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

The Evolution of Festival Fashion with Newlook

Festival Fashion Timeline by New Look

New look have put together the above Evolution of Festival fashion and I remember many of the styles myself. I have b=never been to any of the big music festivals but I do hope I get to do it one day.
I do however tend to go to events like the Strawberry fair and County shows and festival fashion has its place at these events too.

This got me thinking about what type of festival fashion I would be likely to wear. I am a very practical person if I am honest and like to think of every eventuality. Festivals to me bring to mind, Spilt drinks, porta-loos and mud!

So what does that mean for my choices? well it totally excludes the idea of playsuits which seem to be the festival goers staple this year. There is no worse thought for me than struggling to undo and slink out of a playsuit while trying not to drop it on the gross floor (see I think far too much). This means I am likely to choose separates or dresses which can be lifted up out of the way easily or taken off quickly.  Spilt drinks are likely with hundreds of dancing and possibly drunk partying people so there is no way I want to be wearing my most expensive clothing. The chances of your feet being stood on are also high so for me there is no chance that I am going to be wearing my gorgeous sandals while dancing in a large crowd!

So with that in mind I have put together my choices.

All items can be found at Newlook (suncream is Tescos own)

For those hot and sunny days I have gone for the above outfit choices Shorts which are light weight, comfortable and easy to take on and off. They are also fabulous as I can dance and not flash my knickers! Asimple vest that can be worn tucked in or out a cover-up for when it gets a bit chilly or later in the evening.  Comfy shoes are my biggest tip, and these cute canvas ones are fab at protecting you from rouge stomping dancing feet. Don't forget the suncream and sunglasses very important!

My second outfit is for the cooler or wetter festival days.

Lightweigh trousers which are quick to dry and comfortable are my saviour for days out, team them with a vest or tshirt and have a cover-up handy for if you get chilly. a waterproof is also a great item to pack. Comfy shoes again or a pair of wells if it looks like it is going to be a rainy day, the ones I have chosen would also work for a hot rainy day outfit too!

I actually have a couple of pieces on there way out to me, which I am going to wear in my own little festival inspired outfit.

I Think I am going to team them with a pair of cuffed trousers or a midi skirt for a relaxed casual outfit.

So you remember some oh the festival styles from years gone by? Do you have an festival essentials?

The frustrations of my Glasses

Why do I find picking new glasses so frustrating and anxiety inducing. The eye test part is ok, but the picking the glasses part I get stressed and worked up, I am not even sure why I took me over and hour today to choose one pair it was ridiculous, luckily Marc came after work to help me make a final decision or I might have just walked out!

I went to sSpecsavers who have quite a big selection but I have quite a wide head and so many just don't fit me. In the end I found 3 candidates for my glasses, I will show you the two I didn't go for.

I really liked these but I always go for red frames so faced a change.

These frames are black and I really like them but felt a little bit big on my face.

The service at Specsavers Hertford was fabulous as always, as usual it was just my pickiness that took so long but they just let me look around and try on pretty much every frame they have. I will show you the ones I finally chose from tuesday next week when they start appearing in my outfit posts, I also chose a fabulous pair of sunglasses which I can't wait to wear out, no more squinting from me!

Am I the only person who dreads picking new glasses?

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

Endless Summer By IGIGI

IGIGI always have dresses that take my breath away and I have worn them for many special occasions and always feel beautiful in them. This summers collection is no exception, there are so many stunning dresses and separates that I just sit looking through the website ooohhhing and aahhhhing none stop! When IGIGI agreed to send me a beautiful dress for review I was very excited to chose.

Being on the short side and fat I am supposed to follow all the rules, no all over patterns, no maxis and all that, but do you know what, Sod that!!! I wear whatever I feel good in, and a patterned maxi is exactly what I have been wanting.

A few caught my eye

Naples

Christina

Letta

They are all perfect and if I had some fabulous summer parties or weddings to attend I would be on these like a flash but I really needed something more casual and every day. I want something I can slip on to go for lunch, for a walk in the park or to do the shopping but that can be dressed up for a night out with my husband when we manage it.

