Absolute Mustard

“Yes. And also, if it's okay by you, I'd like to shut up now... Or possibly just go somewhere and swallow my face.” Lesley Livingston

 

Asos Mustard Pencil dress -similar idea here

Primark Spotty Jumper-similar here

 

 

Totally down styled a dress today. It's like magic.  This dress is usually a very dressy dress, a night out kinda of dress.  A sexy trying to impress dress.  But if by magic, I am able to wear it to work today.  With the help of a magic jumper.  Love this mustard colour and blue together.  Something I never would have worn before or put together before this challenge. Nice to wear colour rather than black or white paired with something colour. 

This photo shows the top of the dress which I have concealed with the jumper & made it look like a mustard pencil skirt. Ta Da!!!

 

To give you a laugh on a Monday morning as I like to entertain my readers as much as possible.  When I started this challenge, I knew that I would make mistakes. And I have, sometimes I have worn an outfit and the next day I have been like Oh no, that actually didn't work.  But that is what this year is about.  It is a learning curve for me, finding my own style, putting thought into my outfits, trying to be more fashionable.

 

But in the process of trying to be more fashionable, I forgot that 5 out of the 7 days I have to have a fashionable WORK outfit.  Well I didn't forget.  I just made a boo boo.  Last week, I wrote a post and at the end posed the question of how short is short for wearing a skirt for work. When I was walking to work I knew I was wearing a short skirt, it was a bit breezy around my lower region.  But I told myself I was imaging things or over thinking it in my head.  The skirt was never that short on me and if I was right then it was barely covering my cheeks.  I must have done something to it. Spot the blonde.  Also, spot the person who could not bend over in work but must have forgot cause my boss laughed at me and pulled me up on it.  AHHHHH! FACEPALM. 

 

So embarrassing! I must have made it smaller or something in the wash.  But now I am really worried about what actual length of skirt is acceptable for work? My work is mainly smart casual.  I have some lovely skirts that look lovely with shirts but are above the knee.  Not as short as that one!!! Just slightly above the knee.  When I started this job I never got a yes or no list of things to wear.  It isn't a proper office based job either, I am working in fashion so I like to look nice and fun.  So should I ban all my skirts that aren't below the knee? But if I am wearing tights in winter is slightly above the knee ok?? Uuuuuhhhhh I don't know.

Waking up

"Our life is made up of time. Our days are measured in hours, our pay measured by those hours, our knowledge is measured by years. And yet time eventually runs out and you wonder in your heart of hearts if those seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years and decades were being spent the best way they possibly could.” Celica Ahern

Topshop Drape black blouse-similar here

Asos Wrap skirt

Warehouse neon necklace

 

I am getting very bad at this blogging thing.  I know, I am very sorry. Last you heard from me I was leaving on a jet plane to support my boyfriend in a model competition in London for 12 hours.  It literally took me 4 days to recover from it saying that I arrived, partied, had about 3 hours sleep then up on the plane home & straight into work for half 9.  It was a great night & coco did amazing even if he didn't win.  He did so well that I might be blogging from London in the future ;)

 

Not one to exaggerate but I felt like a prostitute that night.  Not that I didn't feel good with what I was wearing or confidence in myself but in the sense of I felt I was very smouldering & sexy compared to everyone.  Don't get me wrong, it's not that everyone else wasn't dressed up but everyone was wearing quirky outfits. Crop tops & baggy leggings, sequin backless dresses & big wedge ankle boot heels, baggy tshirt dresses and one girl was wearing grey dungarees and a black crop top.  While I arrive in a tight, short black leather dress and then left in a tight, short black leather dress from my boyfriend's hotel room at 6am in the morning.  Maybe I am twisting it to sound funnier than it was.  It was a good night overall.

 

Other than that, I feel that I have just woke up.  I can't believe that a week has gone since I blogged.  Nothing has happened since then but it doesn't seem that a week has gone pass.  Time is going so quickly.  7 months in and I haven't bought anything.  I can't believe it is 7 months, I can't get it in my head at all. 

