Must Haves This Winter!

The days are getting shorter, the weather is getting colder and it's finally time to pack away the mini skirts and hotpants for a while. Yes, it seems winter is finally here. The best TV is back on the box, the weathermen have already hinted that it may snow soon and best of all this means it's almost Christmas!

However it's so hard to choose what to wear in winter! No matter what you wear the moment it snows your tootsies are going to get wet and/or cold and there's always this awkward moment when you step inside, bundled up to the max from the cold and then the heat hits you - cue the frantic strip of hats, gloves, scarfs, coats, jumpers and whatever else. But it always helps to be stylish!

This winter's theme has to be rust. Rusty browns, wine reds and mustard yellows should be the staple pieces in your wardrobe this winter. Although jeans are comfortable, this winter it's definitely time to experiment with different stays to keep warm AND stay stylish at the same time. Try ditching your jeans for a pair of stone coloured chinos or even a knitted skirt with thick, grey tights. The options are endless.

Here are some of my top picks for the perfect winter wardrobe ;

The Knitted Granny Skirt

Clockwise from top left ;

Petites Intarsia Knit Skirt, £20.00, Miss Selfridge

Brenta Fairisle Knitted Mini Skirt in Camel, £11.99, Missguided.co.uk

Black Fairisle Midi Tube Skirt, £20.00, River Island

Snowflake Knitted Mini Skirt Cream/Black, £10.00, Funkydivaa.com

This is definitely a tricky trend to pull off as the style definitely reminds you of old grannies! However with the skirt short and feminine it could definitely give off a vintage vibe. Wear with black tights and a simple plain white or black vest top, nothing to take the attention away from the skirt. My personal favourite from the ones featured above is definitely the Brenta Fairisle Knitted Mini Skirt from Missguided, it looks just that little bit more different with a bit more colour and looks a bit more Christmasy to me. For those of you worried about getting frost bite, the Fairisle Midi Tube Skirt from River Island is ideal as it's much longer and will therefore keep you extra warm.

Wine Red Tones

Clockwise from top left ;

Long Sleeve Basic Top In Wine, £5.99, Funkydivaa.com

Wine Red Stretch Skinny Belt Jeans, £29.99, Quiz Clothing

Snake Peep Toe Platform Court, £19.99, New Look

Kelly Jersey Short Sleeve T-Shirt, £10.00, Boohoo.com

This deep but warm shade is absolutely gorgeous and is perfect for those cold nights this winter. Add a bit of warmth to your outfit by wearing this daring wine red shade which best goes with both cream and rusty brown shades. The items featured above are lovely for winter, the top from Funkydivaa has long sleeves to keep you warm, whereas the skinny fit jeans are, er, so skinny that no cold will get in! 

Mustard Yellow Must Haves!

Clockwise from top left ;

Lace Collar Chiffon Top, £12.99, Missrebel.co.uk

F&F Funnel Neck Coat, £25.00, Clothing at Tesco

Evangelie Jersey Leggings, £5.99, Missguided.co.uk

Ochre Bobble Scarf, £18.00, Miss Selfridge

As you've probably guessed from the many posts I've done about this, mustard yellow is a really big thing right now! The only thing to remember is to use it sparingly - as it's such an out there colour! A subtle addition of this colour - like with a scarf such as the Ochre Bobble Scarf - is the perfect addition to an outfit. A bright, fitted coat in this gorgeous colour will also keep you especially warm this winter. Mustard yellow looks great with chocolately browns or, if you're feeling brave, wine reds like the ones featured earlier in this post!

Rusty Browns

Clockwise from top left ;

Corsage Necklace Tee, £12.99, Missrebel

Bellina Skinny Jeans In Brown, £25.99, Missguided.co.uk

Flannel Chain Belted Shorts, £36.00, Topshop

Vero Moda Nordic Snowflake Knit Dress, £38.00, ASOS.com

Browns are always big when it comes to Autumn/Winter, but this year the main tone is 'rusty brown'. Luckily, brown is a warm colour which means you'll look picture perfect during those cold days, and brown also goes with pretty much anything! Wear big, comfy white or black ugg boots with the pair of Bellina Skinny Jeans from Missguided, or wear a pair of massive thick tights with either the shorts or the dress.

