Valentine's Day Gift Inspiration & WIWT

With it being the 1st of February tomorrow it's time to start thinking about Valentine's Day, so today I thought I'd feature a few gift ideas, as I don't know about you but it doesn't hurt to steer our hubby's/partners in the right direction does it?!  So hubby if you're reading, yes please to any or all of the following ;-)

First off I thought I'd feature some lovely home/food inspired gifts, some of which regardless of whether it's Valentine's Day would be lovely to use any day of the week.  

In fact I can definitely vouch for the heart silicone cake mould as I got one a couple of years ago but made the mistake of just ordering the one & then when I decided I wanted a second one so it made it quicker to do a sandwich cake they were sold out & I couldn't find a heart shaped one the same size or shape.  So yup you've guessed it another one has been ordered this year pronto!

Champagne Truffles £16

Heart Cake Slice £24

Heart Mug £8

Jo Malone Room Spray £40

Silicone Heart Cake Mould £7.50

Champagne £55

Box Shaped Chocolates £25

Heart Toast Rack £39.95

Red Roses £31.99

Then for more personalised gifts you can't go wrong with jewellery, perfume, underwear or a silk nightie.  So here's some ideas for adding to your wish list.

White Gold Small Heart Earrings £75

Swarovski Crystal Double Heart Bracelet £45

Personalised Friendship Bracelet £115

Heart Compact Mirror £10

Floral Satin Pyjamas £35

Jo Malone Blue Agava & Cacao £85

Gold Plated Double Heart Necklace £50

Jo Malone Scented Candle £42

Silk & Lace Bra £27.50

Silk & Lace Brazilian Pants £12.50

Liberty Beaded Heart Bracelet £15

Mulberry Keyring £70

Nail Polish £12.50

Silk Designed Lace Nightie £69

Personalised Double Heart Necklace £34.50

Back to today & here's what I'm wearing - off on a long dog walk with the dog before a lazy afternoon in front of the fire.

Hat - Amelia Jane

Parka - Hush

Jumper - Zara

Jeans - Massimo Dutti

Boots - Sports Direct

Jumper - Marks & Spencer £45

Parka - Hush Now £100

Jeans - Marks & Spencer £39.50

Boots - Marks & Spencer £55

So ladies how do you celebrate Valentine's Day?  Do you celebrate in style, mark the occasion with cards, get spoilt with romantic gestures or simply refuse to celebrate as it's too commercialised?!  I'd love to hear.

We always mark the occasion with cards & gifts but generally opt to cook a romantic meal & celebrate at home as opposed to go out for a meal.

Anyway hopefully I've featured some gift inspiration that has got you thinking & will help your partners spoil you this Valentine's Day.  I mean it couldn't be easier, just a link & a note of size/colourway with a heading 'Yes Please For Valentines' means they've got no excuse & can't pull the old 'I forgot' number, after all, all the leg work has been done for them ;-)

Have a lovely day.

WIWT - Monochrome, Military, Stripes & Leopard Print

Happy Saturday ladies I'm going for a bit of a monochrome, stripe, leopard print & military kind of feel today!

Coat - Zara

Breton - H&M

Jeans - Zara

Boots - Boden

Coat - Mango £79.99

Breton - John Lewis £25

Jeans - Marks & Spencer £35

Shoes - River Island £55

Just a normal Saturday here - errands, shopping, karate run & 'to do' list before tapas, board games, fire & a film.

Have a great day, I'll see you tomorrow.

OOTD - Dressed Down Faux Fur, Pleather & Leopard Print

Happy Friday - you've just got to love that Friday feeling haven't you?!  So in honour of the start of the weekend I dressing down one of my faux fur gilets & teaming it with some pleather & leopard print.

Jumper - Zara

Gilet - eBay

Leather Cuff - Banana Republic

Pleather Leggings - Zara

Trainers - Golden Goose

Jumper - Marks & Spencer £45

Gilet - eBay £29.98 (Including Postage)

Leggings - Mango £19.99

Trainers - Kurt Geiger £69

I don't know about you but I'm counting down till 5 o'clock as I'm looking forward to getting the weekend started.

Last day of Boden's 20% off offer with today being 20% off all tops & tees, click here to shop the offer & use code 3Z8U at checkout.

Have a great day & I'll see you in the morning.

WIWT - Pleather, Wool, Grey & Khaki

Morning ladies, I'm layering up today with my Zara wool draped coat, chunky knit roll neck & my pleather khaki skirt.

