OOTD: Statement ankle boots

Outfit:
Grey tailored coat: New Look (similar)
Black ruffled shirt: Zara (similar)
Black skinny jeans: Matalan (similar)
Brown leather rucksack: Gift from Marrakesh (similar)
Buckled black ankle boots: LOTD.co.uk* (similar)

Boy am I glad its boots weather again - I'm a sucker for a pair of ankle boots if my collection is anything to go by. So I was glad to be able to add these beauties to my stash from LOTD.co.uk. The pointed toe and the buckles really caught my eye. I think a statement pair of boots make all the difference when jazzing up an outfit.

A weekend over already. I've had such a lovely weekend mooching around, getting my life admin in order while my boyfriend has been away in Glasgow on a stag do. As out move in date looms,  I'm beginning to realise just how much 'stuff' I own. I've always known I'm a bit of a hoarder but now it's all been laid bare! I went to the garden centre with my mum to try and find some plants to fill my bedroom. I want a little bit of a 'jungle' theme so picked up three mini cacti and one snake plant to pop in a freestanding metal planter. I just hope I don't kill them off! I'm now after a cheese plant, a couple of succulents and an ivy plant to fill up the plant pots I seem to have accumulated over the last six months...

Special thanks to Sarah for snapping this OOTD!

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OOTD: floral heels

Outfit:
Black cold shoulder ruffle dress: ASOS (similar)
Black and white pattern clutch: Primark (similar)
Floral embroidered heels: LOTD.com*

So here we are, in October again. I have to admit this really is my favourite time of year as cliché as it may sound. I'm not one for the heat and winter brings with it too much rain for my liking. But this season the weather is still pleasant, fresh with a slight bite in the air. It's warm enough to only have to wear a thin mac and the skies are still blue.

LOTD.com got in touch to see if I wanted to update my wardrobe and among the things they kindly gifted were these pretty heeled sandals. I love the detailing on the heels and they really help to jazz up a simple outfit. One of my favourite things about the colder weather is dipping back into my winter wardrobe. I last wore this dress to a wedding in Glasgow over the festive period last year and am glad to be giving it another outing.

This week is going to be taken pretty easy. I'm finally off to my friend's new baby tonight who has to be the most beautiful little girl I've ever seen. As someone who is a self-confessed baby hater (slightly OTT), I never thought I would be this excited over a newborn. But I suppose it's different one they're one of your squad. I can't wait to give her a big cuddle and teach her lots of bad habits. I'll also be helping Hannah celebrate her birthday with the rest of the crew. An evening of giggles and good food is just what is needed after feeling a bit under the weather.

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OOTD: Summer florals

Outfit:
Orange and navy floral maxi dress: Zara (similar)
Navy pillbox hat: Coast (similar)
Nude chunky heeled sandals: New Look (similar)

The day before I flew off to Poland I was invited to spend the day at Ascot with Appetiser. So my mum and I put on our fanciest glad rags and caught the train to Surrey. The races are our thing but we tend to go to Newmarket as it's easier to get too. Appetiser kindly put us up in their box with an incredible spread and unlimited fizz. It was great to watch the races from high up and we both has a whale of a time! Thanks so much for the invite guys.

I decided to pump for my trusty maxi Zara dress. It's my dress I always turn too when I have no idea on what to wear and it always delivers. The elasticated waist is great for a foodie day and the long length means it doesn't matter if you forget to shave your legs... Paired with my trusty nude sandals and a bargain fascinator from Coast I got in the sale, it was the ideal outfit for a rainy summer day.

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The Zara summer dress you have to buy

Outfit:

Gingham and floral shirt dress: Zara (similar)
Light wash denim jacket: Primark (similar)
Black double strap sliders: Birkenstock

I first spotted this Zara dress a good few weeks ago and fell in love but I had to wait until payday to finally make it mine. It finally came around and it become mine just in time for my weekend trip to Marseille. I snapped a few outfit snaps on my phone for Instagram but it was so well received I thought I would blog about it! It's probably my favourite purchase of the year and is the perfect holiday dress. Made from lightweight cotton, it's easy to fit into hand hand luggage and easy to dry out if you have to wash it while you're away. It's a great length and the two splits at the side stop it from feeling frumpy. I love the bright clashing patterns and the short sleeves are great if your shoulders are prone to a bit of sunburn like me. It's something that will definitely be coming in my bag for my July trip to Poland as well as frequently appearing on my body as we accelerate into the summer months.

Have a look at some more floral dresses below.

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How to style a stripy shirt

Outfit:
Blue stripy shirt with embroidery: Zara (similar)
Black distressed ankle grazer skinny jeans: New Look (similar)
Grey tailored coat: New Look (similar)
Faux snakeskin skater shoes: Vans (similar)

Who knew such an urban oasis existed in central London? During a farewell trip to Lily's flat for an annual picnic - good luck in Dubai! - a few of us snuck out to snap a few outfit photos. Those pesky bloggers eh? What a treat it was to finally go to the Barbican conservatory. I loved it and hoping I can make it for afternoon tea very soon.

I know I've made a schoolboy error featuring this grey coat in two consecutive outfit posts but I just can get enough of it. It's such a great length and I adore the two splits up the side. I spotted it in the sale before Christmas and managed to blag it as a present. Since having an offer accepted on a house, I've been manically sale shopping because I just can't justify spending too much money on clothes. It's amazing what you can find! ASOS have a great sale section all year round and Love The Sales has 500 retailers all in one place proving you don't just have to wait till January to grab a bargain!

