Jackie sparkles

Dress: Andy Warhol Pepe Jeans (Oxfam)// necklace: Zara//
Tights: Pretty Polly c/o Divine Hoisery// Boots: Urban Outfitters

I've been a busy bee in Manchester, working in the week and flat hunting in the evenings and at weekends. I've been scouring Didsbury for an affordable pad and still had no luck. All I want is a nice room in a friendly house near a tram stop, but even that appears to be too much to ask.

Although I didn't find a flat, I did find this amazing dress in the depths of Didsbury's Oxfam. A hard to find Andy Warhol print Pepe Jeans release, the gathered front hides my belly whilst the print and gorgeous fabric give this piece the wow factor. 

I've teamed the dress with these incredible tights the lovely Scarlett gifted me from Divine Hoisery. Stockists of the finest tights, hold ups and leggings, I'll be showcasing a whole range of their pieces, which are so stylish and fantastic for the coming winter months. These amazing Pretty Cosmic tights are decorated with gorgeous gems, which help to lift even the darkest outfit. Although I'm not normally one for sparkles, I thought I'd try something new with these beauties. The workday has definitely brightened up with these on my legs. I'll be wearing them all winter through. 

Although it's wild, I love this look and will definitely be testing the waters with it, once I've moved into Manchester! 

Sportswear chic for Spring

Tshirt: Adidas// Jeans: Topshop

Trainers: Nike//Leather Rucksack: vintage

For a suitably casual Saturday I opted for a simple take on the sportswear trend which has stubbornly refused to budge since SS 12. Even if you're a fan of the more traditional, feminine look, I'm afraid to tell you that simple shapes, masculine accessories and trainers *gasp* are here to stay. I've not donned a pair of trainers for casual wear (excluding Converse of course) since my neon trainers, which doubled as football boots for a day at the park. Those days, thankfully, are long gone, however I could not resist these trainers, initially bought for netball, but not the permanent home for my feet. Supportive, stylish and light as a feather, they have changed my whole perception of footwear. I promise I've not turned into an OAP overnight but hey, who says we have to wear uncomfortable shoes day in day out?! I am a big believer in stuffing my size seven soles into a variety of shoes in the hope that one day they'll appear dainty and when shoe shopping, "they'll stretch" is always on the tip of my tongue. Now I'm a trainer convert. No, this doesn't mean I'll be ditching my array of more feminine footwear anytime soon, in fact I've just bought some army green stilettos with heels to kill, but think about it, no bloke would buy a pair of uncomfortable shoes, so why should women ALWAYS opt for the most impractical in the shop? My Adidas v-neck is another more masculine purchase, I promise I'm gradually introducing a little more colour to my otherwise grey day-to-day wardrobe, but I couldn't resist this top which reminds me of the old England kits of the '80s. Paired with my good old ankle grazers from Topshop, I think my look is casual enough to wear during the week, without looking like I'm off to the gym! Accessorized with my denim jacket and leather rucksack, I'm also ticking off the double denim trend, another stubborn style, and the penchant for travelling chic this season.

I've been buying a few little feminine pieces this week, so the next outfit I share with you will be more colourful I promise!

Trust your gut, it'll never lie like the others...

Coat: Warehouse//Dress (worn as top) c/o Bank Fashion*//Skirt: H&M//Shoes: New Look

Coat: vintage//Dress: c/o Bank Fashion*// Shoes: Topshop// Necklace: Next 

photos by Mae Reddaway

November has crept up on me this year. 2013 has flown by and honestly, I can't wait for 2014. A year of sadness and bad memories has to make way for bigger, better and brighter things. All I can do is apologize for my absence and blame third year studies on  my lack of blogging. I'm already working late into the night, hence my post right now, but unfortunately the pile of essays, readings and analyses is never ending. 

Anyhow, the lovely people at Bank fashion decided to surprise me with a couple of pieces from their new ranges to give my little blog a bit of a boost and to lift my mood - believe me it worked! These gorgeous new shift dresses have been a hit with all my friends and I've not had them off since I received them. The cut flatters every shape, the patterns are bang on trend and the quality is good. Easy to dress up or down (or even transform into a top as my first pictures show), these dresses have become a bit of a wardrobe staple for me. 

Prints are still a big tick on the trend[ometer this Autumn/Winter. To add a little interest to your outfits, move away from the typical burgundies, navies and reds we see at this time of year and add some punchy print to your look. I promise it'll brighten up your outfit and your mood! I'm always guilty of sticking to greys and blacks, but this season I've promised myself that I'll brighten up. A bolder, better, more confident version of myself, to go with my new outfit choices. It's my last year of uni and I'm determined to enjoy it, regardless of what's going on in my little world.

