ONE SKIRT, TWO OUTFITS

If you saw my autumn/winter wardrobe wishlist post from early October, you'd see that I was looking for a tan-coloured button-down skirt. I knew I wanted one as a really loved the style and everyone who has one styles it so nicely, though I was a bit apprehensive as I wasn't sure how many outfits I'd be able to get out of it and was it really worth it. In the end I went for it, and this beautiful skirt is from Boohoo. I'd initially found the most perfect one from Next, perfect colour, perfect material, perfect buttons, but I waited to long to buy it and then it wasn't available anymore. I hunted around for ages to find the perfect replacement, and this is the best one I found.

The two looks below are my two favourite ways of styling it and I think they're such simple but perfect looks for Autumn, Winter and Spring; I also think it would look good with a plain black t-shirt, and I'm thinking of getting the black version of the white top below. I'd wear this look on a night out with a dark red, vampy lipstick and glittery copper eyeshadow. I also like to wear this with one messy plait down the back with long bits coming out at the front.

I'd like to add a note here that this was so difficult to photograph, it gets dark really early and for some reason the whites were coming up so bright. This was literally the only day we had to photograph it and we had to make do with what we could.

Skirt- Boohoo (£18)

Jumper- Next (£18)

T-Shirt- New Look (£7.99)

Boots- Simmi (last year, around £20)

Leather Jacket- All Saints (two years ago, around £100)

AUTUMN/WINTER WARDROBE WISH LIST

Autumn is one of my favourite times of the year and, now that it's October, I feel like I can finally start dressing all autumnal and enjoying scarves and hot drinks and just general autumn-ness again. I also really love October, it's just a great month, definitely autumn but not too cold. As I do love a good list, I've made a list below of my wardrobe wish list for the coming months.

1. Roll Neck Jumpers 
Also known as the humble turtle neck or polo neck, I've previously not been too much of a fan of high-necked clothing, until now. I'm really loving this style, I think it's really flattering, and I've already bought a black roll neck jumper but I'm eyeing up more in different colours.

2. Button-Down Skirts
I didn't know what to call this style of skirt so I've gone for the obvious. Literally just a skirt with buttons down the front. I want a denim one but I'm also thinking of getting a camel coloured cord material one, which I think would look great with my black roll neck jumper.

3. Stripes
I just love stripes. I want everything in my wardrobe to be stripey. T-shirts, jumpers, long sleeves, short sleeves, I want so many stripes.

4. T-Shirts 
Recently I've become really into plain or simply-patterned t-shirts and sleeveless tops. I want to introduce more into my wardrobe as they're so simple but effective.

5. Cardigans
There's a distinct lack of cardigans in my life and that needs to change. 

6. Fjallraven Kanken Rucksack 
I know I got a new rucksack recently and obviously I'm still absolutely in love with it, BUT it's more of my version of a handbag than anything else. It's just slightly too small to comfortably fit a pad of A4 paper, and definitely not big enough to carry a ring binder, and that's my defence for wanting to buy a new bag. I really love the Fjallraven Kanken bags, who doesn't? My best friend got one for her birthday and that made me love them even more. They can carry an A4 ringer binder and textbooks, which is perfect for college, and this is me just basically convincing myself that a £70 bag is worth it (I can use it for uni as well, yes). I might just put this on my Christmas list.

7. Jumpers 
It's no secret that I really love jumpers, and I'm bored of all my current ones so I want more.

8. Denim Jacket
The denim jacket is such a classic and flawless look and I want to take part in it. I'm more inclined to get a slightly over-sized one (or I might just borrow my brother's).

9. New Black Jeans 
My black jeans are basically grey so it's high time I got some new ones. I'm planning on getting exactly the same ones as before, which are the Topshop Jamie Jeans, my favourite jeans (as everyone knows by now- see previous post).

10. Tweed Shorts
If you go right back to September 2013 on this blog, you'll see that I wanted some tweed shorts. I still don't have any. I still want some. It's getting ridiculous now.

11. Trashy Christmas Jumper 
Yes, of course!? I want one that looks like an entire Christmas pudding, it's a wardrobe essential that I can't believe I don't own.

12. Waterproof Coat
I want a really nice waterproof coat, not a hiking one or a jack-in-a-pack, but I really nice, thick proper one. I have one ordered and it will be featured in a outfit of the day post, most likely in December. Watch this space.

