We're going to Ibiza...(sharing some holiday snaps)

   ...the quiet part though, don't worry.

A sentence I found myself saying to literally each and every single person we told. If you know me or you know Harvey, you'll know we're not big partygoers and the idea of going out in San Antonio and getting back the following morning (after sunrise) verges almost on some sort of hell. I'd do it for a long weekend (at a push) but I'm someone who needs my sleep; give me a few drinks, Harvey and somewhere beautiful to wander and I'm your girl. 

We booked Ibiza months ago, as our first 'proper' holiday together, nearly six years into our relationship. We've been to Barcelona for a long weekend, and spent another weekend in Bruges, but as far as sun, sea, sand, swimming pools and all inclusive food and drink went, Ibiza was a first.

We stayed at the Sandos El Greco hotel in Portinatx, which I literally couldn't fault in any way. Absolutely everything was spot on, from the drinks selection (my blood on that return flight was probably about 50% Amstel Radler and 50% Aperol Spritz), the ridiculous variety of food available for breakfast, lunch and dinner, to the modernity and size of the bedroom. We were all inclusive and so ate like absolute pigs all week; by the end of the week I was craving a normal sized, non-buffet style meal, and I think Harvey probably was too. 

So yeah, we stayed in a v. v. small resort called Portinatx which I have to admit was smaller than I'd probably expected. I'm talking a 5-10 minute walk in either direction outside of the hotel. It was quite literally stunning (there's nothing quite like the Ibizan sunset) so I took about 5000 photos a day; I won't bore you with all of them, but I couldn't resist sharing just a few.

A couple of days into the holiday, we hiked to the lighthouse at the furthest northern point of the island; it wasn't a long hike, but it was crazy hot. I'm one of those people who gets nervous being about a metre away from the edge of a long drop, so you can imagine the heart palpitations when we had to scale up and down what felt like very steep mountain sides, and navigate pathways no wider than my shin in 30+ degree weather.

Later that day I decided to finally start trying to get a tan on my back as well as front. BIG MISTAKE. Genius over here managed to fall asleep, and for the first time in my life got prickly heat rash. Yeah, glamorous... Annoyingly I spent the rest of my holiday swapping between sunshine and the air conditioned confines of our hotel room. The room was great. The heat rash? Not so much.

Anyway, the point of this post was really just to document the fact that the holiday happened. I always wanted this little corner of the internet to be a place to remember nice things that happened as well as to talk about fashion/beauty/lifestyle things. I have this image of me turning on an ancient computer in about 20 years time to show my kids the blog I once wrote. I don't imagine they'd be that interested in fashion of the late 2010's, but they might want to google Portinatx, and see what I saw.

Who knows...

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Summer is officially here, and that means picnic season has started... | AD

I love picnics. What could be better than putting together a spread of amazing, fresh and healthy food, packing it into a basket with some refreshing (probably alcoholic, let's be real) drinks and heading to a park or the beach to sit on a blanket in the sun with friends, and gorge yourself on food. That to me sounds like heaven, made better only by the prospect of playing a few games afterwards. Rounders is a particular favourite, as it gets everyone involved, and makes me feel like I'm a teenager again. Wishful thinking is a wonderful thing isn't it?

The weather of late has been glorious, and it looks like it's set to last which is music to my picnic-loving ears, but as always for me, prompts the question, what to wear? There's nothing worse than picking an outfit you constantly need to readjust, or you feel uncomfortable playing games in afterwards, so I feel like it's an important consideration. My absolute go-to is a jumpsuit or playsuit, and so I thought I'd share with you a few of my favourites on the high street right now, starting (obviously) with the one I'm wearing in these photos.

