Fashion: Amour Outfit of the Night

Although Valentines Day was a good couple of weeks ago now, I feel like I have to dedicate this post to it because it was really special for Nick and I. It was actually our first Valentines Day together and I know a lot of people complain that it's just a commercialised money making scheme, and "you should show your love everyday," but we love treating each other, and this was just another excuse to. During the day, he had work and I had a full day of uni, so we decided to have a romantic evening in with good food, a film and lots of candles and rose petals!

I felt very lucky! I thought i'd also include what I wore. I know we stayed in, but I still wanted to look nice, and I needed an excuse to wear this adorable red skirt with black leather panels from River Island. I bought it last year but have only worn it a handful of times so far. Straight after we finished eating, I ran upstairs and changed into joggers because that's the real me.. haha.

Black polo neck crop top: Select

Gold statement necklace: Primark (borrowed from my housemate - Thanks!)

Black waist belt with gold hardware: Primark (old)

Red mini skirt with black leather PU side panels: River Island

Black creeper styled shoes: New Look

Rose gold watch: Tesco

Pandora Bracelet with heart and bow charm: Gift 

So the night before Valentines Day, Nick and I stayed up until midnight to exchange gifts because we were so excited! He enjoys Geocaching (if you don't know what it is, google it) so I bought him a GPS device to use when he goes out, plus he's a real gadget geek. And I was surprised with my very first Pandora bracelet! The thought behind it was to buy a new charm at monumental times in my life, so each charm means something special to me and brings back certain memories. He had also bought me my first charm, which was the little puffed silver heart and the word 'love' in a few different languages. However, I was allowed to buy one another charm and chose the cutest little bow, i'm such a girly girl!

So I was a very lucky and happy girl and I really appreciated all the effort he went to in order to make Valentine's Day so special for me. I hope everyone else had a wonderful day too, in a relationship or not. My housemate who is single teamed up with one of her girlfriends and made cards and gifts for each other which I thought was a really cute idea too. 

I also need help and inspiration for new charms! I'm so excited to fill up my bracelet and make it personal. If you have one, or have done a blog post on one, i'd love to read it.

Tomorrow I'm heading down to Vodka Revs in Bristol for the #BrizBlogMeet - Let me know if you are also attending or if you want to follow the event throughout the course of the day, you can follow me on twitter (@katiefhowell) and track it through the hashtag stated above.

What did you do for Valentine's day? Do you have a Pandora bracelet? And if so, what kind of charms?

Fashion: Tartan and Daisies

Every year, I never understand the fascination with the January sales. Usually I buy a couple of bits and bobs here and there.. but this year i'm a student living off of my student loan, which somehow has meant all my money has disappeared into the January sales abyss, mainly the ASOS abyss actually. I convinced myself it was okay, because they offer free delivery and free returns.. Oooh and student discount! This is my ASOS haul (so far).

Black Polo Neck Crop Top - ASOS

Statement Necklace - Stolen from Mum's jewellery drawer..

Tartan Skirt - ASOS

Tights - Tesco

Boots - ASOS

Bag - New Look (Christmas present from younger brother).

Nails - OPI 'OPI Ink'

This first outfit is so perfect for A/W because it actually keeps you super warm aswell as staying on trend. Tartan has been so popular this season and pairing it with a simple black top keeps it wearable and suitable for everyday wear. I paired this outfit with a chunky statement necklace just to add interest and to show how this versatile outfit can quickly be changed from day wear to night attire.

The boots were a total steal at £30 for real leather! However i did have a couple of problems with ASOS because at first they sent me a pair with completely faulty insoles. They were glued in half way up the boot if that makes sense? I sent them back requesting a replacement and they sent me these which have the same problem, just less severe. So i'm currently debating whether or not to ask for another replacement.. what do you think?

Daisy Print Swing Dress - ASOS

Tights & Boots - As before

This dress caught my eye because it looked really comfortable and easy to wear, yet really pretty and feminine. I was right, it's super soft and hides and lumps and bumps, but does anyone else think it's a little.. unflattering? I'm really unsure whether or not to send it back. I adore the print, and wearing this to uni would be easy to just chuck on, but the shapelessness does me no favours. The t-shirt styled high neck also seems to look strange on me, so i'm really at a loss. Help and advice would be appreciated!