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OOTD: Palm print shirt

Outfit:

Black coat with a fur collar: Zara (similar)

Green palm print shirt: Topshop

Ankle grazer skinny jeans: F&F (Similar)

Burgundy leather ankle boots: Next (similar)

Poppy red Lily: Mulberry

Since getting back from Cologne last weekend it's all been a bit of a whirlwind. For some reason everything has seem to come at once and it's been manic. I feel like I haven't stopped. I think the earliest I got home last week was just before nine pm. But amongst the frantic running around, there was some amazing news thrown in there. From the 1st April I am no longer freelancing but a full time employee. I'll be a member of the Homes & Property team at the Evening Standard, somewhere I've been freelancing since November last year. It's made me week that it's finally official. I genuinely enjoy going into work every day and am so pleased that I can carry on! Obviously lots of celebrating was done with a cider, ramen and fried chicken. As all good things should be celebrated!

After being on a saving mission for February, come March payday I went a little crazy and treated myself to a few things. Two things being these skinny jeans and this palm print shirt. I just felt like I needed a complete refresh and more casual clothes in my wardrobe. You can never have too many pairs of jeans right? Of all places, Tesco do the jeans that fit me to a tee. They're high waisted, don't sag and don't cost the earth. Perfect right?

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OOTD: Little black dress

Outfit:
Black crepe midi dress: Zara (similar)
Ombre midi coat: ASOS (similar)
Burgundy leather ankle boots: Next (similar)
Black leather Bayswater: Mulberry

Not the most ground-breaking of outfit but when all else fails, the little black dress always succeeds. It's foolproof when you're having a breakdown in front of your wardrobe struggling to know what to wear. I always like to add a few splashes of colour if I'm going for the all black everything look. This time I opted for burgundy. Again. One day I'll promise I'll stop wearing this coat and these boots so much. Maybe when spring finally arrives. It is coming right?!

I've been making a conscious decision to slow down recently. Clearing my diary and just concentrating on myself. The early nights aren't quite happening but I'm feeling a lot better in myself. I think I was trying to cram in a bit too much, eager not to get FOMO and spending too much money. I love working in the city but commuting is tough. I think you forget how much travelling knocks you for six. So I've been spending the last week - and probably this week! - obsessively watching Dickensian, eating spaghetti on toast, taking candle lit bubble baths and reading Game of Thrones conspiracies. Pretty much perfect.

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OOTD: Ombre coat

Outfit:
Burgundy and grey ombre coat: ASOS (similar)
Black skinny jeans: New Look
Black vest tunic: ASOS (similar)
Burgundy heeled leather ankle boots: Next (similar)
Blue plastic glasses: Julian MacDonald via Vision Express*

So the last week of 2015 eh? I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I certainly did! It will full of lots of family bonding, incredible food, too many bubbles and lots of films. I feel utterly exhausted and not quite sure how I'm going to get back into a decent routine. Does anyone struggle with knowing what day it is between Christmas and New Year? It just feels like a fun-filled blur!

I was very kindly gifted this gorgeous coat and these boots from my parents for Christmas. I think the coat was actually bought around October time so I was patiently binding my time until I could finally wear it. Talk about a slow torture! It was well worth the long wait. I have such a soft spot for statement coats. Spending the last 26 years living in the UK - also known as the Arctic during the winter - had given me a deep appreciation for a decent coat so they're always worth the investment. After all, you wear them for nine months of the year!

I also just wanted to say thank you so much for your kind comments on the last post. You guys are pretty darn cool!

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OOTD: Orange floral dress

Outfit:
Orange floral maxi dress: Zara (similar)
Nude patent court shoes: Topshop
Nude patent clutch bag: Accessorize (similar)

I snapped this on my phone and loved the outfit so much that I thought it had to be shared! It feels like a throw back to 2010 posting phone outfit photos! Last week I fell head first into Zara and came out the proud owner of three new dresses. I blame the sudden recklessness on having my first wage packet for six weeks. It does strange things for this girl. This maxi dress was brought completely on a whim on the way to the till but it's my favourite of the bunch. I love the seventies vibe, the gorgeous orange tones and the floaty sheer sleeves. It makes me feel sassy which is exactly what every dress should do.

But I'm in the market for some new nude shoes. I seem to be wearing these ones to death. On my list  - perhaps as an early Christmas present - are these stunning Lady Dragons from Spartoo to add to my collection. I've been dying to treat myself to a new pair - there's just something about those shoes that draw me in. Give me the encouragement I need please.  I wouldn't say no to these ones found here either....

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OOTD: Pink floral dress

Outfit:

Pink floral midi dress: Topshop (similar)
Quilted faux leather jacket: Zara (similar)
Suede and leather heeled ankle boots: Ravel via TK Maxx (similar)
Black leather Bayswater: Mulberry

I've been trying very hard to keep this dress off my body lately. Pub with friends? Out comes the dress. Trip into London? Out comes the dress. Going to see a Whitney Houston tribute night like tonight? Out comes the dress. So really a dress for everything. That's the excuse I told myself when I treated myself to it. You can always find an excuse whilst shopping.

Looks like it's tights and ankle boots weather for another 6 months. And scarves. And gloves. And thick coats. Can you tell I'm not excited at the prospect?! But it does mean a little bit of shopping to update my wardrobe. Now that is something that excites me.

Thanks to the ever so lovely Sarah for snapping these pictures.

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