I love this playsuit for many, many reasons. First and foremost, it's linen, so in terms of dressing for the sometimes unpredictable English weather, it's a winner. Secondly, it's actually ~very~ roomy, so if like me you do eat virtually your entire body weight in food as a routine when it comes to picnics, it's quite positively dreamy. Finally I feel very comfortable wearing it, which is ultimately the main thing, right? It's navy so any spillages won't bring your sartorial credentials into question, the shorts are a good length so you can sit cross-legged, but also not so long you feel like a schoolboy, and the statement buttons give me life. Do you need me to continue?

If you're feeling a little braver than me, I also found another little gem on the Warehouse* website when I recently spent virtually an entire evening in an internet shopping black hole. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, it's sold out now but picture this: it was an off-white, linen(!!) culotte jumpsuit, with statement buttons the same as the one I eventually opted for instead. Dreamy right? Well here's a link to something similar from New Look. You can thank me later...

If colour is more your thang, ASOS (as per) have lots to offer. This playsuit from Boohoo has given me all of the festival vibes, and whilst I'm not usually a fan of the one statement shoulder/one shoulder strap kind of look, this would be absolutely ideal for a picnic as that additional strap adds security and peace of mind.

Back to jumpsuits, and in at number four is this one from MANGO. I've picked this as it looks a little warmer and could very easily be layered up if/when the weather turns. It's not just great for summer layering either, as I could picture this worn with a black polo neck come autumn, obviously with a berry-toned lip. I won't mention that season again for a while though, sorry everyone.

And last, but by no means least, I got pulled back to the Warehouse website. If you've known me for a while, you'll know I adore a bit of leopard print. In fact, my all-time favourite pair of shoes are a pair of leopard print courts, which don't get out too much as I don't want to ruin them - is that a bit tragic? Anyway, back to jumpsuits and my final option is this gorgeous little number which is just everything. That print, that ring detail, that neckline - everything about this jumpsuit is ticking boxes for me, especially in the day-to-night outfit stakes. It also looks pretty loose and flowing, so there'll be so much room for activities.

Basically I'm v. v. excited that picnic season is here. I might pop a round up of some of my favourite picnic recipes up on the blog soon if that would interest anyone? A bit of a picnic series perhaps, although I'm not sure if that's more for your benefit or mine so I can make nice food, photograph it, and then eat it...

* This was a collaborative post but all writing/opinions are my own. 

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Summer layering problems: sorted | AD

If you're anything like me, no matter how warm it is outside, years of getting goosebumps when everyone else is wearing summer dresses and shorts will have you leaving the house with layers upon layers. There's every chance you've also have spent hours and hours over the years trawling the internet searching for things like 'black hoodie womens', 'cosy oversized jumper' and 'summer knitwear'.

Well if that's you, trust me when I say I feel your pain, and we are most definitely not alone. Summer in England these days seems to be mostly lukewarm, punctuated by the occasional week of brilliant sunshine and bare leg weather. Dressing for the former is not my forte in the slightest. Somehow, despite being obsessed by the weather apps on my phone, I always manage to be overdressed on the hot days and under dressed on the colder days; you'd have thought I'd have got this covered by now, being nearly 26, but alas, I've had no such luck.




So I've been all about the layering this year, and for once, I've picked up a neutral piece instead of the usual black jumper I've opted for in past years. It's incredibly cosy, very versatile and it's unisex so if, like me, you love wearing oversized (read: your boyfriend's) jumpers around the house, it's perfect.

I've never really been a huge sportswear/streetwear kinda girl, but I'm low key obsessed right now with sweaters and ugly trainers. There are so many nicce (sorry, couldn't help myself) varieties of these jumpers on the NICCE London website, I feel a little bit like a kid in a candy shop; come Autumn I think I'll check out one of their hoodies as I'm a big fan of hoodies and long-line coats with jeans on the weekend. It's definitely a brand I'll go back to, as I love how luxurious the sweatshirt feels, and the slogan branding is always on point.

