My Style in My Time

Peacocks and Cocktails

2010-12-18T06:53:00.000-08:00

There are a few simple things in life that I take great pleasure from and peacock feathers and cocktails are two of those things. I can also add leopard print, florals, spending time with my boyf and family and sunny days to that list. Mix them all together and I am in heaven! Here's a round up of some of my favourite feathered items including a fabulous peacock-clad mannequin that I snapped in the Forever 21 store in Times Square. My peacock necklace is from there. I really love that store and am so glad it's now available in the UK! In those pictures, I am also wearing some of my other prized possessions, namely the Michael Kors watch that my gorgeous girlies bought me for my 30th and my House of Harlow 1960 ring, which I have in black and tortoiseshell. I love the nail polish I am wearing with it. It's Model's Own in Jade. I can highly recommend it - it lasted the whole week in New York!

The peacock earrings are from River Island. I wore them to my work Xmas party. I wish I had some full length pics of my outfit from that night because I loved it. I wore this dress from ASOS with my fabulous new lace-up Jimmy Choos that I bought in New York. I hope to blog them here soon.

I hope that during this holiday season you've all been enjoying and indulging in the things that make you happy!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Kisses

xoxo

A walk in Central Park

2010-12-05T10:01:00.000-08:00

(shirt: Matalan (old), skirt: H&M (also seen here and here), shoes: Topshop, bag: Prada, rings: YSL and House of Harlow (also seen here and here), bracelet: gift, watch: Michael Kors)

Finally some pictures from New York - better late than never eh? The sunshine is such a contrast to my current snowy backdrop (see here). Am wearing the YSL ring I bought there as well as the Michael Kors watch that my girlfriends bought me for my birthday - I absolutely love both of them and am rarely seen without them now. Also toting the Prada bag I treated myself to. It's perfection and comes everywhere with me at the minute. The trip was fabulous - I've many more posts to get out of it!

Hope you've all had a great weekend!

xxx

The lights will inspire you

2010-09-08T09:31:00.000-07:00

(photos from GossipCenter)

This morning kicked off in the usual way - oversleeping, coffee, work, emails, bloglovin' etc. I was researching more things in association with my upcoming New York trip (only 2 days to go!!) when I found this pic of Gwen Stefani strolling down a New York sidewalk and I just had to share it with you. Her style epitomises cool - who else can pull off neon yellow nails with such ease? She makes looking stylish so effortless. I aim to channel some of Gwen when I am in New York - wish me luck! Ha ha!

Obviously it will come as no surprise to you all that I have started planning my New York wardrobe in my head, outfit by outfit, occasion by occasion. I am definitely an over packer but given that I already have my eye on so many treats to purchase (and a finite weight limit on my baggage allowance!) I am really going to try and streamline my New York wardrobe. One person who definitely knows how to take clothes from day to night in a very chic manner is Olivia Palmero. Love her or hate her, she can dress! Here's some of my favourite looks of hers, which I will be using as inspiration when trying to downsize my packing:

(photos from Google, The Satorialist, StockholmStreetStyle, and Denimology)

Isn't she absolutely gorgeous? Love her accessories, never understated, love her Chloe Gemma bag, love her!

So tonight I start on the packing, I like to get a head start, as well as finalising my New York itinerary and Google Map (geek!), not to mention adding to my ever increasing lust list of things I want to buy....bless my bank balance!

xxx

Mixed Metals

2010-09-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

(t-shirt: ASOS, necklaces, bag and bracelets: Primark, jeans; Sass & Bide; shoes: Zara, rings: Ebay and gifts, watch: Casio)

Isn't it frustrating when despite your best intentions some things just get in the way. For example after my last post, I had a brilliant follow-up post all sketched out in my mind but then Blogger temporarily deleted my blog because they thought I had been spamming! For a moment there I thought I had lost everything but thankfully I had a rare moment of patience and pragmatism whilst going through the reinstatement protocol and after some days and many deep breaths my beloved blog was back!!! But then I jetted to Edinburgh to celebrate my birthday and I just lost track of time....

These are the pictures I wanted to post before my birthday, showing my newly discovered liking for mixing my metals - something which to be honest I have previously avoided like the plague. But after cruising many jewelled websites looking for sparkly treats to ask for for my bday, I became inspired. The outfit is pretty basic as I wanted the jewellery do all the talking. The t-shirt is one of the four that I blogged about here. I love them all - real wardrobe staples.

I had also intended to blog my birthday wish list fuelled by my inner magpie, but obviously that never happened. But in what I like to think is a purposeful twist of fate, whilst I got many beautiful expected and unexpected treats for my birthday that will no doubt be shown here soon, some items remain on my perennial lust list. Ever the optimist, I see this as the perfect shopportunity! And where better to shop than New York city where I will be landing in precisely five days time!

Pending a sudden massive cash injection which I am sure must be imminent any day now (ha ha!), currently top of my wish list is anything from the talented Dannijo:

Beautiful juxtaposition of chunky metals and dazzling crystals. I'm in love...but their heavyweight nature is matched with an equally heavy price tag so it looks like I'll be tracking down suitable substitutes at Banana Republic, J.Crew and Forever 21 in New York.

Anyone got any New York must-sees/things to do/places to eat and drink? All tips gratefully received.

Isn't it an amazing coincidence that my New York trip, which we booked and planned over a year ago, coincides with New York Fashion Week??

xxx

Graffiti Artist

2010-08-10T01:53:00.000-07:00

(headband: old, cardigan and vest: Gap, shorts: Uniqlo, shoes: Aldo, bag: Mulberry (also seen here), jewellery: gifted, silver cobblestone ring also seen here., skull ring: Ebay, cobweb ring also seen here)

Just a few pics me and the boyf snapped of my outfit the other day. I think the muted tones of my outfit look brilliant contrasted against the brights of the graffiti art, which is just around the corner from our apartment. What a great outdoor studio! I wish I posted them a bit earlier as I just saw that Aimee from Song of Style has posted a similar concept. Great minds eh?

As long as I can remember, I have a major thing for jewellery (I dedicated my last post and these posts to it!) amd usually the bigger the better. I wanted the focus in this pics to therefore be on the jewellery, some of which I have recently acquired and others of which I have had decades. I have drawers and drawers filled with all kinds of wierd and wonderful jewellery. However, I just can't bare to think of my pieces du jour (I rotate them all the time) being locked away so I have a habit of cluttering all the available surfaces in my walk-in wardrobe/spare bedroom with them. They're a real pain to dust but they're are just too beautiful to be hidden.

I try to keep track of all my most sentimental pieces but as you may seen me tweet recently, often I'll realise I've lost track of a piece or three and so I'll happily spend an afternoon or an evening "rediscovering" jewellery stored away in those drawers.

Soon it is my birthday and many of my lovely friends and family have been asking what they can get me as a gifts and my mind immediately went to all things metallic, jewelled and sparkly. Consequently, I have recently spent many hours delightfully trawling the internet in search of such things and this post is a precusor to my jewel-encrusted wishlist.

What pieces of jewellery are currently on your lust list?

xxx

House of Harlow 1960 at ASOS

2010-08-03T07:13:00.000-07:00

(from asos.com)

Look at these gorgeous beauties that I just purchased from ASOS! Jealous much? I can't wait to get back to the UK next week to pick them up - I adore the petrol-like look of the ring and necklace. As you can see from here and here, I love House of Harlow 1960 and I love ASOS. It's so hard to find decent House of Harlow 1960 stockists in the UK so well done ASOS! I think Nicole Richie is a true style icon. I'm also on the stalk for this ring and the whole of her Winter Kate collection as well. Now if only I could get my hands on this cape from ASOS as well.....

(from asos.com)

How gorgeous? I love it all - the cape, the leather shorts, the chunky bracelets and last but not least the beautiful Olivia Palmero.

What's on your lust list?

xxx

Gifted street walker

2010-08-02T12:26:00.000-07:00

Denim jacket: Gap (very old, also seen here), floral scarf: Primark, striped top and rolled hem chinos: Topshop, bag: Mulberry, wedges: Bertie, jewellery: gifted (see below).

As I said in my last post, the boyf has been fabulous recently and so supportive of my blogging. I think you will all notice more outdoor pics - all courteousy of him. This is my work outfit from today which also nicely shows off my first "gift" - lucky me! The silver ring was so kindly given to me by the lovely Sarah from
LuShae Jewelry. Check out my ring here - I love the texture on it and within no time it has worked its way into my weekly rotation. As you can see from here, I have a thing for rings and also found myself being quite partial to this ring as well. How can you not love a good cocktail ring? Sarah was so lovely - you have to check out her website.

I hope everyone feels suitably rested after their weekend and has had a great Monday. My weekend consisted of chilling with my boyf, running errands and completing various DIY tasks in the apartments - my latest project is finally framing all the photos that I've been collecting on my desktop and hanging them. It sounds simple but has taken weeks!!

