Outfit: Halloween

Is it just me or has the end of October rolled around very quickly? It doesn’t seem five minutes since the super warm start to the month. And now it’s almost November. Bonkers.

I didn’t get time to take pictures yesterday, but we went out for lunch with my parents, sister and brother-in-law to celebrate my mom’s birthday. The food was lovely but the service was very poor so I would hesitate to recommend the restaurant to anyone. Afterwards we all went back to my parents’ house for a cup of tea, then we went home and had a quiet evening watching a program about Tintin, then another one with Louis Theroux meeting a man who runs a Big Cat sanctuary in the US.

This morning was my first test of the roads to get to the new office. I got up early and set off at 6.50am meaning the traffic was OK. It’s going to be a challenge to sustain getting up and off that early though!

Denim pencil skirt – Long Tall Sally (eBay)
Brown polo neck sweater – Long Tall Sally
Brown ribbed tights – Levante (c/o TightsPlease)
Brown boots – Nine West (Allders)
Tan Obi belt – ASOS
Wooden earrings – Dorothy Perkins

Total Est. Cost £99

Friday Night Hair

I got my hair done on Friday afternoon and tried to get a picture of it before I crushed it with my shower cap, as my hairdresser always does such an awesome blow dry. The light wasn’t great, but you get the idea from these snaps.

Outfit: Mall Shopping

The young man and I went to the mall this morning. We walked around for two hours, bought a case and looked for some trousers for the young man but didn’t find any that fitted him.

After lunch we chilled out for a while, then road our bikes to visit the young man’s parents. We had a cup of tea with them and chatted for a couple of hours, then cycled home. I cooked fish with tomatoes and a cheesy crumb topping, with chips and homemade parsley sauce and we’re just watching the news now, waiting for the item on Jimmy Savile who died today aged 84. I was surprised when I heard. I knew he was old, but he always seemed like one of those people who were never going to die. Which sounds silly, but you know what I mean. He’d seemed old with his white hair my whole life so I suppose I never thought about how old he actually was. I met him once, at a restaurant he used to frequent in Leeds, and when I was little we would often see him jogging near my hometown.

I am also listing some items on eBay which no longer fit me.

Black jacket – Long Tall Sally
Black top – Long Tall Sally
Jeans – Vila (I Am..... boutique)
Wonder Woman belt – River Island
Leopard print scarf – H&M
Silver hoops – gifted

Total Est. Cost £109

Outfit: Red Jeans

What do you do when you discover your belt is too big for your waist and you can’t put an extra hole in it because of the studs? You take inspiration from Kyla of Blue Collar Catwalk and fasten your belt by using the centre part of the buckle to keep it in place and then tuck it through itself.

I finally got to debut my red jeans today. Such a bargain on eBay! I put a hat with them as it’s a good way of keeping warm without adding additional layers.

Last night I did indeed have the house to myself, but instead of Gossip Girl I put on my DVD of ABBA videos, allowing me to indulge my inner Agnetha Falkskog and singalong with no one listening. I spent the evening reading the fashion magazines that have been piling up in the front room recently.

This afternoon I have a hair appointment (the hat is partly to do with this too – no point washing my hair last night when it will be washed by the hairdresser this afternoon) and I need to pick up the trousers that have been taken in by the alterations lady.

Grey sweater – Ethel Austin
White top – Tall Girls
Red jeans – New Look Tall (eBay)
Snakeskin shoes – Matalan
Red beads – Ethel Austin
Black and silver stud belt – free with a pair of trousers
Silver and diamante necklace – gifted
Grey knit hat – Long Tall Sally

Total Est. Cost £41

Outfit: Inspired By Gok

I can’t remember the exact outfit now, but I scribbled down the idea for this look when I was watching last week’s Gok’s Clothes Roadshow: Get The Look For Less. I think it was one of the looks he styled up for the three girls he was helping out that week. I think the skirt was similar to this one, and there was a leopard print top. I can’t remember if the red was there already or whether it was my addition.

I made it to drama group last night (although my car is still not right – the engine cut out again this morning and it’s going back to the garage next week) and it was nice to see everyone.

This afternoon I have to do the supermarket shop – and I need to find a new supermarket to do it at as I no longer pass Tesco on my way home thanks to the office move. There’s a Morrison’s I’m going to try instead as I don’t really like the big ASDA. I have no plans this evening – the young man is out I think so it could be the final few episodes of Gossip Girl Season 3 if I have the house to myself.