WHEN SIMPLE WORKS BEST - OOTD 05/10/15

Recently I've become quite a fan of basic t-shirts and wearing the colour white. I find that simple clothing looks really good a lot of the time, and I am really in love with one of my latest buys; this simple white top is from New Look and has a cute pocket on the front, it's quite slouchy (which I love) so it isn't just a boring, plain white t-shirt. I like to wear it with the equally simple-but-effective blue jeans and I either wear it with black Dr Martens boots or white Converse low-tops. With simple clothing, I also like to layer quite basic and low-key necklaces.

Just to add, I wanted to write a quick paragraph here about my favourite jeans. Topshop Jamie jeans. I've been favouring this style of jeans for well over a year now, I have them in black and blue, and I think they're possibly the most perfect jeans I've ever found. I think it's quite important to invest in some nice-quality jeans, because jeans tend to last ages and ages, so I don't really find myself minding about the £40 price tag. I like my jeans to be skinny, and these definitely are, they hug my legs in a flattering way and they haven't become baggy and misshapen over time, which is perfect. They're the style known as 'ankle grazers' so they finish just on my ankle bone, but I think that's a pretty good look with folded over socks and low-cut shoes. All in all, I love these jeans. I think they're perfect. The perfect style, the perfect fit, they've lasted ages without having to buy a new pair, and they have a soft denim feel (for some reason, I like my denim items of clothing to actually feel like denim, that's important to me when buying jeans). I can't see myself changing my jeans style for a long time.

Top- New Look (£6.99)
Jeans- Topshop Jamie (£40)
Shoes- Dr Martens (£100)

BACK TO COLLEGE ESSENTIALS

I go back to college next week on Tuesday 8th so I've been feeling that September motivation for the next academic year, which also happens to be my final year at college before university. One of the best bits of the year for me is the buying of new stationary, and boy do I love stationary. (A thing that must also be noted here is that W.H. Smith always has a back-to-school stationary sale near the end of the holidays and it's very exciting.) I've complied a list of some of the things (minius the pens, pencils, etc. stuff) that I think are essential for going back to school/college, all of which will be making their appearance in my bag come Tuesday.

Ringer Binders
Being at college rather than school, I work solely with paper and ring binders instead of out of work books. I love pretty folders and I buy all of mine from W.H. Smith. I use one of the regular two-ring ones on a daily basis, I only use one folder so that all of my work is in the same place and I only have to carry one around with me everyday. At home, however, I like to have the massive lever arch files, which I keep all the work I no longer need in, this way I'm only carrying what I need to college and my small folder doesn't get too full. I don't study a-levels, and my college course is split into nine different units throughout the year, so I only carry the work of the units we are currently studying around with me, and all the work from the completed units is kept in my lever arch files at home.

Folder Dividers and Plastic Wallets
I love folder dividers for separating each different unit in my folder, and they're a great way to keep organised. I have to hand in my college work as a physical copy, so plastic wallets are really useful for that. Each unit is handed in in its own plastic wallet so it's all kept together and there's no risk of anything being lost. I also find plastic wallets useful for booklets that cannot be hole punched but I want to keep in my folder.

Paper
This is pretty self explanatory, I write on paper that I then put into my folder. I normally use the W.H. Smith A4 sheets (as seen in the picture), though I am a notebook fiend so I do like to keep a few A5 notebooks around as well.

Planner
Organisation is a thing that I love, so obviously I can't not get myself a planner. As sad as I've been told it is, I get great excitement from writing in my planner and organising my life. I have a little tick sheet at the back in the notes section showing every piece of work in every unit, and I get to tick it in one colour if I've completed that piece of work, and tick it again in another colour if I've handed it in. Very satisfying. My beautiful planner is from W.H. Smith, they have an amazing selection of planners and I spent a good 30 minutes standing there trying to decide which one I wanted.

Pencil Case
Also self explanatory, everyone needs a pencil case. I sneakily like to only keep one pen at a time in mine so that I never have one to lend out to anyone and lose it. I absolutely love my pencil case, it's from Cath Kidston, I got it last Christmas and I think it is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

Rucksack
I prefer using a rucksack for my school bag as two straps is so much easier and less painful than carrying a bag round on one shoulder. You may recognise the picture below of my rucksack from my ootd post at the end of August. This bag is from Accessorize, though I do have the back-up bigger rucksack if this one proves to be slightly too small for a folder, which it might well be.

BLOGMAS DAY 22- IT WOULDN'T BE COMPLETE WITHOUT

Monday 22nd December 2014

3 sleeps till Christmas

I will always have a slight weakness for 'tag' posts so I couldn't not include one. The 'Sweater Weather Tag' (as this is) is technically an autumn tag, but I have edited it for winter.

1. Favourite candle scent?
As much as try and branch out, I think I will always like vanilla the best for candles or bath bombs. I do have the Yankee Candle 'Christmas Eve' candle though which smells really good but I have no clue what it smells of (sort of sugary but sort of spicy?).

2. Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?
As much as I love the others, tea will always be the one.

3. What's the best winter memory you have?
To be honest, this December is the best month I've had for the whole of the past two years and these memories of the past month are some of the most important ones.

4. Which makeup trend do you prefer: dark lips or winged eyeliner?
Dark lips, dark lips, dark lips. Dark lips all year round please. Lets ignore the fact that I can't do winged eyeliner...

L-R: Rimmel Kate Moss Matte '107', Topshop 'Beguiled', Accessorize 'Infatuated'

5. Best fragrance for winter?
Not a big fragrance wearer, so we'll go for a classic vanilla again.

6. Favourite Christmas food?
Sausage stuffing and bread sauce mixed in a bowl together for dinner on Christmas day after a massive lunch.

7. What is winter weather like where you live?
Cold and wet. No snow. Misleading sunlight. Weirdly warm on some days. That's London.

8. Most worn jumper?
I wear all my jumpers a lot- I like jumpers.

9. Must-have nail polish this winter?
Anything dark or berry coloured. And obviously glitter.

L-R: Essie 'Chinchilly', Essie 'Bahama Mama', Essie 'After School Boy Blazer', Barry M Gelly 'Plum', Barry M 'Berry Cosmo'

10. (American) Football games or jumping in leaf/ snow pile?
Leaf and snow piles in wellies.

11. Skinny jeans or leggings?
Black skinny jeans all the way.

12. Combat boots or Uggs?
Dr Martens, the only shoes you'll ever need.

13. Is pumpkin spice worth the hype?
It's pretty damn good. (Autumn question I know).

14. Favourite winter TV show?
Liberty of London- I love it when it gets all festive on the programme. And I know it's not a TV show, but I really love Harry Potter in the winter.

15. What song really gets you into the winter spirit?
This year I'm loving Bing Crosby's 'White Christmas'. But nothing beats Elton John's 'Step Into Christmas' or the Pogues' 'Fairytale of New York'.

BLOGMAS DAY 16- ESSIE 'FAVOURITES TO FALL FOR' DUO

Tuesday 16th December 2014

9 sleeps till Christmas

I saw this on someone else's blog and it was one of those 'I need this in my life NOW' moments. And boy was it a good purchase. 

Essie do quite a few beautiful duos, but this one was so beautiful and absolutely perfect for autumn and winter. The 'Favourites to Fall For' definitely lives up to its name, it contains the two most amazing colours that everyone needs in their lives: 'Bahama Mama' and 'Chinchilly'.

A dark grey is a staple nail varnish colour to own. 'Chinchilly' is described as a "sleek granite grey" and I've had so many complements on it it's mad. I'd had my eye on 'Bahama Mama' for well over a year so I jumped at the chance to get it as part of this duo (plus a duo is cheaper than buying two separate colours). 'Bahama Mama' is a "warm, rich, creamy plum" and I love it. It's a beautiful berry that is perfect for the Autumn/winter months.

I've said it before, but what I really love about Essie nail varnishes is the brush. It's thick and flat and it gives perfect coverage, it's so easy to cover the whole nail in two brush strokes. The brush makes even the worse nail painter, like myself, look good.

I don't know if it's just mine or if it's all of them, but I found that 'Chinchilly' has quite a watery consistency however, like all Essie nail varnishes, it looks great after two coats.

I would definitely recommend getting this nail duo, at £12.99 it's not the cheapest of items, but it's so worth it for the two beautiful colours you get. I am so in love with this duo, I've been rotating the colours for the past two months and I've barely worn anything else.

MUSTARD GOES WITH EVERYTHING

As I am an extreme fan of mustard, and it's such an underrated colour as people never know what to wear with it, I though I'd do a lookbook of how I style mustard, and proof that it's a colour that goes with everything.
I've also found that it goes really well with purple/burgundy jeans, and black and white trousers, though I don't have pictures here to demonstrate. I also have some very well-loved mustard colour tights from H&M that unfortunately do not feature here.

Please enjoy these bloody awful photos, work is being done in the garden so the bedroom was forced to make do.

Cropped Jumper- Boohoo
Shirt- New Look

Cropped Jumper- Boohoo
Shirt- New Look
Skirt- Miss Selfridge

Cropped Jumper- Boohoo
Velvet Skirt- Topshop

Cropped Jumper- Boohoo
Jeans- Topshop 'Joni' Jeans
Scarf- New Look

Cropped Jumper- Boohoo
Jeans- Topshop 'Joni' Jeans
Scarf- Harry Potter Studio Tour

THE AUTUMN SHOE EDIT

We're in that time of the year where I find it hard to tell if it's classed as autumn or winter, but for the sake of naming this post it's autumn. Less than a month till Christmas and less than a week till December... weird.

