.

I couldn't of course cover this trend without including a couple of my favourite femme fatale dresses - the cherry red figure hugging ponte pencil dress from Topshop (£46), and leopard print Dorothy Perkins dress fir showing off your wilder side!

 

The Glamour guide did suggest long gloves to complete the look but as they get their own entry under 'G' coming up next, I thought I'd leave them til then!

Christmas Gift Guide - Sleepwear and Lingerie

The next categogy of potential Christmas gifts I'm going to explore is that or sleepwear - covering pyjamas, slippers, dressing gowns and underwear. Things that, at their most basic level, are not a million miles away from being necessities, but are available in so many delightful varieties there is no need  for them to make boring presents.

Slippers

I've always received slippers for Christmas, so to me they have always been one of the quintessential Christmas gifts. Everyone in the family seemed to get a new pair so you could spend the rest of the day wearing them in the spirit of Christmas cosiness. My mum likes the likes the bootie kind, like these snowflake print slippers from Barratts, or the fluffy leopard print ones from New Look. My brother likes novelty slippers, massive padded things in the shape of some sort of animal usually, and the tiger claws from Monster Slippers reminded me of him, while the cute bunnies from Accessorize are a more delicate alternative. I tend to prefer the ballerina style - keep your feet warm without overheating, pretty and practical. I like the fair isle knitted ones from Tesco, and the butterflies and buttons from Next.

Pyjamas

Another common Christmas present in my house, you can never have too many pairs of pyjamas! the pretty butterfly print pjs are from New Look (£8.99), and more traditional and Christmassy red check ones are from Topshop (£30). Everyone seems to be going nuts over onesies at the minute and though the look like they might get a bit over hot for sleeping in, they look incredibly comfy for lounging around in - the cupcake one here is from BooHoo (£25). Finally the classy bird print pyjamas are Dickens and Jones, available from House of Fraser (£48).

Robes

A nice warm dressing gown is another essential in these winter months (gas prices keep going up so need to find another way of keeping warm!). Two of my favourite snuggly looking ones at the minute are both from Dorothy Perkins: this cute cat print one (£28) and the cosy looking feather print (£28) both look like they'd keep the chill off. The silk kimono from Topshop (£58) isn't as warm looking but is absolutely beautiful and would make a gorgeous gift.

Lingerie
Buying lingerie as a gift is something that can quite easily go wrong, and I'm sure I remember more than one sitcom scenario dedicated to the likelihood of causing offence, but if done right lingerie can make a much appreciated gift. The key is getting something the receiver will like, not just what the buyer wants to see her in - Christmas morning is not the time for revealing any previously undisclosed unusual preferences, so unless you know she's appreciate something a little more 'out there' it may be best to stick to slightly more 'classic' styles and materials. It's also important to get the right size!

A range of options here to suit a variety of preferences. The Stella Babydoll in black (£39) and the pale pink Ida bustier (£45) with matching Brazilian Thong (£16), both from Affinatas, would make great gifts for many because of their classic colours and flattering designs. For those that prefer a bit of colour, the gorgeous turquoise set from Claudette (£45 for the Bra, and £19.50 for the matching briefs) or the vintage-inspired set from Parfait (£30 for the bra and £14 for the high waisted briefs) would make equally lovely presents for a special lady at Christmas.
And of course ladies, if you don't think you can trust your fellas to get you the right thing, you can always treat yourself!

A-Z of Fashion: E

E, says Glamour Magazines A-Z of Winter Fashion Trends, is for Expensive Luxe Fabrics.
Their 'how to get the look' suggrestions state "This trend is all about the tactile touch of silk, cashmere and velvet. In early autumn, mix your breezy cottons with a chunky knit scarf and wool-cashmere mix jumper for the ultimate in chic layering."

It may be a little late to reasonably say we are in 'early autumn' now, but a cashmere mix jumper is still great for winter layering, and despite being classed as a 'luxe fabric', these are available to suit a range of pockets. The first one here, admittedly a viscose-cotton-cashmere mix rather than a wool cashmere mix, does still contain 5% cashmere and is available at Matalan for a purse-friendly £30. The middle one, 5% cashmere and merino wool is reduced at Coast from £75 to £45, and for more of an extravagant delve into the world of cashmere, the gorgeous star jumper, made of 100% cashmere by Chinti and Parker is available from Harvey Nichols for £365.

