My week in pictures….

Excuse my absence, last week was packed with ALL the things. I headed to edinburgh on Tuesday to deliver some presentations. These were critical, possibly game changing lectures & I don’t mind admitting my stress levels wee soaring. After a tough first session the reception warmed up & I was a hit.

I had to present over three days, which necessitated finding somewhere to stay. Luckily I found an amazing rental flat on rose st. The location was perfect & the flat itself was lovely. Highlight was absolutely the massive shower, so good for unwinding after a hard day’s work.

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All work & no fun does, as they say make for a dull ly. With that in mind I took advantage of being in my favourite man’s city. We had a glass bottle or two of wine & delighted in each others company. I also managed to squeeze in catch up with my friend & kindred spirit, Aidan.
It was a highly successful trip.

As always, edinburgh was looking spiffing. I snapped a few of shots of vistas that took my fancy.

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The rest of the week was taken up with my fur babies. I nipped through to Mum’s to look after my poodle family. Coco & her son D’artagnan are gorgeous if a little hyper, but were little darlings for me.

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On Saturday I was wowed by the most amazing sunset. I really do love these vibrant natural displays. There was more wow on Sunday when I was reunited with my beautiful Bronan.

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I’ll conclude with some random pictures of things that pleased through out the week.

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* apartment – http://www.destinyscotland.com

Walking the dog….

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of taking Seb for another walk. I was joined of course by Seb’s Mummy & my darling Bil bob. We all had a really good carry on and the main man got a lovely long walk.

It was very cold, but the rain held off until just before we got back in the car. I opted for my standard winter strategy of layers. I have always been a tad cautious of horizontal stripes due to their notorious widening reputation. However, my mum bought me this vest top & I rather like it. That’s one more reason for me to ignore all those stupid fashion rules!

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Skirt – Primark
Vest – M&S
Cardigan – Primark
Scarf – Gift from NYC

( I really need to work on keeping my eyes open in photographs)

You can’t see them clearly in the pictures, but I was also wearing these amazing Asos poodle earrings.

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Cold as ice…..

In the quiet time between xmas & new year my sister & I took advantage of a crisp, bright day to take Seb for a nice long walk. We of course also found time for a spot of outfit photography. It was a lovely day, but still very cold, hence I wrapped up warm in my ‘sleeping bag’ coat. It’s not the most glamorous outerwear, but it’s oh so cosy.

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This wool skater dress is also perfect for a winter walk. It’s delightfully comfortable plus lovely & warm. The autumnal/wintery colour palettes have long been my favourites, but any yellow tones have been particularly taking my fancy of late. This mustard colour gives an additional impression of warmth. It’s a top cold weather dress.

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Dress – Asos Curve
Coat – Very.com

I was in a crazy rush getting ready that day & just flung my hair up. Without knowing how, I constructed lovely voluminous bun. Of course all attempts to recreate it have failed miserably.

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Here is the main man creeping into shot. He seems determined to get in every photograph he’s not supposed to be in.

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Simply having a wonderful Christmas time….

Merry Christmas!
I hope you all had a wonderful time. It’s been a bumper yultide for me & mine, loads of food, fizz, family & friends. I love the festive season & the opportunities it provides to let those you love know how much they mean to you. By the wonder of facetime I even got to watch my niece open her presents in brisbane, nothing can beat the look on her face as she discovers she’s been given all the things she’s been hoping for.

Talking of presents, I have also been a very lucky girl. My family & friends proved once again how well they know me by buying me the perfect gifts. There are a lot of ticks on my wish list & I am one happy lady.

First from my wish list was an early xmas treat from the lovely people at Bonmarche. As you know I desperately wanted something gorgeous & velvet to adorn myself in, this dress was exactly right. The midnight blue colour is so perfect, the fabric so soft & the fit oh so flattering. I felt amazing in this dress.

