Grey makes me feel colourful

I think it would be all too easy to feel flat and grim wearing grey - but I love it. It isn't as harsh as black but looks classic and smart however you wear it - and it's a very good shade to add any and all the colours too to add some excitement to your look without having to go for the bold patterns and colours I would wear that others might shy away from.

You can make any outfit look bright with accessories - as this necklace that my kids call the planets clearly shows! 

This little grey jumper dress is from Asda a couple of years ago, it's holding up well and has kept its shape despite my aversion to irons and much wear and washing. 

Now I need to work on finding some more flattering trousers to wear underneath - this jersey pair, though more comfortable than anything on earth, look misshapen and lumpy these days - I can get away with it at home with that small man for company, but perhaps not so much out and about! 

He's a blur - he's a busy little man - but he too likes a bit of grey ;-) 

How do you wear grey? Show me what YOU'RE rocking x

Pound shop hair dye?

Months ago I dyed my hair bright red - and forgot from previous bright colour experiments that red fades almost immediately to orange, then to some kind of hideous salmon colour striped through with orange. 

This isn't a VERY good look but I knew I had to let it fade quite a bit before trying anything else - or spend a fortune I didn't have at a professional hairdresser rescuing the mess. 

I wanted to look more natural again so planned to go for a dark blonde colour, knowing it would pick up on the red, and I'd be something similar to my natural colour, only blonder. 

I have a bit of a poundland/99p shop addiction - but generally stick to buying tat because I worry other things won't match up to their more expensive counterparts. 

Then when browsing one day in poundland I found hair dye - in slightly smaller than the usual packets - made by Garnier. 

I went with this shade; because the boxes were small (and only a pound) and I have lots of hair I went with two boxes. 

(image from http://images-its.chemistdirect.co.uk/Garnier-Belle-Colour-Golden-Blonde-73-26773.jpg?o=O5SZJtLUZ7@Lithamssi3fuSdFwj&V=rY3H) 

Now - I followed the directions properly, I did exactly as I was meant to - and I know your final colour can differ from that on the box...but still! This isn't blonde - nor is it ANYTHING like the colour suggested! 

This is definitely, by anyone's standards, brown. Light brown, but definitely brown. 

Good job I love it isn't it! 

Now I need to do something about those split ends - another DIY haircut time do you think? Perhaps without the high maintenance fringe this time! 

So would I recommend poundland hair dye? Well, yes - as long as you don't mind the colour being a BIT hit and miss *understatement alert* it's turned out a lovely shade, looks like it has highlights, looks quite natural, and suits me - and I paid £2 to colour a full head of hair. I can't really complain at that can I! 

A style icon

I'm not talking about the very handsome baby, who is loving the camera, but he did create me - yep, that's my Dad - and his Mum is my style icon.

It's still in the 50s here (just thought I'd remind you, Dad) just and Mama is wearing a really rather gorgeous dress, fitted and flared and flattering and fabulous. 

Mama was a very slender, tall lady and incredibly elegant in a way I know I'll never achieve - and she gave me a real love of dresses and dressing. 

Check THIS out!

Sometimes when you have a very limited budget, you also have very limited choice.

That is now in your past. I promise. Only got a tenner to spend? NO WORRIES - you can buy TWO things! 

For I give you (you're welcome) the magic of Everything Five Pounds. 

THIS IS NOT A DRILL PEOPLE! 

For real, actually and honestly, everything really is five pounds! 

Dresses, shoes, bags, all of it, five pounds! 

You like this super cute floral dress? No worries - it's only a fiver!

Something smarter? Why not both! They're a FIVER!

Crazy for colour? Go for it - five whole English pounds!

Awesome top with cute heads floating on it, which may or may not be the cause for this lady's strange face (I think she's holding in a fart) FIVE POUNDS

Some shoes that I want to have actual sex with? Why not again - they're five pounds - pop them in the basket!

You inexplicably want some unflattering purple trousers that make you look like an Arabian prostitute? Heck, get two pairs, they're a fiver!

Maybe you fancy some trousers that actually look nice for work? FIVE POUNDS!

Want to look all sophis in an outfit you CANNOT WEAR NEAR CHILDREN? Sod it, do, it's only a fiver remember!

A sweet little clutch that is The Sex? Buy ME one, it's a fiver!

You will notice that it can be a bit hit and miss, some of the things are properly ugly, but some are lush, and they are ALL five pounds, and they add new lines every day. 

Get yourself over there already!

Bargain of the month

I know I have a lot of coats already - but I cannot walk away from a bargain, and I do love blue! 

I popped to the dump (having missed the bin men AGAIN) and as always I had a rummage around in the area where they sell things people have inexplicably dumped when they're still perfectly good. 

There among the crockery and strange furniture was this coat. Perfect condition, sans belt, my size, wool blend from Florence and Fred (aka Tesco) dumped because the collar had dirt on. That's literally the only reason I can think they dumped it - it was grubby. 

So I gave the lady 50p, popped it in the washing machine when I got home and baboom - a practically new coat for an absolute bargain! 

I LOVE the tulip shape of the coat, and the oversized collar, and the nipped in waist. Now I just need to decide how to belt it and it will be a regular feature of my wardrobe during the cold weather! 

Any absolute bargains in your wardrobe this week?

Grooming them brows, lady

I have only had my eyebrows shaped professionally once - and they bled. The lady insisted that they wouldn't then freaked out when blood dripped down my nose and cried. I was very brave about it, but decided I'd stick with DIY after that. 

