Leopard print. Cosy. Furry. Pink.

I actually wore this outfit a couple of weeks ago. It's like I could tell that, a few weeks later, it would get right cold again and be all snowy and that I'd want to bust out some weather appropriate shit on the blog. Man, I am like so forsightful. Intuitive? Whatever.

But seriously, unless you're in Devon (and gawd knows those guys deserve a break after all the rain they've taken), what's with it being so cold again. Though, I must say, I'm a big fan of seasons behaving as they're expected too. The 10c in January stuff we've had recently was starting to freak me out. I thought Scottish summer had come early. It might have. That might be it over. *cries*. Anyway, should you find yourself in need of warmth on a chilly day, might i recommend to you this get up:

Hat: Primark, Coat: eBay, Skirt: Topshop, Jumper: vintage, Nike trainers: schuh, Necklace: H&M (present)

Double leopard print, in different colours? Check.

Cosy and appropriately loud jumper? Check.

Big bold neck-piece? Check.

I am good to go!

Yet, ANOTHER new trainer obsession. For realz. I mean, you put leopard print on the trainer and there's a good chance I'll bite...

Top and bottom brooches, New York vintage market. Middle brooch: gift.

Nasty Gal heel-less wedges. In yo' face!

I read a blog post a few days ago by someone who was turning 27 and getting married soon and pondering maturity and age and all that goes with it. It was great to read all the different comments and differing perceptions of what we think we 'should' achieve or do and by when. There were plenty "I'm 28 and now can't see myself managing to have got married/bought a house/had a kid/reached the pinnacle of my career by the time I'm 30, as I thought I would" type comments, as well as a good few "You're really not that old at all" responses. If you'd asked me in my early or mid twenties where I'd be by the time I was 30, I sure as hell couldn't have told you. I think I'm one of life's aimless drifty people. One thing that made me chortle while reading though, was the author's assertion that, on turning 27, she felt that she'd rather be wearing Hobbs than Nasty Gal. I'm a pretty each-to-their-own kinda gal but, at 31, I've never yet set foot in a Hobbs (well, I think I did once, but I was drunk and with a friend and her friend who wanted to go in) and just find it all a bit staid. And, what's more, I very recently acquired my first pair of Nasty Gal shoes! These bad boys:

Dress: River Island, Necklace: Plastique, Shoes: Nasty Gal

Their lurid colour reminds me of a poisonous rain forest frog. Which is great because I love to look at those cute little guys - they're so pretty! Beyond that, truth be told, Nasty Gal clothes aren't really 'me'. In the main, they're just a wee bit too short and too tight. And you know I don't shy away from a bit of short and tight! It was more the idea that, on reaching a certain age, one should dress a certain way. I live in fear of the day that I suddenly start thinking I should be dressing 'sensibly'. Or that any of my favourite bloggers suddenly start feeling that way. I'd sure as heck be losing some of the most amazing ladies from my reading list and that would be the saddest thing. So here's to wearing lurid frog boots, coloured sunset dresses, plenty of leopard print and ignoring conventions of age. Woop!

Jumper: Primark. I have NO idea what happened to this photo. Let's assume that the frogs are releasing poison.

Resolve

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a good one. I'm currently ploughing my way through yet more Christmas cake and wondering if it's acceptable to ease gently into real life eating again through the end of this week and to gradually lessen the amount of crap/alcohol I ingest and really get fresh from Monday the 7th. I fear if I cut the crap out dead, I'll go into a weird sugar crash coma. It'd probably be no bad thing - I think my body needs a shock. To be honest, I really just want to be able to finish the Christmas cake and I can't do that in the rest of today.

So, with it being New Year and whatnot, I figured it seemed a good time to consider resolution type stuff. And, to keep it nice for you and to thank you for reading my ramblings, I'll intersperse the chat with some pictures of my in neon stuff and spiky stuff. Fair deal?

Jumper: Primark (I'm away off to cut the tag out right now - didn't realise it looked so obvious and white until now), Skirt: H&M, boots: Jeffrey Campbell at Solestruck. I think I had a giant chin spot this day  - hence coy over shoulder chin-hiding pose.

