FESTIVAL STYLE // Palm tree print tee

Festival style for me is all about having fun with colours, prints and textures. My favourite print this season? Tropical print. Think palm trees and pineapples. Tropical print is increasingly cropping up on the high street - so much so, that it's edging it's way into homeware and interiors too, what with copper pineapple ornaments and green leafy cushions. Whilst floral crowns continue to be the go to fashion accessory to complete your look this festival season, why not take the inspired-by-nature look one step further with palm tree print?

My favourite offering on the high street right now has to be this palm tree cami. Super, super soft and lightweight, it's the perfect layering piece, should your festival go from thunderstorms and muddy puddles to heatwave (we can dream!)

For my festival inspired look, I teamed with white cut off shorts and sandals. Forever optimistic, I incorporated peep toe sandals into my festival look as by some stroke of luck, I haven't yet been to a festival where it's been muddy or raining!

Therapy tropical / palm tree print top* - £20

I love the different shape of the neckline and straps, rendering it not quite halter neck, but also not a traditional strappy top as we know it either. I find some tops look better worn with a skirt / shorts / trousers [delete as appropriate], however this isn't the case with this top which seems to go with everything! It's a truly versatile piece which looks equally good with crisp white jeans as it does with denim cut offs.

Now I'm festival ready, all I need now is a cider in my hand and a festival to go! Who's with me?

*Top very kindly provided by House of Fraser, love of festival style and tropical print my own!

7 things to do during the Easter holidays. And more importantly... what to wear

Easter is finally here! Now comes the task of deciding what to do on these glorious days off from work. And more importantly, what to wear (always a quandary!) So with today's post comes an Easter post with a difference. Instead of overloading you with Easter eggs and Easter gift guides, I'll be sharing ideas of things to do during the Easter break and styling an outfit for each occasion. Be sure to let me know your favourite look!

Spring time walks
Whether by the sea or in the woods, it's the perfect time of year for a walk. It's milder out, and the sky is gradually looking cheerier and less pissed off. It's this time of year that nature's prettiest buds and blooms are begging to be photographed. It's still a little bit damp underfoot given recent weather, so a good pair of boots is a must. As is a rucksack and a cosy knit. If you're less about nature and are in London this Easter, why not try a city walking tour? Some are guided and you'll need to pay for, otherwise you can find plenty of free walks and maps for them on the web. There are so many to choose from including themed ones from the likes of Harry Potter, Jack the Ripper and so on.

Boots   //   White rucksack   // Ring    //   Roll neck jumper   // Jeans

Day trip
Be it a museum, art gallery or zoo, why not be a tourist for the day? If you're in London over Easter, catch the new Lands of the Lions exhibit at London Zoo which will transport you from London to India's Gir like that. Or if you have children or younger family members to entertain, why not try the Where's Wally experience at the Shard? Fashionistas will love the Vogue exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. For days like these, wear light layers with a light cover-up - because rain is always sadly a possibility! - and shoes that won't rip your feet to shreds in the first ten minutes!

Light blue coat //  Marble watch //  Blue jeans // Necklace // White rucksack //  White sneakers // White sweater

Brunch with the girls
I love going for brunch on my days off. During the week I have a rushed bowl of cereal before work and never really get to sit down and enjoy what I'm eating. So going out for breakfast / brunch is always some what of a treat for me. The Breakfast Club is a popular choice, but if you can't face the queues why not try Bill's or Duck and Waffle? Wear wardrobe staples in neutrals and tans with pops of colour here and there, dressed up with a pair of heels. Heels or wedges will take you from casual to chic in less than 60 seconds. A trench coat at this time of year always ticks all the right boxes too. Think small ish bag. You won't need to carry much - just a phone to Instagram that avocado toast, right?

Tan shoes //  Rib camel top //  Red clutch // Denim skirt

Picnic
Weather permitting of course! Bring your finest picnic blanket, fancy patterned cups, plates and napkins and maybe a thermos of soup / hot chocolate / both should there be a chill in the air. I just love this half moon picnic hamper set (below) - so unusually shaped, but in that white aesthetic that all us bloggers have come to love. Currently 50% off in the sale, it's a Spring must have. And now get ready for an abnormally wide image.... #LucyFail

Black jeans //  Striped bardot top // Straw bag  // Floral napkins //  Picnic basket

Yellow napkins //  Gold napkins // Shoes  // Colour glasses

Shopping
Because stepping into Spring requires a new wardrobe right? A rookie mistake I make every time I go shopping is taking too thick a jumper or too bulky a coat which then I have to cart around with me. So wear a thinner jacket like a blazer or a leather jacket. I like to wear ankle boots when I'm out shopping - I don't mind wearing heels as I'm losing stamina in my old age and not at the shops for hours on end like I used to be. So heels are now doable. But if you tend to spend most of the day at the shops and / or tire of heeled boots easily, why not opt for some white sneakers? (see "day trip")

