Mish Mash!

This is a mish mash post! Why? Because I had these shots of me in these shoes from AGES ago that I never got round to using and because Sarah at Misfits Vintage had awarded me a Top Blogger award that appaz requires me to tell you about my top 10 beauty products. Thanks Sarah! You are most awesome.

So, I decided that neither thing in their own right warranted a whole post, hence a mish mash fusion! Let's start with the shoes:

They were a cheapo bargain from Matalan a wee while back! I don't wear them very often but they're cute. I always think faux suede looks better than faux leather ever can. Plus, it doesn't have the rank plastic feel and smell of faux leather. The cute crackled faux leather on these babies is an exception, obvs!

Dress: Trollied Dolly, Leggings: Uniqlo, Shoes: Matalan, Cardi: TU via charity shop.

I look on some kind of mission here! The nice thing about finding these pics now is that they are 2 or 3 months old and I can totally see the difference going to the gym and eating better is making. My legs are actually starting to shape up - hallelujah! And I have less cellulite - no joke! Fuck fancy potions, eh? Plus, I feel better, healthier and more confident, which is the absolute main thing.

So, to the top 10. I loved that Sarah made it more about tips so as not to advertise anyone for free. I am far less principled (sorry! Actually, I'm not sorry - like it or lump it people!) so here's what I got for you. Unsurprisingly there are nigh on no hair tips in there!

1. Carmex lipbalm. Being full of lip, I'm picky about what I moosh about my gob in the lipbalm stakes and have never found anything that works for me as well as Carmex. I bulk buy it from the US on eBay - there's a frugal tip for ya!

2. MAC lipstick for a treat. I just love it. I try to pick it up at Duty Free where possible. However, did you know that MAC do 'back to MAC'? (If they still call it that). You take either 5 or 6 empty MAC pots/tubes etc and you get a free lipstick! Worth knowing.

3. Cheap mascara. I don't do expensive mascara. Just curl your eyelashes and go for whatever's cheapest that doesn't flake right off your face. Again, I've bulk bought ones I've liked from eBay.

4. Lots of water and healthy eating!

5. Cheap nail polish. I just can't bring myself to spend a lot on it. Barry M is probably my fave. As long as you let it dry propery and use a topcoat it should last ok!

6. Lush solid shampoo. It's good for the environment as there's no packaging, it's handy for travel as it's solid (no leaks and you can take it hand luggage on a plane), plus it's always been swell for my hair!

7. Lush Dream Cream - an actual skin saver. When I worked at Lush we'd have folk come in for it for excema, psoriasis, nappy rash and all kinds of skin ailments, each one of them swearing by it. I use it for regular body moisturising but also sun burn or exposure, dry skin, irritated skin, shaving rash - the list goes on. It's the ultimate soother and I even use it on a stressed face occasionally.

8. Touche Eclat. Sorry, I know it's the fancy one but I've never found a cheap alternatve I like better. Of course, I never buy it at high street prices.

9. If only this list was about shoes, I'd have more to share.

10. Hmm. Blusher - wakes a face up no end!

That's all folks!

Dirty Old Boot

No, in spite of what you might have heard, I am not a dirty old boot. But my boots are dirty old boots. They're schuh ones that I got for about £13 in the sale last year. Bargain! They're really soft leather and they're leather lined so I was pleased to bag such a good deal. But, yes they're kind of on the battered side (and the lining's a little loose inside one foot which, at the most inopportune moments, emits a creaky farting noise)...

They look almost forlorn here! They got worn so much last winter due to my distinct lack of 'sensible' footwear and a trip to the local farmer's market was really their undoing. The snow was almost as deep as they are high (in the city centre!) and, on account of said snow, half the stall holders couldn't even get in to the darn market! So there I was trudging about in the slush in my barely suitable footwear and, so cold and rank was the weather, I had to nip into Poundstrecher for some replacement socks cos mine were soaked through. Anyway, the result was the salty tide marks you can see right around the upper and, try as I might, I can't get rid of them. And I'm something of a shoe expert. Well, I am!

