Best of 21012: April

Best of 2012: March

Best of 2012: February

Best of 2012: January

And so we kick off the annual review of the year.  Which is your favourite outfit from January?

Outfit: Shoeper Challenge 2012 #79 and a Carol Service

We had a fairly quiet weekend – I did some chores on Saturday and got all the washing done. In the evening we went out for fish and chips with the young man’s family and his godmother who was visiting with her two children.

Sunday was another lazy day – we had a walk to the retail park and I made some scones and a cake for afternoon tea, and then in the evening it was the candlelight carol service at church. This is always a lovely event – the whole church is lit only by candles and the lights on the Christmas tree and we sing carols and listen to readings of the words of the prophets and then the gospel accounts of the birth of Jesus.

These shoes are by New Look and were bought for just £4.99 in a charity shop, looking as though they had only been worn once. They tend to come out most often around this time of year and I love the sparkly glitter and the big bows.

Red sweater – Long Tall Sally
Jeans – MiH (TK Maxx)
Bronze glitter shoes – New Look (charity shop)
Brown wood heart necklace – Scope
Silver snowflake earrings – FunkyJunk Jewellery

Total Est. Cost £91

Winter Boots at Foot Asylum

Winter is upon us (especially after my episode on the ice on Friday!) and you may be in need of some shoes or boots to ward off the cold or combat snow and ice. If so, look no further than Foot Asylum. They stock a large range of winter-worthy footwear such as Uggs, Dr Martens and Hunter wellies. I particularly like the pink Hunters pictured above! I have a pair of Hunters and can definitely recommend them for comfort and practicality in snow and rainy weather.

We all know that Uggs might not be the most stylish of footwear, but they’re certainly warm and cosy at this time of year. If you want to tone up whilst you walk why not check out the FitFlops version of the ugg boot: their furry Mukluk style pictured above?

Foot Asylum also stock a range of shoes, trainers and sandals, and to complement the footwear they sell clothing: sportswear such as sweatshirts, hoodies, trackie bottoms and t shirts.

Foot Asylum offer various shipping options, to the UK and internationally, and delivery charges start from £3.95 for tracked standard delivery. So if you’re still stuck for what to ask Santa to bring you, click here to visit www.footasylum.com and choose yourself some fabulous footwear for Christmas.

Outfit: Shoeper Challenge 2012 #78 and Last Day of Term!

It was icy this morning. So very, very icy. We’re talking skating rink proportions here. I stepped out of the door and fell straight down. Yes I was wearing heels but in my defence:
1. I thought it was just wet outside as that’s all it looked like from the window. I was excited I wouldn’t have to scrape my car. But no, the rain had frozen solid.
2. No matter what shoes I’d been wearing I still would have gone down as I beat a hasty retreat indoors, put on my snow boots and was still sliding around in those. I could hardly stay upright to scrape my car windows.

My neighbours were out scraping their cars and chucking rock salt down the road so everyone managed to get out OK once they started driving. My shoes are a little worse for wear now having borne the brunt of the scraping down the step, and my knee is bruised but other than that I’m OK.

It was my last day of work for this year as we have next week of to enjoy the build up to Christmas for once, rather than working right up to the last minute. I have some posts scheduled but I’m sure I’ll find some time for blogging in and amongst as well.

Blue cardi – Next Tall (eBay)
Purple top – Long Tall Sally
Jeans – New Look
Purple tights – Accessorize
Silver shoes – New Look (eBay)
Silver glitter belt – local boutique
Silver and blue snowflake earrings – Etsy
Blue beads – Scope

Total Est. Cost £69

Outfit: Not What I’d Intended

This isn’t the outfit I had laid out last night. I was going to wear a (different from yesterday) grey knit dress and grey OTK boots. But when I looked out of the window this morning and saw the frost (again) I decided rubber soled wedges would be more sensible than 4 inch stilettos so I switched to a brown-toned dress to go with the brown boots. I should have just worn the sheepskin lined boots from yesterday though as it was minus 4°C this morning and didn’t get much warmer throughout the day. I added my H&M leopard print scarf over this ensemble for further warmth.