I chose the stunning Tiana Maxi, It has print its a maxi and its bloody gorgeous! IGIGI dresses are usually too long for me, by quite a bit but this one isn't too bad, I had it on with my flatforms and although it was a little long I could wear it without dragging it around in the dirt, might just have a tiny bit taken off so I can wear it with sandals in the summer. 

The dress is so pretty and I love how it moves! It looks lovely with a denim jacket too.

Excuse my very puffy face in this picture my medication has been doing funny things with my face, I am asking to change to a new one as it is making me feel horrid!

It even has pockets which in my book just makes a dress even more awesome! 

IGIGI might be at the upper end of my price range but I have to say I am never disappointed with the quality of the items I try! the lengths can be a frustration but I have had a few things taken up so they work better for me and I don't mind doing that for clothing I truly love.

Mhairi

xxx

*This dress was provided for me free of charge for review but all opinions and words are my own.

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. 

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.

What to Wear to Work with Fashion World

I firstly want to apologise to Fashion World and my readers for taking so long to get this blog post together, I have been very unwell recently, trying to adjust to new medication, and just trying to function, after finally being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, hopefully I will be here now more regularly that I am functioning slightly better.

Office wear is something I hate buying! I rarely work in a job that requires me to wear suit anymore and I find office smart/casual impossible to balance most of the time. I always seem to swing to far one way or the other. 

I have recently been working for my local county council on a part time basis, and the dress code was office smart/casual! I found that people seemed to dress in a huge variation of styles of dress around to offices, some were super smart and some far too casual for my taste.

When Fashion world offered to let me pick an outfit for the office I was very excited, it was a chance for me to see if I could pull off the elusive smart/casual mix!

These are the items I chose

Doctors Bag

This bag is really lovely, it is smart without looking too dressy, which is fabulous!

Colour Block Boyfriend Cardigan

I love this cardigan and it is perfect for work with smart trousers as much as it with jeans.

Tile Print Dress

I went for a printed dress in monochrome as I just seem to love the look, it comes in 3 lengths which is brilliant for all the short and tall girls

So how did it all work out?

I love this dress, it fits beautifully, love the tile print pattern and it is going to be brilliant for the Spring and summer, this is how I have been wearing it recently, for work I would normally wear it with tights, but I had just ripped a massive hole in my last pair so this is it teamed with my leggings. 

I am wearing it with my Fluffy Cardigan which you can also get through Fashion World as I prefer the look of it with the black cardigan over all. It doesnt look bad with the Cardigan and I adore the cardigan I just love it with my trousers for work more.

Here is the dress with the Cardigan and the Bag, it looks lovely but just not perfect for me, I do highly recommend it though as I live in it both at work and at home with various other outfits.

Head over to the Fashion World Work Wear Promotion HERE, they have picked out some gorgeous outfit choices for the office and shop all the work wear options HERE

I am loving there blazers and may need to get one for the spring as they can be an ideal alternative to a coat as the weather improves.

Do you have a work wear staple, one you find pulls all your outfits together, let me know. 

Mhairi

xxx

Scarlett & Jo

Scarlett and Jo have been on my radar for a while now, I haven't had much chance to try them out as none of my local stores stock the range, so when they invited me to try out one of their new dresses I was incredibly excited.

I was sent the gorgeous Floral Print Asymmetric 2 Piece Midi Dress, It is a little bit too big for me so doesn't completely work, but I am going to have a play with it and see if I can make it work with a thick belt and accessories, I will post this looks at a later date for you.

The dress is still gorgeous and I will find a way to make it work for me, but I wanted you to see it as it is now so you can see how to make it work.

Dress c/o Scarlett & Jo buy it HERE

Scarlett and Jo really have some stunning items at the moment and they recently posted their new 1940's dresses on Facebook which I am desperate to get my hands on.

