about your dress

AYD Hiatus

2011-12-01T10:39:00.001Z

You have probably noticed a drop off in posts over the past three months. This is because I (Ria) have started a new job, which I love dearly, but which means I don't have much time for this here blog anymore. Therefore, rather than throw out the occasional post, I've decided to put AYD on indefinite hiatus. I'm not saying this will be the end forever, and I hope that it's not, but it's the only solution for now.

It's been very difficult to make this decision, and I want to thank all of you for sticking with it and for giving AYD so much support. I also want to thank Roisin and Nom especially, for being wonderful co-writers and all round Good Eggs.

Au revoir!

Ria x

Cool or Cobblers? Nikko by J.D. Fisk

2011-11-30T14:08:00.005Z

In this week's Cool or Cobblers, we'll be discussing the Nikko.

Nikko is brought to us by Dolce Vita's menswear brand J.D. Fisk. A pair of these babies costs $169 - that's £106.93 to you and me at the current exchange rate. I think they're deliciously stylish. The cobblers aspect is that they're not available in the UK yet, but should you disagree, you're welcome to share your opinion with us in the poll below...

Cool or Cobblers! Clementine from Kurt Geiger

2011-11-23T12:00:00.000Z

Hallo, my name is Mistress Naomi. I am here to punish you because you are nothing but a worthless worm, a disgusting dog whose only purpose in life is to LICK MY STILETTOS!

These Clementine stilettos by Kurt Geiger are basically bondage. Just look at them! Observe that dangerously shiny, hostile, black patent leather. That miniscule heel, skinny as a Vogue cigarette. The sharply triangular toe waiting for your poor, soon to be excruciatingly sore feet. Vamp central baby, vamp central.

These shoes holler high maintenance. They postulate power, in no uncertain terms. They say, quite simply, "Don't mess with me baby, because I can kill you in less than seventeen seconds in twelve different ways. And I will."

The price you'll pay for such a statement, is £220. That's Kurt Geiger for you. You aren't buying shoes, you're buying into an idea. Put these shoes on your feet and you'll become the kind of person who gets people doing exactly what they want, immediately. This will probably be due to the fact that you've become a total bitch because your feet are killing you, but who cares, you'll look amazing.

So what's the verdict?

Cool or Cobblers? Lucas Derby Oxfords from Mr KG

2011-11-16T21:51:00.001Z

Bonjour babies, how are all? Recently it's been brought to our attention that there are those amongst you, dear readers, who, anatomically speaking, could be classed as [Samuel Beckett length dramatic pause] of the male persuasion. That's right, you guessed it, BOYS.

Now, who knew that we'd attract such attention (aside from the fact that we're all ridiculously fit and witty, OBV)? We write about dresses and bags and things! We're delighted by your presence and welcome you with open arms. We won't name names, but we would like to invite you to join in with our games! So, in the spirit of equality and like, anti-sexism and shiz, this week's Cool or Cobblers features shoes for chaps. Ladies and gents, I present to you...Lucas.

Lucas comes from the Mr KG range. He's a suede Derby Oxford-style shoe available for sixty of your English pounds in tan (pictured), navy, brown or grey (I especially like grey and navy myself, but I'm not supposed to sway your opinions so pretend you never read this). There's some interesting detailing on the soles which might influence your opinions either way, as evidenced below.

So, there you have it. Lucas by Mr KG. Ladies and Gentleman, kindly place your votes in the box below. Danke je!

about your dress Christmas club: Paper Angels from Very Nice Things

2011-11-11T00:00:00.005Z

These sweet packs of Paper Angels from Very Nice Things are quite simply, very nice indeed.

I think they'd look pretty as place settings at a Christmas table, on the tree, or just scattered about the house randomly spreading festive cheer about them in a tiny, angelic fashion.

They cost £10 for a packet of 7, and look, they come flat-packed, so you could either spend a happy afternoon making them all up for yourself or send them as little postcards to your friends! You could be the coolest of your friends with unusual Christmas cards AND spread crafty, festive cheer! Win.

As Very Nice Things is run by a Very Nice Person, aka Emma Blackman, AYD blog readers get a special discount of 15% until the end of November when you enter the code AYD15 at checkout. Huzzah!

Cool or Cobblers? Herman the German from Irregular Choice

2011-11-09T13:10:00.000Z

Irregular Choice is one of those brands that really makes me stop and think. Sometimes I might be thinking 'SWEET LORD ABOVE, DID SOMEONE TAKE TOO MUCH ACID AND THROW UP ON A DESIGN BOARD?', sometimes it's just 'Wow, those are really awesome. But are they too awesome to be considered acceptable in public?', sometimes it's 'Oh my goodness, they would look ridonkulous on anyone who wasn't aged 15 and going through some sort of awkward Japanese Lolita phase' and finally, sometimes it's just 'Those look terrifically uncomfortable.'

You see, I have a pair of ICs in green suede with jewelled frogs on them, which I purchased at Uni when I really didn't have enough money to be purchasing a pair of shoes which wouldn't look out of place in a fairytale and cost more than I was meant to spend on food in a fortnight. And let me assure you, they are cripplingly uncomfortable. But they look so damn pretty, sometimes when I am alone, I just put them on in my bedroom and stare at my feet.

Anyway. For today's Cool or Cobblers, I'm throwing Irregular Choice out there for you to destroy or deify.

Meet Herman. Herman the German.

I know what you're thinking: 'Nom, with your dang leopard print fetish, get over it, you're such a wannabe Dorian from Birds of a Feather.' but look. Hermy has other qualities that should not be ignored. Take for example his heel. How jaunty!?

And I do love a dear little bow. It's so sweet, so coquettish in a shoe. I'm sure Marie Antoinette would approve. I mean I know, she was like, thirteen, but whatevs, haven't you seen the film with Kirsten Dunst? She had pugs man. She had style. Oodles of it.

A pair of Herman the German shoes will cost you £99. That's just £1 off a full pony guv'nor. What do you think? Worth it? Cool or Cobblers?

Nomday! about your necklace: Lego necklaces from Kookiemonkey

2011-11-07T10:01:00.003Z

I love Lego. I think I inherited this from my mother, Rosebud, who used to get us big Lego sets for Christmas, but wouldn't allow us to play with them until she had built them first. Now my siblings and I have mainly fled the nest, she has an entire room set aside for Lego. Sometimes when I come home I find her sitting in said room, playing building the sets on the floor. She has ALL the Harry Potter ones.

Kookiemonkey on Folksy has made a set of 18 inch necklaces featuring Lego bricks for the bargain price of £10. Perfect little gift for the geek in your life.

I like this little Taxi necklace, which is made with a vintage Lego brick:

This Fangs necklace has got me racking my brains trying to remember what set it came from originally:

And this vintage i-mac vs Pc necklace reminds me of the old Acorn PC we used to play on in Year 5 and 6 in primary school. There was this game with a turtle, I think it was called Logic or something and it came on floppy disk.

about your dress Christmas club: wreaths at the ready

2011-11-04T00:00:00.002Z

Winter is coming...Sorry I've been reading Game of Thrones every spare second in preparation for the new series starting on Sky Atlantic in the New Year...yep, fully aware I'm a geek, but whatever, I love it.

Anyway, Winter is coming and now we're in November, we might even go as far to say, comfortably, that Christmas is coming too. I work in retail so I've been ramming it down everyone's throats in an official capacity since September, but it's in November that I start to feel wintry and want to start decorating. So here I am in an unofficial capacity, chatting to you about Christmas decs, because I actually want to. Welcome to AYD Christmas Club.

See here? This is The Christmas Button Wreath, which I've spotted on From The Wilde.

I love it. It's a From The Wilde exclusive and costs £25. Green and purple is a nice, unusual combo for Christmas, but I like it. It comes in lots of different colours too, if green and purple ain't your thing.

There's also this awesome Brussels Sprout wreath, which I've spotted on Not on The High Street for £29.

I feel this wreath will be received a bit like Marmite; peeps are either going to love it or absolutely hate it, but I think it's light-hearted fun. After all, what would Christmas be without the dear old sprout?

Cool or Cobblers? Jelly and Ice Cream from Irregular Choice

2011-11-02T13:00:00.000Z

Again with the Irregular Choice I hear you say. But seriously, I saw these Jelly and Ice Cream shoes on the IC website and I felt like I was in a terrible seventies school-girl glam rock nightmare. My feet ran away in fear and I couldn't walk anywhere and then this giant ladybird strolled over to me and asked me how the devil was I and did I 'fancy some magic sugar crystals?' I said in the politest manner I could muster under the circumstances, 'Rosebud told me not to do drugs, Lady, and also, did you just step out of James and the Giant Peach or what?' at which point the bug's eyes went all squirly and then I woke up screaming and clutching my toes in terror.

The I realised IT WASN'T A DREAM and you can actually pay £115 for these shoes if you want to.

Nomday! about your knitwear: gnome blue jasmine knits at Cath Kidston

2011-10-31T08:22:00.011Z

I was a bit over Cath Kidston. !*Confessional moment*! I was starting to find some of the floral stuff tawdry and thoughtless; I was starting to get the impression that dear old Cath just spotted any old print with some foliage on it and thought RIGHT! Let's stick this on everything I can think of and make a shed-load of dosh!

Let's face it, a lot of the Cath Kidston merchandise sits smugly in the posh-upper-high-street-price bracket, reserved, in Nomworld anyway, for birthday presents for very special people. Unless there's a sale on. What? I'm from the North, I have no qualms about wanting good value for money. When I'm buying things for myself, I'm only prepared to pay over about £45 for something if it a. literally makes me ache with longing, b. squeal with excitement or c. makes me look really, really hot. This Cath Kidston gnome blue jasmine jumper ticks two of these criteria (not the hot one. I have big boobs, jumpers always make me look like I'm smuggling galia melons):

I love it. Lots of my besties from my hometown (and, interestingly, even one of my bosses at work) call me Gnome, which stems back to an A level drama class in Year 12 where our rather well spoken and beloved tutor, Mr Jones, tried to call me 'Nom' in an attempt to be down with the kids but just couldn't quite manage it with his absurdly posh accent.

Here are some facts about the gnome jumper: In the Cath Kidston catalogue, it's called the 'gnome blue intarsia lambswool jumper', but on the website it's simply called the 'Gnome Jasmine Jumper'. It costs £65 and it comes with a flock of accessories (naturally, nobody could accuse Cath of not taking a print and ramming it down everybody's throat until they start puking bouquets) such as the matching hat for £25, scarf for £38 and toadstool gloves for £25.

My one qualm about this range is that on the website, the copywriter continually describes this range using the 'Q' word. Yes that's right, quirky *gags*. That word offends me; it's used by people who also think the words 'kooky', 'nutty' and 'wacky'* are appropriate to describe people who aren't Tax Inspectors or Accountants. Or by Tax Inspectors or Accountants when they're referring to themselves on the weekends.

*'Zany' too, don't forget about zany.

Cool or cobblers? Pepper peep-toe Mary Jane shoes from asos

2011-10-27T07:36:00.000+01:00

Oh. Dear. God. I can't even call this. They're either insane, or awesome, but I'm too busy staring open mouthed to decide.

They tick a lot of boxes for me. I mean, they're black and gold, which means as I'm trying not to trip up dancing down the street I can validly sing that Sam Sparro song from 2009 which I loved so much I actually had as my ringtone for the longest time. They're platforms, which means I'm super tall AND retain some stability. They're peep toes, which somehow always manage to look ace despite the fact your toes are squishing through. And finally, they're sparkly, baby. They SPARKLE LIKE DIAMONDS. GOLD DIAMONDS. I KNOW THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE BUT I DON'T CARE BECAUSE I ACCIDENTALLY SNORTED SOME GLITTER AND NOW ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT IS SPARKLES AND UNICORNS AND ohdearsweetlordIfelloverpleasecansomeonetakemetoA&E?

The pepper peep-toe Mary Jane shoes from asos cost £50. Whaddya reckon? Cool or cobblers?

Cool or Cobblers? Kurt Geiger Ella shoes

2011-10-19T13:27:00.000+01:00

Welcome friends to our newest wee feature, dedicated soley (har har #DadJokesLOL) to shoes. In Cool or Cobblers you get to decide if our taste in footwear is nifty or naff. We bring you the shoes, you make the call.

It is without further ado that I bring you... Ella. She's leggy, she's leather, she comes in the colour of my favourite beverage (wine, duh) and she costs £220 from Kurt Geiger.

Personally, I'm not intimidated by the snakeskin. I know, I know, it's a bit trashy 80s but you know what? I'm down with that. I think the mustard and wine colourway makes them look, like, well posh innit. I'm a fan of the platform too. It makes my interminably clumsy self feel more secure, even if I do happen to be four inches taller. Take a look at Ella from the back:

I hate to see you leave baby, but I LOVE to watch you walk away! So whaddya reckon? Cool or Cobblers?

about your shop: Rise Fashion

2011-10-18T14:20:00.000+01:00

First of all, I need to apologise for the hiatus that About Your Dress has been on over the past month or so. I (Ria) have got a new job and it's MAD busy, so I have not been giving this poor baby the love and attention it needs - nay, deserves! If you can find me, you're more than welcome to slap me on the wrist. Anyway, it's back to business as usual, and I though I'd start by introducing you to the thing that has stolen so much of my time recently: Rise Fashion.

Rise started life as a wholesale brand, and this is still a big part of the company's profile (you may have seen their wares in Dorothy Perkins, Tesco, or even your favourite local boutique coughASPIRESTYLEcough), but in 2008 they opened a website to the public. This is now in my capable hands, so obviously I want you all to go there and spend lots of money, but like everything we feature on AYD, this is because I genuinely believe in their products (I'm even writing this on my lunchbreak so it's not even on company time). The pricepoints are fantastic, and I've seen first hand how much care and attention goes into the design of each style. Without further ado, I present to you my five favourite Rise products (in no particular order):

Lula dress, £30 (reduced from £40)

Florence dress, £20 (reduced from £30)

Anais dress, £22 (reduced from £32)

Evie dress, £60

Sadie blouse, £24

I am incredibly happy to be working with a brand which I can truly support, and I hope you love Rise as much as I do! In case you need any more convincing, you can get 15% off with the code AYDblog. I'm too good to you.

