Come undone

This is my first outfit post in quite a while and along with it i have a wee announcement. I'm joining the likes of Sienna and Kourtney to be rocking some maternity chic in 2012. My expanding tum is getting less easy to dress already! They do say it can come quicker with the second but I'm thinking this doesn't bode well and i shall become humongous before your very eyes. Anyhoo i plan to take you guys on my journey with me but will try not to turn into a baby bore and mix it up with regular looks i'm loving/wishing i could wear, celebrity style and also perhaps some guest bloggers...watch this space! 

In my experience it's very easy to lose yourself throughout pregnancy and end up a complete shadow of your former self dressing only in leggings and stretch fabrics coming out the other side thinking - "What's happened to my wardrobe?" I'm hoping by continuing to blog and keeping in touch with the blogging and style community, i can limit this effect.

So here's my first outfit post with mini bump and the first item of clothing to fall victim to the bump is my favourite white Gap men's shirt. That middle button was feeling the strain so the last three buttons have come undone and bare bump has been suitably covered by grey H&M cardigan. I went back in my wardrobe archives to these grey Dorothy Perkins shorts  as they're more of a low slung fit. Old favourite New Look black suede ankle boots and ebay gun metal necklace. I'll admit it's not my favourite look but i want to give you the rough with the smooth. I find this early stage quite hard as much doesn't fit you yet but your bump isn't prominent enough for people to be sure if you are with child or just had a heavy food weekend, today i'm feeling like the latter...x Talia

THE dress post

I've been wanting to do this dress post for a while. I got married last September and had originally planned to do my wedding dress post on valentines day but got waylaid with having a house of germs. So in the absense any outfit posts this week i am taking fellow bride, Sarah's advice and just posting it whenever i like and taking you all back to last September to share with you all the most important dress i'll hopefully ever wear. 

The Jenny Packham Minerva.

I teamed it with a Jenny Packham headpiece, some vintage shoes and my great-grandmother's veil.  My husband is extremely camera shy so i have kept him out of these and instead included my two other favourite men; my daddy and my boy Henry. I'm a total wedding dress junkie so please send me any links to your most amazing dress...x Talia

My Great Grandmother Mabel marrying my Great Grandfather Norman Phethean on the same day, 3rd September, in 1924. Wearing the veil she so kindly saved so that my mum could wear for her wedding, and that I, 87 years to the day, could wear on my special day.

Desperately seeking costume

So due to various school girl type excuses such as my husband having man-flu, my son having a viral infection and my mother in law being a house guest, i haven't outfit posted for yonks. I will get round to this soon, perhaps when my back yard is devoid of snow and i have less chance of falling flat on my arse. I have instead decided to blog about an upcoming fancy dress party i have been invited to. It's a 40th birthday party and the recipient's favourite era (man after my own heart) is the 80s. I love love love everything 80s. From the cheese of Wham to the constantly revisited styles of Pat Benatar. However funds are not permitting a costume hire so i've decided to improvise with what i already have in my wardrobe.

With the best, and sometimes worst, of trends generally always making a come-back, it's pretty easy to find pieces that are a nod to eras past. I saw Caggie Dunlop do this on a Made in Chelsea, Come Dine With Me mash-up and was inspired. I am going for a short tuxedo type jacket over a bodice tucked into a voluminous skirt. Accessorising with a big velvet hair bow and lace fingerless gloves, a crazy curly bonce and a tonne of bangles & necklaces. All very much in homage to the queen mother of pop madonna, more specifically 'Susan'.  After a quiet few weeks, I'm very much looking forward to getting into the grove at this party, germ exodus permitting, and promise to try to outfit post pics of the real thing when the party comes around. Share your best fancy dress delights...x Talia

Bandwagon jumper

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! It's officially freezing. Snow on its way and everything. As i have a little one, i would like to have a bit of snow so we can get some snowman, snowball, sledging action on the go, wellies at the ready! Until that point i will be donning flats as to avoid any leg break, ankle twist, head bang, hip smack incidents on the ice.  These brown brogues are from Primark as my budget won't quite stretch to some Grensons quite yet although i have been flashing this pair ↓ under my husband's nose for a while so you never know, a girl can dream.

While worshipping at the alter of all things Primark i have shamelessly jumped on the blogger bandwagon with the purchase of the Primark Pleated Leather skirt. What swung it for me is the god that is Karl Lagerfeld's recent Karl collection as sold on Net a Porter. This skirt was one of the standout pieces in his collection and as i have been admiring the styling out of this skirt by Lydia, Lily and Emma to name a few, i bit to bullet and headed to ebay. I know i'm really late to it and it's a bit 2011 but if it's good enough Karl in 2012, who am i to argue?...x Talia

Old school

Tuesday comes round far too fast for my liking. Not actually as fast as Monday for most of you guys so i shan't moan. I tried my very hardest to plan my outfit last night, in my head that is, i am far too disorganised to get the items themselves out the wardrobe. I actually almost always fall asleep before i reach a conclusion but the upside of that is sleep so, again, i shan't complain.