So really the shoes are in need of some TLC before they're properly subjected to the weather again this year. They could do with re-heeling before the wooden heel unit goes all soft and soggy, and a bit of rebonding around the featherline (see - EXPERT!) and I'll probably give them a wee coat of dubbin or protector spray to be on the safe side. I know I won't get anything I like as much as cheap as I got these and it's good to take care of things, innit? They might not be the prettiest boots ever but they're comfy and I do love 'em.

Which is why I chose them to wear through to Glasgow yesterday. Mr Scribbler decided he fancied a day in the Weej so we set off for as cheap a day as possible (payday is next week!). Here's what else I wore ('scuse the bizarre look. I only had time to snap one pic before I went out so it's just going to have to make do!)

Dress: Trollied Dolly (worn lots - see here, here or here for the incriminating evidence!)

Denim shirt and jacket: H&M

What you can't tell is that my artfully arranged fringe is covering a spot big enough to have me paying fares for two on the bus. NO Kidding! Thankfully today it's beating a slow retreat back from whence it came. Dirty Bugger.

Anyway, the day of cheapness went very well. Remembering I still had various gift card/vouchers knocking about, I bagged a bag (fnar!) from Accessorize and a pair of socks and a dress from Urban Outfitters all without shelling out a penny. Yay! Ordinarily I'd never pay that much for socks and I think a lot of what Urban Outfitters sell is overpriced but it's not so bad when it's free! And the second dress was an exchange for one I hadn't been able to wear yet as it had a bust zip (thank you for your suggestions on fixing it - I tried lipbalm, a lead pencil and candlewax to no avail. It was just completely busted!) so that kinda felt free. Add to this our Tesco restaurant vouchers which got us a nearly free lunch at Pizza Express, it was an all round bargainous day!

Anyway, I'm off to stare at the rain outside.

It's the most wonderful time of the year

Ladies and gents, I know you all think of me as being some busy little fox (and you think that's the reason for my slightly sporadic blogging last week) but, this weekend I was house-wifely! (In between parties and gin. Though drinking gin is a pretty house-wifely thing to do if you ask me. It's just that I'm still celebrating with it and not drowning my sorrows). I polished stuff, tidied up some other stuff and, gasp, I baked the Christmas cake! Yes I did. Apparently it's important to do it in advance to make sure you allow enough time for it to ferment and fester and for the Christmas magic to brew. Exciting times! Here's how the magic unfolded!

I'll be dousing it in amaretto sporadically until it's time to marzipan it. I can't buy marzipan in advance because I only eat it. I am lacking badly in, er, what's it called? Willpower!! And, yes, you better believe I licked the spatula!

And onto shoes # 32! 32! A higher number than there are days in any given month!

And it's this delightful pair of Irregular Choice shoes from schuh.

 

 

Here are some reasons why they are, in fact, awesome. They're green and that's a good colour. They're super soft lovely suede - really soft. They have a kinda funny shaped heel and I appreciate that detail. The toe is rounded but not round - very nice. And finally, yes you better believe I am loving all over that big enormous green and silver sequined flower. They've really considered the practical here, making the petals wire edged so you can easily shape them up/down/off the ground! I've had them ages and don't wear them that often but every time I do they feel like a revelation and I get a wee excited glamorous feeling in my feet.

 

I decided that the only way to wear these shoes was to embrace the floral theme in my Trollied Dolly dress and to keep it cutesy in my heart print leggings. Top it off with an Asda cardi (I know - it looks totally vintage! Well I think so. I shoulda thought to take a pic of the buttons too as they have tiny flower details on them - unusual for a cheap cardi. I've got so much wear out of this thing though - green lurex is surely another one of my essential neutrals) and a funny face and you are good to go.

For next time, I'm hoping my friend got a decent pic of my Halloween costume as shoes #33 are at the bottom of it and I needs proof!!

PS - Mr Scribbler actually did way more house work than me this weekend and he deserves credit for it. He really is tremendous.

Dotty about shoes

I'm well jealous this evening. My pals are off to see the Charlatans and I couldn't afford a ticket. Boo! So here I am typing away instead, but, oh what a pleasure it is to be here. The shoes I'm wearing here (pair # 23) are from schuh, by Irregular Choice. Circa 2003 ish. Practically vintage, non? And as far as I'm concerned, they're one of the prettiest pairs I own!