Shoes- Dr Martens
These are my previous school shoes but I think they look really good with skirts and they go with everything. I do look really clumpy in this photo, but it is really hard to photograph shoes (thanks to my brother for these).

Boots- Dr Martens
My family are avid DM fans (we have a ridiculous amount compared to normal people). My boots are my babies and I love them so much.

Boots- Simmi Shoes
I cannot express my love for these shoes, they're new this year and they're so beautiful and they go with everything and all that jazz. They're muddy I'm sorry.

Brogues- Clarks
Winter pastels are big this year and these have the beauty of being able to be worn all year round. I don't wear them all that often but I'd forgotten how lovely they are. They don't go with black though.

Wellies- Peter Storm (Millets)
Wellies are perfect in the Autumn/winter for playing in leaves and snow (like we're every going to get any snow). The perk I've found with wellies is that they go with everything, no matter what pattern and what you're wearing, because they're wellies, They just do.

WINTER WISHLIST

Wishlists are a new thing on here for me (I write them constantly in the notes section of my phone normally) and previously I had just been including them in my monthly goals-and-books posts. HOWEVER, seeing as autumn/winter is my favourite time of the year, I thought I'd make a whole post on it, just for fun, because this is fun for me.

-Tartan scarf; I like tartan a lot a lot and I like scarves a lot. Despite my main winter coat being tartan, a tartan scarf is a necessity for everyone and they're just so simple but so perfect. (I've said tartan too much already, it's become a stupid word).
-Tartan shorts; yes, still, two years on I am still searching for the perfect grey tartan shorts (grey is preferable) and I found more or less the best ones last year and I DIDN'T BUY THEM because I am stupid.
-Pinafore dress; more of something I quite want rather than really want, but they're just super cute.
-Cute ankle boots; this basically completes an outfit and everyone had them last year and I didn't but this year is my year and I am excited.
-Gloves; I don't actually own any so it would probably be a good idea if I did.
-Winter skirts; I love skirts all year round but especially in winter with thick tights and cute ankle boots. I'm thinking kilts, tartan, velvet, burgundy, dark grey, black pencil skirts. The whole shebang.
-Thick jumpers; I am already an avid collector of jumpers but I need more. I always need more. Jumpers are quite possibly my favourite item of clothing and I need all the thick, pretty jumpers. This year I think I need a staple black jumper as it is a key item in anyone's wardrobe and I am yet to own one (also maybe a dark green one this year too?).
-Mustard jumper; this deserved it's own separate point. I love the colour mustard and so a jumper in that colour is something I need. Mustard is perfect as it is so ugly it's nice and it's just a super cool colour and suits everyone.
-Black and white checked trousers; or a small dogtooth pattern. These are just the most perfect trousers that always always always look good with everything, they're just so effortlessly amazing and beautiful and quirky.
-Stripped t-shirt; specifically black and white with long sleeves. A wardrobe staple that looks effortlessly good without having to try too hard.
-Oversized checked shirt; back to the winter tartans, another item that can be dressed up or down and is super comfy.
-Another bobble hat; Accessorize is normally top notch when it comes to winter hats but they're suprisingly slacking this year. Miss Selfridge actually though is quite possibly the place to be this winter (aside from New Look- bet I will delve into that more another time). I love bobble hats but who doesn't really?
-Tunic/shitf/smock dresses; whatever you want to call them. These are perfect for the winter as they can be dressed up or down with tights, boots and accessories and they're so comfy and cosy and just easy.

AUTUMN TAG

I love autumn, not as much as winter, but autumn is still great and everything is pretty. I saw this Autumn Tag on someone's blog and thought it was such a great idea that I would copy it, basically... (I have edited some of the questions to make it easier for my English ways).

1. Favourite autumn lip product?
As everyone knows I am a self confessed lip balm addict and I get super dry lips all your round but especially in autumn/ winter time I obviously have a million lip balms on the go at one time but my favourite at the moment is obviously Burt's Bees because that is the best and it can be worn under lip gloss or lip stick to stop your lips drying out; dark coloured lip sticks are also perfect for this time of year, the one  I am currently using is the Intense Colour Lipstick in Infatuated (Shade 7) by Accessorize which I bought on a super-quick Superdrugs dash for Halloween but I have completely fallen in love with it as it is the nicest colour EVER and I want to wear it 24/7 (I will write a full review later at some point in the near distant future).