Normally I don't bother too much with resolutions. I've lost count of the number of times I (or others) resolve to lose weight, see more of folk, drink less, join gyms etc, only to see it all go tits up by February. Oddly though, without any real resolution, I probably go to the gym more now than I ever have and I actually like it too. And, as a result, I'm probably the fittest I've been since my teens. I also lost a bit of weight last year too (only a wee bit, mind), without any goal or anything, so that was nice too. 

So, with health and fitness (my past resolution topics) in hand, this year I feel a bit freer to crack on with some other resolution type stuff. More for fun and enrichment or something. This is as deep as it gets people, fear not! Here's a close up of the shoes though, just in case...

So here's what I plan to do this year:

Read more. Books. I get through my magazines but, even then, I'm still on maybe November's Elle - at the rate I'm going, I'll be scowling over how last season everything in there is and at the fact that I've missed the TV shows, events etc that they're talking about. "But", I hear you ask, "how will you find time to read books when you're behind on your magazines, struggle to blog regularly and generally seem to be a pretty busy bee a lot of the time?". Good question, dear reader, I'm glad you asked! I realised this week that I spend too much time fannying about with my phone and scrolling through totally inane chatter on Twitter etc, when I could be doing much more fulfilling/rewarding things with my time. So I shall cut back on that for a start (not on words with friends though - that strengthens the mind for sure! LlaraG if you're looking for a new opponent). I also really need to reconsider the amount of crap telly I watch too. So, with cuts in both those areas, I feel sure I can get stuck into some literary fodder. On this, does anyone have a kindle and have any feelings to share on said device?

Get back into music in a bigger way. I used to be forever listening to music. I listen to 6 music all day at work and love it. I just plan to make more effort to seek out bands I enjoy and to get back into listening to more music at home. Which I can do as I'm reading! Yay!

Seizing days. I was at home the other night doing piss all and watching old friends re-runs. Then I discovered that it was the pre-Hogmanay torchlight procession in Edinburgh. I felt kind of sad that I was doing bog all when something so cool was going on. Plus, I have an epic new hip flask (yellow neon leopard print) that I could have had with me and everything. So, sometimes, I need to sit on my arse less and go out and do more stuff. Especially given that I live somewhere as awesome and beautiful as Edinburgh. That said, sometimes one does need a down day.

And my last one is private so I'm not telling you it!

Necklace: H&M

PS - totes planning to get in banging shape for Ibiza this summer too ;-)

Kicking off ma boots. And a new jewellery find.

Meet Bob: my Chloe-tastic boots from schuh. They're sold out now but you can get dead similar ones in the sale here. I got them earlier this year and, how they haven't made the blog I've no idea as I wear them ALL the time! They've been all over this year - to Bestival, to see Blur, to work many times, up and down from London and, er, Colchester. Next year they can look forward to getting out and about all over again.

Here's me looking awfully prim by my standards:

Boots: schuh, Dress: Primark, Jumper: ASOS, Necklace: Suzywan Deluxe

One reason I love the boots so much is that, although they're a designer rip off (Chloe's Susanna), they don't feel dead flash in the pan. Chloe have had the boots out for ages and just keep re-releasing them. They're still £850 on Net-a-Porter! So I reckon I'll be wearing these guys for a loooong time! Another reason is that they are SO comfy. As you may know, I have a penchant for, er, interesting shoes that aren't always the most comfy so it's nice to love a pair that are!

This particular day, I decided to go a wee bit prim and buttoned up. Well, it's nice to be smartish sometimes, innit?

To keep the primness 'me' I added this necklace that I got from Suzywan Deluxe, - a French/Swedish label. I'd got a 20% discount from Effet Noemie and UK delivery was free, which is awesome given that they're in France. Being the crapass that I am, the picture hasn't quite caught the necklace right but it's a cosmic style backing with glitter and mirror perspex triangles attached. Being a lover of a bit of fancy perspex, this is right up my street! The shop is closed just now but I'll be checking it out again when it's back up!