Yep so that's me, a paragraph of clothing reviews and cryptic messages after a month of silence, but if you've been a long time reader, what did you expect? 

All my love and the promise that more blog posts will appear very soon.

Lennon, Rafferty & Allen...

Tshirt: the weekend trender via Next Mens (customized)//Jeans: Next//Shoes: Next//Necklace: Next//Bag: vintage

Hello! It's been a while. My summer 2012 posts are putting this year's efforts to shame, however I have to admit that I've been a very busy bee. After my work experience at Next HQ, I was straight back to work, as well as starting to produce the fashion section of freshers' week edition of the student newspaper. It's no excuse for my lack of blogging, but I'm hoping that I this post concerning such a great t-shirt will make up for my absence. 

This post is incredibly 'Next' heavy, but only due to the fact I've picked up some amazing bargains in the last few weeks, including this t-shirt. After a rummage in the Men's section I came across this fab top, adorned with the eyes of Lennon, Rafferty and Allen. I can't resist a man in specs, never mind three of the most influential boys that we've seen. Plus, it's funny, I may bump into a fella wearing the same piece, but heck who cares?! I've teamed said shirt with these amazing treated trousers, they're a leathery feel but not ott on the PU front. They also wash really well, giving the trews a very weathered look. Cough cough 'fake vintage style cough cough. Yes, I know it's a sin to dabble in the dark arts, but for £24 I couldn't resist. 

The necklace and shoes are my new favourite accessories. I've not had the collar off as it's the perfect size and style to jazz up any outfit and wedge-wise, who can resist a little bit of dalmatian print?!

I'll be wearing this out for drinks or dinner, but for an evening on the town I'll swap these lovely jeans for a little suede skirt. I've been so impressed with Next's new collections for A/W 13, here's hoping they keep up the good work! 

And we'll remain connected as you're reading out loud

Dress: H&M (S/S12)//Shoes: Urban Outfitters//Necklace & Bangles: vintage/Belt: vintage

I'm not a fan of maxi dresses. There I said it. I know this confession is some sort of blasphemy in our maxi-mad world, but being quite tall, not being a lithe CK model and not being the owner of a fabulous 'rack' I have to admit that they don't look great on me. This one has been sat in my wardrobe for many a moon, becoming a sort of dust sheet or protective cover for my other clothes. I've been avoiding it for so long, but unfortunately this ridiculously hot weather means that my normal summer staples have been worn and worn, so in desperation I've turned to this. 

I know the look isn't something you'd throw on for the shops, but for drinks or dinner in the evening I have to say it's not as horrible as I envisaged. I couldn't cope with the fabric hanging loose, I'm quite curvy so the belt helps to accentuate my best bit and hide my tummy (the lack of exercise I've had this summer is frankly disgusting; slobbing out in the sun with a beer so much more appealing than a jog!) and these gorgeous heels (Urban Outfitters sale £30 quid - bargain!) help posture-wise, leaving me laughing in the face of the humble control pants (celebratory chocs and wine time).

My accessories are all vintage finds and the belt has been stolen from mum (got to the love free vintage goodies from the parents!) 

I'm currently up in Leicester for the start of my two week work placement with Next HQ - wish me luck!

Pearl & Butler Festival Number 6 Competition

Shirt: Vintage//Leggings: Black Milk//Bag: thrifted// Shoes: vans//Jewellery: all vintage//sunglasses: Lacoste

So I was recently contacted by the lovely people at Pearl & Butler jewellery asking me to put together my perfect festival outfit, accessories n'all. 

To me a festival is the perfect opportunity to dig out an old favourite 'clothing-wise' to wear again, regardless of whether it's still in fashion. My galaxy leggings were a big part of my 2012 wardrobe and I think they really fit the festival theme; comfy yet cool. For fest number 6, I'd team them with this over-sized shirt I picked up in a local charity shop (yes I know there's a lot of purple, it wasn't intentional, but after all if I want to look like a giant parma violet then a festival is the place to do it.)

Vans are a must if the weather continues to be sunny, they're comfy, practical and I won't cry too much if they get ruined - they've survived a lot over the last year or so, their demise at a festival would be a fitting way to go. The leather rucksack wouldn't leave my side for the three days, but it's a very practical bag for a festival. I like to call it my 'Mary Poppins bag'; for Festival Number 6 it could probably fit my tent, all my necessities and James Blake in easily.  

Jewellery is obviously important - with few clothes it's nice to have some accessories which can be worn with various outfits. The necklaces I'm wearing are really versatile - the chain one is actually a longer piece which I've wrapped round my neck twice and the smaller turquoise piece can also be worn as a brooch, which means I could change how my accessories were worn each day without having to bring many with me!