Nomday! about your shop: Me by Amma Gyan

2011-10-17T13:39:00.001+01:00

Back in June I celebrated London Jewellery Week by visiting Hatton Garden Festival with my beloved buddy Ellie in search of some new pretties that I could croon 'My Preciousssss' over in my very best (which is, incidentally, pretty lame) Gollum impersonation. It was a wonderful way to spend a sunny Saturday, walking along a street full of British craftspeople, watching them create and talking to them about their work. I guess some people might not do the whole talking part (mon Dieu, you don't speak to strangers, this is LONDON), but me being me, I obviously did. And I enjoyed it too, so there.

It was on this delightful wee free day out that I met a jewellery designer called Amma Gyan; her brand of leather accessories and jewellery, Me, really stood out as beautiful and unique.

These pretty turquoise and leather dot rings cost £30 and are lovingly crafted with soft Italian leather and gold clasps. They come in red leather (shown above) and plum. If you're not a turquoise girl, there's a gorgeous onyx black dot ring (shown below) and a pearl and tan version available for the same price, and for £21, a selection of gold dot rings.

There are two types of necklaces to go with the ring, if you like to be all matchy-matchy with your accessorisation, the dot necklace, for £56 and the Cleo, for £45.

I also rather like this Natasha necklace. I'm loving the way Amma has casually paired it with a white t-shirt in the picture. What a lovely way to dress up a simple white tee! Delicate yet bold, I think it's really pretty. It comes in white or yellow leather (pictured) and costs £85.

Amma is on twitter @MebyAmmaGyan and she also has an interesting tumblr style blog here too.

Nomday! about your mugs: Espresso mugs by Le Creuset

2011-10-03T13:41:00.001+01:00

When someone mentions Le Creuset to you, you probably either think 'Oh crumbs, I don't speak French, how can I stop myself from looking stupid right now? I'll just nod and look like I'm concentrating.' or you think of bright orange 70s cookware. Le Creuset has actually always come in a multitude of colours since its launch in 1925, but probably the most iconic colourway is that graduated orange.

I'd only ever seen the orange - which is officially called 'Volcanic', according to le website (don't be scared, I'm just making things sound French by putting a 'le' in front of them, I'm not actually writing in a different language - I know, INSANE right?) so I was truly thrilled to discover what pretty hues you can procure them in.

Take, for example, these lovely espresso mugs - and whilst we're on the subject of espressos, who else dies a little inside when you hear someone say expresso? Hello! THERE IS NO 'X' IN ESPRESSO! IT DOESN'T MAKE IT COME FASTER! Ahem, sorry, these lovely espresso mugs cost just £7.50 from the Le Creuset website and come in 9 different colours, below are some pictures of my personal favourites.

First up, ladies and gents, we have the Le Creuset espresso cup in 'Cassis'. She's lovely, isn't she? Turns out cassis is just a posh (or French) way of saying blackcurrant.

Next in line we have 'Kiwi'; bright and zingy, strong coffee served up in a Le Creuset espresso cup in kiwi is a sure fire way to kick-start your morning.

Next we have Teal. Teal feels fresh and calm to me. Fresh and calm. Like...like something fresh and calm.

If you're not an espresso drinker, you might just want a normal mug, for tea and whatnot and incredibly, thanks to the combined wonders of product development, charity and marketing, you can get one of those for just £10 AND help save the world, because Le Creuset have a rose coloured line in conjunction with Breast Cancer Care. Yay!

Hello Rose

The full range is called The Strawberry Tea Collection and it's limited edition for 2011. On average, Le Creuset donates £1.25 for each item purchased and has pledged a minimum of £20,000 to the cause. What are you waiting for?

I things that feel heavy and look sturdy, mainly because I'm extremely clumsy and break fragile objects at the drop of a hat, or rather, mug. Although I distinctly remember struggling to lift a fully loaded Le Creuset cast iron saucepan in my youth, I figure that once the Nommie Dream House is established, a fully kitted out Le Creuset kitchen will be an excellent way of keeping the bingo wings at bay. Move over Madonna, Nom is snapping at your armbands.

Nomday! about your kitchenalia: Circa Ceramics on Etsy

2011-09-19T16:15:00.001+01:00

I've probably mentioned before something about my love for old school cameras. There is something utterly reassuring about using a proper film camera, a piece of kit that is older than me and doesn't require batteries to make it work. The pictures can be so satisfying, the anticipation of waiting to finish and the develop the film intense and most of all, there's that delicious clunk when you take the shot. They also look seriously cool, all lined up in a little collection. It's amazing how inventive camera designers have been in the past, creating bodies that look completely different from each other.

I love finding objects created by people who seem to share my delight in camera memorabilia as much as I do. Nancy and Andy of Circa Ceramics on Etsy seems to be just such a duo! This little Lomo Lubitel plate, for example, is completely awesome - you choose the colour, they make the plate, print the design, fire and ship it to you! All handmade and costing just under £20 at the current exchange rate, plus £13 shipping (£7 if you're buying more than one) it's a perfect addition to any camera lover's kitchen!

Not a fan of the Lubitel and more of a Leica fan? What about the little Leica plate in berry red? Or my personal favourite, the Starmite, seen below in dodger blue!

If you're less of a camera fan and more of an audiophile, you might appreciate the little mix tape plate in avocado, or any other colour you might care to choose.

If you're looking for a just a little present for someone, Circa have a sweet range of magnets which cost just over a fiver. Designs include a Hasselblad, a Spartus and a Kiev - no I'm not talking about a chicken kiev, obviously, that would be absurd.

about your jewellery - On Cloud 9 necklace by Little Moxie at From The Wilde

2011-09-16T13:46:00.000+01:00

Just a quick one today because I'm currently under an avalanche of work at my new job, but LOOK AT THIS NECKLACE HOW CUTE IS IT PLEASE SOMEONE BUY IT FOR ME I'LL GIVE YOU ONE OF MY KIDNEYS:

It's by Little Moxie and you can buy it [for me] for just £29 from the ever-fabulous From The Wilde.

about your dress: stunningly beautiful dress with no name at H&M

2011-09-15T14:44:00.001+01:00

Whilst perusing one of the H&Ms on Oxford Street the other week, I fell in love (with an item of clothing, obviously), and I've been waiting impatiently for it to appear online so I could share it with you all. And today I can! Here is the latest object of my affection:

It also comes in black, which might be a safer option:

At £19.99, its price is almost as beautiful as the dress itself. But a word to the wise if you plan on investing in this saucy little thing: unless you fancy waiting so long for your order that you're collecting your pension before it arrives, don't buy online.

about your beauty: Nail Tattoos at Topshop

2011-09-13T11:00:00.000+01:00

What's cooler than cool? That's right, 'ice cold'. But what's cooler than ice cold? NAIL TATTOOS. Topshop have excelled themselves in the quirky stakes once again with three sets of teeny tiny tats for your fingers. You can choose from three designs: Sea...

...Cosmic...

...or Star:

Ideal for naughty little scamps like me whose stubby, chewed excuses for nails are too short for polish. And as they're by a brand called Big Ruby, all of the packs come with tattoos of their bulldog mascot. I'll be shelling out the princely sum of £7 for the Sea designs faster than you can say "What the flip is that on your nail? Is that- is that an OCTOPUS?! Why would anyone put an octopus on their NAIL?! Are you on crack? I'm going to walk away now."

about your sale: Closet at A|Wear

2011-09-07T11:00:00.000+01:00

Back in the mists of time, in the September before I went off to university, I had a little mini holiday in Dublin with my then-boyfriend. I bought myself the most beautiful scarf in A|Wear on Grafton Street. It was ribbed, with horizontal stripes of purple and lilac. I loved that scarf, and I was heartbroken when I stupidly left it hanging on a chair in Menary's and never got it back. Sigh. I've always had a soft spot for A|Wear, ever since that, and so I've enjoyed their fairly recent expansion. They stock the increasingly popular boutique brand Closet , and they have a cracking sale on at the moment.

I won't show you every single 50's inspired dress they have, but there are a fair few in the sale so if that's your thing you should go and have a look.

Predictably enough, I like this red polka dot v-backed dress:

It ticks all the Roisin boxes - polka dots, swishy skirt, wholly impractical. I like the high neck and I appreciate that it comes with a belt, although it's difficult to tell the quality of the belt from the photo alone. It looks good from the back as well:

I think the polka dot dress could work well if we have an Indian summer, and it'll also look good with tights and a cardigan when the weather gets colder. It's £15 and it's also available in blue and black.

This geometric curve shift dress is spot on.

It works well with the 60s trend that seems to be everywhere and the curved underbust seam means that it has a bit of shape to it. I think it's got a bit of a mod feel to it, and I can imagine myself wearing this with purple tights and knee-boots. This is also £15 and I think it would work well into the autumn – you could layer it up with a long-sleeved top underneath it.

Of course, I didn't leave the sale totally empty handed. True to form, I went for one of Closet's adorable 50's inspired dresses. In my case the printed floral flare dress . I know. I am SUCH A CLICHÉ.

You know what, though? Whatever. This dress was £20 and although the print is decidedly summery I can see myself wearing this into the late autumn. It has all the things I love about this style of dress, and some nice little design features like a pleated neckline and a visible zip. I like the visible zip – it isn't a great big exposed zip, but it subtly shows. For £20 I think this is an absolute steal and I'm looking forward to wearing it.

At the moment A|Wear are offering a further 10% off all the Closet sale items – put the code CLOSETSALEOFFER in at the checkout and you're golden. Happy shopping!

about your shoes: Linley D lace ups at Dune

2011-09-06T03:00:00.000+01:00

I was walking past Dune in Covent Garden the other day when something caught my eye and I had to literally double back. That something was these shoes:

A little bit of sleuthing on the Dune website revealed them to be the Linley D lace ups, and they're available at the slightly-less-extortionate-than-I-thought price of £65. Whilst the only two colours in the window were the black and nude above, it turns out they're also available in sparkly champagne and jazzy leopard print:

I'm in the market for some plain black shoes (donations welcome), but the cream and silver keep calling to me! As for the leopard print, I think I'll leave those to Nom :)

Nomday! about your fascinators: Janinebasil fascinators at Folksy

2011-09-05T13:45:00.001+01:00

We've talked before about my occasional need for accessories which do a small amount of communication, warding off potentially boring conversations and alerting people to my general mood. So I'm delighted to tell you I've found another Folksy Friend* in the form of Janine Basil, who's bringing comically verbose headgear to the aid of millions of speechless women throughout the MARVEL UNIVERSE. And potentially, this one too.

Check out this beautifully twinkly and ever-so-slightly aggressive BAM! fascinator, which costs £85. This is literally amazing. I would wear this A. to a comic book themed party where I could controversially go as The Text and mumble something that sounds vaguely intelligent about Roland Barthes and the death of the author, or in this case, illustrator, or A. wear this all the time. In my house. Outside the house. And whenever I catch my reflection in a in the mirror or window, just shout BAM! at myself. In the house this would be acceptable, my housemates find my mild insanity endearing. Outside the house, this might not fly, so perhaps I'd just shout BAM! in my head.

My other personal fave, because as you may have gathered from previous posts I'm a girl-geek-who-loves-the-chic (er, whatever, I'm speed typing on loads of coffee this morning) is the comic book inspired POW! rhinestone fascinator, which also costs £85. Man I so want one of these. I could pretend to be a superhero all the day long. And who wouldn't want that opportunity in life?

Moving away from the comic book theme, is the delightful Oh La Lah! rhinestone comic inspired fascinator, which again costs £85. I feel I could easily wear this with a nice pair of tailored black capris, one of my beloved stripey tops and black ballet pumps and you know, just have a totally French themed day. I'd eat tarte-au-citron and think about the Eiffel Tower and ride a bicycle and sigh wistfully and say 'oui' a fair bit, which sounds silly but really it's not.

The fascinators come as standard attached to headbands, but you can put in a special little request to have a comb or elasticated headband. Good old Janine's nice and obliging like that. Each rhinestone is carefully glued on by hand, so you know that she must be really quite skilled, a dab hand with the old glue-gun and totally deserving of our patronage.

If you're not into the rhinestones, or you're happy to speak for yourself she also as a lovely collection of crowns, bows and some hilarious zombie-themed 'oopsie-daisy-my-brain-is-peeking-through' headbands too!

* Well, strictly speaking, we're not actually friends, but I have emailed her to ask her permission to feature her work, so maybe, she'll potentially errr, like me for that? Maybe an internet friendship will bloom. Or maybe not. Who cares? This is getting awkward. I'm going now. Buhbye.

about your bags: high street bagstravagana!

2011-09-02T11:02:00.000+01:00

It's looking like a good season on the high street for the humble everyday bag, and I've seen so many beautiful ones recently that it's easier to squeeze them all into one epic BAG POST. Hold onto your hats, because this is going to be heavy on the pictures and light on the text. These babies speak for themselves.

Ready? GO!

Topshop:

Red colour block lady bag, £35

Dark red two colour holdall, £36

H&M:

Shoulder strap bag, £14.99

Accessorize:

Canvas insert doctors bag, £35

Vintage Margot frame X body bag, £32

Oasis:

Colour block Thatcher top handle bag, £30

ASOS:

ASOS leather clean lock across body bag, £35

ASOS leather vintage style satchel, £27 (was £46)

Dorothy Perkins:

Fiorelli black/nude cross body bag, £69

AND BREATHE. What do you think? Will any of these be gracing your arm in the coming months? Let us know in the comments!

about your knitwear: Vila Cherie cardigan at Leila

2011-09-01T11:00:00.000+01:00

It's time to face facts. Today it's September, which means it's officially Autumn, which means that YET AGAIN we haven't had a proper summer. "Boo, hiss!" you cry! And quite rightly too, because it sucks buns. Fortunately, I like Autumn/Winter because I can wear lots of cosy clothes and hats and gloves and people don't look at me weirdly for wearing black tights like they have been doing in recent months. However, my ultimate favourite thing about the cooler seasons is KNITWEAR. Especially lovely colourful knitwear which looks like it's been hand crafted by little old ladies as they sit gossiping over massive vats of tea.

