Valentines Outfits

Valentines Day is fast approaching and even if your single its a night to spend with friends and loved ones.

We tend to stay home and eat nice food, watching a film, I would say its a nice romantic comedy but its usually a Horror or Sci-Fi for us!

I have put together a few outfits form my favourite brands which offer next day delivery so there is still time to get something special for the weekend.

The classics

These dresses are perfect for a romantic dinner or a night out with the girls.

Little Mistress @ Evans 

This dress is stunning, I love the off the shoulder and fitted shape it is beautiful!

Little Mistress @ Evans

Valentines and red always go together and this gorgeous lace dress is a gorgeous classic that can be worn again and again.

Simply Be

I adore this dress! It comes in both Black and  Red and the cut out heart detail at the back is seriously cute!

Brights

If you want to step away from the usual and make a statement then brights could be for you. They are everywhere at the moment!

Here are a few of my favourites.

Evans

Trouser // Jacket // Top

This jacket is such a fantastic way to inject some brights into your wardrobe, It would be fantastic for a meal out or a night at the cinema. This is one outfit that even if I don't go out on the night I will still be buying.

Evans

Top // Trousers

This top is another way to bring in the brights it will work well with trousers, jeans and skirts. and could be easily dressed up or down.

Asos Curve

This dress is simply stunning, the gorgeous bright orange with the contrast of the black and the flowers is amazing, slip on a nice jacket and your set for a fabulous night out.

Simply Be

If you like something a little more romantic this orange dress is stunning the gorgeous lace detailing and the pleated skirt are so pretty.

Naughty but Nice

Sometimes we don't want to be classic or romantic but instead want a bit of an edge to our look so the next outfits are for you.

Anna Scholz @ Simply Be

Skirt // Top

I am in love with this skirt and top combination. I may have to invest in the skirt as soon as possible as I would enjoy wearing the hell out of it!

Asos Curve

I love this dress, I am not sure I could pull it off! someone seriously needs to wear this though so I can ogle them and admire how amazing they look!

These are just a few of my suggestions, but plus fashion really does have a lot to offer, take a look around and let me know if you get anything fabulous.

Mhairi

xxx

Lust List!

I am on a spending ban, not through choice but because there are some big changes afoot in the Lilybobomb household and we need to be extra careful with our money this month. This means that I am obsessively scouring the online shops for all the things I want but can't buy! I like to punish myself.

Yours clothing has quite a few bits I am lusting after this week

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I know kimonos are everywhere and they do seem to be having a marmite moment amongst fashion bloggers but I love them, I like how light they are and they do look great with so many things. The colours of this one from yours are beautiful!

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I can't believe how much my feelings towards trousers are changing, and I love the simplicity of these cuffed harem trousers, I think these would be amazing throughout summer and great for transitioning into the autumn months.

Dorothy Perkins is on my radar too again, it has been a while since I really loved anything, but there are always a few pieces I love.

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I need more skirts in my life, I have become quite safe over the last few years and stuck with dresses, which while gorgeous become a bit boring after a while I am craving some separates! This gingham skirt is great,  I would love a gingham circle skirt but this is more practical for every day wear.

Junarose is a little obsession of mine at the moment, and I will one ay soon be adding some of their gorgeous items to my wardrobe!

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I love the simplicity of this jumpsuit it looks easy to wear and it looks like it would sit in the right position on my waist! LOVE!

Evans and Scarlett and Jo are killing my will power this week!

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First the made me obsess over the stunning prom dresses and now they are making me even more obsessed with the prom skirts! I love that they would look just as gorgeous in the day as in the evening for a night out. Perfection!

Simply be are always a go to brand for me and I have been loving their spring summer offerings.

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I have been on the look out for a simple jersey maxi for a while one I can fling on with canvas shoes and head out shopping without a huge amount of gaffing around. This one fits the bill perfectly!

Have you got your eye on anything at the moment, share you finds in the comments if you fancy it, I love to window shop. 

Mhairi 

xxx

Dressing for my Fibromyalgia part 2

So as you know from my previous post HERE I am having to change the way I dress to suit my abilities at the moment, I have also now had to come off my medication and go am going to be going onto something new soon so I am in near constant pain at the moment and my hands are really not working so buttons and zips are being avoided like the plague!

I recently got myself some new Jeggings from Dorothy Perkins and have been having a nightmare finding something long enough to wear with them has been a bit of a nightmare. I have also been on the look out for something light enough to wear in the evenings over the summer when it cools down a bit and this jumper that Simply Be kindly sent me to try has been brilliant, it is pretty, lightweight and so easy to pop on over a vest when I get a bit chilly in the evening. I think it will still be a bit too hot for the hight of summer even in the evenings but it will see me through into autumn and winter too.

