Snow Boots: Now Available from Fitness Footwear

It’s October and as the nights draw in and the temperatures drop, it’s time to start thinking about snow boots. With some forecasters predicting a winter similar to the last one, you may be glad you made the investment early. The first snow fell on 19th December last year, but we have been known to have snow as early as November in the UK.

Fitness Footwear have a great range of ladies’ snow boots to choose from, including the trusty Merrell Oslo style (pictured above) which kept my feet warm and dry throughout last winter. They are made of waterproof leather and have super grippy soles, making them ideal for wearing in the snow.

The Merrell Puffin Frost style is another example of Merrell’s waterproof boots and with this one you can get in on the shearling trend too.

If you prefer a more traditional puffa-style snow boot, the North Face Nuptse may be the boot for you. Featuring a durable TNF Winter Grip™ rubber outsole, 600g fill power insulation and a water resistant outer, they are perfect for snowy weather.

Whatever you choose, you are sure to find something to keep your feet snug through any snow we get this winter and as always at Fitness Footwear, UK shipping is free.

This Week I Will Be Mostly...

...wearing trousers or jeans
...reading the October issue of UK Elle
...watching The Inbetweeners
...listening to my mp3s
...eating homemade soup
...shopping for boots

Outfit: Chilly Monday

There was a real feeling of autumn chill in the air this morning. Yesterday was warm and sunny. We did chores around the house in the morning washed and vacced out our cars, and I made 2 batches of soup – celery (which I would not recommend) and leek and potato (which is delish and we will be having for tea tonight). In the afternoon a friend came over and we went for a woodland walk through a local park and then to a pub for a few drinks. I made a lasagne for tea for us all when we got home. No pictures from yesterday as I was in old jeans and a black polo neck in the morning, then skinny jeans, black sweater and tan boots in the afternoon, an outfit you’ve seen lots of times before.

I had a really sore throat on Saturday and yesterday. It has abated overnight but I am a bit sniffly this morning and hoping that this is not going to turn into a cold.

Black polo neck – New Look Tall
Grey trousers – Dorothy Perkins Tall
Belt – free with trousers
Snakeskin heels – Matalan
Turquoise scarf – eBay
Turquoise ring – Dorothy Perkins
Turquoise earrings – gifted

Total Est. Cost £49

Outfit: Shoper Challenge #77 and a Birthday Lunch

So apparently I have completely lost the ability to take pictures in the mirror. I was rushing to take these before I ran out the door on Saturday morning to meet my sister. She will be 30 on Wednesday and I took her for lunch at Bettys Tea Rooms in Harrogate on Saturday. All of my four pictures came out blurred, but I wanted to post them so that I could knock another pair of boots off my shoe challenge. These boots can only be worn under jeans as the tops of them are so loose they fall down. They have a rubber sole and a teeny heel though so are very comfy for walking around a town all day.

We had a lovely day out and my sister bought herself almost an entire autumn wardrobe. I am very good at helping other people spend money as well as spending my own!

The young man had been out in the city with some friends for a birthday celebration, so I went to pick him and two friends up when they were done drinking and we all went back to the friends’ house for a Chinese take out. We ended up watching kids TV themes on You Tube all evening which was great fun.

Turquoise coat – Long Tall Sally
Black top – Tall Girls
Jeans – River Island
Cream belt – gifted
Black boots – Priceless Shoes
Whitby Jet cross – gifted

Total Est. Cost £86

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Outfit: Misty Friday

It is damp and misty out today. Not conducive to a good hair day! I love this outfit and any variations on it. I’ve worn it before with different shoes I think, and with my tan boots. Black OTK boots would probably work well with it too. Expect to see repeats and variations in the future.

Black jacket – Long Tall Sally
Black and beige stripe top – Dorothy Perkins Tall
Jeans – Vila (i am..... boutique)
Black and cream shoes – Next (charity shop)
Cream pashmina – gifted
Whitby Jet cross – gifted
Silver earrings – gifted
Silver bling ring – River Island
Cream bead bracelets – Diamonds and Pearls

Total Est. Cost £98

20% Off at New Look

Get 20% off at New Look online from Friday 8th October to Sunday 10th with the code LKMST20.

Outfit: Shoeper Challenge #76 and Jazzing Up Basics

These boots cost £54.99 new. Back when I bought them that was a lot for me to spend on footwear and they are what led to me opening my Next Directory account. I was still living at home at the time, which means it was about 2001 when I bought them. Nine years later they are still going strong. They have had both zips replaced, been reheeled numerous times and have had the tips of the soles replaced. A good polish leaves them looking like new each time.

This is a great example of how you can start with the most basic of outfits (grey trousers, black top, black boots) and add just one accessory to jazz it up. This scarf is so loud it really works best over something basic and I am enjoying putting it to good use.

Black sweater – Long Tall Sally
Grey trousers – Dorothy Perkins Tall
Black shoe boots – Next
Turquoise scarf – H&M
Silver hoops – gifted

Total Est. Cost £123

Outfit: New Jeans and an Online Shopping Review

My friend Aimee (Boutique Girl) owns her own shop. It is a boutique filled with goodies but without the usual high boutique price tag. You may remember that I visited her on my adventure to Glasgow last Christmas.

And there’s the thing. The shop is located in Scotland. So until now you had to be a local to shop there. But last Friday i am..... boutique launched an e-commerce site. You can find it here.
Not all of the stock is loaded yet, but more items are being added each day. You will find brands such as French Connection, Vila and Blend, often at lower prices than on the high street.

