I like styling other people.

I wanted to sell some clothes on ASOS Marketplace (a very cool spin-off of one of my absolute favourite sites, ASOS.com, where you can buy and sell second hand, homemade and vintage clothing!) so had to get some photos of them - Marketplace only allows photos of clothes worn by people so I roped in my friend Gemma to model for me, as most of the clothes don't fit me anymore. 

To try and sell the clothes better, I tried to style a whole outfit with the item for sale. And that is when I realised that I really enjoy styling other people, possibly more than myself! 

I'm hoping to do some more in the new year once the weather gets a bit better!

Anyway, it was good fun, here are some of the pictures =)

I love cashmere.

My boyfriend was away on a course last week so my mum and sister were came down and, as my mum lives 'in the sticks' and doesn't get to shop very often, we did a lot of shopping... like, hours! 

So, I was so surprised when we came back to the flat each day I was fairly empty handed (unlike my mum who may have got a little carried away =P). I think it might be because I've been 'treating myself' so regularly recently that I actually have everything I want/need at the moment. But I did make up for a lack of quantity with quality!

This is what I got:


These Chelsea boots

I bought a cheap (but nice looking) pair of Chelsea boots last year but they fell apart pretty fast. I'm so picky that I haven't been able to find a pair that are quite right since then. Then I saw these in tReds! They only had them in a size 4 but I ordered them online when we got home. They were quite expensive at about £40 with student discount but they're real leather and seem to be well made. A purchase I am very pleased with =) 

This jumper

My sister picked this out in TK Maxx and I loved it - it's a great colour and I like the original dogtooth bow design (which is quite rare for 100% cashmere).

Once I tried it on and felt how soft it was, I loved it more... but it was £70! That's gotta be a lot for a jumper in anyone's books!?

So I put it behind the counter and thought about it. 

My sister said that if I kept thinking about it and I thought I was gunna wear for at least 5 years then I could buy it. I thought about it long and hard (for a few days) and tried it on again and finally decided that it was worth it, as it is 100% cashmere after all.

I wore it today and it's really warm and soft, but I have banned myself from buying anything else (except Christmas presents, food, etc. =P) until at least January.


I wore both my new bits today:

Worn with cut off Levis (very few of my outfits aren't recently!), wool coat and dogtooth bag

Have a look at this post for more on the coat. A post on the bag is coming soon (I don't quite manage to post new purchases chronologically!)

Enjoying a mighty Christmas bagel in New York
 Deli (see my post on how amazing this place is!)

So that's my splurge for the year... what a lie that is =P

Thanks for reading!

Remember: Those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind (Bernard M. Baruch)

X

I like this outfit from Urban Outfitters.

I realised that I don't really have a proper, warm winter coat, so went on a little hunt for one that was classic, thigh length, an easy-to-cordinate colour and, of course, very pretty! 

I came across one in Urban Outfitters that I really loved so I took advantage of their 20% off for students and got it! I also grabbed a cool berry skater skirt and a lovely navy and lace top.

The Coat

I love this coat - it's soooo warm AND looks cool. I have defied physics and found something warm and cool haha. I love the mod style with a touch a class from the fur collar. 

I've worn it with trousers, skirts and shorts, dressed up and dressed down = versatile!







The Top

I love this top because it's pretty and delicate but also quite casual and cowgirl-esque so has a kind of tough feel. And it's really versatile, which you might be able to tell is a big turn on for me! It can be worn tucked in or untucked and look really different. 








The Skirt

I love the colour of this skirt. It was the one item I was most unsure of because I have a lot of skirts at the moment and it is quite plain but I think it could be a staple this winter... 










These are some ways I've worn this stuff so far. I'll add more as I wear them! Sorry the background is so rubbish =( I don't really have anywhere in my flat to take photos against unfortunately!

The first look is all three items worn with some black brogues. 

The second look is the coat above worn with a cool skater skirt I got this summer (on sale at ASOS, woohoo! Very glad I've been able to continue to wear it for winter), a simple but sooo useful and well-cut scoop neck top from Mango and some black suede ankle boots from tReds (not that easy to see in the picture =/) with knee-high black socks. This is a kind of style I've always loved - classic and girly. I haven't really tried it before but I liked it! I think it's pretty good for this time of year because it's a good for layering (watch out for a new post on layering coming soon!) and it's not yet too cold to go out without tights on!

Anyway, thanks for reading =)

Pretty things are everywhere!

X

I like these bits I bought from Topshop.

So, I've been back at uni for just over 2 weeks and I already feel in over my head and behind on work! Not so good. BUT the other day Topshop had a 2 day 20% student discount, so of course I took advantage of it. I managed to restrain myself and just buy 3 things, but I think they'll be really key in the next few months and I pretty much love them already. 

