What I Wore to London Fashion Week

There's something about Fashion Week that is utterly fascinating. Seeing the street style, the trends on the catwalks and the glamorous front row occupants, I'm hooked on reading the round-ups and  pinning my favourite looks to get inspiration for the months to come. I've attended a Fashion Scout show and London Fashion Weekend before, but this season is the first time I've attended full-blown designer shows, and I was SO excited. But oh! What to wear!

Gold Heeled Topshop Boots

Can we all just take a moment to look at these awesome boots I got in the Topshop sale before Christmas? I've wanted a pair of gold heeled beauties since I saw Caryn Franklin wearing some at Clothes Show Live last year. I scoured eBay for a similar pair, but I couldn't find any. Lo and behold, a few months later they are literally everywhere, but I couldn't find a pair that didn't look particularly tacky or weren't stupidly expensive.
Admittedly these aren't exactly practical for Winter what with all the holes and the peep toe making the wearing of tights a complete no-no, but look how pretty they are! I've been wearing them with acid wash denim and red nail polish to really feel as much like a 90s throwback as possible, which is pretty much my favourite thing. Let me know what you think of my latest shoe love!

Camo Jacket, Swedish Hasbeens Boots

Brrrrr! It's bloody freezing outside. I have the perfect wardrobe for Spring and Autumn, but I really struggle with the extremes of Summer and Winter. I basically live in jeans, black boots and my favourite thick coat, so I made the conscious decision to change a few of these cold weather staples when I headed out at the weekend.

I've been living in my Warehouse thick tweed coat, but I just wanted to wear something else to keep me warm, so I layered up and brought out my Autumn favourite: my camouflage jacket from Urban Outfitters. It is one of the best bargains I've ever got from eBay, a snip at 99p! Denim and camo always go great together (although I love leather and camo even more), and this shirt is one of my favourites. It's from ASOS quite a few years ago and it doesn't fit as well as it used to as I've *ahem* grown, so I always have to wear a vest top underneath just in case a button decides to pop open! As for the earrings, they were happily permanently borrowed from my Mum's 'I will never wear them but I love them' pile of jewellery. They get a lot more facetime now they're in my collection!

Swedish Hasbeens are well known for their summer footwear, lusted after by anyone with a fashion conscious pulse. I had no idea until I saw these bad boys in a sample sale last year, that they even did boots. The iconic clog style heel is still there, but instead of sandals we have beautiful cream leather with red laces. Just about calf height (when not tucked under jeans), they are firm, warm and so so pretty. I've hardly worn them since owning them and I genuinely have no idea why, especially as I look at them everyday and think about how much I love them!

How are you wearing camo?
What are your favourite vintage jewellery finds?
Did you know Swedish Hasbeens do boots?!
I'd love to read your comments.

Cx

Oversized Check, Magenta Courts

As I continued on my quest to add simple but interesting basics to my wardrobe, I found this top on ASOS (and it's now reduced down to £8!) which fit a number of things on my current tick list:

- an interesting shape
- has a pattern
- predominantly black, white or grey

It's actually a swing type fit but it falls to my hips and accentuates them a bit too much for my liking, so I tucked it into my jeans instead. The pattern did intimidate me a bit (it reminds me a bit of the Louis Vuitton Damier check) and I've owned this top for quite a while before actually wearing it, but I think for me, I just need to wear it with something simple to not feel overdressed.

To make it slightly more fun, I wore my adorable Me & Zena robot necklace, which is pretty unassuming until you see it a bit closer up. I think silver goes with this top a lot more than gold, but because of the neckline it either needs to be a short necklace or earrings. Saying that, with the super thin spaghetti straps, this is very much a summer top when it's not being a bit more formal.

I'm also genuinely excited about how well my new magenta courts from Topshop go with my acid wash denim jeans (also from ASOS). Actual match made in Heaven! I bought these shoes in the Christmas sales, reduced down from £35 to just £15, and in fact, now they are down to £10! I love their height and fit so much, I bought them in black too!