It was so hard to narrow down to some of my favourite velvet choices, as there are just so many wonderful pieces out there at the minute, from shorts to dresses, shoes to hats. I love velvet as a fabric, I love how warm and soft it feels, and many of the seasons pieces add to it with warm, rich colours, like the navy blue of the embossed skater skirt from Miss Selfridge (£34), and the deep red of the River Island blazer (£20). Of course is there are still plenty of choices in classic black, such as the gorgeous devore playsuit from Topshop (£50).

Silk is one of those special fabrics where just having it against your skin makes you feel good. Just looking at the silk shirt from Oasis (£60), you can imagine how soft it would feel to wear, as well as looking great. The tunic from Monsoon (£69) also incorporates an oriental theme that often seems synonymous with silk, and the tie back dress from Dorothy Perkins is currently on sale for only £30, proving that 'expensive luxe fabrics' don't actually have to be expensive. 

Curlformers Blogger Competition

I know my last post was a blogger challenge, and I really did mean to get another couple of posts up before doing another one, but I just came across this fun competition and as it closes tonight I hope you'll excuse me putting it up now! Curlfomers are hosting a competition to win a whopping £100 of ASOS vouchers, to be judged by Lillia Loves.

Curlformers are a 'hair curling revolution', a product designed to to give perfect neat and lasting curls without damaging the hair by using heat on it. As well as curling naturally straight hair, they also say that 'hair that is naturally curly can be tamed into defined smooth curls' - great news for me as my natually curly and slightly crazy hair could definately do with some taming!

They are a number of ways to enter this challenge (and details of all can be found here if anyone can get an entry done before closing time!), but I decided to take the option of putting together an outfit including a curly hair style.

Henry Holland Tights - China Glaze Nail Polish in Ruby Slippers - Asos Gothic Prom Dress - Iron Fist Shoes - Topshop Beaded Clutch Bag - Alice in Wonderland Charm Bracelet

Helena Bonham Carter is one of my curly-haired idols. No matter how wild her curls are, she rocks them. I think she may have subconsciously inspired the gothic tones of my outfit a little, and had to include the Alice in Wonderland bracelet in her honour.

To achieve this look, I would use the long and narrow curlformers, but because we don't want the curls to look 'too' neat, I'd use my fingers to pull some of them apart a little, and scrunch in some volumising product at the roots to give them a bit of 'lift'. The best thing is no need to worry about your hair looking a little worse for wear after a night out as this look is meant to be a touch on the dishevelled side!

What do you think? Anybody planning on rocking curls over the festive season?

Glamorous Blogger Challenge

I do love a good blogger challenge! It's not that I enter them expecting I have any chance of winning, I think it's just fun window shopping and the challenges usually give you a bit of focus for that - which I need!

So when I heard about the Glamorous/EtailPR blogger challenge, obviously I wanted to have a go. The idea was to create a collage of your Glamorous Wish List, to the budget of £200 - and look how much you can get for £200!

1 = Blue and Red Tartan Check Belted Dress = £28.99

2 = Anne Dress in Cream with Pink Pineapple Print = £29.99
3 = Black Organza Sheer Dotty Dress = £32.99

4 = Blue Mixed Wool Jumper = £22.00

5 = Leather Look Heeled Ankel Boots in Tan = £29.99

6 = Owl with Glasses White Tea = £13.99

7 = Navy with Square Gold Studs Knit Jumper = £25.00

8 = Navy Heart Print Scarf = £5.99

9 = Skull Detail Ballet Shoes = £10.00

Total = £198.94

Dresses are my favourite, no matter the time of year, and had to find a space for these three in my budget. The cream one might not scream 'A/W', but I'm a sucker for a cute print, which this has. As it's getting cold, a couple of jumpers and a scarf needed to be on there, and the cute owl t-shirt to wear under the jumpers - layers for warmth! And of course you need shoes, two pairs along with everything else for less than £200 - amazing! 

If you would like to enter, you can find all the details here, (or on the facebook page here) but be quick, you've only got til the 12th to get your entries in! 

