Where to buy good leggings ...

A friend just asked me 'where can I buy decent leggings'?

To me, there is ONLY one place right now - MINT VELVET. Before you cry that it's a higher price bracket than some other high street shops then pay attention .... £15 only!

Last year, a friend and I both tried them on. She's a gorgeous size 14 and I'm a size 10. Both of us loved them. They are kind of suck you in type of leggings so they take a little while to get on and hoik up but it's worth it - I promise you, these are MAGIC leggings!  

I adore the ruched bottom to them which makes them pretty enough to wear with sandals/ankle boots/trainers.

The come in grey (storm) or black - I'm buying both!

I love them styled here

I wasn't meaning to do a post on Mint Velvet but I got sucked in and OH MY .. yet again, they make gorgeous clothes/shoes/accessories that I desire/need/lust/want/etc

Knee high boots

Navy & grey long sleeved top

Ponykin shopper

Black dress - I can't tell you how much I love this look

Grey jumper

So back to the leggings which are RIDICULOUSLY cheap for Mint Velvet. 

Where do you buy your leggings? I'm off to MV to buy black and grey!

Fiona

xoxo

I cut my hair short - twice

You may remember probably not last week I decided to go for 'shorter' hair. I went into a salon locally armed with this image:

And here is what I ended up with. I did have a fringe cut in but they just don't suit me. I look 'weird' with a full on flat fringe so I swept it to the side but because it's short it didn't look right.

Here I am looking daft with the fringe down - please don't all laugh at once!

Over the week I have really struggled with it. To say I hated it doesn't even cover it. I tried straight, I tried curly, I tried fringe down, to the side, clipped up - I just wasn't happy :-( The last photo is how I wore it when it was longer so what was the point in having it cut?

I called a lady who has cut my hair once before and as luck would have it she had a cancellation and could fit me in yesterday (Friday). IMMEDIATELY she saw the issue. The one length bob just isn't for my face/height/build and so we went for the graduated bob. She came, she cut, she dried and left all within the hour and for £15. HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!

I bought the Babyliss big hair dryer last week - bargain at £40 from Feel Unique who offer free delivery - result!

Now to do it myself! Watch this space for hair-gate update!

Fiona

Slipper Shoes

What? Yes, that's what they're called - Slipper Shoes! I am in love and the perfect shoe to take us through to Autumn (although it's September now and officially Autumn).

This is what I'm on about

To me, these are a real modern, stylish twist on a classic ballet pump. I own A LOT of ballet pumps but I don't think I have worn them this year much at all because they feel a bit frumpy now.

Here's a round up of my absolute favourite ones and if I had the budget I'd be buying them all!

River Island - £45 (pink)

River Island - £35 (glitter)

River Island - £45 (leopard print)

Mango - £39.99 (black croc)

Office - £45 (zebra)

Kurt Geiger - £55 (black)

Next - £40 (cream moc croc)

Office - £45 (red suede)

Here I am from the past few days. I am so out of love with my hair it's not funny. I have another appointment booked for this Friday to cut it into some kind of shape - ie a graduated bob

Have you ever had the haircut from hell? Do you have slipper shoes? Show me your style on Instagram or Avenue 57.

Fiona
xoxo

Tan Knee High Boots

I love mine. I have 2 pairs. One flat and one high. The flat ones were bought for £40 from Deichmann around 3 years ago and the high heeled ones from a random shop in Bristol around 14 years ago. I've just had them resoled to ensure I get a couple more years out of them.

You can't beat tan boots in my eyes. The same for a tan bag - it just adds a certain 'something' that standard brown can't match.

Here's how I wear mine

Where can you buy tan boots today? Finding knee high tan boots with a heel is proving somewhat tricky. If you see any on your travels please let me know!

House of Fraser - £129

Next - £85

Debenhams - £179

DUO - £210 (these come in made to measure calf measurements and they are my favourite boot maker of all time - they are on the pricey side but they are built to last for YEARS)

Office - £58 (in the sale)

House of Fraser - £145

John Lewis - £135

John Lewis - £145

Tan boots .. need? Lust? Like? Want? Desire? Love?

Fiona
xoxo

My favourite picks from ...

Esprit. There have been lots of blogger posts recently on the brand Esprit and it's renewed my love for them. Whenever I go to London it's the one store I head to first. I ADORE the way they display their clothes in bright colour combo's and the last time I went in there I had to struggle to just walk away with what I did. Oversized pea green clutch, orange skinny jeans and a pea green jumper (hasten to add I have not and will  not ever wear all items together)!

Here I am sporting my orange jeans (they are so soft and the cut is fantastic)

Here's what is on my wish list for the season ahead (they also offer free delivery so what's not to like about that)? I love their styling online too - oh to be 20 years younger and have long blonde hair .... #dreaming

Slim fit stretch jeans - £39

Metalic effect leggings - £27.95

Black and white stripey top - £25

Black dress - £59

Grey slouchy sweatshirt - £29

Military style jacket - £99

Do you buy from Esprit? Like Esprit? Love Esprit? I'm in the latter camp for sure.

Fiona
xoxo

Shall I cut it off?

I have hated my hair for the past 7+ years. I had it cut into a bob way back when and ever since I've hated it. I've over coloured it, I've cut it short to get rid of the dye. I've over coloured it again (because I'm stupid like  that) and I've had frizz and nonsense to battle since. I once had long gorgeous locks (never thick hair because I don't have thick hair, but there has always been lots of it). Not now. Since turning 40 I have realised that I'll never have the hair I want. It won't grow nicely and instead is just a mass of frizz and so for 90% of the time I clip the fringe up and scrape it back to a messy up do at the back with no style.

This is how it seems to look every day and I am sick of it. What's the point of spending time drying it (every other day) if all I do is end up looking like this

It went nice for half a day only around 4 months ago. If I could make it do this every day I'd be keeping it a bit longer but the truth is that within 2 hrs this was frizzy and all tied up because it was bugging me

So ... should I do an "Avril" and cut it off into a neat bob? I have started to use organic hair dye (it's not that great in covering up the grey, but it's kinder for my hair) and only washing and styling every other day. I also use a heat protector when I blow dry and use a hot air stylish brush instead of a hair dryer.

Here is what I'm thinking

My absolute favourite in terms of style and colour has to be this (but then I'm only just a little bit in love with the Minogue they call Dannii).

Shall I or shan't I? I regretted it when I had it done all those years ago but I was young then! I have tried to make a longer style work for me but it just isn't happening.

Fiona
xoxo

Cable knit sweater

I love a good chunky knit sweater and I am in need of a new cream one (the one I have is slightly off grey/white now) and a grey one. I have an amazing one I bought from TK Maxx last winter. In fact, TK Maxx is one of the best places for amazing knitwear. I bought the most gorgeous cashmere cardigan from there a few years ago. The RRP was £300 and I snapped it up for £80. It's beautiful and I adore it!

Here is me in my navy chunky knit jumper

Here's a round up of where to buy online today

Matalan - £16

ASOS - £24

River Island - £30

Mango - £34.99

Topshop - £34

Debenhams - £35

John Lewis - £75

Marks & Spencer - £35

I adore this last one and might just have to pop it in my basket (comes in pink too)

Fan of the chunky knit or not?

There has been a distinct lack of my own outfits because I've been housebound since Saturday due to my little one breaking his arm - sigh.

Fiona
xoxo