When I saw Boutique girl wearing a pair of Vila Whitney push up jeans on her blog last week, I wanted a pair. Spying that they were available on the website, I placed my order. UK shipping is free which is excellent value as all items are sent 2nd class recorded delivery (tracked). International shipping is also available, with a flat rate of £4.50 so you don’t have to miss out just because you don’t live in the UK.

The jeans arrived 2 days after I ordered them and I knew I didn’t have to worry about Royal Mail losing them as they were being tracked. They looked small and I wasn’t convinced they would fit but they have plenty of stretch so I had no problem with them. They fit really well and are super skinny so ideal for tucking in to boots, as I wore them last night. The pockets on the back are specially shaped and strategically placed to make your bum appear smaller.

The jeans were nicely wrapped in tissue paper with sealed with a sticker featuring the i am..... logo. There was a thank you note included in the parcel with a discount code for my next purchase. With such excellent service and the added incentive of a discount I will definitely be placing another order.

You can follow Boutique Girl on Twitter and visit the i am..... online shop here.

It was warm for the first time ever at drama group last night. So it turned out that the cardi, pashmina and coat I had put on just in case it was freezing were overkill. I redid my hair before I went out and inadvertently worked out how to curl using GhDs.

Black cardi – New Look Tall
Grey stripe top – Dorothy Perkins Tall
Jeans – Vila (i am.....)
Tan boots – Barratts
Cream pashmina – gifted

Total Est. Cost £99

Blog Giveaway!

Who wants a free handbag? It’s leather, it’s pink, and it’s only be used twice! I am giving away this lovely Tula handbag (and its dustbag) and all you have to do to win it is leave a comment on this post. That’s it! (Oh, and leave your name or some other way of identifying you – anonymous is not going to win.)

The giveaway closes at 12 noon (BST) on Wednesday 13th October and I’ll pick the winner at random after that.

Outfit: Plaid Wednesday

I went to see Made In Dagenham last night with my sister. I loved it! Although it is a film about women’s lib and the protest that ultimately led to the Equal Pay Act of 1970, there is no reason that men won’t enjoy this film too. The 60s fashion isn’t bad to look at either, especially the gorgeous red Biba dress that makes more than one appearance.

It started off grey and rainy this morning, but the sum is now trying to come out and it is forecast to be fine later. I put some washing on first thing so I hope the forecast is right as I would like to get it out on the line for a few hours this afternoon. I am finding that it is taking 3 or 4 days to dry in the conservatory now if the weather is too wet to put it out. It will soon be time to start using the tumble dryer again I think.

Drama group starts again tonight so it will be good to see everyone at that.

Plaid shirt – Primark
Blue tank – Topshop
Grey skirt – Next Tall
Grey tights – Primark
Blue suede shoe boots – New Look
Whitby Jet cross – gifted
Silver earrings – gifted
Blue chunky bangle – Diamonds & Pearls
Blue bead bracelet – gifted
Blue ring – Dorothy Perkins

Total Est. Cost £58

20% Off at Dorothy Perkins Online

Dorothy Perkins are offering 20% off everything online from today until midnight on Sunday 10th October.

Outfit: Ruby Shoesday

It’s getting harder to come up with outfits for Ruby Shoesday without repeating myself too much. Oh well, I suppose that is all part of the challenge. I went down the jeggings and tunic route today as it’s just so comfy but still looks like I made a bit of an effort. I am going to see Made In Dagenham with my sister tonight so I can just layer up with my grey cardi and cream pashmina. I like to wear layers to the cinema as I always find the air conditioning chilly.

I made my soup last night and I think it will be delicious: I am going to serve it for tea tonight. I used this recipe from the Domestic Sluts.

Grey stripe tunic – New Look Tall
Jeggings – New Look Tall
Grey tank – River Island
Red shoes – NOW Discount Shoes (gifted)
Red beads – Ethel Austin
Silver cross necklace – gifted
Silver bling ring – River Island
Cream bead bracelets – Diamonds & Pearls
Diamante hair clip – Babyliss (Boots)

Total Est. Cost £65

This Week I Will Be Mostly...

...wearing boots and sweaters
...reading the October issue of UK Cosmo
...watching The Inbetweeners
...listening to my mp3s
...eating homemade soup
...shopping for nothing

Outfit: Sunny Monday

After the monsoons of yesterday, it is lovely and sunny this morning. There was mist hanging over the fields by the side of the motorway and the sky is a clear bright blue. A perfect autumn morning.

So this is the sweater that used to be adorned with little gold beads. I think it is vastly improved without them. I kept all the beads so perhaps I will string them together as a necklace or something. I think it would have been a total nightmare to wear it with the beads attached as I would have been shedding them all over as they were so poorly sewn on. I was drawn to the stripes initially and I love the combination of black and navy. I can’t believe that it was such a style no-no for so long.

I have cut back on my evening activities this year, and I am loving having so much free time at home. I have found a recipe for sweet potato and carrot soup and so I might have a go at making it tonight (if I remember to buy carrots).

Navy dress – Next
Black and blue stripe sweater – New Look Tall
Black belt – Primark
Black tights – M&Co
Black shoes – Ethel Austin
Whitby Jet cross – gifted
Blue bead bracelet – gifted
Silver earrings – gifted

Total Est. Cost £42.50