Hat - Zara

Jumper - Zara

Coat - Zara

Skirt - Zara

Boots - Zara

Hat - Hush £40

Jumper - Marks & Spencer £45

Coat - Wallis £64

Skirt - Mango £24.99

Boots - Marks & Spencer £55

I'll see you tomorrow & if you're interested Boden have 20% off all trousers, jeans, skirts, shoes & accessories for today only.  You can click here to shop the offer & don't forget use code 3Z8U at checkout.

Happy Thursday :-)

Boden SS16 Edit & WIWT

So the new season's clothing is now pouring in & seeing as we're careering towards the end of January at an alarming rate I thought today I'd feature my picks from Boden's SS16 collection.

Now instead of featuring individual pieces I'm trying something a little bit different & thought it would be fun to create a few outfit posts instead.

So first off I've gone for two of my favourite loves - denim & various shades of blue.  This kind of outfit would be just perfect for running errands or the school run.  An ideal laid back weekend outfit that I'm just itching to re-create.  Luckily for hubby apart from the sweatshirt I have similar items hanging in my wardrobe.   Unluckily for hubby I think the sweatshirt will definitely need further investigation!

Slogan Sweatshirt Currently £47.60

Girl Fit Shirt £54.50

Skinny Jeans £59.50

Abingdon Trench Currently £119.20

Dana Trainer £69.50

Thinking ahead to special occasions with this next look & if you're looking for a timeless outfit for a special occasion what about this dress?  Just stunning paired with these statement heels in a bright clashing colour that would be perfect for a summer wedding/day at the races.  Team this with a clutch in the same colour  as the shoes & you really would be good to go. 

Maggie Ottoman Dress £89.50

Amelia Heels £119

Back to a more casual outfit next.  I just love this linen tunic styled dress.  I reckon it would make a great wardrobe multi tasker.  Worn with a coatigan such as the stunning one below & funked up with trainers, or paired with white linen trousers for a more elegant look.  Not to mention teamed with gold sandals & a panama hat for holidays - simply effortless not to mention the most gorgeous shade of blue.

Casual Linen Tunic £69.50

Isabella Belted Cardigan Currently £103.20

Fearne Slouchy Bag £139

Dana Trainer £69.50

Another monochrome look next that's a little dressier & smarter.  All great wardrobe additions that can be inter-mixed & will stand the test of time.  Plus how stunning are the scallop pointed ballerinas, which are available in a whole host of colours.

Maggie Ottoman Top £59.50

Richmond ⅞ Trousers £59.50

Ballerina £49.50

Or what about these wide legged cropped trousers teamed with this stunning deep 'V' tee?  I just love this kind of t-shirt for wearing under a jacket & don't even get me started on the gorgeousness of the leopard print shoes - just divine!  Both the shoes & t-shirts are available in lots of gorgeous shades & I'm certain that it won't be long before a few of these are hanging in my wardrobe!

Lightweight Deep V-Neck £19.50

Hazelbury Blazer Currently £71.60

Agnes Saddle Bag £79.50

Richmond Wide Crop Trouser £59.50

Florence Flat Point £69.50

Or finally how about this maxi dress, which I've teamed with another gorgeous statement flat.  I've been tempted to get this dress in the navy &/or black for several years now & this season could just be the year I 'click that button'.  

Jersey Maxi Dress £89.50

Hazelbury Blazer Currently £71.60

Bonnie Studded Flat £89.50

Back to today & I'm going with a classic smart look as unfortunately we have a family funeral to attend.

Faux Fur Stole - Zara

Top - Zara

Skirt - Zara

Boots - Schuh

Jacket - Denim Wardrobe £165

Stole - Coast Now £39

Skirt - Windsmoor £59

Boots - Schuh £65

So ladies what do you think?  See anything to tempt you & get you clicking that button?!  I have to admit there's lots of lovely goodies currently in my wish list.  Boden are certainly on form with their shoes again this season aren't they?!  The question is which pair to choose?!

Plus don't forget Boden have currently got 20% off certain items each day from now till Friday, with today's offering being knitwear & outerwear.  Shop the offer here  & use code 3Z8U at checkout.

Happy 'hump' day & I'll see you in the morning.

WIWT - Grey & Blue

Morning ladies I'm going with a grey & blue theme this Tuesday morning & throwing on one of my ever useful faux fur gilet.

Hat - Zara

Jumper - Great Plains

Faux Fur Gilet - eBay

Jeans - Massimo Dutti

Boots - Clarks

Hat - Hush £30

Jumper - Marks & Spencer £169

Gilet - eBay £37.78 (Including Postage)

Jeans - Marks & Spencer £39.50

Boots - Clarks £140

Have a great day & a quick heads up on Boden.  From today till Friday they're offering 20% off certain items each day, starting with all dresses with 20% off for today only.  You can click here to shop the offer & use code 3Z8U at checkout.