 

Houston, we have a problem though.  The next 3-4 months are usually when I buy all my clothes in the sort of annual year. I don't know why but this is the time I find, I usually have a wee bit more disposable income.  Last year I spent £2000 in 3 months on clothes.  That's a lot, I don't know what I spent it on but I just remember working it out when I started this challenge. Scary biscuits.  I am heavily relying on my birthday presents at the moment.  Today I am wearing my new necklace that was gifted to me from Warehouse and the black wrap skirt that Connor got me for my birthday.  I am reverting back to my old ways, only wearing something new.  I need to go through my wardrobe again and remind myself what I have. 

 

Laurina's top secret successful tip to trying to not to buy clothes

• Go through your wardrobe once a month to remind yourself what you already have.  It is so easy to forget.

You are welcome.

Belfast's got Talent





“Everyone has talent. What's rare is the courage to follow it to the dark places where it leads.” Erica Long 

 

 

Asos Crop grey top

Stills Maxi Skirt

 

 

Its a Saturday. And I am in work, just one of those weeks were everything is non stop. All I would like to do is lie out in the sun & enjoy it but aw well. Its a teaching session actually, all the UK agents have come over to our showroom in Belfast to discuss the best way to sell a range to a customer. Our London HQ has acknowledged that Belfast is leading the way for buying our brands of Sandwich, Stills and Turnover.

 

Belfast at the moment seems the place to be. Well to be précised Northern Ireland.  Radio One big Weekend, The Fall, Dr. Leah from the Apprentice, you name it, Northern Ireland is slowly sneaking it's way into conversation across the UK and it's actually for positive things!!! 

 

Just before my birthday, I meet with the girls who look after the PR forleading high street retailer, Warehouse. Effortless trendy, Warehouse has shops across Northern Ireland & the UK and stands out compared to other brands for its laid back chic to the shop who go to for your dressed up dresswear.

 

 

(Check out the Neon necklace that Warehouse gifted me! I have wore it to death since they gave it to me! Looks gorgeous with a tan & goes with so many things!)

 

I was kinda a bit like, why do you want to meet with me when they emailed? But it was literally a girly chat about their plans for Belfast.  If I hadn't have had to go back to work after our lunch, I know we probably would have ended up in the merchant drinking cocktails all night. (Their favourite thing at the moment is Jamie Dornan from The Fall! Sadly he is married if you didn't know. Crew hearts breaking across UK.) 



 

To celebrate that they are opening a new store in Victoria Square, Belfast, they are launching a Talent Spot competition.  Now I am pretty talentless. Can't sing, dance, draw, play an instrument. I am pretty much like Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality.  I am actually not even sure I can do the water glass music thing she does in the movie.

 

Warehouse necklace, accessorised with a gorgeous boyfriend. Boyfriend not available to buy in Warehouse

 

 

Over the next few weeks, there will be teams across Belfast City centre scouring for talented people or you can simply apply on line. Anything that you are good at, apply and show off your skills. Are you a singer? A designer? A writer? A film maker? Anything! They are literally looking to showcase the amazing talent that Belfast has to offer. The chosen will have their work showcased at the brand new Victoria Square store through out the opening week in September.

 

Keep an eye out for me making an appearance with my water glass music!!!

Send entries to talent@warehouse.co.uk

If you want more info on the competition, check out the site:

Warehouse Belfast Talent Spot

By George!

"I love going to my supermarket.  Sounds so Rock n Roll, doesn't it?" Rachel Stevens

White Zara Blazer

H&M Black Playsuit-similar here

 

 

So 3 amazing things happened last night, 1) Belfast Fashionweek opened with a bang 2) A blizzard has blanketed Northern Ireland in snow 3) I went to bed with one of the boys from Hanson.  So here, I am again rocking the monochrome look again.  I had a completely different outfit planned, tried it on for my housemates and they oooohhed and ahhhhhed on wednesday night but I changed my mind in work yesterday.  I wanted to rock this look with bare legs but it was way too cold so has been logged in my brain to re use over the summer.  That is if we ever get a summer.  Now I was pretty proud of myself last night, since starting to blog I try to follow as many blogs as possible near and wide, fashion to travel to beauty.  Most beauty bloggers will do vlogs (video blogs) on how to do a certain make up trend so I had this idea in my head of Mary-Kate Oslen and braids for a hairstyle.  As usual I had no time to fit in a hair appointment with work so I thought aw I will watch a vlog on youtube and give it a go! Well could we not be sisters?!?!  HA

 

I was accompanied to George at BFW by my lovely BFF Mis Zoe J Watson.She looked beaut as ever but of course, she had to wear the one thing that I have lusted after since starting this challenge. These beaut Zara kitten heels, £30.  They are the only thing in 3 months of not shopping that I have looked at and went omg I need them in my life. What kind of best friend is that?