Last night I did some ironing when I got home, made tea then went to do the Tesco shop. I got home and unpacked the shopping, put some stuff in the slow cooker for today’s tea (see Mom, it was a great present – I use it all the time!) and then we watched a programme about a railway line that goes north-south all the way across Australia.

Blue cardi – Ethel Austin
Blue top – Dorothy Perkins Tall
Beige knit dress – Bay Trading
Blue tights – Accessorize
Brown leather boots – M Par M (c/o Sarenza)
Brown wood heart necklace – Scope
Silver and blue snowflake earrings – Etsy
Silver glitter belt – local boutique

Total Est. Cost £38

Outfit: Leopard and Grey and Cosy Boots

I love these boots; they’re so cosy yet perfectly wearable for the office or for casual wear. And the rubber soles are perfect for frosty mornings too.

Last night I went to step class then took a shower and cosied up on the sofa to watch Last Tango in Halifax, an awesome drama that the BBC are showing at the moment.

Leopard print cardi – Primark (eBay)
Grey knit dress – Kew 159
Grey tights – Tesco?
Tan boots – c/o Deichmann Shoes
Tan Obi belt – ASOS
Silver and blue snowflake earrings – Etsy
Silver and cream bead cluster necklace – New Look

Total Est. Cost £67

Outfit: Red Pants Tuesday

It was a cold and frosty start this morning, so much so that I had to look twice to check it was just frost on the ground and not a light dusting of snow. I added my faux fur over this ensemble again today (it’s becoming something of a signature piece right now, but it’s just so cosy).

Last night I went to HardCORE (abs class) and Zumba as usual for a Monday night, but it did mean that I missed Santa’s visit to my street which is a very exciting occurrence (especially the first year we lived there as we didn’t know he was coming). I spent the rest of the evening chatting to my sister on the phone and reading a magazine.

Black cardi – New Look Tall
Black and white stripy polo neck – Uniqlo (charity shop)
Red jeans – New Look Tall (eBay)
Yellow wedges – Matalan
Red beads – Claire’s
Silver and blue snowflake earrings – Etsy

Total Est. Cost £43

Outfit: Monday

It was a cold day on Monday and the faux fur scarf was very welcome for warding off the chills.

Black dress – H&M
Brown cardi – F+F at Tesco (eBay)
Brown tights – Tesco?
Brown boots – Faith
Tan Obi belt – ASOS
Red beads – eBay
Faux fur scarf – H&M

Total Est. Cost £112

Outfit: Sunday Morning and Weekend Recap

Saturday we spent the day at home. I washed my car, baked some bread, did lots of washing, vacced and wrapped most of my Christmas presents. I feel much more organised for Christmas now.

Sunday morning was the Advent Carol Service at church and the choir was taking quite a large part in the service.

After lunch we had a walk up to see the young man’s parents and had a cup of tea with them. I’d put a pork joint in the slow cooker in the morning so we had to decline their offer to stay for tea and headed home to cook some roast potatoes.

Teal sweater – Long Tall Sally
Jeans – Next Tall
Red suede boots – Georgia Rose (c/o Sarenza)
Red beads – Claire’s
Silver snowflake earrings – Funky Junk jewellery

Total Est. Cost £54

Outfit: Furry Collar and Cosy Boots

A friend at work came up to me this morning very concerned that I had a dead animal around my neck. I can assure you I don’t, it’s 100% fake. A blend of polyester and acrylic. Promise. It kept me lovely and warm all day, as did my boots which are faux-sheepskin lined.

Last night was choir practice at church. We sang lots of carols in preparation for the Advent Carol Service that is on Sunday, and the various other services we’ve got coming up over the festive season.

Black cardi – New Look Tall
Black polo neck – Long Tall Sally
Jeans – Vila (I Am..... boutique)
Tan boots – c/o Deichmann Shoes
Red beads – Claire’s
Faux fur scarf/collar – H&M
Silver glitter belt – local boutique
Santa hat earrings – can’t remember, I’ve had them since school!

Total Est. Cost £113