This Cherie cardigan by Vila may well be my first knitwear purchase of the season:

Also available in orange, it's £44.99 and you can get it at Leila.

It's time to get SNUG.

about your bag: Sienna Satchel at Ness

2011-08-31T11:34:00.000+01:00

Isn’t it funny how you can be totally unaware of something, then once you become aware of it, it's suddenly everywhere? This has been my experience with clothes and accessories by Ness . Two months ago I'd never heard of them, now little bits of Ness are springing up all over the place and I think this is a good thing. I have a Ness handbag. I bought it last month in Bang Bang Vintage in Soho for a very reasonable price and it's made me want to invest in some more of their bags because they're gorgeous. In addition to being gorgeous they're well made, reasonably priced and made by a very lovely independent company. Hurrah! The bag I bought is the Ebony bag, which isn't on their website any more so I can’t show it to you, but it's the perfect size for me to lug around my work bits and my book. More than once since I bought it, I've been stopped in the street by someone asking where I got my bag. The bag I've got my eye on next is the Sienna Satchel :

It's available in two colourways, pink lemonade...

...and poppy...

I like them both. If I'm leaning a bit more towards the pink lemonade one it's because I'm clearly having some kind of pink moment. However, I think the poppy colourway is really charming in a 70s duffel coat kind of way. I like bags but I don't own a satchel – I think it's because I'm still waiting to find the elusive perfect leather satchel – but I'm sure I could make room for this in my life. I don’t need to extol the practical virtues of a satchel to you all. It'll hold all your stuff, and this one will brighten up your outfit as well. Sadly the product shot doesn't include pictures of the inside of the bag, but their bags are lined with gorgeous printed satin. I like that kind of attention to detail.

I can't help but be charmed by Ness as a company, as well. Their designs are bold and colourful and I like the way they play with traditional tweed and tartan and make it fun. I'm a sucker for anything brightly coloured so Ness tick a lot of boxes for me. Now the only thing to decide is which one to go for! The Sienna Satchel is £40 and I think it's well worth it.

about your (fancy) dress: Gizmo Kigu

2011-08-30T11:29:00.000+01:00

It's been a fair while since I told you about the magic of the Kigu, so I thought I should give you a little bit more. However, rather than just being a regular common or garden animal or mythological creature, this particular Kigu is a character from on of the best films of all time:

That's right, it's Gizmo! You can opt for the pink version, as above, or you can get down with the brown*:

To become the human embodiment of everyone's favourite Gremlin you'll have to part with a fairly hefty £49.99, but since purchasing my penguin Kigu at the start of the year I've worn it every time I've ~~needed to feel like a penguin~~ felt like snuggling down in front of the telly. Definitely money well spent.

*Massive apologies if this sounds dodgy, I couldn't help it; I'm a sucker for rhyme.

Nomday! about your kitchenalia: Han Solo Ice Cube Tray at Forbidden Planet

2011-08-29T18:37:00.001+01:00

There was a time in my (as you're about to discover) misspent youth, that I would idle away my lonely hours in Forbidden Planet, looking at comic books and pining after over-priced toys. Despite the fact that any geek worth their salt will pinch the bridge of their nose and scream in your face 'THEY'RE NOT TOYS! THEY'RE MOVIE MEMORABILIA/ACTION FIGURINES/COLLECTIBLES', they are, actually just toys. Toys for grown ups. Deal with it. I have.

I stopped going to Forbidden Planet because a. I was never given pocket money and b. although I know I dazzle you on a weekly basis with my charm, wit and intelligence, I'm simply not intense enough to be classed as an actual geek, so I got totally bored of having conversations with people who just *have* to prove a point, even if it's over an incredibly minor footnote in the history of The Marvel Universe.

So it's not surprising that I've entirely missed the boat on this Star Wars Han Solo ice cube tray, which costs £8.99:

Now, I know I said that I gave up on the quest to become a genuine geek, due to commitment phobia, lack of funds and unacceptable dress-sense, but when my twitter pal @marcusgalley hooked me up to a link with this, I got ridiculously overexcited. So excited, a little bit of wee came out.*

Look at poor Han! He's DROWNING! Nooooooooo!

Now, I'm hoping that you all get why this is great, but in case you're too young to have seen any Star Wars films prior to Episode I, this product makes a most amusing gift for the true Star Wars Enthusiast, because in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (which is arguably the greatest of the Trilogy, but I do like a bit of the old Episode IV: A New Hope, particularly the bit with The Cantina Band, which is my ringtone, incidentally), Darth Vader forces Solo's old Frenemy Lando Calrissian to trick him into chilling out for a bit in Cloud City, where Vader imprisons Solo in carbonite and turns him over to the faceless and mysterious bounty hunter, Boba Fett (I know, isn't his name awesome?) who sells Solo's ass without a second thought to slimy, slug-like kingpin, Jabba the Hutt. It's a particularly poignant moment in the film, because *just* as Solo is about to be encapsulated (and no-one really knows if he will even survive the carbonisation process - it's never been tested), Princess Leia finally tells him she loves him, after much sexual tension and bickering has been played out on screen. Like I said, it's a VERY POIGNANT MOMENT FOR STAR WARS FANS. This is what Han Solo looks like in the film when he's all carbonised and shiz:

I know, right? Travelling across the galaxy this way makes Sleazy-Jet look like a dream.

In short, this is seven types of awesome and if you buy it for a Star Wars fan, they'll appreciate it massively. Unless they have already been given fifteen of them. If you don't feel comfortable going into Forbidden Planet, you can always buy online, or you could just make them a Han Solo Trapped In Carbonite Cake.

*Actually that's hyperbole, I'm a fully and happily continent member of society peeps. So please don't spam me with offers of Tena Lady.

about your shoes: Proudly Posh court shoes at Modcloth

2011-08-26T11:04:00.001+01:00

I usually avoid visiting the Modcloth website. It's for my own sanity, really. There are about a bobajillion gorgeous dresses on there and if I start buying dresses from America I think I'm opening a shopping Pandora's box for myself. However, it is a good website to visit for inspiration and as well as all of those pretty frocks, they also have lots of adorable shoes. Not as many, though. I'd say only about twelfty thousand. I'm big on made up numbers, as you can see.

So, let's just pretend for a minute that I can afford to buy new shoes just now. The shoes I'd go for, I reckon, are these utterly adorable Proudly Posh court shoes.

I've never really been drawn to cream or white shoes, I suppose because there's a risk that they might look a bit bridal. Obviously the big old peacock feather on the toe stops that from being too much of an issue!

I like peacock feathers in design and the colours here are so rich and vibrant – turquoise and deep purple. The folks at Modcloth suggest wearing these with patterned tights and a solid dress, which is a good idea. They've also styled them like this, which looks good too:

I'd wear them with plum coloured tights and that gorgeous gamine collared dress from Oasis that Ria showed us last week (the blue one, but the green one would be good too). The peacock feather isn't my favourite thing about the design, however. I just adore that turquoise heel! It's a little flash of sass on an otherwise sensible heel. The heels are a bit lower than I would usually wear, but I don't know, I like them. I think their bright blue colour compensates for that.

I know that autumn is knocking on our door so showing you cream-coloured heels probably doesn't seem all that practical. These have a rubber sole, which would be useful for walking on slippery wet leaves, and I can't help but think that glancing down at that peacock feather would brighten up a rainy dreary walk to work. They're $54.99 at Modcloth, and I might have talked myself into them.

about your jumper: dinosaur print sweatshirt at Topshop

2011-08-25T11:23:00.000+01:00

I know it was only last week we featured a dinosaur-themed item, but when I saw this sweatshirt at Topshop I was powerless to keep it from you.

Look at his tiny little arms! So cute! That's why T-Rex is such a badass, you know. All the other dinos used to absolutely rip into him about his ridiculous miniature limbs, so he had to develop extra bitey teeth so he could shut them up. Palaeontology FACT.

Anyway it's only £26, so I think my bank account can just about allow its purchase (come pay day, I mean. Obviously I'm destitute right now). If anyone mocks me for wearing it, I might have to teach them a lesson, T-Rex style...

about your kitchenalia: Sitting Fox plate by Becky Baur at Hunkydory Home

2011-08-24T12:51:00.000+01:00

I may have mentioned it before, but I'm a big fan of foxes. They come under the general heading of 'Woodland Creatures', and this is my favourite category of beasts (as long as you let me include woodland dogs and woodland guinea pigs and woodland beluga whales*). I even like the scraggly urban foxes riddled with mange; I find them rogueish.

Even though I am therefore guaranteed to love everything featuring foxes, I'd challenge even the most obtuse of fox haters not to want this Sitting Fox plate by Becky Baur, available for £20 at Hunkydory Home:

There's also this Fox & Flower plate, again £20, for those of you who fancy more of an 'action shot':

He's ready to face the night/poo in your garden!

*Too far?

about your stationery: Yellow Owl LCD Notecards at Magma

2011-08-23T11:22:00.000+01:00

Despite my best endeavours, I am nowhere near as artistic as I would like to be. My brain box is full of ideas which I simply can't translate to paper, so I quite frequently require the aid of a stencil (or preferably another person who is actually good at art). That's why I'm thinking of investing in these cool Yellow Owl* LCD Notecards:

They've available from Magma for just £9.99, and for that price you get 20 notecards and envelopes in three different sizes, a cheat sheet, and a free fluorescent red pencil! That's a frickin' steal!

*Sadly, there are no actual yellow owls to be seen on this product, but I'll forgive them because it's a good name for a company.

Nomday! about your coat: Louche Bettina PVC Hooded Mac at JOY

2011-08-22T11:00:00.003+01:00

Do you remember a TV show from the late 80s/early 90s which involved this annoying little Canadian girl called Ramona? I can vaguely remember this irksome child having an absolute whale, splashing about in a puddle wearing this groovy little yellow PVC mac with a hat to match, and red wellies too in the opening credits. I hated that show. I hated Ramona. But I really, really wanted her yellow mac. Maybe my beef with Ramona was all down to a fairly standard case of green-eyed monsterism.

Well, time has flown by, television programs have come and gone from my life, but as it turns out, the desire to be the owner of a yellow PVC mac has not dissipated one iota.

ENTER JOY [stage left] and the Louche Bettina PVC Hooded Mac for the not offensive price of £59*.

Look how shiny it is.

This would be an ideal way for me to wreak revenge as an adult on that obnoxious little twerp Ramona. Now I am in charge of my own wardrobe budget, I can absolutely purchase myself a yellow PVC Mac, and NOBODY CAN SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

*Just in case you were wondering if £59 is a good price for a yellow mac, I ~~did a bit of research~~ Googled it and found this cheeky number on Justers Fetishworld (please do not click on this link if you are of a delicate disposition or at work and value your position of employment) for £61.59 and then this gorgeous Aquascutum number on sale at John Lewis for a trifling £225. As I have not a trifling £225 to spare and don't wish to receive packages with a Fetishworld return address on them, I think the JOY option is the one for me.

about your homewares: glass poison bottles at H is for Home

2011-08-19T15:41:00.000+01:00

I once was rustling through a cupboard in my flat when I found a bottle marked 'Poison'. I instantly became paranoid, thinking my boyfriend was plotting to kill me, when I realised that I didn't live in a 17th century Jacobean revenge tragedy; I lived in 21st century London, and the contents of the offending bottle were present for a very specific intended victim: RATS.

Once the moment of terror had passed, I took some time to appreciate the little glass bottle, and considered emptying out the contents and storing something nicer in there (because I'm dead ironic, obviously). This didn't come to pass for three reasons: 1) I am lazy, 2) I am easily distracted, and 3) have you not heard the saying "If you pour away rat poison, the rats will attack?"*

Fortunately I've found some ready-emptied ones on vintage emporium (and newest addition to The A(YD) List) H is for Home:

When I saw the £40 price tag my first thought was "HOLY BEJEESUS that's a lot of money for some glass bottles", but then I realised that's for all three, and the biggest is a whopping 37cm tall. As per H is for Home's suggestion, you could use them for storing bubble bath - and I'm betting you could decant a heck of a lot of Matey into these beasts.

*This may not be an actual saying, but still, it's sod's law.

about your shoes: Vivienne Westwood for Melissa

2011-08-18T13:41:00.000+01:00

I remember a few years ago when the Vivienne Westwood and Melissa collaboration was announced. My reaction was along the lines of 'plastic shoes? Plastic, high heeled shoes? I think NOT!' It's funny how things change though, because a few years down the line and I absolutely freaking love them. Like, seriously. The new season line came out very recently and the shoes have my fingers itching for my debit card.

So, yeah. They are plastic shoes, and they smell like bubblegum. I fully understand why this concept might give some people the yucks. They're not going to be for everyone, but I love them, and as the owner of more than one pair I can tell you that they are a) surprisingly practical and b) surprisingly comfortable. Well, you know, within reason. You're not going to be going hiking in these shoes, I hope. Still, they're waterproof, they smell nice and there is the argument that as these gaudy plastic shoes don't go with anything, they actually go with everything.

I have two pairs of the Lady Dragon heart shoes (one are fuschia with a red heart, the other gold with a red heart - both are from past seasons) and I think they're beautiful. They're a bit weird looking, to be fair, but this is what I like about them. It's hard not to smile when you've got big plastic hearts on your feet.

I think these pearl coloured ones with red hearts (available at Hervia) are very fetching indeed. There's something about the elegant curve of the vamp that makes the white look really beautiful. I think any reservations you might have about these shoes being made of plastic would probably leave you when your feet looked this beautiful.

I think that's what really appeals to me about these shoes. The shape is just so elegant. There is a little peep toe, and it's mostly hidden behind the heart. These shoes aren't exactly subtle, but that little detail is.

These red on red shoes are fun too - somehow they seem even more over the top than the pairs where the heart is in a contrasting colour. They're £120, which is a lot of money. It's too much for me (the pairs I have were bought on sale, or on ebay) but in a way I can see how they could be worth £120. For one thing, unlike a lot of other designer collaborations, these do look like Vivienne Westwood designed them. They have that outrageousness that's part of her appeal. I think these will always look good. Additionally, the fact that they're made out of plastic makes them really durable, and easy to clean - a little bit of warm soapy water and these babies look like new again.