Question is, do I go all out on the trend and get the ugly trainers too? I'm really feeling the sweater, pleated midi skirt and ugly trainer vibe lately and the beauty of having picked such a neutral colour is that I could literally pair it with any other colour. Which obviously means that you could too... Found a bright red polka dot midi skirt you love? Boom. Invested in off-white denim dungarees this season? First things first, I'm ultra jealous, but I also feel like that's a winning combination. I was digging the black dungaree vibe, but a pair of off-white dungarees/cropped wide leg jeans would be next level. No prizes for guessing what my next google search addiction is going to be...



Photography by Shelley Beth

* This post was sponsored by NICCE London, who also very kindly gifted me the sweatshirt. As always, all opinions remain my own honest, and unbiased thoughts. 

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So you're thinking about getting a fringe?

We've all been there, scrolling through Instagram, looking at photos of Alexa Chung, Megan Ellaby and Sophia Rosemary, knee-deep in fringe envy and wondering just how we too can 'get the look', pondering whether we'll manage to nail that cool girl chic, or be transported back to the haircuts of our childhoods in an instant. 

I for one agonised over the decision for months. My only recent recollection of life with a fringe takes me back about 9 years (eek!) when I had a full, blunt fringe, which I seem to recall took ~forever~ to grow out. I'll point out at this juncture that centre partings weren't really on trend back then, and so I opted to clip my fringe to one side throughout the regrowth process. Well you can just imagine how that worked out. If it wasn't so horrific, I'd try and dig out a photo, but I also had dyed brown hair back in the day, and those roots just topped off the look nicely. Needless to say, I won't be making that same mistake any time soon. 

Anyway, after months of going back and forwards, I just decided to do it. New year, new me and all that. Nearly half a year down the line, there's a few things I've learned, and just in case you're in the same boat as I was at the end of last year, I thought I'd share them with you. 

No one, and I mean NO ONE, will style your fringe the way you do. 

Yeah, I don't really understand this one either, but somehow it's like there's a secret that only you've been let in on. With all the best will in the world, it just isn't going to happen. Or rather, it hasn't happened yet, in my experience. I live in hope though... 

Physical activity, or really anything that induces a sweaty forehead, is not your friend. 

At risk of this being a bit tmi, I am a pretty sweaty person when I work out. Thankfully it tends to be localised and not my entire body leaking like Niagara Falls, but unfortunately for me, that excessive sweating tends to pool on my forehead. And that never used to be a problem because my hair was always tucked behind my ears anyway, but obviously I can't do that anymore, so physical activity = sweaty, flat fringe = guaranteed fringe wash and blow dry. You don't even want to know what the result is when the fringe dries naturally in said circumstances. 

I do often wonder if I'm missing a trick here. Options currently include clipping fringe to the side and dealing with dents in hair, sweeping hair back with an alice band (sadly not a velvet one with my name on) or braving the sweatband. Haven't actually tested the latter option yet, but it's getting close. If someone could, in the meantime, invent a patch for your forehead to stop sweating, or some sort of invisible fringe shield, that would be fab. 

It grows, quickly.

I'm actually very fortunate in this regard, as Harvey's mum can always be relied on to trim my fringe for me. Now that I work from home and therefore don't head into the city that often, it's actually somewhat of a godsend. Salons usually do free fringe trims, but when you have to make a special 2 hour round trip and gamble that your stylist is free, it's a dangerous game. You could always have a go at trimming your fringe yourself, but I don't yet trust myself not to also trim my eyelashes in the process. Ah, adulting... 

Unless you get through hair spray like it's going out of fashion, give up on your idea of a permanently perfect fringe. 

Because it just ain't gonna happen. When I first had my fringe cut in, this used to drive me mad and I would be constantly preening and trying to 'fix' my new forehead accessory. Thanks to the point below, I now prefer my fringe with a little windswept action. It looks better when it's more natural (in my opinion), and although it actually takes a lot of work, effortless being the intention, I think I've mastered it. 

Avoid excess heat (i.e. straighteners) and invest in a barrel brush and hairdryer instead.

