Oh I do like to be beside the sea...

Top: Mango//Jeans: Charity shop//Shoes: River Island// Necklace: Spanish market//
Bracelets: thrifted//Watch: Next.

I'm guessing by now that you've worked out the absence of posts (unlike me) is pretty unusual. Well, I was actually away over the Christmas period, sunning myself in Fuerteventura (lucky me!) Me and the fam always have a holiday abroad in December instead of doing the traditional British summer hol thing. My dad HATES cold weather, so I'm always the one rocking a tan at the wrong time of year!

Ours was a typical beachy holiday and this meant evenings out were tres casual, so I stuck to jeans and  invested in this gorgeous blouse from Mango. Top itself is a gorgeous muted grey/blue colour and is lined with a similar colour chiffon so that you don't get the awkward underarm bra strap which always seems to show on low cut tops. It always really annoys me and, if I'm not feeling brave, I always pop a bandeau on underneath. This Mango lovely solves that problem and I've been wearing it way too much!

I teamed the look with the fab collar necklace which I picked up at a local market, I love finding bargains abroad and think it's so important to buy local, helping you find unique pieces for affordable prices. Some of my best jewellery finds are from abroad and I always make sure to check out local flea markets at least once on my hols - this time I bought two necklaces, seven rings and two bracelets, all for under 20 euros! I know that at times I struggle in the U.K to find accessories for under 20 quid, never mind eleven items.

What did you do over Christmas? Do you buy local when abroad?

Merry Christmas!

I had a lovely Christmas this year, my first as a blogger, and so I thought I'd share some of the lovely gifts I received with you. 

L-R: Vero Moda Peter Pan collar top// Biba Purse// Paperchase Makeup bag//
Rock n' Rose Cross Necklace// Lacoste Sunglasses 

These are my favourite little bits that my parents got me this year and, I have to admit, that after writing this blog for ten months, my taste in fashion has changed in a number of ways. 

1. I've suddenly become addicted to burgundy. Don't know why, don't know when, but the fact of the matter is that I have an obscene amount of 'red(y)-purple' in my wardrobe. It's sad when you look at your Facebook photos and begin to notice that you wear a colour too much. To be honest, mum loves it - she was used to my former colour palate of grey, navy blue and black, so any more feminine colours are a real hit! 

2. I have a feeling that 'Pat Butcher chic' and I will never part. Just look at that Biba purse (YES, BIBA). Yep, it's fabulous, so fabulous infact that I'm too nervous to use it yet and because of this it's wrapped in tissue paper, hidden in my wardrobe. My penchant for leopard-print has gotten so bad, that my mum picked this for me. I know people say that ugly, or too wild (*laughs), but in my mind, worn sparingly, it's a little glimmer of opulence which can bring sparkle and interest to any dull outfit. 

3. I own more sunglasses than ever before. These gorgeous Lacoste beauties are the latest addition to the collection and were a bargain at £20. They're very Jackie-O and I love them so much that I shall be sporting them even in drizzle. 

The necklace and the makeup bag? Well what can I say except 'bloody lovely!'

Oh and to finish the list of my top presents, I've got to include this little beauty from the boyfriend. He's definitely done well this year, it's even from Not on the High Street so it's a little bit unique. What a charmer he is.

So anyway, hope you're having a great Christmas and hope you all have a wonderful 2013!

Lots of love 

We'll meet again...

Bit of a different post today, but I couldn't resist mentioning a new website that I stumbled upon when surfing the net, looking for presents for the older members of my famalamalam.

Thoughtfulseniorgifts.com is home to a huge array of presents and treats which will appeal to people of all ages, nevermind older rellys!

I love the quirky style of the website, which includes grainy images from the thirties and forties with a comical twist. The site is also really easy to navigate meaning that any oldies who aren't au fait with technology can travel from page to page easily.

There are loads of different categories to choose from at the home page, making browsing really easy. I popped straight over to the jewellery section to have a browse and I wasn't disappointed! 

I found some gorgeous pieces, including a sterling silver locket and then I stumbled upon this little beauty!

This gorgeous vintage-inspired locket is something that I've never seen before and, as a bit of a jewellery lover, I think this lovely necklace would make a touching gift for a woman of any age. 

My favourite thing about this site is its personal-touches, like the photo gallery where buyers can upload photos of 'the good old days.' Messages are also posted alongside many of the items, which tell stories of times gone by, linking products to memories. 

All in all, I'd describe this site as a place to buy gifts that are sure to rekindle loved one's memories, through the items advertised online and the touching little features which make this site a forum as well as an ecommerce page. 