If heels aren't your thing, the flats are just as nice. I don't own many pairs of flat shoes, but I could see myself buying these cameo flats:

I adore the colour - that duck-egg blue goes so well with the little cameo on the toe. These have a closed toe so would be really practical in our rainy climate! They're £88, which is a bit more than I would usually be willing to pay for shoes - and certainly more than I would be willing to pay for flat shoes - but something about these has stolen my heart.

These Ultragirl flat shoes have got a tiny little peep toe, and that gorgeous bow. I adore the shape of the bow, and the tortoiseshell plastic is so pretty. These are available from ASOS and they're £85, and it's my birthday soon.

Just a word of warning, though. These shoes must be approached with caution. They're extremely addictive. One pair will not be enough, but you will have a lot of fun wearing them.

about your necklace: Darling Dinosaur necklace by Anoriginal Jewelry on Etsy

2011-08-17T13:46:00.000+01:00

Being the uber-geek I am, I love nothing more than a good piece of palaeontological jewellery (by which I mean items featuring examples of natural history, as opposed to jewellery actually worn by creatures living millions of years ago). I'm currently coveting this Darling Dinosaur necklace because it's so incredibly cute:

It's by an awesome little shop called Anoriginal Jewelry and it's available on Etsy for $48 (that's £29 to you and me). In case you hadn't guessed by the spelling of the seller's name, they're American, but shipping outside of the States is a very reasonable $5 (about £3.12). Now be a doll and buy me one so I don't have to get one myself and set him on you.

about your dress: Gamine collar dress at Oasis

2011-08-16T14:03:00.000+01:00

This post should probably be called 'Using My Colleagues as Inspiration, part kazillion' on account of the fact I'm once again bringing you something I've seen on my workmates. This time it's Poppy playing muse, who waltzed into work last week wearing this pretty Gamine collar dress from Oasis:

She looked stunning in it; the shape, length and style are all fantastically flattering, and it's now only £20 in the sale! Green not your thing? Don't worry - it's also available in pink...

...and blue, which is my favourite:

Apparently the blue's everyone else's favourite too - it's only still available in large, whereas the other two have most other sizes left. This probably won't be the case for long though, 'cos these babies are BEAUTS!

Nomday! about your shop: Smiling Knitting on Etsy

2011-08-15T13:09:00.003+01:00

There's something deliciously comforting about padding around the house in your slippers. Not only do they do a grand job of keeping your tootsies warm (ideal in the UK, when we're often experiencing weather that can be described at best as 'miserable'), but also, doesn't it just make you smile to look down at your own feet under the table and see something sweet covering them up? To see your little toasty toes peeking out of the blankie as you're watching a film? Having lovely slippers is one of those simple pleasures that makes a lot of difference, on par with, for example, having a thoughtful boyfriend who makes you a cup of tea, just the way you like it, every morning (still haven't got me one of those, but I live in hope).

Some people like pink fluffy slippers. Some people like those ones that don't have any heels so they can slip in and out of them at a moments notice. Some people like slippers that are shaped like monsters, or cartoon characters, or bunny rabbits. For some people, they HAVE to be pink, or have a big bow on them, or sparklies. My housemate's slippers are stripey and the same shape as Ugg boots. Slippers are personal like that.

I rather like these Turkish home slippers from Smiling Knitting on Etsy:

These purple heart on grey slippers cost £18.85 (plus £4.41 postage). They also come in cherry red, navy blue and super cute candy pink:

Then there are the pistachio green slippers with pretty cherries on them, which only cost £16.96.

And those of you who have read any of my previous Nomday posts will know about my serious love for all things nautical, so you won't be surprised by my inclusion of these navy blue and white sailor slippers, which cost £18.85:

Don't you think that with those pretty slots in the side, they look sort of like those jelly sandals you used to play in the sea in as a child? I think they're very cleverly crocheted. I certainly couldn't crochet such a thing.

Now I just have to decide which pair are the most Nommie-ish, so that I can order a pair ready for the impending winter (YES, I know it's still August, but retailers are already thinking about Christmas so the approaching Autumn is in my thoughts).

You can order your precise size and wool colour if you so wish and lastly, at the moment, Smiling Knitting is jolly well generously offering 5% off all orders when you use the discount code 'smilingknitting5'; so really there's simply no excuse for having tatty old slippers any more.

*NEWSFLASH!* Since this post went to print on Monday, the lovely Güler of Smiling Knitting has been in touch to offer AYD readers 10% discount on all products listed in her Etsy shop. Just quote AYD Blog in your order to qualify. BONUS!

about your scarf: lightweight cloud print scarf at Marks and Spencer

2011-08-10T14:54:00.000+01:00

The other week, I was running early for an Important Meeting, so I popped into good old Marks and Sparks to purchase a copy of my broadsheet of choice (it's the I, if anyone's interested - a great crossword AND it's only 20p). Being the easily distracted sort of person I am, I allowed my head to be turned long before I even reached the newspaper section. This was the culprit:

Dear lord, it was beautiful, and a lot bigger than it looks in the image above. As a meteorology fan, I snapped it up and resolved to share it with the rest of you as soon as I was able. It was touch and go for a while, because it wasn't showing up on the online store, but fortunately they've now rectified this. It's a mere £15 and also available in 'camel mix':

GET ONE NOW (before I buy them all to ensure I have a lifetime supply).

Nomday! about your laptop bag: My Documents folder at designboom

2011-08-08T11:34:00.001+01:00

I was recently introduced to the designboom blog by one of the creative team at my new job at Ocado. Basically, they'd seen an article on there about a virtual supermarket in South Korea; and by virtual I don't mean, like, Ocado online, I mean a whole underground station transformed into virtual supermarket, using QR codes to enable passengers to shop whilst waiting for a train. How awesome is that?

Anyway, naturally once I'd read the article, which was, for all intents and purposes work-related, my fingers slowly found themselves edging the mouse towards the designboom shop... I wasn't disappointed. It has loads of supercool presents; presents for you, presents for me, presents for wine buffs, presents for geeks, like, for example, this laptop bag which looks like a Windows 'My Documents' folder. CLEVER.

This costs $30 (about £18.80, thank you Expedia Currency Converter), not including postage. I really want it; I think it will definitely help me in my eternal quest to attract a cute, geeky boyfriend. It totally sends out the right vibes. It's like 'I'm geeky, but also cool', in a non-contrived way, obv. And 'geeky-and-cool-in-a-non-contrived-way' is a rare and attractive combo.

Sadly, I don't actually have a laptop, so once geeky-cool-non-contrived-potential-Mr-Nom saw the contents of my case, he might be slightly dubious about my coolness and geekiness, but I'm sure by that point I would have probably made some good jokes involving innuendo and maybe dazzled him with my smile*, so he'd be trapped in my web like a geeky and cool fly and the Find Nom A Boyfriend Plan would be successfully executed.

*If not my smile then definitely my boobs. Or my aforementioned zebra print onesie.

about your kitchenalia: Folkware platter at Pedlars

2011-08-05T13:49:00.000+01:00

Sometimes, I get overcome by an urge to become famous amongst those who know me as a hostess of epic dinner parties, where every course is like an experience in itself. I will make truly exotic concoctions using foodstuffs my guests haven't even heard of; upon meeting total strangers they will say "Oh, you're the one who caused [insert name of rival here] to have a breakdown because her soirées could never match yours", and I will nod modestly. But in order to become such a champion, I will need the right equipment, and that will start with a platter. Preferably this beautiful Folkware platter from Pedlars, and preferably in both small (£45) and large (£65).

And I will think to myself, "With this platter in my possession, I can ~~conquer worlds~~ stage a passable dinner party!"

And then I will remember that I don't have a dishwasher, and I will drop the whole plan.

about your shop: Limb

2011-08-04T11:38:00.000+01:00

So. You might have noticed that I have something of a penchant for 50s styling – bombshell dresses, full skirts, nipped in waists. I'm like a child let loose in the dress up box when I'm faced with swishy skirts. My mental list of dream dresses grew exponentially recently then, with my discovery of Limb .

Right now, Limb dresses are slightly out of my price range but window shopping can be very enjoyable too, I guess (who the hell am I kidding, right?!). I love all of their retro frocks as they're complete with full skirts and dainty waists. The fabrics are super cool, which is what lifts these dresses into a whole category of their own. Like this one with sassy pinup cowgirls on it:

I have a Get Cutie frock made from this fabric and the frisky ladies make me smile all day when I wear it. It's a big print, but over this dress it works – the skirt is big enough that the print isn't overwhelming. I love the self-matching belt that comes with the dress, but a belt in a contrasting colour would look good too. The dress is available in red as well as yellow and is £95. I know that sounds like a lot of money – it is a lot of money! It's much more than I would usually spend on a dress. However, the fabric here is beautiful and would cost between £12 and £15 per metre on its own, so I think the price is actually pretty reasonable. If you like pinup ladies, this print of happy outdoorsy girls will probably float your boat as well:

If it's possible, I like the tea dresses even more. This blue frock is covered in pretty birds. I like the cap sleeves and the flattering shape of the skirt:

This version with Koi carp all over it is also rather special. These dresses are also £95.

These dresses are really special. They're hand made in Manchester (where, according to their website, "it is mostly sunny and hardly ever rains") and the fabrics and trimmings are clearly very carefully selected. I'm unashamedly in love mad keen to have one, so any anonymous benefactors out there should take note!

about your necklace: Lyna enamel pendant from Whistles

2011-08-03T13:17:00.000+01:00

Readers! I need your help! I am currently debating whether or not I should buy this pretty Lyna enamel pendant from Whistles (calm down, I haven't won the lottery; it's from their Outlet site):

Pros:

It's quite pretty
It's got a lightning bolt on it
I like enamel
It's got a lightning bolt on it
I don't own much jewellery with black colouring
It's got a lightning bolt on it

Cons:

Whilst it's only £15, I'm not supposed to be spending money right now because I'm desperately trying to escape my prison of debt

What to do?! YOU DECIDE.*

P.S. Buying it for me as a gift out of pity is totally ok, just so you know.

*To be said in Big Brother voiceover manner.

about your shop: Dupenny

2011-08-02T11:40:00.001+01:00

Every so often I come across a brand with which I instantly fall in love (and I'm talking full on, together forever, soulmates kind of love, not the kind you thing you feel on a Saturday night when you're out and all of your friends have paired off and there's one not-too-bad option left so you just take it because you don't want to feel like a gooseberry and you've had so much wine you probably won't even remember his face the next day, let alone his name). Dupenny is the kind of brand which falls firmly into the first category.

Specialising in handmade wallpaper and beautiful bounty for your home, Dupenny was founded but two years ago by a lady called Emily who is BIG on detail. We at About Your Dress spend a lot of time finding loveliness to present for your perusal, so naturally we love companies who take that same level of care over their designs. Featuring mainly black and white depictions of burlesque beauties with the occasional splash of colour, Dupenny's products are nothing short of class.

At around £75 for a 3m panel (or £196 for a 10m roll), Dupenny's wallpapers aren't exactly cheap - but these ain't no B&Q prints. Look, here's Splash - a print featuring some of those sexy ladies I mentioned earlier:

I also really love this retro-style Knitwear wallpaper (also available in black and white)...

...And this Winter Sports design tickles my fancy, and not just because it reminds me of Skifree (the legendary game present on old Windows platforms where the yeti monster ate you at the end).

Since I am a lowly renter and have no walls of my own, I'm considering just shelling out £6 per design for the A3 samples of these and framing them. I know, I know - I come up with ALL the best ideas.

I appreciate that those pictures took up quite a lot of room, so I'll finish with my favourite items from their homewares and ceramics section, in that order, and then you can be on your merry way.

50s Housewives Apron (Beryl), £15

Burlesque decorative plates, large (Gigi), £35

Dupenny is stocked at plenty of places round our fair isle (see what I did there?), so be sure to take a gander at their list, find out if there's one near you and PAY THEM A VISIT IMMEDIATELY.

Nomday! about your t-shirt: Threadless favourites

2011-08-01T11:11:00.001+01:00

I'm in a mopey mood today. I'm tired because I started a new job and moved house all in the same week. On Friday I went and got bosco absoluto, which is rather a silly thing to do when you have to move the other half of your belongings and clean your old flat the next day. FAIL. So today I am mostly feeling sorry for myself and wanting to mooch about wearing comfy clothes, eating naughty things, such as the cold pizza I bought last night and probably a large quantity of chocolate. Ooh, I could really go for a scotch egg, thinking about it.

The humble t-shirt is an integral part of any mooch-situation. Sometimes I like to kick it GAP style in a plain white t-shirt (whilst not wearing any actual GAP branded items because everything I have ever tried on in GAP looks boxy and squat and they can DO ONE if they think I'm going to buy into that look). Other times, I like to wear something that is a little bit more interesting. Threadless is handy for this kind of clothing dilemma.

The good thing about Threadless is that the designs can be applied to girls t-shirts and boys t-shirts and hoodies for either gender too. I think there's even the option to buy designs for younglings, but I've never investigated that option in any depth because I don't have a boyfriend, never mind offspring. The t-shirts are always really nice quality too. Another awesome thing about Threadless is that anybody can submit a design and if enough people like it, they will print it! I think you get a $1000 dollar prize if your design wins. Get your pencils out.

To go with my morbid mood, my first selection is Zombie at Tiffany's, which costs $20 (£12.18, thank you Expedia).

My housemate Helen thinks this is hideous, mainly because she loves the Breakfast At Tiffany's poster so much she has a copy of it up in our kitchen. I think it's hilarious. But then, I am sometimes one sick little puppy.

Speaking of puppies, Satan's Little Helper also costs $20 and features a fun pun and a picture of a doggrell, which I like muchly.

On the cute theme, there's also this Cookie Loves Milk tee by Jess Fink for $18. It comes in purrrrty colours too.

