Day 2 - style challenge

As you know I'm doing a style challenge for myself - buying nothing new but wearing what I own already. I have been waiting for today all week because the weather people said it would be hot and sunny - yeah right. I woke at 5.30am (no idea why) and the sun was no where to be seen. It's 8.56am and still it is yet to make an appearance. However, I sorted my outfit out yesterday (I do this often to save time in the morning) and so I was going to wear it come what may!

I bought the jeans in Tesco a couple of weeks ago - £7 in the sale! I love the faded light denim and they remind me of 70s jeans, except they are not flared, just a straight leg jean.  The yellow top is also a new Tesco purchase but is totally a Zara/Mango esque look - £12 currently available online. The shoes were New Look last year and I loved them - man alive they're high though for me. I was also reminded today why I don't like sling backs .. after 10 seconds of walking one of the straps always falls off and I end up shuffling along like a walking weirdo.

I couldn't decide if I should roll the jeans up or wear them down straight

I opted for rolled up in the end

This photo reminds me I need my hair cut - it's lank, it's thin, it's wispy and bleurgh. In my next life I'd better have good hair!

So, day 2 complete and all is going well (remind me of this in 100 days when I'm struggling!)

Fiona
xoxo

Day 1 - making it work for me

Right, off we go - Day 1 of not buying ANYTHING until I have exhausted what I already have. This challenge of mine will exclude any presents/gifts/free items (good get out clause I think!).

Today the weather is predictably boring and so I grabbed my favourite winter dress. Bought in TK Maxx late last year (DKNY £50 bargain) I have worn it a few times, always with tights and boots but thinking I could do a bare leg and ankle boots. Not today though, it was lashing down with rain at 8am for the school run and now it's just dull and not warm. Apparantly tomorrow it's going to be warm and sunny - yeah right, I'll believe that when I open my eyes at 6am.

So here we go - it's nothing exciting but it does what it does - cover my body, keep me warm and comfortable (a staple as I work from home).

Dress - DKNY via TK Maxx - £50
Necklace - Avenue 57 Pop Up Shop - £15
Boots - Duo Boots - a must for skinny legs like mine - made to measure and fit like a glove - £140

Already thinking tomorrow might be a white and yellow day ... thinking .. thinking .. thinking

If anyone else is up for the challenge of buying nothing and making what they already own work harder for them then join me on Avenue 57 to post your daily looks.

Fiona
xoxo

What I've bought this month

Apologies the blog posts have been thin on the ground lately, I've been very busy with life, work and shopping! Last year I didn't spend very much at all, it was a hard time for me and to not be able to spend nearly killed me. I've slowly dipped my toe into the spending arena again but still on a very tight budget. There is one thing I can do and that is shop very well without much money.

Here is my haul over the past few weeks (eek I know I've missed some stuff too but written down it looks a lot for just 2 weeks!) BUT BUT BUT check out the prices, I told you I was a savvy shopper!

Orange Jeans - £15 - Esprit
Blue Jeans - £7 - Tesco
Khaki Combats - £5 - New Look
Yellow Top - £12 - Tesco
Kaftan - £8 - Matalan
Green Jumper - £15 - Esprit
Green Bag - £15 - Esprit
Black Maxi Dress - £19.99 - New Look
Stripey Top - £4 - New Look
Stripey Jumper - £8 - Sainsburys
Scarf - £16 - School Gate Style
Orange Vest Top - £3 - Matalan
Sandals - £10 - Tesco
Grey Racer Back Vest Top - £6 - Matalan
Lightweight Parka - £15 - Tesco
Tan Belt with Neon Trim - £5 - Sainsburys
Smartie Belt - £10 Sainsburys
Necklace x 4 - Stock from the Avenue 57 Shop
Stripey Maxi Skirt - £14 - Matalan

Here I am over the past week in a few of my favourite things

I have decided that I'm not buying anything more for a while (don't hold me to that though!) - I reckon I have enough clothes now to wear something different EVERY DAY for at least 3 months - I am going to aim to challenge myself to do this .. I might mix up the odd item with another for a different look but I think I can do it (did it for 5 months 2 years ago).

Watch this space for photos of how I get on!

So, what have you bought recently?

Fiona
xoxo

7 Days, 7 Looks

I am sat here shivering - it's May, it's 6 degrees and I am 'this' close to putting the heating on - WTF?

I've had a good couple of days with work and getting out and about and I feel on top of the world instead of behind it as I have been these past few weeks.

The shop is still going well and now I'm getting lots of nice orders for scarves for teachers end of term presents - what a great idea hey?

