W I S H L I S T | Topshop Folklore Edit

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There's really no other way to put it, but I lost my shit when I saw the new Topshop Folklore edit on their website. I noticed a few pieces that are included in the edit whilst I was shopping in the Oxford Circus store last week but I had to quickly steer myself out of there before they destroyed my bank balance. If it were possible I would have put every product on this wishlist, but I could only fit six items on my graphic so hey-ho! It's been a whilst since I've been impressed by Topshop, but the selection of intricate patterns, beautiful embroidery and floaty shapes have won my heart over. Congratulations Topshop, you're back on top of my favourite high street SS14 collections.

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L I F E S T Y L E | #AlproAM Round-Up

If you follow me through my Instagram account you may have seen a few weeks ago I took part in a seven day challenge set by dairy alternative company, Alpro, to make my mornings healthier by making fresh smoothies for breakfast using their products. They sent me an amazing AM ready kit which included Alpro products, Burberry nail polishes, Origins moisturiser and a few other bits to make my cold, winter mornings a little more bearable. This is just a little follow up blog post to re-cap the smoothies and their recipes in case you wanted to give them a go too!

one. 200ml of Alpro Almond Original alternative to milk // 75g cherry tomatoes // 10g of stem ginger // 35g of peeled cucumber // 15ml lemon juice // 2cm of green chilli (optional) // pinch of salt & black pepper.

two. 200 ml of Alpro Original Almond milk // scoop of Alpro alternative to yoghurt // handful of frozen raspberries // handful of spinach.

three. 200ml of Alpro Almond Original alternative to milk // Alpro alternative to yoghurt // handful of blueberries // handful of spinach // 1/2 a banana.

four. 200ml Alpro Unsweetened Almond alternative to milk // 60g of cooked beetroot // 1/2 navel orange // handful of mixed frozen berries.

five. 200ml Alpro Unsweetened Almond alternative to milk // half an avocado // table spoon of peanut butter // 1/2 a banana.

six. 200ml Alpro Unsweetened Almond alternative to milk // 40g of Alpro alternative to yoghurt// 1 red pepper // 50g of frozen raspberries // 20g of blueberries.

seven. 200ml Alpro Unsweetened Almond alternative to milk // 2 handfuls of spinach // 1 peeled kiwi // 1/2 a small banana // few drops of lemon juice // pinch of salt.

I really enjoyed this challenge as I love creating fresh smoothies as they're surprisingly filling and are a much healthier option for breakfast. Let me know if you make any of the smoothies I've listed and what you think!

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O U T F I T | Songbird

Hat: H&M, £12.99
Dress: Charity Shop, £4
Belt: Urban Outfitters Renewal, £5
Boots: Vagabond via Urban Outfitters, £90
Clutch: Zara Sale (old), £16

Double embellishment?! Is it a fashion sin? I just don't know, but kind of don't really care. I bought this incredible embellished dress from a charity shop towards the end of last year with the intention of wearing it to my work Christmas party but at the last moment I changed my mind. I picked up a similar one for the same price but in brown and gold too. It was one of those particularly special and rare charity shop purchases in where you have to pinch yourself because you can't quite believe your luck! It's the dress that dreams are made of! Although it is a little big, a belt resolves the problem perfectly so I'm not walking around looking like a blue, sparkly potato sack.

I'm heading on holiday to Marrakech, Morocco in April NEXT MONTH and this dress will certainly take pride of place in my suitcase. I'm ever so excited as I haven't been on holiday since I went to Rome years ago! I've got a feeling the travelling bug may bite me as I've already been looking up flights to Barcelona too! Also, if I decide to go along to any festivals this year or manage to get a ticket for Glastonbury in the April re-sale (I am still incredibly bitter and tender about the subject of not getting a ticket *sob*), this dress will certainly be following me. I decided to double up with the embellishment love by sporting this clutch I bought in the Zara sale last summer. Also, if you haven't already noticed my new Vagabond boots from Urban Outfitters are permanently glued to my feet. They're the most comfortable boots I think I have ever owned; I even think I could hike in them! Well, maybe...