I know i'm cutting it a bit fine but if you've entered too please feel free to leave you links so I can check out your entry! thanks x 

Gifts Vouchers Blogger Challenge

Recently I found about a blogger challenge run by giftsvouchers.co.uk (unfortunately I can't remember where so I can't give full credit, sorry!), asking bloggers to create a post with ideas for Christmas gifts priced under £35.
I do love a challenge, and I love Christmas presents! So thought I'd give this a go!
Instead of finding five things that came in at just under £35, I though I'd try to cover a a few different price ranges up to that limit - There are plenty of people I'll be buying for that I will be spending significantly less than £35 on and wanted to show you can get really nice things for any price. As such, I looked for presents that would fit into the price categories £0-£5, £5-£10, £10-£15, £15-£25, and £25-£35, and this is what I came up with:

1 - Jelly Baby Necklace @ Jelly Button Jewellery £4.00 2 - Beauty Salve Collection @ Rose and Co £10 3 - Elaine Cat Slippers @ Topshop £14 4 - Bonjour Moustache Watch @ ASOS £22 5 - Sugar Coated Owl Handbag @ Little Moose £30

The Jelly Baby necklaces by Jelly Button Jewellery are not only competely adorable and extremely well priced, you also get the added feel-good factor of buying from a really lovely independant British company. Also, they come in a range of colours so can pick one up in the receivers favourite!

The Rose & Co salves collections includes three of their most popular salves and balms -  Rose Petal Salve, Cherry Kiss Lip Balm, and Sweet Vanilla Salve, for moisturing lips and dry skin on other areas. They come in the most gorgeous vintage inspired tins and would make a great gift.

I always used to get slippers every year for Christmas so im my mind they are one of the quintessential Christmas gifts. I love these incredibly cute and cosy looking kitty slippers from Topshop.

Moustaches are everywhere I look at the minute, and this watch from ASOS seems like a perfect on-trend choice for a gift. I love how simple and classic looking it is, with a bit of a frech twist for added sophistication - ooh la la!

Finally, the most expensive item here, is the lovely Sugar Coated bag. You can never have or give too many bags, and this one is gorgeous as well as practical and incorporates another one of my favourite recent trends with the lovely little owls.

I'd love to hear what you think of my entry! Would you be happy to find any of these in your stocking?

If you have already entered this contest then please leave your link in the comments, I'd love to see what you came up with! And if you haven't entered yet and would like to all the deatails can be found here.

Halloween!

It's Halloween today, and though it's a bit late now for last minute shopping, I thought I'd share with you some of my favourite spooky clothing options.

Asos - Skater Dress with Cobweb Lace - £40.00 Sugarhill Boutique Flight of the Bat Dress - £55.00

Both of these lovely dresses have a distinctively Halloweeney feel, between the delicate cobweb lace panels of one and the creepy bat print of the other, but both designs are subtle enough to wear the rest of the year round without looking like you are in costume. 

Smarmy Clothing - Nightmare Before Christmas Sally Ragdoll Dress - $175 Black Milk Blood Spatter Dress - £63.85

If you did want something to make more of a Halloween statement, either of these would be perfect. The Sally dress by Smarmy Clothing is a very special piece, hand made and made to measure for a perfectly fitting dress, and the Black Milk dress is such a delightfully bold and bloody design. 

1 - Boo! Ghost Tee by Tee and Cake - £22.00 2 - Cats Eyes Tee by Tee and Cake - £20.00 3 - Cobmesh Embellished Leggings - £38.00 

Topshop have really got into the spirit, so to speak, this year, and the three above pieces can be found there. The ghost T-shirt in particular is adorable! 

Iron Fist Bone Breaker Handbag - £42.99 Daisy Does 'This is Halloween' bracelet - £15.00 

And of course accessories are needed to complete any outfit! I think I've mentioned before my love of Iron Fist shoes, and my love for this bag is no less, and the Daisy Does charm bracelet is a hand made original, which is always special, as well as being a gorgeous Halloween piece. 

What are you wearing for Halloween this year?

A-Z of fashion trends: D

Glamour Magazine's A-S Winter 2012 Fashion Trends Worth Noting tells us that D is for 'Downton Country Club' - "Think Downton shooting weekend! Reach for your retro corduroy trousers, long fairisle socks and jodhpurs! It's not an easy look to pull off but we believe in you!"

Socks are not only an important item of clothing for comfort and warmth, but can be used as part of a fashionable look. For anyone trying to replicate the Downton Country Club style, I recommend the Bulington Riding Socks from Sock Shop (£15) or the Toast Organic Fair isle Socks (£25.00).

Trousers are a potentially trickier area to get right, but how about these for a gentlemanly style with a fashionably feminine twist, how about these checked trousers by NW3 by Hobbs (available from ASOS - £119), or the contrast dogtooth trousers by Unique at Topshop (£120)?

Nothing says country chic like a classic tweed jacket, and these gorgeous examples are by Barbour (£229); one of the ultimate names in British Heritage clothing, and Joules (£169).

