Take one for the team you're a cog in the machine

It's that time of year where you have to start thinking about Christmas presents for people. November was full of birthdays (four in one weekend) and so I definitely have present wrapping skills to rival Santa's elves now. Luckily, I have a very small family and so Christmas shopping isn't too much of a hassle for me each year. Plus having a family of book and food lovers makes it very easy!

I try really hard all year to buy things I need rather than want and so when December rolls around I like being able to get something frivolous to see me into the New Year so expect to see a flurry of wishlist style posts on here until I spring into action during the January sales to pick up a bargain. 

After walking my gorgeous Stylistpick boots to death last year and trudging around in battered studded ankle boots for a few months, I'm in serious need of some boots to see me through the winter weather. Sensible brain says the £14.99 wonders from New Look for day to day but then the £65 boots from Aldo look ridiculously snuggly.

Decisions decisions...

Sweetest downfall

Still not back to full blogging mode but trying my best to keep it up. It seems that I've been feeling particularly dark recently judging by my book and film choices so it only makes sense for my fashion choices to go the same way. I feel like I want to dress in black and studs everyday. Maybe I should become a goth?

Anyway, the shoes below are all from Missguided - my new favourite online shoe shop. I am SO in love with the pair on the bottom right that I am seriously considering buying them in a few months. Possibly a bad idea considering I am the clumsiest person in the world! Devil on my shoulder says 'buy theeeem, you only live once' and the angel says 'no, you must eat and not spend your pennies on shoes which you will wear a few times a year!' - fair point.

Maybe I'll just look then.

STYLE CRUSH #6: Olivia Palermo

Olivia Palermo: Absolute perfection. Not only does she have some beautiful clothes, she also has the shiniest hair with that perfect wave that I can never get. She sticks to clean lines with the occasional quirky print or texture. I have some serious shoe envy right now.

I would probably look pretty pleased with myself too.

Love love love

Sparkly dress and handsome man. Yes please!

FASHION FIX #16

This year has been an expensive one for me and so Christmas will be tight. Normally I buy all of the presents for others and then have enough to get myself a few treats too but I'll have to hope that someone else treats me this time. I guess I did buy myself a car and decide to live on my own so I've not been completely irresponsible. I've also been super organised this year and have got all of the presents already and written all of my cards. Call me sad, but I say I'm just well prepared! Maybe I'm getting boring and growing up?

Anyway, none of that stops me dreaming about glittery outfits. I tend to trawl online sites on the weekend just to see what's around so here are some of my favourite picks. I thought I'd share and it might save one person the hassle of taking hours to find that perfect dress.

Just incase Santa is listening... I'm a size ten and shoe size 7. Thanks Mr Claus! I'll leave a mince pie out.

First up is Dressrail. It's a really cheap website which I've only just discovered. There are some lovely dresses but also some I would steer clear of. It's just a case of finding the good ones I think! The two dresses below are particularly Christmassy and I just like the boots for winter wear (not with the dresses, obviously!) I get scared walking about in heels when it's rainy and cold so I rely on wedges and skinny jeans if I can!

Boohoo.com started off as a really small business but it's grown and grown in the last few years. So much for my undiscovered secret! They are also guilty of throwing a few dodgy items in but mostly they have some nice, quirky dresses and chunky shoes. I really like the mustard top because it has black down the sides which creates a bit of a slimming effect!

Fashion Union is relatively new and pretty cheap. I love both of these dresses and I could buy these shoes in endless colours!

I find it really hard to pick things from Miss Selfridge just because I tend to love it all. Some of their party dresses can be really short but that might just be because I'm 5'9 and they don't design them for people that tall. Those red wedges look gorgeous!

I generally save Topshop shopping for sale time and treats for other people. The lipstick here is my favourite colour; I seem to wear it on every night out and I'm starting to feel lost without my bright red lips.

It's got to be acceptable to get excited about Christmas now. There's less than a month left and my advent calendar is waiting to be opened. The Coca Cola advert has been on TV and Tess Daly is draped in glitter every week on Strictly. My favourite Christmas type advert at the moment is the lovely Michael Buble Christmas album. Ah Buble. I don't even want the album but I love the man and the advert!

FASHION FIX #8

It's pretty obvious what I'm going to write about... snow. However, I'm going to be true to myself and put a fashion twist on things. I wonder if a day goes by when I don't think about fashion? No, don't think so...

My beautiful, expensive leather boots from Schuh have been sidelined for a much more practical but warm option. Fake uggs. The thought of falling over in the snow in front of people was too much to even think about!

I'm still using public transport at the moment until I get a lovely car so I have plenty of time to people watch. I LOVE people watching. When I was still struggling across icy plains in my Schuh boots I was very envious of people in warm looking shoes who didn't appear to be walking like a penguin. 

There are three type of shoes I've been seeing around. Which category do you fit?

The welly girl

Either worn country style with a green mac or with giant christmas cardigan and leggings.

The ugg girl

Lovely cosy feet in the fur!

Ankle Boots

Personally, I'm not the biggest fan of these shoes but plenty of girls make them look good. I've seen them worn with tights, a skirt and a big furry coat. Pom pom hats normally worn as standard too.

Serious shoe envy recently; already looking forward to the January sales! Here are a few things I love right now:

River Island

Alexa Chung style - Boohoo.com

Zara - Love this!

Warehouse

Got to refrain from shopping so I can save up and raid those sales! While other people might be going away for Christmas, I will use some retail therapy to cheer me up. 

Ho ho ho 

x

Nice Boots Camp.

When this advert popped up on the tv I had a few thoughts:

1. Coleen looks amazing.

2. Those are some nice shoes.

3. Is this for a tv series?

I was pretty gutted when I realised it was an advert for Littlewoods and not a new fashion programme as I had hoped.  However, the advert has really done its job. I've gone onto the Littlewoods website for a look around. I was greeted with this...

It makes me want to get involved in the hope that I might one day look like Coleen too! The website also has an exclusive members only section which you can only access if you 'enrol'. 

Whoever came up with this knows women very well... we hate to be left out! 

That one advert has made me think about Littlewoods as somewhere I might shop (not something I would have considered before) and also somewhere to get style advice. 

Think I might enrol with Mrs Rooney. I'll have what she's having. Apart from Wayne...