Crazy Hair

Let me tell you a hair-raising tale.

It starts out with me, utterly worn out last night after five days of Guide camp. I mustered the energy to get in the shower but that was clearly all too much for me as I then fell asleep sitting up in bed with a towel on my head. Eight hours later I woke up looking like Sideshow Bob.

Several bobbles were hastily yanked into action and it was tamed into something approaching order:

But then a bobble actually snapped under the pressure of the crazy hair:

So I gave up and embraced the mayhem:

My face is behind there somewhere.

As crazy hair demands some equally eyecatching shoes, I gave this new pair their first outing. Pretty, aren't they?

Dress - Matalan
Cardi - Hawkshead
Heels - Irregular Choice Fresh Cut Grass

Even More Toile

Shopper's guilt. A feeling that I suffer from only too often. If I walk out of a shop with more than one carrier bag, it hits. Yup, even if that shop is only Primark. If I walk out of a shop with an expensive item, even if it's so light that I can barely feel I'm carrying it, it hits. It even wallops me when I'm using vouchers to buy something, mostly because my brain is the brain of a crazy lady.

Let me pose you a question.

If a very pretty frock costs £48 and you have £24 worth of vouchers do you:

a) think "Yoicks! Half price dress!" and buy it

b) think "Yoicks! Half price dress!" and buy it, plus something else cos you've just saved yourself £24 and you might as well spend it

c) think "Ooh heck, £48 is a lot of money to spend on a dress, isn't it?" and then fret for ages that you could have spent the vouchers on something else.

If you said c), welcome to my world. I find the only cure is to cut the price label out of it and wear it before the guilt forces you to take it back. It works, especially when it's as pretty a dress as this one. And then I smile.

I love toile. LOVE IT.

I also love the very pretty lacy section of the bodice on this frock but due to knackeredness and light levels failed to take a decent picture of it. Have an extreme closeup instead!

Dress - Oasis via John Lewis
Cardi - Hawkshead
Shoes - Dorothy Perkins sale
Ring - Matalan
Sunglasses - Glasses Direct

Screw the Weather

I should have known that being organised and packing away all my winter clothes would come back to bite me in the arse. A few days after I did it, the weather promptly dropped ten degrees and it started raining.  It hasn't stopped since.   *shakes fist at the sky*  My wardrobe full of pretty summer frocks and sandals just isn't designed for this weather but I'm going to have to wear them anyway!

Luckily the thermal black tights and sensible cardigans remained within reach.  When I layer up with them, it makes the floaty dress with cut-out detail seem a bit more weather-appropriate, doesn't it?  In fact, I don't think I'll actually be wearing this frock when it's sunny. The tan lines would be most odd!

I'm very pleased with the new shoes. I've officially given up buying cheap, crappy flats that fall apart after a few wears.  I'm going to invest in decent ones, made of proper fabric (preferably leather) and with a real sole. If they have a bit of cute detail on them as this pair do, so much the better!

Dress - Primark
Cardi - Hawkshead
Flat shoes - Emma Go

It's the first cut-out dress I've ever owned. Inappropriate for an old woman?  I don't know.  I was just so pleased to find something in Primark that wasn't made of vile polyester that I had to buy it.

Petticoat...Check

I believe I may have mentioned my loathing of ironing a time or two.  It therefore won't come as a surprise when I confess that this rather cute shirt dress has been languishing at the bottom of the ironing basket since...ooh...last August?  I bought it in a charity shop because I liked the pattern, shoved it in the wash (not cos it was smelly, just cos I really don't like that washing powder that all charity shops seem to use) and promptly forgot about it.

It was jolly nice to rediscover it.  Not so nice to rediscover that it is a really odd shape.  It has belt loops at what you would assume to be normal waist height, but the actual waist is down below my hips and it looks very weird.  Only one thing for it.  Well, two things.  First, shove a big belt over the top to disguise the weirdness.  Second, poof the skirt out.

Ok, make that three things.  I had to make something to poof the skirt out with.  Twitter folk may have seen me beefing about doing battle with tulle last night but I think it was worth it in the end.  One mini petticoat!  It doesn't look like much but it does the trick.

Dress - Dorothy Perkins via charity shop

Cardi - Hawkshead

Belt - Primark

Shoes - Irregular Choice

Brooch - charity shop

Ring - Dorothy Perkins sale

Pearls - BoBijou

And for extra vintage styling, add ponytail and wear cardi in a different way:

The Week Of Doom is OVER!

Morning everyone!! Am I disgustingly cheerful for early on a Saturday morning? Probably! I am caffeined up, on a train and celebrating the end of the week of doom by going down to London for the day to see this:

And I'm wearing this. Not the smartest ensemble in the world but I've had no time to do any washing or ironing so the choice in my wardrobe isn't as good as usual!