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L F W | Xiao Li A/W 14 Show

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O U T F I T | LFW A/W14 Day #2

Beanie: Carhartt via Urban Oufitters (similar here)
Coat: Topshop Sale
Waistcoat*: LOVE
Dress: Zara Sale
Boots: Vagabond via Urban Outfitters
Holographic Clutch: H&M Sale (similar here)
Watch: Michael Kors (similar here)
Photography by Matt Lain

As I mentioned in a previous post I attended London Fashion Week not for the usual one day this year, but two - both the Friday and the Saturday! Thankfully, the Saturday saw much better weather with no looming rain clouds and the wind decided to take it down a notch. Unfortunately it was still ABSOLUTELY FREEZING! I'm actually still recovering from a horrible flu-like illness after waiting around and queuing in the cold weather all day long! It seems like quite a lot of people had a bout of this nasty post Fashion Week lurgy.

My new Topshop fluffy, pink coat made an appearance once again. Now I know everyone, their mothers, their grandmothers and even their cats have this jacket, but I don't care. I love it, I love it, I LOVE IT! In fact, I'm fond of anything that's pink and fluffy at the minute. IT'S HAPPENING, GUYS! I'M BECOMING A GIRL! Also, the pink complimented my brand, spanking new gingham, longline, boyfriend jacket from LOVE perfectly. I fell head over heels for this boyfriend jacket at their blogger event a couple of weeks ago and I swiftly ordered it with a voucher they had popped in the goodie bag for us to use! Merci beaucoup LOVE!

The holographic clutch was probably the key piece of the outfit, which I actually bought in the H&M sale last summer, so unfortunately it's not available anymore. The colour is a little different from the usual silver iridescent numbers out there but this one with it's greens and purples reminds me strongly of a dragonfly. What do you think? The cut-out dress was also a sale find and was only £20 from Zara. It's rare I put on a dress and truly like myself in it, but this dress was one of those rare fleeting moments. It fits perfectly unlike any other dress and the A-line skirt is perfect at disguising my bum and hips. I'll definitely be looking at buying into more A-line shapes from now on, that's for sure! You can find details about Toni's outfit over on her own blog here, although I happen to know she was also sporting a Zara sale number too. Two days of tottering around on the Somerset House cobbles destroyed me, but in September I'm hoping to attend all five days. God help me and my poor, poor feet!

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T R A V E L | How to Pack for a City Break

In a couple of months I'm off to Marrakech, Morocco for a short break to explore and indulge in the culture. The last time I went on a city break was almost three years ago when I went to Rome, which is a wonderfully charming city alive with a magnificent culture, beautiful architecture and do not even get me started on the food! If you're thinking of visiting Rome, I really recommend it as I fell in love with the city and want to return. I don't think I could ever tire of it's charm. However, there's one tedious and frustrating task we all have to face before we can even step foot on the plane. Yes, it's thats hideous 'P-word': packing! The very thought of it makes me shudder. I can barely pack for a weekend visiting home, let alone a 7 day holiday where the climate is completely different to what I am used to! As the holiday season is fast approaching I thought I'd put together some tips on packing for a city break based on what I learnt from my own trip to Rome.

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L F W A/W14 | Napsugar Von Bittera Presentation

This was the first season of fashion week that I have actually attended some shows, so I honestly had no idea what to expect. I had of course seen other blogger's experiences of it on their blogs, but I was still a little unaware of what shows entailed. I had always been curious of presentations over runway shows, maybe it's the desire to be a concept artist in me. I just adore giving a theme or narrative to anything, including fashion so I suppose the idea of presentations appeal to me a lot more. Also, whilst runway shows seem to last no more than ten minutes with each model on the runway for up to thirty seconds, there's no rush with presentations as they last a lot longer with changes occurring every fifteen minutes or so. This actually gives you a better chance to see the new collection, as well as photograph it a lot easier. My first show of this year's fashion week was the Napsugar Von Bittera which just so happened to be a presentation. It was a part of Fashion Scout within Freemason's Hall, just a ten minute walk away from Somerset House. The set-up was entirely inspired by pop-art with comic style signs with 'BOOM!' and 'KAPOW!' in bold colouring, along with a giant size bucket of popcorn and bitten into ice lolly. The models' hair and make up was also entirely inspired by retro looks, to match their setting along with props such as a bright red, vintage telephone.

