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. 

Another Monday came!

Another Monday arrived and, after a weekend of some serious party, I was tooooooo tired for thinking about what to wear. Or heels. 


I know.


So this is what I rocked. 

That's right, I banged on FLAT SHOES and a proper old lady cardi. Oh yes I did. 

The cardi is one my husband bought for me, he got it in Asda (we both love their clothes!) and I don't know what he paid, he says probably £5. It was definitely in the sale so won't have been much.

It isn't often I can't remember where I got something - but I do not remember where I got these shoes. I remember getting them shortly after our wedding - so this time two years ago - but I don't recall where from, or what I paid. I'm not crazy about flat shoes so they don't really stand out in my mind, I probably went into town in something totally unsuitable and wanted to go on the beach so grabbed these from some bargain bucket somewhere. They're comfy, ish, and I do love the beading. I also REALLY need to paint my nails.

If you've read any of my other posts you'll know this dress already - Peacocks, strawberry print.

The belt is also Peacocks and people always comment on it - it was in the sale, it was £4. I love it, but it is started to droop! 

I was comfortable, I felt good, and the outfit was very inexpensive! Even when I want to be a bit of a slob, and just pull on sandals and a cardigan, I think it can still look ok! 

Who wants my cherry?

I felt like some colour today - so I popped on this little ensemble.

Red pencil skirt - British Heart Foundation, £6

Cherry print t-shirt - Peacocks, £3

Black belt - previously seen, Peacocks

Shoes - New Look, £10

Just another Monday

Today I wore one of my favourite outfits. I LOVE this top - I love the collar, I love the tiny velvety spots all over it, I love that there's a button on the back at the neck, I love that it's just a bit see-through (I wear a vest underneath for work!) and I love that it is just sexy enough to stop me looking too smart!


The top is, of course, from Asda, and I, of course, got it in their sale - I paid £5 for it, which was a bargain for something I love so much, even by my standards. 


I am wearing a vest underneath that was 2 for £3 in Peacocks. 


The skirt was a real treasure. I got it in a charity shop - one for a local charity that cares for premature children and young mothers - for £6. It was pretty unflattering when I got it - mid shin, A line, not a great shape or style - but a lovely fit around the waist and nice, soft fabric in a good colour.


I cut the skirt considerably shorter (saving the excess fabric for some possible future project - you never know!) and shaped it to be more pencil skirt than rara skirt. It is now a lovely shape, and makes me feel, as some twitter friends would say, shminky. 


I paired the skirt and blouse with a chunky belt (Peacocks, £4) and the New Look heels (£16) that you've already seen a lot of. 


I also popped on a coat - Peacocks, £10 - that is pretending to be sheepskin but is some kind of pretend fabric. Super soft and can go in the washing machine! 


All in this outfit cost £18 (we don't count shoes and coats in the cost of #WhatYouRocking remember - those are bought for MANY outfits!) which is, by anyone's standards, an absolute bargain - and I felt pretty darned hot! 




What did you wear this fine Monday?

Fruity

I love dresses. I think this is something you'll notice if you follow the blog - or the #whatyourocking hashtag on twitter or instagram. 


This dress came from Peacocks - it cost all of £5 from their sale rail and I fell in love with the strawberry print and cute collar. 


I bought it a size too big and lost a bit of weight recently (have I shouted that at you yet? I LOST WEIGHT!) so it's a bit big - which means I need a belt with it. 


This one came from a charity shop for a pound - I LOVE charity shops - and this was, as so many things are, from the British Heart Foundation in Dorchester. 


It claimed to be leather but I think we all know that isn't entirely true - but it IS sparkly around the buckle, which is always a winner. 





The strawberries are properly cute - and the polkadots - I love polkadots. 




This outfit makes me feel a little bit rock chick - which is a look I like - but in a way I can just about get away with at work. 


I teamed the dress with some boots I picked up from Shoe Zone (cheap and cheerful!) for £12 - they are just amazing - this time I laced them right up to look a bit steampunk and funky - but they have some fluffy fake sheepskin inside and can be worn folded down for a totally different look, which is awesome - like two pairs of boots in one. 






I would recommend re-heeling them though as they come with the standard plastic heels on and those wear quite quickly - I'd say do that for all the heels you buy actually. 

You can see in the pic above that I added in some purple tights (next, £5 - which is a lot for tights for me!) and below you can see the jewellery I threw on. 

The bracelet I bought for my sister-in-law's wedding last weekend - Matalan, £2.50 (I got the matching necklace too - that will appear next week!) and the necklace I got from the Avon sale - I think I paid £6 for it, and got my Mum a matching one - it really opens, and I really want to stash something inside it but can't think what! You can see the earrings in the first pic are the same £4 British Heart Foundation pair I wore here.

I think this is one of my favourite outfits - I feel confident in it and it feels very me - what do you think? What cute prints have you been rocking this week? #WhatYouRocking?

Unsure

I bought this yellow skirt from Peacocks for £7. I love it because it's all swishy and yellow and has a petticoat, but I'm never sure what top to put it with. I wore it a couple of months ago with a white polo neck jumper, but it's too warm for that now (even though it's only fake summer, and has rained all day) so I wasn't really sure how to make it an outfit.


I ended up wearing this top, which I got in Next as one of my possible interview outfits for the job I do now - it was £12 in their sale and is MEANT to have a white ruffle top and puff sleeves, but was subjected to a wash by my husband that coloured it grey. I figure since grey matches the tank top part I'll keep wearing it. 


As I wasn't entirely sure I teamed it with a bright yellow belt - two (of different colours) for £3 from Matalan - and the bright blue wedges I got in New Look two summers ago to add a pop of contrast. 


I wasn't completely sold on this as an outfit, but feedback at work was positive so maybe it worked after all. What do you think? This top - yey or nay? 

 I didn't edit out my fingers from the pic again because it caused such hilarity on instagram yesterday - but this time they are more obviously my fingers! Also I really need to paint my toenails again...

As you can see I'm also wearing my white jacket from this previous post today and you can just see the satchel I got from the Cybher conference last month - which I have been using daily as my work bag - it stops me carrying too much crap and is the perfect size for my massive family diary!