What's-in-my-Wardrobe Wednesday: Summer Dresses

Well, Wednesday's come around again and for my blog that means just one thing: it's time for another instalment of "What's in my Wardrobe Wednesday"! This week I'm going to be focusing on summer dresses in a vain hope that it might make summer make a most welcome return to my part of the world. Whilst the early summer (the end of May, most of June and the beginning of July) was warm and gloriously sunny, the past month or so has been a complete washout. It's rained practically every day and temperatures have been near or below the average for the time of year. But let's just ignore that for now, shall we, and focus on a summer where I'd be able to wear all of the following on a regular basis!!

Cream garden print cap sleeve dress

This is one of my favourite summer dresses, not least because it was a real bargain...I picked it up for just a fiver off one of the stalls at my village's summer festival. I adore its vintage look, and think the print is simply gorgeous...it pretty much sums summer up for me. Plus it's really flattering to wear, this is something that doesn't come across well on the hanger...I kind of wish I'd made the effort to take some pictures of me wearing it now! There's only one thing I'd change about it if I could, and that's the fact that the skirt has 3 layers: a silky underskirt, a net one over that and then the main skirt itself. Whilst they give it a lovely shape, they make it just a little too hot for high summer wear, as I discovered to my peril as I wore this to the theatre on one of the hottest days of the year so far!

Close up of the back...I love the heart button detail!!

Coral broderie anglaise sun dress

Coral is my summer colour, so much so that this is the first of 3 coral dresses to be featured in this post! It's bright and cheery and looks great with a tan...even if I don't have much of one most of the time! As well as the colour, I also love the fact that it's so easy to wear. I've had this dress for 3 or 4 years now, and it's not dated or gone out of style, and I can dress it both up (with wedges) or down (with flat sandals and my light denim jacket). Simply perfect!!

Full skirted floral print shirt dress

To be honest, this is technically much more than a summer dress...I often wear it in the cooler months with either black opaques for night, or black leggings for day, and its versatility is one of its major plus points for me. As with many of the other pieces I own, I can dress it up or down, and I've been able to wear this for so many different occasions ranging from a trip to the park to a meal with friends to a night out in town to name just three. I also adore the femininity of this dress...with its full skirt and bow which accentuates my waist, it makes me feel really womanly. Just as a side note, I think it looks pretty similar to this dress by Luella from a couple of seasons ago. What do you think? Not bad considering mine's just a cheapo version from Primark lol!!

Coral and grey flower and leaf print dress

Now, I love this dress. It's light and flowy, so it's perfect for summer wear and I love the fact that it's just a little bit different...probably because it was a limited edition piece. But what I love most about this dress was that it most certainly didn't have a limited edition price tag. This little beauty cost me the grand sum of £1.00!! That's right, it was just £1.00!! Like the first dress, this was a bargain from my home town's summer festival, but this is a more recent acquisition, having only been purchased a few weeks ago. But unlike the other dress, this still had its original tags on, which told me that it was from the Marks and Spencer Limited Collection and had started life at £45. Yet there it was, on the £1 bargain rail. I couldn't believe my luck...and am still convinced the stall holder had made a mistake. But I didn't question it...I just marched up to him, said "This is from the pound rail", and waited for him to bag the dress up lol!! Now being M and S, the only downside is that it ran a little big, but lucky for me my Mum is a whizz with a needle, and was able to put a couple of darts with no trouble :-)

Coral tulip skirt shift dress

Yet another coral dress; this was a favourite for summer evenings out last year and has even managed to get one or two outings this time around, despite the less than summery weather. I love the fact that this dress is very figure flattering; it nips me in at the waist, adds to the curve of my hips and hits just the right spot above my knees. And it has pockets...I love dresses with pockets. Sometimes I wear it as is, other times I wear it with a thick black waist belt to give me an even more defined waist (and to show more of my legs!!), but I wouldn't recommend doing that if you were eating out whilst wearing it...suffice it to say, I've tried it and it's not the most comfortable thing ever!! The coral colour also matches well with a range of accessories...I've worn it with cream, stone and grey shoes and gold, neutral and silver/pewter toned jewellery and it's looked great each time...another reason why I love versatile pieces!!

