They call me Zara

Happy Christmas! Merry Boxing Day and all that jazz. Hope y'all had good ones. As with most, this is the busiest time of the year with numerous Xmas parties, in laws taking over the residence and massively excited 2.5 year old running around waiting for Santa, it all was rather lacking in blog posts. Soz. Anyhow, I'm baaaaaaaaack! And have lots of sale gotten gains to show you.

This post is dedicated mainly to the fabulousness that is Zara. Delicious just does not cover it. I got there at 9.15 after waking up from a Christmas Day champagne fuelled Articulate session having not bought all my wish list when the clock turned midnight on christmas night and the boxing day madness began like i said I was going to do. This resulted in a not so fresh faced dash to town to join the minions. Actually there were only about 15 people outside Zara so not bad at all.

Got lots of things that I wanted pre-sale and a couple of bits from the new collection. Once again drawn to the non-sale new collection like a moth to the well cut, reasonably priced flame.


For today's post, in short; Sheer cream shirt, waxed jeans, tuxedo blazer and burgundy leather tote, Zara. Nude pumps topshop. In long; I'm a complete sucker for an oversized cream sheer shirt, there's something so classic about them and love this collarless design. I have been after some waxed jeans for a while but had a long list of misses and no hits. I had originally decided to get the All Saints ones but saw these on the sale rack for a third of the price. I didn't try these on but am well happy with them as they fit really nicely although I have convinced myself Zara sizing is getting smaller after comfortably fitting into a 14. Aint no shame in it. Tux jacket is a nice variation to the blazer and had spotted this pre-sale, always a bonus. I had originally wanted the big camel pleated handle leather bag but it was nowhere to be seen online or in store so although an unintentional purchase, I fell in love with the burgundy bag's size, colour and mix of suede and leather.

I got a fair few other bits, including some amazeballs Chelsea boots which popped my Hobbs cherry, so will share ov the weeks to come. Am now off to fill out my size 14 arse with Tapas with some old school friends who are home from London and Oz! See you next year if not before...x Talia

The Primark Leather Dress

I purchased the Primark Leather dress on its second sighting. The first time i saw it i was a little reserved, a full leather dress was perhaps a bit much so i left it. Since then it has worked its way into my head space when outfit planning for occasions so when i went in again and saw a rail of them i thought it was meant to be. I'm really happy i got it as the leather, although faux, is very realistic and not at all pleather like. Also the shape is great i think. High neck, capped sleeves and a-line mini.

On the occasion pictured, i was going out for a posh Christmas meal with all my girlfriends. Hubby questioned the appropriateness of a leather dress at the high end restaurant but i think teaming it with classic pieces takes it well away from it's fetish roots. Blazer from Zara, skull scarf from Topshop and my old trusty New Look Ankle boots which you can't really see on this pic as my tall hubby took it so it's kind of a view from above. He's a supporter of my blogging and i couldn't have got these shots without him, albeit a little blurred and footless. First after dark shots so a little break from the norm but really wanted to share.

Nail inspiration courtesy of Emma @milkteef. Spotted the single bling nail on a twitpic she posted and thought it looked lovely so purchased a pink GSOH nail glitter, the only shade they had left at my local Superdrug which i think works quite well with my favourite mink polish which was a Nails Inc magazine freebie from the summer. On another beauty note i tried out Laurens Way fake tan after getting sick of the smell of Fake Bake. It's quite good and smells way better than fake bake but think i might head back to the St Tropez mothership when this bottle's done. Come back to what you know and all that...x Talia

Dotty Dotty Ps

It was my work Christmas party last night and no i didn't do the evening outfit post that i had every good intention of doing as i left work late and ended up rushing. Rushing and trying to ensure my son didn't throw my make-up down the stairs, a fate which has bequeathed 2 blushers and 1 bronzing powder, or burn himself on my curling irons. The end result was gold, sequined and suitably Christmas sparkles although i did get dress envy of another Christmas Party goer who had a Chloe-esque sheer spotty number on.

Talking of spots, i have been coveting a spotty shirt since seeing Fearne Cotton rocking the spots on celebrity Juice, so i was particularly chuffed when i spotted (see what i did there?) this spotty shirt yesterday in the 30% off day at Dorothy Perkins. It is floaty and sheer with small polka dots. The only downfall is that it does not button to the top (why? if people want it open, they'll undo them?!) so i have secured the top with an old stud earring. I wanted the high neck look as went with some shorts and it was a case of 'one or the other' (I go with the chest or legs theory as opposed to T&A). So enter Zara shorts and Ambush Boots. Sorry, beloved Ambush boots from Topshop...x Talia

You know what gets my goat?

...Unacceptable office attire. I'm not talking here about mini skirts or crop tops. I am talking about something worse. Something more offensive. More detrimental to the feminist movement than topless darts. I'm talking crap Polyester 'suits'. Be it trouser or skirt. Usually grey. Sometimes black. Hey, sometimes checked or striped. Bootlegged. Fishtailed. Whatever, I abhor them.  They are the definition of 'blah'. Though fictional, this conversation in class 80s powerhouse movie Working Girl sums it up completely.

Jack Trainer: You're the first woman I've seen in one of these things that dresses like a woman, not like a woman thinks a man would dress if he was a woman.
Tess McGill: Thank you I guess.

