Matalan Textured Crop Sweat and Daisy Flock Skirt

Matalan Textured Sweat Top - £14, Daisy Flock Skirt - £10, Gold Daisy Necklace

Another outfit, can you believe it? This one features three new bits I picked up from Matalan recently. I'm not sure why I picked up the top/jumper to be honest but something just called out to me. It comes in a textured/quilted look material, which I actually really like but it came with a garish plastic necklace attached to it, which I really didn't like. Thankfully I was able to get the necklace off and wear my lovely new daisy one.

I don't usually wear necklaces but this one was too pretty to pass up. I would really recommend Matalan for jewellery as they have some really great pieces. It's definitely a cheaper alternative to the likes of other hughstreet stores, such as Topshop and New Look.

The top itself is a strange fit. It's cropped, but not so much that you're showing off your stomach but it's the sleeves I'm not really used to yet. They sort of puff out at the elbows as you can see and make me look wider than I actually am. I probably should have teamed this with a skater skirt to even out my proportions a bit but it's all trial and error with me.

I do really like it though. It's not too thick that you're left sat sweating but it's just right for a spring/summer evening. I decided to pick up the daisy flock skirt to go with it as it's just so, so pretty. Skirts like this are perfect for work/meetings but I wouldn't really wear them casually. It would work pretty well for a night out outfit though with a pair of heels and a more glam top.

What do you think of this outfit? Let me know in the comments...

I should be over all the butterflies

New Look White Floral Shirred Waist Dress - £14.99
Matalan Soleflex Real Leather Wedge Ballet Pumps - £20
Matalan Studded Across The Body Bag - £8

Long time no outfit post! I am really aiming to do more outfit posts on the blog in future now that I've got a somewhat decent, if a little bit messy, place to take pictures and a great camera finally.

I was recently invited to an evening wedding party so I was on the hunt for a dress to wear. I actually picked up two dresses and told myself I would take back whichever one I wasn't going to wear, but I actually ended up keeping both of them. Oops. I'm going to be featuring the other one in an outfit post soon.

I probably should have taken the outfit photos on the day I actually went to the party as I had managed to curl my hair and my skin and make-up looked a bit better than it does here but at the time I completely forgot! I waited until I got home to try the dress on, which is always a risky thing to do, but luckily I really liked it.

The shirred waist band makes the top half of the dress billow out a little but nothing too bad. I'm actually glad it has an elasticated waist as it means you can eat as much as you like and not worry, something I do often. On the evening I actually wore a little grey cardigan but now its getting warmer hopefully a cardigan won't be needed for much longer.

I wasn't sure about the colour of shoes to wear. I probably should have gone with red to match the red flowers in the pattern but instead I opted for nude because for one, I left it too late to properly look for some shoes, and two, I can't wear heels that are too high. These wedges were just right and I lasted the whole night without limping around like an old lady. I was planning on doing the old wear them once and then take them back but I liked them so much I decided to keep them as my 'special occasion' shoes.

The bag is one I picked up on the day of the party in a mad rush to try and find one. It was only £8 from Matalan and it's really cute. It managed to fit in all my junk and I much prefer an across the body bag over a clutch bag.

I think from now on this will be my go-to 'fancy' outfit, but it can also be worn with some casual sandals for an everyday look too.

What's your 'special occasion' outfit of choice?

Matalan Bunting Necklace

Matalan: Beaded Triangle Bunting Necklace - £8

I've wanted this necklace for absolutely ages. I first spotted it while it was £8, then it went to half price and then it was about £1.50. Luckily, my sister works in Matalan so was able to pick it up for me once it had plummeted in price.

I probably would have paid the £8 but at the time I was feeling rather stingy. I don't think I even ended up paying my sister for it in the end, oops!

I guess bunting necklaces are still pretty popular, but these days there are so many different versions out there now. I love the beading detail within the triangles and the gold/black colour tone of this and I've already spotted some more versions in store already...it doesn't bode well for my purse.

Have you picked up any statement necklaces recently?

Matalan S/S 2012

I'm well aware that it's still very early on in the year but there is already Spring collections filtering into stores. I don't really go all out with Spring/Summer clothing, instead I choose to just take bits and pieces and work them into the wardrobe I already have.

I'm really loving the accessories in the Matalan S/S 2012 Lookbook, in particular, the scarves, headbands and jewellery pictured above. I'm also liking the inclusion of denim again, especially in shirt/jacket form as I really liked it a few years ago as well and still have a few bits hanging about in my wardrobe.

Of course, florals and lace look set to make a reappearance, as it does every year, but it never gets old. As with a lot of other Lookbooks, there are a lot of bright colours which I'm not to sure about, but maybe it's time to take a risk with a bit of colour?

Below, I've chosen a few individual items that I'm hoping to get my hands on!





So what do you think of the Lookbook?! Definitely going to have to get myself to a Matalan store pronto!