If you fancy entering this competition too, take a look at the Pearl & Butler site here

What would you wear to Festival Number 6? 

Summer days

Dress: GetTheLabel*// Shoes: Charity shop// Necklace: Car boot// Bag: Primark// Sunglasses: Lacoste

So hello again, it's been two, long, stressful weeks where, among other things, I've been working non-stop and my computer decided that, after all the long hours it put in over revision, that it didn't want to play ball. Thinking all was lost, I was ready to pop it into my local PC World, but after a couple of days' rest, it started up as normal. 

Finally, I'm back to blogging and yes, I STILL have some GetTheLabel goodies to share with you, including this gorgeous pastel-coloured dress by Glamorous. I love the backless sections of this dress, giving a more modern twist to a pretty classic piece. The light chiffony material is perfect for lunch in this hot weather and it's so easy to dress up and down - I have to confess, I've worn it a couple of times before this post was published, once on a night out with some UO heels and an envelope clutch. 

Here, I've styled the dress up with these raised-sole shoes which I got from the charity shop for £2 (bargain!) they're really comfy and are a similar style to SuperGa pumps (my favourite shoes!).  The bag was a bargain from Primark, although it looks like I picked it up from a vintage store. Wicker is great for summer and I never miss an opportunity to whap out one of my many wicker bags the minute there's any sun! 

With my yellowish complexion, a tan would make this look a whole lot better, so I'll be saving it until I'm on my hols/ have time to pop some fake tan on! 

Hope you've all been enjoying the beautiful weather! 

Scotland calling...

Dress: River Island//Shoes: ebay// Cardigan: h&m (charity shop)// Fringe Bag: charity shop

Sophie looking very swish, I know that her cardigan is from Jack Wills but if you want to know where she got anything else, drop me a comment and I'll ask her! 

As those unlucky enough to follow me on Twitter know (due to the constant tweets about all things Scottish), last weekend my best friend Soph and I headed off to Edinburgh. We did the typical tourist trail, heading up to the beautiful castle and admiring the view from Arthur's seat, although I must admit, due to inappropriate outfits (ugg boots, converse and dresses) we didn't make it to the top!

We both fell in love with the city, there's such a buzz about the place and it's filled with quirky bars and restaurants. According to mother Nagaitis, it was voted the no.1. place to live if you're a young, sprightly thing, which explains a lot as I'm head over heels for the place.

Anyhow, I promised you an outfit post and the sun conveniently shone on Saturday morn so Soph and I headed to the gardens of the National Gallery to take a few photos.

I know I keep promising that I'll take some pics of high street stuff that I've bought and finally I've kinda delivered with this lovely River Island tapestry dress which was a mere £15 in the sale! I couldn't believe my luck with this bargain and the thick, quality material means that it's great for this colder-than-average April. Later on I'll be wearing it sans tights for dinner out and drinks in the garden. The bag is another relatively new purchase which I've fallen in love with. It's leather and I picked it up for a mere tenner from British Red Cross. It was perfect for Edinburgh and I've been using it ever since, I think the Mulberry's feeling left out!

More from me soon!

Power dressing like a pro

Dress: Vintage// Handbag: Vintage// Shoes: Zara// Chain: Thrifted

I've been lacking the motivation to blog this week, so apologies for the lack of posts! I feel like it could be something to do with the 12,500 words-worth of essays that I had to hand in on Friday and therefore the diet of energy drinks and junk food that I'd been surviving on for a couple of weeks to get the essays done. Unfortunately, I've found that a horrible side affect of this diet is the penchant for wine that slowly develops; the lady at the corner shop near my uni house now knows me as 'wine girl' and has taken to commenting on my choice of plonk. This relationship really isn't healthy and I honestly wouldn't recommend 'buying local' when it comes to booze! 

Anyhoo, I'm home for Easter (yay!) and felt today that it was perfectly acceptable to rummage through mum's fabulous wardrobe to find some gems. This amazing velvet emerald-coloured dress was alongside some other gorgeous vintage pieces which my mum rocked back in the day; it's been hidden away for so long that I thought I'd give it an airing, dress up as Patsy from Ab Fab (sans cigarette and bouffant hair) and take some pics in the frrrreezing cold!

Recently, I've been very 'charity shop and vintage heavy' post-wise and I am conscious that the high street really isn't 'bigged-up' enough on here. Well, I PROMISE that when I can schedule a shopping spree in I shall throw money at clothes... (standard Heidi behaviour really.)

p.s. I know my hair looks AWFUL at the minute, but I know my lovely hairdresser would go crazy if I let anyone else touch it, so I'm wearing exuberant hats until my appointment in the next week or so. 