I opened the wardrobe this morning and had to start from there really. I have a new jumper from George at Asda. I love a plain black crew neck and especially if they a little rouching to the shoulders but unlike my others, this is a more longline version which is great for my taller frame. I put a sleeveless white H&M shirt underneath with collars poking out. I love the whole 'flared skirt out the bottom of a longer top' look which i think was cemented by this Carrie Bradshaw outfit so i put my Zara pleated skirt underneath. Went with grey tights and black velvet shoeboots from New Look. I was told earlier i look like a school girl thus the title.  At 31, i'm not sure if that's a compliment or not?

In a bid to post my outerwear more, i quickly ran back outside to do a shot of my new ASOS coat. I've been after a masculine longline wool coat for a while, I did attempt to add more colour to my wardrobe with this item by trying a burgundy and a camel one but went back to black. Fur collar was gifted to me by my sister and saves me scrapping around ebay for the H&M one...x Talia

Who cares what they're wearing..

Blog post title yet another song, this time Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile from Annie the musical in homage to this delightful dress from fab online label Never Fully Dressed. I first discovered this label after one of their dresses was featured in one of the Sunday supplements (about 2 years ago) and i really love their stuff. You can also get their stuff from ASOS marketplace. This is the second of three dresses i have from them and it's good for day and night. As it's casual Friday at work i have gone for my Zara waxed jeans which i picked up in the sale and Topshop nude ballet bumps which it is probably a little cold for but i felt sad for them at the back of my shoe cupboard. Cross earrings from Topshop but it's what you wear from ear to ear, and not from head to toe that matters :-D (regretting not smiling in these pics now)...x Talia

Agadoo

Apologies in advance for the bad joke post title. Black Lace. Agadoo. See what i did there? I know (groan) but i couldn't resist. Not only have i gone with some black lace today, care of Zara new collection, but i have also gone for a bit of a new hair look. It's a little 90s throwback to the old wavy one sided affair and happened a little by accident after i took my bobble out from yesterdays hair knot, it just kind of fell like this but it's something a little different so i thought i'd give it a whirl. Back to the outfit, I would have liked to team this top with trousers to balance the lacy girlyness of it but the top come up a little short in the body for me so i know i'd be forever pulling it down to ensure no muffin top action was happening which would have driven me mad.  So i went with Asos high waisted skater skirt instead and black New Look ankle boots...x Talia

Rainy days and Tuesdays

First blog outfit post in the rain and it was, erm, quick! Thought i'd give it a go though as i do live in England after all and these sorts of scenarios are far from rare so stiff upper lip and all that. I've also been waiting for a chance to work a bit of Carpenters into my blog titles so here it is. I've used a little poetic license though as i don't work Mondays so my Tuesday is equal to most peoples Monday.

So first day back in the office after a weekend of blog silence and it's a dress. A Primark shirt dress in a delicious raspberry colour which is a great for these not freezing but still rainy and grey days. It seems to get shorter with every wash so i buttoned it to the top to make up for the rising hemline. In my style logic, the buttoned to the top look balances out a shorter skirt.

Teamed with my Hobbs faux Ponyskin platforms and a messy topknot. I completely by accident uncovered the secret of the perfect topknot - do it the night before. A good nights sleep and a few fixing kirby grips has revolutionised this style and removed any 'Croydon facelift' paranoia...x Talia

Slouchy blues

Thank the lord for topknots and peg leg trousers! I was also certainly appreciative of the respite in the big freeze today. No ice on the windscreen and lack of frosty floors for outdoor outfit pics always make for a happier morning.  Due to the third day of Batiste hair i have been left with no alternative than rocking a topknot. I heart the topknot so this is not a stretch for me, although i did let that kind of dictate the outfit. I think these Topshop peg leg trousers with their huuuuuge pockets are along the same sloppy relaxed look and set off a topknot. I carried on this slouchy theme with this Topshop jersey batwing charcoal grey top which i haven't actually worn to work before as deemed it too casual but thought my new eBay necklace and some electric blue colour pop suede heels from New Look would redeem this look from weekend to relaxed office. I realised i babbled on in yesterday's post so am attempting to keep this short and sweet..x Talia

p.s
Need to start including my outerwear so novice pic  ←here. I was in a horrendous location so have blacked/whited it out. Leather jacket, Zara. Extra long chunky knit scarf, Burton...x

If only...

