Things to get excited about: new capsule collections

There are some amazing capsule and limited edition collections coming out in the next couple of months, and I’m excited about pretty much all of them. From Debenhams’ new ‘Edition’ collection, featuring pieces from Preen, Roksanda Ilincic, Jonathan Saunders and Jonathan Kelsey, to the much hyped ‘Inclusive’ range from H&M, which is an online-only collection of pretty dresses and separates that come in a larger range of sizes than the usual tiny H&M stuff. Keep reading for pics and info on these great upcoming fashion collaborations…

Frocking Friday & the stylish blogger award

It’s been a fashion-filled weekend despite my lack of spending during Frugal Feb. Last night I headed off to the evening portion of the Plus London meetup, the brainchild of blogger extraordinaire Lauren. It was an amazing night meeting lots of gorgeous bloggers (and getting a sneaky peek at a few new collections from brand like ASOS Curve, H&M Inclusive and Anna Scholz). But before I go into detail about that (I’m waiting for the official pics taken in the amazing studio set-up), I have a few Frocking Fridays to catch you up on, plus the lovely Emily Jayne passed on the Stylish Blogger Award to me and I’ve been very slow to say thank you…

The Lust List: Quirky pastels & modern classics

I can’t help myself with these lust lists, so expect them to be a frequent feature on the site in the coming months. I plan to spend February staying away from the shops (more on Frugal Feb soon…) so I won’t actually be buying any of these gorgeous pieces, but that doesn’t stop you from indulging. For me, this year is about trying new things, so trousers, quirkly little accessories and slightly more subtle pieces are what it’s all about. I particularly love the idea of teaming Topshop’s pretty blouse with New Look’s chic little tailored trousers and a fabulous pair of wedges…

Tried & Tested: INES Collection’s plus size prints!

I’ve been sitting on this review for months (literally) because I didn’t want it to disappear in the middle of all the Dressember madness, so please forgive the fact I didn’t tell you all about INES Collection sooner! The brand (available at ShopTranslated.com, who ship internationally) offers affordable plus size dresses and blouses with an emphasis on prints – a great move as plus size fashion is so often black, black, black, and while some people can totally pull that off, others want a bit of colour!

I was sent the Graphic Pop dress ($72) and a ruched sleeve peacock print blouse to try out, so read on for how I got on!

Things I’m coveting this week…

In 2011 my plan is to stop being lazy about the way I dress (just shoving on a dress and a pair of flats and calling it an ‘outfit’) and start trying out a few new things. I can’t wave goodbye to my love of dresses just yet, but I do want to pay more attention to what goes with them. My penchant for alice bands withstanding, I aim to accessorize a bit more. I’m starting with costume jewellery – lots of big chunky rings, long pendants and bangles, especially anything with disgusting bugs on. Then I’m moving on to real statement footwear – the crazier the better. Top it all with a fabulous coat, and I think I might be halfway there. Here’s what’s on my wishlist this week…

20 Fabulous Sale Finds – grab a January bargain!

I know that in the sales you’re supposed to buy up classics and basics and ignore the faddy trends that you didn’t buy three months earlier at full price. But while I do use the discounts as a way of stocking up on chic work dresses and nice shoes, I also see sales as a super-cheap way of trying out things I’d never normally give a go – like capes, coulottes and crazy heels. So I’ve put together 20 of my favourite sale finds, some of which I’ve already bought, to help you hunt down the best discounts…

Dressember Week 4 – Christmas time!

I’m almost at the end of Dressember, but I’m not giving up yet! It’s been really fun snapping each outfit, planning what to wear and knowing each morning when I get up that I’ve got yet another frock to wear. At the beginning of week 4, the last thing I wanted to do was snap photos of my flu-ridden self, but I managed to keep it up, and I’m so glad that I did! This week also saw me heading home to spend Christmas with my family in Worcestershire, and three guesses what I had in my suitcase…

Dressember continues with week 2!

Dressember continues as the online challenge to wear a dress for every day of the month gets even more silly, with the addition of ‘Ballgown day’ (not my idea!) on Saturday. My self-appointed extra challenge of no repeats has been brilliant for helping me to rediscover old favourites from the back of the wardrobe – a lot of this week’s frocks are 2 or 3 years old. Between the 6th and 12th December I managed to wear 9 dresses, which I think is pretty good going. From full-length and fabulous to short and silly, here are my looks from the last 7 days…

Dressember: 31 days of dresses!

The first of December marked the beginning of Dressember, a challenge I’m taking part in with a bunch of lovely ladies (some of them fellow bloggers) via Facebook.

The premise is pretty obvious – we have to wear a dress every single day of December. On days when it’s not practical, a skirt or a tunic will do, but the basic idea is to get out of jeans and t-shirts and start wearing all the gorgeous dresses we undoubtedly have hanging in our wardrobes…

Shop Savvy: four places on my radar for Autumn

I’ll be the first to admit I’m a bit predictable when it comes to the shops I buy my clothes from. For a long time, budget was the biggest issue, so a lot of stuff came from H&M, Primark, Dorothy Perkins, New Look or from eBay. This year, I’ve tried to buy less and invest more, though Peacocks have featured highly thanks to that amazing Pearl Lowe collection. I’ve bought a lot more from small boutiques, online shops and retro retailers, but I’m still a slave to the UK high street. Here are the places I’m most excited about at the moment…