Love this Useful Facts tee ($15) too. Sometimes, knowing some good Facts can really come in handy. I make it my business to know random Facts. Such as, your hair doesn't really continue to grow after you die, your skin shrinks which makes it seem longer. Gross right? Also, white chocolate isn't technically chocolate at all, because it contains no cocoa solids, just a little cocoa butter. If you have nothing to contribute to a conversation an interesting Fact can be a real ice breaker. And when you're hungover, this could be essential.

about your dress: fifties summer dresses from Red Herring at Debenhams

2011-07-29T11:41:00.000+01:00

Are you guys over fruit on clothes yet? You could be forgiven if you are, as fruit prints are everywhere at the moment and are being done with varying degrees of success. However, I've never been what you'd call a dedicated follower of fashion and I'm rather shamelessly taken with this blue fifties fruit print summer dress from Red Herring at Debenhams.

In real life, the blue and yellow on this dress are so lovely and summery together. It makes this frock almost irresistible. It's a flattering shape too, with a full skirt and princess-seamed bodice. I tried this on in a local branch of Debenhams and I liked some of the detailing too - the back dips down into a flattering V shape, and I like the bow tie detail. In keeping with its fifties shape, the dress has a pretty lapped zipper too - much easier than fiddling around with an invisible zip! It's been reduced to £26.60 in the sale and although only sizes 14 and 16 are currently available online, you have a good chance of finding your size in a store. My local branch were carrying all sizes last week.

If you like the shape but you're not so keen on the fruit, you could go for this black and white polka dot version. It's not in the sale, but at £35 it won't break the bank, either. At the time of writing only size 10 is left online but again, you're likely to have better luck in store with this one.

I'm not usually keen on white dresses but I'm rather taken with this. It's the piping around the neckline that has done me in. Also I think this would work well as a transitional dress too – it'll look adorable with tights and a cardigan in the cooler weather. I'm a polka dot fiend, as you all know, so this one is definitely on my radar.

about your kitchenalia: Dandy Deer tea towels at From The Wilde

2011-07-28T12:27:00.000+01:00

I know it seems like only last week we featured products from From The Wilde, but a) it was actually the week before, and b) if they didn't sell so much lovely stuff, we wouldn't have to. (So it's their fault and you should take it up with them.) My latest favourite item from their extensive collection is this wonderful Dandy Deer tea towel by Orwell and Goode:

He's so dapper! And look, he's got a lady friend too:

You can choose the colour of his cravat and her hat; whatever you like, so long as you only like red or yellow. At a mere £9 each, I'd be tempted to purchase all four options and pretend they were some kind of classy deer secret society.

about your dress: Sindy Doll dress by Collectif at Aspire Style

2011-07-27T14:33:00.000+01:00

I think I would quite like to be a sailor. Riding the waves from the comfort of my vessel, smoking a pipe, and singing sea shanties seems like the Good Life to me. I'd basically like to be the female Captain Birdseye. Actually, forget that - I want to be Mrs Captain Birdseye. And I'm not talking about that young gun they brought in a few years ago; my heart belongs to the original and best:

He's the real deal. I can just imagine us, living the dream on our very own boat, chowing down on the endless supply of fish fingers he earned from being the face of Birdseye. Obviously he'd be wearing his uniform, but I would be wearing this:

It's the Sindy Doll dress by Collectif, Aspire Style's newest brand, and at £65* it won't break the bank. It's such a beautiful colour and shape, the Captain will surely be delighted to have me as his First Mate.

*I say £65, but if you use the code AYDblog you'll get yourself a cheeky little 10% off, AND Aspire Style offer free P&P if you spend over £50. Bargain.

Nomday! about your shoes: brogue bliss at ASOS

2011-07-25T11:53:00.002+01:00

Brogues, brogues, brogues. I know they're all the rage now and maybe in four years we'll all look back and think 'what was I THINKING with those man shoes?' but I love them. I *just* love 'em. They look so sophisticated, daring and just really flipping cool. That's right, I said flipping.

When I see a pair of brogues that I want, I usually imagine myself wearing them as an extra in Bugsy Malone, casually lounging around Fat Sam's, chewing on a lollipop with my hands in my pockets, ready to splurge gun down any one of you suckers that dares to cross me. I've got a bit of a mean look on my face, like I'm sucking my teeth or something. Sigh. I feel like I'm cool in that little fantasy. So the new season shoes at ASOS, which feature a disgustingly high amount of beautiful brogues that I want to purchase and pretend to be an extra in Bugsy Malone in, have serious designs on the contents of my purse. Or rather, my credit card. So now my friends, listen to what I'm telling you and listen good. These are the shoes of dreamland.

Look at the state of these Pieces Roska low heel brogues. Grey suede, with a fetching little cuban heel...£35. £35? Yes, £35. They're amazeballs. I think they'd look nice with a mini-skirt and 15 denier tights. Or really thick black tights. Or with some Bugsy Malone style baggy trousers and some braces...

I love this next pair of ASOS MARKY suede traditional brogues. Just £35 spons again and ohmygodlookhowgreentheyare! Is this too Irish? Too Leprechaun? Too Nommie-It's-Not-St-Patrick's-Day? I don't know. I can't decide. Sometimes ASOS has the TK Maxx effect, where you've been looking through so many clothes for so long and your sugar levels are so low and the good bargains are all jumbled up with the bad and you get a little bit hysterical and crazy and come out having spent £120 with a great belt, a good pair of shoes, a nice bag and a zebra print jumpsuit*, thinking DAMN I'm gonna look fabulous tonight!' when actually you just look mental.

If you like the crazy colour, but you're not down with the suede, these also come in hot pink patent leather and black patent leather (this takes me back to primary school, in a GOOD way). The bright pink is a bit too much for me. It makes me think simultaneously about Pepto Bismol and Rampant Rabbits. And that's just not a very nice mental combo.

And now for the grand finale. These have to come last because the name of the shoe takes a lot of typing concentration, especially after two cans of Strongbow...the Melissa & A Herchcovitch Joy II brogues come in at £60, which, if I'm honest, is more what I'd expect to pay for a good shoe with all of the detailing that goes into a brogue. I mean I'd be shoesy - sorry, choosy - about what shoes I'd pay £60 for, but I'd feel confident that I was getting something that was quality for that price. I heart these so much they get two pictures.

Again with the cuban heel influence! Adds a little bit of leverage, makes the calves look toned, still allows you to feel smart. I honestly can't get enough of black patent leather either. It's so shiny and black and sexy. Those friendly curved toes will make me smile when I gaze down at them. And don't get me started on the perforations. Masterful. This has got to be my shoe of choice, for July at the very least. Might even stretch into September, who knows.

*The zebra print jumpsuit from TK Maxx happened to me. There are a bunch of pictures of me on a beach in Wales on Facebook in it, looking more sheepish than fierce. I also recently tried to wear it at a Naming Ceremony. Both times I've worn it outside the safe zone of my mother's house and a changing room, I've died a little inside.

about your dress: white bunny print belted shirt dress at Topshop

2011-07-22T14:11:00.000+01:00

When I was little, I had a rabbit called Rosie. She met her tragic end when she was taken by a fox, and I was very sad about it because she was my first proper pet (as in, not a communal family one). I'm thinking of paying homage to her with this white bunny print belted shirt dress, which is £48 from Topshop:

Look at all those little bunnies! They're having an absolute BLAST. And for all those thinking 'bunnies are soooooo last season', have a heart. A bunny is for life, not just for Easter.

about your bag: yellow and grey Harris tweed laptop case by Breagha at Hannah Zakari

2011-07-21T13:47:00.000+01:00

Anyone who witnesses me with my laptop never fails to comment on how careless I am with it. I drop it from heights ranging from 3 inches to 3 feet, I carry it around by the screen, and I'm constantly jabbing at it with greasy little fingers. Perhaps it's time I showed my poor old machine how much I love and value it by purchasing this charming yellow and grey Harris tweed laptop case?

It's by a designer called Breagha (who does wonders to dispel the dowdy image of tweed by making lots of bright and colourful things with it), and it's a very reasonable £55 from Hannah Zakari. It probably won't stop me reminding my laptop of Newton's 2nd law*, but it might soften the blow.

*That's gravity, in case you were wondering.

about your kitchenalia: teatime treats

2011-07-20T14:44:00.000+01:00

Aah, tea. It wasn't until I was 18 and my [joint] best friend Rachel and I went on Scout camp (as leaders, we weren't weirdos) that I first embraced the hot beverage I'd been making for my parents since I was deemed old enough to use the kettle. Rach designated herself tea lady and forced it down my throat, and I've never looked back. Since then, I've accrued a wide collection of tea-making/drinking paraphanalia, but I'm always on the lookout for more - I'm guessing I can't be the only one, so here's my Top 5 Treats For Making Teatime Even Nicer!

5) If I ever get married, I will be having tea at the wedding. And what better way to advise my guests of this at the earliest possible opportunity that by using these teapot card holders from The Golden Monkey Tea Company to mark their place?

At £3.75 it might be slightly pricey to have one for everyone present, but I'm either going to marry rich or have a small wedding, so it's fine. Plus, they could be the wedding favours.

4) I love this Afternoon Tea tea towel by Solitaire, available for £10 from Not On The High Street for one (very good) reason: it reminds me of the 'Be Our Guest' scene in Beauty and the Beast.

I can just see the tea jumping from cup to cup!

3) I have a soft spot for enamel mugs. I'm not sure why, because I think china's probably a better mug material, but I really like them. Perhaps it's because we used enamel mugs at Scout camp when I lost my tea virginity? Who knows. Anyway, I especially love this Listen To The World mug:

As you may have guessed, it's by Rob Ryan, and it's available from Hunkydory Home for just £8.95.

2) I was mooching around the Whittard website the other day because they were doing a fantastic offer where you got a free six cup teapot for free when you spent £20 (we did Tweet about this - make sure you're following us @AYDblog), when I found these pretty silver plated teapot teaspoons from their Alice in Wonderland range:

Tea drinking is a beautiful part of life, and therefore the paraphernalia should reflect this wherever possible (especially when said paraphernalia is only £10).

1) It is my strong belief that all successful relationships rest on a bedrock of tea. It's entirely possible that my boyfriend and I are still together because he knows how to make tea just the way I like it (even though he's not a tea drinker), but this has taken many cries of "Why is this so WEAK?!" and "No, MORE MILK!" on my part. If you've recently entered a new relationship with an individual who inexplicably prefers coffee, why not purchase this perfect tea timer (also from The Golden Monkey Tea Company):

£12.10 is a small price to pay to give your relationship the best possible start.

What items of tea-related loveliness can you not live without? Let us know in the comments!

about your playsuit: spot print playsuit at Oasis

2011-07-19T13:38:00.000+01:00

Look, enough of this rainy silliness. We all just need to dress like it's the height of summer (which, technically, it is) and the rain will go away. I'm sure of it. You can start by donning this awesome spot print playsuit from Oasis:

I'd do it, but as I've said five bajillion times, I cannot wear playsuits. It is therefore your duty to shell out £50 so you can wear it on my behalf. Capiche?

Nomday! about your bags: the eternal quest for the perfect weekend bag

2011-07-18T15:11:00.002+01:00

The other day at lunch I was having a ~~total mard~~ slight whinge about the fact that I have no one to go on holiday with as all my lovely friends are shacked up or already have their holibobs booked. Obviously the ~~continuous sound of my whining voice~~ pitiable tale of my lack of plans struck a chord with my ever-patient kiwi colleague, who mentioned that she was about to book a weekend break with her boyfriend and a few friends to Budapest in November and would I like to come? Obviously I jumped on that shiz like a podium when Nelly Furtado's Maneater (what? It's my song) is playing and booked it. November baby, Budapest is MINE!

Now though, I have a delightful excuse to scour the interwebs for a weekend bag. I've needed one for yonks but I've never quite found the right one. I'm undecided as to how much I'm willing to invest in this purchase at the moment, so I have selected a mix of scrimp and splurge numbers that I'd love to have your feedback on!

First up is this tropical flower print bag from Asda, which is just £8. I spotted this the other day when I dashed in there for an emergency work birthday cakes scenario (I was desperate and they charge like, I dunno £2 for fify mini flapjacks or something) and thought to myself... 'Oooh! You're a nice size. And I rather like your pattern too, although I think perhaps I might be feeling a bit panicked so I'm not going to outright buy you, but I'm glad to see you're here and so I'll just remember you for the future. Just in case'.

I also rather like this suede Modalu Coralie tote bag from ASOS, which is currently reduced to from £160 to £86 and comes in electric blue, as below, and senape (read yellow).

Also worthy of mention, but not worthy of image as the pictures can't be scraped from the websites without being either minute or highly pixelated are the Perfect Weekend Collection boxy patent leather overnight bag from M&S at £89 (especially in mulberry, I like the mulberry) or the £85 overnight bag from Hush.

Despite liking all of the above very much, I feel that perhaps my weekend bag quest is not yet complete. I have not yet discovered the perfect bag to complement my travel persona (avec massive sunglasses, possibly a headscarf, red lipstick and a slight pout - you know how I like to do things in a totally theatrical manner). So if you have any suggestions, please let me know in the comments!

about your dress: colourblock dress at Miss Selfridge

2011-07-15T11:11:00.000+01:00

I've always had a soft spot for Miss Selfridge shoes and accessories, but it’s been absolutely ages since I bought any clothes from there. Folks, that's stupid of me, because some of their clothes are seriously pretty, not to mention very reasonably priced. The other day I took myself into my local branch to have a browse of the shoes, and this dress stopped in me in my tracks.

Admittedly, the photo isn't super inspiring, but in real life this dress is so pretty that I gasped "ooooooh!" to myself before I'd even realised it. I was surrounded by impossibly willowy and gorgeous and trendy teenage girls, so this was somewhat embarrassing. Still, in real life this dress is gorgeous. The colours are decidedly autumnal, all golden caramel and deep brown, but I like that. I really like the waistband detail as it's subtly curved rather than straight across. I'm what the gossip rags would euphemistically term 'curvy' in that I'm fairly slim but have a bit of a paunchy tummy and shift dresses often emphasise that, so I think the way the fabric gently falls from beneath the waistband means that this dress will actually be quite flattering. The skirt isn't super straight, either. It flares out gently and the fabric is nice and flowing. I like the contrast that makes with the colourblock style.