Blue jeans // White lace blouse // Yellow bag  // Tan leather jacket // Ankle boots // Sunglasses

Cinema
I know that you can go to the cinema any time and that it's hardly Easter specific, but it's worth noting that some pretty epic films have been released lately - Batman v Superman is this Easter's must see! Cinema temperatures are always so unpredictable and can go from being toasty as to who-the-fuck-turned-on-the-aircon? So I always like to bring something cosy with me like a blanket cape or a scarf. A fluffy faux fur jacket will work equally well here.

Knee high boots //  Black faux fur coat //  Grey jeans // Paisley top // Cream faux fur coat

Easter baking, games & crafts
Baking being something I'm statistically very likely to be doing this weekend! Why not invite a friend over and make some Easter treats? Pinterest is full of inspiring Easter arts, crafts and bakes. And why not dig out family favourites like card games and board games? Always good for a giggle! When it comes to baking and crafting, opt for casual items of clothing that don't have fussy washing instructions - you don't want to be getting your dry clean only items ruined! This dungaree playsuit fits the bill perfectly. As good as it looks with a white tee underneath, I really like how dungarees look with printed blouses and shirts. I especially love this powder blue kitty blouse.

Cat print shirt //  Dungaree jumpsuit //  UNO // Kerplunk  //  Copper recipe stand // Marble cake stand

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I think my favourite outfit has to be "brunch with the girls" - although "cinema" and "shopping" are close contenders! I am heavily coveting the white backpack. tan heels, camel top, denim skirt, pale blue jeans, yellow bag, lace top, everything from the "cinema" look, the dungarees, the cat shirt... who I am kidding?! I want and love them all! <3

Which look is your favourite?

The perfect Little Black Dress

What makes the perfect Little Black Dress? Maxi, midi or mini? Body con or a looser fit? Long sleeves, short sleeves, spaghetti straps or strapless? I have my own ideas about what constitutes the perfect LBD, but never did I expect to say body con. This sort of dress says to me... office worker, bank employee or contestant on The Apprentice. But I stand corrected. Recently House of Fraser very kindly sent me a dress for review purposes. I love a black dress as much as the next person, but body con scares the bejesus out of me. I used to wear these sorts of dresses all the time when I worked in a bank, but that was a good few years ago. Way before I developed an addiction to burgers and along with it, hips the size of a small country. But I remained open minded.

When I received the dress what first struck me was how lovely the material was. When I've worn this sort of style before, it was very much office wear so was tailored, tight material that wasn't very comfortable at all. This dress from their Therapy concession range is light, stretchy, forgiving and definitely not stiff like traditional work wear. What impressed me the most was how flattering a dress it was. It creates curves in the right places and sucks you in at the waist, creating a beautiful silhouette. That morning I expected to try it on, take some outfit pictures, and then change into something else for the rest of the day. But oh the comfort. I ended up wearing the dress all day long.

As the dress fit so well and is so classic, I decided to keep my look relatively simple opting for white heels to keep the look monochrome and only wore simple jewellery so as to make the dress the main focal point.

I always thought these sorts of dresses to be office appropriate only, but the dress was the perfect fit and I felt so unbelievably confident in it (something I never thought to be possible in body con!) that I will definitely be wearing this for social occasions outside of work. In fact I'll be wearing it for a date this weekend - body con for the win!

The perfect night in // Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day. The marmite event of the year. Some people love it, some people hate it. The one thing I really dislike about Valentine's Day is the amount of pressure this day places on you. The pressure to spend, spend, spend or risk looking like a bad boyfriend / girlfriend if you don't. The pressure of having the best possible night (much like New Years Eve). And lastly the pressure of looking your absolute best. Notably for women. There are magazines, newspapers and advertising left, right and centre saying that you should be wearing a body con dress you can't breathe in, you should be risking your neck in skyscraper heels, and you should be wearing swanky underwear. I don't like being told what to do, what to wear and how to act. If you love someone you should show them the same level of love and respect all year long - not just on the 14th because the card companies told you so.

But it doesn't have to be like this. Why not stay at home and recreate a meal out or a night at a hotel? Lounge around in white fluffy bath robes, light some candles, wine and dine one another, and just be yourselves. Lots of the supermarkets have 2-for-1 inspired meal deals making it far better value for money than dining out. Also there are lots of lovely pieces of homeware out there that won't cost an arm and a leg and can be used time and time again for other special occasions. Consider it an investment. And it'll work out tons cheaper than that hotel, trust me.