However, if you are one of the lucky so-in-so's who can pull off a swing dress, this would be a lovely piece for that difficult winter to spring wardrobe transition. I think it looks sophisticated and cosy with a pair of boots, but it would also look good bare legged with strappy sandals.

Leather Zip Jacket - New Look (old)

Leather Collar dress - ASOS

Tights & Boots - As before.

Lastly, I picked up this patterned leather collar dress from Club L at ASOS. Supposedly it's knitted, but it was also a complete steal at £11.50 (down from £40!). I've already worn this out to my friends birthday meal on New Year's Day and it's that type of dress that is perfect for that kind of Smart/Casual event. I love how the leather collars adds a little fierceness, yet the shape is so girly and cutesy. 

So yes, I've spent waaaay too much on the ASOS website this month, not to mention i've also bought some new Forever 21 goodies, books, candles, lush treats.. the list goes on and someone needs to stop me before things get out of hand.

Also, these are the first outfit photos i've taken in over a year and I have to thank my gorgeous boyfriend for helping me out. I think he's done a really good job, tell him what you think over on his blog. 

What have you guys bought in the January Sales? Let me know on my Facebook page!

#Blogmas Day Two: Fairy Cake

It's blogmas day two and today I thought i'd share a little outfit post with you all. This is the kind of thing i wear day to day, just to run errands and that kind of thing. The jumper is a new addition to my wardrobe and i love the colour, as you may of notice I'm slightly obsessing over burgundy colours! It is slightly thin though, so it's an essential to layer this one up. What i also love about it is the little speckled detailing which just makes the colour more interesting. 

The tights I'm wearing are also totally adorable with little white polka dots, however not very practical for the colder weather. I'm on the hunt for some chunky warm tights at the moment. Also I've been wearing these shoes to death, i love creeper style shoes grunge down an outfit and they're also super comfortable which is a bonus. 

I bought this necklace a while ago on a whim in primark. The geometric shapes and almost illusion-al print caught my eye. It's a unique piece and it definitely makes this outfit more interesting. Plus it was a bargain at something like £3! It looks great with high neck tops more than anything or under a collar, but it can work with outfits like this too. On my lips I'm wearing the collection 2000 creme puff in fairy cake again simply because i rediscovered and fell in love with it. The colour is so pigmented and it lasts for ages! 

Jumper - New Look

Necklace - Primark

Skirt - Primark

Tights - H&M

Creeper styled shoes - New Look

What has been your winter staples this year? Stay tuned for more #blogmas!

Also, please like my Facebook page for regular updates.

RedHead

Jumper - New Look

Shirt - Quiz (Old)

Necklace - H&M

Jeans - New Look

Boots - Peacocks (Old)

Notice anything different? Yes, i am now a red head. I decided to change my hair a little for the autumn/winter, sometimes I think it's nice to have a change and not get stuck into a routine. Plus i was in drastic need of doing something to my hair because before it was so damaged. I used to have red hair before I started my blog and since changing back, i remember how much i loved it! I think it looks quite feisty and vibrant without looking too unnatural for work. Also, i love treating myself to a hair cut now and then - is it me or is it totally expensive these days to get it done in a salon?! Luckily my friend introduced me to her mobile hairdresser who was able to do this for me at late notice and a very good price, so a big thank you to her! If you live in the Bristol area and are looking for a good hairdresser, she is absolutely amazing so drop me a message and i'll pass on her details to you.

This is what I wore just as a casual outfit on my day off this week. I just went for a browse around in New Look and found this jeans at a discounted price and I really love wearing coloured jeans so I picked those up. The colour actually matched my hair quite well! I also picked up a dark red jumper but it's a bit much wearing the jeans, jumper and the hair! So i chose to team it with this waffle knit jumper which i actually bought last A/W and still totally love.