Opened the local newspaper today to see my face in print - I loved writing the article but it feels weird that that is 'me' - just me, but thousands will read it - I feel a bit special if I'm honest :-)

7 days and 7 looks - all a bit sad as they're very winter like but seriously the weather dictates EVERYTHING in my life.

Grey Top - Sainsbury's Current - £10
Jeans - TK Maxx
Boots - Next
Necklace - Avenue 57 Pop Up Shop - £15 (sold out can order more though!)

Grey Top - Mango
Capri Trousers - Next (current) - £38
Necklace - Avenue 57 Pop Up Shop - £15 (sold out can order more though!)

Top - Avenue 57 Pop Up Shop - £12
Jeans - Esprit - £15 (can't find online) but current
Necklace - Avenue 57 Pop Up Shop - £15
Shoes - Deichmann - £10

Top - Dorothy Perkins - old
Jeans - TK Maxx - old
Bag - Esprit - cannot find online but is current
Boots - Deichman - old

Top - New Look Sale - £4 - yes, £4!
Khaki jeans - Sainsbury's - old
Gold pumps - Clarks - old

Jumper - H&M - £2 (I am so tight when I shop!)
Scarf - Sainsburys - £5 (current but hard to find)
Jeans - H&M - old
Boots - Next - old but do have some similar available today

Dress - Me+Em - this is so freaking gorgeous I wanted to sleep in it! Can't wait to do a show and tell on this on its own - dress it up as I have, dress it down as I will show you how soon
Necklace - Avenue 57 Pop Up Shop - £15 (only 1 left)

Top - Hush Boutique - old
Jeans - Gap - old
Shoes - Nine West - old
Chain mail necklace - You've guessed it, Avenue 57 Pop Up shop - £15

So having posted I see that I am a very tight shopper but I have a lot of things! Also need to get my hair cut but feel reluctant as it's finally, slowly, growing. I know I should at least have a trim right?

What have bagged in the sales lately?

Fiona

xoxo

Maxi Dresses For The Summer

Oh I do love a maxi dress for the summer don't you? In fact this year I'm all into the maxi skirt as well. I have recently reignited my love for New Look. For a few years I didn't think it was 'me' but as I've pushed the boat out with my style lately and I'm aiming to try more 'on trend' items mixed with my staple classic wardrobe, I'm finding so many good things in store (locally and online).

I've been dreaming about the sun lately (dreaming is all I can do) and how I want to buy some more maxi dresses and so I turned to my new favourite "back in love with store" New Look.

What are my favourite maxi dresses then? I can't do strapless even though I love them so much (no boobs and dress into strapless non-filled bra causes me angst) but I can't help but post a few pics of the ones I love so much (damn you boobs - perhaps I should just get a better fitting strapless bra?)

                        Dress 1 - £22.99        Dress 2 - £22.99       Dress 3 - £16.00 (sale)
                           

  Dress 4 - £16.99          Dress 5 - £22.99          Dress 6 - £27.99

Onto the ones that I know will work for me

                           Dress 1 - £16.99          Dress 2 - £22.99          Dress 3 - £19.99

                               Dress 4 - £16.99          Dress 5 - £19.99          Dress 6 - £22.99



When New Look have a sale, they have a sale. I have bought some amazing things from this week. Some need to be returned for different sizes but for the most part I love all of my sale items. I have tried to link to them to share with you but I guess you have to get in their fast as I can't find half the items online now.

I love this batwing tshirt - cream and mocha striped. I downsized to an 8 and there is still lots of room to hide what needs hiding on days when you hide things. I know you're with me in sharing days like that?!  Tshirt was £4.

 I ordered these shoes because I don't have this style in my collection. I loved them online, hated them in the flesh but now I've pictured them I can see that they're actually really rather good - shall I keep them? They were the crazy price of £7!

I love these boyfriend style khaki trousers - they are a keeper for sure, but I need to downsize - these are a 10 and absolutely drown me - I tried to take a photo but all you could see were my pants!

The jumper is cute too - I love the colour and I'll keep it as well - only £10 and pink (along with lemon and orange) is my new summer colour.

Have you seen anything you love in the New Look sale? Do you own any maxi dress for the summer?

Fiona
xoxo



This is a sponsored post

Tangerine Dream

I was in London on Wednesday for the Mint Velvet A/W 13 press day and a lovely time was had (more on that later). I had to walk down Oxford Street to the venue. OH MY GOD .. seriously it's years since I have been on Oxford Street and I was like a kid in a sweetie shop. I had no plans to buy anything but couldn't resist going into Esprit. It's not a shop I ever buy from but from now on it'll be my first port of call when they have a sale - amazing. The colours, the styles, the everything is just so different to anything I have locally here. How come the Europeans know how to do colour so well?