Image source

They also have this amazing dress out at the moment which is divine!

Find it HERE

I have seen a few images floating about of there new spring romance range and their is a maxi dress on its way that I am going to obsess over completely as soon as I can get a decent image of it I will let you see.

Scarlett & Jo offer beautiful quality stunning dresses get your hands on something you won't be dissapointed!

Dresolution with Marisota

I was approached quite a while ago now to take part in the Marisota Dressolution challenge, due to items not being quite right size wise and then my camera breaking again, I have taken a while to get this post up and running.

Marisota challenged us to make a change to our wardrobes this year and make a Dressolution, mine is to master casual chic, I have two outfits to show you but I am putting them in 2 posts this being the first.

I asked for three items to be sent out to me, these were the Floral Print Skater Dress, Floral Print Dress and the Biker Parker Jacket

The first item I have to show you is the Floral Print Dress

Spring is hopefully not to far away, we have had a crazily wet winter here in the UK and it is taking its toll on my mental health I love winter, but i like it to be clear and bright so i still get some sunlight.

This dress makes me think of spring, but it is still fabulous not slipped on with some leggings and layered up with a cardigan.

I have this dress in the tartan version as well and it is perfection, as is this floral version, it has little pockets  which are always a bonus on a dress and the blue is gorgeous, I teamed it with some ankle boots and bare legs, which is how I intend to wear it come spring.

I highly recommend this dress, and at only £35 it is perfection for your wardrobe.

Take a look at whats new at Marisota HERE

What is your Dressolution, more colour, tackling trousers, more dresses or something completely different, let me know. 

Mhairi

xxxx

Taking Shape

A while ago I was approached to review an item form a brand new to the UK, Taking Shape. Origionally an Austrailian Brand, Taking shape are now in the UK as an online and high street presence.

They offer a huge variety of clothing for women in sizes 14-26. I am very excited to head to peterborough and check out one of their stores, as plus sizes on the high street are dwindling so something new is fabulous.

I asked for the Queenie Tunic to be sent to me, I have been trying to get my casual wardrobe to be a little more fabulous, everything in my current collection seems to either be super dressy or scruffy, I want to look fabulous all the time!

It comes in this very beautiful purple colour and the gorgeous green which is the one I went for, I would say that the sizes come up quite large.

The tunic is very relaxed but feels beautiful, it is a fairly thin material so ideal for the transition between seasons. 

Taking shape offer some very beautiful items and is well worth a look, head on over to the website HERE 

Do you aim for casual chic? do you hit it or miss it like I usually do.

Mhairi

xxx

Violeta by Mango

This collection is going to take a beating from the plus community, for not being bold enough and not offering the same range and Mango's main line, but I have to say I am kinda in love with most of it.

Sometimes I do like to stand out in crazy fashion but other times I like to feel grown up and sophisticated, and that is the feeling I get form this collection.

Mango is a brand I have loved for years, my parents moved to Majorca in the late 90's when I was coming to the end of my teens and Mango was a huge brand there, so many of my clothes came from them for quite a while until I no longer fitted in them. 

The Violeta range isn't as brave as there main range but it does stick to there design feel, it is clean, sophisticated and simple, the prices are slightly higher maybe but not by much.

Robyn Lawley looks amazing in the press images!

I have chosen some of my favorite pieces, there are many more but the post would bet a bit long if I added them all.

Bicolor Fitted Dress

Zip Satin Dress

Monochrome Print Dress

Flowy Wrap Dress

Polka Dot Dress

Wrap Dress

Plumeti Blouse

Printed Flowy Trousers

Polka Dot Trousers

Even though the range isn't breaking any new fashion barriers or taking huge risks, I do think it is important to remember that Mango are taking  leap by introducing a plus range. The sizes apparently go up to a 24 which hopefully can be improved on but very few other brands have taken this step, hopefully if it does well it will improve and become bolder!

What do you think of the range?

Mhairi 

xxx