Today was just one of those days when i was slightly uninspired by my wardrobe.  I think lack of sleep due to a chesty toddler who crawled into my bed at 1am and proceeded to cough on me all night and this horrendously grey weather.  Anyway this is the conclusion i came to and although its not the most inspiring or innovative of outfits, i wanted to blog it as we all have those days don't we? I want to include the rough with the smooth days, i've even considered blogging Sunday's 'outfit' if you can even call it that. After a morning slobbing around in bed, I decided at the last minute that Sunday would not be a pyjamas day and that i would leave hubby in bed and take aforementioned toddler to the cinema...ten minutes before the film started. Had i had the time, I would have blogged both of us because we were a hot mess.
Him - Grey marl joggers, black uggs, white long sleeved tee (with chocolate milk stains) purple AA hoody and a mahoosive fairisle bobble hat.
Me - AA leggings, jersey vest dress, boyfriend checked shirt, ambush boots and topknot.
Add into this lack of make-up, really the dark cinema was the best place for us.

So back to today's concoction. This shirt was from the Zara sale and i do actually really like it. I'm having a definite spotty moment of late so this fitted in nicely. Went for this pencil skirt as wanted something high waisted so this jersey number with deep pockets from Primark was perfect. However i was left with that funny 'if only' feeling and today's was 'if only i had some grey suede footwear.' Although not pictured, I have a grey cardigan on and really thought some grey suede ankle boots, very much like the 3 sizes too small for me pair I saw in the Zara sale, would have been lovely. Don't you just hate it when you know what would finish your outfit off perfectly and it's just not in your wardrobe? Well today was one of those days. But i settled for black suede New Look ankle boots. Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to eBay i go...x Talia

2011 Adoration

It was a usually Sunday in my house, i sat and read the Sunday Times Style while eating scrambled eggs. A picture of great look got me thinking about my style idols from the last twelve months. I thought this would make a nice alternative to my outfit posts so have decided to put them out there and see what y'all think. I limited it to three and the first two have been pretty long-standing style idols for me but the latter is a VERY late entry. In fact her breakthrough film only came out on 26 December so she only just squeezed into 2011 but i'm sooo excited about her inevitably becoming a regular on the style pages.

1. Diane Kruger
I've been a blonde most of my life and having a contemporary, non slutty blonde goddess to share a little wardrobe worship with is always good. She has a great knack of taking catwalk couture looks to the red carpet and there's really not much she can't pull off. She is now based in Paris full-time and that is definitely apparent in her style, being muse to Karl Lagerfeld has also probably helped somewhat. Her standout moment of 2011 for me was on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival in a backless gold sequin dress by Calvin Klein that was like a second skin. I should hate her for stealing Jeremy Jackson from me but no, I adore her.

2. Olivia Palermo
My introduction to Olivia was on The City, Whitney Port's Hills spin off show, and she didn't come across too well. Stuck up, waspish, silver spoon kind of girl. The constant thorn in Whitney's sweet hard-working California girl side. It appears she has taken full advantage of the 'it's who you know' theory to get where she has in the fashion world but since our rocky introduction she has completely won me over with her immaculate style. I have to admit the topshop dress clinched it for me, so much so i bought the same dress in coral. She has a classic style but works her prints and accessories like no one else and has looks that are reasonably easy to emulate with high street pieces from shops likes Zara, Reiss etc. She's like the rich popular girl at school that you should hate but you secretly want to be. I'll tell myself that her fur is faux.

3. Rooney Mara
This late entrant is possibly my favourite. I don't have a whole lot to go on and it could just be the work of a really good stylist but OMG, just wow.  On the strength of her red carpet outfits i went to see the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and fell even more in love with her in a non Girl with the Dragon Tattoo way. Her styling in the film is so fitting for her character. H&M released a range dedicated to her character Lisbeth Salander and it sold out almost immediately.  I have since bought some leather trousers, not from the H&M collection as it sold out and they ebay prices are extortionate but for me a definite nod to the range.  Her look is not one i would adopt as she has a very specific look which couldn't be further from me (boo hoo), i just couldn't pull off pale and interesting. However i just can't help but be excited about what she's going to wear next. Like when you're waiting for your favourite designers next collection or your favourite band's new album, i can't wait for her next release. If you haven't seen the film yet, i highly recommend it. I predict big things for this little lady in 2012. Who was on your 2011 style honours list? Share the love...x Talia

Clown feet

 

Outfit pics were so much fun today as my little boy kept running outside and jumping in the pictures so i have some nice ones for the family album. I love my son dearly but as I promised my friends when falling pregnant, i try my very hardest not be a baby bore so have decided to omit the ones where he is hovering in the doorway or we are chasing each other round the garden :)

I have instead decided to share with you some boots i got in the Hobbs January sale. I can admit to never having bought anything from Hobbs before. The shop we have in Nottingham is very nice but on the odd occasion i actually shop in town, i never go in. However when i stormed the Zara sale on boxing day i was heading back to the car park with my haul (including this skirt) and happened to glance in the Hobbs window and spot these Faux Ponyskin Chelsea boots. It wasn't until i actually got to the car park that i decided i should go back and try them on.