I like that the Tweed Buckle Cape from Newlook (£44.99) leaves your arms free for riding, shooting and any other leisure activities available tat Downton Country Club. The Waistcoat is by Libery Freedom (£175), a brand whose basis is 'the idea of English tailoring with a punk edge.

Finally, for a more feminine take on the traditional fairisle knit is this YMC dress, available from ASOS (£185), and the classic fluted bow cloche from Accessorize (£28) is the perfect finishing touch to many a Downton inspired outfit.

Christmas Gift Guide - Winter Accessories

One of the best things about the British winter weather is the cute accessories, hats, scarfs etc we get to wrap up in. These also make great Christmas presents as you can get varieties to fit to almost any budget and can be practical as well as fun and fashionable!

Hats: In the winter I'm definitely a beanie kind of girl when it comes to hats - there are just so many styles and colours available that there must be something for everyone. I've included the Topshop owl one because I've posted before about how much I'm loving the current owl trend, and I'm sure I'm not the only one! And the Matalan rose print knit is such a classic winter look. I love berets though I don't think I can actually pull them off as well as I would hope, and this one from New Look is so pretty. And then for those less keen on the knitted hat, two great hats from Accessorize (my go-to hat shop!): a great simple bakerboy cap, perfect for latching on the the current military trend, and a gorgeous wool bowler for a classic but cool look.

1 - Topshop - Owl pom-pom hat by Miss Pom - £20.00 2 - Matalan - Retro Rose Beanie - £5.00 3 - New Look - Alice Hannah Grey and Red Bow Beret - £21.99 4 - Accessorize - Military Buckle Cap - £18.00 5 - Accessorize - Blocked Wool Bowler - £22.00

Scarves: I lost my favourite scarf last year on (a wintery) holiday, so have been looking for the perfect replacement since - here are some great contenders: The Yumi scarf is so very pretty and though may not be the warmest option will definitely help keep the chill off while looking delightful. The Topshop scarf is the most adorable alternative to a fox fur - and nocturnal animals are so on trend right now! The pop-pom scarf from Accessorize is so different and fun, and I love the pretty bow details on this otherwise simple New Look design. One of my favourite approaches to scarves though is just a straightforward chunky knit in nice colours, like this Matalan one.

1 - Yumi Bird Print Scarf - £14.99 2 - Topshop Mrs Foxy Knitted Scarf - £20.00 3 - Accessorize Pom Pom Scarf - £22.00 4 - New Look Alice Hannah Bow Scarf - £16.99 5 - Matalan Space Dye Scarf - £8.00 

Gloves: I love the cute pompom details and the splash of pink on the otherwise muted-tones of the Atticus gloves, just giving them a subtle girly edge. Same goes for the New Look mittens - I don't think i've worn mittens as an adult, especially not ones held together with string, but these are oh so cute and look very toasty! Capped gloves, like these from Accessorize, are one of my winter favourites as you have the option of keeping your fingers warm but have easy access to them for using a camera, phone or anything else that needs a more precise touch than woolly gloves can provide, and I;ve already mentioned my love for cute owls! Also in line with the cute animal trend are these longer cut offs, also from Accessorize, that will keep your arms as well as your hands warm! Finally, for a more sophisticated look that animal knits can provide, are these lovely long suede gloves from Tesco!

1 - Atticus Pearl Stripe Pom Pom Gloves - £7.99 2 - New Look Miss Pom Pom Black Spotty Pink Bobble Mittens - £24.99 3 - Accessorize Twit Twoo Capped Glove - £12.00 4 - Accessorize Foxy Long Cut Off - £15.00 5 - F&F Long Button Suede Gloves - £15.00

Earmuffs: I love earmuffs, they can be a fun way of keeping your ears warm without messing up your hair like hats can. The pink flowery ones are the most feminine of my choices here, very classic and pretty and in lovely warm colours for the winter. The River Island ones, as well as looking lovely and warm, have extra decoration in the form of the adorable bear ears - so cute! Unfortunately it's a little too late to get the awesome skeleton hands in time for Halloween, but will still keep your ears warm for the rest of the year, and finally the little monsters from the Etsy shop Snaarlz are completely adorable and unique. I love Etsy for gifts - I love the idea that you are buying someone a gift they can't just pick up in town, it's just a bit more special.

