Dressing up games

Alright lovelies! I promised I'd share some more of those Ian Jamieson photos I had done...and here is the next set! The Read All About Me set of images were done specifically for my blog publicity - but this set were really just for fun.

This is a dress that James bought me for my birthday, when a jumpsuit he originally chose for me didn't fit. We chose this together on our little shopping trip to Westfield Stratford. Hard to tell from a photograph - but the colour is a lovely rusty orangey-red - and surprisingly it is from Topshop. I say surprisingly, because I normally don't buy from Topshop unless during a sale-rail scenario, my pocket just can't afford it. The thick material on this dress, also means I'll be able to wear it throughout winter.

In the top two photos I paired this dress with a River Island belt bought a couple of years ago, a ring from Past Times, and my M&S leopard print tights which you might remember from my previous post.

After looking at the first photos in the back of the camera I thought I looked a bit manly, although photographer Ian kindly said he liked the androgynous Peter-Pan look I had going on. Anyhow, I decided to girl-up my look a bit...

I changed my belt for a vintage 80s one that was my mum's, a necklace from Topshop that my sister bought me for my birthday, and an Accessorize silk scarf. I felt much happier in this combo, and truthfully this is more like how I'd style this dress for 'actual' wearing.

I believe Desperate Scousewives is just starting, it will be like going home - did you know I'm from that neck of the woods? ...well I'm actually from Liverpool's more reserved cousin, Southport. But my Dad is scouse, born 'n' bred. Liverpool is in a league of its own when it comes to style - the girls wear their tan thick, their hair big and their heels high. There is no where more glamorous. And that thing about the girls wearing rollers to go shopping, it isn't a joke. Just read this column I wrote in February this year...regardless I won't be watching Desperate Scousewives, I can't be doing with these fake reality programmes. Scenes created for entertainment purposes - purrlease.

I've got one more set of photos from the fabulous Ian Jamieson to show you, but I might share them at the weekend. What do you think of these shots? Which look do you prefer?...And did you watch Desperate Scousewives?

What I Wore: T'other Day

I've not been feeling very stylish this week as I've been off on 'holiday' - although I've been at home, so lets call it a break instead! James has had a bit of time off too so we've just been getting the house sorted and doing a bit of Christmas shopping, even though I'm not really feeling inspired, fun times.

So this is a recent work outfit, which you may noticed is accessorised by a small cat. Very chic.

Here are the details:
♥ Leopard print skirt, Forever 21. I bought this about a month ago on my trip to Westfield Stratford - it was the first time I'd been in a Forever 21 and I was quite impressed by some of the stuff and the prices. This skirt is going to be a winter favourite - I love me some leopard print, even more than Bet Lynch.
♥ White Tee & Black batwinged cardi, both from Primark. The cardi I've had for ages because I love the shape and the T-shirt washes so well and was about £2, which is beyond a bargain.
♥ Tights are Charnos - of course. From last year I think, I love the gorgeous deep wine, maroon colour, which instantly winter-izes my wardrobe.
♥ Boots - not that you can see them very well - are from Topshop a few years ago. They have a fab fringe down the outside which I think is a nice twist. The only thing I don't like about them is that they are completely flat so don't offer much support...God, I sound old.
♥Big beaded necklace is, surprisingly, another Primark purchase. People often compliment me on this oversized piece of jewellery, and are always amazed it is from Primarni.
♥ Black flower clip is from H&M. It is a good one to distract from my currently shapeless hair - damn the grow-out!

Meeting up with a couple of friends tomorrow and hopefully going to see at least one film, over the past couple of weeks I've seen Breaking Dawn, In Time and Tintin - I enjoyed the first two and fell asleep during the third, perhaps I really am getting old...

Read All About Me

As most of you will realise, my blog images are mainly made up of photos of my holding my lil' digital camera (actually James' digital camera) at arms length. Needless to say, not the best photos. So a friend of mine, awesome photographer, Ian Jamieson -you may remember the images he did of me a while back- agreed to do some funky new blog publicity images. These are so I can represent the blog and myself with something better than a blurred and discoloured arm-length snap. Amazeballs.

Ian has been a photographer for some time, but has taken his former hobby into a full time career over the past year or so and did these photos for me a couple of weeks ago. I always feel comfortable with Ian taking my photos - although he is not much of a fan of my gurning faces (the cheesy one above is a good example) - he does have a very good eye for what makes a strong fashion photo.

