My Current Favourites

City Chic black dress, £79 / Michael Kors wrap dress, £55 / Hell Bunny green dress, £72 / Plus size dress, £49 / Avenue hi low dress, £47 / Bell sleeve dress, £19

Shoes for the Party Season

We are once again approaching the Christmas season.  A time where presents are planned and bought, nights out and get togethers are planned and the annual work Christmas party fast approaches.

It is nearing the end of November when I usually start to look for something to wear for the party season.  I usually try to wear one dress from last year, but to a different event, and buy something new.  One thing that I do like to buy every year however are party shoes.

When it comes to the party season, finding the right style of shoe to carry you through all the events and parties is a must have.  Something classical but stylish that will go with anything.

I have picked out a few of my favourites that are available this year, some of which are also happily on sale!

These strappy shoes from Office will add a sexy edge to a basic black dress or complement a more colourful outfit

 

 These sparkly court shoes from Carvela are the perfect pairing if you have dresses of different colours or patterns

 These iridescent numbers from Dune are quite right for adding a touch of colour and sparkle to your outfit whilst still being understated.  

You can't lose with these simple court shoes from Dune with silver bows,  Classically elegant and would look great at the office party.

Then of course, there are the shoes that you find and fall in love with.  These are my absolute favourites for the party season and worthy enough of planning the rest of your outfit around.

You can find these from Head Over Heels

What are your go to party shoes?

K.Jacques Sandals

As I write this post, the rain is pouring outside and the weather forecast is miserable.  Last week though happily we had a few lovely sunny days and it gave me the chance to test out my new sandals from K.Jacques

K.Jacques is a family run business in France that create bespoke sandals to your precise specifications which sell all over the world.  K.Jacques have had artistic collaborations with the heights of fashion such as Givency, Karl Lagerfield; Balenciaga and Helmut Lang; to name but a few.  So when you create your own bespoke sandals, you know that you are in great company.

I was given the chance to create my own pair of sandals, which is something I have always wanted to do.  

The first step is to chose your style of sandal.  I went with the Buffon style with a combination of black leather and Dover Capri leather for a touch of sparkle.  Once you have submitted your design, this is sent off to the design team who come back with a picture of your chosen sandal, sometimes with a suggestion of an added element or design.

Once you have agreed your chosen design, the next step is providing them with a hand drawn outline of your feet so that they can create the perfect fit for you.  This is especially great for me as I have a slightly wider foot, somewhere between an E and EE so finding fashionable sandals is usually a bit of a challenge.

One week later and my beautiful sandals arrived on my doorstep, with a bag to keep them in to ensure that they stay in great condition.  The leather is luxuriously soft and the sandals fit me perfectly.

Being bespoke and handmade they cost a little more than your usual sandal purchase, but for a pair of sandals that fit like a glove, are soft to the touch and are designed to your precise specifications; the money is worthwhile.

With the weather turning to rain and cold I may not get another chance to wear my sandals now until next Summer, although with our changeable climate, I could be wearing them again in blazing sunshine next week!

*These sandals were gifted to me but all opinions are, as ever, my own.

Boots for Autumn

Curvissa recently contacted me and asked if I would like to try out some boots from their Autumn collection, along with another four bloggers.

My thoughts have been turning to Autumn and Winter a lot lately as the weather here has not exactly been all sunshine and blue skies.  So I jumped at the chance to try out some new boots and decided to go for the Extra Wide Fitting Boots * 

The boots come as an EE foot size fitting and are available in either an XL or XXL fitting.  I went with the latter as I wanted to be able to wear them under jeans. The boots come in either black, dark brown or cognac and have an 1 1/2 inch heel.  Happily, there is also a really good grip on the sole and the heel (Is it just me that wonders why so many companies put a good grip on the sole and usually forget the heel?)

I decided to show you two different outfits, one casual for a walk in the park and the other with my usual attire of a dress; and because I could not resist pairing the dark brown leather with burnt orange of the dress.

The leather is lovely and soft and after wearing for a full day out I can attest that they do not even need breaking in.  Practically unheard of in my shoe collection!

I would give them a five star rating as they are comfortable, style and will be a great staple in my wardrobe.

Curvissa have been nominated at the British Plus Size Awards for the best footwear retailer.  They would love your support so why not hop on over to the website and give them a vote.

In the meantime, please take a moment to check out the other fantastic bloggers involved in this five way challenge.

Nikki

Hollie

Katie

Emma

Fun in Blackpool

(Picture heavy post)

Last weekend I went away with my mum for a couple of days.  We both needed some fun time away so decided to have a mother/daughter weekend filled with good things.

I always say that my mum and I could laugh and have a good time wherever we happen to be and that was certainly challenged when we arrived at our hotel to find that it was a country and western themed weekend.  Both of versions of hell!  Typical of us however we managed to have a laugh, whilst being completely mystified by the stony faces of the line dancers.  I thought dancing was supposed to be fun!

