Happy 2016

 Hi everyone!

Hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and New Year period and that 2016 is starting on a positive note for you.

I haven't had chance to visit the sales, so when I eventually get to the shops or browse online, I can't imagine there'll be many bargains to be had.  This is down to a couple of things, one being getting my new conservatory decorated and a new store room been built in the garage.  The other is a far more fun distraction; we're hoping to get a kitten soon!  He is currently at the local RSPCA centre and we should be able to bring him home in a couple of weeks or so.  More on that when he's due, other than we have named him Spartacus.

I am in the throes of posting photos of my Christmas presents on Instagram.  Yesterday I posted a flatlay which included a colouring book.  The book is titled 'Cat Therapy' and it came with a pack of 12 pencils.  People tell me it is very therapeutic and I hope it is, but worried that I'll get frustrated when I go over the lines and thus defeat the object!  Please let me know if you have any of these books and if they are as relaxing as they're made out.

Be with you again soon.

Reading Glasses Trauma & Sneaky Shopping

Many of you will have seen that I've been making a few sneaky purchases lately.  I can't resist my own personal stocking fillers at this time of the year.

There is the sparkly cat sweatshirt from H&M, a snip at only £14.99.

There are a few cheeky items from Primark last Monday - I was on a training course, so while I wasn't paying for my own train ticket it made sense to pop in on the way there.  What I didn't realise was that Primark must have opened at 8am or something, as I walked by Piccadilly Gardens at around 08.30 and saw the doors were open.  My course was only a ten minute walk away and didn't start until 09.30 so I had time to kill!

Now, I don't know if any of you are 'getting to a certain age', but once you've hit 40 everyone starts to remind you that your eyesight is going to turn to mush.  At the ripe old age of 44 I had to relent and get reading glasses.  I have a really posh pair for work, proper prescription with computer screen filters, which cost me a lot of money.  But I worry that I will leave them somewhere, so found that Primark do a great range of reading glasses and the prices vary from £1.50 to about £4, with most styles coming with their own case.

I have various pairs dotted around the house - I don't know if any of you do this, too, but there is nothing frustrating than trying to read cooking instructions in the kitchen then realising you have to walk halfway round your house to find the glasses in order to read them!

When I was in Italy earlier this year, the other thing I realised was that I had to remove my sunglasses and switch to reading glasses to look at maps, menus and wotnot.  None of the glasses I had brought with me had UV filters, so I still couldn't see because I was squinting.  Well fear not, Primark did a pair for £3 - they will be going in my case for the next holiday.

If anyone else has any funny eyesight stories to share, please feel free to comment - I'd love to hear if any of you are as daft as me!

In the meantime, for those celebrating Christmas, I hope your preparations are going well.

Catch you all soon.

Haircut Time

I don't really talk much about my hair, tending to focus on fashion more than anything else.

I've always had a unique relationship with my hair.  When I grew up it was fairly blonde, but by the time I was a teenager it had darkened to a greyish brown mouses colour.  It never looked very exciting.

At 14, when I got a paid paper round and was earning my own money, I bought some Sun In, which simply sprayed into your hair and helped the sun to make it go blonder.  It helped, but only a little.  Once I got into my twenties I could afford to go to the hairdresser and had a lot of highlights.  But once I hit my thirties, there was a sea change in my hair colour, with it regularly switching between red, purple and black.

Now I am working to blonde it up again and things are going very well.  My hairdresser, Emma, is on a mission!  It's a crappy photo, but hopefully you can see how blonde it is going.

I go to the Gregory Roe salon in Nantwich - click on the link if you're South Cheshire based and want to know more. https://www.facebook.com/gregory.r.hair/ 

Inspiration: True Romance

Well, I know they say fashion takes inspiration from everywhere, but I was intrigued by an article I saw in the Guardian newspaper about the next fashion trend.

True Romance was a great film, coming out in the early nineties during the Tarantino film peak.  I remember Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction were also cult movies of this time.  There was also the early creeps of the fondly remembered Britpop era - oh, how I reminisce about my misspent youth.....

True Romance features the story of Clarence and Alabama, played by Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette, and their embroilment with drugs.  It is an 18, so be prepared for the usual Tarantino guns, violence and drug taking if you've yet to see it.

There are some very quirky fashions on show throughout the film, including Alabama's love of animal prints.  I can totally relate to this, as I have a bit of a fixation with such prints, although the colours are usually a touch more subtle.

I mean, pink animal print!! It just wouldn't suit my weird personality.  I love the Bardot off shoulder top that she wears here, though.  It's a great sunshine look.  I love the way her hair is styled and I am due a haircut soon - I might go for a restyle, what do you think?

As for Clarence, his Hawaiian shirt and loose fit jeans combo is a quality staple for the men in our lives. In fact, my husband is already pulling off a similar look with a subtle version.  I will have to sneak a photo of him one day, just to prove it!

Check out the full article to read more.

http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2015/nov/17/true-romance-fashion-film-christian-slater-hawaiian-jeans-patricia-arquette-leopard-faux-fur-bardot. 

Photos - taken from the guardian site.