1 - Monsoon Crochet Flower Stripe Earmuffs - £10.00 2 - River Island Black Fluffy Bear Earmuffs - £13.00 3 -  Grindstore Skeleton Hand Earmuffs - £9.99 4 - Snaarlz Red Earmuff Monster - £12.00 

Special Mention - Spirit Hoods:

Grey Wolf Peruvian Sprit Hood - £126.00

These get their own category as they pretty much cover hats, scarves and gloves in one. There is however another very important reason they get a special mention. If you buy any of the Spirit Hoods with a ProBlue label, 10% of the net profit of that sale goes towards the conservation of that animal. So for instance, if you bought the Grey Wolf Spirit Hood pictured here, 10% of the profits would go towards helping prevent 'kill orders' on wolves. More information can be found on the work of ProBlue and the animals they support here.

Qcumber

I'm currently a bit in love with Qcumber clothing - if you haven't seen these yet they make amazing bright fruity jumpers - warm and cheery to balance out the miserable cold weather (which isn't actually looking too bad today but I can't imagine that lasting).

The creators behind QCumber, a pair of Oxford graduates, explain their brands inspirations: "We believe that Fruit and Vegetables are beautifully designed by nature and underrepresented in the world of fashion. We created QCumber when a food fight with some strawberries resulted in a delicious and perfect imprint on a white jumper". They've since been working hard to create some brand buzz and a combination of their fun products and obvious humour have proved so far successful, with their jumpers being featured so far in publications such as Cosmopolitan and Grazia.

But I have a very exciting reason for covering this exciting British company today - A shiny new product! Lauching next week are the new addition to the QCumber range - Frubies! A Frubie is a fruity twist on the beanie, and these take the classic winter staple woolly hat and add the QCumber splash of colour and fun - aren't these cute?

I'm not sure yet on the price of these but as the jumpers go for an extremely reasonable £29.95 (with free shipping!) I can only imagine the Frubies to come in at an equally bargainous price.

You can keep up to date with this and any other Qcumber developments by following them on twitter or liking them on facebook.

A-Z of Fashion Trends: C

C is for Cobalt Blue, according to Glamour Magazine's article on Winter 2012 Fashion Trends Worth Noting.

This is one trend I can definitely get on board with, I love this colour. Glamour offer this advice as to 'how to get the look' - "Introduce this electric shade of blue to your wardrobe and tone down with carbon black wardrobe staples. If in doubt start off with a cobalt blue heel or handbag for a trial run."

So starting, as suggested, with the shoes: the spiked Jeffrey Campbell courts (an Office exclusive)  have the dual positives that they tick two big trend boxes, while the Red or Dead heels (also an exclusive, this time for Schuh) take a slightly more classic approach the the fashionable colour.

If handbags instead of shoes were preference for a splash of cobalt, either of these would do the trick. The metallic Zatchel (£99) brings an extra touch of shimmer to an outfit, and the Marc Jacobs shoulder bag (£350) is perfect size for carrying a number of essentials! 

For those feeling a touch more confident in their cobalt wearing, a progression to a good blue top item may be recommended - the Donna Ida blazer (£150) is a great way to look smart but still on trend, and the Zara sweater (£35.99) is perfect for more casual days.

Anyone that has read this blog before may know by now that dresses are my favourite thing, so I had to include a couple for good measure. For anyone really wanting to embrace the blue, I like this cheeky skater dress from New Look (£22.99), and I think this figure flattering Coast dress (£125.00) is just gorgeous.

Money Supermarket - Passion for Fashion

I do love a good outfit challenge, and I just got wind today of the money supermarket challenge to put together five outfits suitable for different occasions - a first date, casual, work, party and outdoors - for less than £200 per outfit. The details of this fun competition can be found here.
However, like I said, I just discovered this competition today and it closes tomorrow - cutting it a bit fine to get five outfits together! But here is what I came up with:

FIRST DATE

Dress  - Sugarhill Boutique - £52.00 Shoes - Rocket Dog - £54.99 Bag - Yumi - £35.00 Necklace - Hero and Cape - £20.00 Tights - New Look - £4.99 Hair Clip - Matalan - £3.50

Total Cost - £170.48

I love this yellow dress from Sugarhill Boutique, definitely pretty enough for a first date but without being overly showy or dressy (we don't know if we like the chap yet!), and I stuck to black accessories to let the yellow really pop. 

CASUAL

Jeans - New Look - £14.99 Jumper - Sugarhill Boutique - £55.00 Bag - Gorjuss, Totally Funky - £49.99 Shoes - Converse - £44.99 

Total Cost - £164.97

I've avoided a lot of accessories here because to me casual means really casual - so comfy jeans, sloppy jumpers and the ultimate in casual footwear.

