Birthday Presents Part 1.

This year I had the pleasure of celebrating my Birthday in Cornwall, somewhere I have never been before, we had a lovely time and were very lucky with the weather. For my Birthday me and my boyfriend decided to go and visit the Restormel Castle in Lostwithiel and then we had planned to visit St. Austell but became lost and found ourselves at the gorgeous Pentewan Beach.

As like most people on their birthdays I couldn't wait to show off my presents and this year I was a very lucky girl and received this gorgeous tan Micheal Kors bag and tan Ralph Lauren Sandals to match. The bag is a slouchy style so can be used both day and night and I love how it can be worn on the shoulder, on the arm or in the hand making it so easy to stlyle. The bag also only has very suitable detailing something which I am very happy about as I'm not one for structured bags or big logos.

The sandals are an exact match in colour to the bag so I was very happy that I could wear them both together that day. These are extremely comfy and I really like the style, they're simple yet elegant and again only have some small detailing. 

Now a couple of weeks ago I went to Bicester Village and managed to pick up this gorgeous green Ralph Lauren jumper for just £17! Until my birthday I hadn't had an occasion to wear it but thanks to the weather in Cornwall I got the opportunity to wear it on my Birthday. Although it is a jumper the lightweight ribbed material of it means it can be worn in warmer weather and the short sleeves along with the colour make it look that bit more summery too. The sleeves also dress the jumper up a bit along with the brown suede detailing which I think is just stunning.

I finished off my outfit with a pair of faded mid-denim jeans from Miss Selfridges and my Ralph Lauren sunglasses. If you hadn't already guessed Ralph Lauren is my favourite designer as the clothes and accessories are always so simple yet stylish and have the perfect combination of casual and dressy.

Have you been to Cornwall?

Happy Birthday Grandad.

First of all I want to say a big Happy Birthday to the most amazing Grandad in the world. Secondly, I want to tell you all about this gorgeous place in Staffordshire. Barton Marina has some lovely little shops which sell jewellery, clothes and food plus an art gallery and a fantastic Pub Restaurant called the Waterfront. You can walk along the promenade admiring the narrow boats or take a walk around the lake which when the sun is shining like it was today looks simply beautiful.

Living in the city I love visiting places like this. I adore being by the water and watching it glisten in the sun, plus I'm a sucker for old fashioned lampposts and cute little benches and flower pots. I could have spent hours here just walking around going in and out the shops, one of which sold gorgeous little gifts and things for the home. I of course had to buy myself something and picked up a stunning pair of earrings.

As I knew we were going to be walking around in the cold wind I chose to wear something comfy and warm, but of course I wanted to still look nice for my Grandad's birthday meal. This is a chic and simplistic outfit that I don't really have much to say about except I picked my Next roll neck jumper and Warehouse coat as I knew they would keep me warm and my Dune thigh high boots because they're super comfy. I chose this outfit because it was suitable and I liked it. It's as simple as that.

Today may have been really windy and cold but I had a wonderful time and if you get chance to go here then you definitely should. I've had the perfect day in good company and enjoyed a delicious meal in a place filled with character. I shall definitely be coming back here in the summer with my boyfriend.

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Jumper - Similar here, £25

Boots - Similar here, £119

Skinnies - Same, £22.99

Coat - Similar here, £70

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Happy Birthday Grandad!

Lazy Sunday.

So in bag no.2 were these gorgeous black ankle boots, £15, Topshop Sale. Now this won't be a long post as its quite a simple outfit for my Sunday of visiting family and also because I'm off out again in a moment.

I've teamed these affordable and comfortable boots with my ripped Topshop skinny jeans, which I bet you're all sick of seeing by now and my grey baggy jumper, also Topshop. I chose this outfit because it's super comfy yet still stylish.

Of course I needed to glam up my oufit a bit so I detailed it with my new tassel clutch bag from Next, my Tiffany sunglasses and this gorgeous Etsy engraved initial necklace which my boyfriend got me for Christmas. I always feel plain V-Neck tops require a necklace just to spruce them up a bit.

When I saw these boots I immediately fell in love, a pointed toe is something I just adore, the stitch detailing is so subtly stylish and the small heel is just the right height. Also for the price what's not to love? 

Petite Moto Blue Jamie Jeans, £42, same.

Seam Front V-Neck Jumper, £38, similar.

Leather Chelsea Boots, £39.99, similar.

Clutch Bag, £18, same.

Sunglasses, £194, same.

Necklace, £17.75, same.

I hope you all have a lovely Sunday.

A Spot Of Afternoon Tea.

First of all I want to say a huge thank you to Carmen, a parent at work who treated the work girlies and I to this lovely spot of afternoon tea at The Cathedral Quarter Hotel in Derby. The building is beautiful, as was the food. I recommend this to anyone who likes a nice quite get together with the girls or as a present to your mum.

Now, for this occasion I wanted a smart/casual outfit that was going to be warm and comfy, plus I wanted to where my new Topshop jeans, see The Ripped Jeans & Jumper Dress post for more details. These jeans are extremely comfortable, the fit and colour is smart whilst the rips keep them looking trendy.

I decided to team them with this lovely stone coloured, chunky knit polo neck from Zara. The colour lightening up my outfit in contrast to the mid-dark denim and my brunette hair. I love this knit however it is slightly itchy! 

My shoes are Dorothy Perkins sling back, tan stilettos. I absolutely love these shoes and was so happy to have another occasion to wear them too, I only really wear open toed shoes on nights out and I'm not a huge fan of walking long distances in shoes without straps. These shoes are super comfy and are perfect all year round. My tan bag is from Aldo. It has a gold zip allowing you to make it bigger and a cream and black prestudded flap. 