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O U T F I T | LFW A/W14 Day #1

Jacket*: c/o Missguided
Dungarees: River Island Sale, £20
Top (worn underneath: Urban Outfitters, £5
Watch: Michael Kors
Boots: Vagabond via Urban Outfitters, £90
Bag: Primark, £10

It's that time of year again and I'm sure you've probably trawled through a million and one of these London Fashion Week posts and this is no exception. I decided on doing two days (Friday & Saturday) instead of the usual one this year as I actually decided to attend some shows rather than spending my day street styling at Somerset House. For one the weather was absolutely horrendous and I spent my time whilst actually at Somerset House huddled beneath the arches hiding from the downpour of rain and bitterly cold wind. Also, unlike previous seasons with the first day always being the busiest, unfortunately the atmosphere at Somerset House was pretty bleak with the weather taking it's cruel toll. I hate to be one defeated by the weather, but this year I really was. The warmth and shelter of Freemason's Hall was much more welcoming than that of the courtyard, that's for sure! Despite the unruly weather I opted to wear quite a summery number. It is meant to be the spring-summer season afterall, so not even wind or rain will stop me from wearing bright pink, graphic florals! These totally extravagant, but fabulous floral, full-length dungarees are from River Island. I only bought them last week for just £20 in their online sale and they seemed very Fashion Week appropriate.

The creamy, grey coloured biker faux leather jacket was sent to me by the lovelies at Missguided just in time for Fashion Week. Believe it or not I didn't own a leather jacket previously. My beloved one that I had since I was sixteen years old was stolen at a club a couple of years ago and I was truly heartbroken. This one has replaced that hole in my heart for now. I love the colour of it, which is certainly more practical than black for the upcoming spring months. On the Friday I managed to see one presentation and one show as part of Mercedes Fashion Scout, which I'll be blogging about in some upcoming future posts. These outfit posts were taken by the very talented Matt Lain, who also helps out my trusty blogging partner in crime, Toni, out with her photos. I really could get used to someone else taking my photos; it is definitely much more convenient than a motionless tripod and self-timer!

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E V E N T | Inlovewithfashion LFA Event

Dress*: c/o Love
Hat: New Look (old)
Necklace*: c/o Punky Pins
Gillet: Primark, £18
Boots: Vagabond via Urban Outfitters, £90

Fashion retailer, LOVE, have recently changed the way they work with bloggers. They've opened up a blogger network called the 'Love Fashion Academy' aka. LFA, which is designed to bring the brand and bloggers closer together. The Saturday just gone was their first ever LFA event held at their showroom just round the corner from Oxford Circus. I met up with Deb beforehand and we arrived at the showroom just a few minutes late and I've got to admit I was surprised by how busy it was so early on! There was an enormous bustle around the sample sale they had set up in where everything was just £10. I managed to get my paws on a plaid pink mini skirt and a baby pink sixties shift dress. I DIDN'T EVEN THINK I LIKED THE COLOUR PINK. Apparently I was wrong (note: pink coat in previous outfit post too). After making my hasty purchases we were free to browse the new SS'14 collection with a cocktail in tow. It was lovely to see and meet the girls behind the brand including Sophie, Coco, Inga and Daisy who happens to be a friend from my school days! Gosh, that seems like so long ago now!