WORK

Dress - Sugarhill Boutique - £55.00 Tights - Matalan - £5.00 Bag - Yumi - £25.00 Boots - Asos - £85.00

Total Cost - £170.00

I know this is the third outfit I've used Sugarhill Boutique as a main part of the outfit, and it's not that I haven't looked elsewhere, I really have, but I keep heading back here because their stuff is just so good! The heeled brogues give them a more feminine twist, and they and the tan bag mach the detailing on the dress, with cream tights to keep legs warm. 

  PARTY

Dress - Dorothy Perkins - £55.00 Necklace - Accessorize - £12.00 Bag - New Look - £19.99 Hair Clip - Accessorize - £18.00 Shoes - Iron Fist, Branch 309 - £35.00 

Total Cost - £136.99

I'm completely in love with Iron Fist shoes.

OUTDOORS

Raincoat - Yumi - £55.00 Boots - Rocket Dog, Schuh - £45.00 Hat - Topshop - £14.00 Leggings - New Look - £12.99 Jumper - Lavish Alice - £23.00 Shorts - River Island - £35.00
Total Cost - £184.99

I would imagine that trousers would make a more obvious choice for outdoor wear, but with my short legs I find that trouser legs trailing in the rain just leave me soaked - these thick leggings would be a much drier alternative! The warm woolly hat and jumper should leave you feeling toastie enough, with the raincoat simultaneously keeping off the worst of the wet weather and injecting a splash of colour on grey days.

Alexander McQueen Outfit

I had so much fun with the £50 outfit challenge, I thought I might have another go at creating a fantasy outfit without the financial restrictions. So what would I wear if money wasn't a concern? Alexander McQueen! Beautifully created high end fashion pieces with a punk rock edge - what's not to love?


1 - Victorian Pink Lace Jacquard Pencil Dress (£885) 2 - Felt Wool Black Sculpt Jacket (£1575) 3 - Embellished Skull Peeptoe Black Shoes (£495) 4 - De Manta Floral Print Satin Clutch Bag (£315) 5 - Enamel Black Skull Bracelet (£165)

Usually when creating my fantasy outfits I will pick a dress first (nearly always a dress, I know there are so many trouser/skirt/top combos that would be amazing, but at heart I'm a dress girl!), and work from there, but for me it's the jacket that is star of the show in this outfit. This is just absolutely gorgeous - the peplum style waist is guaranteed to give a flattering curvy shape to the wearer, the high quality materials (25% cashmere!) and full lining evoke a sense of luxury and warmth, and the asymmetrical fastening and stand collar just give it that bit of edge.

To go with it, I thought a slightly fitted dress was needed, to not detract from the lovely shape of the jacket. This knitted pencil dress was ideal - the beautiful black lace effect gives it a dark, slightly gothic feel typical of Alexander McQueen and perfectly in keeping with the rest of the outfit.

I thought a simple black shoe would be the best way to show the outfit to its full effect without overshadowing it with fussy features or clashing colours. The skull embellishment on these 5 inch leather heels is subtle enough to not take anything away from the overall look, while still making a very clear statement: 'These are Alexander McQueen shoes!'

The clutch bag is the most delightfully unique shape - a result of the magnetic fold over corners - and the eyecatching print and luxe fabrics make this a perfectly elegant accompaniment to any sophisticated outfit.

Finally an extra touch of decoration to complete the look - the black bracelet with signature skull motif gives a harder edge to a feminine outfit.

A-Z of Fashion Trends: B

Second in my series based on the Glamour magazine article 'Winter 2012 Fashion Trends Worth Noting' is B,.. for 'Baroque and Roll'.

'How do we achieve this look?' I hear you ask. Glamour tells us: "Too much is not enough!" That's the lavish top line from a flurry of fashion designers all calling us to wear metallic brocade with heavy lace, mouth watering diamante and regal prints (all at once). Layer luxe fabrics and load on the jewels, ladies.

My choice of dresses that fit this trend - the ASOS Dolly Dress (£75) with metallic baroque print, and the Topshop High Neck Jacquard Skater Dress (£120), made of 100% silk in opulent gold and red. 

The Oscar de la Renta ankle boots (£591), in black and gold brocade and trimmed in black suede, have to be the ultimate in baroque footwear. If however you wanted a slightly more subtle way to wear baroque on your lower half, these Mary Portas and Charnos tights (£7.50, down from £15) offer a more everyday option. 

The opulent golds and intricate designs that typify the baroque trend, the sense of showy luxury, can be easily translated to jewellery as can be seen in this gorgeous necklace from Pebble London (£245).