I'm definitely missing the sun already (it's so chilly now and I have a cold and I miss my summer of shorts and sandals!) but I'm really feeling grunge / punk since it's gotten colder and, as ever, I love classic 60s and mod style.

So this is what I got...


I got this bag.

Unfortunately it broke within just over a week =( but I guess that's because it's not really designed to be used as a proper backpack (unlike my Accessorize one (similar to this one), which has lasted amazingly well!). But it's a really cool and useful bag with a great Aztec pattern.




I got these amazing jeans.

I absolutely love these. They're cool and quirky without being gaudy and too in-your-face, thanks to the muted pattern. They're also super comfy (they're the 'Leigh' fit, which is soft and stretchy). I'm not an advert for Topshop =P I just love these jeans.


I've worn them with black suede boots and a leather jacket, with white Converse (with red trim) and a big jumper and with lace up boots and a navy blue mod coat.  


Lastly, I bought this comfy, cool jumper.

I like this one too. It's warm, comfy and it goes well with a lot of stuff but it's still interesting to look at (a lot of versatile jumpers can be a bit plain). It's also quite nice fitting and flattering for a big jumper.

 I wore it last over the sunny weekend with some white Converse, vintage Levi's, the backpack above and some frilly white socks and before that with a denim jacket, leather boots, velvet leggings and a navy beanie.

The other day I wore it with my new coat, the trousers above, an old beanie and my Converse.

You can view my looks on ASOS Fashion Finder here =) 
So, that's my little Topshop splurge =)

I like baking (and eating!) cheese scones.

I have made these delicious cheese scones many a time - they've become a family favourite! They are quick and easy to make and they always come out super scrumptious! They're also really fun to make because you can get creative both with the flavours and ingredients and with the way they look.

Here's my recipe for about 8 - 12 scones, depending on how big you make them.



Ingredients

225g/8oz self raising flour

A pinch of salt and pepper

55g/2oz butter

25g/1oz grated cheddar cheese

150ml/5fl oz milk

Optional:
Half a teaspoon of mustard power
A sprinkle of herbs
Cooked, chopped bacon



Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F or gas mark 7)

2. Rub the butter into the flour. 

4. Stir in the cheese and seasoning.

I often add bacon here - it is SO yummy. Just throw in some cooked and crispy chunks, add as much or little as you like.

Seasoning-wise, I normally add some mixed or Italian herbs along with a bit of mustard powder or a bit of chilli. Try adding some herbs you think will taste yummy.

5. Mix in the milk to make a soft dough. 

Add a little bit more milk or flour if it is too dry or wet.


I use my hands for all of this mixing because it's easy and it saves on washing up but it doesn't matter what you use.

6. Knead the dough lightly on a floured surface.

7. Cut out your scone shapes.

Now you can get creative. For simple triangular scones (the easiest kind) or round scones, roll the dough to about 1/2 an inch thick and just cut the shapes out (for triangles, do it in 2 or 3 strips then use diagnoal cuts to make triangles). Gently knead the offcuts together and cut some more. Or you can use a knife (or any fancy pastry cutters) and make some more unusual shaped scones, like the first letters, hearts or stars. You can even mould the dough into all sorts of shapes like you can do with bread dough. Just try not to handle it too much or it'll go dry.

8. Place your scone shapes on a greased baking tray (or silicone trays like I do) with a bit of distance between each one - they rise a lot!

9. Then either brush the tops of the scones with a little bit of milk or sprinkle on some cheese or do both.

10. Finally, bake the scones for 10-15 minutes until well risen and golden then cool on a wire rack and ENJOY! 




Yum yum.

I like short shorts for summer.

Sooo it may not look like summer here in England but that doesn't mean we can't get our wardrobes ready for that magical day when the sun comes back!

I'm big on dresses for all year wear but this summer I'm really into shorts too! They're so versatile and come in loads of different styles. You can achieve so many looks with them. 



I like denim hotpants. (See my post on the 90s grunge trend for more on this!) Denim shorts come in all styles but they're just the opitomy of a casual summer day. Wear them in a pretty, sweet way with flowers and pastel, floaty tops, wear them with a plaid shirt for a 90s throwback look.... in fact, wear them with just about anything!

I like nautical shorts.Nautical style is so utterly perfect for relaxed summer days. It's sophisticated and chic yet oh so easy. Wear a pallette of white, navy and red and top off with gold detailing, stripes and some glam accessories.

I like cool print shorts.
Striking and so versatile. Aztec print shorts are just perfect for summer days and monochrome prints are spot-on for those grungy days.

I like dip dye shorts.

Funky and colourful. Summer fun in a nutshell.