Hope you enjoyed this glimpse inside my wardrobe :-) Till next time...

What's-in-my-Wardrobe Wednesday: Yesterday's Buys

It's back!! After months and months, "What's in my Wardrobe Wednesday" has finally returned!! :-) Can you tell I'm just a little excited?! Anyway, without further ado, onto the most important thing: the clothes...and the shoes...and the accessories...I'm sure you're getting the idea lol! Now as I mentioned in yesterday's post, I've done a bit of shopping, so what better way to share my purchases than by blogging about them in a Wardrobe Wednesday??

All of yesterday's buys came from Primark...if you're a regular reader of my blog, you'll know that it's one of my most favourite shops ever! If not, well you do now! Having said that, I was just a little bit disappointed with it yesterday. Whilst I did buy some fabulous things, there wasn't really that much that jumped out at me and begged me to take it home, and that's a bit of a rarity. But never mind...I suppose it saved me money, at least ;-) And finally, for your delectation, here are the pieces that did return home with me:

Denim effect leggings in black and blue

Just a couple of basic buys to begin my post with, these leggings will help refresh my quite tired looking leggings collection...I can think of at least one pair that have seen better days! They'll be a wardrobe staple worn underneath longer length tops for a more casual look (I'm wearing the blue pair today with a blue and white striped cotton cami) and I know from experience that they're especially comfy to wear on fat days lol!

Black, white and grey floral print skater dress

This is a piece that definitely has autumn written all over it (or maybe even summer if our recent weather's anything to go by!). I think it'll look great worn over black leggings or super opaque tights, and I'm hopeful that I'll be able to dress it up or down depending on my footwear and accessory choices.

Dark grey stud detail pumps

Grey canvas pumps or high tops have been a wardrobe staple of mine for well over a year now, and I was desperately in need of some new ones, due to the fact that my old ones are letting water in. These are a bit darker than the ones I've previously gone for, but I was attracted by the stud design, which you can see more clearly here:

Whilst I love the originality of these (and also think the checked lining is pretty funky), the one downside is that they're cut quite low at the front, meaning that if I wear them with leggings you can see quite a lot of my socks...not such a good look!! So I get a feeling I'll be saving these for wearing with jeans/trousers and keeping my old pumps for wearing with leggings based outfits like today's.

Coral and teal rose print scarf

I absolutely love the colours in this scarf...I think they're gorgeous!! This is actually a piece that's caught my eye a couple of times before, but I've resisted up until now, as I wasn't quite sure what I was going to pair it with. To be honest, I'm still not, but I thought that it was too pretty an item not to be mine!!

And last but not least...

Beige shiny effect mac

A classic mac was also on my shopping list for yesterday's trip, and I think this one's absolutely perfect and can see myself hopefully wearing this for years to come. I love how the subtle sheen makes it a little different, whilst still being timeless and elegant in design, and I love the fact that the belt is long enough to tie in a proper bow (although this is something I've obviously not quite mastered yet judging by the photo!!)

Here's a back view:

Ignore the creases on the back and focus on the puffed shoulders and back vent detail instead!! I'm really looking forward to wearing this, both for work and also to help smarten up more casual outfits. My first beige mac...I almost feel like a proper adult!!

And there we have it...hope you enjoyed :-) Till next time...

Highs and Lows

I've been meaning to post this all day but, despite not working today, have only just got round to it now! So very quickly, as I'm wanting to go to bed shortly, here are my "Highs" and "Lows" of last week:

Highs

• Fantastic weather: The UK got its first taste of summer last week, with glorious sunshine and temperatures in the mid to high 20s (Celsius obviously!!) and it was heavenly!! If only we could have that for 3 months every summer, it would be perfect!!
• Summer clothes: The gorgeous weather meant that I was also able to break out my summer clothing for the first time since last year...summer skirts, brightly coloured dresses, denim shorts and sandals, I didn't realise how much I'd missed you!!
• Free shopping: As you'll probably all know, I love shopping, and I love it even more when my purchases don't actually cost me anything!! A couple of months ago, I got a new mobile phone, and as a free gift I received some HMV vouchers, which I finally spent last week. I bought 4 DVDs, and they didn't cost me a penny! Then, on the same shopping trip, I decided to treat myself to an iced coffee from Starbucks which, you guessed it, was also free courtesy of some coupons they'd sent me earlier in the week! I still have a couple of their vouchers left over, so am hoping to be getting some more free coffee sometime soon!
• Another interview (and some useful feedback): I know I've already blogged about part of this point, but last week I received a letter inviting me to a job interview in a couple of weeks. Yay!! I also had an interview itself last week, and whilst I didn't get the job (boo!!), I did receive some genuinely useful feedback and advice from the school's headteacher, which I can hopefully put to good use next time around!
• Good news from the dentist: I had my first dentist's appointment in over a year last Friday, and was a bit worried about the state of my gums, as on my last visit there had been some concern that I was showing the early signs of gum disease, and I'd hardly been diligent in following the treatment programme my dentist had recommended. Luckily, this time around my gums were fine, even if another problem was discovered (more about that later!)

Lows

• An annoying sore throat: It first reared its ugly head last Wednesday, and then stuck around for Thursday too. It seemed to have disappeared by Friday, but made its presence felt again as soon as I started to sing at rehearsal on Friday night :-( Then the weekend passed with no incident, but guess what happened at Monday's rehearsal...?! Just go away and stay away please!
• The downsides of the heat: Namely, stubbing and cutting my little toe whilst wearing my gladiator sandals on Saturday, having to shave my legs practically every day to get away with the bare legged look and getting an annoying bite/heat lump on my right ankle!
• Not getting the job: It sucked. I had a mini 5 minute meltdown. Nothing else to say about that one really.
• Bad news from the dentist: I need a filling. And my teeth cleaning professionally. And neither of those things come cheap (in my opinion, anyway!)

And that's about all of them! I suppose I could have added in the "low" of someone wearing the same dress as me when I was out on Saturday, but I suppose it was qute funny looking back, and my friends all told me I looked better than she did anyway :-) Thanks guys!!

Till next time...

What's-in-my-Wardrobe Wednesday: Another Primark trip!

Now this is a post that I've been meaning to write for ages, but never really got round to. During my half term break which was about a month ago now, my mum, sisters and I took a trip to Primark, and here are some pretty pictures of what I picked up:

Charcoal/grey burnout floral tunic

I think this top is gorgeous and a great way to introduce florals into my winter wardrobe, although I got a bit of a shock when I tried it on at home because it's absolutely massive! As it's so big, I wear it cinched in with a thick black patent waist belt to give me a little bit more shape!
Whilst the weather's been cold, I've been layering it with a black long sleeved top underneath, but am hoping that I'll also be able to wear it without when it warms up a little!

Black ankle length leggings/Blue denim effect leggings

Just a couple of pairs of leggings for wearing under my longer length tops. I'd been looking for a full length black pair so the black ones were ideal. I wasn't so sure about buying the denim leggings (I can't bring myself to say the word "jeggings"!), as I couldn't decide if I liked the trend or not but I'm SO glad I took the plunge! They're really comfy and easy to wear and, unlike my other leggings, they don't fall down!

Multicolour floral print button front dress

This was another piece that I was immediately taken by, and I was even more attracted when I saw the price. This little number was only £7.50, and, best of all, it looks much more expensive on! I haven't worn it yet as I'm waiting for the weather to warm up, but will probably team it with either cropped leggings and pumps in the day or black opaques and heels for night. I already have a dress that's quite similar, and am hoping that this dress will be as versatile as that one.

Indigo skinny jeans

Another basic buy. I already have a pair of skinny jeans from Primark, and I like them so much that I've been wearing them to death over the last year or so. So I thought it was high time for another lol!

Pale blue/white longline striped shirt with pintuck detail

This is possibly my favourite item of clothing from this shopping trip. It's really comfy and easy to wear...it almost feels like wearing a man's shirt because it's a bit oversized, and it reminds me of the times I used to borrow a boyfriend's shirts to sleep in! I nornally team this with either my skinny jeans or denim leggings and my tan studded ankle boots.