To say this revolutionised my fringe game would be an understatement. If you scroll through my instagram, all the way back to January, you can see a drastic difference between the styling, even though the cut was the same. I think the difference lies in the roots; when I used to use straighteners, I couldn't get them close enough to the roots to get any real lift, and even trying to recreate that with the straighteners just didn't work. Use a barrel brush and hairdryer, however, and that job becomes ten times easier. There's still a knack to it, but that Alexa Chung-inspired fringe is so much more attainable. 

It also goes without saying that excessive heat equals damage, so the less you can get away with using, the better. My current hair dryer is looking a little worse for wear these days, and I was recently very impressed by the Dyson Supersonic hairdryer when I saw it in use at a John Lewis event the other week. It's the fact you can control the temperature that really gets me. When this one gives up the ghost, I will for sure be thinking about investing in one. £300 seems rather a lot right now though, so it can sit on my wishlist for just a little while longer... 

So that's that! I could probably continue indefinitely, but they're the main things I've noticed over the course of the last few months. I have to say I think it's one of the best appearance-related decisions I've ever made, and for all the hassle, it's definitely been worth it in terms of the confidence I've gained.

As ever, feel free to send over any fringe-related questions if there's anything else you'd like to know! I'll link my instagram here, just in case you want to take a look at any more fringe action. Turns out there aren't that many blonde bloggers on my radar with fringes at the moment so I struggled to find anyone else to link... As it happens, I'm very happy to be corrected on this, so please also feel free to send over some recommendations.

I'm thinking I might start a series of posts along the lines of 'So you're thinking of...' based on my experience of all sorts of things (think lip fillers/LVL lashes/brow styling/personal styling etc...). I've gotten really interested in that sort of thing recently, so if you're also thinking about it, I thought it might be handy to share tips. Let me know what you think anyway! 

Photos by Katie Jade Photography

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SHIFT / Barely Methodical Troupe

Photography by Chris Nash 

A rubber band has limits for elasticity which, when exceeded, shatter into a thousand pieces. Within the first five minutes of the performance, I was convinced that would be the inevitable outcome but oh, how wrong I was.

There were moments, pure heart-in-your-mouth moments, where the audience visibly shifted in their seats, as the performers flew, seemingly unstoppably towards the edges of the stage, only to be halted by the blue rubber bands around their bodies, counterbalanced perfectly by their co-performers. For every action, there really was an equal and opposite reaction, and it was quite simply breathtaking.

There were feats of sheer strength and balance, each of the performers using their statures and unique skill sets in very particular ways. If ever you needed a reminder of how important core strength and trust are, this show more than provides one. Talking of balance, I'm fully considering setting up a tightrope walk situation in my garden; inspired really doesn't even begin to cut it.

I had cold, sweaty palms throughout the show, and couldn't bring myself to look away, such was the intensity. I walked out of the Adnams Spiegeltent, feeling completely astounded by the fluidity and ease with which every individual on that stage moved. Years of practice I'm sure, but the result was effortless. 

And yet to my surprise, amongst the suspense filled silence, there were moments of laughter as the troupe quipped and interacted with the audience. From someone who wasn't sure what to expect from a group calling themselves the Barely Methodical Troupe, I was completely bowled over and cannot recommend them enough. Now firmly on my radar, they should most definitely find their way onto yours too. 

If gravity-defying acrobatics and unforgettable displays of modern circus are your thing, that is... 

(I was very kindly gifted tickets for the event in return for review. My opinion remains entirely honest and unbiased as per usual, however.) 

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Sigma | Gandini

Photography by ASH

Juggling, Indian dancing, apples, geometry. Not four things you would ordinarily expect to find together in the space of an hour, but much like chalk and cheese, a match made in heaven. Whilst apples are perhaps a bit of a stretch (they were actually red and green balls, although it did take me a second or two to realise!), optical illusions were certainly the order of the day.