Finally, not forgetting the perfect finishing touch to your very stylish winter outfits - the nail colours! Without a doubt, buy all the coolest winter shades in one go when purchasing Models Own' Autumn/Winter Collection, priced at £20 and available from Modelsownit.com

Left To Right -

Grace Green,

Purple Ash,

Becca's Brown,

Purple Grey,

Mushroom

and 

Nude Beige

Keep an eye out for an upcoming shopping haul post, showcasing all my winter autumn purchases from Funkydivaa (some of which appear here!). Also do not forget that you can receive an exclusive to this blog 15% discount to use at Funkydivaa when entering the code LOUISE15 at check out!

www.missselfridge.com / www.missguided.co.uk / www.riverisland.com / www.funkydivaa.com / www.quizclothing.com / www.newlook.com / www.boohoo.com / www.missrebel.co.uk / www.clothingattesco.com / www.topshop.com / www.asos.com / www.modelsownit.com

Wednesday Wishlist

Yellow Smock Dress, £45.00, River Island.com (web exclusive)

Mustard Yellows are extremely in this summer/winter and are the perfect shade to stand out. This particular shade is very show stopping so should be used sparingly. This dress is perfect for that transition from summer to winter ; wear it as it is with nude heels or wedges this summer or add some grey knee high socks and a cute waistcoat for when the weather starts getting chilly. This dress is absolutely gorgeous and spot on for style. At almost £50 it may seem a little steep, especially as it isn't a versatile colour, but with a bit of creativity to get the proper use out of the dress, perhaps the price tag will be worth it!

Ladies 2in1 Belted Dress, £24.00, Peacocks

It's not actually always easy to put clothes together and work out what goes with what, especially when it comes to printed skirts or tops in less versatile shades. That's why I like these type of items and this dress is no exception. It comes as it is - even with a belt - and there's no need to add or remove anything to add to the look. At £24.00 it's a real bargain. Lovely tanned coloured heels would really suit this dress!

High Waisted Shorts, £19.99, New Look

Chocolate brown is also very much in this year (perfect for winter) and goes extremely well alongside mustard yellow. Brown can also go with a lot of things easily. These really cute high waisted shorts are very stylish right now, I would without a doubt suggest teaming them with a bright mustard yellow top. If you're feeling really brave, wear a cream vest top with them and instead swap brogues for a pair of mustard yellow heels.

MOTO Denim Western Crop Jacket, £42.00, Topshop

I really, really love this eye catching jacket and again think it would go perfectly with all the browns and creams that are in at the moment. Like a lot of the current trends, you'd definitely need the confidence to pull this off but this is definitely a wishlist item!

Pearl Bracelet With Bow Detail In Peach, £7.00, Funkydivaa.com

I adore this bracelet - it's so girly! I just had to add this as my final 'Wednesday Wishlist' item. I think this is the perfect accessory to add to any outfit - a lot of the time it's hard to remember to keep something a little bit feminine when it comes to choosing what to wear but with this bracelet on your wrist at all times you will always have that girly/feminine touch. It's also ever so slightly romantic. This bracelet is very much like something you'd find in Accessorize but at a much cheaper price!

www.riverisland.com

www.peacocks.co.uk

www.newlook.com

www.topshop.com

www.funkydivaa.com

How to dress for a Date/Date Night - At The Movies

I have put together some outfit ideas using the website 'Polyvore' for a date at the Movies! I've tried to do a variety of different looks and have tried to use items that are all under £30. I think most of them are, the website uses dollars and I searched items under $50, which is equivalent to about £30 apparently. Anyway, click on the look/set to be taken to a bigger version, where you can click on any item in the set to be taken to where you can buy it, and find a list of where everything is from. But remember some items are available at a number of different places for cheaper so look around! I have also used make up ideas, the crushed makeup affect - which is so cute - obviously isn't a specific colour from a specific store (though clicking on it may take you to a shop) it's just an idea of how to do your eye makeup to go with the look.

