Maxi Stylin'

This dress has been my 'go-to' outfit of choice so far this summer so today I thought I would share it with you. I bought this piece back in May ready for my adventure to the Isle of Wight Festival because I thought it would be perfect to create a festival styled look. It was great to wear at the festival because of how loose and comfy it was in the heat, but still pretty and stylish. For me, it is really difficult to find maxi dresses that actually fit because of how short I am, so this was part of the petite range at New Look and thankfully falls just on the tops of my feet. The slits down the bottom of the dress are also a total godsend in the summer to keep cool and breezy, but without showing too much leg!   

Little Belle also wanted to join in with the pictures, She is our 5 month Sprocker Spaniel puppy who is full of lots of love and energy. We took her for a walk just after taking these photo's so I just chucked on a loose fitting jumper which I picked up last summer from Zara. I absolutely love the colour of this piece, it doesn't show up as well in the photo's, but it is a bright (almost fluorescent) pinky-orange colour and it goes really nicely with the dress by just brightening everything up a bit. If it's really hot and sunny out, I like to wear a floppy hat with cat-eye sunglasses.. oh so chic!

Dress - New Look (petite)

Jumper - Zara (Last summer's collection)

Shoes - Select (These are similar)

Hat - Topshop (old)

Sunglasses - New Look

Watch - Tesco (old)

Charm Bracelet - Pandora

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?

Home: Room Tour & Girly Decor

In September, I moved out by myself for the first time into a flat with 5 other people to begin my university adventures. Because I went through clearing, I didn't get into uni halls which is where most first year students end up. So I had to find somewhere to live quickly. The ground floor flat that I'm currently staying in is a very old and spacious building with a lot of outdated furniture. It has 3 bathrooms, a lounge area, a very spacious kitchen/dining room, 5 double bedrooms and one single. Luckily I was able to move into a double room, but because of the high ceilings, the entire house is FREEZING cold, and being poor students, we only allow ourselves a couple of hours of heating a day. I'm only on a 6 month lease, therefore I will be moving home for a while in March, but here is how I've made the room feel more homely. 

The first feature of my room is my mirror, and it's my favourite! It's a really old basic rectangular mirror - not even full sized and it's been in my dad's spare room for years. I decorated this simply with fairy lights (from the pound shop) draped over the top and pinned with cutesy bird pegs. As you can see, I have also attached an air freshener which was in the Christmas range from Tesco, and a shabby chic styled heart shaped decoration.

The next feature is my desk. The flat came fully furnished, including the desks, drawers and chair in my room, so they are not to my taste, therefore decoration is my only option. The night lamp is from Argos and produces pretty patterns when it catches the light. I've had to improvise with vases since my boyfriend tends to show up with a bunch of flowers on my doorstep now and then, so I have resorted to using wine bottles. I like it though, it feels kind of, DIY. Both wooden picture frames were gifts, one from my boyfriend and one from my best friend, so they sit proudly on either side of my desk. Being a candle fanatic, I have 3 or 4 at once on my desk and I'm currently burning 'Vanilla Cupcake' by Yankee Candle. 

Dotted around the room, I have a couple of accents on the walls. The first is my jewellery hanger which was a birthday gift a couple of years ago and I mainly use it to store my necklaces and bracelets. Earrings are quite a hassle to attach so they have alternative storage. I bought the wall clock from Argos in the sale, a fiver I think? It gets a lot of compliments and I love the unique baroque design. Finally, another wooden heart decoration because I get gifted so many! This one sits above my TV and i think the fact that it looks a bit worn gives it a vintage effect.

Next we have the bed, basically where I spend the majority of my time. Luckily, I got a lovely bed frame and a brand new mattress when I moved in. The sheets are a white, blue and yellow floral design again, from Argos in the sale, and they are reversible with a picture design. I have a white velvet Ikea cushion which serves a decorative purpose, but I would love more! I think having a few bed cushions make it look so comfy and cosy. My friend bought me the cream knitted throw for Christmas which may possibly be my most prized possession and I have a couple of soft blankets at the foot of the bed in case it gets super chilly. There are more pound land fairy lights tangled around the top and bottom of the bed which give off a soft and pretty lighting.

I seriously love this gem of a candlestick from Tesco and I was lucky to have gifted from a friend. I think it would look gorgeous with a simple thick white candle but at the moment I am using this glittery Redcurrant and Cranberry candle from Stoneglow. The scent on this isn't very prominent but how adorable is the candle holder? It has a sort of 'outer rim' which contains a red sparkly gel with stars which was perfect over Christmas. I also have a few storage bits and bobs to hold my earrings, bobby pins, lipsticks and rings, and yep, another Yankee candle. I picked up 'Mandarin Cranberry' in the Yankee store just after Christmas in the sale, it smells fruity and warm and just so good!

Lastly, I have a really ugly wardrobe/mirror/drawer type thing - the kind of furniture you'd find in an outdated hotel if you know what I mean? On top, I store all of my laundry products including this cute white basket from Ikea, along with a few books and DVD's. Yes, there is another Yankee candle up there too which is 'Paradise Spice'. I store my bodycare products next to the mirror, some in a basket and some are loose. Pictured is my Ted Baker make up bag which was £16 from the Swindon designer outlet centre (bargain!), my tea tree water from Lush, Taylor Swift 'Wonderstruck', a pot full of brushes and my Bumble and Bumble surf spray.

Come Mid March and i'll be moving back home for a couple of months temporarily before my new house becomes available and I will really miss having my own space. Although my room is quite grotty and outdated, decorating and making it homely is such a fun thing to do. Let me know if you'd like to see another room tour when I move into my new house in July!

How do you decorate your room? I love 'Home decor' posts, so if you have written one, leave me a comment with the link so I can check it out!

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!

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?