A Little TARTAN Addiction...

Oh crikey - photographing items of clothing is a right task and a half sometimes, isn't it? Fashion bloggers - I don't know how you do it. You deserve a medal.  I often throw a clothing post into the mix... As obsessed by beauty as I am, I also have a love for retail therapy and at the start of each season I do tend to add to my overflowing wardrobe with some new bits and pieces.  This year,  I have a little bit of an obsession for tartan - clearly.  I must admit I do find it quite hard to style sometimes and I have to be 'in the mood' to wear it - but I've become quite drawn to it since I've seen it popping up in shops.  It's won me over.  I thought I'd give you a little insight into my tartan collection and how I'll be styling these pieces through Autumn/Winter.  I've written about them in order of how they appear in my photograph so hopefully you can pick and choose certain sections if you don't wish to trawl through my dribble. Without any further rambling, let's get cracking!

1 | Scarves / White Tartan - Primark / Black & White Snood - Tesco / Red Tartan - PrimarkOne of the first things I bought when I knew tartan was going to be 'in' this season was a tartan scarf.  I've wanted one for quite some time as I think they look amazing with a parka style coat and a simple outfit.  I usually just wear mine thrown loosely around the neck and I like them to be quite long in length - the warmer and snugglier the better.  The white tartan one is perfect for those days when red looks a little 'clashy' - and it's the thicker of the bunch making it perfect for the colder weather.  The black and white snood is perfect for wearing with my leather jacket and is perfect for those days when I'm feeling a little 'monochrome'.  I'm currently on the lookout for an oversized, wooly version of my red primark one - It's served me well up until now but now that the clocks have gone back, I know I'll be in need of a thicker one.  I have my eye on an oversized one from Urban Outfitters... Oh dear - someone has a scarf-buying problem.


2 | Pyjama bottoms / Purple Shorts and Red Tartan Trousers - both PrimarkOh Primark you little devil, you.  Every year you get it spot on when it comes to cosy PJs and I find myself at the till with a basket full to the brim of new-news. Okay, so the purple 'cheeky' shorts aren't exactly practical for the winter but I really, really loved them and I thought I'd get my wear out of them somehow?  I'm completely in love with the red tartan pyjama bottoms though - they're slightly fleecy and are just so unbelievable soft and comfortable.  I've been wearing these around the house to lounge around in and l love them to bits.  They even have a little holly pattern on the inside of the waistband - if that doesn't scream 'festive cosy-ness' to you then I don't know what will.

3 | Skater Skirts / Red Pleated - New Look / Black and Grey - Primark

You can't beat a skater skirt! They're perfect to throw on with simple black and white tops and camis and for tucking jumpers in to. I've been wearing these with my fluffy white jumper and a simple black belt and they look lovely - they cinch you in at the waist and just look so girly and simple. The red pleated skirt is a classic tartan print - and the pleats around the front give it a bit of structure.  I've been wearing the black and grey version with slouchy jumpers and simple black and white cami tops - it also looks nice with my blazers.  It was a complete steal at £8 from Primark and gives that 'school geek-chic' vibe without being too OTT. The shape of it is also lovely - it's not to flouncy or bulky and I find it so flattering to wear - I sometimes struggle to find skater skirts that I like the shape of - but these two are just right.

4 | Collared Smock Dress - River Island via ASOS

If it has a peter pan collar and a cute print - I'll 'av it! This dress is from River Island's 'Chelsea Girl' range and sold out pretty quickly to say the least! Apologies for not getting a full photo of it but hopefully you get the jist of how pretty it is.  It's a babydoll/smock dress but it isn't so loose that it doesn't create shape - it's possible to grab a belt to cinch you in at the waist should you fancy a more fitted shape.  The colour of it is beautiful - a reddish purple hue with lines of yellow, white and deep purple making up the tartan print.  It falls an inch or so above the knee and is the perfect length for wearing both with and without tights.  The white peter pan collar just makes it for me.  So cute and girly!