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I have actually never shopped at Bonmarche before, but had heard good things, about their plus size dresses in particular. After perusing their website I suspect that some of their ranges are aimed at a slighter more mature woman. Having said that I saw several dresses that I would rock and some faux fur jackets that are to die for. Considering I not only looked super sexy in this dress, but it was also as comfortable as my birthday suit, I will definitely be adding the Bonmarche website to my bookmarks.

Bonmarche also sent me some pretty accessories, which will be featuring in another excellent post incredibly soon.

Another slightly early xmas present arrived in a suspiciously shoe box shaped package. Sure enough when I tore it open nestled inside were the most beautiful shoes ever created. Someone clearly read this blog & liked the idea of having me at their beck and call. I am madly in love with these beauties. Should they ever change the law, I may well marry them.

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Irregular Choice

Last, but not least my darling sister got me this shiny & sleek clutch that she spied on my wish list. Lauren also cooked us all a delicious Christmas dinner, including the cutest dessert ever amp; clearly my little sis has been hiding her culinary skills. Now that her secret’s out she can expect me over for dinner much more often.

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Asos

All of my people gave me marvellous pressies & I appreciate every single one. However, the finest thing in my life is undoubtedly belonging to my warm, loyal & hilarious family. The fact that I’ve been able to add to that family with my magnificent friends probably makes me more fortunate than I deserve to be. So, I’ll leave you with some snaps of our Christmas because I believe this is what it’s all about.

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* disclaimer – all the fizz impaired my ability to take photographs in focus, which some special folks don’t appear. I love you all, people!*

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I get a little warm in my heart when I think of winter…

Saturday was one of those perfect winter days. The air was crisp, no sign of rain & cold enough to wrap up without fear of freezing your arse off. So, when my sister suggested taking her lovely Seb for a walk I jumped at the chance. I have actually been missing the Sebster, so it was nice to get a look at his handsome face. We decided to head to Pollok Country Park, which is an amazing piece of country right in th middle of the city. It’s also home to the Burrell Collection, a herd of highland cattle,Maxwell house as well as dozens of woodland walks. In short it was perfect for Seb to roam free & for us to get some cool blog photos.

This is a new look for me. I’ve always been very self conscious about leggings & worn with either skirts or tunics. This skeleton pair are crying out to have all their bones exposed, so I stepped out of my comfort zone. I mostly wanted to be comfortable and cosy for our walk. With this in mind I teemed the leggings with my Ghostbusters t-shirt (a childhood fav), layered cardigans & a scarf. My trusty sparkly boots stood me in good stead in the mucky park.

I have to say I am chuffed with these pictures. I am loving this fun casual look so much that I may well invest in some more statement leggings.

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Leggings – Asos Curve
T-shirt – New Look
Scarf – Gift
Cardigan – Primark

Wishin’ and hopin’….

The festive season is almost upon us & my mind has been pondering the notion of having some fun. Along with the usual seasonal celebrations I also have some important birthdays in December including my fabulous best friend & my darling youngest sibling. My darling sister will be 30 this year & she’s having a big fabulous party. I am determined to go uber luxe for these occasions & with this in mind I have created a party wishlist. Some of these are serious contenders & others are just me dreaming.
I have had hankering for velvet for a while. I’ve always adored it, but it’s popularity has definitely waned in recent years. Wearing velevt never fails to make me feel sexy. It is so tactile & lush. This sleek navy dress screams old school glamour. I have a feeling the side gathering detail will be flattering as hell on my body. I can’t wait to try this on & hopefully strut my gorgeous stuff in it over christmas. I feel a dress this sumptious need some simple show stopping accessories, these Biba earrings certainly fit that bill. Sadly at £1750 they are likely to remain on my wish list.

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Dress – Scarlett & Jo (at Evans)

Ring – M&S

Earrings – Biba

Clutch – River Island

 

Layers do it for me especially if one or more of them are sheer. This evans dress is genuis, sparkly gold, sheer, built in cover up. Three big ticks from me. Similarly this layered Elvi top is so simple, yet striking. Elvi is actually a new find for me, so far, i am impressed.
Irregular choice are pretty much the only shoes I want on my feet & this pair are perfect in every way. They are currently sold out, but i am hoping against hope that they come back. How can anything go wrong when you have unicorns on your feet?