I hope you all have super exciting New Year plans (apart from Vix who's had New Year already). We're having a house party (so the poor Christmas tree is down already in preparation) and I cannae wait. Once you've got past the bit where you do nothing but answer the buzzer and get first drinks for folk, it's great crack! Have a great one, whatever you're up to!

It's Christmas!

I can never decide if posts with Christmas (or Birthday) presents in them are crude but, in the absence of strong feeling either way, I decided to share some of mine. As well as my Christmas day outfit. My ideal Christmas Day would be spent in pyjamas. When I was a kid, I was never fussed for getting dressed at Christmas and did so begrudgingly. Now that I am old and spend Christmas visiting family and whatnot, pyjamas won't cut it. Yup, I am firmly in the 'pyjamas should only be worn in the house' camp. The only excusable exception to this are:

• Nipping to the corner shop for milk (etc) and, even then you should add trainers and a sufficiently outdoor appropriate hoodie or similar.
• Unexpectedly having to pick someone up from somewhere in the car - see rule above for making said pyjama wearing acceptable.
• Emergency shit like fire alarms or ambulance travel.
• Being aged 5 or under - embrace it small ones!

Now, my Christmas day wear needs to be:

• Comfortable with plenty room for a food baby.
• Still look 'me'
• Have some sparkle. Well, it is Christmas after all.

Here's what I went with:

Dress: vintage from Godiva in Edinburgh, Cardi: Primark, Belt: Accessorize, Glitter ankle boots: schuh, necklace: Plastique.

How weird does my nose look? It looks like I've had an odd extension to it. I haven't. 

This outfit basically ticks all the Christmas boxes for me: the dress is pretty but also comfy (elasticated waist) and demure enough for a day with in-laws and the belt's a bit loose so plenty room for Chrimbo munching. Those and the cardi are lurex threaded so there's your sparkle. And, there's extra sparkle in the glittery boots. Which also have a heel that's low enough for any Christmas Day walks that get chucked in. My gorgeous mirrored Plastique necklace adds a final statement. What did you wear? If you say pyjamas, I'll be sick with jealousy!

And so to the potentially tasteless gift flashing. I got some lovely gift from some awesome people, including gift cards (NEVER impersonal  - don't believe anyone who says otherwise!), rum, Grasmere gingerbread, nice smellies, useful notecards and note books and, (casual as you like), a pair of Charlotte Olympia Priscilla in glitter. Oh my days. I can't WAIT to wear them. Mind you, I did wear them about the house while I tidied up Christmas stuff last night...

I hope you all had an ace Christmas! Here's to a happy New Year next...

Yes, I AM wearing my Camilla Skovgaard shoes

But, dear lordy, are they a bugger to walk in?! Yes, they are. The slim heel just does a weird catchy thing on the ground with every step I take so they make a strange noise and I have to really concentrate when I walk. Which, given that I'm a bit clumsy anyway and prone to the odd fall, is probably no bad thing.

Shoes: Camilla Skovgaard @ the Outnet, dress: H&M, Jumper: Primark, Necklace: Wolf and Moon.

The good thing about the shoes - nay, the great thing - is that they look epic. Look at that fearsome jagged sole! I'm probably doing an amazing ass workout every time I get up as I clench in my attempts not to fall too so there's an added bonus. And, as above, I can totally stand on one leg in them. Like a master. Look at me - just hanging out, chilling on one leg. Casual.

Please, be kind and ignore the slight Nora Batty-ness starting to creep in at the toe. Though show me a woman who doesn't spend half the day hiking her tights back up to where they belong and I'll...well, I'll shake her hand and demand to know where her gravity defying tights are from. Or if she's just got pants on over them like many of my pals do. I'm just a tights howker. You?

How to be a bag lady. Minus the bag...