I think this would make an excellent late summer/early autumn transitional dress. It'll look equally adorable with bare legs and sandals as it will with tights and boots, and all for £45! In spite of the competitive price, there are some really nice design touches, which is something that cheaper clothes often lack. In this case, it's an exposed zip.

This is a design feature I used to turn my nose up at, probably because I got a bit tired of seeing it on wee skimpy floral dresses. It looks great here, however. It's a detail I'd want to show off because it's just that little bit different. It adds to the geometric appeal of the frock, as well. Sadly for me, I have already exceeded my dress budget for this month so I haven't yet made this mine. If it's still there next month I'll be giving it serious thought, though.

about your ring: Foxy Ringo at Temporary Secretary

2011-07-14T14:31:00.000+01:00

I know it only seems like yesterday when I last declared my love for the gently fox (perhaps because it was), but when I found this Foxy Ringo ring (£12) at the wonderful Temporary Secretary, I thought that keeping him to myself would be as cruel as cruel as hunting his kin.

Look at how he slinks round the model's finger! It's like he's giving it a little cuddle.

My nails are nowhere near that nice, but I'd still like this little guy to take up residence on my hand. I might then go round punching mean fox hunters in the face using said hand, just to be a bit ironic.

about your art: Alice Potter prints at From The Wilde

2011-07-13T15:32:00.000+01:00

How much am I loving From The Wilde's collection of Alice Potter prints? This much, that's how much:

Alice is a London-based illustrator and designer who makes beautiful works of art, drawing inspiration from the natural world. As someone who goes by the adage 'if it has birds on it, I'll take it' (I care not if some think that's been done to death), I'm a big fan of prints like these two:

But Alice also features some of my other favourite members of the animal kingdom, like the fox...

...the polar bear...

...and the badger (I like them because they're simultaneously cute and vicious, like hippos*).

And best of all, at £8 each they're so cheap I can afford to buy one a month until I have them all!

*Hippos ARE vicious. They kill more people every year in Africa than lions do. NEVER COME BETWEEN A HIPPO AND THE WATER OR IT WILL HAVE YOU.

about your skirt: Daffodil skirt at Monsoon

2011-07-12T14:01:00.000+01:00

Whenever I visit the Monsoon website, I head straight for the Fusion section, as that's where they keep all the good stuff. It's a slightly awkward time of year in the sense that most brands are at the stage where they've not got much in the way of decent sale stuff left, but they haven't got in enough of their new season collection to make it worthwhile to have a serious browse - but when did I ever let awkwardness stop me? NEVER, because I create awkward situations wherever I go. I am an awkward situation.

Fortunately, this occasionally works out for the best, because I discover objects of beauty such as this stunning Daffodil pleat skirt:

And it's got an exposed blue zip at the back:

I'm not sure if it's new season stock or just part of the remnants of High Summer, but it's still full price at £38. I think you can rock this skirt for months to come though, and if you wore it into Autumn you'd be sure to remind people of sunshine and bring a smile to their face. Either that, or its brightness will blind them.

Nomday! about your letters: request a letter and a Polaroid from Call Me Balthazar

2011-07-11T11:54:00.006+01:00

Isn't it a shame that most of the time the only post that graces your doormat is from EON or HSBC telling you that you owe them money or that you're overdrawn and you'll have to sell a kidney to get through the next three months? I wish more people wrote letters. I wish more things were beautiful for the sake of being beautiful and made me smile. Don't you?

Well. There's this man, right, and he's an imaginary sailor and a pretend photographer. And he's also like... a letter prostitute. He writes love letters or dirty letters or letters full of nonsense or advice. Any kind of letter really. He writes them for you or you can order one for a friend! And he'll even include a beautiful, sensual, original Polariod that he's taken. Paying $5 for the Polaroid is optional, but let's face it, it would be genuinely rude not to reward such selfless kindness with a measly $5. It's not even £5, I just ordered one on Paypal and it was like, £3.26 or something*. Also, you should think about the fact that it will come with an interesting stamp on it, because it's coming from Madison, in the US of A. AND his name is Balthazar...

In actual fact, Call Me Balthazar is a creative duo, a mysterious twosome of the aforementioned Balthazar and his model, writer, stylist and muse S.M. Kubica. Aren't their names cool too? So go on. Be part of a project and make yourself feel special and get an original polaroid, request a letter from Balthazar.

You can also buy photographic prints by Balthazar on the website here or on his Etsy page.

*DISCLAIMER: EXCHANGE RATES MIGHT WELL VARY.

about your bag: Vintage Parisian Lady handbag at The Thrift Shop London

2011-07-08T15:04:00.000+01:00

As soon as I saw this Vintage Parisian Lady handbag on The Thrift Shop London's Facebook page, I knew that I was duty bound to share it with all of you.

Stylish and practical (because you can use the side as a mirror, obviously), this bag is like a little bit of Paris on your arm. The price isn't too shabby either - it's a very reasonable £30, and don't forget that all About Your Dress readers get a nice little 10% off with the code AYD.

about your dress: Dutch Yellow Shift dress at Anthropologie

2011-07-07T11:45:00.000+01:00

As I've probably mentioned before, when I visit the Anthropologie website, I never stray beyond the boundaries of the ever-present sale section. To me, everything else is just overpriced (and that's not just because I'm massively poor) and driven by hype. Their sale section, however, is MAGNIFICENT. It's always full to the brim of lovely reduced clobber, and you can click 'Fresh Cuts' to see what's been added most recently. I do love a well organised website.

It was during a casual look at the freshest of cuts that I had my heart stolen by this beauty:

Her name is Dutch Yellow Shift, she's £69.95 (reduced from an almighty £128), and she's also a looker from behind:

Check out that bow.

She's only still available in sizes 4, 8 and 18, so anyone between a 10 and a 16 will have to either lose or gain weight to make her fit them, but all good relationships are built on compromise. She's totally worth it.

about your shoes: Jolt of Sunshine sandals at Aspire Style

2011-07-06T11:22:00.002+01:00

I have done something I was not even aware I was trying to do, and I'm very proud of myself. I have found summer in shoe form:

The beautiful ~~work of art~~ piece of footwear above is the Jolt of Sunshine sandal (it's ok, I think they send you a complete pair) by Poetic License, and it's available for £59 at Aspire Style. Look at all those flowers! It's like someone's put a whole bunch on your foot! I reckon next time someone wrongs you and you think they're considering buying you a floral tribute as an apology, point them in the direction of these badboys instead. It's basically the same thing, and the shoes won't die.

And don't forget, our readers get a nice 10% off everything at Aspire Style with the code AYDblog!

about your crafts: Sewaholic Lonsdale dress sewing pattern

2011-07-05T11:50:00.001+01:00

About a year and a half ago, I bought a sewing machine. I've always been a wee bit crafty and fancied being able to indulge my dress addiction by making my own dresses. Let me tell you, it's surprisingly easy to make your own clothes. It's obviously not as easy as buying a dress, but it can be very satisfying and lots of fun. When you find a pattern you love, you can make as many as you like, in whatever fabric you fancy. There's a lot to be said for sewing, especially when you find a super cute pattern.

The Lonsdale dress is the first dress pattern from independent company, Sewaholic Patterns. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to have it. Can you see why?

It's gorgeous! Okay, I know that the impossibly beautiful model (the designer, Tasia) makes the dress attractive, but I love this frock. It has a flattering, flowing skirt. The waist falls at the natural waist, so this dress will look good with a belt as well. It has pockets. Pockets. I am apt to love a dress about 475% more if it has pockets. Also, they're not all that difficult to insert into a dress, so you don't need to worry about the pattern being too complicated.

It's the back detail that makes this dress really special. The tied ends are adjustable, and you can tie them in a variety of ways. This kind of detail is always attractive to me in ready to wear clothes, so of course I love to sew them as well. I'll make this frock in this length, and the pattern itself includes instructions for a full length version of this. Wouldn't it be darling as a maxi dress?

As Sewaholic is an independent company, this pattern isn't the cheapest out there. It's $17 Canadian if you buy it direct from Tasia, which is around £10 at the moment. I still think that's a bargain, however, because included in that you'll get detailed instructions. In addition, Tasia will be hosting a sewalong at her blog later in July. This is like a personalised sewing lesson!

According to Tasia, this dress took her around four hours to sew. Bear in mind she's a professional, and she created the pattern, but that still means this should be a reasonably straightforward project. The unusual straps mean you'll have to wear a strapless bra if you don't want people seeing your underwear, but I think it's a versatile enough pattern to look good with a cardigan or jacket over it. Seamstress extraordinaire and founder of New Blog For Better Sewing, Gertie, suggested turning the skirt into a 50s style wiggle skirt, which I think would look excellent as well.

I think it's really important to support independent designers. Tasia has put a lot of work into launching and developing Sewaholic Patterns and she's trying to create clothes that women feel good in. This is her third pattern, and the previous two have been equally cute and unusual. If you sign up to the Sewaholic mailing list, you'll be able to preorder the Lonsdale dress pattern and have it shipped to you for free. You can be sure I'll be doing this! If you'd like to buy one from a UK stockist, both Sewbox and Backstitch stock Sewaholic patterns. I think this dress would be beautiful made up in candy coloured seersucker, or in a plain red cotton. For a maxi dress, I think it would look amazing in deep blue duchess satin. I plan to crank out plenty of these babies, one for every mood.

Nomday! about your swimwear: navy polka dot layered swimsuit from Laura Ashley

2011-07-04T11:03:00.012+01:00

In February I made a promise to myself. I told myself that this year would be the year of the bikini for Le Nom, that for the first time ever I would kick my ass (actually, I have no quibbles with my ass, it's the tummy area that I'm not speaking to) into a bikini-worthy shape and parade around scantily-clad loving myself to the max.

It's now late June. I've been forgoing a social life for ridiculous amounts of exercise involving numerous squats and 6am bootcamp-style classes in parks across London, so my body isn't in a shape which makes me want to scream, but I won't be wearing a bikini on a beach this year. This is partly because I have no beach holidays booked and partly because I have discovered this:

This navy polka dot layered swimsuit is simply scrumptious. The fifties-inspired design is super flattering and means that if people are looking at you on the beach it's only because you look incredibly different from everyone else (that's a good thing!). This would look great with a huge pair of sunnies, a little headscarf or a giant staw hat and a 99 with a Flake. Modesty is underrated anyway.

The swimsuit costs £40 from Laura Ashley. I'll be buying this and changing my name to Dita. Or Marilyn. Actually, I like Nom, so I'll just stick with that.

about your crafts: blackboard flower press at From the Wilde

2011-07-01T11:40:00.000+01:00

Ah, flower pressing. A hobby of a bygone age, before Playstations and Internets and Androids and David Cameron, when I was still a child and I thought the Ministry of Sound was a genuine governmental department. I remember pressing flowers and forgetting about them for months on end, before finding the flattened corpses, not knowing what to do with them, and throwing them away. But now that I'm an adult and I have craft glue, the world of squished foliage calls to me like a Siren, promising me an endless horizon of cards and framed flowers which I can gift to my nearest and dearest.

But apparently flower pressing is an art form, and not to be scoffed at by some chancer like myself. It takes timing and know-how. Fortunately, A Farmer's Daughter (who I hope is actually a farmer's daughter, and not some guy living in Edinburgh pretending to be a farmer's daughter) has come up with this marvellous blackboard flower press, so you can make a note of the flowers currently being having the life squeezed out of them and what date this process began.

Genius. They're only £14.50 from AYD favourite From the Wilde, which means you could become a serious flower presser for not very much money at all. And you could keep one by the phone with a space especially for Emergency Notes.

about your (outlet) shop: Let's Buy Shoes

2011-06-30T11:41:00.001+01:00

Some of you may know that I have a penchant for pretty shoes. Yes, I know, what a stereotype. I've always been extra fond of Irregular Choice shoes. Some of their designs are a bit zany, it's true, but there are just too many styles that I love for the pennies in my bank account to be safe. I'm usually a bit too cheap to want to pay full price for Irregular Choice shoes, I'll admit. This is where their rather nifty outlet store Let's Buy Shoes comes in handy.

Being an outlet store, Let's Buy Shoes don't carry the same range of styles and sizes as the main Irregular Choice store. Their prices aren't exactly bargain basement, either, but they are very reasonable and there's still lots of choice. As well as Irregular Choice shoes, you'll find styles by their sister brand Poetic Licence here. Recently I've been the recipient of a few pairs of donated shoes, so I'm not meant to be shoe shopping at all but there's no harm in looking, is there? Here are a few things that have caught my beady eye...

These Poetic License sandals aren't my usual style but I am somehow drawn to their retro charms. I particularly like the big ol' flower on the toe. I know ankle straps can be a wee bit divisive but I like them, because they help me keep the shoes on my feet.

Raffia is everywhere on shoes right now, so these are even a little bit trendy. They're £39.50 and they're not available in my size. That's just as well really, because now I've decided that I love them and I have no will power whatsoever.

I've wanted these red floral Flick Flack shoes for ages, because the polka dots mean that they'll go with everything I own. I am a polka dot fiend. These shoes are so striking that people will stop you on the street to tell you how lovely they are.

These are also not available in my size, but they're £39.50 if you fancy them. These would make a great buy, you can turn the flap up to make them shoe boots and, have I mentioned the polka dots?! Trust me, my debit card is sighing in relief that these will not fit me.

These Irregular Choice Lady Bow shoes are actually available in my size. I like everything about them, especially the big square button on the the bow. If these are still there come payday, I might just treat myself because I am of the opinion that I cannot have too many pairs of red shoes.

These shoes are also £39.50 and as I'm already planning what I'm going to wear them with, I'm hoping that none of you are a UK4 and have £39.50 to spare.