 

 

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Shoes – Irregular choice

Dress – Evans

Box Top – Elvi

Oil Slick Clutch – Asos

 

Faux fur seems like the obvious choice when playing the luxury bitch. Monsoon’s classic shape & colour make their take it on it a winner for me. I’ll definitely need to try before buying as coats are always a tricky fit with my boobs.
I am actually pinching myself over this Lovedrobe flapper style dress. I can’t believe it is so affordable & available in my size. A futher bonus is that this art deco type design is tailer made for a big event I have later in the year. I am snapping this one up immediatey & calling it fate.IMG_1060.JPG

Coat – Monsoon

Dress – Lovedrobe (at Evans)

 

These are my wild cards. They do not fit with my hollywood starlet theme, yet i can’t prevent myself coveting them. The shoes speak for themselves, what woman in her right mind would not want her feet adorned with these masterpieces? If anyone out there wants to have me at their beck and call those shoes are the key. The poodle clutch is so not me. I don’t go in much for cutesy or pastel. However my Mother happens to have to stunning standard poodles who would turn cruella deville into a dog person. Coco & D’artagnan have captured my heart & simultaneously opened it ip to kitch handbags.
Last but not least is another Elvi piece. Whoever thought up the ‘coatigan’ , I owe you a drink. Bright orange cosy coolness are all things i need in my wardrobe.

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Poodle Clutch – Asos

Coatigan – Elvi

Shoes – Irregular choice

 

Watch out for outfits posts as and when i get mitts on these beauties.

 

Wishing And Hoping – Dusty Springfield

 

 

 

 

a month in the life..

I have written for a while. I blame this on the stupid virus that is making me feel like I’ve been hit by a truck. Unfortunately my compromised immune system is making it very difficult to shake off said virus. I have however managed to get out & have a little fun, so I thought I would do quick compilation post.
The month started with the wedding of my wonderful friends Lisa & Gordon. I met Lisa whilst we were both working in a tedious a role. Lisa’s arrival transformed my days from dull to a giggle fest. That was 10 years ago & we have been giggle buddies ever since. Obviously over that time I have gotten to know Gordon and have discovered that he too is a truly excellent person. They have now completed their family with James, their perfect little man. The only thing left to do was tie the knot. They wed in style at a romantic Scottish castle. I was delighted to be part of their special day. My date couldn’t get the time off work, so my darling best friend, Pamela, stepped in. We took full advantage of the chance to be luxury bitches for a couple days.

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Carberry Tower.

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Lisa & I

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Adorable little James.

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Beautiful Bride.

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My perfect Pam.

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The one nippled statue I was caught feeling up.

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A little hung over the next day with my new man.

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My boy was very pleased to see me on my return.

 

Next up was a wee sojourn at my mother’s for some relaxation & quality time with my poodle babies. My darling little canine sister, coco, was seriously ill last month, but has made a remarkable recovery. She is now back to her old self including bossing her boy about. Despite D’artagnan being quite a bit bigger that his mum now, he is still very much the junior partner. Mum lives in a pretty little village, so walking the dogs there is always a pleasure.

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Sleeping babies. All that chasing each other up hills wore them out.

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Bronan was again very pleased to have his Mummy home.

 

Glasgow pride was my next excursion. The event was displaced this year due to us hosting the commonwealth games. The new venue wasn’t really up to scratch, but Bil & I still had a fun day. There were lots of freebies (naughty, tasty & practical) plus the usual buoyant pride atmosphere. Unfortunately the Glasgow weather chased Bil & I inside to escape the down pour. We withdrew to Delmonica’s for a chat & to review our swag.

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A small sample of Pride freebies.

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Sporting some gender equality face paint.

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Billy’s extensive freebie collection.

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The only correct attire for Pride, rainbow!