Jacket C/O Simply Be

Jumper C/O Simply Be

Jeggings  - Dorothy Perkins

Boots C/O Fashion World

These were taken a few weeks a couple of weeks ago while it was still cool and rainy.

Look how pretty the lace shoulders are, I love it!

I am now on the hunt for a perfect longline vest top to wear with them which is proving difficult, they are all either so long it looks like a dress, or just a bit too short! I like them to come to mid thigh-ish

Do you have a go to top or jacket to pop on to keep warm in the evening? 

Mhairi

xxx

Dressing for my Fibromyalgia

Firbromyalgia has ruled my life for the last year and for most of that time I had no clue what was causing me so much constant pain. It has affected my hands and feet quite seriously and has made some items of clothing nearly impossible for me to wear without help to dress which at 33 years old quite honestly sucks!

Buttons have become my nightmare my hands just won't work well enough to do them up easily so I have begun to avoid half my wardrobe! Simply be recently sent me a few bits to try out for the summer, and I decided to focus on clothing suitable for my hands that wouldn't leave me stressed and a gibbering wreck.

My first outfit features a beautiful and simple top which I am dying to buy a new skirt to wear it with but today I teamed it with my gorgeous floral trousers from Very.

Crochet Sleeve Top C/O Simply Be

Trousers - Very (previous season)

Pink Brogues - Clarks (previous season)

This top is so simple to wear, no buttons or clasps not even a zip! Perfect for me to throw on without stressing and struggling. It also comes in a coral colour that is just perfect too, I would love to see it in back or purple colours I would live in them! 

I ordered this in a size 22 as I knew it would have no stretch and it is pretty spot on, any bigger and it wouldn't have worked for me. 

I have another outfit I put together for you which I will post on sunday most likely as I have a BBQ to go to tomorrow night. looking forward to a night out!

For all you readers out there who suffer from chronic pain, do you have any advice on clothing that works well for you. 

Mhairi

xxx

*Top provided for review free of charge, all words and opinions are my own. 

A Wicked Birthday

Last year I was very very lucky to win £200 worth of Ticket Master gift vouchers with Simply be. It took me ages to decide what I wanted to buy with them, eventually I decided I wanted to see Wicked. Unfortunately due to my health I couldn't book anything last year so just after christmas I booked for us to go for my Birthday in May.

The weekend Finally arrived and I have to tell you all, if you have the chance go see this musical it was truly outstanding, I had so much fun, Marc and josh both loved it too!

Simply Be very kindly sent me an outfit to wear for my night out, and i did feel fabulous!The weather the whole week previously had been amazing and it ended up raining all day and night for the show so instead I recreated my outfit the next day when it stopped raining for a little while.

Jacket c/o Simply Be

Dress c/o Simply Be

I think this would look amazing with ankle boots but the rain meant that my knee boots were more practical for dashing around London. 

I can't wait to wear this in the summer it is so flawy and comfortable I feel lovely in it.

I am going to keep entering competitions, I like winning.

Do you have any favourite shows you recommend, I really want to go see more.

Mhairi 

xxx

*Clothing was provided by @Simplybe, al opinions are my own.

Bonmarche - Paisley Print Maxi

I was contacted quite a while ago and asked if I would like to pick something from Bonmarche, it is a brand I am aware of as my mum buys her work trousers from them, but I had never really looked for myself. I hopped online to take a look and was very pleasantly surprised, they really do offer some gorgeous pieces, the stores don't seem to carry as much of the younger pieces and its a shame as the selection online is fantastic.

I am currently in love with two of the David Emanuel Dresses

Zig Zag Dress

I love the zig zag stripes of this one, I would like to try the longer length in this one as I like my dresses floor length, the standard as you will see came up fairly short on my and I am only 5'2".

Textured Colour Block Dress

If you like a body con dress this one is gorgeous, the texture of it is lovely and monochrome is always a hit!

I chose the Paisley knot front maxi dress, the gorgeous pattern and colours drew me to it instantly, I don't shy away from pattern and this one is fab.

Dress - C/O Bonmarche // Cardigan - Simply Be  // Bag - Just Fab // Shoes - Clarks

It was a chilly evening so I slipped it on with my fluffy knit Cardigan and went out with my new bag from Just fab. You can't really tell from the photo but the dress shows about an inch of ankle which is not what I would usually go for but it is long enough that I can wear it, next time I will just go for the long length and shorten slightly if needed.