OOTD - All Blue

Morning ladies I'm keeping things all blue today with denim, faux fur & a good old trusted breton.

Coat - Zara

Breton - H&M

Belt - Massimo Dutti

Jeans - Zara

Boots - Clarks

Hat - Zara £25.99

Breton - Marks & Spencer Currently £23.60

Coat - Very £92

Jeans - Boden £59.50

Boots - Clarks £140

A quick heads up in case anyone has spotted something in Marks & Spencers they fancy treating themselves to, there's 20% off online today only!  Click here to get the discount.

Happy Monday, have a great day & I'll see you bright & early tomorrow.

Working Out In style & WIWT

So how are everyone's new year's resolutions going?  If you're anything like me you'll still be trying to shift the last couple of excess pounds from Christmas & maybe even starting to think ahead a few months to sunnier climates & stripping down to your swimwear whilst soaking up the rays.

I don't know about you but being a tiny bit (ok a lot!) OCD even when I'm off out running I still like to be coordinated as for one thing I find clothes really do make a difference to how I feel & if I feel good it also helps my frame of mind.  Plus one thing I certainly need first thing of a morning when it's pitch dark outside as I get up for my run is positive thinking just to get me out the door!  

Of course with the new season ranges starting to come into stock there's also lots of fab new fitness wear to help motivate, hold us in & keep the unwanted sweat patches at bay.

So with the new year, new body mantra in mind that most of us are probably chanting I thought I would create & share with you a few looks that may inspire & encourage.

Starting with a gorgeous colour combo of grey & hot pink.  I just love these two colours together & it would certainly help put a smile on my face when heading out the door in the blustery rain.  Plus of course the hot pink is perfect if like me you run on the road from a point of view of visibility.

Santoni Seamfree Ombre Vest £19.50

Santoni Seamfree Long Sleeve Top £22.50

Santoni Seamfree Textured Leggings £22.50

Zipped Jacket £44.99

Slightly more muted in colour with this next set of exercise wear & quite unusual, I don't think I've ever seen any gym clothing in navy before.

Outdoor Technic Jacket £39.99

Comfort Racerback T-Shirt £15.99

Slimming Effect Cropped Capri Leggings £25.99

Or if you prefer darker colours but want something stylish then you won't go wrong with this set.  I was lucky enough to have been sent a different design from the brand in the early autumn (see here) & can honestly say it's probably the most stylish & well made gym wear I own.  Something I feel the need to say to my hubby every time I wear it, it's a wonder he doesn't beat me to it now & ask me how comfy my clothing is!!

Back To Fitness Top £37

Mesh Top £42

Spin Leggings £45

Of course we all know a great outfit isn't finished until you've added the right accessories & dressing to exercise is no different.  Here's just some of the things I would recommend.

Running Water Bottle £4

High Impact Cropped Top £16

Sports Trainer Socks £6

Running Gloves £10

Thermal Beanie £10

Workout Snood £16.50

Reflective Bib £8.50

Trainers £77

Support Socks £15.50

Exercise Mat £18

Wireless Heart Rate & Activity Wristband £94.99

Back to today & you'll no doubt be relieved to know that whilst I'm going for a relaxed look I'm not wearing lycra.

Coat - Wallis

Necklace - Bought In Majorca

Shirt - Zara

Jeans - Zara

Trainers - Golden Goose

Coat - Marks & Spencer £199

Shirt - Marks & Spencer £69

Jeans - Marks & Spencer £39.50

Trainers - Boden £69.50

So ladies what do you think?  See anything to tempt & motivate you further?  I must admit I'm pretty tempted in purchasing a FitBit.  Has anyone got one & if so would you recommend it?  I can see it becoming pretty addictive which can only be a good thing with summer fast approaching!

Have a lovely Sunday & if you missed my post on my exercise routine you can read it here.

New Outfit Post - Faux Fur & Leopard Print

Morning ladies layering up this morning with one of my faux fur gilets, an old cashmere Boden jumper & my Zara hat to hide my tired eyes behind.

Hat - Zara

Gilet - eBay

Jumper - Boden

Belt - Zara

Jeans - Zara

Boots - Boden

Hat - Zara £25.99

Gilet - eBay Now £30.39 (Including Postage)

Jumper - Marks & Spencer £75

Jeans - Marks & Spencer £39.50

Boots - Boden Now £85.68

Normal Saturday errands for us then we're off to the local quiz night with friends.  Seeing as we haven't been to one for a while here's hoping we're not too rusty & come last!  Although that will probably be nothing short of a miracle!  But hey ho we're bound to have a few laughs :-)

Hope everyone has a lovely Saturday & I'll see you in the morning.