Some days I look a  bit like a bag lady. It can't be helped. There's just some sort of edit thing missing in me. Like when whoever it was said that, before you leave the house, you should take off the last accessory you put on, I just can't do that. I'm just lacking in some kind of aesthetic vision. Therefore, I'll never be one of those dead chic minimalist folk (though, frankly, I wouldn't want to be) and it's more likely that I'll look ramshackle than put together - possibly because, regardless of what I've already got on, sometimes I just really want to wear a specific jumper or something and on it goes, without a proper thought about how it might look. So - here it is - my master class in how to get the bag lady look, without a single bag in sight...

Put on a pretty and summery vintage dress. Winterise with black tights...

...black shoes (Red or Dead from schuh)


...and a black belt. I can't remember where I got this but I enjoy the smoochy birds!

Whap on a giant shiny necklace. This one's from Primark.

And then...

Decide to wear a jumper (from ASOS) you love but that, with the dress, loses your waist and cuts you in half. Ideally you should have two, totally at odds, prints involved.

Then, for shits, giggles and warmth, cover it all with a parka (H&M). Ideally, if you can make like me and forget your eye make-up for that nice tired look, it works even better. I'm pretty fresh faced though and I'll take that!

How about we finish on the shoes again?

Tell me a-boot it...stud.

Ahahahahaha! That's me laughing at how funny I am. Cause I'm wearing studded boots in this post. Anyone for an ironic ass MEGALOL. When it comes to LOLZ, I only ever do them with lashings of smug and superior irony. It's the only way. Do you want me to stop chatting shite and show you the shoes? OK then.

Boots from schuh

They're probably one of the best boots ever. They're called Bob, they're from schuh, they're a belting ringer for the Chloe ones and pretty well everyone has a version of them this season. I couldn't give a crap about my mainstream-ness though because they look so good and they're so friggin' comfy. I've worn them an absolute crap tonne since I got them. And, they have taken a battering so far and haven't shed a single stud.

One day I wore them with this lot:

Dress: Primark | Jumper: H&M

Gawd, I am looking a bit pasty. Best starting upping the blusher - I'm not likely to pick up any flush of colour (unless you count a ruddy cheek) between now and June. And in keeping with the cold theme, I went for blue nails. I am not a nail art girl. I have neither the skill or patience. If I can get a colour on and not chip it, I'm happy.

Topshop nail polish.

And finally: can I remember where this necklace is from? Can I heck. I don't think it was high street but I truly can't remember. All I know is that I don't much fancy smelling of Paris. Whenever I've been, it's been something of a whiffy place. I imagine Paris scented perfume would be a bit of a pumps and flowers type mix. Maybe folk would go for it...

An awesome jumper from Oxfam

 I visited the Lake District recently. While I was there, I popped into an Oxfam shop in Ambleside and man did I get a good jumper! Look.At.It.

 

Black, gold, silver and lurex all in one item. The plain black bits are super snuggly and the rest is disco jumper supreme! The poufy shoulders and batwing sleeves are ever so 80s, but in the best possible way. And it was a mere six quid.

Here I am wearing it with other shit and P-O-S-I-N-G like a muthfucka. Boobs out, belly in. Good girl.

Necklace: Wolf and Moon | Jumper: Oxfam Ambleside | Skirt: Primark | Boots £20 down from over £200 Urban Outfitters *smug*

The jumper's label reveals it to be by a brand called Mondi from West Germany. How very pre "The Hoff bring down the wall single-handedly". A quick Google turned up this on Mondi: "Mondi actually started out as a knitwear house before it spread it wings into a full range of clothing and gained a faithful following, including Diana, the late Princess of Wales". That is according to a random on Etsy though, so it could be utter piffle. Either way, all the stuff I found by them is selling for way more than £6 and is way less amazing than this wooly winner.

I'm off to finish my Croatian Muscat. Mmm!

Lady(like) in red. And Charlotte Olympia.

