New Years Eve Nostalgia.

It feels so good to have a charger for my MacBook that I don't have to hold above my head for it to make a connection, and it's even better that I didn't have to fork out £60 for it at an expensive time of the year. Thanks Apple!

Anyway, the purpose of this post is that it's new years eve (incase you didn't know) and I'm sitting here reflecting on my first year in blogging. I started posting in January this year after graduating university in October of 2011, struggling to find a job and having some serious self esteem issues - a post that I'm sure will surface in 2013 when I feel ready. If I remember rightly it was a new years resolution last year to set up this blog and quite possibly the only new years resolution I've actually followed through with. It has been a fantastic outlet for me and has once again reaffirmed two interests of mine that have never left me since I was a small child - fashion and writing. 2012 has been a nowhere/ now where? year for me and I sincerely hope that in 2013 I can progress properly in both blogging and my personal life. 

I'm thankful for the opportunities I've had with fashion and accessories companies and PR companies. Seeing emails in my blog inbox complimenting my posts and asking me to collaborate is definitely one of my favourite things of 2012. 

I also want to thank all my fantastic followers who have shown genuine interest in my wittering-ons and those of you that have just happened to pass by once or twice. You've all given me a great boost of confidence.

New Years blog Resolutions (that I intend to keep): 

• Use fewer exclamation marks!
• Blog more. People have a genuine interest in my blog so it's time to up my game and post more regularly.
• Introduce blog features. I've had a great response and a lot of interest in my 'Cat v Mouse' post suggesting high street designer dupes, so consider a permanent feature.
• Publish some more personal/lifestyle posts e.g: Depression, self esteem, my face without makeup.
• Organise my posts - fill a notebook with ideas, don't let a large amount of unfinished posts get left behind in drafts, learn to set posts to publish on certain days in advance.

Now I'm off to paint my nails, cook tea and frock up to welcome in the new year at home with my family, cocktails aplenty and board games. 

See you in 2013! x

Fashion Vouchers Xmas Party Outfit Blogger Challenge

A short while ago I was contacted by the Fashion Vouchers lot asking me if I'd like to take part in their latest, aptly Christmas themed, competition. It's a little scary that I'm not feeling very Christmassy yet, my birthday has been and gone, I've started card buying and gift idea listing and this is when it normally hits me, but it hasn't *gulps*. I certainly need Rudolph to come and kick me up the backside so here I am, trying everything I can other than shoving tinsel down my throat, to make me feel festive. I digress. 

The task is simple, design an outfit for £100 and under using one of the stores/merchants on the Fashion Vouchers website and you can then use available codes to whittle down the price further. Three £100 online gift cards/vouchers are up for grabs for the three best outfits. Closing date for entries is Monday 17th December - just in time for Christmas! You likey? Enter here.

Image Source: Metro;

Jacket - Dress - Shoes - Bag - Necklace;

Asking me to choose just one brand from all the corkers out there is a tough one, but in the end I chose the fabulous Fashion Union because I wanted to go for a store that, in my opinion, is slightly overlooked in fashion-land. 

I've channelled my inner Kristen Stewart for this outfit, I love and respect this lady so much and she has been wearing some ah-mazing outfits in her Breaking Dawn Part 2 promotional stint. I always believe people should be comfortable in what they wear so I admire her efforts to dress down a glam designer number when the important bits are over and done with at an event. 

You can't go wrong with sparkle at Christmas, isn't it compulsory? It should be. This dress looks perfect with the gold sequins played off against the black material underneath - it's festive and captures the metallic trend. Rather than popping on a pair of bashed up Keds, these toe cap pumps are perfect! I think they're such a great find; they're sequinned, sparkly and gold so you can easily work them into a party outfit without looking too casual. I'm obsessed with my biker jacket too so this scoop neck number is ideal to go with the strapless dress, there's no collar or lapel so it will show off your collar bones and the ornate heart necklace is great to pop a little something in the blank space. Of course the bag follows the colour scheme throughout and there's nothing like some badass studs to complete a killer outfit.

I've had to revise this look three times because they keep dropping their prices! Everything in this look is either in the sale or part of the 40% off winter essentials promotion and I'd also get a little 10% off any full priced item due to it being my first (hypothetical) order.

Reese and Taylor Bracelet Giveaway: Winner!

It's December the 1st and I, like many of you (I hope), have opened the first door on my advent calendar to devour a tiny little chocolate which signifies the start of Christmas! Not only that but it's also time for me to announce the winner of my Reese and Taylor bracelet giveaway. I want to thank you all for taking part and I'm certain Sue and Audrey from Reese and Taylor are so happy to see so much interest in what they're doing. Don't forget to check them out on Facebook, Twitter, Etsy and their brand-spanking-new website!

Drumroll purrlease maestro, the winner is...

Natasha Areena!

If you didn't win don't worry! I will hopefully have another giveaway on the go with another great company soon. 

Lots of love xxx