We're going to Edinburgh in a couple of weeks for the Fringe festival so we also spent a lot of time laughing our way through various comedian's sketches on YouTube. There are so many acts to see but such a short time in which to see them. In the end we settled on Jason Byrne, Best of the Fest (we went last year and this is a good all rounder), Shappi Khorsandi and Paul Merton's Impro Chums. I am most looking forward to Shappi...check out this YouTube video of her:

Enjoy and good night!

xxx

The Simple Things in Life

2010-07-31T16:13:00.000-07:00

How great is it when you wake up and that special someone in your life surprises you with something as sweet as this? Bacon sandwich for breakfast adorned with a ketcup heart.

I love my boyf!

xxx

The Italian Job

2010-07-29T15:04:00.000-07:00

I've just come back from a gorgeous vacation in Sorrento, Italy with my even more gorgeous boyf. It was such a lovely break where we truly relaxed (which was much needed) and indulged in great food, cocktails by the pool and the breathtaking beauty of the local area. I can highly recommend Sorrento and the Amalfi coast as a place to visit.

On our return to Norway we were greeted with grey skies and rain, a stark contrast from the continuous sun that shone down on us all holiday. But that didn't stop us from coming down from our holiday high too soon and when there was a break in the clouds, we dashed outside to snap these Italian themed pics. I even wore this outfit to work - I have to show off my tan while I have it.

Has your holiday been a fashion inspiration for you?

Sunglasses: American Eagle

Cardigan: Matalan

Dress: H&M

Belt: Primark

Wedges: Office

Boyfriend watch: Casio

xxx

p.s. don't you just love tan accessories? I can't get enough of them. Nor ruffles. Or wedges for that matter!

Back to regular programming

2010-07-29T14:23:00.000-07:00

Yep I know I have been AWOL for a while but I'm back now! I've just been living life - working hard, playing hard with abundant birthday celebrations (not mine, that's to come - yippee!), girl's nights out and trips away to beautiful cities.

Thanks to everyone who has been emailing me with postive comments and even better sending me lovely gifts (to be shown here soon).

There are so many things in life that I end up feeling guilty about and blogging (or lack of in my case! Whoops!) should not be one of them. I started this as an outlet for me and my love of all things fashion and it will continue to be that. It's just that life just sometimes gets in the way....but I'm ok with that.

But, with all my time off I've been thinking up and creating loads of new posts - so stay tuned!!!

xxx

Denim days

2010-05-26T00:03:00.000-07:00

(photos from StockholmStreetStyle, Karla's Closet, That's Chic, Yvan Rodic and unknown)

I can't believe that it has been well over a month since I have last blogged. So many things have happened, nothing terrible, but time has just flown past in a flurry of volcano-delayed trips, girl's night's out, masses of work and lazy days in the sun/sofa.

The sun is shining (finally) in Norway and I couldn't be happier. Following on my last post, I am no longer dreaming of but sporting more and more summery attire. My wardrobe of late has consisted of so many florals and bright colours and of course a massive smile on my face. I promise I will be a better blogger and post some of these soon.

A long-standing staple in my winter wardrobe is denim (see here) and I obviously don't need to go into its versatilities but I love denim in the summer even more, especially in its rawest, ripped, frayed and shortened form. The contrast of short denim with long-sleeves is something I adore. And of course the juxtaposition of destroyed denim with glamourous fur and silks. Something I've not tried much but am keen to is the denim turn-up. I've always been afraid it would make me look too stumpy. But Rachel's inspired me.

Hope you're all enjoyed warm weather - promise I'll be a better blogger!

xxx

Festival fashion

2010-04-19T06:10:00.000-07:00

(photos from gossip center)

This volcanic eruption in Iceland is really screwing up the weather here. This morning we scrapped ice and snow of the car and it was nearly minus temps and now it is gorgeous sunshine outside. I love summer time and my fondest recent memories are filled with music festivals and lounging in the sun. Looking at photos of the recent Coachella festival in California made me pine for a stable climate of delicious warm weather.

My summer wardrobe will consist of tie-dyes, tassles and breezy cute summer dresses and playsuits in a rainbow of colours. I love the one Paris is wearing here but I would wear it completely differently with fringed leather sandals, chunky turquoise and silver jewellery and feathers in my hair.

Here's some of my favourite styles from some of last year's UK festivals as well:

(photos from Elle UK)

Hope you all had a lovely weekend - I was on a cabin trip with some of my nearest and dearest enjoying long chats, delicious food and a tipple or too.

xxx

Dreams do come true

2010-04-13T04:36:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not blogging for a while but I've been away enjoying my Easter vacation with my family. While I was away I did nothing but eat delicious homemade curries, chocolate easter treats and bacon sandwiches, shopped until my suitcase could not hold anymore and lounged about with my friends and family with and without cocktails depending on our mood. It was perfect and I miss them all so much now!

But my return to Norway was made a little sweeter when I landed and felt how much the air had warmed and realised that finally (finally!) spring is here. The smile on my face was made even broader knowing that all the floaty, fairweather treats I had stuffed my suitcase with have a chance of being worn.

The best purchase of all....

...yes those gorgeous YSL cage boots that I blogged about here are finally mine!! It must have been a sign, I walked into the store and there they were, 60% off and only left in my size. I put them on my feet and I knew they were coming home with me. Gorgeous aren't they? Even prettier when I found out I could claim the tax back on them since I don't live in the UK! I am going for a big girlie weekend soon and I will most certainly be dressing my feet up in these pretty little cages. I will also be channelling...

(from The Sartorialist)

Pics to follow...obviously!

I got my pretty YSL boots from Bicester Village, which is this great outlet village where I also picked up my beloved Mulberry mock croc Bayswater, seen here, last year. I also managed to score another bargain with these fabulous Georgina Goodman boots...

I stupidly forgot to take pics of them when I was home and due to the sheer volume of things I bought and the impending warmer months, I had to leave them back at my parent's in the UK for now so this is just a snap of them from the website. Look at how impressive that heel is? I love architecture like that! And they are so comfortable to walk in, which is an added bonus because I frequently chose fashion over comfort. The leather has a beautiful petrol sheen to them and I think they will be perfect next winter. Georgina Goodman does not actually have a store at Bicester Village but together with the British Fashion Council they have opened their first ever Pop up Boutique called the British Designers Collective. The boutique is showcasing some of Britain's hottest talents at massively discounted prices (I got my GG boots for a lot cheaper than they are on the website!) and is well worth a look. But hurry! The boutique closes on the 7th May and the bargains are going fast!

I really hope they have another initiative like this next year because I've got my eye on these...

Hope you all had a lovely Easter. I promise to get back on the blogging and you'll be hearing from me again very soon!

xxx

Shades of inspiration

2010-03-26T03:07:00.000-07:00

(photos from 5 inch and up and Yvan Rodic)

I want grey and taupe nails and matte brown berry lips.

p.s. how cool is that man shirt with camel coat?

xxx

Dennis the Menace

2010-03-25T01:51:00.000-07:00

When I wear this cardigan (first shown here) I commonly get referenced to Dennis the Menace, which I think is very fitting because I think this look is a little bit cheeky. Following on from my last two outift posts (here and here), I am obviously continuing to be influenced by fictional characters from my childhood. To add to the whimisicality of it all, I added these super sweet heart print tights and red bow in my hair. I never realised I was so girlie until I started this blog, which is ironic because I am always drawn to editorials and looks with a much harder edge.

Bow in hair: Gina Tricot

Cardigan, top and boots: Primark

Gold ring: House of Harlow 1960

Red and black rose rings: Dublin boutique

Heart print tights and skirt: H&M

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend - I went skiing in the mountains with friends from England, which was mental! Last night I went back to sewing class and my project is coming along nicely - not long now until I can show you all.

xxx

New flash! I want to be this girl!

2010-03-18T08:04:00.000-07:00

(photos from StockholmStreetStyle)

Bianca Balti - breathtaking beauty, red lips, fur, sequins, studs - so many details made to look so simple and chic. What's not to love?

Little Bow Peep

2010-03-18T05:16:00.000-07:00

After watching Alice in Wonderland (highly recommend it!), I wish I was a fairytale personified and on that vein rocked this super cute dress yesterday. I love the colour and the bow and button detail on the front. The dress does all the talking and needs no accessories which makes for an easy life :) I wore it with my patent Mary-Janes for extra super sweet sugar-coating. I felt so girlie and glam at the same time - it was a good day!

Dress: Primark

Shoes: Kurt Geiger

What's your current fashion inspiration?

Hope you're all having a lovely week!

xxx

Lady-like

2010-03-16T12:56:00.000-07:00

Finally time for another outfit post - sorry I haven't been better at blogging but you know how life is. I've been pretty busy with my new hobby, sewing and have really been making headway with the project I am working on - I am really looking forward to showing you. It's like a whole new world has been opened up to me and I am suddenly drawing loads of sketches of all the things I want to make, some probably a little ambitious considering what a novice I am but aim high I say!

But I digress, back to the outfit....I wore this to work the other day and felt very elegant. I think it has a lovely vintage feel to it. I am wearing the skirt I wore here and the House of Harlow 1960 ring I showed you here. I love the fullness of the skirt - I just saw Alice in Wonderland and wanted all her costumes. I added a studded belt (worn backwards) and my favourite wooden wedges, which I can no longer wait to wear. The snow is finally melting so the summer clothes are coming out to play! I am trying new things with my hair since it is in such a state - i just can't decide whether I want it long or short anymore - what do you think?