I was immediately attracted to their jeans - every colour and size available in neatly stacked rows. I was looking at their cobalt blue ones and am now kicking myself that I didn't buy them too but they are available online so I think I'll have to do it. I was attracted to the shocking pink ones but then stepped slightly out of my comfort zone and picked up orange - I don't own anything orange (apart from some LK Bennet wedge heels I never wear).

For some reason I can't find the exact same pair online, I only paid £14.99 but these are similar.

So, onto the jeans - here they are. I didn't know how versatile they were going to be until 30 mins ago when I got everything out and played around. Here are a few of my looks and I could have carried on with more if I'd had the time/inclination (lazy blogger!)

All jewellery is from my new pop up shop which is going down a storm - I am so happy!

Have a look and let me know if you like any bits, the stock is low due to high demand! Buy online today from the Avenue 57 pop up shop

Necklaces range from £10 - £20

Scarves are just £10 each, tops from £10 and bracelets from £8

So now I have orange to my collection of skinny jeans - just need those blue ones!

What have you purchased lately that has taken you by surprise for its versatility?

Fiona
xoxo

Amazing F&F Clothing at Tesco

Yesterday I pretended I needed milk (I did not!) so I went to our local massive Tesco store which has a great clothing department. The reason I pretended I needed milk was so that I could buy what I wanted on the card and if the husband asked or looked at the CC bill he'd just see 'TESCO' and not question it (I do this with Sainsbury's too!).

I haven't been to Tesco for a long time (we moved and it's now a 15 min drive away (hardly the other side of world!) and I was in my element looking at their sale stuff and non-sale stuff.

What did I buy?

AMAZING lightweight parka in stone but it has shimmer to it - £15 (was £30)
Still available to buy today
This is so similar to the £139 Mint Velvet one that I fell in love with last month but a fraction of the price.

 Gorgeous sandals - I love love love them - £10 (not in the sale)
Available to buy online today

I need some new shorts. The only ones I have are hot pants and at 39 it's just not a good look. I didn't want any that would make me look like I was working on a cruise liner as part of the crew (you know the tailored chino ones) so I squealed with delight at these - they fit like a glove (will be going back to get them in grey and black too - at £8 you can't go wrong really)

My best buy of the day is this amazingly gorgeous yellow tshirt. I can't find it online for you to buy and I'm secretly pleased - it means it's all mine mine mine! It was £12 (expensive for Tesco!) but it's so pretty with the lace capped sleeves and detail to the front.

I love my new £7 (in the sale) 70s look straight leg jeans (pictured with yellow top above). Made from the softest denim ever. GUTTED the magnetic tag is still on them (didn't bleep when I left the store).

I didn't see these in my local store but they are online to buy now and I am going to do JUST that!

A favourite new love of mine (so behind the times with this trend I know) but these are in the sale at just £8 - I didn't see them locally but they are online to buy today (off I rush again!)

So, have you ever shopped in Tesco? I urge you to take a look, the parka and the sandals are amazing and the prices are even better.

If you have tips on how to remove the magnetic tag please let me know!

Fiona
xoxo

7 Days, 7 Looks - and my shop

Go to keep it short and sweet, it's 5.18 am and I have been awake for an hr. I hate it when I can't sleep. I lie there for up to an hr and then get up. This week I have been surviving on around 6 hrs sleep per night which is wrong for me - I need around 7 or 8 (or so I thought!). Why am I awake so early each day? Because last Friday I bought a small amount of jewellery/clothes/scarves and thought I'd resell online. It sold out pretty much within 72 hrs! So I went back again this week to buy more and some pieces have sold out again within 24 hrs - I can't buy enough right now!  So that is what has had me waking at 6am each week day and freaking 4.30am on a Sunday. If I could, I would arrest myself right now, for a crime against sleep deprivation, I would! I guess this is what adrenalin does for you! Also in amongst playing shop and having fun I have neglected my day job (nothing to do with Avenue 57 at all)

What is the shop you talk of Fiona? Oh, thank you for asking, here it is!
Stock is low, more coming this week when I buy and fashion bags arriving next week - tres exciting!

 SHOP NOW!

So, back to what I do in my spare time - take photos of what I wear and show you!

Here I am over the past week...

Here are my favourite looks from other gorgeous ladies from Avenue 57 ...

                                          themaratonshopper                               spidie
   

                                      couscous&corkwedges                         fashionpassion

So, what goes out the window when you're excited/stressed? It's sleep for me every time which is just annoying!

Fiona

xoxo