There were lots of other really nice pieces in Hobbs and the service i received was truly exceptional (i've been shopping in Primark too much). I kind of fell in love with them and although i have struggled to mix them with things, and in these pictures make my size 7s look mahooosive, i still love them.  They are rather eye catching so i kept the rest of the outfit simple with black pleated skirt, crisp white shirt from Gap men's section and necklace that i blogged about yesterday which i can see may be featuring on here a fair amount...x Talia

Let's party

I've always been a massive fan of ebay and my friends often refer to me as the ebay queen. This was a title i was happy to adopt, until i found Twitter and discovered the work of the delightful Victoria was brought to my attention. This lovely lady tirelessly searches ebay for all manor of goodies requested from her army of followers via her Tumblr page. I would say a thankless task but she gets a lot of love for it, all completely deserved. It was through her post that i discovered the ebay seller Letsparty. They sell all kinds of stuff that is mostly 'designer inspired' for really reasonable prices. I for one have no problem with this. Sellers from Asia often come in for some stick but these guys aren't pretending to be anything they're not and have lots of nice feedback so i bit the bullet and ordered this necklace that had actually been in my basket all over Christmas. It arrived yesterday and i love it. It's a dark gun metal colour with lots of metal cubes, the pics aren't too clear of it but it's a beaut and although have teamed it with all black for the office, i can imagine it going really well with a simple grey marl jersey tee and blue skinnies for a casual look too.

Tux style trousers were picked up in the Zara sale and are really well tailored although are showing a little too much evidence of festive excess than i would like but i am working on that with healthier food choices/not eating everything in site (aka the Christmas diet). However I'm cool with being a big booty girl so am just looking to ease a little of the tension in these trews. One of my outfit posts would not be complete without a little Primark so knitted turtle neck sweater and nude heels courtesy of Primarni...x Talia

Texture me

Good morning! Well after the dreadful quality of the photos yesterday, and never being one to ignore constructive criticism, i have taken my dearest Camille's advice and strived to show more detail and have better photos. My budget isn't stretching to a SLR just yet so for now these will have to do, hopefully an improvement on yesterday. Showing off more of my January sales hoard with this over sized leather look texturised tee from Zara.  I have a little crush on over sized tees being tall and holding the majority of my excess weight at the top of my thighs, this little beauty covers that area and for this i love love love it.

Although i am at work i have teamed it with skinny jeans from Primark. I should probably invest in some non denim skinny trousers (suggestions of good finds welcome) as i have lots of tops that go with a skinny trouser that i can't really wear for work with jeans. The reason i have dared to today is that some of the office treat Friday as casual day, although not everyone. This is why i have opted with some high velvet ankle boots from New Look as i think a higher heel dresses denim up in an instant. So i have leather look, velvet and denim for a nice texture mash-up. For a touch of colour, and extra insulation, i have put a raspberryy coloured long sleeved jersey top underneath that also goes rather well with my new Zara bag that i also got in the sale. Get used to this phrase, you may be seeing it a lot...x Talia

Should auld fashion mistakes be forgot...

Happy New Year! Only five days late with my new year's wishes but the first couple of days back at work coincided with me taking over the nursery run so i have been mostly late for work. However this morning i rushed that little bit faster and had time to take a few outfit pics. I apologise for the quality of these but the app i use for the photos had mysteriously disappeared along with the lens that i usually use so they are a bit dark. Plus it was very dark this morning due to the horrendous winds and rain. If i had hatches, last night they would have been battened down as it got pretty scary.

On to this morning and this, a rare trouser wearing post.  I am currently trying to shed a few lbs i put on at Christmas and these Topshop men's waistband peg leg trousers are forgiving so perfect for January.  The shirt is from Motel Rocks and it's the perfect leopard print, big spots and a great camel toned hue. It is referred to as a boyfriend shirt but i think could do with being a little bigger and a little longer to really qualify for 'boyfriend' status, unless your boyfriend takes the same size as you.

I teamed with an old Zara blazer and, inspired by Audrey Leighton of Be Frassy blog fame, i rolled the short sleeves above the blazer sleeves as i've seen her do this and think its a really simple but effective touch, she can do no wrong in my opinion. Nude round toe heels from Primark. I have worn these to death, lucky my husband is a cobbler, but due to excessive wear the ends have taken the slight imprint of my toes which actually makes me love them even more for reminding me of Vivienne Westwood's infamous animal paw shoes. Long live Dame Viv...x Talia

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