Here's a close up of the pintuck detail:

Longline sleeveless striped T

Apologies for the crappy picture quality...the stripes on the main body of the top are red, and those round the neck are blue on one side and black on the other. This is another top that's a bit on the generous side, so I''ll be belting it with my skinny cream belt (pics to come later) and wearing it with skinny jeans or leggings. I wore it for the first time on Saturday night for a friend's birthday, and got some really great compliments so I reckon it's definitely a keeper!

Black chenille scarf/gloves set

I bought this as I needed a new pair of black gloves. I already have tons of scarves but as the set was in the sale, I thought I might as well get two things for the price of one!

Skinny tan leather belt/Skinny cream plaited waist belt

I'm really glad I bought these as lots of the tops I've bought recently are a bit on the generous side, and they look a lot better when they're cinched in. My personal fashion concept at the mo is all about my waist!

Blue/gold scalloped edge bag

I have my mum to thank for this one, as she noticed it before I did! I absolutely adore the vintage look it has and I think it adds a really different edge to an outfit.

Silver filigree butterfly necklace

There's not really much to say about this other than I really like it! Here's a close up of the butterfly:

And another week goes by...

almost without a peep out of me! I honestly don't know where the time's gone...I did have a bit of a manic week but I was still aiming to post a couple of times! But never mind, at least I can summarise my week into one post: my highs and lows! And here they are for last week:

Highs

• Birthday fun with family and friends: Not my birthday, but over the last week I've spent quite a bit of time celebrating birthdays and had a great time doing it! Well there was just one exception...but I'll come to that later! Anyway, my friends E and D both had their birthdays last week so I spent 2 very chilled evenings in 2 different pubs sharing in their celebrations and catching up with my friends. Then on Saturday, me and my family went for a meal with my Grandad and Uncle, to celebrate my Grandad's 90th which was on Friday. The company and food were fantastic and it was really good to see my Grandad enjoying himself and looking so well...nobody can believe how old he actually is! Plus the pub/restaurant we went to organised for us to have a free bottle of sparkling wine to help mark the occasion which was very much appreciated (by me anyway!)

• Reductions at the till: Yet more shopping this week...although there was an actual purpose behind some of it (you'll find out the reason later!). I picked up a gorgeous sequinned top/dress which I love, not least because it had a 25% reduction on it. Then I went to Next at the weekend as I wanted to buy a suit(there's a big hint there!) and I had a giftcard that I needed to spend. I decided on purchases that I thought added up to the value of the card, but when I got to the till I discovered that the trousers were less than half price! So instead of spending up, I still had 12 pounds of free money left! Bargain!!

And last but definitely not least...

• Interview: Yes, you read right...I've got a job interview! It's my first interview since my last long term post finished last December and I still can't quite believe it! I was in absolute shock when I opened the envelope and read the letter, as I when I'd seen the school's address stamp on the back, I was convinced it was another rejection! But no...they are pleased to invite me for interview on Thursday, and I'm really excited (although trying not to get my hopes up too high!). The vacancy is in a Year 4 class, which is one of my favourite age groups (ages 8-9), the school has a very good reputation and it's situated in a nice area, only about 5 minutes drive or 20 minutes walk away from my house. Can you tell I want this job lol?!

Lows

• Birthday not-so fun with friends: Remember how I said that there was one exception to the great birthday celebrations my friends had...well here it is. The night didn't get off to a particularly good start... E and D had invited loads of people to town but only 5 of us ended up going out (including E and D themselves!)! Then when we got out, things seemed to be looking up...but that didn't last long! We went to a bar first, then to a club shortly after that and that was when the problems really started! Whilst E and I were having a great time...the boys (D, S and NE) didn't seem to be. D was practically falling asleep, NE was hungry and telling everyone this at every available point and S just looked miserable as sin! Needless to say, we gave up relatively early for town (about 12:30) and that was when it really kicked off. E was upset with the boys, especially S and wanted to be away from him. I was also annoyed as I hadn't wanted the night to come to an end, and so E and I decided to have a short walk to cool down. But S kept following us which made E furious! She wouldn't talk to him, so I tried telling S to leave us alone and we ended up having a big row in the street which I'm sure highly amused everyone else around us! Eventually we got into a taxi and endured a very uncomfortable ride home. Me and the boys are fine now, but E is still angry with S, and knowing their rows and how stubborn E is, this will run and run! Things really just got out of proportion and I'm trying to see the funny side, but I sense that there might not be many nights out for a while!

