London Fashion Week highlights

I didn't go to London Fashion Week this year. I never have and don't think I ever will (the chances of me ever receiving an invite to a show being a million to one!). But that's ok. Even though I'm chained to my desk in a 9-5 London office job, I still love following LFW and admiring from afar. To me it doesn't matter if I'm physically at the shows or not - I still find them inspiring. Some looks are obviously more wearable than others... but those that are less so, can still be respected as the works of art that they are. Here are my favourite SS16 collections this year:

Julien Macdonald

Julien's collection for me felt very Game of Thrones, and showcased a strong and powerful woman. His metallic dresses were like armour -  but with a slinky and womenly silhouette. I always find the cut of his dresses incredible - he really understands the female form and how to dress it.

Burberry 

Burberry always features the best coats. But as well as the standard shearling jackets and long coats that I come to expect each season, this season also featured some eye-catching prints with jewelled, metallic details. I especially love the mini dress that looks as though it took its inspiration from a stained glass window.

Holly Fulton

Oh Holly Fulton, I dub thee Queen of the Prints. And oh, that black and white shirt though <3

David Koma

My favourites from the collection included beautifully tailored grey jackets, wrap around skirts and dresses, and spaghetti straps. My top picks? The long grey coat and the black long sleeved off the shoulder top worn with leather trousers.

Alexander McQueen

When I think of McQueen, I usually expect a gothic collection mainly comprising of lace and  black clothing. So the McQueen SS16 collection with it's nude colour palette surprised me. The collection remains edgy, but also has a romantic and ethereal feel. I loved the intricate details of the embossed nude coat and the metallic dress - both of which are pure art.

Topshop Unique

If I had to summarise in a few words... socks worn with heels,over-sized jackets and coats, checked prints, and fur stoles slung over camisoles. My favourite look has to be the over-sized checked blazer worn with the leather trousers - the heels and cropped camisole giving it just the right amount of femininity.

Which was your favourite collection this year?

** Image credit: London Fashion Week website **

A few days by the sea, windswept Snapchats and the best hot chocolate

...and now the final of my posts on Bristol and Weston-Super-Mare! Those of you around for part one and part two will remember my local foodie recommendations for if you're ever in the area, and where I stayed. Never has a place given me such wallpaper envy. I came home wanting to white wash my lilac walls and paper over it all. It was the perfect, cosiest little B&B to rest our weary feet and warm up after a day out in the cold.

The moment when I heard the clippity clop of horse hooves and was really confused (it was the most unlikely road to be seeing horses on!)

During our stay we'd spent most of our time walking along the coast and exploring the pier. Weston-Super-Mare is a lovely little seaside town which had a nice feel about it. It wasn't crazy packed like Brighton is (which was refreshing). It was so nice to go to a new place, not have any preconceptions of it, and to just live it and explore it for yourself.

The pier was incredible. I have never seen one like it. Inside they had every game imaginable. Driving games, simulators, slot machines, first person shooters.... but set on different levels. It also had space for bigger forms of entertainment - such as a fun house, hall of mirrors, laser quest, and a multi level go-karting track which looked really fun.

After getting blown around like crazy on the pier and lots of interesting windswept Snapchats later, we wandered further into town to try and track down a candy store that had been recommended to us for the best seaside sticks of rock and honeycomb (the latter being my favourite which I tried making here). Sadly it wasn't the right season for this particular store and it was closed. So fingers crossed for next time!

Whilst I love playing crazy golf by the coast, it was too windy a day for it, so we went in search of a coffee shop to warm up our icy hands. We opted for Caffe Nero - somewhere I never hear raved about as much as the other coffee chains here in the UK, and wrongly so, because Caffe Nero does the best hot chocolate. Our table ordered a selection of hot and cold drinks, but the real show stoppers were Caffe Nero's standard hot chocolate topped with marshmallows and cream, and their Milano (the winner by far).

The Milano is like drinking a cup of melted chocolate. It's not as sweet as traditional hot chocolates that you may be used to, however it tastes of darker, better quality chocolate (fine by me!). It's hugely naughty and decadent (particularly if you go all out like me and top with cream and chocolate sprinkles!), but once you taste it, there's no going back to their standard hot chocolate. Or to hot chocolates from most other places, I must add. It's definitely the crème de la crème of hot chocolates on the high street right now. And if that isn't already exciting enough, let's talk about Caffe Nero's beautiful table tops... <3

Have you ever been to Bristol or Weston-Super-Mare?