Trafford Centre Haul

Hi everyone,

I've had a busy week this week. I took a couple of days off work and went to Blackpool to see the lights on Wednesday.  Thursday saw me visit the Trafford Centre on the outskirts of Manchester, where I purchased a few winter wardrobe staples.  I also picked up a fabulous dress ready for my Dad's wedding blessing in a couple of weeks time.  He was married in the US back in September and decided to go for a special celebration back here in the UK, which I am sure will be pretty awesome.



Let's start with the key purchase - this fabulous little back dress I picked up in Warehouse.  At £75, it wasn't the cheapest dress available but it does look stunning on me.  My Instagram has a picture of me wearing it, plus some close ups of the lace and stud detailing.  I will make sure I get some pictures of me wearing it on the big day, so you have an idea of styling it. 



 A shopping trip isn't complete without footwear, let's face it.  On the left are a fabulous pair of over the knee boots I picked up in Primark and they were only £20!  There is a small Primark in Selfridges (just head to the first floor).  I love this store because they make the effort to put the outfits together, unlike the larger stores where you have to go to one part of the store for dresses and another for jeans.  The shoes on the right are from Marks and Spencer and the pattern is a patent croc print.  These were a snip at only £35 and I promise to post close ups at some point.



 Next up are these 2 pairs of 'modern' slim fit trousers, also from Marks & Spencers and £35 a pair.  One pair has a subtle animal print and the other pair has lace detailing.  The great thing about them is that the detailing hides any accidental VPL!



 I also managed to pick up some accessories.  The suede effect gives are furry on the inside and were only £8 - another Primark bargain.  I popped into Accessorize and picked up some new earrings in sterling silver (I am allergic to costume jewellery, but earrings only for some reason).  I also got a sterling silver ring and a cute little dragonfly - everything was 30% off jewellery so the total bill was only £27.20.



I also picked up these little numbers while in Primark - don't you love the colour?  They were £12 and £8 respectively and will look great with a long line jacket, or sticking out from a little jumper.

 

 

There was a trip to H&M for some basics.  I have a couple of their skinny wool jumpers as I nickname them, as you often need another shirt underneath to keep the chill out.  This year there's one in black and one in animal print, both £14 each.  The long sleeve tee was only £7.

I was wandering around Debenhams and ended up in Wallis, where I picked up these two tops.  The white blouse was half price at £20 and the animal print top had 33% off it at £17.

Finally we come to the final two pieces, again from Warehouse.  The jumper was £35 and I loved the little stud details over the shoulders.  I nice way to smarten up a skinny jeans and jumper combo, would you agree?  I also picked up this lovely jacket.  It was only £50 and looks like it should be suede, it feels really soft as well.  This is going to look great with a pencil skirt, or with those trousers I purchased above.

I am very much looking forward to styling all of these up for you.  Please let me know what you think of my purchases in the meantime.

I'm also getting my UKTRAVELCHICKY site ready, so I can share with you my holidays and days out.  I will pop some photos of Blackpool on there, as well as showcase my recent holiday to Italy.

Until next time.

Falling Back To The Cold

It's the 25th October and the clocks have gone back by an hour today.  Gosh, it's going to go dark so early.

This time of year sees me reaching for some trusty style favourites, plus I always manage to sneak some new items into the wardrobe.  One example being the leather effect coat from River Island which arrived last Wednesday.  It had an orangey-tan fur collar on it, which was a bit mad.  I've swapped it for the black one off my shorter leather jacket.  It was easy to switch them as they were detachable and the buttons were a good match up.

I have to admit that I am a sucker for a rock chick come biker look.  It's a legacy from my teens, when I had biker neighbours and my musical taste was in the rock, metal and goth arenas (it still is!).

I am hoping to get to a major shopping centre in the next couple of weeks.  I need a dress for my dad's blessing (he remarried in September in the US) and there's a couple I have seen that might fit the bill.  I can see Miss Selfridge, Zara and Primark will be top of my visit list.  If I get the right style, it can double up for Christmas parties as well.

Happy Halloween to you all - the next big holiday for me will be Christmas, so I am sure a blog about that will be on the cards before long!

It's All Gone Bonkers!

Gosh, sorry it's been so long since my last post.  As my Insta-followers know, I just spent 9 nights in Italy, travelling around the Bay Of Naples and the Amalfi Coast.  The holiday was amazing and the sunshine has made me feel on top of the world.  I promise to sort my photos and blog all the highlights soon (thinking uktravelchicky could be my holiday alter-blog?)

Since being home, I have faced the ongoing building work in my home - yes, I bought a brand new house and I'm already breaking it! We're having a conservatory built and knocked the wall out so the kitchen can be expanded.  The space will look fantastic, but sorting out the building work and cleaning up every night eats into my time.  I promise to be back with you at full strength in a couple of weeks and I promise to read all the blogs I have stacked up ready.

But something I did manage - car was in for a service, so what's a girl to do when she has a couple of hours on her hands.....? Well, there was the cute breakfast I had in Frankie & Benny's for a start, then there was a quick trip to the retail park where I ended up in Next and bought some new socks and boots.  I also can lay claim to buying my first Christmas present! My niece will love these doggy bed socks.

Watch out on Instagram for my next post, along with an option to read about my holidays once I get round to things! Catch you soon.