• Noisy classes: They get really frustrating and I nearly lost my voice one day last week! Enough said!

So there's my highs and lows! Hope you all had fantastic weeks last week and have great ones to come!

What's-in-my-wardrobe Wednesday - Fancy Dress for Less

Once again, I'm late with this post, and I'm feeling really lazy at not blogging for 6 whole days...but at least I'm here now, better late than never and am making up for my guilt by giving you 2 posts for the price of 1! So sit back, relax and enjoy...a little bit of my weekend mixed up with a whole lot of outfits!

Now, I love going to parties, and every now and then, the time comes around for fancy dress. I love that too...but what I don't like is the cost involved. Whilst some of my friends have bought expensive dressing up outfits in the past, I really don't see the point. It's not as if it's something you can really wear again, unless you want to run the risk of everyone knowing what your outfit will be before every single party (because it's ALWAYS the same one!)! Now that's not to say I won't buy outfits if they're the right price...but I like to be a bit more creative if I can! So here's a few outfits I've created in my time, and a few tips for getting a cool looking outfit for less. I'm not saying I'm a style expert or anything because I'm most certainly not, but I have been pleased with what I've managed to achieve!

1. 
   Work with what you've already got

Last Saturday, I went to a Halloween party dressed as a witch and had a fantastic time! Initially, I had planned to buy a costume but could find nothing in the shops. At first I started to panic but then I remembered a dress I already had and everything else started to come together. This is what I wore:

I wore this black dress...you can't see very well but it had wide bottomed sleeves and a zig zag hem...perfect for a witch. I teamed it with black fishnets over purple tights and my black ribbon tie shoes from Next...all three were things I already owned. The only new addition to my outfit which cost 1.50 from a discount shop.

2. Start shopping early

Now I know this isn't always possible, but if you know about something in advance, I'd strongly recommend looking around earlier rather than later. A good example of this was for my friend's 25th. In honour of our decade of birth, he decided to go for an 80s theme and I was determined to buy a vintage 80s dress for the occasion. So I looked on Ebay...and every now and then I saw a dress I liked so I put a bid (or ten!) in. But they went for too high a price so I missed out...that's another thing I'd say...always set a price limit! But because I still had time left, I didn't get stressed and just kept looking. And then it happened...I saw a dress, bid and won! In fact, I was the only bidder and bagged myself a genuine 80s gem for less than a fiver. What do you think?:

I teamed the dress with leg warmers which I also bought off Ebay for a couple of quid and a pair of 80s style black stilettos from Dorothy Perkins that I already owned.

3. Customise the basics (or get others to do it for you!)

A couple of years ago, 2 of my friends had a joint fancy dress party. The theme was cartoon characters and for a while I was stumped. How could I find quite a simple outfit? Then I thought of Wilma Flintstone...all I'd need was a white dress and a string of pearls and I'd be sorted! So the white dress hunt was on, and I eventually found a strappy white sundress for a few pounds. Then my mum got to work on it. She removed one of the shoulder straps and cut the bottom so it was jagged. Add a string of chunky pearls that I borrowed off a friend and a wash in/'wash out hair dye (that didn't really work!) and voila!

4. Buy items that can multitask

I probably spent the most I ever have on the fancy dress outfit I wore for my friend's western themed birthday party. But I didn't mind because I knew I'd wear everything again and I have. My cowboy boots...check! A checked shirt..check! A cowboy hat...check! (It's great for those sunny days!)

And finally one more tip that doesn't have a photo with it!
5. Accessorise, accessorise, accessorise

A really good example of this was when I was looking for a simple and cheap costume and decided to go as a police officer. I had the black trousers, white shirt and sensible shoes already so all I bought was the accessories: handcuffs, hat, neckerchief, badge and epaulettes for my shoulders. Hey presto: instant outfit!

Another example of this was when I went to another 80s party. I bought another cheap dress off Ebay, but then made it a little bit special by adding a vintage belt (again from Ebay) and an 80s clutch that belonged to my mum!