5 | Tartan Shorts - River Island via ASOS

I bought these a while back and I must admit I haven't actually worn them yet.  They're harder to style than I first thought due to the length! They're quite...cheeky, shall we say? At 23 I can't really get away with short-shorts of a daytime any more. However, never one to give in, I'm planning on styling them with my trusty opaques and a slouchy top/jumper to contrast with the slightly tighter fit. I will probably 'business' it up a little with a black or white blazer as well. Shove a blazer over any outfit and you'll go from casual to office professh in seconds...

Have you been loving tartan as much as me this season? How have you been wearing it?

Summer Haul | New Look, Primark & H&M

So. I promised myself that I would not go shopping until late August.  I'm trying to save the pennies for a rainy day and just recently I haven't exactly been to kind to the purse strings. However, that little promise to myself flew well and truly out of the window when I decided one morning last week to have an innocent little mooch around town.  5 hours and 2 achy feet later and I found myself back in my hallway, a little dishevelled, surrounded by an array of shopping bags.  Oops.  When I was on holiday, I spent a great deal of time sat on a sun lounger, pouring over magazines and reading blogs on my iPhone.  Of course, this is never a good move when you're trying to be kind to the ole' bank balance is it? I practically burst out of the aeroplane doors, brimming with new outfit ideas and a shopping list as long as my arm. Here's the results of my naughty little shopping mission...

First things first - welcome to my back garden! Wheyheyhey! The sun was out in force, it felt like I was melting and the last thing I fancied doing was manoeuvring myself around my house attempting to get good photographs of clothes. The garden seemed a very appealing place to take some blog photographs - much to the fascination of my neighbours - never before has a washing line and a rockery been so handy!  One of my favourite purchases is this gorgeous office bag from H&M.  A while back, I treated myself to the ever-popular Zara Office City Bag in Tan, and it's been glued to my arm ever since.  As soon as I saw this black tote bag in H&M I dashed up to the shelf to grab it.  It was love at first sight.  It has the exact same finish to it that the Zara bag has, and is pretty much the same size, just without all of the sections.  As much as I love my Zara version, I figured that a black one would come in very handy for when autumn/winter roll around - the style is so classic and simple.  For £24.99 it's so worth the money and I cannot wait to wear this to uni with my blazers and midi skirts - very 'office chic'.  Of course, a trip to the shops is never complete without a scout around jewellery sections, and I picked up these two necklaces before I went away on holiday to go with various outfits.

It was my lucky day, as when I walked into New Look I discovered it was the first morning of their sale. Fat kid in sweet shop comes to mind... I spent ages trawling through the rails, and grabbed some lovely things (everything above from New Look wasn't anymore than £9!) I bought the white cropped jumper to wear with my maxi skirts when it's a little chillier, or to sling over my summer dresses and skirts. It's one of those lovely loose fitting ones that are so easy to style - I almost spent £36 on one in Topshop so I was really chuffed to find this one! Next I picked up the dungaree skater dress.  As much as I love the denim dungarees that seem to be everywhere right now, I've never seen them as quite 'my thing' - so when I saw this pretty little skater dress/pinafore I snapped it up.  It's a girly little nod to the trend and I will be wearing this over my cropped tshirts throughout the summer - I adore anything with daisys on it! I've also been after a black midi skirt for what seems like forever now!  I'm quite petite and struggle to find midi skirts that actually fit me and flatter my pint-sized little frame. This one is just the right length - finishing at the knee rather than a few inches below it - so it doesn't make me look like a hobbit and yet still looks classy.  