~ EXPECTATION ~

From the very outset of the show, audience expectations were challenged. Four very different women presented what was a surprisingly intimate performance, through the medium of circus, dancing, dialogue and chanting. Over the course of 60 minutes, 12 stories, 4 introductions and various outfit changes, the show highlighted the intricacies of Bharatanatyam dance, and the sheer skill of the Gandini jugglers.

~ STORY ONE ~

Writing this a day after the performance, I am still struck by the first story, entitled Screens. The staging was very simple, comprising a black backdrop, and two screens which, when turned around, revealed two large mirrors. Despite being only a small stage, I couldn't decide where to look as there was so much going on I wanted to see; who'd have thought that shadow projections and synchronised (and colour co-ordinated!) juggling would be so enthralling?

~ REFLECTION ~

As I sat in the audience, I was struck by just how much of a focus there was on rhythm, and natural rhythm at that, to the extent that it was almost hypnotic; at points I found myself distracted, marvelling at how focused the jugglers were, and wondering just how much concentration it took to stay in such perfect unison. When the screens were reversed to reveal mirrors, even the simple act of bouncing balls in perfect synchronicity became complex, giving me all of the hall of mirrors vibes.

~ THOUGHTS ~ 

So, final thought time. In all honesty, I wasn't sure what to expect from Sigma. The juxtaposition and total contrast of the juggling and dancing seemed a completely alien concept to me, and although it felt at times like the performance was slightly disjointed, it was a resounding success. I would very happily watch it again as I feel like it's one of those pieces where it would be a totally different performance the second time round. 

If you want to catch the show whilst it's still on tour, you can check out the tour dates here. I may very well see you there, but don't let that prospect put you off...

Oh, and if you've never been to any of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival events before, you should go - they're top notch. 

(FYI I was very kindly gifted tickets for the event in return for review. My opinion remains entirely honest and unbiased as per usual, however.) 

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SPRING FLORALS

The trees are full of blossom, and it's officially peony season. This time of year is a blogger's dream come true, and I for one intend to embrace florals in every possible way over the next few weeks. Looking outside as I write this post, and probably as you read it, you could actually be forgiven for thinking you'd fallen into a coma and woken up in October - it is MISERABLE out there - but here's hoping a dose of spring florals can brighten up even the bleakest of days. 

I shot this set of photos last weekend with the wonderful Katie. Mid-shoot she completely floored me by asking how I would describe my style. Although I love all things fashion, it's not a question I've actually ever asked myself, so my response was something along the lines of 'kind of feminine, kind of edgy, love jeans and ankle boots in winter, blah blah blah...". Not a particularly concise description but it did get me thinking because actually, as it turns out, I like to dabble in a variety of different styles. 

When JOY contacted me a couple of weeks ago and offered to gift me something from their women's clothes range, this dress stood out to me immediately. I'm a huge fan of midi dresses, loved the floral design and thought the blue would compliment my skin tone and blonde hair. Instantly I knew it would also work perfectly with a straw/basket bag and tie-up espadrille wedges combo, for a smart-casual, spring/summer appropriate vibe. (The elasticated waistband on the back is also very useful if like me, you're really into your food but still want to look shapely.)

If you've followed my blog, or me on social media for a while, you'll know I don't actually own a lot of floral pieces, as I tend to fall into the school of thought whereby I find them too busy and too difficult to pair with anything else; I'm not really into clashing patterns so I often keep it simple. I'm not sure why it's never crossed my mind to embrace them all over in this way, but I am absolutely loving the feminine, floaty, spring vibes I get every time I wear this. I've actually got my eye on a couple of other floral pieces now as a result, so watch this space if you're a fan of the florals. As you can see I've paired it with heeled espadrilles so it's a little dressy (actually makes me feel like Alice in Wonderland when I wear it with these!) but it would also look amazing with trainers for a super relaxed vibe, or dressed up with a pair of nude heels. If you were feeling particularly brave, and just so happened to own a pair of red or yellow heels, they would set off and really exaggerate the colours in the flowers perfectly. Failing that, there are some amazing brightly-coloured bags on the high street right now which would also work a charm. 