Top: Warehouse

Belt: Primark

Skirt: H&M

Shoes: Bertie

Flower ring: Topshop

Tortoiseshell ring: House of Harlow 1960

Thanks for reading and all your sweet comments and emails. I hope you've all been doing things you love and being with the people you love.

xxx

p.s. sorry for the bright flash in the last two pics - I just really like the way my nails look in them! Vain much?! lol!
p.p.s. just noticed I have a hair across my chin in those 2 pics as well - oh well, no photoshop for me so it must stay! Who's perfect anyway?

It's in the bag - part 3

2010-03-11T05:33:00.000-08:00

Following on from my last 2 posts, I just found this great site Fuck Yeah!What's in your bag? if you want to be totally nosey. Feel less guilty about carrying around so much crap with me. LOL!

xxx

It's in the bag - part 2

2010-03-10T06:52:00.000-08:00

I spent hours last night trying to write this post and it just kept screwing up. I just gave up in the end, I hope I'm more successful now!

What I wanted to do was follow on from yesterday's "It's in the bag" post, in honour of Tweetmybag.com and their fabulous Rebecca Minkoff giveaway. Since I'm more often than not carrying around two bags, my lust list for new bags is constantly growing and I wanted to share with you some of my current bag crushes:

(photo from The Purse Blog)
Givenchy Nightingale - the perfect size with the perfect amount of slouch.

(photo from StockholmStreetStyle)
Mulberry Alexa - reminds me of a school satchel but this ones not suitable for kids!

Chloé Paraty in black python - so luxurious and classic, I want!

(photo from The Purse Blog)

Any one of the bags from the Chanel Coco Cocoon collection - smooshy, sporty and reversible - yes please!

(photo from Mulberry.com)

Mulberry Ruby Bayswater - the greatest girlie twist on my beloved classic Mulberry Bayswater, can't decide which colour I love more - can I have them both please?

How gorgeous are they all? Maybe one day I'll be lucky enough to own them all. What are your current bag crushes? Let me know...

xxx

It's in the bag - part 1

2010-03-09T11:24:00.000-08:00

You guys may have seen my tweets from "Tweet My Bag", which is this great site that, in the words of the website itself "features a fabulous Rebecca Minkoff bag daily and offers a day-long 25% discount to Tweet My Bag users who upload their handbag pictures to the website and share with Twitter and Facebook friends. In addition, Rebecca Minkoff will be giving away a handbag each week to the most stylish, active tweeter/Facebook sharer from TweetMyBag.com." It's a fab site and there's no better incentive to join and start uploading your favourite bags than the possible promise of a gorgeous Rebecca Minkoff bag! The site has been promoted by two of my favourite bloggers Keiko Lynn and The Glamourai , check out their sites to see their fab Rebecca Minkoff bags.

Since I have a massive bag obsession, I have been uploading all my bag pics to the website in the hopes of winning a fab Minkoff bag (you can check out my looks here). So, in honour of Tweet My Bag, I thought I would do a "What's in the bag?" post and show you all my most treasured possessions that I drag around with me all day and everyday.

In my first bag (yes I carry more than one bag around on a daily basis, but I'll get to that in a minute), which is usually one of my smaller favourite like my Chanel (seen here, here and here) I carry all my "essentials"....
1. Compact mirror in the shape of a heart that my boyf gave me - it has his name for me engraved on it and is my talisman
2. Ballmania lip balm - I suffer from intolerably dry lips so this is vital plus it has SPF 20 so keeps away those harmful rays
3. Smythson Fashion Planner leather notebook - my mum gave me this for my bday and I carry it with me all the time so I can jot down all my outfit ideas and inspiration whenever they come to me. I am a list-making maniac so always expect to see my surrounded by notebooks and bits of paper covered in probably very illegible writing
4. Pens - black, blue and red, for list writing obviously
5-6. Pocket tissues and anti-bac gel - to ward off unwanted germs and H1N1
7. Black aluminium card holder and business cards
8-12. Keys, mobile phone, wallet, gum, hairclip - essentials, no explanation necessary
13. Mini pink torch - because the light in my corridor always goes (and I never replace it) so this makes finding my keys a lot easier!
14. Nail files - because I hate broken nails, not least because they tend to be the most deadly assassin of all my tights!
15. VW Beetle USB key - the lights come on when you plug it on - how cute! For keeping and uploading all my blogs and inspiration pics of course.

Bag no.2 is usually a large tote big enough to hold any work I need to carry around plus a spare pair of shoes to change into once I am indoors and I can rid myself of my ever-so practical rubber boots (much better for navigating the icy pavements of Norway than any of my heels). This one is my Coco and Lolly tote, also seen here - don't you just love the animal print lining? In it I carry...
16. Hat and gloves - to keep me toasty warm
17. Even more notebooks - I have different notebooks for different lists, when I come to think about it I think I might have some sort of list OCD!
18. Metallic pink Coco and Lolly make-up bag which contains my MAC Studiofix and matte bronzing powder, YSL touche eclat concealer, 2 mascaras (these are my must-haves and I have one for the top lashes that adds volume and length and one for my bottom lashes which just adds length), eyelash comb, lipgloss, blusher, nail varnish and top coat (to touch up chipped nails), tweezers (to keep my brows in shape even when on the go) and more, even smaller hair clips (I seem to have a bad hair day nearly every other day so I constantly need help!).

So, as you can see I never travel light but everything I carry I consider vital for my day.

Let me know what your bag essentials are and link me to your in the bag posts. Oh, and remember to check out TweetMyBag.com and upload your entries.

Good Luck!

xxx

Want. Need. Must have.

2010-03-07T09:49:00.000-08:00

How are you all? I hope you have been having a wonderful weekend - mine has been so relaxing. I finally cracked out the sewing machine my boyf got me for Christmas and started on a project that I am really looking forward to showing you all. I am not a very patient person and I know that my mum especially was a bit dubious of me embarking on such a hobby. I tend to be a bit faddy and start things but never finish them, for example I haven't been back to hot yoga since I blogged about it here, oops! But I haven't once got stressed with sewing even when I've had to unpick it all and re-sew it, which is quite unlike me (perhaps the yoga's not needed anyway!). Instead I find it quite cathartic and I'm really enjoying learning via trial and error. I hope I sustain this enthusiasm; I'm going back to sewing classes this week to pick up some new tricks....so watch this space!

As well as sewing, I've also been thoroughly abusing my credit card via online shopping. I wasn't going to show you all the things I've bought since the last time I did that here and here only a handful of my purchases actually looked any good on me and most had to be sent back. But I suppose that it's the tight rope you walk with online shopping and I am not deterred but determined!

As seen in many of the 2010 autumn/winter collections, I am very happy in the knowledge that harem pants are not going anywhere so given the fact that ASOS are still continuing with their amazing clearance sale I just had to scoop up these 3 bargains. I don't imagine that all 3 pairs will look great on me but there is no harm in trying. I'm not planning on keeping them in my wardrobe until the autumn though, I plan on teaming them with cute crop tops and/or floral bustiers and chunky platforms during the spring (see below).

(from left to right, ASOS Wrap Front Tailored Trouser £38.00 NOW £15.00, Tailored Peg Trousers in the style of Fearne Cotton £32.00 NOW £20.00, Vila Tailored Jersey Trousers £35.00 NOW £24.00)

Because of my love for prints and all things beautiful but outlandish, my wardrobe commonly lacks the basic essentials so I also bagged these 4 crop tees from ASOS. I got them in all 4 colours since they were so cheap and basic tees like this never go out of style. I opted for the cropped tee because I am so short in the body that proper tees often drown me and cropped tees actually stop at place just below my waist, which I prefer.

(ASOS Basic Cropped Tee £10.00)

I love playsuits and after blogging about the one on the right here, I finally got up the guts (aka bank balance) to purchase it. It's got a gorgeous low back and I think it's tailored cut looks so chic. I've got a few special occasion coming up soon and it would be perfect for them paired with my House of Holland mock stockings and some supersized chunky platforms - I really hope it looks good on me. As for the one on the left, the same rules apply really, great tailoring gives it an uber chic feel. Plus, this one was massively reduced and a complete steal. I think I'll wear this one to work although it would also look amazing with some skyscraper heels and lashings of jewellery....perfect for cocktails with the girls....mmmmh!

(from left to right: French Connection Belted Long Wool Mix Playsuit £100.00 NOW £30.00, Warehouse Halter Tailored Playsuit £60.00)

So, they were the things I bought...now onto the things I want....I realise there is a lot of black in those purchases, which if you look back through my outfit posts, is quite unlike me. Hence my love of these beauties...once again Topshop has not let me down and I can see myself wearing outfits just like these two in the not so distance future...