So hope you enjoyed! Like I say, I'm not claiming to be an expert...but if at least one person gets any ideas from this, I'll be very happy! :-)

What's-in-my-wardrobe Wednesday - Primark and Asda shopping trips

I've been off work this week as it's the school holidays, and have spent quite a lot of time relaxing and generally being a bit lazy! However, I still managed to find time for a bit of shopping on Monday. I went to Primark, which is just about my all time favourite shop, and whilst there wasn't loads that really grabbed me, I still picked up a few bits:

Red long sleeved top
This is just a really good basic buy, that I think will go equally well with a pair of smart trousers for work or jeans at weekend. Plus I love the fact that it's got tiny buttons down both sleeves...you can't see them on the picture but they make an otherwise ordinary top seem much more interesting.

Navy/red checked shirt

I absolutely love checked shirts at the moment, and thought the colours in this were gorgeous! When it gets colder, I might wear it layered up with the red top I bought.

Tan studded ankle boots

I love these boots, and have practically worn them non stop since Monday evening. They're wide fit too, which means it makes it much easier for me to tuck my skinny jeans into them! This is generally how I've worn them since I bought them, though they look just as good with jeans worn over the top. Just about the only bad thing is the fact they haven't got much grip on the soles which means that I've nearly gone flying on a pile of leaves a couple of times!

Black bead bracelet with silver flower detail

At the moment, I'm really into bracelets and bangles so took the opportunity to pick up a couple whilst I was shopping. I just found the flower really eyecatching, and think that this could really dress an outfit up.

Gold and ivory charm bracelet

This was another piece that really caught my eye...I just loved the detail on it and thought it looked much more expensive than it actually was (I think it was only about 2.50 or 3.00!). I think it's really pretty and have already been complimented on it, which always makes a girl feel good! The only thing is that the charms do make quite a lot of noise, so I'd be no good wearing it if I was trying to sneak up on someone lol!

A couple of hours after returning from Primark, my mum, sisters and I went to Asda where I picked up this cardigan:

It's something I'll probably wear layered up with a long sleeved top underneath, either for work or at weekends, depending on what bottoms I choose. When I bought it I had a choice of either black, stone or green. I went for this one because I thought it was an unusual shade, and didn't have anything else quite the same colour.

Anyway, that was my shopping! Hope you enjoyed and I'll be back with another wardrobe post soon (maybe it'll even be on a Wednesday next time)!

What's-in-my-wardrobe Wednesday - Silver necklaces

Well...technically not real silver, but they are silver coloured! This week I'm going to be sharing some of my favourite pieces of costume jewellery, my silver toned necklaces.

Diamante drop pendant
I can't remember where this necklace is from, or who bought it but it's one I wear quite a lot. I love its simplicity and sparkle, plus it has a really strong chain which means I'm not worried about it breaking.

Diamante tassel pendant
I think this was a present off my friends J and N for my 24th birthday. Although I don't wear this as much as some of my other jewellery, I think it's a very pretty piece and I like the fact it has an adjustable chain so I can wear it long or short depending on the top I've got on.

Filigree heart necklace
This is one of my all time favourite necklaces. It's another Primark bargain, but I think it looks much more expensive, and I've had compliments on it almost every time I've worn it. I love all the intricate detailing on the hearts, and the way they link together. Although it has an adjustable chain, I always try and wear it as short as possible to give a choker/neck plate effect.

Silver/clear multi charm pendant
This was another birthday present, this time off my friends G and L for my 25th. I think the charms give it a really fun and current look, and it also comes with matching earrings if I really want to dress things up!

Pink/Purple charm pendant

This was an end of year present off one of the children in my first ever class as a qualified teacher. In some ways it's quite similar to the previous necklace, it's got charms at the front and comes with matching earrings. However, this pendant has a much shorter chain, so I tend to wear it with a v neck top, so the charms can fit nicely in the v. It's also front fastening which is quite unusual, none of my other necklaces fasten in that way!

Silver heart pendant

I bought this from Primark a couple of years ago when there was a trend for heart shaped pendants, and even though they're not as popular now, I still love wearing mine! As the heart is on a long chain, I usually wear this with tops without much detail on the front, so things don't look too fussy!