Checking over the photos in this post before publishing, I've been reminded that there's one more thing I've failed to mention. 

THIS DRESS HAS POCKETS. 

And if you're anything like me, you'll know that's an absolute godsend. No more standing around awkwardly wondering what to do with your hands when you haven't got a bag or drink to hold, and it's the perfect, ready-to-go place to keep your phone, as the pockets are actually a really great size. I'm not convinced that anyone with an iPhone 7/8 plus could quite fit that in the pocket, but I'm pretty sure that's something you just have to come to terms as a given when you opt into the iPhone 7/8 plus club. 

In a nutshell, this dress has it all, and at just £55 I think it's an absolute steal. It's weekend appropriate, wedding appropriate, holiday appropriate. Whatever the event, you could make this dress work with items I guarantee you'll already have in your wardrobe. Now just to start working on the weather again... 

Dress*: JOY | Bag (similar): ASOS | Shoes (similar): Topshop | Necklace: Stilnest

(Gifted items are marked with an asterisk for clarity)

Photos by Katie Jade Photography. 

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YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE.

In what has been a rather challenging set of personal circumstances lately, I've been taking all of the little victories in life wherever I can find them, and so when I stumbled across this tee on ASOS for £9.99 I think my heart genuinely skipped a beat.

It's yellow, and it's a slogan tee, and honestly there's not a great deal else I can say to describe the t-shirt; fundamentally, it does what any other t-shirt does, but it makes me feel so much brighter than your average grey, white or black tee. Apart from the actual day Spring started, the weather has been gloomy AF of late, as has my mood; I've never had a diagnosis of SAD, but I would bet a lot of money that it is something I suffer from and so this t-shirt has been doing me the world of good.

If you've never felt this way about an item of clothing, you probably think I'm a total loony (and to some extent you'd be right) but it's proving to be so versatile, and I've been wearing it a lot. I actually threw this outfit together on a total whim, and in a blind panic on the morning of a shoot with Laura and Shelley but it's turned out to be one of my favourites. Sadly, the shoes gave me the mother of all blisters, despite never having done so in all the months I've worn them thus far, and so now I'm waiting on some warmer days so I can start stepping into sliders again.

For some reason, when I look at this outfit, I get serious 70s vibes ~ perhaps it's the fringe ~ and I have been digging it. I've fallen into a serious rut lately, and items of clothing that make me feel 'cool' have been few and far between, hence the lack of blog content! I seem to have spent literal hours scrolling through ASOS only to find nothing that inspires me (except this tee, obv...). If the weather is starting to change now, hopefully that will too.

I asked on Instagram earlier for some recommendations for other websites to check out. A couple of people recommended MANGO which has been a long time favourite, but always forgotten about, so I'm going to head on over and see what takes my fancy. Instagram is always a great source of inspiration, so perhaps I'll pop a post up soon about my favourite fashion influencers just in case you feel the same way about this awkward end-of-winter-almost-spring rut situation.

How does that sound? I get the feeling it's one of those blog posts where I kid myself that I'm doing you a favour, but we all know it's actually mainly for me...

Either way, have a terrific day, whatever you're up to!

LAURA 

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The pleated midi skirt of dreams

It may not have seemed like it last week when we were wading through snow and trying to avoid frostbite, but Spring really is just around the corner, and I for one have been getting super excited about what that means for fashion. Not by total coincidence, I've also been feeling a little spendy of late, and so it felt like the stars had aligned when the lovely Intu Chapelfield PR team got in touch and asked if I wanted to take part in their latest blogger challenge. 

The task was simple: pick out a key fashion piece, and style it in two different ways using items already in your wardrobe. Armed with a gift card, I accepted the challenge, although I'll admit it wasn't as easy as I'd expected. Turns out there were so many amazing SS18 pieces in the centre already (and I shopped before the snow came, so god only knows how much temptation there is in the centre now...).