You don't need to dress like a man to get ahead in business. Equally you don't need to dress like a slut. I wear trousers but i also like wearing skirts and dresses.  If i feel i look too girly i try and edge it out with ankle boots or a sharp up do. Some women might like wearing aforementioned 'suits' but in my opinion, (and after all isn't that exactly what blogs are for?) they fall into the neither use nor ornament category as in they're neither comfortable or pretty.

For perfectly blah examples of this, see The Apprentice. Ruth Badger, Debra Barr, Kate Walsh, and they are just the memorable ones. I work in PR for a male dominated financial services environment but do try out as many new looks as i feel appropriate. Others may question the appropriateness of my outfits but i am confident in my professional ability and happily married so i dress purely for me. What i like and feel comfortable and confident in. Not to progress my career or boost my sex appeal. I regularly browse the blogs to see other examples of this being done well. My favourites include Audrey http://www.befrassy.com/ (Parisian chic at its most contemporary) Morven http://morven-catsandrockingchairs.blogspot.com/ Antonia http://thirty-days.co.uk/  and even even though it's not her usual contemporary casual style, India Rose has spoken about the shape her working look would take - (SEE BELOW)

IMAGE CARE OF http://indiaroseblog.blogspot.com/

I feel those in a fashion or female dominated industry have more of a free reign so i do feel slightly less creative than some of the blogs i've mentioned, like the less fashionable relative. But would urge the trouser suit brigade, next time you have an important meeting or job interview, mix it up a little. Hit the blogs or even Sex and the City reruns. The closest i have come to a trouser suit in recent years is a blazer, cropped cigarette pants and a vintage tee a'la Carrie on her date with Berger in Season 6. Why there is a Yes in Polyester, I'll never know...x Talia

It's all in the ankle boots

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.  i had approximately 3 minutes to take these photos before the heavens opened this morning. It's definitely getting cold out there. Or as someone at work said when i had that 'walking out the building at the same time as them but don't know them too well' awkward silence-filling chat; "Wrap up warm, someone's turned the heating off outside." Cue polite laugh when what i was really thinking was '_'

Feeling a little bloated today so went for an old wardrobe favourite of the forgiving empire cut Peter Pan Collar dress that i got from Primark about 3 years ago. Who knew they were so quick off the mark on whole Peter Pan collar trend?! It's quite a girly dress and I can sometimes feel a little dowdy in it, particularly when i team it with a long boyfriend cardi from Gap so the only thing for it was the killer ankle boots. These are from New Look and still a little stiff so not too comfy but i'm breaking them in. There's just something about an ankle boot that can bring an outfit on trend and stop it being over girly/dowdy i think. I have a staff Christmas party this week and have every good intention of doing my first evening outfit blog post...x Talia

Jiminy Cricket!

Since the dawning of the WAG era, the iconic toting of an over sized Zebra print bag was as synonymous as the Louboutins throughout the tabloid images of the designer betrothed wives and girlfriends of the rich ball kickers, Cricket was the WAG boutique of choice.  Now with the launch of their website, they are taking on the fashion world beyond the postcodes of the desperate scousewives and, in my opinion, they are a hugely welcome addition.

I'm no clothes snob, i love my high street and to be honest the high end items that this website, and others like it, have in troves are a little more of an aspirational shopping destination than a toolbar favourite. But i actually think they've done a great job and am wondering if that's what gave NAP the proverbial kick up the jacksie to scrap the white plastic mannequins for real models and step up the styling.  I am a massive NAP fan, the items they have are crazy beautiful but in the past, the styling and mannequins have left me completely uninspired.

It's obvious Cricket have given a nod to NAP in the layout with almost identical headers including designer, clothing, magazine etc but i genuinely love Cricket's styling. Although she has a rather understated laid back style, Justine seems to have her finger firmly on the pulse when it comes to bringing the key designer looks to a wider market. She has such a great eye, the designers she stocks, from Wang to Olsen to Temperley, are among the best and most contemporary. I have included a few of my most coveted pieces but honestly there's an abundance of beauties on there for a modern women like me without a hair extension in site. Southern fashion snobs beware, this Northern star is shining brightly...x Talia

Midi Dancer

It's Friday AND it's December AND there was frost on the floor so getting my outfit pics done outside, first thing, sans coat, is getting a little more speedy! I bought this sheer pleated midi skirt a month or so a go, a vintage ebay find, but every time i've put it on it's not felt quite right. When i see it in my wardrobe though i always romanticise wearing it and have finally come up with something that feels rightish.

It's no big revelation, just a tightish 3/4 sleeve top, underskirt, a brown skinny pleated belt and some old favourite shoeboots from Garage Shoes. I love that the neck of this Primark top allows full exposure of my Dogeared wishbone necklace as it's one of my most treasured jewellery items. I also searched for a lower denier tight as there is no danger of any bending over bloopers and thought it might look good as the skirt is sheer but alas my mountain of black opaques would not delivery anything under 100. MUST sort out my drawers!...x Talia

p.s. I tried the hair up but it was all a bit too ballerina so i have it down although i honestly think i have exceeded the realms of acceptability concerning Batiste. A dry shampoo OD. I love the way it looks but it feels horrible. Completely grotbags. How long is too long with Batiste? How many days are acceptable? Answers on a comment card.