No kidding - I can do ladylike sometimes. Only sometimes. It doesn't sit that well with me because I am a naturally scrappy person. I'm a chipped nails, sliding eyeshadow kind of girl who's likely to walk into a wall or whack her hand on a door. Right now, my nails are polish free, thus chip free. Prior to that they were fetching bright orange glitter with some almighty chips. However, in spite of said scrappiness, a 50's style frock really suits my shape and I love a high heel. So sometimes I just bust out smart Llara for shits and giggles. Boom!

Dress: ASOS, Cardi: Primark, Necklace: H&M, Shoes: Charlotte Olympia

Tweet, tweet

Look at that. Elegant to a fault. And not just wearing any shoes, but actual posh designer shoes. Fancy! Yes, I love my Charlotte Olympia shoes. As with all my designer shoes, they were bought on sale and, my oh my, are they worth every penny! That said, I am stopping buying designer shoes now in order to save for holidays next year. My buds and I have decided that, before we get "too old" (whatever that means), we're off to party it up in Ibiza. I went to Ibiza heaps of times when I was younger but it was always for a chilled out time. Back then, partying in Ibiza equalled lurid drinks, unknown drugs and STDs. I didn't much fancy that. Now we're old enough to just be in it for the dancing so we're going raving AND doing some chilling on the stunning island. I'm excited and terrified all at once!

Lord know these babies won't be coming with me...

Little Scribbler: gets her legs out. Warning - may contain blinding whiteness.

I don't get my legs out. They're big and they're pasty. However, owing to my slight weight loss and great gym action (bless you combat and rpm), everything's tighter and more toned than ever - except when I was a smooth skinned kid, obvs. Oh, make no mistake, I still have thighs like the peely walliest cottage cheese. But there's less of them these days. And so, one warm day, I decided that it was acceptable to get my pins (ha. HA. Pins - ten pins perhaps) out. And do you know what? They're not really that bad at all. I mean, no-one's ever going to be overheard wishing they had Little Scribbler's legs (ass, I'll give you. Who doesn't want junk like that?) but they're not horrific. So here's to celebrating bodies that aren't, in fact, that bad after all and having the confidence to get your bits and pieces out. Woop! I recommend that you all do it immediately.

Dress: Topshop, cardi: Primark, belt: M&S, shoes: New Look sale bargain!

Green toenails! Not gonna lie, I had to do a tweaky effect to cover the smudged bits on them. I am such a tatty thing.

Little Scribbler: Bags some bargains

The tail end of the sales: often full of shite.

The Primark sale: usually full of shite.

The tail end of the Primark sale: should be full of shite. 

But, no! Not in Primark Plymouth. Yes, I was in Plymouth this week. Specifically, my buddy and I drove nearly 1200 miles, between Monday and Wednesday, from Edinburgh to Wolverhampton to Plymouth and back to Edinburgh. We were seeing Blur. And visiting Plymouth gin. I'll fill you in on it soon! However, on account of having forgotten how manky and stinky one gets in a mosh pit (I tend to hang out where there's dancing room at gigs these days but Blur demand some serious down the front squishing), we had to stop to get some clean clothes when we arrived in Plymouth. First up I needed a jumper. I got this holey pink number. It was not in the sale but 12 quid seemed fair to me.

And, being a ginormous magpie, I couldn't ignore this giant sparkly necklace (I know - 'needed clean clothes' doesn't exactly call to mind a giant sparkly necklace). I nearly hypnotised a colleague with it today. This could be useful at work actually... "you are feeling very sleepy. You want to give me a pay rise...". For £6, this is high end Primark pricing.

"Hypnotic"

And so to the cheapy bits...

This gorge teal calf length dress was a tenner. It came with a nasty plastic belt which is already in my recently created cash for clothes mountain. The tight-as-you-like underskirt needs chopped out but, aside from that, this dress is great! Look how skirty it is!

Next up, this super pretty, girlie, floral number was down to £8. Again, it has a woefully tight but, this time, mercifully stretchy underskirt (it'd be completely see through otherwise!). That aside, it's a floaty pink confection. Now if summer would come along, it'd be perfect...

