the party season begins

The other day I was willfully refusing to pick up all the amazing stuff Zara has on offer at the moment, with a steely money-saving determination, until I spotted this baby. At which point all of my resolve flew out the window and the next thing I knew I was putting my card back in my purse and thanking the cashier. Oops. In case it wasn't obvious, I am a total magpie. Ooooh, gold studs (+ mustard brown colour + 100% silk + oversized = my dream top, incidentally). Which means that ~the party season~ is nigh on perfect for me, sartorially speaking. Although I laughed and nodded in recognition at Tamsin's awesome blog post recently on the mythical nature of this supposed "party season" (so far I've been invited to... my work night out, exciting), I'll take any excuse to wear sequins really. Black, gold, leather, studs, sequins and velvet all abound at this time of year and I know everyone else probably can't wait for it all to go into the sale, but I'm a sucker for shiny things. It dates all the way back to a velvet button up dress worn to my school Christmas party circa 1997 (in the lunch hall, the glamour), I don't think I'll be growing out of it any time soon. This year I'm hoping to go for a bit of a modern update, with details in blue and orange. More on my current downright obsession with orange another day, perhaps.

baby it's cold outside

And all of a sudden I'm dreaming of someone buying me this Antipodium coat to wrap up warm in... y'know, just because. Where's a fairy godmother when you need one?

the hidden side of blogging

My life is pretty much a never-ending cycle of initial writs, motions and client letters at the moment and it is interminably dull, let me tell you. Unfortunately it's also keeping me pretty busy. I've always been the bury-my-head-in-the-sand type, leaving everything until the last minute (don't knock it, it's served me well so far), so three or four university assignments due in every week doesn't exactly play to my strengths. Outfit posts haven't exactly been forthcoming recently, for the simple reason that when I have several 9am deadlines a week, I just end up throwing on the first thing that comes to hand. The same old jeans and Primark flannel shirt do not an interesting outfit post make. I know a lot of ~fashion types make a point of the fact that they never wear jeans and I'm like, really pleased for them and everything but honestly, sometimes I just can't be bothered. It's perhaps a bit of an ill-advised comment to make as a supposed 'fashion blogger' but I don't really consider myself a particularly naturally stylish person. I love fashion, but I certainly don't have some sort of innate sense of style that makes everything I throw on look effortlessly chic. I really think about what I wear, and when I don't have time to do that, well, yeah, sometimes I look pretty awful. At times, blogging can make me feel like a bit of a fraud because I certainly don't dress up for a day of 9am-7pm classes and I'd hate for people to be misled into thinking that I do. I'd probably be massively embarrassed if I bumped into anyone who read my blog around university, to be honest, lugging my laptop and two bags of books around with unwashed hair and sweating because I'm seriously late for a lecture. This is probably not the kind of thing that one is supposed to admit to.

Anyway, the point of that little extraneous rant was basically, yeah, I'm pretty busy at the moment. First world problems indeed. Today, however I am taking the afternoon off, gleefully ignoring the assessed plea in mitigation I'm supposed to be presenting tomorrow, and going to get my hair cut. I even have a full face of make up and a vaguely interesting outfit on. So, with any luck, at least now if anyone were to bump into me I'd be looking marginally less dishevelled...

velvet top & boots, topshop; trousers, zara; necklace, apres ski; shirt, tba.

spotlight on: paper & chain

So my Christmas list has already been growing fairly steadily (never mind the fact I've only just had a birthday...), with a helping hand from this week's opening of online jewellery store Paper & Chain. The creation of two best friends, one a Jewellery & Silversmithing graduate and the other Fine Art, Paper & Chain's Vega and Catena collections are everything I want to be wearing jewellery-wise right now. Their elegant geometric pieces in silver or brass are unique but affordable, and totally channelling all the sleek, classic-with-a-twist looks I have in mind for this winter. I'm sure I don't need to repeat my much chronicled love of the hipster triangle, but Paper & Chain's take on geometric shapes is refreshingly simple, delicate and unpretentious.

These are a few of my favourite picks from the store... Just consider this blog one big Christmas list, yeah? Hi, Mum. Hi, boyfriend.

hex trio necklace

catena leather bracelet

chevron necklace

arrow ring

vega ring

vega pendant
all pictures by paper & chain

happy birthday to me

YOU GUYS, I'VE BEEN KEEPING A SECRET FROM YOU. I seriously don't know how I've held it in, I could barely contain myself... For the past few weeks, I've been anxiously awaiting the day when I could break this bad boy out and show him off. I present to you... the Acne Smith suede biker jacket.

I'd been lusting after it for a long, long time and then I came across just one, seriously reduced, in my size. And Tuesday having been my birthday, I finally get to take him for a spin. (At this point I should probably add 'thank you, darling boyfriend'.) IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL. EEEEE. Phew, okay.

I know some of you might not be quite as excited about this as I am, but that's ok... Me and Smith, we're in love, and we don't need your approval.

P.S. I got some other pretty cool presents too!

nothing like a set of novelty salt & pepper shakers, eh? all from urban outfitters.