Go on, have a gander and see what little gems you dig up!

www.thoughtfulseniorgifts.com 

  

This is how we do...

Leather Jacket (seen in other images): TK Maxx//Tshirt - DIY dip-dye//Disco Pants: GlamorousUK// Shoes: River Island// Satchel: thrifted//Necklace: ASOS//Cuff: Chelsea Doll*

 I thought I'd style my dip-dye shirt to show you all how well the dye has taken. I'm so pleased with it! I've got a few more bits I'm going to dip-dye and so I've bought some studs off Ebay (£2.99 for 100 = bargain!) so that I can recreate my own versions of the gorgeous pieces seen in Topshop, which I can't afford at the mo!

My birthday was on Tuesday, I was the big 2-0 (shock horror!) and I've been really busy organising my night out etc, so this outfit was put together a few days ago before the madness descended. I popped out to my local town to do some window shopping and, as comfort is a priority for any shopping mission, I popped on my glamorous disco pants, my newly-dyed top and my leather jacket (My prize possession!) I also dug out this satchel which I bought for about a fiver in a charity shop wayyy before satchels started appearing on the catwalk. I think it goes really well with the look, what do you guys think?

Jewellery-wise, I stayed safe, opting for the little cross I bought off ASOS teamed with my beautiful new cross cuff from ChelseaDollx which arrived in the post with the gorgeous armlet I received from them a while back. The armlet is a much more intricate piece, so I've been wearing the more simplistic cuff non-stop, and saving the armlet for evenings out!

Before I forget...THANK YOU LOVELY FOLLOWERS! I've finally got fifty of you! (Well just over at my latest count) so I'll be hosting a giveaway very soon. I was thinking that a little vintage Suzy Smith handbag would be a good prize - a recent find in a vintage store. What do you think? I didn't want to go down the line of more generic items for my first giveaway, I wanted something unique. Hopefully you'll all approve.

Happy Thursday - I'm out tonight with the girls, for a belated birthday celebration, so will post soon!

Dixi Preview - Warrior Collection

So online jewellery and clothes store Dixi is extending their Warrior collection to include lots of little treats which I'd quite like to get my hands on!

Here are six gems which would brighten up my day - the smart clutch bags look sophisticated but tick the box when it comes to the studs and military-style look we've seen on the catwalk.

Florals are still big for A/W 2012, so this fab vintage dress is another must-have piece which is both on-trend with it's androgynous cut, but has a definite sixties feel with the muted floral print and collar.

Jewellery remains simple with a chic edge, and natural stones are such a gorgeous addition to any wardrobe.

These are only a taste of what's to come, so have a look on the Dixi website for more new pieces: http://www.shopdixi.com/

The lovely people at Dixi are offering all my readers FREE SHIPPING on all orders of £15 or over - a fantastic voucher code that is exclusive to you guys, so it's the best code you'll find!

When ordering on Dixi, pop in: UPDATEMEFS

This code is valid til the 9th September - so shop away!

Lots of the lines are pretty exclusive, so make sure you don't miss out on some of these yummy buys!

Shop Dixi's new collection here: http://www.shopdixi.com/category_45/NEW.htm

Visit Dixi:

@shopdixi
www.facebook.com/shopdixidotcom

Etsy wanderings: flonightingales

So I was having a wander round Etsy this afternoon (cheeky cheeky!) and stumbled upon this little gem of a seller, flonightingales.

One of my favourite things is finding an accessory or piece of clothing that no one else has, something that's not available on the high street and that you can wear with your head held high, knowing you won't bump into anyone with the same look as you.

Well lovelys, I have to say this is one AMAZING ETSY PAGE which promises just that! This site has some beautiful jewellery which is all really affordable and really quirky and I guarantee that none of your friends (unless they're ridiculously cool) will be wearing any of these treats before you. 


My favourite piece from the site has to be this beautiful necklace. I adore all the spiked jewellery on the market at the mo, but feel that some high street designers have gone a little ott with it all. I appreciate the crazy spikes for the catwalk, but I don't want to be impaled on some ridiculously spiked accessory on my way to work. This is the perfect chain for me - three little spikes which will go with everything and for the bargain price of £9.00! Brilliant value!

A few other items that are fabulous include a  lovely wooden bird pendant, a gorgeous 'message in a bottle' pendant, a pretty deer necklace. 

                                                                             

   

In short, I know what I'll be doing when its payday, spending some of my hard earned cash here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/flonightingales?ref=top_trail 

Do you know any really good Etsy pages? if so please share!