Primark have really been banging out the summer skirts this year! I stocked up on some lovely midi/pencil skirts before I went to London last month, and went in there with the purpose of finding some more maxi skirts for my wardrobe.  It occurred to me on holiday that I only have 2 maxi skirts - both of which are quite dressy, and I wanted something a little more casual for the daytime.  The spotted skirt is one of my favourite buys - I'm in love with anything polka-dot at the moment, so I rushed over to pick this up before anyone else got their mitts on it!  I will most definitely be wearing this with the New Look cropped jumper when the weather cools down a little - with a little flowery headband I think it will be the perfect outfit!  The black tube maxi is another lovely skirt for the daytime.  It has a split up one side but only to the knee so it's perfect for the daytime and more casual wear - it's a very versatile little piece to have in my wardrobe.  Last year, Primark bought out some lovely little summer dresses in a variety of colours and I got so much wear out of them on holiday.  When I spotted they had a similar version in green this year I snapped it up.  They're perfect for wearing over bikinis on the beach as you can whip them on and off really quickly! The colour is just so beautiful - the camera doesn't pick it up as well but it really is the most intense green - I can imagine it will look amazing with the tan I'm sporting right now!  And last but not least, I picked up this aztec pencil skirt from H&M.  It's not long enough to be a midi but it hits just above/at the knee - it looks really flattering on and the pattern is really on trend this season.  Again, it's such a versatile piece and I can see this lasting me well into winter.  You can never be without a little pencil skirt in your wardrobe!

And so there we have it. A little haul for you to sink your teeth into ;) I really don't have an ounce of willpower whatsoever, but I'm so pleased with what I managed to pick up.  I left the shops feeling rather chuffed with myself to say the least - a dose of shopping really does help to take post-holiday blues away, doesn't it?

What have you found in the summer sales this year? Any of these things float your boat?

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Recent Shopping Buys | Feat. Zara's Office City Bag

Accessories | Zara Office City Bag £50 | New Look Necklaces - £7.99 each | Miss Selfridge Collar Necklace £14 | River Island bikini £27 | Striped Bikini - £43

Hiddely-ho ladies. So, recently I've been a little under the weather. I won't go into the nitty gritty but nothing cheers me up more than treating myself to a few new 'essentials'.  I thought I'd show you all a few things I've bought - even though I hate photographing clothing (does anyone else find it really awkward making it look 'neat'?!).  My best buy over the past few months of course has to be none other than my Zara Office City bag - it's lusted after by many and I can totally see why. I actually wanted it in black, but as my local Zara had sold out and it wasn't available online, I decided to opt for the tan.  It was a blessing in disguise really that the black was unavailable, as it's coming into spring/summer I will be wearing lighter colours and my trusty tan wedges a great deal more, so it will definitely go better with my summer wardrobe. I love the fact it has short handles or the option for a longer strap (not seen) - I'm off to London in July with my uni course so it will come in so handy as there's sections for a laptop, ipad or ebook reader and a slot for your phone and credit cards. Everything you could ever need or want to carry will fit in here - very Mary Poppins-y. I love it.

The bikini's were impulse purchases if i'm honest - the ASOS one definitely a little pricier than the norm but I love the little nautical stripes! In all honesty I'm just a massive bikini addict - I have a drawer full of them even though I only get to wear them for a short period each year (but since I might be going on holiday in the summertime then i'm sure i'll get my wear out of these little numbers).  And of course, New Look has their 'BOGOF' offer on jewellery so I picked a couple of bits up, along with the chunky beaded collar necklace from Miss Selfridge. I love me a bit of statement jewellery!

Clothing | Topshop Jeans - £38 | New Look Crop Top - £12.99 | Primark open-back Playsuit - £10 |  

I needed some new Leigh jeans for this season. I've worn my black and blue denim pairs to death over the past year or so, and thought it would be nice to grab a lighter wash pair.  I tried on their Joni jeans and although I liked them, nothing beats my trusty Leighs - they fit like a glove and wear really well. The Primark playsuit is a must-have for summer and I really cannot wait for the sun to hop out from behind the clouds so I have an excuse to wear it!