A night in, just you and me

Usually Mr Curiouser and Curiouser and I go out for a meal on Valentine's Day or book ourselves into a hotel, but with pending financial obligations (read: buying a house), this meant we wanted a bit of a cheaper one this year. We decided on a no gift policy and opted for a night in instead, looking to create - in our words - "restaurant tasty food" for the fraction of the price of what we would pay in a restaurant. Firstly we failed massively on the no gifts rule. I bought M. a box of his favourite macarons from Ladurée (salted caramel and chocolate no less!) and some high % dark chocolate which I figured we could melt down and use as a fondue for the strawberries I'd bought. Whereas sir treated me to flowers - a purple orchid in a beautiful curved top glass vase, dip-dyed in a light blue colour at the base, which contrasts beautifully against the colour of the flowers.

As much as I love freshly cut flowers, it was a nice change to have a potted plant as it's something that should last longer than a week (plus it's also something that can come to the new house with us)

Whilst out and about we picked up some groceries for our home cooked meal. We opted for a scallops and chorizo starter, paired with Marks & Spencer's organic Chilean Malbec, which perfectly complimented the sweetness of the seafood and the spice of the chorizo. The chorizo was pan fried until all those delicious golden juices had escaped and coated the pan, placed to one side, and then we cooked the scallops in the chorizo oil for two minutes on each side. Meaning that they were golden on the outside, but with a melt-in-your-mouth middle. I don't have restaurant grade food presentation down, so the scallops and chorizo were messily artistically scattered onto the plate, Lucy style (probably could have used some greenery here!)

For the main course we wanted a French bistro style meal to go with the French film we were watching. We decided on long tender stem broccoli, duck and roasted sweet potato for lovely, bright, contrasting colours. A tried and tested trio that we've tried before, and will repeat time and time again, because of the winning combination of saltiness from the duck, the crunch of the broccoli and the lovely charring of the sweet potato (it always tastes better this way!)

My gifts to M. meant that dessert was already in the bag! We snacked on strawberries and chocolate and salted caramel macarons whilst watching our French film (with English subtitles on for Mr Curiouser and Curiouser!)

One of my best discoveries last week was a candle holder that I found in Sainsburys when I picked up the chocolate and strawberries. At just 80p this was an absolute steal and I've been using it non stop since the weekend. I love anything to do with forests / the woods so the fact that this looked like a hollowed out tree stump meant this really caught my eye.

So in summary the point of this post being.... although it's nice to treat yourself on Valentine's Day and it's so easy to spend ALL THE MONEY, you really don't need to. Because if you're with the right person, it shouldn't matter what you get up to or how much you spend. My orchid was over £30 cheaper than most of the bouquets we saw (ah, gotta love those specially inflated Valentine's Day prices...) but will last so much longer than freshly cut flowers. And just 80p for a candle holder? Now we're talking business.

16 signs you are in love

The way you can just look at each other knowingly and not have to say a thing

Every time you see him or her you're like 

You can't help but smile when you think about them

You miss them when they're not with you

Every time your phone goes, there's the thought that it could be them

When it's not them you feel sad

Like really gutted

You need them in your bed at all times

You find yourself doing things / liking things that you usually wouldn't

You're all about texts first thing in the morning and last thing before bed when you're apart

When you're with them, you feel on the top of the world, and stupidly happy

You love them and their flaws. Even though some of them are a bit weird

But that's ok.

You still love them even though some of the things they cook leave little to be desired

Screw nights out, you just want a night in with them

And finally.... the last sign that you've caught the lovebug this Valentine's Day? If you can resist the temptation to scoff all of the below by yourself and actually share them with your loved one. Because that's true love right there.

Cue these cute heart shaped doughnuts. Both of which are limited edition from Krispy Kreme this Valentine's Day. Choose from red (covered in raspberry icing and filled with strawberry mousse) or yellow (topped with vanilla icing and filled with chocolate). The strawberry mousse was light, fluffy and sweet. I've never had mousse inside a doughnut before so this was a nice change. And how was the chocolate filling? I think you all know the answer to this. Because chocolate.

I'm a chocolate doughnut sort of girl through and through, however the lovebug doughnut changed me - it's been the first non chocolate doughnut that I've really enjoyed! Because in the past I was that girl who sat empty handed, sans doughnut, with just a hot drink if the chocolate doughnuts had gone for whatever reason. But I am a changed woman. And I feel like this is just the beginning of my non-chocolate doughnut journey. Although saying that, I did have to pick up some of my absolute favourites, the Chocolate Dreamcakes. That gooey chocolate centre though!

Krispy Kreme doughnuts are priced at £15 for a box of twelve, otherwise you can buy individually from your local Krispy Kreme or supermarket (I find that Tesco usually has a Krispy Kreme stand!). Although I did see these doughnuts lately in the service station on the way to Bristol the other week. You can also order these online for click and collect.

• All gifs from wifflegif.com except the texting / mobile one which is from giphy.com
• Although Krispy Kreme very kindly provided me with a box of doughnuts to review, as ever all words and opinions are my own!