Matalan A/W 2011

Matalan is my go to store when I want something cheap and cheerful and recently I've picked up a few great bits, including the Papaya Printed City Shorts or Birdy print shorts as I like to call them!

I was recently sent the Matalan Autumn/Winter 2011 and was blown away by some of the pieces. I am extremely impressed by some of the pieces and I honestly can't wait for Autumn/Winter to arrive so I can get my hands on them! Here is just a little taster:





For the season, Matalan have worked a good mixture of 'Modern Retro', 'Global' and 'Party' looks into their collection and I'm pleased to see cute ditsy prints continuing as well as Peter Pan collars and cute tea dresses. Winter jumpers are joined by capes again this year and I love their range of winter coats!







How lovely are all of these pieces? And it gets better...







So many lovely pieces. I'll definitely be snapping up a few when they are put in store. Without realising until now, I've actually already spotted a few pieces on sale! I particularly like the new bags and shoes such as the loafers and wedges and I always like to see a nice satchel in the mix!

What do you think of the A/W collection? Are you as impressed as I am?

Just a small haul!

Over the past two weeks or so I've been picking up a few little bits and pieces. Of course, the Topshop sale attracted me like a moth to a flame and I picked up two tops that I have been after FOREVER! The first is the popular Peter Pan collar short/blouse. I actually tried this on in my size before but didn't like the length of it as it's slightly short/cropped. I ended up buying it in a size 16 instead of a 10 as I preferred it to be a little looser fitting on me.

I also picked up this camel long-sleeved top which I've been after for ages as well. I already have the top in a blue (which is also in the sale, boo!) and it's one of my go-to pieces when I can't be bothered to think about what to wear!

I also picked up the Due Eyeshadow in Thunder. Again, I brought the Greyscale duo a while back for the full price which is a bit annoying! If only I had waited a few weeks!

Yesterday I had a lovely little rummage around the local shops. I checked out TK Maxx and found a load of cute notebooks that I now wish I had brought! Sometimes I'll buy things and just think 'oh what the hell, if I want it then why not' but yesterday I was in one of those 'do I really need this?' moods which meant I didn't buy anything. They even had a copy of The Secret Garden with a special cover that I put back as well, can't believe it! I might need to revisit!

I did however buy a few bits in Boots, how could I not? Over the past few days I've been using a combination of salt spray and mousse to try and give my hair a bit of volume, but no matter how much I use, it still seems to remain flat and lifeless. After seeing Zoe blog about an Umberto Gianni product that was great for volumising hair, I had to check out their products. I was initially going to buy the same one that Zoe suggested but a smaller, cheaper product caught my eye instead. It's supposed to give great volume through scrunching which I usually do with my hair so I'm eager to see if it works.

I also picked up a tinted moisturiser. I'm quite lazy and can never be bothered to do a full face of make-up every day so this will be great for just a little coverage. I'll try to review it soon! I also picked up and put a Marc Jacobs Daisy perfume into my basket but ended up taking it out again! I couldn't justify the £45 it costs so instead, I picked up another Harajuku Lovers perfume which was on sale for £7.99! Although the packaging and bottles are a bit childish, I quite like the scents. I have a full size one which I got for Christmas and really like so this will make a nice change!

As Matalan is right next door to Boots it would be rude not to go in wouldn't it? As soon as I got in, I spotted these cute Bird print shorts. If you remember, I posted an outfit of me wearing a grey pair of shorts which I also picked up from Matalan and these are the same loose fitting style so I knew instantly that I had to have them!

And last, but not least, I had to sweep up these cute slippers! My current ones are huge boot like things that are way too annoying and hot to be wearing in the summer so these are perfect!

I really should stop spending unnecessarily but shopping does make me happy and I think as most of the things were in the sale then it's ok! :)

Before I go I just quickly want to say a big thank you to everyone for their good wishes on the last post regarding Daisy! It's lovely to have a new baby in the family and I'm glad I'm not in Southampton missing her growing up!

You asked for it: OOTD Featuring Topshop and Matalan

Topshop Grandad Shirt
Matalan Ditsy Shorts
My first proper outfit post using my new tripod! I appreciate that the photos aren't the greatest but I'm still getting used to it so bare with me! My hair is total mess and I have no make up on but you said you wanted more outfit posts so your wishes are my command!

Anyway, I thought I'd show you my current outfit which I decided to wear after yesterday's unbearably hot weather, believing that it would be the same today. It hasn't been. I'll probably get a bit chilly later and have to stick some trousers on!

It's quite a simple outfit and not something I would have dreamt of wearing even a year ago. Shorts have always been a no-no for me but I decided to pick these up on a whim from Matalan as I loved them so much! I have some sort of weird phobia about showing my legs, but I'm sick of sweating horribly in the hot weather while wearing a pair of jeans so I have finally embraced the shorts! I love that these are quite floaty and not too fitted, I also love the pattern and the fact that they were only £8! Unfortunately I can't find them on the website but they do have loads of similar pairs available!