Outfit 1:

I think this polka dot trench is a great twist on the classic trench and will be perfect for spring. It's so pretty and if you click on the link you'll see that at the back it has this super cute bow detailing. This is the item out of the 3 that I definitely almost maybe think I am going to buy - I spotted in Topshop a while ago and liked it then and as time has gone by I've re-visited it many times on the website and think that my liking is growing closer and closer towards loving. I love this floral playsuit, think the cut out detail is fantastic and I would definitely wear a print like that with the spotty trench, but I'm not so sure that this particular cut would suit me so with this fab print in mind, I am going to keep on looking. With these two pieces, the icing on my feet would be these fabulous wedges - nude, ribbon tie gorgeousness! I am a avid wedge-wearer, not least because they often sort out the problem of achieving statue without needing to adminster anesthetic to the balls of my feet. But again, even though I think these shoes are beautiful, I'm not entirely sure how much wear I personally would get out of them and since I am really trying to cut down on wasteful consumerism...for now I am going to keep on window shopping.

Outfit 2:

Just to highlight the versatility of the trench and wedges, here they are again! This time, I think they'd look great with these cropped chinos, which are very in keeping with the neutral pallette that was prevalent in so many of the 2010 spring/summer collections not to mention a closet classic. Just to add a bit of "me" and my penchant for mixing and matching prints (see here and here), I thought I would wear this with something like the leopard corset or the floral bralet. I already own a few similar corset-like items that would go well but what I am actually looking for is this floral studded corset that Grazia's editor at large blogged about here, but that I cannot track down anywhere...

Despite the fuzzy pic I can tell that this will be a very welcome addition to my wardrobe!

Wow, I think this has been one of my longest posts to date - hope you liked it! Let me know what you think will look great for spring or things you can't wait to get your hands on.

Have a lovely Sunday,

xxx

How to: apply false eyelashes

2010-03-05T01:45:00.000-08:00

I've figured out how to embed videos to my blog, and I said here that I would show you how I learnt to apply flase eyelashes, which I love. This is the best video I found to teach yourself how to apply false eyelashes. You won't get it right the first time, but practise makes perfect!

Let me know how you all get on - good luck!

Have an excellent Friday

xxx

Put your pretty dress on....wear pearls round your neck....And all the pretty princes will see you

2010-03-04T03:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I was searching through all my old photos on my computer and found some of a little black dress that I love. I decided not to blog about it here but posted the pictures on my Chictopia and Lookbook profiles instead. You can see it here and here. I wrote on my Chictopia blog that "Sometimes life is complicated enough so when it comes to my wardrobe I often adopt the philosophy that simple is best and that’s why I love LBDs in all shapes and forms", but after I wrote that I thought that this philosophy doesn't just apply to LBDs for me. Whenever, I am shopping, whether it be in store or online, I am immediately drawn to the dresses and now I own hundreds. I was worried that this complusion meant I was getting stuck in a rut so I tried implementing a "dress buying" ban on myself but now when I think about it - what's wrong with loving dresses? They are the simplest outift to wear, often requiring little to no accessories and thus very little effort, yet can make you look and feel fabulous because of their easy elegance. Like I said, life can be full of complications even at the best of times and fashion should be fun, so what is easier than throwing on a fab dress and heading out the door to get on with your day? Don't get me wrong, I love accessories and the finer details that make an outfit "zing" but life infrequently lends itself to decorating yourself in the manner presented in fashion editorials and even blogs. So whilst I will still definitely accessorise to the max when the opportunity and time presents itself, when I am in a rush and running late (as I so often am!) I'm no longer going to feel guilty when reaching for one of my tried and tested dresses. Long live the dress!

Dress: Primark

Pearls: ASOS

xxx

p.s. is there anything in your wardrobe that makes you feel fab the minute you put it on?

NYFW

2010-03-03T14:30:00.001-08:00

Yes yes I know I am already "late" with blogging about NYFW and you've probably already looked through the collections and picked out your favorite pieces, but since I think of this blog of somewhat of a mood board I'm still going to post my favourite pieces from the collections. After all, this blog does have "in my time" in the title!

L.A.M.B

Harems, drapey grey tops, chunky boots, leather and knotted belts - well done Gwen! Great, sexy yet wearable pieces. I want them all.

Proenza Schouler

I've loved all their previous collections and my feelings were no different for this one. Loved the colour pallette of gorgeous jewel hues, loved the sheer insets and strokeable fur trims. Babydoll dresses and chunky shoes = i want! And the icing on the cake - suspender stockings - the thigh's the limit!

Rag and Bone

Capes, shrunken jumpers and man shirts, cosy knits, thigh's on show, tweed and plaid just work should be a visual oxymoron but they are harmonious. And just in case my fairy godmother is out there, please please please can I have some of those knitted knee socks and chunky ankle boots with straps - that's not to much to ask is it?

Thakoon

More lovely harem pants and ankle boots I am lusting over. I want/need that ruffle skirt and fur trimmed hood jacket. Will def be incorporating a little bit of Thakoon-appreciation into my autumn wardrobe - doesn't it just look so pretty and poetic?

Alexander Wang

Although I didn't love this collection as much as his last, A.Wang still put together some great pieces. I adore those velvet dresses with draping details and sheer panelling - perfect for Xmas celebrations. His tailoring is superb and I'm glad to see another designer who bringing attention back to that frequently underestimated body part - the thigh!

Charlotte Ronson

Velvet, harems, grey tweeds, lace, a classic camel coat and a pop of blue - seen elsewhere I know, but that doesn't stop me loving them and I think Miss Ronson did an excellent job putting these pieces together. I will be buying some boots just like those and tucking my harems into them with pride!

(all images from www.style.com)

Even though I am getting well and truly sick of this winter, the recent autumn/winter collections have given me a reason to look forward to wrapping up warm! I've also picked my favourites from LFW and MFW and can't wait to show them to you all soon.

xxx

Happy Birthday Lise

2010-03-03T12:50:00.000-08:00

This weekend it was my gorgeous friend Lise's bday and even though this is belated, I just wanted to say Happy Birthday Lise! She's probably going to complain about these pics and say that she looks horrible in them but I think she looks beautiful. We had a great dinner at her apartment where our lovely friend Adam (that's him looking scared below) cooked us some incredible curries (my favourite dish of all time!). Drinks flowed and we all bounced around to classic tunes from the 90's! It was a perfect evening and we had so much fun that I forgot to get any proper outfit shots - sorry! I am wearing the playsuit I showed you all here . I really love it so I definitely be wearing it again and then I'll get some better shots of it.

Because it was the weekend I donned some of my beloved false eyelashes, of which I have hundreds of pairs. It might not show in this blog but I love beauty as much as I love fashion and false eyelashes sometimes just provide the theatrical edge I need to top an outfit off. I just think they are really fun. Do any of you guys wear false eyelashes? If you think they are hard to apply, you'd be wrong! I know the best video on You Tube which shows you how to apply them - it's how I learnt. Once I figure out how to post videos I'll show you all.

I really hope you all had a lovely weekend too and that you likes my pics - even those these pics aren't "fashion" I really love them because they show my goofy side - I sometimes look so serious in all my outfit pics and really that is the exact opposite of me!

Hope you're all having a fab week with an even better weekend planned!

p.s. I don't normally wear glasses like this, I'm not jumping on the geek glasses bandwagon - they were just lying around and I thought they were a funny prop. Quite honestly, I think I look a bit like Kim Jong Il from Team America! LOL!

(image from http://scrapetv.com/)

My Sanctuary

2010-02-25T13:12:00.000-08:00

The snow continues to fall here and I now have a shovel as my constant car companion but I refuse to be de-railed by this snowy climate and continue to debut my spring wardrobe; this is what I wore to work today. I've had this denim waistcoat in my wardrobe for a while now but often struggle to incorporate into my outfits but I just loved all that gorgeous double denim in the D&G spring 2010 collection and so persevered with it. Since I chose to wear it to work I didn't "double denim" it with jeans because then it would be too casual. Instead, I layered it over a dress and lace vest top. With the addition of brown boots and long gold pendant, I think the outfit had an almost vintage-esque quality and reminded me a little of the groupies in that movie Almost Famous. I have to say this is one of favorite recent outfits, I just felt really good in it. I hope you all like it too.

Black bodycon dress: Gina Tricot

Cream lace drape vest: Topshop

Denim waistcost: Primark

Gold long pendant: Topshop

Brown boots: Kurt Geiger

xxx

Think Spring....

2010-02-24T04:22:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how much it has snowed here in Bergen in the last three days - there has literally been metres of snow, which means that getting to and from anywhere is a real mission despite how beautiful it looks from the cosiness of my apartment windows. I'm not used to all these over-efficient seasons and in my mind, it's spring already. Hence my outfit that I wore to work yesterday (obviously, the boots were swapped for rubber wellies when dashing about in the knee deep snow!). I donned my trusty fur gilet to stave off the cold (also seen here) but layered it with my 10 yr old faithful Gap denim jacket - a timeless classic, and a chunky scarf. Floral prints, my gorgeous Chloe Heloise bag and a slick of hot pink lipstick gave me the final spring in my step I needed to kick-start the day.

Hope you all had a lovely weekend, even though that seems so far away already. I went to hot yoga and it was intense but brilliant - just what you need to blow the cobwebs away. I've signed myself up for another class this week plus some meditation....Ohm.....am determined to rid myself of any stresses.

Have you all been following London Fashion Week? Some of the shows have just been fabulous. I am spending many a happy hour trawling through the collections and designing my A/W 2010 wardrobe. I can't wait to show you all my favourite pieces.