Enjoy!

Look One - Girly

This is the girly look I have created, without going too over the top. I have tried to make it a mixture of both girly but casual by using pumps instead of heels and a mixture of both bangles and bracelets to tone the outfit down a little. I've picked a small clutch bag and some girly stud earrings. For makeup, I've picked (and would suggest) a mixture of smoky, chocolate browns for the eyes - basically smoky eyes but with much more softer tones. I've also picked brown mascara for eyelashes so you don't draw too much attention to your eyes. I've also gone with nude lips and a pinky/coral blusher, so the makeup as a whole is girly but not too 'out there'. I have also, of course, picked a French Manicure for nails!

Look Two - Rock Chic/Look with an Edge

This look has a bit more of an edge to it and is for those girls who want to stand out or who want to really impress by showing off their style. I've chosen casual clothes again - a nice printed top with dark colours and black skinny fit jeans - with the choice between either black converse trainers that go with the outfit or pink converse trainers that stand out and really make the outfit 'rock chick'. Rather then using the typical deep, black smoky eyes with heavy eyeliner I've used a mix of a peach, brown and purple eyeshadows which mixed together will create a gorgeous, sultry and sexy look which is both dark and feminine. Because the eyes will be a bit heavy, I've used a very light peach blusher. For the lips I've used the new MAC Wonder Women range - which is a statement in its own - in, again, a light colour to keep attention drawn to the eyes. I've used a variety of different bangles and the earrings are quite girly to keep the outfit feminine. All in all this look is a bit different, but will definitely go down well on a date especially if you know your date loves listening to the rocky stuff! If its a bit much for you, try plain black pumps instead of the converse, a more girly shade on the nails such as coral or hot pink and tone down the eye makeup a little.

Look Three - Dressed Up/Classy

This look is for the date that doesn’t end at the movies i.e. that may lead to drinks or food afterwards. This look would also be perfect for dates that aren’t at your normal cinema – instead cinemas that have bars or restaurants in them or those old cinemas that are restored to how they are in the olden days. Y’know the ones I mean, with the red curtains and candle lit tables. Anyway, onto the look.

I’ve picked a fairly plain dress which can easily be dressed up or dressed down. I haven’t chosen a necklace with it because the neckline has what is called a peter pan neckline which is what stops this dress being completely plain – it’s the bit that makes the dress interesting! So a necklace would only draw attention away from this. I’ve also chosen girly but pretty basic accessories – small stud earrings, a rose ring – all of which match the outfit. The black bracelets break the outfit up a bit so you are not drowned out in one single shade. The headband is there for the heels – you can wear the heels alone to dress the outfit up, the headband alone to dress it down, or them both together to equal the outfit out. The headband definitely stops the outfit being too OTT and if you are lucky enough to be taken to one of the oldie cinemas then you’d look the part with the headband! Again with the heels – they are a lovely neutral shade and are very girly but if you feel heels are too over the top then they can be swapped for a pair of pumps. The makeup I’ve kept very pink and basic as well, with again soft tones for the eye shadow. I’ve also picked this nice cream bag rather then a clutch bag because it can just be thrown over your shoulder if the date does continue elsewhere.

Look Three - Casual/Dressed Down/An outfit for an early showing!