I think shaped eyebrows make a big difference to your face, to how you look and how you feel about yourself. A little make up to give extra definition makes a difference too!

You can just see in this picture that I have a scar above my eyebrow so the make up disguises the fact that my eyebrow has a bit missing, which without make up makes me look like an escapee from a 90s girl band. 

Without shaping I look like a yeti. 

Top tips for shaping - line a pencil from the tip of your nose to the outer corner of your eye - where it meets your brow is where the line ends. Line the pencil up with the tip of your nose and the inner corner of your eye - that is where the brow begins. 

Pluck from above and below, a little at a time. Don't do them so thin you have to draw them back on, it washes off in the rain and you look like ET. 

Get a pro to do them first to shape them then every week just pluck the strays and weird long hairs that sprout overnight, determined to make you look like a crazy bag lady. 

Play date!

My eldest son had a play date - for the first time ever he had invited a little friend over from pre-school for playing and dinner with us. 

We hadn't met the family before the play date so I wanted to wear something that looked nice, and was reasonably smart, but up to crawling around playing cars, clambering onto the top bunk and not easily damaged by an excited puppy! 

The blouse is Peacocks, and has poodles all over. I had a black vest underneath as it's quite transparent in the flesh. A pair of skinny jeans from primark and a headband completed the outfit. 

I've been watching a little too much Jerseylicious recently, though - and initially got a little heavy handed with the bronzer! A quick wet wipe of the cheeks made me look less trampy!

In interview outfit

I had a meeting with someone recently which I hope will lead to some work. I wanted to look smart and capable, so I opted for something I felt good in that wasn't shabby. 

This blue dress, from Asda, is always a favourite - it fits well, it's flattering, it has a built in belt under the bust and goes well with just about any shoes or cardigan. 

I paired it with a black (maternity, shh) cardigan I was given when I was expecting my youngest son, which I love because it ties with a ribbon and always feels extra smart over my other with buttons. 

A pair of thick tights and some smart shoes, then the cameo necklace I adore, and you almost couldn't tell that my glasses are wonky! 

I added the new fake fur coat I was given, because after all you can't take the me out of clothes even for an interview, and kaboom I was ready to go. 

Smart casual...

With family coming to visit I wanted to look nice, but be warm and comfortable (old house cold house is so true!) so I popped this little ensemble together for the day.

Thick tights - wonderful for warmth AND tummy squashing magic. 

Floral wrap dress - an old favourite seen in early posts from Asda's sale rails, which I adjusted to fit better as it was a bit of an odd shape.

White polo neck - a basic from New Look that was around seven pounds, because we ALL ought to have these kinds of basics, it's practically the law.

Big fat belt from Peacocks - seen better days, gradually dying, ought to be replaced. 

Headband from Asda - you all recall the big DIY haircut and The Fringe - I'm growing it out at the moment (man alive but a fringe is high maintenance) and so rocking lots of headbands and hairclips. The added advantage of headbands is that they're basically a hat that you're allowed to wear indoors. Useful when you live in a giant refrigerator in the Somerset countryside. 

Am I predictable?

My sister in law came for a visit at the weekend, with a surprise gift for me. She had been given a coat by her husband's sister which she didn't think was very 'her' - but she thought it WOULD be very me, so brought it over. 

She was SO right, it is very VERY me, all glossy and furry and in your face! 

We all know I'm partial to a bit of, erm, 'glam' in my look - and we all know it isn't to everyone's taste - but I love this coat like another child, it is the most glorious surprise gift. 

It's from Oasis - so I know it would never have made its way to my wardrobe were it not a gift - it breaks every 'what you rocking' rule of shopping, after all, but it is a thing of beauty. 

What wonderful fashion gifts were you given recently? Show me yours now I've shown you mine!

Also, if anyone fancies buying me a full length mirror that's more than 8" wide that would be REALLY useful! 

So what do I rock at home?

When I'm at home all day playing with the kids, and training the enormous puppy (a German Shepherd) and trying to keep warm and comfortable, what the heck should I wear?

Sometimes I can pull together something pretty stylish...sometimes I look like a deranged Pippi Longstocking - but you know what? I LIKE that look! 

Right here I'm rocking some leggings, a pair of 99p shop stripy socks, a mid thigh purple tunic dress and a long black cardi. 

Not the best photo ever but my mirror at home will never match up to the one I had at work ;-) 

Comfy, but not your average stay at home Mum look! 

I do have to say, though - the 99p shop is bloody  BRILLIANT for socks! 

Where did I go?!

So what happened?! Where did I go?! 

I was posting LOADS on here and rocking some seriously brilliant shizzle - and then pop, boom, I was gone - so what happened?

Well - I stopped working! I spent a few weeks loving every second of being at home with the kids so much that this slid...then I spent a few more weeks mostly rocking the look below...and that wasn't really one that could inspire fashion fabulous in anyone! 

Admittedly I'm rocking the hell out of that scraped back hair and fleece onesie - that's undeniable - but it's not really a look you can rock OUT of the house! 

A few tweets this week have reminded me how much fun this blog is, and how much better I feel when I ROCK something - so I decided to be a nice wife and mother again, get DRESSED, and head out - so be prepared people, #WhatYouRocking is back, and I'm going to be rocking it! 

(This particular onesie was a Christmas present from my amazing mother in law - who knows me too well!)