Have a lovely day, wherever you are, whatever the weather!

Fur gilet: Coco and Lolly

Denim jacket: Gap

Chunky green scarf: Tescos

Black cardigan: New Look

Floral dress: Primark (first seen here)

Belt: Primark

Boots: Bianco

Bag: Chloe Heloise

Rose ring: Topshop

Hot pink lipstick: Girl About Town by MAC

xxx

Hood winked

2010-02-19T15:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was prancing around in a little skirt and top, albeit with thick tights and a cardi, but still I thought the sub-zero temps of winter were finally on their way out. But today I woke up and it was FREEZING! -10 C…brrrrrr! It’s so tricky trying to look and feel good in such cold conditions. I think the only thing to do is layer layer layer. I’m wearing a lot more black here than I usually do and my friend asked me if I was rocking a biker chick look – maybe I subconsciously reflected my dark thoughts re: the chilly weather via my outfit – ah the power of fashion! Anyhow, this is what I ended up wearing today: thick black tights under black harem pants (wierdly after a long hiatus from proper trousers in my life, I'm really getting into them now, see here and here as well) with a leather jacket layered under a fur gilet with hood. I was toasty! However, the boots were a little impractical on the ice and I nearly skidded my way to a broken hip on a few occasions! No pain no gain eh?

These pics aren’t great (no change there then :-P) but I am just so happy that we managed to get home from work in time for last few rays of sunshine….finally an outdoor post! Hopefully, there will be many more of them to come.

Have you all have a great weekend planned? I’m going to try hot yoga tomorrow for the first time – don’t think I’ll be posting any pics of that though considering I am so unfit it is embarrassing!

Fur gilet: Coco and Lolly
Leather jacket: Primark
Black tee: Primark
Black harem pants: asos.com
Side tie boots: asos.com
Hat: Knitted by my grandmother
Black leather gloves: H&M
Sunglasses: Superdry

xxx

Marcel Marceau

2010-02-18T14:09:00.000-08:00

Hello all, sorry I've not been posting much but the weekend was really crazy with my best friend Heidi here and then it was back to work, which is always hectic. I hope I can show you all the project that me and Heidi are working on soon but she's just putting the final touches to it. Not much to report in my fashion world, I've just been trawling through all the New York fashion week fall/winter collections online and wishing I had been there to experience it all first hand. I'm collecting my favorite pieces and trends and will post them soon. However, I have to say it seems a bit sad to be planning my fall/winter wardrobe when we haven't even had a spring or summer here yet. But will use these sneak peeks in order to plan ahead, which I love to do, and smug about the pieces I already have in my wardrobe that are perfect for next fall/winter as well! :-)

Here's just a little outfit post, i'm wearing my new H&M skirt together with some of my other favourite pieces - stripes, leopard, skinny belts and full skirts. I just love to mix n match!

Coat: H&M

Cardigan: H&M

Body suit: Topshop

Belt: Marks and Spencer

Skirt: H&M

Shoes: L K Bennett

Bag: Chanel

Hope you all have a lovely Friday...

xxx

My London haul

2010-02-12T04:09:00.000-08:00

I promised I'd show you what I brought back from London and here it is. The top lot is from H&M, the two mid photos are from Primark and the final pic of the tie-dye snood is from American Apparel.

As you can quite clearly see, there is a little bit of a pattern in my purchases with lots of florals and tie-dye prints - definite summer trends! As usual, I sneaked a little leopard print in there as well as some checks and stripes.

Tried to get some basics in there as well and I finally found a black high-waisted full skirt in H&M that didn't break the bank (I was lusting after one in my I am dreaming of.... post). It came with a bronze studded belt, which I don't think I will actually wear with the skirt but it's always nice to get more accessories!

Everything was soooo cheap and that's why I couldn't help myself - those studded boots were only £19! What a bargain - studs are going to be the detailing trend to invest in this spring/summer.

The sun is shining here in Bergen and I have got my best friend Heidi coming to visit me from London this weekend. We've been friends since we were 11 and even though I have lived in Norway for about 5 years now this is the first time she is visiting me. Heidi is doing a MA in Photo Journalism so hopefully she can teach me some camera tricks this weekend. She's using me as a model for one of her projects - I can't tell you what it is about but hopefully she'll let me post the pics afterwards. We're also working on a non-MA related project which I am very excited about and can't wait to show you the results of that! Despite being friends for so long we've mostly had different focuses through school, uni and work and this is the first time we're able to collaborate on something. I really can't wait!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend as well.

xxx

R.I.P. Alexander McQueen

2010-02-11T14:44:00.000-08:00

I am truly saddened to hear about the loss of one of the greatest contributors to fashion in its entire history - my thoughts are with his family and friends.

Whereever you are, I hope you have found peace now.

xxx

BEAR with me :)

2010-02-09T12:51:00.000-08:00

How cute is this panda bear hat? I just love it!Yes it is still freezing in Norway although we haven't had any fresh snow for a few days now which means that the pavements are now just compacted sheer ice and absolute death traps. The boots I am wearing here are saved just for indoor use for the most part and normally I have sturdy wellies strapped to my feet to save me from ice skating my way to the emergency room with fractures and broken bones.

The sub-zero temps mean that warm clothing is a must hence my fur coat and gloves. Am still experimenting with trousers and found these three-quarter lovelies in my wardrobe the other day. Considering, they came from Matalan a couple of years ago and were less than £20, I think they make a good staple for my wardrobe. Tweed print - how very English of me! Well I've got to fly the flag whilst I am here eh?! Sorry for the bad lighting in the pics but I wanted to brave an outdoor post and despite rushing from work, it was dark by the time we got home. Really the best thing to do would be invest in an SLR instead of using my compact one, but I keep spending all my money on clothes instead - whoops! I included a couple of indoor posts so you can see the detail on the pants and on the neckline of the top I had underneath all those millions of layers! Oh, and the reason there is so many pics is because I actually got some with me smiling which my mum says I never do in these pics - so these are for you mum!

I've just come back from a weekend in London which was fab! Caught up with old friends, ate amazing food, drank absolutely delicious cocktails and shopped until my suitcase was fit to burst. Also managed to finally lug back to Norway my favourite Xmas present - my sewing machine that my lovely boyf got me. Cannot wait to crack it open and get sewing - even though I am a complete novice I already have a stack of projects waiting to be tackled...so watch these space!

I am going to post the goodies I bought in London later - I went a little crazy but in a good way. It had to be done though esp as my Ashish dress didn't fit at all (was like a sack) - massive sad face :( I was going to wear it for my 21st: The Sequel birthday later this year. It's not for ages but I like to plan ahead but back to the drawing board. My ASOS stash was also slightly disappointing with only 3 of the items looking decent...but some is better than none! :)

Have a great evening guys!

xxx

Bear hat: River Island

Coat: vintage

Gloves: gift from my mum

Bag: Coco and Lolly

Scarf: present from boyf's trip to Abu Dhabi

Shrug: H&M

Top: Anthropologie

Trousers: Matalan

Boots: New Look

p.s. I am now on Chictopia so feel free to come and say hi! http://www.chictopia.com/nouey80

Acne treatment

2010-02-04T05:03:00.000-08:00

Acne pre-fall boots. How gorgeous? I don't think I need to say anymore except can I have some please? Pretty please!!!

Pics: from Carolines mode

I am dreaming of.....

2010-02-02T12:45:00.000-08:00

Hello my name is Anna-Jayne and I am a shopaholic. I dreaming of chunky black heels paired with massive metallic jewels and tiny little black outfits. Pair with mussed up hair, smokey black eyes and nude glossy lips and you've got the outfit I wish I was wearing right now.

Playsuit: asos.com

Boots: Irregular choice at asos.com

Black linen skirt: asos.com

Mock suspender tights: House of Holland for Pretty Polly (these are the only things I own!)

Silver collar necklaces: Topshop

Heels: Dolce Vita April heels (I cannot find them anyway in Europe!! Sob!)

Mosquito ring: Stephen Webster for asos.com (see Insecticide post)

If I'm a good girl maybe some of these gorgeous goodies will be waiting for me when I wake up in the morning.

Goodnight and sweet dreams everyone

xxx

I wear the trousers in this house!

2010-02-02T01:22:00.000-08:00

Currently these are my favourite trousers, which I bought from ASOS a few months back but wasn't quite sure about until now. Ever since skinny jeans made a return I ditched all my regular trousers in favour of skin-tight denim but recently something has been happening in my trouser department (ha ha!). Despite really loving the look of harem pants I always shyed away from them deeming them too unflattering - every pair I tried made me look like I was either wearing a nappy or was an extra from Aladdin. Not hot. But I perserved in my search for harem-style trousers that didn't make me look ridiculous and that is how I stumbled upon these babies. I am so glad I gave them a go as I think the high-waisted paper bag waist is extremely flattering and the tapered ankle is the perfect way to show off my heels which usually drown under other trousers.

I put together these three looks to show how versatile they are - the top and bottom looks are perfect for dinner and drinks with your girlfriends/boyfriend whilst I wear the middle one to work. I add a skinny vest top under the cardi of the bottom look when I want to wear that one to work as well.