I also love the whole "collar peeping out" trend so i added a collar style necklace and it gave the look a pretty preppy edge. Finally I added these boots which i forgot I owned! Don't you love it when that happens? Rediscovering an old love... So I've been wearing them at every opportunity and they're such a lovely height, especially for a girl like me who needs to wear heels to feel normal! I can actually drive in these which is a bonus. 

My favourite lip product of the month seems to be the collection 2000 creme puff in "fairy cake" which i'm wearing in these photo's. I think i'm obsessed with the colour more than anything, I always feel super pale in the autumn/winter so i love having bright lips to add warmth and colour to my face.

In other news, I may have splurged and treated myself to a new Xbox which i've totally been addicted to this week - if you have any game recommendations then let me know! But at the moment i'm playing a lot of fallout and just dance! 

What do you think of my new hair colour? Do you like to have a change sometimes?
Also please don't forget to like my facebook page for regular updates and chit-chat! 

Fashion Vouchers £100 Christmas Outfit Challenge: Pearls and Feathers

I've seen a few entrant into the fashion vouchers £100 Christmas outift challenge and thought it looked fun, so i've decided to give it a go! However it's a lot harder than it looks. I originally wanted to use motel as my merchant but couldn't find any shoes over there to fit the budget.. Then, having a bright sparks moment I remembered ASOS sell motel! After hours of scrolling through ASOS, i finally settled on something completely different but so very pretty and it's this burgundy Chiffon skater dress with an elegant pearl back. It's the back that caught my attention, i just think it's so beautiful and feminine, I love the little details in an outfit.  

To continue the theme of pearls, i picked out this pearl hair barrette which could be used to pin back your hair, I sometimes like to braid mine to the back and add a pretty pin so this would be perfect. Also I found this pearl multi finger ring which looks like a lot of fun. I have a similar 3 finger ring and I love the way it looks with an outfit. 

I think this crimson colour in the dress matches well with black accessories, so to keep it sophisticated, I paired it with some plain black peep toe heels which are a steal at £18. And to add some fun texture, I love this feathered clutch bag. Finally, no Christmas outfit is complete without a bit of sparkle and glitter so I had to include a festive nail polish! I love gold glitter polishes at this time of year, so i thought i'd include this Barry M number. 

Also, I recently made a Facebook page for my blog so please go and click the 'Like' button!

 If you've entered, i'd love to see your outfits! You can enter here. What would be your ideal Christmas outfit? 

Diva

This is the outfit I have been living and dying in recently. I've had my eye on this ballet wrap dress from ASOS for ages now and just didn't get around to buying it. I'm always hesitant to buy online just in case the fit isn't right and i have to fuss around with returns, but with ASOS it's free returns and i managed to find a discount code so i just HAD to buy it! However i didn't need to return this beauty and i'm very tempted to buy it in black as well. It's just so versatile, I've been wearing it in the day layered up with chunky tights, boots and scarves as pictured above but you can also wear it out at night with heels, a waist belt and a leather jacket. I love this cranberry colour too - so perfect for A/W12 and i have a strong feeling this will end up being my Christmas dress!

The ballet wrap effect on the dress is also really flattering. As you can see it's fitted at the top and then flares into a skater style skirt which i think works on most body types. I actually opted for the petite styled one because i'm so short and i love the length. It's not too short to be inappropriate but it's enough to still be stylish. I literally cannot recommend this enough, it's definitely a staple piece in my wardrobe and a gorgeous investment. Don't be surprised if the next outfit post contains the black version - I am sorely tempted!

Lipstick - Diva by MAC

Ballet Wrap Dress - ASOS

Fur Waistcoat - New Look

Chunky Tights - Tesco

Furlined boots - Tesco

I wore my new MAC lipstick with this dress which is Diva in matte and it's an absolutely beautiful dark red vampy colour. My friend Grace bought it for me as a belated birthday present (thanks if you're reading!) and i absolutely love it! I don't think you can get away with the colour in other seasons but for A/W12 I have been wearing it everywhere! The pigment in this lipstick is brilliant, I'm considering doing a review on it - is that something you readers would like to see? You can also really see my ombre in these photos, I've been debating on whether or not to dye my hair a darker shade for the winter, what do you guys think?