Playing the deck above, it's always different...

Top: Fashion Union*// Trousers: H&M// Shoes: River Island//
Necklace: Topshop//

Thank god it's Saturday. Honestly, I don't know think I've left the library this week. As it's nearing essay deadlines I've had my head down trying to get the four monsters that I've been assigned done and dusted. It's got to the point now where I've become a 'library regular' and get the occasional nod off people I've never spoken to yet could describe in detail due to the fact we're ALWAYS in there! 

Now normally it's a pretty casual affair, rock up at Lanc's library around ten, stroll on over to a free computer, or peruse the bookshelves at leisure, even sneaking a cheeky sandwich in if you can get it passed the librarians. However, as the end of term looms the rest of the (sane) student body goes into panic mode, invading "the regulars'" territory and forcing us to skip/jog round the library in search of computers. Due to this slight change in tack, I've ended up wearing pretty practical clothes this week; you can't wear heels when you're pegging it up and down stairs. So I thought I'd treat myself one evening and dress up in my finest attire. 

The gorgeous mesh top is another of my little Fashion Union treats and, at a tenner, you really can't complain. Paired with a leather skirt, black tights and boots this look is killer. However, as you can probably see from these pics, I've got my belly out therefore totally ignoring the French 'less is more' approach - I just couldn't resist trying out my dalmatian-print trousers with this lovely little number and I think, if I'm feeling confident, they'll look fabulous on a night out! The necklace cost a hefty £1.50 in the Topper's sale, it's an unusual, good quality piece which adds a little bit of interest to the look and I'm sure you've seen the shoes in a number of my posts (apologies)! 

Anyhoo, rather a long one tonight lovelies, but thought I'd best update you on my current (mind-numbingly boring) situation. Hopefully things will start to perk up - I've been home this weekend and bought a few dazzlers which I'll share with you soon!

Plug my ears with cotton wool and pretend it's all over...

Jumper: Cheap Monday Terumi Sweat from Be Boutique*
// Chain: Charity Shop// Skirt: H&M//
Leggings: Store Twenty One// Shoes: Vans

Yeah, I know it's been a while, I'm so sorry for leaving you all for such a long time. I've had some personal stuff going on which has all been sorted out now, but really didn't put me in the mood for blogging. However, this gorgeous slouchy sweat was sent to me by the fabulous Be Boutique I could resist letting you lovelies see how amazing it is. 

I'm loving monochrome this season and, as many of you know, I do tend to live in greys and blacks (depressing I know!) but this piece adds a little quirk to my wardrobe and is such an easy-to-wear piece that I'll be wearing for as much of Spring as possible! 

The jumper, made by fabulous brand Cheap Monday, is such good quality and reminds me of nineties grunge wear which has been ALLLL over the catwalks for this season. 

Hope you're all enjoying March, I'm looking forwards to Easter when my best friend and I are hopping off to Edinburgh for a romantic weekend away! Don't worry, I promise to document my travels!

Lotsa' love 

I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien

Dress: Topshop (Charity shop)// Boots: Dena & Ozzy//
Cuff (just seen) Chelsea Doll// Ear cuff: ASOS

So here's an outfit post from the depths of my room at Uni! After trying loads of different areas of my room, I decided that my huge wardrobes were the best background for my pics. (I've not been brave enough to ask my uni friends to take photos of me, feel that's a little OTT!)

I picked up this dress in town yesterday whilst having a cheeky charity shop sesh with my lovely pal Christina. I have to admit, you would never expect to find the gems I've snapped up in Lancaster, but I warn you looks can be deceiving and this little city really does have some fabulously stylish people (who buy lots of clothes!).

This iridescent beauty was at the back of the rail in Age UK and, to be honest, on the hanger it didn't do much for me. Chrissie convinced me to try it on and, although it's a little figure-hugging, I fell for the material and the gorgeous back piece you can see in my last photo. Also, it had all of the Topshop labels still attached and was only £6, it would've been really rude to say no...

I have to admit that I do feel a little bit like Leeloo from 5th Element (If you've not seen it, then it's a brilliant sci-fi film with Bruce Willis in, get it watched!) and the Chelsea Doll cuff definitely makes the outfit.

I wouldn't suggest such an ensemble for Sunday lunch with your folks, you might get a few looks from regulars, however it's definitely an outfit for clubbing which is very on trend for S/S 13.

With Balenciaga's statement sci fi jumper being worn by the fashion elite and Jonathan Saunders experimenting with holographic and unusually textures fabrics, now is the time to let your alien out.

Do you like the sci-fi look? What've you bought to channel this new trend?