The shirt is so comfortable and great for the hot weather as it's very loose fitting. It'd be quite nice to have this in a few other colours as well!

PPS - I can't believe that literally everybody who commented on my last blog post was a Jacqueline Wilson fan in their childhood! I was a bit worried that the post would be a bit boring for you all but I'm glad I got lots of lovely comments on it, hooray for childhood books!

Weekly Wishlist!

I haven't done one of these in months! I guess since getting a job, I've just been able to buy what I wanted instead of wishing I had it, but now that I've told myself to start saving instead of spending, my wishlist is bound to grow again.

Just through browsing clothing sites this morning, I've come across loads of stuff I want to add to my list. I'm currently at home for the weekend and I'm already bored stiff. I spent yesterday sorting out my bedroom, throwing lots of stuff away and generally just tidying everything into place so it's not too cluttered. I still have two suitcases to empty and tidy away but I just really can't be bothered at the moment. I also need to clear out underneath my bed ready for when I move back properly. A lot of my stuff is going to have to live under my bed as there is just no space in my bedroom for anything else. It's quite depressing having such a small room actually. It feels really cramped and I can't relax in it at all. The wardrobe is bursting already so I can't wait until my sister moves out and I can finally have my old bedroom back again!

Anyway, enough of my moaning, time for this week's Weekly Wishlist!



Cute top and shorts from Topshop. I'm still very much loving Peter Pan collars and with the added ties, they are extra cute. This one is very basic and I have a similar one in a tan colour from New Look, but you can never have too many! The shorts are a similar fit to my favourite Matalan ones. Once I find something that is a perfect fit and that I feel comfortable in, I tend to buy it over and over again in different colours and patterns, that's OK isn't it?


I spotted the Matalan Birdie Playsuit at the S/S 11 Press Day and although it doesn't look too flattering in the image, in real life, it's very pretty! I am waiting for it to pop up in my local store so I can try it on and hopefully purchase! The red New Look shorts keep popping up every time I go in store. They catch my eye every time so I think it's a sign that I need to try them on! Lastly, the two Miss Selfridge bikinis are particularly pretty, don't you think? When I move back home permanently, I am going to take up swimming again (not that I can do it very well) and I am in need of new bikinis as my current ones no longer fit! I particularly love the patterns on these but am not so crazy about the prices! I think I'll have to decide on one and buy the other another day, which one do you all prefer?

I guess I should get on with sorting out my bedroom now. Hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend and bank holiday tomorrow!

Matalan Press Day

Yesterday I was invited to the Matalan Press Day for the showing of their High Summer 2011 range, which is in stores now if you must know. :P

I was granted the afternoon off from work experience to attend the event, which was very nice of Red magazine to allow, and made my way to the Sanctum Soho Hotel in Picadilly (to say the hotel was posh is an understatement). The event was held on the rooftop (thank goodness it didn't rain) and under the beaming hot lights, it definitely felt like Summer. Happily helping myself to cutesy canapés and drinks, I took a nosy at the range!

I was really impressed with the range. Of course there was lots of lovely maxi dresses and beachwear and the bikinis in particular were extremely cute, with lots of different colours, patterns and detailing, but what really stood out to me were the accessories, jewellery, bags and jumpsuits.

I spotted a few Summer jumpsuits, all with cute animal and floral prints, I even found one that I would consider wearing (I'm not usually one for showing off ANY skin), which had a gorgeous bird pattern and ruffled neckline. I loved the floral wedges and gladiator sandals, but fell even more in love with the jewellery. Gorgeous chunky rings were scattered all over the place, I spotted a cute rabbit face ring and even a ring in the shape of angel wings, and the necklaces are huge must haves! Delicate chains with feminine charms, beaded necklaces and bold statement pieces.

I managed to snap a few photos on my phone, you'll see plenty of floral pieces within the range, perfect for Summer! I also loved the range of beach bags that will be available in all sorts of colours and patterns and I was extremely pleased when one of them was given to me as a goody bag! Also spot the nautical flats which I am also in love with!

They were also offering up a few beauty treatments. I chose to have my nails painted and filed at the little manicure station. I went for a Barry M green with a Blue Barry M crackle polish on top! The coloured crackle range is hopefully going to be available in the Summer! Can't wait!

For my first ever event, I quite enjoyed it and yes those nail photos were taken in the middle of the street. My love for Matalan products is rapidly growing and I can't wait until all of this range filters into my local store, I am definitely going to snap it up!

Finally, as I left I was given a little goody bag. The bag is actually a beachbag from the range and inside was a cute polka dot beach towel (very much needed), a Cherry necklace (do you think they knew?) Matalan press release and lookbook, Barry M catalogue and a Summer straw hat!