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The arrival of commonwealth games in Glasgow created a fabulous buzz in the city. I made a concerted to effort to experience some of the excitement. I am really not a sports fan; however I have loved the vibe in my city throughout the games. The spirit of Glaswegians infused perfectly with the influx of tourists ensuring that everyone enjoyed themselves. Glasgow has really shone. I nipped into town once or twice to sample the games fever. I took advantage of being out to do a little charity shop/vintage shopping. I also met up with friend up from London and had a great gab in the sunshine.

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Tourists posing with cones on their heads & a gold cone to celebrate the games.

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I found this gorgeous tea set in Marie Curie shop.

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& this fab shirt dress in Glad Rags.

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I love this street art.

 

Last, but not least I took advantage of the soaring temperatures by having a family BBQ. Lots of food, some frozen cocktails & my homemade cheesecake that pleased all in attendance. We had such a good time that we neglected to take many photographs. The only picture I snapped that night was my adorable boys waiting patiently for their burger. No family event is ever complete with some of our furries.

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Sun going down on my BBQ.

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Ringo & Buster waiting for their burgers. Their mum in the background munching hers.

 

 

  A day in the life The Beatles

 

 

Parklife….

I am dog sitting this week. My brother’s dog, Ringo (I named him) has come to stay. He’s a gorgeous boy. He is very affectionate & loves a good sleep. I love having him and as auntie ly spoils him rotten, he loves being here.

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So, today I thought I would combine a trip to the park with a little blog photo shoot. My dear friend billy was my photographer & companion. I think he might enjoy Ringo’s company more than mine.

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The weather was fairly pleasant, the sun really wanted to break through, but didn’t always manage. In any case it was warm enough to dispense with jackets & break out a new maxi skirt. I picked up this skirt on my recent charity shop trawl. It appeals to my hippie sensibilities & as I am trying to expand the blue section of my wardrobe, it was a must have. I teamed it up with my favourite Beatles vest & my nude flats. It’s a great comfy, but cute outfit.

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Skirt – charity shop

Vest – H&M

Cardigan – John Lewis

 

No excursion with billy is complete without a little carry on, so we had a little go on the swings.

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Parklife Blur

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can see clearly now….

After fumbling around in a blur for far too long I have finally gotten myself some new glasses. My last beautiful pair of spectacles met their demise at the hands (paws) of my mum’s dog Coco.

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The charming culprit.                Her victims.

 

In the aftermath of this shocking act of destruction I had been forced to rely on an aged pair of glasses with an old (& useless prescription). All of this leads to the grand unveiling of my amazing new specs.

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Glasses – Red or Dead

 

I’m so into the 50’s style. I love what they do to my face, but by far my favourite feature is the ‘eyebrows’, they are magnetic & changeable. The glasses come with three different pairs of eyebrows each a different colour & shape. The novelty of changing my glasses to match outfits or my mood is yet to wear off. Of course it is also rather helpful to be able to see properly again. It’s safe to say I am more than a little bit in love with them.

This style is limited edition, so swoop in fast if you’re a fan.

 

I can see clearly now Jimmy Cliff

 

 

 

We’re the colours of the rainbow….

I’ve been ill all week & feeling pretty awful. My outfits have mostly consisted of jammies & those don’t make for a very exciting post. On Saturday I was feeling a little better & ventured out for a couple of hours with my wee sis. If you only know from this blog, it probably seems like Lauren is the only person I ever see. I do actually have friends and a social life. My sister just happens to be my go to photographer & as if take a lot of her pictures too she often features in my blog outings.
This week we just had a quick look in forever 21 as I am desperate to find the perfect biker jacket. I thought my prayers had been answered when I discovered my ideal biker on sale at ASOS. Frustratingly after I ordered it they emailed to say it was out of stock. The search continues.
As you have probably noticed I like colour. This dress is a firm favourite mainly because of its fabulous purple hue. It also happens to be very easy to wear and this week that was definitely a consideration. I never wear one colour when I can wear three, so I added some blue in the form of flats & vest. A splash of red rounded of the outfit.

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This little guy is called Bronan & he has been taking good care of his sick mum.

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