It looks more burgundy in the tube but actually comes out as quite a brightish purple colour

2. Favourite autumn nail polish?
Any dark red is a perfect autumn colour and this year I have gone for the Barry M Matte Nail Paint in Burgundy Crush; dark purples, dark reds and greys work well in autumn. I really like matte top coats all year round as well and they work with any colour.

3. Favourite autumn drink?
It has got to be either the cinnamon or gingerbread latte from Costa- very autumn/ wintery flavours (I like Costa A LOT I go there far to much and my Costa points card is not a valid excuse to go there so much).

4. Favourite autumn candle?
Yankee Candle Spiced Orange- I absolutely love this, the orange and clove scents are perfect together; I don't actually own this candle as the scent can get really strong after a while but it smells amazing in the jar.

5. Favourite autumn accessory?
My current favourite necklace is my Orange Calcite necklace which 'aids learning, study, memory and increases energy' as it goes with everything and I do believe that stones have powers; my father calls it the 'Stone of Education' because he thinks he is funny.

6. Favourite autumn clothing item?
This isn't really an autumn-specific clothing item but I am really loving my lace top from Topshop as it has the cutest little collar and looks amazing under any and every jumper.

7. Favourite seasonal movie?
I can't think of any autumn movies apart from Halloween ones but every year my friends and I have the Halloween sleepover where we basically just eat a lot and scare ourselves shite-less; it has become a tradition that we watch Trick 'r Treat every year even though it is awful but I will choose it anyway for my favourite movie purely due to tradition.

8. Favourite Halloween food?
At the moment I am completely in love with cinnamon whirls from Sainsburys they are the greatest food in the world and I would live off them if I could.

9. What is the strangest thing you have ever dressed up as for Halloween?
For Halloween I was a Sith Lord from Star Wars purely so I could walk about with my Lightsaber (yes I have a Lightsaber). This year I went as the three peas in a pod from Toy Story 3 with two of my friends, took a lot of effort explaining to everyone why we were dressed entirely in green. This year I also dressed up as a bearded lady as I had a dress I wanted to wear and I had a beard from when I was Joseph in the church Nativity.

10. What is your favourite thing about autumn?
Basically the fact that it is nearly Christmas and I enjoy being able to wear coats, hats, scarves, gloves and thick jumpers all the time.

ROSIE ON A MISSION

This autumn I am making it my duty to bring back two fashions which I absolutely adore but I feel just don't get enough love... Mustard and tweed.

Mustard is one of those colours that is so ugly that it's nice- if that makes any sense? Mustard is a great colour for accessorizing with (my personal favourite being the classic mustard tights, but also looks great as hats/ scarves/ gloves) and it goes amazingly with denim- or tweed is you felt so inclined. Mustard also goes surprisingly well with beige cardigans or a moss-green colour, strangely, it is my personal opinion that ugly colours go stunningly together (I am really liking moss-green as a colour as well this year).

Something which I have always, always, always loved has been tweed shorts- I look for a pair every year but I have never been able to find the perfect ones until now. Johnnie B (Boden for teenagers) is a little pricey (£30 per pair of short) but the clothes are always such good quality and the shorts that I have got from there before have been so comfy that I simply can't not buy them! There are two pairs of tweed-look (probably not actual tweed but I don't mind that) shorts on the website and it breaks my heart that I can't buy both (damn teenage funds) but I have settled with the classic grey checked pair (there is also a beautiful red and beige very-very-grandfather-style in tiny checks) and I am buzzing to order them asap.

An autumn trend that I am loving this year and very grateful that it has been brought back into fashion, is tartan. Last year I purchased a tartan coat (£40- H&M) which I absolutely love and will hopefully last me at least two more years, and I see nothing wrong with pairing tartan with more tartan. You can't go wrong with a tartan scarf or skirt, but I have also always loved the idea of pairing a tartan coat with tartan creeper shoes- the more tartan the better! (Tartan is becoming a really strange word now I need to stop typing it). On a side note if I am wearing tartan is has to be red- green tartan is okay for a scarf but nothing bigger.

So this autumn I will be wearing:
-Tartan coat (last year- £40 from H&M)
-Tweed shorts (Johnnie B at Boden- £30)
-Mustard tights (£3.99 from H&M)
-Moss-green beanie- not complete without a pom-pom of course(!)- (£17.99, Accessorize)
-And my Harry Potter Gryffindor scarf- couldn't resist it, my whole family each has a different one, sad, I know, but I really couldn't care less!

At some point I hope to do a autumn-into-winter-this-year-and-last-year-accessories post, but we will see about how well that will actually work...