And finally - the fiver dress. BARGAIN! It's super light, floaty fabric with a lovely silky feel. Mind you, I'd bet my ass that if you came near me with a match (lit or not), I'd likely go up in a dramatic POUF! The stripes down the sides have a glorious slimming/shaping effect and I love the vibrant purple/blue flowers. I should've flipped it for you too as it has a nice chunky gold exposed zip - you'll need to take my word for that...

 

Look - I loved it so much, I wore it as soon as I could!

dress and necklace: Primark (keep up!), flip flops: Havaianas.

 I gave the amazing necklace a whirl too. It didn't swing me a pay rise...there's always tomorrow ;-)

Big bright flowers and an Easter beasting

Evening. Don't be alarmed. When I say 'beasting' I'm being over dramatic. Easter has kicked me clean off the healthy wagon and I am huffing and puffing behind it, trying desperately to get back on. But I figure, whilst I'm off that wagon and hiding indoors stuffing my face with Celebrations and tea, I might as well hop on the blogging wagon. Make good use of my time and whatnot.

To catch you up: I joined Weight Watchers a couple of months back and am doing so-so with it. It's dead easy and actually makes good sense and seems to be encouraging a healthy lifestyle and healthy eating, as opposed to some unsustainable ideal. However, what I wish to do, is incorporate said healthiness into my actual life in a way that lets me have... an actual life. I'm never going to be the chick that won't go partying or have a nice gin because she's "on a diet" or who won't go out for tea or cake for fear of what'll happen to the waistline. Equally, I don't want to be fat and unhappy but claiming to be 'enjoying' myself because I eat and drink what I like. There's more to life than the eating and drinking after all and I know, when I feel overweight and bloated it makes me unhappy. So I'm doing weight watchers. And the weight's coming off slower than it might if I stuck rigid but...see above. Plus, I have been gyming it dead diligently of late. I'm going to a big mix of classes and trying new stuff and mainly liking it. I've started (with the notable exception of the last few days) to look forward to my classes, whether it's sweating on a bike or knocking seven shades of imaginary shit out of whoever's pissing me off, at Bodycombat. But Easter. Man, Easter has knocked me flat in terms of both exercise and eating well! However, I've decided not to let it bother me too much, to have this few days blow out and to climb BACK on the wagon before the weekend. And, frankly (and smugly), I'm plenty fit enough these days to catch it...

So today, in an attempt to convince myself that I should be getting back on the aforementioned four wheeled, horse drawn vehicle, I decided to wear a pencil skirt. Cause they're all sooky and unforgiving, like.

OK, so this one's stretchy, which makes it a wee bit more sympathetic but, silhouette-wise, it is not forgiving! I breathed in a lot today when standing! Haha! You try getting a non bespoke pencil skirt to fit proportions like mine. I love this skirt though. I got it recently in H&M. They've done about a hundred million things in the print (I've seen a shirt, t-shirt, another skirt, a dress, trousers - there may be more) so normally I'd steer clear but I just loved the big bright florals so I nabbed it anyway. I actually tried the trousers too. Step too far for the pear. Ah well, gawd loves a trier. In a sly attempt to cover le belly du chocolate, I wore it with a nice baggy leopard jumper:

Jumper: Primark

S'cuse the smug arse face. I have no idea what that's all about. But, look! I stood somewhere new for a change. Yup, ALL my pictures are usually in the hall because there's a nail on the bathroom door that allows me to hang the camera at a height that works for pictures and to get far enough back to get my full length. You see, the only person who's ever in when I do my pics is my lovely and awesome husband. But - 1) he takes crap pictures, 2) I feel like a giant twat posing, so I prefer to just DI-My and use the nail. But, I realised today that there's a pic in the bedroom with a nail at an OK height. Woop. Don't I just tell the BEST stories? Here's a close up of my stinking awesome £1.50ish Primark sale necklace.

And it's only right that we finish up with some shoe perving, non? These shoes are bloody awesome. One of my best pairs for sure. Amazing. They never fail to bag compliments and why should they? I nearly broke my ankle at the front door this evening. But that's by the by. If I had, at least my feet would've looked good...