This is my pretty bag I purchaced from Just Fab, I will give you more details about this in another post soon. 

Take a look at Bonmarche! I am converted their are a few items on my wish list now.

The Dresses are fabulous so head on over HERE and take a look.

Mhairi

xxx

Disclaimer: The dress was given free of charge for review purposes, all views are my own.

Lust List - Oriental Prints

Oriental prints are quite simply awesome! I love them. Slowly I am spotting lots of beautiful oriental prints in fashion and I want them all.

Simply Be took my breath away today with this stunning dress, I love the colour combination it is so bright and summery, this makes me actually want summer to arrive and I am totally a winters child. I can see this being dressed down for work with a long cardigan and flats or for a night out with my husband dressed up in heels and a clutch.

Valentines day is on its way in a couple of weeks and if I had any money I would be buying this and making Marc take me for dinner. For now I will just have to lust over it!

Grazia Floral Print Dress

Anna Scholz for simply be have also produced an amazing monochrome print that it very oriental in style with maybe some tropical thrown in, the dress version has really caught my eye. It is perfect for work wear or a night out.

Anna Scholz Belted Shirt Dress

The last offering form Simply be is this cute Oriental Print Blouse which would be perfect in the summer with shorts or jeans, I am going to have to make sure I get hold of this!

Oriental Print Sleeveless Blouse

I also spotted this very pretty dress on the Dorothy Perkins website

Oriental Print Bardot Dress

Do you love Oriental prints or do you try to avoid them?

Making The Most Of Your Wardrobe Featuring Simply Be

The last few years, for us, have been difficult financially, my husband has had to jump from one temporary contract to another far too many times and has sometimes had to sign on in between. This has meant me putting a hold on my clothing budget, meaning I could only buy the essentials, luckily I do get sent clothing items now and then through the blog so that is a bonus.

Making my wardrobe work year round has been very important to me because of this so when I do shop I buy items that are versatile, that can see me through multiple season and be layered for warmth in the winter. Each season I do try to get one or two bits that will help me work with what I already have.
Just before Christmas Simply be sent be a selection of items that I could use to make my winter wardrobe more adaptable for winter into spring.

My first item is something I purchase most winters, Knee-high Boots, as I wear them on a daily basis, I always look for a pair that looks good for day and night.

Anna Scholz Studded Boots

I was sent these fabulous Anna Scholz Studded boots, they are great thrown on over leggings but are smart enough that I can wear them out in the evening, which is perfect for my budget! they are in the sale right now so grab a bargain.

Next up is a dress that is great in the daytime with a jumper or cardigan over the top but easily dressed up for the evening.

High Neck Check Velour Dress

I adore the print of this dress and the colour is beautiful, it is great to wear with tights ankle boots and a chunky knit cardigan, or I can throw it on with heels or my knee boots for an evening out.

A good knit is very important for a versatile wardrobe it helps with layering against the cold, easily dresses down an outfit to make it more casual and works with so many outfits. I often go for cardigans as they are the easy option but this time I went for a jumper, I wanted the option of a skirt and top look if I team it with my dresses.

Fluffy Knitted Shell Top

It is fluffy and warm and wonderful, It is fabulous with jeans and over blouses and dresses.

The last item I was sent were an awesome pair of leggings, I have a ton of plain black legings but sometimes I want to make a plain out fit stand out.

Check Leggings

These are perfection, appealing to my inner 90's teenager.

 Over the coming weeks I am going to try to show you as many outfits as possible including items from this selection to show you how I make my wardrobe work for me on a very tight budget.

Do you shop for key versatile items or are you a trend setter, do you just buy what you love regardless of if it fits in with your current wardrobe?

Mhairi

xxx

Lifestyle - Kitchen Makeover Part 3 Wishlist

Now that the kitchen is nearly done, there is just a little more painting to do, I am finding myself looking for those finishing touches we have known for the last few years when wanted to go for reds and creams in there so I have a good idea what I want.

The first thing I know that I want for the kitchen is a clock, it is such a huge room that I didn't want a tiny little wall clock, so have been looking out for something nice and big, I came across the perfect one just before Christmas in Matalan and will be getting it asap for the back wall that we have wallpapered.

Clock

it is about 25in across and an antique off white colour which I think I may rub with a little wax coloured with the cream we are using for the walls to make it fit it perfectly.

Utensils

I love Le Creuset but it is definitely at the higher end of the price range but these utensils are gorgeous and I can add to them as and when we have spare funds.