Anyhow, we had some fun things planned, the first of which was a trip to the +The Blackpool Tower ballroom.  Here was my outfit, planned with a little vintage edge.  The dress is from Simplybe from last year and the shoes are from Joe Browns.  The bag is a charity shop bargain from Barnardos.

Here are some pictures that I took at the Tower Ballroom, including the delicious afternoon tea for two which was exquisite.  I highly recommend a visit, I paid £37.00 for two which included a table for two around the edge of the dance floor.

Me and my beautiful mum

Four types of sandwiches, scones, clotted cream, strawberry jam and cakes 

(plus a cheeky glass of wine)

A quick photo I managed to get of the stage between dances

Now at this point my post goes slightly awry as I had some lovely photographs of my outfit later that night at Cats with some pictures of the amazing stage but unfortunately, my SD card decided to eat them.  So I have recreated my outfit for you here.

My dress* is from the Scarlett and Jo collection at the House of Fraser and is currently on sale for an amazing £20.00.  Although I usually size down for Scarlett & Jo dresses, I went for my usual size in this one as the dress is lined.

I love the ribbon tie detailing and the textured print of the prom dress.  The length, although isn't shown on the website, I would guess at around 42 inches as it lands just below my knees and I am 5ft5.

I felt like a princess wearing this dress and recreating the outfit, I still do!

So that was my weekend, hope you enjoyed yours! x

Manchester Eating Hotspots

I was recently asked by Millenium Hotels to participate in a new infograph they were creating, relating to Manchester's Hidden Gems.

If you are new to Manchester or even if you just want to try somewhere new, having someone local to the area recommend an eatery or bar for you will always guarantee a better experience.

As can be seen from the infograph below. there are quite a few recommended places; offering everything from pizza to fine dining.

My particular recommendation was Albert's Shed, Castle Street in Manchester which runs a great two courses for £11.95 offer but also offers some amazing dishes on the A La Carte Menu.  I recommend the Malayan Chicken which is delicious.

Happy eating!

 

Wood Watches by Jord

I was recently asked if I would like to choose a watch from one of the collections at Jord Wood Watches  Before I tell you about the watch that I decided to choose, let me tell you a little more about them.

JORD watches are all handcrafted in St Louis, Missouri (Meet Me In St Louis anyone?) and are made from woods such as sandalwood, maple, bamboo and Zebrawood.  The woods are all sustainable and as no piece of wood is ever the same, you are guaranteed to get a watch that is perfectly unique and your own.   

I chose the Ely Green Sandalwood & Maple watch which retails at 129 dollars, or around £82.00.  It arrives nestled in its own box, seated on a cushion.

The *Ely watch is splash proof, the glass is scratch proof (good for a klutz like me) and it charges by your movement rather than battery or every day winding.

I don't know about you, but I have lost count of the number of watches I have had and loved in the past, only for the battery to run out and they being relegated to a drawer until I have "time" to get a new battery fitted.  I then discover them a year later, forgotten and looking a little sad.

The watch closes with a deployment buckle with push buttons, allowing for a seamless finish and a simple release.

JORD watches range from 120 to 295 dollars but given that international postage is free, there is no issue with high postage costs.

The Ely is a truly beautiful watch and having worn it for a few weeks now I can attest that it is comfortable and the mechanism which locks the watch into place is secure without being too resistant.  When buying the watch you can also input your wrist size, to ensure a perfect fit.

In short, the JORD watches come highly recommended!

* This watch was gifted to me but as ever, all opinions are my own

Be a Rebel

My love affair with dresses is well documented on this blog, but the other loves of my life which are not as well documented are shoes.

Shoes work perfectly to complete an outfit and indeed in many cases, can make it or break it.  I love using shoes and boots to edge out an outfit, such as chunky boots with a pretty floral dress or flat sandals to make an outfit more casual yet still chic.  

I thought that I would share with you today some of my favourite shoes from a brand I had recently come across called London Rebel.   I was introduced to London Rebel via the brilliant team at i.LEVEL Software which is a stock management solution company created by fashion experts. They have some amazing brands that they work with which cover shoes, clothes, jewellery, fashion and accessories.

I had a look at London Rebel via Asos and have picked out my favourites for you which cover every base from summery flat to elegant evening shoes.  Amazingly they are all priced at less than £40.00!

1.  Chelsea Boots - £32.00

2.  Dolly Cross Flat Sandals - £30.00

3.  Diane Ankle Strap Sandals - £35.00

4.  Willow Cut Out Shoes - £30.00

5.  T Bar Sandals - £30.00

*This post is in collaboration with I Level Software however all views and choices are my own

Swimwear Through the Decades

I was forwarded this infographic with regard to swimwear through the ages.  This is not a sponsored post, I just found the content interesting so thought that I would share it with you!