Sorry for another indoor post but the ground is so thick with snow outside I daren't venture out unless I absolutely have to at the moment.

xxx

Top look: cardi: Matalan, vest: Gap, booties; Aldo.

Middle look: cardi and vest as before, fur and cameo brooch: vintage, booties: Topshop.

Bottom look: cardi: ASOS, shoes: Matalan.

Look of the Day: Tough Girl....but bad hair day!

2010-01-29T06:36:00.000-08:00

Yay! I got Look of the Day again on FabSugar. Thanks guys - really appreciate all your support! Wore this outfit for work on Wednesday and haven't had a chance to post it here yet. Check out the Look of the Day: post here. You can check out my original post here. I entitled it "Florals and leather...they go together like Karl Lagerfeld and Chanel", a quote which I saw and loved on Vanessa Jackman's blog because that is so true!

I've posted the original pics below as well though. The FabSugar pic tells you where all my clothes etc are from. So glad this look was chosen because mixing florals with unusual pieces in my wardrobe is one of my fave way to style myself. That dress is over a year old but I still think its so cute and really flattering. When I first bought it I went through a stage of wearing it with a small black cardigan and patent Mary-Janes but now that I've had in my wardrobe for a while now I thought I'd bring it up to date by adding my military-style leather jacket (nod to Balmain!) and fierce platform ankle boots. You can't see it on these pics but there is a gold zipper that runs up the back of the heels which is the kind of detailing I adore!

If you look back you'll see this isn't the first time I have declared my love for florals (see my Fierce Florals and As the leaves fall... posts). The only problem is I really hate my hair here...I really need a haircut! Any suggestions for new hairstyles greatly appreciated!

Anyway, I'd better be off - all my ASOS stuff arrived and I've got to plan my outfit for tonight - another Girl's Night Out - I love them! Thanks once again guys and have a great weekend!

xxx

Neonism

2010-01-28T00:38:00.000-08:00

My love affair with Ashish started when I spotted his beautiful leopard wedges that he did for Topshop last year (see Major Shoe Crush! and Mannequin posts). Soon after I saw Pixie Lott and Lily Allen in these sequinned Ashish dresses and my love for Ashish was confirmed. He is a man after my own heart, as I sure you are beginning to appreciate I love animal prints, sequins and one shouldered dresses. But there is another thing that I love, and it may not be totally fashionable, and is probably a relict ingrained in me from my 80s childhood and teenage adventures at Gatecrasher and Sundissential, but I unashamedly love most anything if it is neon!

Just to prove my point, here's a few of my neon adventures from 2008 and 2009. Mostly I only feel liberated enough to wear neon during raucous occasions such as festivals (e.g. Exit, Serbia) and during afterski (e.g. Hemsedal, Norway) where it is almost a HSE requirement that you stand out or you risk being lost in the crowd. However, when I was in Miami last fall I felt it was the perfect backdrop to bring a little neon into my daywear, which is represented by my neon green shades and hot pink bikini top peeking out from under my blue AA skater dress. I am sure you are wondering how the black and white prom dress fits into this all - these pics are from NYE just gone, and even though the dress is monochrome, I was armed with my beloved neon face paints and set about spreading a little neon love amongst the crowd of Get Loaded in the Dark (see Mannequin post). This was also a good time to post these pics and show you what I wore for NYE. I said I was going to wear my neon splatter AA dress but after one too much supersized dinners over the Xmas holidays I felt this Topshop striped prom dress was more forgiving. I did recreate the make-up from the Mannequin post though, or at least I attempted to. It wasn't as crystalline as I would have liked but it still looked pretty good. I'm going out in London again soon and will try something similar but more intense then. But I digress....

I just found that gorgeous Ashish dress that I spotted on Lily Allen on net-a-porter.com with 60% off!!! It was obviously a sign, since even though I love that website I never spend as much time on it as I would like (probably because it is pretty close to torture when I can't afford most of the things I fall for on it). But with 60% off how could I resist the dress I have been coverting for so long? So I bought it!! It's currently in England being looked after by my mum until I visit her in a couple of weeks! I really hope it fits!!! I have the exact occasion I want to wear it for all planned out in my head...but I am keeping that a secret...I don't want to spoil the surprise ;)

Oh, and before I go, if anyone out there wants to donate one of these fabulous Blumarine dresses from last season to me....I would be eternally in their debt. How gorgeous are they? Love the crystal gladiators as well...swoon...

xxx

Insecticide

2010-01-22T05:48:00.000-08:00

I am developing a thing for insect jewellery. I’ve always loved massive statement jewellery but I usually stuck to chunky pearls and/or massive gems. That was until I went to Miami last November where I was strangely attracted to this twinkling spider ring. I put it on and showed my boyf – I expected him to revolt in horror, not least because he hates spiders, but because of its sparkly jewelled form. But to my surprise he quite liked it too which meant that I had to buy it. I thought I’d be the only one to like it since most people I know also have a fear of spiders and I imagined that me wearing one immortalised in crystal on my finger would be horrifying to them, but I keep getting compliments on it from the most unusual places.

So that spurred me on to search for more glittery insects – and that’s when I found this gorgeous Stephen Webster 'Malaria No More' Mosquito Ring on asos.com. I think it is just fabulous and the perfect addition to my ring collection. This ring is an absolute bargain at £50 and what makes this ring even better is that these rings have been commissioned by the Malaria Awareness Campaign to raise awareness of malaria among UK travellers. So fashion for a good cause – doing a good deed never looked so fabulous!! I wish I could just scoop it up now but my poor credit cards are already hurting from the drive buys I did on asos and hm.com last week (their sales are too marvellous!!!) so I’ll have to wait a while :(

In the meantime, I have taken this one step further and I have spent many recent EBay trawls looking for bargain crystalline octopuses and snakes – yes I know these aren’t insects – but I am strangely drawn to the sparkly, beautiful irony of them as well.

Watch this pics for more crystal creepy-crawly treats!

xxx

Follow my blog with bloglovin

2010-01-21T01:49:00.001-08:00

I've finally figured out how to add Blog Lovin' to my blog. Of course right now I don't have any followers....but watch this space!

If you like what you see, please follow me and feel free to leave comments along the way.

xxx

Cage me up!

2010-01-20T08:07:00.000-08:00

I’ve always had a thing for strappy shoes, not as in little delicate shoes with dainty straps, but as in shoes with lots of straps. Take for example, the YSL cage boots, I know they are from last year but I still love them. The intricacy of them is so appealing - delicate and industrial at the same time. I don’t know what inspired them but every time I see them I think of the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Gherkin in London. Unfortunately, everywhere I look they are completely sold out so it seems I must continue the hunt for the next best thing.

I am also still lusting after the Givenchy birdcage shoes from 2008, as seen on Vanessa Hudgens above. The longevity of my lusts is probably why I called this blog My Style in My Time – I wish I had the money to buy these works of art when they come out the first time but instead I have to hunt high and low for them on EBay or wait for the high street to copy them. But alas I never found anything close to these beautiful birdcage shoes – the closest I came is my “gladiator” shoes that I blogged about in my Fierce Florals and The first step to happiness…the little black dress posts. I love those shoes despite the zip at the back scratching part of my leg away!

I think the ultimate in cage shoe loving is wearing them for your wedding, à la Taylor Tomasi Hill. I first caught sight of her in these beautiful cream Alaia cage shoes on The Sartorialist (see Blogger style post) and saw them on her again when I was looking through Jak & Jill Blog. She wore them to New York S/S 2010 Fashion Week last year. Both times I was so drawn to them. Taylor Tomasi Hill is one of my major style crushes anyway and whilst trawling through wedding sites with my girlfriend who is getting married, I came across TTH’s wedding pics and saw her wearing the exact same Alaia cage shoes! I think they are her look absolutely fabulous with both outfits and if I ever get married, maybe I’ll have to bust out some caged beauties under my gown!

xxx

p.s. If anyone out there is willing to donate any cage shoes to me, I promise I will love (the shoes and the benefactor) and look after them forever!

Pics from: The Sartorialist, Jak and Jil Blog and http://www.dmagazine.com/Home/2008/12/15/Real_Weddings_Taylor_Tomasi_and_Chase_Hill.aspx?page=1&gpage=1#articlegallery

ASOS Obsessed

2010-01-19T09:03:00.000-08:00

ASOS are having a sale and I cannot stop looking through their website trying to snatch up anymore bargains. I have already purchased the bottom four beauties, although they have yet to arrive (1971 Reiss Blackjack Pocket Detail Tank £39 NOW £20; ASOS Leather And Suede Mix Skirt £65 NOW £29; Whistles Asymmetric Zip Skirt £85 NOW £34; ASOS Oversized Seam Back Top £16). And I am now drooling over the top three pieces (ASOS Strappy Back Long Sleeved Dress £35 NOW £16; ASOS Pocket Detail PU Skirt £30 NOW £13; Supertrash Pocket Jersey Bubble Dress £70 NOW £35).

God, they are such bargains, I’d be a fool not to snap them up as well, don’t you agree?