Diane von Furstenberg Cat Headphones

Yep, that really is a pair of headphones with cats on them. Miaow! Introducing my favourite Christmas present this year: my Diane von Furstenberg headphones.

It seems that all of a sudden, everyone owns a big old pair of headphones. The simple earphones that come with your phone appear to be out of favour and have been replaced with the more obvious over-ear headphones of days gone by. I don't really get what the big fuss is and certainly would not pay hundreds of pounds for a pair of Beats as I'm not tech savvy enough to properly value why they are so expensive. That being said, I work in a very loud office and commute on the noisy underground everyday, so Spotify is my saviour and I wanted to bring a bit more fashion to my musical musings.

I knew as soon as I laid eyes on these beauties that I needed them in my life. The cat design is inspired by DVF's collaborator, New York DJ Harley Viera-Newton's cat, Marmite, and can be found on other DVF accessories too (inclulding an awesome handbag). Aside from the cat, the headphones are very simple and black in colour, very inconspicuous until you get closer!

The sound quality is great in my opinion, much better than my earphones, and so much more comfortable to wear. I also love the mini MP3 player that doubles up as an adorable button, I'm going to get it loaded with songs so I don't always have to drain my phone battery when I'm on the go.

These headphones may not be the most high tech pair on the market, but I think they are definitely the most stylish, and I'm pretty confident I won't see loads of other people wearing them on the tube! They are still available to buy from Matches.com here.

What do you think of my new headphones? And what did you get for Christmas?

Shopstyle: My Favourite iPad App

I've had my iPad for over a year now and I honestly wouldn't be without it. It does everything I need it to, however that also means it is incredibly easy to shop online with all of my favourite stores having an easy to use app (except H&M, why haven't they sorted it yet?!). But why use a million separate apps when there is one that does it all for you?

Shopstyle is my favourite iOS app; it is super easy to hunt down exactly what you want to buy when your regular haunts don't have what you want. Looking for a mustard (not yellow) jumper in size 14 for under £50? Just type in what you need and Shopstyle searches a massive range of e-tailers (some of which you'll have never heard of), and finds a huge array for you to choose from.

If you want to keep your options open, you can mark things as a Favourite and swoop through them all at a later date. This was a total lifesaver when I was freaking out about what black handbag to buy my mum for Christmas!

But the best bit about this app (and the most dangerous part!) is the Sales Alert function. Shopstyle allows you to find something you like and then get a notification when it goes on sale! Not only that, but if the price goes down even more, it will notify you again! This is a secret evil wrapped in glee and is my new biggest vice, especially at this time of the year.

Shopstyle is available on iOS and online too. Download it if your purse won't be sorry!

(this is not sponsored or endorsed by Shopstyle and all opinions are my own)

What I Wore for... New Year's Eve 2013

I'm not a huge fan of New Year's Eve. Too many people, overpriced drinks, the forced expectation to have the best night ever. Secretly I'd rather stay in with a takeaway and a Gossip Girl box set, but if the whole world is having a drink, I guess I should too!

This blouse from Mango has been on my Pinterest wish list since I first saw it on the WIWT Lust List. Thanks to the amazing Shopstyle app (a post on that to come soon!), I had a sale alert set up for it so when it went down to half price  to £20, I could buy it instantly. 

As it's a very fussy print I chose to keep it really simple and wear it with plain black jeans and chunky heeled black boots. I do love my accessories though so I still tucked a spiked necklace under the collar just to give it a bit of something extra.

I love these silver rings, especially with the amazing colour of this nail varnish I got for Christmas. It's Superpower Blue by Maybelline Color Show and is almost teal in tone. A new favourite I think!

Hope you all had a great New Year's Eve!

Stella McCartney for Adidas hi-tops

About three years ago I bought a very simple pair of grey hi-tops from Primark. They were thin and flimsy but I have worn them way beyond their lifespan as they just seem to go with everything. They have completely died though, despite me hanging on to them for as long as possible.