Tshirt - bought at Thursday's gig (which was AMAZING)

Skirt - Warehouse, ancient

Boots - Gap sale

Cardi - Hawkhead

Yesterday's Frock Friday outfit deserves a quick mention too:

Dress - Primark
Shoes - New Look

I had to rope in my mum to help alter this frock. It came with the oddest shoulder puff things that I was not at all keen on and as I don't trust myself to do anything more complicated than hemming and button swapping when it comes to alterations, help was needed. Typical Primark sizing issue as well - it's a size 12 but there's so much extra fabric in it that I had to hold it at the back a bit in these photos. Doesn't look so shapeless in real life but for some reason it photographs as very baggy. Perhaps I'll pass it back to her to get the side seams taken in a bit.

Thank you for all your lovely comments over the past couple of weeks and for putting up with my moaning. New followers, I'm not usually this mardy! I'm pleased to report that I've had a super productive week and am feeling much happier about life now. I've also been hugely cheered along by the wonderful parcels that have arrived from some lovely blogging pals. Isn't it funny how getting an unexpected package in the post can entirely brighten up your day?

Helga sent me this lovely parcel - very unexpected and a bit spooky as it turned up on the morning that we found out she and G were safe! I can't wait to get started on the books. I always think it's fascinating and perhaps a tad scary to read books that others have recommended - what if I don't like them? I'm confident with these two though as the blurbs on the back sound so interesting and I trust Helga's taste.

(Expect more book chat in March. Oh and hats. I haven't forgotten about the Hat Challenge.)

Vix, being all the all round wonderful woman that she is, sent me this fab vintage Windsmoor frock and a fun book that I've been dipping in and out of. I'm going to be very brave and attempt hacking several inches off the bottom of the frock as it's rather long on me. I shall report back on my progress.

Then I came home from work yesterday to this beautifully wrapped parcel of gorgeous giveaway goodies that I won in Lucy's recent giveaway. Blog karma is definitely going around - she won a prize in mine! Thank you Lucy - it's all so lovely and your wrapping skills put my shoddy bundle-everything-into-a-jiffy-bag attempts to shame!

Dressing For Dinner

I'm back! I'm sorry about the lack of blogging this week. The course I was on was brilliant and utterly fascinating but it was pretty much non-stop and left me totally worn out afterwards. The weekend has been equally busy, what with shopping all day yesterday and then celebrating my mum's birthday today so I haven't had a minute to fire up the laptop.

I need some sleep before my brainpower returns so in the meantime here's a very quick outfit post, just something I wore for dinner on the course last week. I've had the top for ages but I don't think I've blogged it before. It's a really tricky shape for me to wear - I've tucked it in and tweaked it a bit here. I know it still looks a bit boxy but it's tons better than the unflattering shape it falls in naturally. The underlayer is quite clingy and the fabric is gathered and a bit pouffy around the hips - not a good look on me!! If I'd tried it on before I bought it I might have thought twice about it but it was one of those things that I saw on the rail (only £10 in the sale!) and loved so much I just had to buy it.

Top - Uttam @ Dorothy Perkins
Cardi - Hawkshead
Skirt - H&M

ps - dress code was "tidy" - how on earth do you interpret that? I figured that as long as I didn't have my skirt tucked in my knickers I'd be ok...

Snuggly Spots & Giveaway Day 3

Thanks for all the lovely comments yesterday. I think I must have been in a grouchy mood when I wrote the post because looking back at the pictures I've decided that I do rather like the outfit after all. Today's ensemble is decidedly more snuggly and practical for wearing whilst defrosting the car in minus 5 temperatures, brrr!!!

Must stop looking so weirdly obsessed with my feet in pictures.

Dress - local boutique sale (isn't it lovely and nubbly?)
Leggings - Marks & Spencer
Cardi - Hawkshead
Boots - Irregular Choice "Jump in Puddles" via ebay

Can't remember if I've blogged these boots before but I absolutely love them. I have size 6 hoofs and as that's a pretty common size, it can be tricky to get IC bargains on ebay. I've been after a pair of the green heels with the frog charm on for years now but seemingly so has everyone else because they still cost a fair amount. I can only assume everyone else thought this pair of boots was a bit too whacky because I got them for under £15 inc p&p. Yoicks!

On the third day of my giveaway, I will give to thee:


Some French hens of course! These are gorgeous vintage French glass hen shaped egg cups. I could only get two, not three, but really you're lucky that they're in the giveaway at all because I love them so much I want to keep them!! They're quite tricky to photograph but rest assured they are ever so beautiful and detailed. Plus, even if you're not a fan of boiled eggs they're very decorative.