OOTD - Tailoring With Wide Legged Trousers

Happy Friday ladies :-)  I'm breaking out a sales purchase today with this cropped checked jacket & teaming it with my M&S wide legged trousers & trainers.

Hat - Zara

Scarf - Louis Vuitton

Blazer - Zara

Jumper - Boden

Trousers - Marks and Spencer

Trainers - Mango

Hat - Hush Now £30

Scarf - Mint Velvet £39

Blazer - Boden £89.50

Jumper - Boden £139

Trousers - Miss Selfridge £45

Trainers - Boden £69.50

So how's every bodies Friday looking?  I'm hoping for a steady day clearing the decks ready for the weekend with a sneaky lunch out with hubby as he's working from home :-)

Have a great day & let the weekend & wine o'clock commence :-)

WIWT - Tweed, Pleather, Cashmere & Leopard Print

I'm layering up today with a bit of everything in my outfit.  More black & grey tones for me with layers of thermals, over sized boyfriend shirt, cashmere jumper & scarf & tweed jacket.  Finished off with pleather & a splash of 'Bet' to keep my feet happy.  Plus of course pop socks to ensure my ankles are talking to me at the end of the day, although luckily I'm not going to be outside for long!

Hat - Zara

Scarf - Zara

Jacket - Mango

Shirt - H&M

Jumper - Marks & Spencer

Pleather Leggings - Zara

Trainers - Golden Goose

Hat - Hush £40

Scarf - John Lewis £50

Jacket - Mango Now £39.99

Shirt - Mango £35.99

Jumper - Marks & Spencer £75

Pleather Leggings - Mango £19.99

Trainers - Kurt Geiger £69

Happy Thursday - you've just got to love that 'one more sleep till the start of the weekend' feeling :-)

Have a good one.

Stealing Kylie's Style & WIWT

For this month's style steal I thought I'd have a go at stealing an outfit I recently saw on Kylie Minogue.  But don't panic ladies I can promise you that there's no hot pants or feathers in sight as I don't know about you, but after the recent over indulgences from Christmas (or any time in fact!) I'm not about to declare it hot pant season.....phew!

But this outfit I love & as soon as I saw it knew it would make a great style steal.  Plus whilst I don't own or trust myself with a cream coat (yup I would be the one who would mark it within 5 minutes of it's first wear) it's a look that most of us could probably re-create to a certain degree with pieces already hanging in our wardrobe.

So first off here's the ever ageless Ms Minogue rocking winter whites & a statement tee.

And here's how I'd recreate the look with picks from the high street, starting with this timeless & gorgeous funnel neck off white coat.  Such a classic & stylish style that will never date.  I really think this style is perfect when you're wanting to create an effortlessly chic outfit & can so easily be dressed up as much as it can dressed down worn undone with distressed boyfriend jeans & trainers.

Boucle Coat Now £99

Onto the slogan t-shirt next & this one from Mango is a great price if you like the idea of this style of top but aren't sure how much you're going to wear it.  I find the couple of t-shirts/jumpers I have similar to this perfect for dressing down a smarter look & love teaming under a blazer or tuxedo jacket for a smart glam look as much as I do in the warmer months simply flinging on with boyfriend jeans & trainers.

Modal-Blend T-Shirt £9.99

Classic skinny washed denim jeans from Marks & Spencer to finish this look & these look the perfect shade of denim if you're on the look out for a new pair.  Plus they're available in three different lengths.

Washed Look Skinny Denim Jeans £39.50

And to finish the look knee high boots.  I've chosen this pair as they have a sensible heel - still tall enough to add some height but sturdy enough to be worn when dashing here there & everywhere.

Block Heeled Knee High Boots £139

As I said earlier I don't have a winter white coat so here's my interpretation of Kylie's look using pieces already in my wardrobe.

Coat - Wallis

T-Shirt - American Vintage

Jeans - Zara

Boots - Schuh

Coat - Marks & Spencer £199

T-Shirt - Mango £9.99

Jeans - Marks & Spencer £39.50

Boots - Schuh £65

So ladies what to you think, is this a look you could have a go styling with similar pieces in your wardrobe & what do you think about a slogan/statement tee - are you a lover or a hater?!  As always I'd love to hear your thoughts.

See you in the morning.