 

Zara Chain Court Shoe

 

 

So new season, new venue for Belfast Fashion week and I must say I loved the change of scene.  This year, it is being held in the Ulster Museum.  No joke but I was sitting front row, watching the gorgeous models strut past in their clothes with the bones of a dinosaur behind them. Interesting to say the least. Rather than a raised catwalk, it was a simple white ground catwalk that wrapped around the room.  To me, it felt more relaxed as the models were so close rather than on a raised platform so the atmosphere had a subtle difference to the norm but I liked it. I kept trying to make my housemate Jayne and my BFF Jenny who were both in the show laugh when they walked past! Ooooopppsss ;) 

 

 

 

 

I was really impressed with George at Asda last night.  The colours were perfectly on trend, neon, floral, all white and everything could have been designer chic. Loved the wedge trainers too! They were a favourite of mine, especially the all grey ones as I haven't even seen that colour in the big high street shops.  The girls hair was curled to an inch of its life by the wonderful creative team from Andrew Mulvenna while the boys was simple and straight. (Hence why I went to bed with one of the boys from Hanson, Connor's hair is usually a mess of curls, never have I seen it look so neat!) The make up, done by the fab Paddy McGurgan and his team was a simple white eye and a colour pop lip of pastel colours. Here are some of my favourite looks from the catwalk.

 

 

Caitlyn - White Scuba Dress £16

Connor aka my cocopops - Vintage Hawailan Print Swimshorts £7

Jayne - Yellow Boucle Dress £18

Jenny - Pink dress with Black Cut Out £18

 

 

Finola - Palm Print Swimsuit £12

 

 







That's one thing I will miss being able to buy this year. Bikinis!!! George had some lovely ones, most of the stock shown last night was from their High Summer collection which will be in the shops soon so definately keep an eye out for it! 10/10 from me!

Blinding lights

“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the colour purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.” Alice Walker, The Colour Purple

Guees Yellow casual Jacket- similar here 

Primark Striped top - similar here 

Hollister Skinnies ripped 

Navy Converse 

Zara Tie Fur Ankle Boots - similar here 

Links of London Sweetie Bracelet 

Chloe Bo Bracelets 

Over the last few weeks, I have done a few interviews for local magazines and newspaper and one question I was asked repeatedly was "which spring/summer trend am I looking forward to wearing?" All of them! I love the monochrome, the flower prints, leather, 90's, all white and finally neon.

Now all of these I can easily say that I have bits and pieces in my wardrobe that I can attempt to replicate each of these trends. The only one that I thought that I wouldn't have anything of was of course neon. So diving into my wardrobe and I am surprised. I am a very plain Jane dresser, not too many over the top whacky prints, some colour but mostly black, white, red and that's it. Or so I thought. I found neon colours!! Tops, play suits, jackets, skirts. Boom! Sometimes I even surprise myself. The above photo is my take on the spring/summer trend of neon!  I had seen this look on Pinterest and loved it. However after taking these photos, I did think I was a bit too casual for work.  Granted we aren't selling at the minute and I am repricing the samples and tidying but still, I thought it was too laid back.  It's the difference between a yellow blazer and a yellow hoodie/jacket that I have.  Hence why I am wearing two different pairs of shoes.  I changed from converse to lace boots with a heel to make it more work friendly.

But say if I could buy neon things, what would my key pieces be for this season???

I love this sundress from Asos. Link here : Asos Cut out Sundress Perfect for throwing on after lounging on a beach all day. *sigh*

I love these, I want this. They would be perfect with jeans or a grey skirt. Zara Vamp electric blue heel

Orange you say?!? I saw this and was like hmmmm I don't know if I would wear this but teamed with a white shirt to cool it down or a denim shirt I def think it could work.  That's the great thing about this challenge, I am definately trying more looks that I would have been have been scared to do before. Topshop Orange Skater Skirt

You know what I just realised?!? I can buy nail polishes!!! Neon nail polishes! Haha I feel like I have cheated my own system!