It's my birthday at the end of the month and people IRL have been asking what I'd like, it's come around so quickly I hadn't really thought about it, but it didn't take me long to think of things I'd be more than grateful to receive.
As ever I have a long want-to-read list so added the first ones that sprang to mind to my wishlist, I seem to have found my reading grove again and am reading regularly. This is partly due to more evenings spent alone, and the sun making an appearance. I can often be found in my hammock lost in a book, or snuggled on the sofa with cat and tea, delighting in the opportunity to spend hours not moving or speaking, immersing myself between the pages.

Recommendations would be much appreciated if you have any?

Rock Rose Gin
Or if it's been released by then, the Summer Edition would be most welcome. This is the best gin I have ever tasted, and no birthday is complete without gin.

Y.A.S Dress size S
Simply because it's lovely. And it's a midi dress, and I'm loving the midi.

Toms in barberry pink, size 5.5
Sadly, my first pair of Toms have seen better days. I've worn them so much, and have been really impressed with how well they've lasted. Not only have they been worn a lot day-to-day since I purchased them in 2013, they've also seen me through two dusty weekends at Latitude, and travelled to the Sahara with me. I'm sure a replacement would be worn just as much, I can't imagine being without pair.

Hunter Wellington Chelsea boots in glossy black, size 6
I've been looking for some leather boots as every pair I own, bar one, are suede. Looking to autumn and winter I'll be needing some weatherproof boots. I often just want to pull on my wellies (I love my wellies) but I think wearing wellies out and about, if it's not raining heavily or very muddy, makes you look like a bit of a wanker. So I just wear them close to home. These Chelsea boot style wellies would be perfect for times when full boots are a bit much for wandering about.


Jacqueline sand leather strap watch  /  Original boyfriend blue chronograph watch  /  Georgia blue leather strap watch  |  All from watches2u.com

Either of these gorgeous Fossil watches would be so lovely to own. There's something about the styling of Fossil watches that really appeals to me. To my mind they're just as important as other accessories. I change my watch like other people might change a necklace.

What have you been coveting anything recently?

At this time of year I always feel really nostalgic and spend a lot of time looking back over the year. I noticed that on this day last year I entered the Style Is ethical outfit competition wearing this and I thought it would be fun to recreate the outfit for today. You never know, one day I might actually wear this in the summer months, as intended when I bought it!


I always thought that this dress would look cute with a stripey top underneath so I popped on this one but all other elements remain the same. The top is originally from Jigsaw bit I picked it up in a charity shop for about £3.00. The label says 'hand wash only' but I took a gamble (wash by hand? I think not) and chucked it in on a 30 wash and y'know what? It's perfectly fine.

I've also been thinking a lot about the year ahead and I've read a lot of your posts on what you have planned for 2014 and I have to say you're a creative lot, full of good ideas, of which I am going to steal many! Full credit will be given obviously, but I'm letting January pass before I set out my plan for the year. It's going to be a hectic few weeks and my focus will be almost entirely on work. But this is a good thing, please do not think I am complaining, I am loving the new challenges that freelancing brings!

Do you ever look back at your blog and think 'ohh that's nice, I haven't worn that in a while'?

Love

One of the #BEDN topics asked about what I'd like to find under my Christmas tree this year.

At this time of year I tend to struggle when deciding between things that I want and things that I actually need, but this year I think I've asked for more things I'll use over and above pretty things I want just because they are pretty... or sparkly... or shiny.

To get me moving - running trainers because I WILL start running again. These are trail trainers so would give more grip than my current ones. I run off road and when it's wet I slip all over the place (as if I don't look enough like an idiot when I'm running).


To splash - because we can't be sure that it'll snow but we know it's going to rain... my first instinct when it rains is to reach for my wellies but they're not always practical for shops, supermarkets etc and not the easiest things to drive in either.





To find my way - I really dislike getting lost. Even though I print out Google directions to unknown destinations, I find that a lot of country roads don't have street name signs so my printed directions are often rendered useless.



My final wish doesn't fall under the need category - no where near in fact - but I do like to have a choice when it comes to watches. And if looked after properly a watch will last for years.



I'd also like it to start snowing gently on Christmas Eve at round 8pm. Every year since I was little I look out the window hoping that I'll wake up to a perfectly white Christmas.

What are you wishing for this Christmas?

Love

Day 25 of Only Once August and I wore a dress purchased from ASOS Marketplace in July.

When I put it on I had no idea what the finished outfit would be. Thanks to an unexpected change in the weather the first item I added was a pair a black footless tights. I pondered black ballet pumps and discounted them on account of the rain that was tip-tapping on my window at that precise moment.

I decided on a pair of boots that have been put into, and subsequently rescued from, the charity bag on several occasions (in all honesty they have been rescued more times than they have been worn!).

The baby doll style and floral pattern of the dress felt a little girlish so the boots toughen things up a bit. I'd already decided on minimal make up - no eyeshadow, no blush - as a 'full face' also felt too girly. It was for this reason that I kept my hair down and unfussy too.

I considered jewellery, put some on, took it off again, tried something else. In the end I settled on a beaded bracelet and two leather Pandora bracelets, one with charms.

My bag, although pink, was big and slouchy enough not to look twee and picked out a colour in the pattern of the dress, breaking up the density of the black.

Some days I know what I am going to wear, right down to the last detail, before I even get out of bed. But this outfit took a while.

Do you have days like this?
How do you go about putting an outfit together?

After all the umming and ahhing I decided that I liked the finished result, although I felt it lacked one thing - a classic leather strap watch. I indulged in some online browsing - just browsing though, my spending ban was still in place. And here is what I found...



This isn't the first time that I've felt the need for a watch such as this, which is a pretty good indication that it would be a good investment buy.


Love