Finally this last look is a really casual one for a girl who wants to be comfortable and doesn’t want to look like she’s tried too hard. It’s especially good if it’s a date that’s in summer or if it’s a day date with an early showing at the cinema. I’ve picked quite casual clothes – a loose fitting t-shirt with nice detail and highwaisted shorts, which are also quite fashionable. It’s a very basic outfit. The pumps are leopard print, which spice the outfit up a little bit. Because the outfit is quite simple, I’ve used dark shades for the eye shadow and would suggest doing sexy smoky eyes with large eyelashes for this look. You can get away with this because the clothes are so simple. I’ve picked a pinky shade for lipstick as well, something that doesn’t clash too much with the eyes but also has a bit of colour, and again a coral blusher. For nails I’ve chosen a nice, girly pink that will add colour to the outfit along with the accessories. The large flowery bangle is bright and colourful and just the one dresses up the outfit without having to wear loads. I’ve picked chic earings and rings – you can see for yourself in the photos. I would also suggest earings that hang down as well rather then studs to give the outfit a little ‘oomph!’ Finally a cute chic clutch that matches the rings!

Well, that concludes my post on how to dress for a date. I've tried to do four original looks that are also stylish and fashionable! Let me know what you think or if you'd like to see a different style or a post about outfits for a different date (dinner, gig, clubbing...?)!

Wednesday Wishlist

This is my Wednesday Wishlist...aka what I'd love to buy/do this week if I was rich!

Firstly, this gorgeous bag from River Island.

Black Floral Print Bag,  £44.99, River Island

This bag was recently discussed on the More! magazine Facebook fan page, and I immediately fell in love with it. I've been eyeing it up ever since and decided it would be an ideal new bag for me to use for University, as my previous bags have broken by putting too much in them. Technically, this isn't a wish list, as after much thought (mainly about the price tag!) I purchased it last night. But until it's arrived, it's not mine yet so its still a wish until it is in my hands and holding all my handbag necessities! 

Brown Edge to Edge Button Cardigan, £32.99, River Island

I've also got my eye on this cute, casual cardigan which I'm convinced will go with everything in my wardrobe (including my black floral print bag when it arrives *drool*). I used to live in oversized hoodies until I decided last year my style needed a revamp and I began my love affair with chic, girly cardigans. My most favourite is a long, pale blue/grey cardigan that I wear with EVERYTHING, so it's definitely time to buy a new one that will add a bit of colour, which is why I want this one.

Luxury Bead Bracelet, £12.00, Accssorize

Despite absolutely adoring oversized bracelets like this, I really don't have enough bracelets full stop! I have a never ending supply of necklaces, earrings and rings, but bracelets I could definitely do more off! I'd love a bracelet like this that could spruce up any outfit. Because the beads are so big it would mean that no matter how casual the outfit is, I could just add this bracelet to make it a little bit more classy and I wouldn't need to add other accessories. I'm just trying to justify the price tag again, thats all...!

Walkers Sensations Roasted Chicken & Thyme Crisps, price and location unknown!

Now, I know this isn't a fashion or clothes item (I didn't exactly state what my Wednesday Wishlist's would be about!) but I'm really craving these! I haven't had these crisps in so long now, despite being my favourite flavour, because for some reason nowhere stocks them anymore! I cannot find them anywhere, so please, if you live in the North East and see them on sale anywhere, tell me! They are definitely still distributed as I sadly emailed Walkers to ask (and hoped they'd send me free packets, but they sadly they didn't) but wherever I go they are out of stock. I am distraught.

Foot Spa Treatment, Prices beginning at £10 for 15 minutes, appyfeet.co.uk for more information

Yes, what you see is what actually happens in this one of a kind foot treatment. This recent sensation has been very popular all over the country for months now (with celebrities even having a go!) and I've been hoping to try it out for a while now. But, despite trying to book myself in for an appointment recently, they were fully booked until closing time! The foot spa treatment is basically where you stick your feet in a bowl/tub full of these 'Garra Rufa' fish where they then proceed to nibble off all your unhealthy or dead skin. Lovely. As weird as it sounds, those who have had it done swear their feet feel amazing for weeks afterwards and that the fish only tickle ever so slightly! I'm hoping to book myself in for a try next time I'm near a shop but if not, I wonder if I just stick my feet in my fishpond at home will get me the same response...?

www.riverisland.com

www.accessorize.com

www.appyfeet.co.uk