Mannequin

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!

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! :-)

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...

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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....

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

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!!

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