So what's so good about them?

They manage to combine red and pink and still look good. I once had a pink t shirt with the outline of a lady in red (is dahn-cing with me!) with a big afro. It looked shit. Plus it was too short. So tragic.

They've got a frilly trim!

They're the perfect round toed shape

They have polka dots!

It's a shame the heel's been a wee bit munched by the mean cobbled streets of Edinburgh. It's just one of life's inevitability's - get nice new heels, wear them outside, catch them between paving stones.

 

 

Here's what I wore them with indoors (oh yes people - you're getting indoor AND outdoor looks! Aha! And don't even try to tell me that a little bit of wee didn't sneak out there in your excitement)

 

 

Look at me kidding on at being all demure. So, the shoes we know about (schuh, Irregular Choice, keep up!). Here's the chat on the rest...

Dress: Trollied Dolly (check out their new range - some ace stuff in there...)
Sparkly Lurex Cardi: George at Asda! It totally looks like something vintage though!
Leggings: Uniqlo

 

 

 

And here's the outdoor look (apologies for the slight 'dead person' look again)

What do you mean, "what's changed?"?! I've got a foxy aviator jacket on, of course! It's my bargain H&M one (£24.99 site says sold out I'm afraid) which, despite it's bargainousness is really cosy and doesn't look too plastic fantastic. However, if anyone wants to trade it for the Burberry, I will consider the request.

And one last shot of the shoes:

 

Final thought - is all the glitter and sparkle on Strictly giving anyone else that Christmassy feeling?

Floral arrangement

Shoes # 18 are from schuh and by Irregular Choice. I LOVE these shoes. Let's have a look, shall we?


So what's so excellent about them? From my perspective, they are clashing awesomeness - the two different ditsy florals, combined with turquoise leather and blue and white stripes. I also love the huge big floppy bow ties (which match the heels!) and the gorgeous brogue detailing. Plus they're heels and they're cute.


So what should one wear with such a glorious shoe? Well, if you're me, MORE ditsy florals, in the form of my recently purchased (and recently seen on here) Trollied Dolly dress. Man, I am so loving that dress. It has the perfect combo of looking cute, fitting well and being easy just to fling on when you have no time or feel like you can't be bothered. Finish off the look with a grey cardi and leggings and let all those pretty florals work their magical banter.

I'm off to warm up my hands and nose which froze over while I was writing. Has anyone else noticed the nip of winter creeping in? Owee!

I'm trollied, dolly

Nah, I'm not really. I want to say I can't work a camera when I'm trollied but I have photos to prove that ain't really the case. No, actually, I'm wearing a beautiful floral dress from Trollied Dolly and some Irregular Choice lovelies from schuh.


So, let's start with the shoes. It seems only appropriate for a shoes challenge. You may be getting, by now, that I quite like Irregular Choice. And this pair are no exception. They're dogtooth but, instead of the trad black/white combo, IC have gone for white/grey/pink. Love it. They're a lowish heel (though sometimes they bust right on your balls as you walk. Tee, hee!) with a pink heel tip - I'm a sucker for detail. They have a cute black bow at the heel (details, details!) and, weirdly, orange velvet lining. Now I must tell you: I am not a fan of the velvet lining. It, frankly, encourages foot sweat and I just imagine it all building and festering...what do you mean you came to read about shoes not hear about foot sweat? Oh, sorry. Ah, here's a close up:


You like? I know I sure like my new Trollied Dolly dress. You can read all sorts of shizz about how they came to be here. But, in a nutshell, two sisters grabbed their balls, quit their jobs and decided to make the world better shod. Good plan. My dress is a pretty little white and pink floral, fitted waist number. So far, so cute. The thing that really grabbed me though was the ginormous bow across the chest - cute-a-licious! Ta-da!

Yes that's my neck. No, there's no Adam's apple. I'm a chick! BTW, if you're interested, it's an H&M belt, a Toppers or Primarni cardi and Uniqlo leggings. I am really rather rating Uniqlo's customer service right now. And their patterned leggings!