He took some other photos too in a few different outfits, which I'll share with you later this week. I think it must be because we are the 'Facebook generation' but having your photo taken and published is normal to most of us - so where I once upon a was nervous having my photo taken - now it is quite fun.

I wore my bespoke T-shirt, the slogan is about me, but probably not about what you think. It is not about the blog or my former role as a fashion columnist, but it is rather fitting for the blog - don't cha think? 

What I Wore: A Spooky Week Ago

 

We went to a late party on Saturday, which was a bonfire-cum-late-Halloween affair - hence why, two weeks after Halloween I'm showing you a fancy dress outfit! As you can see, there isn't much fancy about it, because by the time I knew I was going to said party, Halloween had been and gone and the shops were all-out of party supplies.

So I had to freestyle. So 'modern vampire' was my look, I used made up and even some dark eyeshadow for contouring on my cheeks to create a 'vampy' look. Then I donned some fake lashes, purple and red lipstick and some fake blood - and ta-dar! I also back combed and slicked back my hair using wet-look gel, and I actually really like this effect and may re-create the hair for a night out.

What I wore:
♥ M&S Thermal lace top - which I lurrrve at the moment. Obvs.
♥ A strange see-through dress, I bought this from TK Maxx about a year ago. This is the first time I've worn it, mainly because I've never been sure what to wear it with, and it only cost me a fiver.
♥ Fringed leggings. I got these in a Topshop sale over the summer for (again) a fiver. Random, but quite funky and good under long tops. Very long tops.
♥ Belt, Warehouse.
♥ Awesome spider ring - one of three of a set I bought from H&M last week - quite gothic, non?

James went to the party as Dexter, sadly no one watches Dexter apart from us, apparently, so he was just a guy in a green top, gloves and some blood on his face.

For actual Halloween I baked some spooky cupcakes for my colleagues at Nobull and for my neighbours...

I made them with sticky Mars bar bases, chocolate sponge, and vanilla icing, complete with handmade chocolate and sweet bugs! They went down a treat at work and looking at the pictures is making me mighty hungry now, so going to post this before I start licking the computer screen.

What did everyone else do for Halloween? Any good fancy dresses?

Legs out - for National Stockings Day!

Just over a week ago I got my kit off in public. Not all of my kit, just, you know, most of it. So, you ask - have times become so hard you have resorted to stripping? Not quite...I was helping celebrate National Stockings Day!

I am currently freelancing for fabulous PR agency Nobull Communications, and one of the clients I am helping to promote is none other than British hosiery brand, Charnos. So to cut a long story short, myself and fellow Nobull-ites Ali and Vic headed into London to cause quite a stir in our sexy stockings, encourage others to wear them, and raise money for Breast Cancer Care.

We modelled three of the, quite simply stunning, Charnos 75th range of hosiery released to promote the brand's landmark birthday. The products in collection are named after iconic sexy starlets so we each took on the names of our stockings we wore, I became 'Ava', Ali became 'Marilyn' and Vic became 'Katharine'.

Those who know me will also know I am a bit of a prude when it comes to taking my clothes off, and knowing I was going to be standing next to two stunning and super slim girlies caused me quite a few worries about my wobbly bits being on show. Thankfully a pair of Charnos sheers underneath my stockings preserved quite a bit of my dignity, as did a sexy thermal top from M&S (which will definitely be worn with a little black skirt over Christmas). To prepare my thighs for public exposure I had, of course, been slathering them in my latest wonder-product, Elemis's pro-collagen body cream, and trying to eat a few less cakes.

Image above by Rick Findler

At 5.30am we headed out in our sexy little outfits and quite literally stopped traffic when we took part in a photoshoot at Piccadilly Circus for National News and Pictures photographer Rick Findler. We dropped samples to celebs and gave out free stockings to members of the public. We even visited Johnny Vaughn and Lisa Snowdon at Capital FM...Johnny was quite a fan of our outfits!

We kept our eyes peeled and we spotted coverage from; The Metro, The Scottish Sun, Orange, Pictures of the Day, plus blogs and lots of coverage through Twitter!

You can find out more about what we got up to and how you can donate to Breast Cancer Care here and if you like the look of our stockings you buy them online here.