I detailed my outfit with a gold Armani Exchange watch, MAC Lipstick in Cosmo and a loose, low, centre partinged pony tail.

Jumper (similar here) - Watch (similar here) - Jeans - Lipstick - Shoes (similar here) - Handbag (similar here)

Who else enjoys Afternoon Tea? I know I do!

The Ripped Jeans & Jumper Dress.

Always wash jeans inside out with the zips and buttons done up.

Link to jeans below, cannot currently find jumper online.

Yesterday whilst in town booking my holiday, I decided to go and try on the Moto Blue Vintage Wash Jamie Jeans at Topshop, £42, that I had been eyeing up for ages. Three pairs of ripped jeans just isn't enough! I tried them on and they look just as fantastic on as they do off.

If you've never worn Topshop jeans before then you are missing out. They have a slight stretch to them so that they're comfy to be in all day, they're fantastic quality when it comes to both washing and wear and they come in a variety of waist sizes and leg lengths, from petite to tall.

Whilst in Topshop, I couldn't help but to have a browse, much to my boyfriends disappointment, and I am so glad I did as I came across this gorgeous Khaki Jumper Dress, £28, also available in different colours. Now, although called a jumper dress the curved hem only really allows it to be worn as a dress by someone small.. Lucky me! But don't worry it looks fantastic with a pair of jeans too or you could opt for the next size up, which made the dress both looser and longer. I love the fit of this ribbed number and I am so disappointed I could only afford to purchase it in one colour, but I definitely think I made the right decision with the Khaki. 

Both of these items are not only gorgeous but very versatile. The rips in the jeans and the colour make them perfect for all year round, teaming with different colours and the style also means you can dress them up or down. Turned up with some chunky heeled shoe boots will definitely have you looking bang on trend. As for the jumper you can either wear it with jeans and boots, jeans and heels or just on its own with a pair of thigh high boots for a sexy sixties inspired look. The thickness also keeps that chill off without getting you too hot! Great for a walk to the pub or teamed with a coat for a day out shopping. I know I'll be wearing this a lot right through to spring.

Here are my three favourite ways to wear..

Worn together with black chunky heels and hobo bag. The jeans teamed with a white oversized boyfriend fit shirt, H&M, and converse. The jumper dress with thigh high leather boots, Dune.

I would love to know what your thoughts are!

A Very Happy Shopper.

Today I saved £100 at Next Clearance! My four purchases should have originally come to £138, of course with it being a clearance store, most of their products are reduced. Luckily for me, the items I fell in love with had major discount and upon arriving at the till to find out two were even cheaper than the labels showed, I was over the moon to walk away with a floral blouse, a camel touch of cashmere polo neck, a pair of black wellies and some gorgeous tan open toed shoe boots for just £38. 

Blouse, originally £22 I payed £10 - Saving of £12

Jumper, originally £35 I payed £15 - Saving of £20

Wellies, originally £26 I payed £4 - Saving of £22

Boots, originally £55 I payed £9 - Saving of £46

How good do those savings look?

If you've never been to a Next Clearance, like I hadn't until about two years ago, they're basically a normal Next store during the Christmas sale all year round, different items in different sizes all dotted about everywhere, just with a lot less people!

Now, I'm not one for sales. The pushing, shoving, long ques and disorganization just doesn't do it for me, I would rather find bargains online or simply go without. But if you fancy a browse and have a little time to rummage in almost peace and quiet, the Next Clearance stores might be your cup of tea.

The stock doesn't change that often and I find that my size is hard to come by, so I rarely go there, but when I'm in the area I always like to have a pop in just to see, if like today, I can find some good bargains. The downside to my particular Next Clearance Store, and I don't know if it is the case with all of them, but they don't have changing rooms and I like to try things on. Luckily for me I'm quite good at wiggling in and out of clothes whilst keeping everything hidden! If you're not, there's no need to worry, they have a 15 day return policy and you can return the items to any Next store.

Now about my goodies! The lovely blouse has a v-neck and no sleeves. The mid-grey colour makes it perfect for all year round, I'm thinking black jeans and blazer in the colder months and nice white jeans when it's that bit brighter. Also the light dusky blue and pink flowers help make it suitable for both day and evening, smart enough for dinner at a restaurant but pretty enough for a walk down the canal.

The camel Jumper, which can I remind you has a touch of cashmere, is as you can imagine super soft and feels really good quality. The fact that this jumper isn't very thick makes it perfect for layering, you can simply team with a nice trench/duffle/faux fur coat for whilst you're outdoors and then when you take your coat off indoors, you'll remain snug but not too hot. I think this will look stunning with my black thigh high flat boots and black jeans but also dressed up with the tan shoe boots for those dinners at the pub. Whilst on the subject of these boots, they are very comfy with the heel being chunky and not too high and lets face it, they're gorgeous too? I shall be wearing these for those walks to my little country pub, family gatherings, dinner and cinema dates with my boyfriend and perhaps those short little shopping trips to town, in which i'll probably buy more shoes.. Oops!

Finally, the welly boots. I love going out on walks and don't want to ruin my best shoes, but still like to look nice. My job doesn't require any sort of beauty products or nice clothes which means at the weekend I enjoy dressing up. So when I saw these plain black wellies with their knitted top I simply couldn't resist. They're cute, go with everything and practical. 

What do you think of my bargains? I'd love to know.