Enter: the Net-a-Porter Christmas sale, which came swooping to my rescue in the form of these amazingly reduced grey hi-tops from the Adidas range by Stella McCartney. I instantly fell in love and bought them on Christmas Eve, meaning when the fun of Christmas and Boxing Day was over I could look forward to a fun parcel in the post!

I never went in for the hidden wedge trainers, but hi-tops aren't trying to be smart-casual, they are just casual. Worn with skinny jeans and a big chunky jumper, these are going to be great for lazy weekends and dress down days at work (the type of day where I need to sit cross legged and comfortably to write a massive presentation).

Jeans: Topshop
Coat: Warehouse
Scarf: H&M

The Net-a-Porter sale is still going on, and the bargains are amazing. This was my first purchase from the site, despite browsing on a very regular basis, and it was so simple to purchase via the iPad app and the delivery was really fast. I also bought an amazing lightning print skirt from Kenzo, but I'll write a separate outfit post on that soon!

What I Wore for...Christmas Day 2013

I ummed and aahed about wearing a really nice dress for Christmas but really there was no need. I knew I wouldn't be leaving the house all day, and my potential options left no room for all the roast potatoes I planned to eat, so I settled for something simple!

My mum bought me this Santa tee from Primark so I went overly festive and stuck that on with my new acid wash jeans from ASOS (on sale for £16.50 now!). The jeans are super comfy and actually reach my ankles, so I'm a fan!

When I got chilly (which is pretty much all the time in my parents' house), I threw on my old but wonderful H&M gold jumper. It goes surprisingly well with my jeans, so I think I've found a new winning Winter combination!

What did you wear on Christmas Day?

Leopard Print Blouse, Scalloped Shorts

This is my favourite outfit I wore on holiday recently. I didn't take many outfit pics while I was away as this holiday was about being completely cut off from pretty much everything and all I wanted to do was sit on the beach, read, and eat - and that's exactly what I did!

Blouse: Zara
Shorts: Monki
Sandals: Rascal @ Secret Sales
Clutch: ASOS
Bracelet: ASOS

I got this light weight chiffon blouse in the Zara sale. I'd been wearing it with jeans, when it wasn't so hot, around the office. Loosely tucking it into shorts made it slightly more formal and kept it cool in the sweltering Spanish heat (yes, even in the evenings!). I've had the scalloped edge shorts for about six months now and never worn them, despite that they're really cute. I'll be wearing these on nights out throughout the summer (if it lasts!)

With a big pattern on the top, my accessories were kept pretty basic. The gold woven sandals are my go-to hot weather shoes for evening way; they were my first purchase from Secret Sales - a great site to get reduced price fashion on high street and luxury brands. I matched the gold with my ASOS filigree bangle and the gold clasp on my oversized clutch. I never take a handbag on holiday, rather I have a backpack for the beach and a couple of clutches for the evenings. 

I love leopard print and gold all through the year. Next I'm going to wear this top with a cotton pencil skirt for summer proof office wear - although I am secretly excited about wearing it with big boots in Autumn!

Purse Palpitations: Week 1

This is the first week of my ultimate lusts that have been following me around the internet, the things that make my bank account weep and that I can't get out of my head!

Nelly.com £41.50

Glamorous £22.99

Swedish Hasbeens at Urban Outfitters £80

Missguided £9.99

Shopping: A Vintage Armchair

In 6 weeks time I'm moving into a flat with one of my best friends and for the first time ever, we're going into a place unfurnished. Since moving out of the family home, I've lived in shared housing, with furniture provided. This is convenient if you're moving year to year as I was at university, but now I want to put my stamp on a place and make it more of a home then just a house. Ms O and I are far too over-excited about colour schemes and decorations and it means that we're getting to buy furniture, something completely new for me.