And that's it from my wardrobe for this week! Stay tuned for more exciting updates! ;-)

What's-in-my-wardrobe-Wednesday (well nearly!) - If you want to get ahead, get a hat!

Yes, I know it isn't Wednesday, but I honestly didn't have time to write this post yesterday, so here it is, better late than never! As you can probably guess from the title, today I'm going to be sharing pictures of some of my hats. Although I don't wear them as much as some of my other accessories, lots of my hats are among my favourite pieces in my wardrobe and I love the spin they can give to an otherwise ordinary outfit. So, without any further introduction, here's six of the best of them (I was going to do 5, but I found it too hard to choose!):

Straw cowboy hat
I bought this in Majorca a couple of summers ago, and it's great for keeping the sun off on those hot summer days (not that we've seen many of those here lately!)

Cream knitted baker boy hat

This was another Primark buy and I love wearing it in winter with my matching scarf. The only thing is it doesn't cover my ears properly, so I'm always pulling it down as far as I can!

Pale pink knitted beanie
This is really pink, although it looks more cream in the photo! I bought it from Asda to go with my pink scarves and gloves, and I really like the way it looks on. It also has a button detail on one side, which can't be seen on the picture, but I think it makes it look extra cute!

Red beret

I was first attracted by the colour of this hat; it's a really vibrant scarlet red and I liked it even more when I found out it was only 50p in the sale! I also like the fact that you can wear it pulled over to either side or to the back, as it gives the hat a slightly different look each time.

Black sequin beret

I love sequins and I love hats, so when I saw this it was a must have buy! Plus it was a bargain, only costing a few pounds from a cheap clothes shop and I love the way it can easily dress up a simple pair of jeans. As with my other beret, I also like the fact I can wear it at different angles and am sure I'll be wearing it a lot over the next few months, especially as it will fit in with the current sequin trend.

Black and white trilby

Out of all my hats this is probably my favourite. It was half price in the Asda sale, and like my sequinned beret, I really love the way it can dress a casual outfit up as well as make a smart one look more interesting. And it also helped me get a date with a really hot guy once...but that's another story!!

So that's my hats!! Hope you enjoyed, and stay tuned for another installment of What's-in-my-wardrobe Wednesday soon!

What's-in-my-wardrobe Wednesday: Spotlight on Next

Like many other bloggers around at the minute, I've been inspired to write a themed series of posts, and as I love all things style shopping related...welcome to What's-in-my-wardrobe Wednesday! I'm not sure if this is going to be a regular series of posts yet, but in it I'm aiming to include posts on any new items I buy, as well as items on old favourites that I absolutely love and maybe even some of my top fives in various categories.

So to kick off, I'm focusing on some of my recent purchases from Next/Next Clearance as this gives me the chance to blog about my latest clothes/shoes purchases which I mentioned here, as well as sharing a couple of pictures of possibly my favourite pair of shoes at the mo.

Without further ado...here's the clothes first:

Cream bow neck top...despite the slightly dodgy picture, this is really lovely on! I've already worn it once for work, and then to the pub in the evening and think it's a really versatile piece that can be worn for lots of different occasions.

Cream top with black waterfall (?) front detail... I was initially attracted to this top because of its interesting front detailing and also its slightly unusual shape. The picture, unfortunately, isn't the best, but again the top is really flattering to wear. I can see myself wearing this for an evening out, maybe with my indigo skinnies and the shoes I'm going to show you in a bit. The final reason I love this top is because of the back...

It has an exposed zip, which I think is quite cool and is also apparently really 'in' at the mo.

Remember this post about my grey high tops? Well, I think I might have found a new love...while these pumps will never replace them, they're the best distraction I've found in a long search:

And finally comes a pair of shoes that I absolutely adore! They're about the comfiest high heels I've ever owned, they're shiny (and dare I say, a little bit sexy!) and they have a ribbon tie and a spotty inside. In short, they're just about perfect for me! What do you think of these babies??:

Not the best pic, but you can see the spotty insides and the ribbons!

And finally a side view, showing one of them in all her glory (yes, my shoes are female, deal with it!)

So, all that's left to say is thanks for reading my first What's-in-my-wardrobe Wednesday (that's assuming that anyone other than me has done!)...hope you enjoyed it! :-)