A little time after mingling we were treated to a talk from Coco and the lovely Naomi from Two Shoes, One Pair, which was quite inspiring on just how influential being dedicated to your blog can be on your future career. A few years back I didn't even have the idea of pursuing a career within the fashion industry, but now I must say it's getting more and more appealing! It was also wonderful to see Katy and Clare, as well as meeting the foxy Meg for the first time. There was one particular longline, gingham waistcoat that I fell for and I swiftly purchased when I got home with a very generous voucher that came in the goodie bag! I wore this powder blue, long sleeve, wrap dress that was actually sent to me by LOVE a few weeks ago. It only seemed fitting to save it for their event! Now, like I've said before I've never been the biggest fan of the pastel trend BUT LOOK AT ME, I'M WEARING IT AGAIN! Sometimes, and only sometimes, I look like a girl. Saturday was one of those days! Thanks so much to the amazing LOVE team for having us and if you want to have a peak at the collection yourself you can do so here.

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O U T F I T | On Tuesdays We Wear Pink

Coat: Topshop Sale, £65
Slip Dress: Zara Sale, £12.99
Boots: Vagabond via Urban Outfitters, £90

I got to confess, I've spent more than I would like to add up in the Zara sale this year. I JUST CAN'T HELP MYSELF. To back up my case though I've got to say I've never, ever paid full price for anything from there. This long-line, camisole slip dress was one of those guilty purchases. It's a little more fitted and restricted than I would like, but the winter floral print is just so beautiful I couldn't leave it behind! The pink, textured coat is another Topshop sale number I picked up when I was in Bath. I really didn't need another coat for my overgrown collection of jackets, but once I put it on I knew I had to buy it. Yes, had to!

I'm starting to consider textures more and more into my outfit nowadays. I'm particularly loving exaggerated mixed textures within one outfit. I had to tear myself away from a black, fur mini skirt in Oxford Circus Topshop the other day, but I'm kind of regretting leaving it behind. However my fluffy, textured, pastel pink coat will do for now and certainly spruces up all of my day-to-day outfits at the moment without even having to think about it too much. Although it's a winter jacket the pastel colour means that I can even wear it throughout the spring on chillier days! I've always said I'm not the biggest lover of the pastel trend, which turns up time and time again. This year I'm embracing it as I've purchased quite a few candy coloured things set for the spring! I've had my eye on a pastel knit cashmere sweater and Havren, an online British Brand I spotted, have quite a few delicious looking knits available at the moment. Also, they're offering £10 off your order for 'Fox & Feather' readers with the code 'FOX_FEA' and the best part of it is that it has no expiry date! Happy shopping!

Initially I was only heading to London Fashion Week for the Friday this year, but as I've just purchased the most amazing set of dungaress which I absolutely must wear I'm going for the Saturday too. Am I going to see any of your familiar faces at Somerset House? I'll be there street-style snapping and sketching for the first two days!

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O U T F I T | Witching Hour

Playsuit*: c/o Karma Clothing
Hat: H&M, £12.99
Blouse: Charity Shop, £5
Boots: Vagabond via Urban Outfitters, £90

This is actually the second time I've shot this playsuit. I was having a bit of a self-confidence crisis a few weeks ago when I received it and shuddered at myself in anything body-con. However, I've managed to dig myself out of my hole and brave the body-con. This luscious red velvet number was sent to me by Karma Clothing and I have warmed to it a lot more now. After all, red velvet isn't just for Christmas! In my rule books velvet is appropriate all year round in fact. Although I'm not donning this turtle neck, playsuit quite as well as Rihanna it's definitely secured a place in my closet. You can purchase it for under £15 in an assortment of colours.

I had my hair trimmed a few days ago, even though I'm trying my absolute best to grow it out to wonderful mermaid hair (a never-ending life mission). I've been taking my sea kelp supplements and I've picked up some caffeine shampoo intended for hair loss, so fingers crossed! I might start a series of posts on hair growth aids to see if they actually work and track the progress of my snail-paced hair growth!

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P R E V I E W | Zalando SS14 Press Day

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