As well as stocking lots of pretty shoes for the ladies, Let's Buy Shoes have a range of clothes and accessories and even shoes for the menfolk. It's well worth stopping by. Just leave the Lady Bow shoes alone, okay?

about your art: folklore prints from the Mary Evans Picture Library (and Amazon)

2011-06-29T11:26:00.001+01:00

I have discovered a way to find awesome pictures: go to the Mary Evans Picture Library and search for 'Folklore'. Here are some of the gems such an action comes up with:

All of these are available to buy as prints from Amazon, which is where the links above will take you. The prices vary depending on the size and format of the print, from £10 for a 10"x8" print to £110 for a 40" canvas. Alternatively, you can contact the Mary Evans Picture Library directly by emailing pictures@maryevans.com or by ringing 0208 318 0034 - however, they only offer digital downloads so unless you have the daddy of all printers (or know someone who does), Amazon are probably the better option. And they do mugs.

about your accessories: Polaroid sunglasses

2011-06-28T11:59:00.000+01:00

Yep, you read that right: Polaroid make sunglasses. I had no idea either. I suppose they had to find something to do with themselves since no one seems to appreciate their marvellous instant camera technology anymore (except for iPhone users who have downloaded the Polaroid app) - I've used up all my film for my old-school Polaroid and find it near impossible to get more. By the by, should you happen to have some spare or know where I could aquire some, please tell me. As long as you've washed recently I'll reward you with a big old hug.

Anyway, Polaroid DO make sunglasses, and they're very nice. They're also very scientific, which makes them doubly awesome in my book (science is fun, kids) - as well as being a brand name, Polaroid is also the trademark name for a sheet of plastic used to polarise light, which, when applied to sunglasses, reduces glare so that you can see better. Magic.

Although they offer a lot of different styles for ladies and menfolk, my favourite range is their plastics. I don't know who they've got designing these babies but GOOD LORD they're pretty:

All the styles are different enough to make choosing one to suit you as easy as turning off Wimbledon because the women are making horrific noises. I even managed to find a shape to flatter my peculiarly shaped face in the form of Mirage (£55):

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go and pack for my much needed holiday in Florence. Mirage and I are going to be giving those Italians a lesson in pure glamour*.

*Until I refuse to take my beautiful new sunglasses off in a dark gallery and fall into some priceless work of art, causing millions of Euros of damage and earning myself a lifetime ban from Italy.

Nomday! about your sale: Hobbs outlet

2011-06-27T11:50:00.000+01:00

Hobbs is usually out of my price range. I love the cut of its gib (that translates to 'I think the tailoring is great'), the quality of the fabrics exquisite, the sales assistants friendly but not insistent and the designs are chic; however it's just a little bit too pricey for me to justify most of the time. But right now they have a sale on babies, so head to the outlet section of their website for bargins galore, which is where I found this gorgeous NW3 plain shirt dress, reduced from £169 to £50.

Guttingly, they now only have it in a size 16, so this won't be the dress I casually stroll down East Finchley high street sporting a giant coffee and big sunglasses in, but it might be a special dress for one of you.

There's also this silk NW3 Scotty dress, reduced from £139 to £65 (available in sizes 6 - 16), so endearingly titled owing to the numerous Scotty dogs which feature in the print.

The Eiffel dress is definitely work appropriate thanks to the tasteful cut and modest length, but the sensual neckline gives it a certain...je ne sais quoi. Also, capped sleeves? I love you. Reduced from £129 to £64 and still available in sizes 8 - 16, quite frankly, it would be rude not to. For the sake of your career, darling.

about your nightwear: Marvel PJ bottoms at Matalan

2011-06-24T14:25:00.000+01:00

The first time I spotted these magnificent Marvel PJ bottoms was gracing the legs of none other than our own Nom, and I knew instantly that (as soon as I got paid) I would shortly be making them mine:

They're technically for men-folk, but I will not let such a minor thing as narrow-minded-gender-based designing come between me and these babies. Boys have legs, I have legs; what's the problem?

I have a feeling they'll divide opinion, as they have in my own household:

Me: "Look at these pajimmerjammers! Don't you just LOVE THEM?!"
Boyfriend: "They look like a comic has thrown up on them."

If you agree with me (and obviously you will, because you're so stylish), you can get yours for a mere £12 from Matalan.

about your dress: coral spot shirt dress at Dorothy Perkins

2011-06-23T14:12:00.000+01:00

Being a stylish sort of person myself*, I like to surround myself with equally stylish people (mostly because I can then use them as inspiration for this blog). My latest ~~victim~~ muse is my friend Tara, who sported this beautiful coral spot shirt dress last weekend for the briefest of periods before deciding it was too much of a daytime dress for an evening out:

I agreed with her - it's not ideal for the evening, but for sunny summer days it's nothing short of perfect. When she initially donned it and I enquired as to where she'd purchased such a beauty, I fully expected her to deliver the massively annoying answer of "Oh, some vintage shop in a country which is now 2m below sea level. Soz!" Fortunately she said Dorothy Perkins, which would make it accessible AND cheap, and she said she only bought it a week ago. I stored this information like a hamster stores food (not in my cheeks though), and when I got home I hunted it down so I could share it with all of you. It's £36, and selling fast - there are only sizes 14 upwards still available, so you'll need to get a wriggle on if you want to be as stylish as Tara.

*HA.

about your necklace: double clock pendant at Topshop

2011-06-22T11:49:00.003+01:00

I've never been in an extremely long distance relationship (the kind that spans several time zones), but if I was, I imagine I'd end up calling my beloved at seriously questionable hours and possibly causing a premature end to the romance simply because I couldn't get my head around the difference in time. Likewise, it's no good calling your parents to beg them for another loan because you've spent all your money on brogues if they're enjoying their retirement in sunny Australia and you fail to account for the fact they'll probably be asleep when you're wide awake. They'll say no, and then possibly swear at you before slamming the phone down.

Fortunately for me, both my boyfriend and parents live in the zone of GMT, but if yours don't and you are as much of an idiot when it comes to telling the time as I am, might I suggest in shelling out £18.50 for this double clock pendant from Topshop?

If purchasing this does happen to save your relationship/successfully get you a loan from your parents, I will graciously accept your thanks in the form of cake.

about your homewares: enamel folklore tea/coffee pot at Hunkydory Home

2011-06-21T11:26:00.000+01:00

If like me, you have a serious tea addiction (to the point where chain-drinking becomes an aspect of everyday life) and a soft spot for slightly twee househould objects, than you should love this enamel folklore tea/coffee pot*:

It's a very reasonable £14.95 from Hunkydory Home, and if you also share my ability to knock things over as well as my love of tea and folkloric beverage containers, you'll also appreciate the fact it's not made of an easily breakable material.

*I didn't want to include the coffee aspect because it tastes like dirt, but that's its proper name, so I had to.

Nomday! about your art: homophone wall cards from Present and Correct

2011-06-20T09:58:00.002+01:00

I love a good pun, me. There is quite simply nothing I find more delightful than a game of words; English is a language chock full of interesting little quirks like seemingly insane spellings, irregular verbs and homophones.

We learn about homophones in primary school, nice and early on so we can spot them coming a mile off. They're those tricksy little words that sound the same, but are spelt differently, like 'made' and 'maid' or 'pear' and 'pair'. ~~There~~ ~~Their~~ They're confusing even for grown ups (see what I did there? HOMOPHONEJOKESLOL). Which is why you might want to have a few of these wall cards from Present and Correct scattered about your abode to help you remember that the homophone is constantly lying in wait, ready to trip you up at any given moment in time.

I love the nice, clean typography, which is aesthetically pleasing and helpful for learning. Did you know that teachers often favour the sickeningly friendy font Comic Sans because it's one of the few sans serif fonts (essentially this means it doesn't feature curly tails or hats on the a) and that makes it easier for children with dyslexia to read. Unfortunately, comic sans makes me want to simultaneously scream, vomit and tear out my eyes every time I see it, particularly as it's usually plastered all over some form of passive-aggressive note in a toilet or kitchen, so it makes me really happy to see this pretty little font featured on these wall cards.

Additionally, each card has a great set of homophones on both sides, so if you get bored of 'piece' and 'peace' you can flip it over and give 'hole' and 'whole' a turn.

The Homophone Wall Cards cost a mere ten of your English pounds. I was duped into spending more than that on a vodka, lime and lemonade on Saturday night in Soho. One of these would not only be better for my general behaviour in public places, but it would also be, like, totally helping me learn more stuff and that.

For anyone who is interested, here's a list of homophones. I don't know why you would be, you're here to kill time on our lunchbreak presumably, but if you do happen to be a little bit bored and interested like I was, you can have a nosey there.

about your dresses: 50s style frocks

2011-06-17T11:54:00.001+01:00

As it seems mandatory nowadays to mention the wonderful Mad Men when talking about frocks of a certain kind, I'm going to get that over with in the first paragraph. I experienced paralysing, blinding rage after reading an article in a national newspaper in which a teacher said she'd love to be transported back to the 50s, 'preferably to the Mad Men offices'. It's just as well she was a teacher of mathematics and not history or media studies, isn't it? Mad Men is set in the 60s! So I'm only going to talk about it to say I'm not going to talk about it, and to let you all know I'm that person who talks to the newspaper and corrects grammatically incorrect signs. Sigh.

Leaving aside the fashions of the 60s then, today I'm going to show you some fabulous 50s inspired frocks with wee nipped in waists and beautiful full skirts. I'm fond of the bombshell look and I always enjoy sashaying around in a wiggle dress. Still, I love how fun it is to wear a full skirt and go swishing around in it, which is why I hit the last Vivien of Holloway sale quite as hard as I did. There are lots of dresses out there for you if you enjoy the benefits of wearing a full skirted dress, and here are a few of the ones that have got my pulse racing!

Dollydagger is an online shop so full of prettiness it ought to be on prescription. There are so many dresses in this shop that make me paw at the monitor longingly, I could spend all day telling you about them all. My favourite is the English Rose dress in scarlet. At £125 it's too far out of my price range right now for me to do anything except gaze lovingly at it, but isn't she beautiful?

This skirt will accommodate a petticoat, should you want to wear one. I can think of so many places I'd wear this dress to, so I'm sure that one day soon I'll crack and buy it. I love the big fat roses all over this dress, I think that it's pretty but with attitude. The skirt is also voluminous enough to be subject to passing breezes that will expose your underpants to the people of Coventry (or wherever you happen to be) so if you do buy this dress, make sure you wear it with nice pants. The people of Coventry will thank you.

Pretty with attitude basically sums up all of the dresses on sale on American website Pin Up Girl Clothing. I could spend all day detailing every single dress there that I love, but for today I'm going to confine myself to the Sailor Swing Dress by Pinup Couture.

Now, I'm not too sure what it is sailors actually do and I can't even swim, so I honestly don't know how useful this frock would be in a nautical situation. It doesn't stop me wanting it, however. The circle skirt would look good with a fluffy petticoat underneath it, but the phenomenally glamorous model in the photo proves it will look good without that. At $108 (plus shipping and tax) it's far too expensive for me. To be quite honest, I'm not sure if land-locked Leamington Spa is ready for this dress anyway. I'll still daydream about it, though.

So far, so good, right? Those dresses are out of my price range, but they're nice to dream about. What does a girl do when she wants to buy one she can afford? Enter Aspire Style, purveyor of delightful frocks at reasonable prices. The Lizzie dress by Emily and Fin caught my eye.

This beauty is £59, and even less than that if you take advantage of our exclusive 10% discount code (just enter AYDblog at the checkout). The full skirt is all swishy and elegant and the bodice is boned to make your waist look all neat and lovely. This dress would be perfect to wear to all those picnics I dream of having as soon as the sun comes out. The Warwick store is nearby so when I have a few spare pennies I'm going to go and try this on, then all I'll need is sunshine, wine and nice pants.

about your dress: abstract print vintage dress at Love Miss Daisy

2011-06-16T13:09:00.000+01:00

I do love finding dresses so beautiful they make me GOL (that's Gasp Out Loud, folks - add it to your everyday vocabulary and the kids will think you're well cool), and that's exactly what happened when I spotted this beautiful 50s dress* from vintage emporium (and A(YD) List member) Love Miss Daisy:

It's a size 10/12, and there's only one in stock, so you'd better be quick if you want to snap this one up. And I think you can justify the £90 price tag because you'll feel extra special in it, safe in the knowledge that it's probably unique (she said, in the hope that all the others have been destroyed by moths in the six decades since its making).

*Or, to give it its full title, abstract print semi sheer vintage 50s dress.

about your decoration: Rob Ryan bunting at Bodie and Fou

2011-06-15T13:38:00.000+01:00

I think some people are probably a little sick of Rob Ryan's work right now; his range of delightful plates/mugs/jugs leap out at me whenever I stray into one of London's gazillion gift shops and I'm finding it hard not to feel a little overexposed. HOWEVER, I think I've found a lovely exception to this overdose of the papercut supremo's designs in the form of... bunting!

Aah, bunting. Divider of households, causer of arguments between couples around the globe. I know if I bought the beautiful Rob Ryan bunting shown above (£25.50 from Bodie and Fou, since you ask), the ensuing ~~argument~~ conversation with my live-in lover would go something like this:

Rob Ryan-hating boyfriend (RRHB): "What the flip is that?"

Me: "It's delightful Rob Ryan bunting! Isn't it MARVELLOUS?!"

RRHB: "No. No it's not."

Me: "You're wrong. It's lovely."

RRHB: "I'm right, and it's not going up in this house."

Me: "Oh yeah? Says who?!"

RRHB: "Says me. The person who pays the majority of rent and bills."

Me: "Good point, well made."

So the crux of the matter is thus: I can't buy it, so you have to. Look, here's another picture to convince you:

Please send photos when you've bought and installed it so I can pretend I live with you and not RRHB.

about your dress: Racerback maxi dress at Gap

2011-06-14T14:15:00.000+01:00

ATTENTION SHOPPERS: Gap are having a sale! I know, I know, Gap are usually having a sale, but this is a Big Proper Sale, so it's not just crappy old bizzarely shaped items which they just can't shift. There's a lot that's reduced by 50%, but I've got my eye on this Racerback maxi dress in pewter blooms:

It's now £24.99 (reduced from £35.95) but it's only still available in medium and large, so you'd better get your skates on if you fancy looking as floral and carefree as the model above! One final bit of advice: if possible, get yourself to your local Gap rather than shopping online - their prices seem to be a bit lower in the shop, and I'm aaaaaall about saving you the pennies :)

Nomday! about your jumper: Louche Zavanna Zebra sweater at JOY

2011-06-13T11:42:00.000+01:00

I have an insatiable desire for stripes. I love them, can't get enough of them. I don't care that they make me look like Burglar Bill, or The Hamburglar, or even Beetlejuice. I just lurrrrve them. So when I floated on into JOY in Angel on the weekend and spotted this little number, I was delighted.