I am loving anything leather-looking, a look I am glad is still going strong in the spring collections, so I reckon these pieces will be great additions to my spring wardrobe. Think the grey tone suede and leather skirt is especially great (partly because it was an absolute steal!) and I can’t wait to rock loads of neutrals for spring. Clearly, I am drawn to anything black but I also love red, hence the Supertrash bubble dress – what a great graphic colour and such a fab shape. I can layer it over tights and leggings in the winter and wear it with bare legs and wedges in the summer. Oh, and it would look so fab with this grey biker jacket I bought a few months ago from Primark.

Oh dear, I think that by typing this post I have just convinced myself to buy the rest – hope they look as good on me as they do in my head (I’ve already started visualising them with all my accessories!).

God help my bank balance.

xxx

Blogger style

2010-01-18T13:54:00.000-08:00

I'm very new to the world of blogging, mainly because after years and years of being a student I've finally written my last thesis and now have more time to indulge in my passion for fashion. Since discovering the world of blogging about 6 months ago, I have well and truly had my eyes opened - there are literally millions of style icons just a mouse click away. And I'm not talking about supermodels or celebrities with armies of stylists, I'm referring the the fashionistas of the blogging world. My favourite way to spend my downtime used to be curled up on my sofa trawling through my beloved glossy fashion magazines, and now, whilst I still love to do that, I also now spend many a happy hour (or five) devouring the style of "real" people. To be honest, I am more fascinated by fashion bloggers and the looks they create than by celebrities anymore. The fact that these guys are all self-styled and without million dollar budgets makes them so much more appealing. So here is a collage of my favourite looks of the past few months which I have gathered from numerous blog sites, which you can find links to on my site.

Check out these and more fab looks at Late Afternoon, The Sartorialist, Carolines mode, Lookbook.nu, Fyndigt by Frida, Sea of Shoes, Style Scrapbook, WhoWhatWear.com and the other blogs in My Blog List.

Keep up the good work bloggers - you are my greatest source of inspiration.

xxx

Shiny New Year

2010-01-12T01:36:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone!! I'm so sorry that it has been such a long time since I have managed to blog anything but my camera broke over the holidays and I had to wait until my fab friend Heidi managed to send me her pics of our festive celebrations. Here are some pics of from one of my Christmas Girl's Nights Out - I was channelling a 50's pin-up girl via Alice in Wonderland. Got my red dress from Primark about a year ago and never quite found the perfect occasion to wear it - until this Christmas of course! My beautiful mum let me raid her wardrobe whilst I was at home and I swiped her gorgeous fur coat which my grandmother bought for her when she was a teenager. Kept me lovely and warm on the frosty streets of London. Finished my look with my new obsession - heart patterened tights, and some cute ballet flats, both of which I bought on my last trip to London from Topshop.

Needless to say, Santa hats and reindeer antlers were obligatory.

Hope you all enjoyed your Christmas holidays as well! xxx

Mannequin

2009-12-10T04:38:00.000-08:00

Not since watching Kim Cattrall in Mannequin have I ever been so jealous of a shop dummy but when I spotted these gorgeous models in Topshop, Oxford Circus I fell in love. I love the neutral yet sparkly pallette of their clothes contrasted against the rainbow glitter and smokey eyes of their make-up. It's all so crystalline and enchanting. Their fluffy feather accessories just make the whole look so fun. The perfect christmas attire I say! Topshop is one of my most favourite places - I could literally spend hours in there, and I did. As well as scooping up the Ashish wedges I have been lusting after, I picked up these gorgeous Aggie boots (below) and tonnes of gorgeous statement jewellery and fab patterned tights (some of which I'm wearing below). I even got my eyebrows shaped and my nails done at the beauty bars there! My nails are now this uber cool sparkly red courteousy of Nails Inc (Apsen overlain with Petticoat Lane) - very Christmassy.

I'm going to Get Loaded in the Dark @ Brixton Academy (http://www.getloadedinthedark.com/) for New Year's Eve so I'm going to try and recreate the make-up from the Topshop models and team it with my American Apparel neon splatter dress that I bought when I was in Miami (http://store.americanapparel.co.uk/rnt46p.html?cid=29) - neon and glitter, the perfect raving combo. When in London, there is no point in being understated, which is why I miss it so much.

xxx

Christmas is coming and that means party time!

2009-12-02T04:11:00.000-08:00

I expressed my love for all things one shouldered in my Happy Hallowe’en post but I also have a massive thing for leopardskin (see my Major shoe crush! post). Theoretically this should be a recipe for disaster but this dress shows that sometimes it can be a match made in heaven! What makes it even better is that this dress was less than £20 from Primark!!

This dress obviously took inspiration from the beautiful dresses and tops from Ellie Saab (centre top), Dolce and Gabbana and Chloe’s A/W 2009 collections (see Working Girl post). The one shoulder on this Primark steal is structured and padded for extra emphasis. After falling in love with the asymmetry and statement shoulders of these collections, this dress was a real no brainer – it’s perfect for this party season. And after seeing collections such as Jason Wu's S/S 2010 (left and right top), I know I am onto a winner for next season as well with such an opulent colour. Could this dress be anymore perfect?

Taking inspiration from Blair Waldorf as well as the aforementioned collections and their statement accessories, I added a little adornment in the form of an embellished headband from Accessorise and some gorgeous rings I picked up from a store called So Good in Miami and proudly wore this look to my first official Christmas party of 2009!

I finished my look of with my newest pair of Jimmy Choo shoes (swoooon!) and wrapped up warm with a faux fur shawl I bought at the bargain price of $30 (on sale) from Bebe in Miami.

It was the perfect start to the Christmas party season and I felt like the belle of the ball. xxx

And again! :-)

2009-12-02T03:57:00.000-08:00

I was lucky enough to get another one of my looks picked for FabSugar's look of the week. I love this look so much since it contains some of my most treasured items - my beloved Chanel bag and my Alexander McQueen scarf plus breton stripes, with which I am slightly obssessed. I wore this to work one day but I think you could easily swap the shoes for over the knee boots and take it shopping, or keep it as it is and wear it to dinner with your lovely boyfriend or girlfriends!

I had to include some other pictures to really show off the iconic scarf and bag. I just a bit gutted that the gorgeous brightness of the blue shoes didn't come out very well. I really need a better camera! Hint hint Santa!

To see the whole look and where I got all my clothes go here.

It seems someone out there likes my style...

2009-11-27T06:02:00.000-08:00

No sooner have I blogged that I got picked again for FabSugar's looks of the week than I go and get the look I blogged about in my "As the leaves fall" post picked for today's Look of the Day. Lucky me! Thanks again FabSugar - this is so encouraging!

I recently enrolled in a sewing course and am busy attacking thrifted clothes with my scissors and a sewing machine....hopefully my new creations will go down as well. I'm really looking forward to posting them as soon they are finished.

Check out my look of the day here.

And if you want to see where I got all my items from, check out the original post here.

Have a great weekend! After a small hiatus on my blogging, I can't wait to get back on it! xxx

FabSugar: Looks of the Week

2009-11-25T03:30:00.000-08:00

I've been away on holiday in Miami for two weeks without a computer so I've just been checking through all my favourite sites and seeing what's been going on while I was lying in the sun - seems that another look of mine got picked up by FabSugar, this time for one of their looks of the week! Thanks FabSugar - I love that website esp as they say that my outfit is the the most fab!

That look is kind of based around the same principles that I showed in my "As the leaves fall" post - getting the last few wears out of my summer dresses before the leaves are gone and the snow falls.

For these looks of the week see here.

For the original look, and where all my clothes are from, see here.

Thanks again FabSugar and all of you that "liked" my look.

xxx

Happy Hallowe'en

2009-10-27T04:11:00.000-07:00

I am having a bit of a gothic moment - it must be the autumn air with Hallowe'en just around the corner. Topshop is currently providing the perfect playground to indulge this whimisical fashion craving. I've just bought the Aggie metal insert heel boot (top left, £80), the black Lace and Velvet Playsuit (3rd down left, £60) and the grey Leather Duffle Cross Body Bag (top centre, £55) from there. Plan on wearing the playsuit with the boots and perhaps with my new black Henry Holland Mock Stock tights that I got from ASOS (£10, not shown). The Lace Tiered Bolero (top right, £38) is a work of art and would look great with a skinny black top and leather leggings. I'd of course top the look off with chunky jewellery and my new Aggie boots. The grey Britany Leather Thigh Boots (2nd down, right) would also look awesome. These Britany boots are the only over the knee boots that I have been coveting this season - grey is softer than black and stops me from looking like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. I think they will also look great paired with the cream Vintage Inspired Lace dress (centre, £45), which I am desperately waiting to come back in stock.

Christopher Kane is a genuis who is kind enough to design some fab pieces for Topshop so that some of us with not so great bank balances can purchase some of his creations. His black One Shoulder Lace Dress (2nd down left, £50) is not only absolutely gorgeous (I get weak knees around anything with one shoulder) with beautiful lace detailing but is a bargain! Getting anything designed by Kane for such a small fee is an absolute steal. The dress is a modern classic.