H&M Yellow jumper - £19.99 | H&M dress - £19.99 | ASOS nude cape blouse £30 |Rose Jumper - Ebay £15 |

I bought the floral jumper off an Ebay seller and it has to be one of my favourite buys of the past few weeks.  I've been after one of these jumpers for ages, and didn't fancy paying the price tag that I've seen a lot of them selling for. This was a reet bargain and looks lovely layered over tights or leggings as it falls at just the right length - I was unsure about the rips in the material but I suppose it adds to the dressed-down look and it's quite quirky.  The mint dress just had to be mine - purely for the colour and the style! These little girly chiffon dresses are my go-to outfits for spring/summer as they require little or no planning whatsoever - they're just a 'throw on and go' kind of item and i'll be pairing this one with my white blazer and nude heels or sandals.  I bought the ASOS blouse when they did their 25% discount event for students - I don't wear many of my blouses any more - I've sort of 'grown out' of that trend now and I much prefer my baggy tshirts and simple floaty camis and dresses, but I really liked the colour of this one and and it will look really nice paired with my black blazer for a more work appropriate outfit, and the fact it's slightly see through means it wouldn't go a miss for a few drinks either. I thought it was quite versatile and it's a little more 'me' than some of the other blouses I own.

What have you been buying recently? 

January Sales Buys | Clothing, Accessories & Jewellery

| Jewellery |

Maroon Stones - £4 £2 Primark / Triangles £4 £2 Primark / Stud/Spike Bracelet £3 Primark / Gold & Black £4 Primark / Blue Gems £8 £3 New Look/

| Accessories |

Belts - £2.50 each Primark /  Bobble Hat - £4.99 New Look / Leopard Beret -£16 £7 Topshop /

| Photos 3 & 4 |

Floral Cami £15 (sale price) - Topshop / Studded Body £6 Primark / Bird Collar Shirt - £10 Primark

| Photos 5, 6, & 7 |

Blue mini - £8 (sale price) Topshop / Dalmatian Shorts - £39 £12 Motel Vintage at Topshop / Jack Wills V Neck £39 £15 - Jack Wills / Aztec Jumper - £24 New Look /

|Photos 8, 9 & 10|
Studded Hotpants - £40 £15 Topshop / Bird Slouch Tee - £18 Topshop / #Awkward Tee - £7.99 New Look / Geek Tee - £18 Topshop / St Tropez Gradual Tan Medium/Dark - £20 £10 - Boots /

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I must admit, every year, the thought of shopping in the January Sales fills me full of pure dread. There's nothing I'd rather not do after Christmas than battle the crowds in the hope of finding bargains I don't really want. I think working in retail around this time of year puts you off going shopping! However, this year, I decided to take to the shops shortly after the New Year & over the past couple of weeks I've picked up a few things..

I'm so excited to have finally found a slouchy bobble hat that looks decent on me! A while back, I owned a lovely little black bobble hat and I was completely in love with it. Until I lost it on a rather snowy winters evening, have no idea where it tottled off to.. and as a result spent a good while sulking that I would never find one the same ever again (so much so I refused to wear any other hat until I'd replaced THAT one). Ohh how good things come to those who wait because a year or so later, I've found my perfect replacement in New Look for under a fiver. Spiffing.

I'm addicted to casual t-shirts at the moment, which totally goes against my usual dressy/girly style but I love wearing them with jeans when I'm having a lazy day or when one simply can't be bothered to put together an outfit in the morning. I don't usually go in Jack Wills - as much as I love their stuff I often feel as if its full of 11 year old 'Mummy, buy me a horse' types...(ahahaa you know the one's, fellow Wills shoppers..i'm sure they ruin your shopping experience too). This was reduced to a rather purse friendly £15 down from £30-ish so I was quite chuffed with that as I get a lot of wear out of slouchy tees like this..

And of course, the Primark shirt had to be mine - simply because of the birds on the collar! How CUTE?! and I also adore the little dalmatian print shorts from 'Motel Vintage' in Toppyshoppy - they were around £12 down for £40 which is just bargainous in my eyes and it would have been criminal if I hadn't took them straight to the tills... I also stocked up on another GEEK tee - I have the bright blue and love it to shreds! (& the #awkward tee is for wearing to bed..i love a good hashtag, me...)

What have you been buying in the sales?
Please forgive if i have priced things wrongly here.. I've been collecting stuff for ages..

♥