This, my friends, is the Louche Zavanna Zebra Intarsia sweater, which is on sale right now for £39. Isn't it delightful? And how clever too, to slip in a little zebra reference there on the shoulder. J'adore! Sadly, it's now only available in large, so we can't all rush out and purchase one in a jolly little attempt to look like a herd of gorgeous zebras, but at least some of you can enjoy it!

about your dress: Phyllis dress at Fever

2011-06-10T13:18:00.001+01:00

I know Roisin featured some bargainous Fever dresses from TK Maxx last week, but this Phyllis dress is so pretty I felt obliged to do the online equivalent of shouting it from the rooftops by making it the sole focus of today's post:

It's sadly not available at TK Maxx's low low prices, but I think £69.99's not too bad for a dress which will be multi-occasion-appropriate. Anyway, if you're anything like Roisin you probably have a specific Fever budget, and you'll have saved so much on those TK Maxx treats that you'll have bundles left to spend on a full price beauty such as Phyllis (it makes perfect fiscal sense when you think about it REALLY hard). Get yours from Fever's website.

about your shoes: Chie Mihara Cometa court shoes

2011-06-09T15:14:00.000+01:00

There's a lot to be said for thinking classic when it comes to shoes. You know what I mean; classic shape, neutral colour, goes with everything. In fairly heavy rotation in my wardrobe is a pair of nude court shoes from Bertie and the same pair in black patent. Classy and safe. However, I'm even more drawn to quirky details and graphic prints like hearts, bows, cherries, and stars. These beautiful Cometa shoes by Chie Mihara at Sarenza manage to do both things at the same time.

I'll be upfront, at £178 these shoes are not cheap and I can't afford them. That makes me sad, as does the fact that there are none left in my size. A girl can dream, however, and I am enjoying imagining myself prancing around the office in them.

You see, they're an elegant court shoe shape so they'll look good with skirts and dresses in a variety of lengths and shapes. They have a nice sized heel, as well – tall enough for a bit of height but manageable enough so that I could run for my train. They'd be perfect for when I wanted to wear smart shoes.

The gorgeous, shiny stars mean that as well as looking smart these shoes are fun. I'd be looking down at my feet all day at those sparkly stars. I love how bold they are as well, they command attention and I like that too. The shiny red leather of the stars gives them a bit of a punky vibe so they're not too cutesy, just very cool.

If any of you better-off, smaller-footed ladies out there fancy owning the shoes that made me cry a little bit, they can be yours for £178 from Sarenza.

about your bag: Jet Set vintage leather flight bag at Scaramanga

2011-06-08T14:21:00.000+01:00

Avid readers: do you remember a couple of months ago I introduced you to the marvel of Scaramanga and their wonderful satchels having been bought one for my birthday? Well, the gods of vintage leather bags have obviously been smiling on me, as I've been lucky enough to acquire another Scaramanga gem in the form of the Jet Set vintage leather flight bag!

I mentioned it briefly in April's post, but now that I've got my own I realised I did it a massive injustice by awarding it a mere sentence of text. Not only is it made of the most beautifully soft leather (so soft it's almost suede), my colleague also said it looks like cake*. It's like this bag was made for me, it's that perfect. As a bit of an organisational freak, I really appreciate the ~~million~~ 12 pockets and compartments this bag has.

TWELVE.

And that's not even including these handy pen holders:

There's even a padded section so you can carry your laptop in safety (and it also protects it when your bag falls three feet to the floor, as witnessed earlier today). And it has a strap with a reinforced section for your shoulder, so it's comfortable to carry! Those Scaramanga folk think of everything.

What's especially wonderful is that this bag hasn't replaced my beautiful satchel because they are so different. I've had the Jet Set bag for just a week and I've already used it to travel to a wedding (it was big enough for a change of clothes and all my make up, as well as things to keep me entertained on the train) and today it transported my laptop to work with the greatest of ease. The zip also goes down really far, so it opens nice and wide to make the contents easier to access! Genius.

It's £95, which is actually the world's biggest bargain because it could not be more worth it. This is the kind of bag your children and grandchildren will be using in decades to come, having prised it from your cold dead grasp as soon as your final breath has escaped your body. That's a good thing.

*I think she meant the outside of a sponge cake, rather than the fully-iced finished product.

about your top: cream bird print blouse at Dorothy Perkins

2011-06-07T12:18:00.000+01:00

Sometimes having stylish colleagues can be both a blessing and a curse. Whilst it's lovely to see them in pretty clothes and having them act as free muses for this here blog, it can be detrimental to my bank balance. I'll just have to try and persuade you all to buy this cream bird print blouse from Dorothy Perkins (as sported by cutting-edge clothes horse co-worker Janine) in the hopes that it'll sell out before I can get my poverty-stricken mitts on it.

Do the right thing - buy this pretty shirt so I can't. It's only £28 (or £25.20 if you can persuade a student to buy it on your behalf). When you've bought it, feel free to take a picture of yourself in it and send it to me so I can use the magic of Photoshop* to replace your head with mine.**

*I don't actually have Photoshop, so it'll actually be Microsoft Paint.

**Too creepy?

Nomday! about your shoes: Pieces Rimona lace up flat shoes at ASOS

2011-06-06T12:17:00.002+01:00

As I might have mentioned before, I love shoes. I'm very pernickety about them though. I hardly ever buy zapatos above a tenner unless I feel that there is something about them that really grabs my attention, or I'm in a genuine shoe emergency (quantified by extreme blisters or some kind of Cinderella-style situation). I guess I feel the same way about boys. They have to have something that other people might not appreciate going on, which makes me become stupidly infatuated with them. Oh and they have to be tall, with nice hands too. Anyway, this is a post about shoes, not boys.

It was my birthday last week and my girlies gave me seventy-five whole pounds to spend in ASOS. What can I say? I'm totally awesome and they love me. So I geared myself up for an asos session (let's face it, it's such a mammoth task you need some genuine mental prep before you dive in and start shopping. It's the same with TK Maxx. Only a fool would enter TK Maxx on an empty stomach) and I found these lovely correspondent style Pieces Rimona lace up flat shoes which I am quite taken with by all accounts.

What's cute about the Rimona is the much-beloved and never tiresome monochrome colourway and the fine sole. Thick soles on brogues freak me out. They remind me of corrective shoes or Pods and Kickers which were the ultimate fashion statement when I was 13 years old, regardless of the fact that you would drown if you were unfortunate enough to fall into water whilst wearing them. Fine soles are feminine. They also say 'yeah I don't have to wear practical, hard-wearing thick soles because I don't actually do a great deal of walking', which is ideal.

The Pieces Rimona lace ups cost but £33 from ASOS. Now, does anyone have any suggestions on what I should spend the remainder of my birthday voucher on? How about this?

about your dresses: Fever bargains at TK Maxx

2011-06-03T13:03:00.000+01:00

The other afternoon the sun was shining, I'd finished work a little early and I had some time to kill before my train so I wandered into my local branch of TK Maxx . I don't usually bother with much except the shoes and the homewares, but I'm delighted that I took the time to rifle through the racks of dresses because at the moment TK Maxx are stocking frocks from my fashion Achille's heel – Fever Designs . I emerged somewhat lighter of purse and with a very definite spring in my step, having bought two gorgeous frocks for bargain prices. I'm somewhat ashamed (read: not at all ashamed) to admit that I strayed over to their website this afternoon and bought another one. The fact that they're available online means that you can too!

In store, I bought the beautiful Neapolitan dress. This is still current season stock, and TK Maxx are selling it for £16.99! So, it seemed rude not to buy two, one in each colourway.

I'm especially smitten with this frock. It's a comfortable but flattering shift dress shape, with barely visible hip pockets. Pockets are the human equivalent of catnip to a girl like me. I like the way this beauty makes colour-blocking easy. I might look like a Fab lolly in it, but whatever. If I look good enough to eat that's fine by me. This afternoon I sprung for the Riverene frock in camel. This is another one I've been eyeing up for a while, so at £16.99 I couldn't resist it!

There aren't many of these left, so so if you want a classy dress with a Katharine Hepburn feel to it, you'd better move quickly.

It's hard to see in the photo, but this Kennedy dress is made of a beautiful brocade cotton and it has a pretty exposed zip. I particularly like the rosette at the waist.

You'll find a few more online, but I expect you'll need to move quickly as sizes are limited. If you have a store nearby and can cope with the jumble sale gamble of finding a dress you love in your size, then you have a good chance of finding a bargain. Happy hunting, ladies!

about your sale: sample sale at Plümo

2011-06-02T13:10:00.000+01:00

I don't know why I'm still on Plümo's mailing list - I can never afford anything they sell so it's almost like I'm torturing myself. Or perhaps I knew that if I kept failing to unsubscribe, eventually something wonderful would happen. And today my laziness paid off, for Plümo are having a sample sale, with prices reduced by up to 80%! And it's not all crap; just look at some of the bargains I've got my beady little eye on...

Chie Mihara Fadrina shoes, size 40 - was £249, now £149

Owl candle holder - was £69, now £39

Blue enamel bowls - was £49, now £25

You have to be quick though; as far as I know they're all one offs and they're selling fast. Now is NOT the time for dithering! GO GO GO!

about your art: The Various Lives Of Clouds print by the krafty fox on Etsy

2011-06-01T12:34:00.000+01:00

As anyone who's ever read Gavin Pretor-Pinney's The Cloudspotter's Guide will be able to tell you, clouds are a lot more interesting than they sometimes look. But even at their most basic they will always have a special place in my heart, which is why I'm almost certainly going to buy The Various Lives Of Clouds, a lovely print by the krafty fox (available for a mere £6 on Etsy):

I'm not giving you much time to beat me to it (maybe five hours, tops), so if you don't get in there sharpish, FRET NOT - there's plenty more of its ilk available here.

about your swimwear: cute cossies at figleaves

2011-05-31T11:30:00.004+01:00

There are three reasons why I prefer swimsuits to bikinis:

1) They're nice and classic.
2) I simply do not have the body to be revealing that much flesh.
3) If I had a two-piece, I would lose half of it. Never both parts, only one, and the remaining top or bottom would stick around and taunt me every time I opened the drawer.

But the problem is, every time I enter a high street store, the only stylish options are bikinis. It's like the designers think they don't need to bother making pretty swimsuits because the only people who wear them are ugly folk who don't give two hoots about their waterside appearance. Well, you're WRONG, high street swimwear designers! Some people just like wearing one-pieces! They reduce the risk of things coming undone and other things popping out! It's a good thing figleaves know the value of a sexy swimsuit; they've got a whopping 245 of them on sale. Take, for example, these four beauties:

Marilyn underwired halter swimsuit by Midnight Grace, £35

Polka dot swimsuit by Beach 2 Beach, £39

Just Black draped bandeau swimsuit by Seaspray, £73

Polka dots skirted adjustable ruching swimsuit by Seaspray, £73

Pretty, flattering AND smoking hot, all at once. In your face, high street bikini bias!

Nomday! about your shop: Swank Jewellery

2011-05-30T12:27:00.001+01:00

Do you ever have one of those days where you're just insanely busy and nobody is adoring you and everything is going wrong and you're pretty much just like AAAARGH? Of course you can't actually scream that out loud, because people might think you were unhinged or something, so maybe you just stick to thinking it or tweeting it. Or maybe you wear it around your neck to subtly remind people to give you a freaking break:

This AAAARGH necklace costs £22 from jewellery designer Swank, aka Becky Wignell. Based in Otley, Becky's designs are often made from recycled material (the chain on the above for example and her range of recycled Lego-themed necklaces are pretty squiffy geek-chic too), which means you can feel happy about what you're hanging round your hooters.

Also worthy of note are her really cool plane-related necklaces, which come in silver, gold or black-backed perspex. You know me, I love black and gold, it's so opulent and trashy:

Seriously cool, non? The F1-15 Fighter Jet necklace costs 30 smackeroonies and can be located by clicking this link here.

And then there's the Grumman Wildcat necklace, which also costs £30.

Lastly I want to show you my favourite, because it's named after a song which never fails to make me giggle and it's also AWESOME:

The Rock Lobster necklace costs £18 and comes in red, pink or gold perspex. Seriously cool. Which one should I choose, red or gold?

about your accessories: Kissing Stags by Anorak at Bloomsbury & Co

2011-05-27T11:53:00.000+01:00

Call me soppy, but I always feel a nice glow inside when I see two individuals deeply in love, be they men, women or stags. 'Wait, what?' I hear you cry. 'Did you just say 'stags'?!' I did, my dear, I did. Stags are commonly considered very noble creatures (as evidenced by the tons of artwork depicting them standing atop various rocky crags in the same distinguished manner) but that doesn't mean they don't need a bit of tender love at times. Stags are people too, you know.

That must have been what the people at Anorak thought when they made their range of oil cloth accessories featuring the noble beasts. The 'Kissing Stags' range includes a purse (£7.50)...

...toiletries bag (£15.95)...

...and oil cloth for sale by the metre (£22.95/m), so you can entirely bedeck your home in the wonderful creatures!

The whole range is available from Bloomsbury & Co, and if stags aren't your thing*, they also have kissing rabbits, seagulls, birds and horses. Aah, my cockles feel thoroughly warmed.

*Not like that.

Cool or Cobblers? Lucas Derby Oxfords from Mr KG
	Cool!
	Cobblers!

pollcode.com free polls

Cool or Cobblers? Herman the German from Irregular Choice
	Cool!
	Cobblers!

pollcode.com free polls

Cool or Cobblers? Irregular Choice Jelly Ice Cream shoes
	Cool!
	Cobblers!

pollcode.com free polls

Cool or Cobblers? Mary Jane Shoes from ASOS
	Cool!
	Cobblers!

pollcode.com free polls