The black Lace Waistcoat (3rd down right, £25) is just a great piece to add your wardrobe. Dress it down by layering it over a white tee and jeans and pair it with the Britany boots and grey Leather Duffle Cross Body Bag. Wear it to work belted over a fitted dress or out in the evening with some skinny leather leggings or short shorts (Lace Shorts, bottom right, £35), a simple vest top and smouldering black make-up. Drape it over a beautiful satin evening dress to bring your right look up to date.

As much as I love lace and all the soft tones in this pallette I also crave colour and sequins and that's why I want the Ultimate Jewelled Jacket (bottom centre, £200). I have a beautiful blue floor length 70's gown that I thrifted and I think this would look superb over the top for my work Christmas party. But this jacket is too good to save until then so I'll take it on the town with a tiny tee, lace shorts and Aggie boots. Divine!! To top all my outifts off, since it is soon Hallowe'en, the sequin devil mask is perfectly playful and unique. If you don't want to feel claustrophobic, then place it in your bedhead hair as a cheeky take on this season's hair accessories.

Happy shopping and have a wickedly wonderful Hallowe'en!

Major shoe crush!

2009-10-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

I am majorly lusting over these Ashish for Topshop wedges. The Leo in me is craving the leopard print ones. I've been coveting them for so long but they don't seem to be available on the Topshop website. The longer I wait it seems the more people that are wearing them. They are so gorgeous. I must have them - the hunt continues.....

FabSugar: Look of the Day - Wild Rose

2009-10-21T07:44:00.000-07:00

V. excited! My look got selected as FabSugar's Look of the Day! Thanks FabSugar. A lovely and very happy surprise! They kept the name I chose for the outfit as well: Wild Rose. Congrats to me!

Jugding by the comments, it is a bit controversial and that just makes me like it even more.

Check it out at here.

xxx

Working Girl

2009-10-21T05:18:00.000-07:00

Look at this amazing dress I bought from Ebay for the bargain sum of £20 (with free P&P)!! I just love it – love the textures, the splash of green and the great shape – it reminds me of that dress that Melanie Griffiths wears in Working Girl when she goes to that party and meets Harrison Ford for the first time. I idolised her in that movie when I was younger so I just had to have this dress (although I am still on the look out for one like hers with the diamete studding and net underskirt). With all the Christmas parties coming up I think this will be the perfect season to debut this fabulous party dress. This dress is a vintage 80s dress that has been redesigned and I think the shoulders echo those that Dolce and Gabbana showed for this autumn. The emerald green sash adds the “icing on the cake” colour pop that many of their outfits displayed and the velvet top just reminds me of this season’s Chloe one-shoulder jumpsuit that I have been lusting over ever since I first saw it.

I’m going to wear it with massive black platforms and a slick of hot pink lipstick (although I haven't found the right occasion too just yet).

(Check out the Ebay shop “DRESS LIKE A KING VINTAGE”; all catwalk pics taken from http://www.coutorture.com/)

Fierce florals

2009-10-17T11:45:00.001-07:00

Ironic that yesterday I was writing about getting ready for autumn and now I am planning my spring 2010 wardrobe - but I am a planner and I like to be prepared! I spent a glorious day today drooling over the 2010 spring collections from Milan, Paris, New York and London (again!). As always though, one collection has really stayed with me - Dolce and Gabbana (see the collection here). I've always loved the opulence and feminity of their designs, which this collection has in abundance. These guys know how to dress women and make us feel sexy! The fabrics, shapes and prints really caught my eye. Leopard print and florals with lace trims constructed into beautiful corsets and lantern skirts are simply works of art! These guys know how to create masterpieces season after season (I can also highly recommend the D&G spring 2010 collection - divine!).

The stinger for me though is that, as yet (I’m working on it!), I can't afford those pieces sashaying down the runway so I'm all about the improv! After a short while rooting around in my wardrobe I came up with this Dolce and Gabbana inspired look…I layered a lace body from Topshop under a red leopard print body that I actually stole from my boyfriend’s mum – an 80’s original! I haven’t worn it yet despite owning it for a year but now I have the perfect reason. My skirt is also from Topshop, I tried looking for it online but couldn’t find it but I know it is still in store. The finishing touches are my fabulous bargain Matalan gladiator heels and a slick of red lipstick. I think next time I’ll add my favourite Butler and Wilson pearls as well for a little extra gilt and glamour!

I think I did pretty well, in fact this outfit is too good to save for the spring...don’t you agree?

(picture from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/milan-fashion-week/6236994/Milan-Fashion-Week-Dolce-and-Gabbana-springsummer-2010-collection.html?image=4)

As the leaves fall....

2009-10-16T12:05:00.000-07:00

Even as the days getting shorter and the amount of rain increases, I find it hard admit that summer is over and find it even harder to let go of my summer wardrobe with all its brightness and frivolity. I don't want to move towards the darker, warmer and generally more practical part of my wardrobe to protect myself from the elements. I don't want to be practical, I want to look and feel great!! So I have discovered the art of transitioning and this outfit is one example of this. Admittedly it's not a particularly colourful outfit but it shows how simple it is to take a simple summer dress and make it wearable as the days get colder by just adding a pair of leggings and boots topped off by a boyfriend blazer. Boyfriend blazers are so on trend right now, the shops are full of them - by adding one to your outfit you'll provide a much needed extra layer as the hours of sunlight decrease and you'll bring the look bang up to date. They are also a blessing in disguise as they can be used to hide a multitude of lumps and bumps. This blazer is actually one that I have had for about 7 years - I bought it when I thought I was going to work in an office that required such attire but that never happened. The jacket was so nice though that I couldn't throw it away. I've tried a few times over the years to incorporate it into my wardrobe but with no success - it has shoulder pads and up until recently they have been a big no-no, relegated to the 80's. But as Balmania dominates the catwalks and the high street, it seems that "the bigger the better" when it comes to shoulders right now, so I can safely bring my jacket back. I just rolled up the cuffs to make it more "now" and voila! I kept the accessories simple - just some chunky pearls and my beloved mock croc Mulberry Bayswater. This outfit puts a little sunshine into my increasingly darker days!

The first step to happiness...the little black dress

2009-10-16T07:25:00.000-07:00

With first post out of the way I thought I'd get straight to it and showcase one of my favourite looks of the moment. I love this look because it incorporates so many of my favorite fashion elements; the little black dress is of course a wardrobe staple for all self-respecting women and this one is great because it's also a prom dress, which for those of us with ample hips is a godsend! I especially love this dress as it is one of my beloved Ebay bargains which I snapped up for a mere £20! I've seen similar dresses retailing from £50 to £200. Over my LBD, I layered a little cream shrug which I bought about a month ago from Topshop. This shrug is so cute because it has a beaded trim and scalloped edges which gives a great vintage feel. Layering it over my dress stops the outfit from becoming yet another boring LBD and it's also great for those of you that want to cover up your back or upper arms.

My accessories are all about statement pieces; some might say that you should just stick to one, max two, statement pieces but I disagree. If worn with confidence, more can most definitely be best! Here I have my current favourite necklace a Butler and Wilson chunky pearl cluster that I spied in the window of an Edinburgh boutique over the summer and begged my boyfriend to buy me as a birthday present. It looks so expensive but was actually very reasonably priced although I do think such timeless pieces are priceless. Pearls are most definitely one of my best friends - they are classic, reliable and never go out of fashion. My belt is recently purchased from Zara - I think for only £20. I love peacock feathers and the colours on this belt are just great. It adds another dimension to the outfit by cinching it all together and creates a waist. No matter how great the pieces, drowning in your clothes is never a good look. My ring is House of Harlow 1960 - another gift from my fabulous boyf. I am a huge fans of rings and the bigger the better if you ask me - I just can't get enough of this ring.

As for my shoes, well some of you might not agree with my choice and possibly think that a nice black court shoe would have gone better. For a while I thought about wearing such a shoe, but I like to be unpredictable and thought that these gladiator heels added a more modern touch to an outfit comprising such classic pieces. I love these heels, with a zip at the back they are easy to wear and so glam. Plus, like so many of my other pieces - they were an absolute bargain at less than £20 from Matalan!

This look shows that you put together relatively inexpensive and classics pieces and create a fresh, original and very wearable look. I think it has a real air of vintage decadence to it. With a simple slick of red lipstick this glamorous look is complete.

Welcome to my world!!

2009-10-16T06:19:00.001-07:00

Hello fellow bloggers,

The time has finally come for me to stop just cruising through the world wide web and all its wonders and finally put my fingers to the keyboard and make my own contribution - so here it is my first post on my first ever blog. I hope you like it!

This blog is really an outlet for me to show you all the things that I love in my life - namely my love of fashion, beauty and all the glitz and glamour that goes with it! Nothing makes me happier than being surrounded by beautiful clothes and things, no matter their cost. I hope to showcase some of my favourite looks and get opinions and ideas from others along the way, so feel free to contribute to my posts.

I called this site My Style in My Time because that's really how I view fashion - ever evolving and changing but something that you should take in your own stride and adapt to how you want to live your life. I'm not obsessive about fashion but I have a real passion for it. It is undeniable how the right dress or shoes or haircut can totally transform your mood. I love the way fashion allows me to express myself and that's what I want to use this blog for, an outlet for that expression. So here goes...wish me luck! xxx