Just a quick little update - Thank you all for helping me reach 300 GFC followers! I feel like over the past couple of months i took a little step back from blogging, but now I have quit one of my jobs and i have more time and energy to focus on this again so hopefully you will be seeing more of me! I've actually just attended an event called "Dining in the Dark" which was really exciting and I can't wait to share with you guys. 

What have your staple pieces been this A/W? Have you tried a ballet wrap dress before?

Studded Camouflage

I have LOVED the wardrobe transition from summer to autumn/winter and i've particularly loved the military trend at the moment. If you saw my latest wishlist post, you will know i was obsessing over this beautiful army styled jacket from missguided and i loved it so much, i just had to buy it. 

I've literally been wearing this jacket with almost every outfit recently, i feel like it's a really versatile style and can look good with most other clothing. I particularly like wearing it with my leather look leggings to match with the sleeves and my favourite khaki hat from Forever 21 which hasn't yet left my head since the first leaves of Autumn fell! I've seen a few alternative of this jacket floating around but what I love about this one is all the little detailing including the studded pockets and zips on the sleeves. This is definitely a staple piece in my wardrobe this season and such a reasonable price too.

Hat - Forever 21 (Sold out online)

Jacket - Missguided

Top - Primark

Leather Look Leggings - New Look

Nails - Impress Nails

Rings - LLYMRS & Vintage

Shoes - Forever 21

Another trend i've fallen in love with is this gorgeous deep shade of mahogany or "oxblood" as i've heard. It's a really vampy look and i think it looks perfect for the autumn/winter seasons. I particularly like wearing this colour on my nails and lips as you can see! On my lips i've been wearing the Revlon Lip Butters, "berry smoothie" being a favourite or I've been using the 17 cosmetics lipstick in "pink posey." For my nails i've invested in the impress nails which have been floating around the bloggersphere for a while now. I love how quick and easy they are to apply and i absolutely love the colour however they don't seem particularly durable in my opinion. I've been wearing them for 2 days and have already had to replace a fair few. I'll let you know when i've made my mind up about them!

In other news, i've been super busy recently with work. As some of you may know i work 2 jobs, in the daytime I work in a store pretty much full time and by night i work in a club behind the bar. Therefore with the little free time i have i'm either sleeping or catching up with friends! With the run up to Christmas, things have been much more hectic than usual so that's why sometimes things get a little AWOL on here. I'm very much looking forward to Halloween and sharing some spooky stuff with you guys though so keep a look out for that :)

What's your favourite Autumn trend? Have you entered my giveaway to win tickets to the BBC Good Food Show?

Floral Pleats

So a few weeks back, i was really lucky to win a twitter competition with Fast Fashion for this sparkly number. However, as a kind gesture they also included this gorgeous floral pleated skirt by Rare. I don't own any pleated skirts, so i've been having lots of fun finding new ways to dress this up and down. 

Cardigan - Old from Miss Selfridge

Vest top - Old from H&M

Skirt - Fast Fashion (Rare)

Belt - Old from Primark

Shoes - New Look

Necklace - Dorothy Perking

Bow Ring - The Accessory Stand

Being quite short, the length of this skirt isn't the most flattering, so i've had to roll it up at the waistline and hold it with a belt, but i do like that it's modest. Plus it has a lining underneath to prevent any accidental bum-flashes! In this look, i've tried to keep it casual and this would be the type of outfit i'd wear day-to-day, but with this skirt you could also team a blazer and shirt for a smarter occasion. I actually have a burnt-red coloured blazer that this skirt looks really pretty with and it would be perfect to wear in the autumn. 
In other news, I've had some exciting packages this week which i'm excited to share with you guys, so keep your eye's peeled for them! Now i'm working more, i have a little bit more cash to treat myself now and then. Including tonight, Mike and I are going to ZaZa Bazaar in Bristol to celebrate a friends birthday. If you've never been and you live in Bristol, it's definitely worth a visit. The place is absolutely huge and thriving on a weekend!
How would you wear this skirt? What are your plans for the weekend?