Leopard print cardi – Primark (eBay)
Red cami – New Look
Tan and black skirt – Long Tall Sally
Black tights – M&Co
Red shoes – c/o NOW Discount Shoes
Red beads – eBay
Silver cuff – M&S (free on 3 for 2)
Silver hoops – gifted
Red belt – Next

Total Est. Cost £71

Outfit: At Home

My car is in the garage today so I am working from home. Warmth is always a requirement for home working so a cosy sweater was the way to go.

Last night the young man was late home as he’d been on a site visit, so after I’d dropped off my hire car and walked home through the village, I had a cup of tea and watched Neighbours. I made moussaka for tea and it was even tastier heated up for my dinner today. There’s some left for tomorrow too. I watched Gok (the last episode of this series) and then we watched a documentary about cracking codes during WW2.

Assuming my car is actually fixed this time, I’ll be going to drama group tonight.

Cream sweater – Topshop Tall
Jeans – H&M
Tan boots – Barratts
Silver necklace – George at Asda
Cream leather belt – gifted
Black faux leather jacket – Topshop Tall

Total Est. Cost (excl. jacket) £124

Outfit: Vintage

I got this dress in a charity shop back in March, right as the weather heated up and it was too hot to wear it. But now the temperature is perfect and so it can come out of storage. The label doesn’t give much information as to its origins, it just says 100% Acrylic and Made in England. I would date it as 1980s. It’s in excellent condition, the fabric isn’t pilled at all and the inside is still soft and fluffy (it is made of sweatshirt fabric). I don’t think it photographs very well though – it’s a darker navy than the flash makes it look here, and the fabulous neckline is hidden by my hair!

The belt is vintage as well – it was my mom’s, back in the 1960s I think. I don’t often wear gold but I thought it went well with the dress and the narrow elasticated waistband.

I didn’t make it to the gym last night – I was late home and the young man was late home due to an accident on the motorway (he doesn’t use the motorway, but his work is right by it and any delays on there affect the surrounding roads too). So tea was later than usual and we just had a quiet evening watching Grand Designs.

Navy dress – Vintage (charity shop)
Gold chain belt – Vintage
Navy tights – Falke (Debenhams)
Yellow wedges – Priceless Shoes
Wooden earrings – Dorothy Perkins
Blue bead bracelet – gifted

Total Est. Cost £15.50

Outfit: New Office

It was definitely Monday this morning. I had to hire a car to get to work as mine is still broken, so it was an early start to be at the car hire place for 8am. My credit card was declined but fortunately it was just the machine and it worked fine in another reader. The car I have is a little Chevrolet which is OK, but the seat doesn’t sit up far enough and the mirrors are tiny compared to my car. And then I had to drive all the way across the city to the new office. Monday’s only redeeming feature was the fact that it is half term and so the traffic was quiet.

I had a busy weekend with no time for pictures, or blogging. On Friday night our friends arrived late and we had a cup of tea and biscuits before bed. Saturday morning I made pains au chocolat for breakfast, and then we headed off to Harrogate for the day. We walked through the Valley Gardens, and around the town, had some lunch, walked a bit further, and then stopped for coffee in a hotel bar. We spent a couple of hours lounging on the sofas in there before heading home. We ate at our local pub that evening, and had a lovely meal. Sunday morning we walked up to the retail park and wandered around Ikea, then went for coffee and doughnuts. My friend S and I then cooked a roast chicken for a late lunch. I’ve never cooked a roast before, so the help I got from S was most valuable as I now have a fair idea what to do. S and her husband left to go home, and I sorted out the spare room, did a couple of loads of washing and cleaned the bathroom.

This evening I might go to the gym, but as I was later into work than usual I had to stay back later so it will depend what time I get home.

Today’s tights were sent to me by TightsPlease. They are by Levante and they are super soft and cosy. I love the stripes/ribbing on them, and the fact that they are dark brown and not black.

Black dress – H&M
Tan Obi belt – ASOS
Brown rib tights – Levante (c/o TightsPlease)
Brown boots – Faith
Leopard print scarf – H&M
Silver cuff – M&S (free on 3 for 2)
Silver hoops – gifted

Total Est. Cost £95