Bookends

I need some bookends for my shelves once I get them up as I keep all my recipe books and gardening books in the kitchen, kind of loving these for my recipe books and the ones below are awesome too!

Pans

New pans are a must, as mine were purchased a very long time ago and they have seen better days, I quite like these as they will look just as good on my hob as off, I would love Le Cruset but they are way out of out price range for now!

Dining Set

I hadn't even thought of Simply Be for kitchen items, but these plates came up when I was searching for all the tartan items and I have fallen in love!

 There are still a million and one other things I would like to buy but these are at the top of my list for now. Do you have a colour theme for your kitchen?

Mhairi

xxx

Fatshion Faceoff - Maxi skirt

Maxi Skirts are one of my favourite wardrobe staples, as a short girl they can be quite hard to wear (well for me anyway) but when I find a good one I wear it to death! 

This summer I found it really hard to find one that I loved enough to splash out for so when I won £100 worth of Pink Clove vouchers I was glad to spot one on their website I wanted to try. I have to be honest though I haven't worn it much as I couldn't decide what top would look good with it as it is quite straight up and down, but I came up with an outfit I was pleased with, I felt comfortable yet stylish.

Skirt @Pink Clove - Blouse C/o Simply Be - Cardigan - Very Old New Look

I only managed to get one full length picture and my feet are missing so sorry. 

I teamed the Blouse/ skirt combination with my Wide belt to stop it all looking boxy.

Boots C/o Simply Be

I teamed the skirt with my Shoe boots from Simply be as they are great with skirts as it doesn't end up tucked into them.

A Little Close up of my new Glasses from SpecsPost

Head on over and check out the other gorgeous Fatshion Faceoff girls, I bet they look stunning!

Hanna The Wardrobe Challenge (UK)

Olivia Wait Until the Sunset (Australia)

Mouna Brussels Fatshion (Belgium)

Dani http://www.diyfatshion.com/(USA)

Fatshion Faceoff - Shoe boots

So so sorry this is late posting I have pictures for the next 6 or 7 post for Fatshion Faceoff and had planned on spending my morning writing this post while Josh worked through his English worksheets, unfortunately we ended up without electricity for 5 hours so took our work into town for a hot drink.

This weeks post is Shoe boots, something that I have a slight love of.

Mine that I am wearing in this post are from Simply Be and can be found HERE.

I fell in love with them as soon as I saw them, they remind me of similar boots I had in my teens when I was a bit goth.

I wore them with my Tartan Skater Dress from Pink Clove and plain black tights.

The thick heel makes them so simply to walk in and I love the cut out sides, I cant wait to were them with coloured tights in the winter.

Check out the other gorgeous ladies 

Hanna The Wardrobe Challenge (UK)
Olivia Wait Until the Sunset (Australia)
Mouna Brussels Fatshion (Belgium)
Dani http://www.diyfatshion.com/(USA)

Mhairi

xxx

OOTD - Simply Be Red Check Dress

The last two weeks have been insanely busy. My step son has been struggling with his school work and bullying, the school have not been able to really help Josh to reach his potential, and have limited his options so much this year with his GCSE's that he has become very frustrated with the whole situation.

We are very lucky that Josh does not have any behaviour related needs but his dyslexia requires different teaching techniques which most of his teachers refuse to use in the classroom which means he struggles to keep up and understand what is required of him.

After more than a year making the decision this week we officially removed Josh from secondary school and as of today we are officially a homeschooling household! This decision has been exciting and scary all at the same time but we know that we are making the right choice for him.

I am able to tech him Maths and science and have my sister helping to tutor in English skills and he will be allowed to explore the other subjects of his choosing to find the best fit for him.

As you can imagine I have been looking for outfits that are comfortable and relaxed as I am sat either in the office or in the kitchen with him while working. Todays outfit is an amazing dress that I was kindly sent by the lovely Simply Be.

While this dress is not the usual figure flattering nipped in waist style that I prefer, it is just so comfortable and makes me feel fabulous anyway! It has false zip pockets (would have loved real ones) and the bold check pattern is fantastic.

I didn't manage to capture the best photo of it today but you get the idea and I think you can see i feel happy and relaxed, excuse the hair, it was stuck up in a ponytail while we ran into town for school supplies.

* Red Check Dress - Simply Be

I also have another amazing tartan inspired outfit for you from Simply Be which is gorgeous so keep an eye out for that this week.

Hopefully now this decision is made and we are all less stressed I can get into a blogging schedule again.

Mhairi

xxx