After more trying on than I think I've done in actual years, several moments of hanger-induced crisis, and some seriously static hair, I finally found the midi skirt of dreams in H&M. I've really been loving the  fashion for midi dresses and skirts and it's something I've been on the hunt for for a while, so naturally this was the perfect fit. It has an elasticated waistband (perfect for big meals), asymmetric hem, and a pleated navy and cream pattern which somehow manages to be both classic and eye-catching.

CASUAL:
The brief was to style the skirt up and down, and I knew exactly which items from my wardrobe I would style the skirt down with as soon as I set eyes on it.

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with trainers, and I can never work out with these particular ones whether I prefer them bright white or a bit dirty; either way, I always prefer the opposite to how the trainers are when I grab them from the wardrobe. Knowing I would probably have the same response on this occasion, I opted to embrace the lilac trend (not that you can really tell from the photos) and picked out some lilac socks to wear with the trainers, so that whatever state they happened to be in, they wouldn't look as dirty as they would with a pair of white socks - does that logic make sense to anyone else but me?

As the colours in the skirt verge on monochromatic, I injected some colour into the outfit with this amazing yellow shopper from ZARA; unfortunately this is now a few years old, but it is the perfect sized bag for the weekend, particularly as the weather is starting to warm up - if you're anything like me you'll be carrying round spare layers for the next couple of months just in case, so this is ideal.

I popped a grey jumper on with the outfit to allow the skirt and bag to take centre stage, but I'm thinking it would also look fab with a bright orange jumper. Perhaps the bag will need to be toned down just a little as I'm not usually ~that~ extra, but you get the gist - any suggestions, hit a girl up.

Skirt: H&M* | Earrings: Lisa Angel* | Jumper: H&M | Bag: ZARA | Socks: H&M* | Trainers: Adidas

FORMAL:

If you've seen my previous blog post, you'll know I'm a lover of ankle boots and ever since I picked these up online, I've been obsessed. Naturally I wanted to use them in a more dressed up look, but I really struggled with what to wear on the top half. 

If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know I'm more of a cosy night in, than a wild night out kinda girl and so I don't actually own a lot of 'nice' tops. I had intended to pair this with a beautiful white shirt, but as the skirt is actually cream - something I didn't fully realise until I was in a changing room with 8 different white shirts and blouses - a white shirt made the skirt look dirty. Having failed to find a bright top with the right kind of silhouette (owing to the fact that I am a perfectionist to the extreme) I opted for this one from ZARA, which taps into the 80s trend due to the ruffled sleeves and slightly exaggerated silhouette. 

I completed the outfit with a bag from New Look which was already part of my wardrobe, and bought the most amazing earrings from Lisa Angel to go with it all; I kid you not, they've left my ears on only a handful of times since buying them. They're the kind of wink face statement earrings I've lusted after for a long time, and as they were the last pair in this colour in stock, I'm calling it fate. 

Skirt: H&M* | Earrings: Lisa Angel* | Top: ZARA* | Necklace: Missoma | Bag: New Look | Boots: Lily Lulu Fashion

Come summer, I'm looking forward to wearing these outfits (without the jumper) with some heeled sandals (the more minimal the better) and possibly also with some backless mules; the jury is still out on that one though, so watch this space. 

In the more immediate future, I'll be wearing one of these outfits at the Norwich Loves Fashion event on the 17-18th of March at Intu Chapelfield. If you're stuck in a bit of a new season rut, or just fancy picking up some fashion tips, come along! There'll be lots of inspiration and lots of brand specialists on hand to help put you in the right direction! 

(This is a sponsored post written in collaboration with Intu Chapelfield. I was very kindly provided with a gift card to pick out a SS18 staple, however all styling and opinions remain my own. All items purchased with the gift card are marked with an asterisk for clarity.)

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