In a moment of nonchalant eBay browsing I found this incredibly kitsch and undeniably perfect armchair and I knew it would fit our new lounge like a glove. 

I can't wait to curl up on it with a hot chocolate in front of a classic DVD box set in winter. 

All photos property of Shopped and Dropped, do not re-use without permission.

Shopping: Cath Kidston Sale

Cath Kidston has become an adjective in recent years; a name to describe anything floral, kitsch or with a new item with a vintage feel. It is undeniably cute stuff that gives an essence of homely without being stuffy. Granny chic, if you will. 

Their sales are always a great way to find those little extra home accessories that give your room a little pop. I picked up this set of 4 cereal bowls for £15 reduced from £22 - the understated pastel colours and simple polka dots are enough to perk up a dull morning's Weetabix, but nothing wild.

Here's my pick of the sale items, available online and in store now:

Top left: Petal half apron £12
Top right: Chicken quilted tea cosy £8
Bottom left: Boat hand towels £9
Bottom right: Floral ribbon £4
Photos from www.cathkidston.co.uk

Fashion: Peplum Pretties

I've been really skeptical of the peplum trend, because quite frankly, the last thing I want to accentuate is my hips. But my older sister pointed out that actually they are brilliant for hiding multiple stomach oriented sins, and like that I was converted.


I've broken into it gently, and haven't fully committed by spending loads. In fact I've hardly spent anything, but this £8 top from Primark is simple enough for me to be getting on with for now!

These are some of my other favourites at the moment. I'm not a huge fan of the peplum dresses, but I'd definitely wear these tops. What do you think?

Dorothy Perkins £27 Now £15!

River Island £25

Topshop £16

Warehouse £28

All photos from the attached links, except the Primark top which is by me. Please do not reuse without permission.

Fashion: DIY Spike Collar

Embellished collars are everywhere at the moment, from lace to beads, updating plain shirts and blouses across the country.


If you're the financially challenged sort like myself then you may have noticed that the price of having some bling on your collar is somewhat more than the less shiny variety. And I just can't bring myself to pay for something that, quite frankly, may a) fall off in the wash and b) I could make myself. So I decided to make some subtle but effective changes to my new Matalan top, seen here before I took my scissors to it.

eBay is a wonder for buying small craft things if you can't get to a haberdashery, and is sometimes cheaper than a bricks-and-mortar shops. I got 20 of these spikes for £3.09, and also in the pic are my dressmaking scissors which don't completely ruin the material when it's cut into.

The spikes are like mini screws with a flat back, so it was as simple as marking on the collar where I wanted to put the spikes and snipping a tiny hole to push it through.

As the top is very busy, I didn't want to put too many spikes on the collar, so two on each side did it.

What do you think?


All photos property of Shopped and Dropped, do not re-use without permission.

Shopping: Topshop Sale - The Store!

Sleepy Slough in Berkshire is best known for being the town where The Office is set and being under the Heathrow flight path. Very slight claims to fame which mean it doesn't exactly have much to attract hoards of tourists. Or shoppers. The high street is full of the basic bargain haunts and the obligatory Starbucks and Greggs, but there's also a very dilapidated looking Topshop, but as it said there was a sale on I figured I'd pop in while on a visit to my see my older sister.

As I looked through the sale rack, I realised that it wasn't the only discounted rail. In fact, EVERY rail was a sale rail. It dawned on me that I'd stumbled across the holy grail: A Topshop outlet! The store has a pretty good selection of items, starting from around £5 and also include a limited selection of shoes and accessories, and loads of jewellery at £1.50.

I got this pink metallic tee just to top off my obsession with allt hings shiny at the moment. It was reduced from £35 to £10.

As a seasoned bargain hunter, I am not opposed to trawling through sales, charity shops and car boots and I love the feeling of finding something that hopefully won't be seen on anyone else, but for a fraction of the original price. This place is definitely going to be one of my new 'secret' bargain spots!


All photos property of Shopped and Dropped, do not re-use without permission.