Here are my Valentine's Day essentials for the perfect night in:

Yankee Candle //  The White Company unisex bath robe //  Hotel Chocolat sparkling pink rosé // framed print

 Swoon sensual massage gift set  // Glass bowls & oak board set // Goblets // Faux flowers in vase // heart jars  

 Embellished bedding // Heart cushion // Hotel Chocolat pink champagne truffles // Topshop lingerie

My ideal night in would include; dim lighting with candles everywhere possible, new / clean bedding, cooking our own three course meal just the two of us, a bottle of wine (in an ideal world, Malbec), nice lingerie, massages, sharing a bath together, bath robes, and afterwards lounge around watching movies in bed. With chocolate of course. 

I'm really into interiors at the moment - particularly glassware it seems. The heart jars would be ideal for homemade desserts like cheesecake or an ice cream sundae with brownie pieces and lots of cream on top. Very Pinterest. The same goes with the glass bowls on that beautiful oak board. And I'm pretty sure those wine glasses aren't called goblets on the Next website... but they looked regal enough to be called goblets. And that bedding though. SWOON.

What have you got planned for Valentine's Day?

Want to read more? Feel free to have a nose through some of my other Valentine's Day posts....

1. The funniest and most inappropriate Valentine's Day cards guaranteed to make you chuckle 
2. How you know if he's a keeper
3. Alternative Valentine's Day gifts which AREN'T red roses
4. Love in pictures

House of Fraser Style Challenge

When I first heard about House of Fraser's latest competition [competition now closed] to win an amazing £200 worth of House of Fraser vouchers, I knew my chances were slim, but I'm a glass half full kind of girl. The competition requirements? To pick out items from the House of Fraser website and blog about an outfit, beauty look, or room inspired by one of the following cities:

• London
• Paris
• Milan
• New York
• Tokyo

Try and guess which city I've picked...

The city I have chosen has one of the most striking examples of street style in the world. With this city, one word comes to mind - which I can't disclose or it'll give the game away! - this word describes a particular district in the city noted for its street style consisting of bold colours, clashing prints and textures, and feminine touches of frills, bows and lace for a doll lolitta look. This is a city I'd love to visit one day.

My look:

Rucksack  //  Wedges //  Knee high socks  //  Blouse //  Skirt

What I love about the pieces I've picked:

I love all the splashes of colour - ranging from the salmon pink ribbon to the electric blue wedges. Heels worn with knee high socks or stockings is a personal favourite of mine and can instantly transform your look. These knee highs from House of Fraser are bamboo ones - so you just know they'd be amazingly soft on your skin. The skirt and blouse are not only cute, but excellent value for money (both less than £20 each!). The rucksack adds another splash of colour (and print!) to the look and I love the contrast of the blue with the chocolate coloured buckles / straps.

Have you guessed which city I based my look on?

House of Fraser Style Challenge

Recently the House of Fraser team got in touch, inviting bloggers like myself to create an A/W look using items from their website to be in with a chance of winning £200 of vouchers [competition now closed]. I love House of Fraser and thought I’d give it a go – how hard could it be?

And the answer my friends is hard. Very hard. House of Fraser has an impressive and wide range of clothing and accessories online which made picking out only a few items very daunting indeed. And then suddenly I found the most beautiful coat on their website which I just knew I had to build my look around. Here is my entry:

 

Underneath the coat, I would wear this metallic piece of knitwear loosely tucked into this pleated skirt (minus the belt). The coat would be worn open on top of these but I would clinch it in at the waist using the belt from the skirt to emphasise my small (ish) waist. As the British weather is so unpredictable, I would wear these cheeky stockings underneath the skirt so that if it warmed up over the course of the day, they could be easily removed and kept in my handbag if needs be. I decided to toughen up the look with these leather gloves and these military style ankle boots. I loved the edginess of the gloves with the buckle detail – they would be perfect for those icy cold mornings that will soon be upon us!

My autumn/winter look is heavily inspired by Burberry Prorsum’s A/W 2012 collection which featured knee length skirts and outerwear clinched in at the waist with belts:

Whist I still adore the Burberry coat Cara Delevingne is wearing, I do honestly think that the House of Fraser one I found could give it a run for its money! Not only is it a fraction of the price, but check out that print! Breathtaking.

I picked out these items in particular as not only are they beautiful to look at, but they are also timeless pieces that will never go out of style – so well worth the investment! And if Fashion ever told me that any of my items were “out”, I simply wouldn’t listen. I would continue to wear them and love them the same.

Another great thing about this outfit is that it could be worn anywhere. It’s perfect to wear to work but wouldn’t look out of place for after work drinks. I find it’s smart and comfortable without being too formal.

Would you wear an outfit like this?