Friday Favourite: Gilly Hicks

I have a confession. I have a newfound obsession with Gilly Hicks sleep wear. The brand is fairly new to the UK but being the sister brand of Abercrombie & Hollister, I've been a regular customer ever since it opened in Westfield London in November last year. Earlier this year saw the launch of a huge joint store of Gilly Hicks and Hollister on Regents Street which I was obviously very happy about. I've eyed up a couple of pyjama shorts before when I've been in store but never actually invested in any. It was only recently when the temperature dropped and I realised that I don't own any cosy Winter PJ's that I decided to take a look at the GH website and finally thought I'd order a pair. That's ONE pair..but as always I got distracted and noticed there was £5 international shipping so thought I'd take advantage. Somehow I ended up checking out my basket with four pairs of pyjama bottoms, two long and two short, and two lounge tops to wear with them. Since they arrived I have been living in them; changing into them as soon as I get in and finding it very hard to change out of them each morning. They are so comfortable and soft, possibly the cosiest and cutest loungewear I've owned. Worth every penny because I was already shivering in September so these will ensure I'm snug and warm throughout the bleak Winter months ahead. I ordered the Latham Park Sleep Pants in navy, Kingsgrove in navy, Lion Island in navy & white dot, Riverwood Sleep Short in navy check, Callala Beach Tank in white and Maroubra Tee in heather grey. Gilly Hicks also do cute underwear and preppy clothing but for now I'm ignoring both of those and going back to snuggling up in my cosy new PJ's.

Seasonal Staples

I would not get through the cold Winter months without my trusty boots. Anyone who knows me will know I'm a boots girl during A/W and slip on the sandals as soon as I catch a glimpse of sun or some warmer weather. I live in them day in, day out, without fail, and they definitely get worn out. I just think boots are so easy to work with, you can wear them casually in the day with some skinnies and chunky knits, or just as easily work them into a more dressy look - I'm thinking rocking up a cute dress with some tights and boots for an edgy feel. This year I've invested in a long pair of boots which I hope will get their wears worth  for a few years and three (yes, three...eek) pairs of ankle boots which I will pair with my various Autumn/Winter wardrobe.

I've dedicated a post to the first pair of ankle boots already so I won't bore you by babbling on repeating my self but I love them so check them out :) 

Here are my investment boots. Named so because I'm really hoping they last me and are worth the investment. I usually buy a pair of long boots every year if not every other year and wear them so much that they almost fall apart so thought this year I would invest in a classic pair that should see me through for a while. This lovely pair is from Russell and Bromley and to my surprise due to their look, are entirely made from leather. They're sturdy and comfortable and because of the stretchy pleated soft leather, fit like a glove around my calf as well as having a great texture to admire!

I've blogged before about my well-loved Kurt Geiger boots but unfortunately they've finally given up on me (I told you I wear my boots to death!) and I've had to send them to the shoe mender in hope that they can be fixed up with some TLC. I know that I could wear them with almost any outfit though so decided another pair of little black ankle boots would be a welcomed new staple in my wardrobe. These ones from Next are much cheaper than the Geigers but are still leather and really good quality. I just love the cute little tassels, makes a change to having a boring old zip :)

My final pair of boots is also from Next (Next did good this year!) and are a pair of wedge boots. They're also available in black but I thought it would make a nice change to have a mink pair of boots as I tend to gravitate towards black at this time of year. The wedge is so comfortable and can look both casual and dressy but these are suede so will take more looking after thanks to the constant rain we get in the UK towards the end of the year!

Are you a boots girl like me or do you dedicated to your flats?

Style Spotlight: Sharon

Instead of focusing purely on my own style posts, I thought it would be different to do a series of feature posts of people in my life who provide me with style inspiration, the first being my step-mum. Knowing Sharon, I'm sure she would much rather live in comfy cosy leggings and hoodies on a daily basis (don't we all?), but she manages to look great even on the school run. What I love about her style is how she manages to put together  an outfit using simplistic pieces, often layering in the winter using chunky knitwear and scarves. She also has possibly the most extensive shoe, bag and jewellery collection of all the people I know (I'm jealous, can you tell?) and accessorises every outfit down to a tee.

I managed to persuade Sharon to let me quickly snap some photos before she headed out to dinner and this outfit sums up her style perfectly. She paired a simple River Island tee with a pair of black leggings and a classic black blazer from New Look, completing the look with some black boots and throwing on a scarf from Debenhams (this being one of my favourites that she owns). Keeping a monotone colour palette makes Sharon's outfit simple and chic and she's kept the jewellery minimalistic wearing a Karen Millen cuff and a few ChloBo rings. Continuing the monochromatic theme with her Louis Vuitton patent black Alma bag finishes the look.

I hope you enjoy this twist on style posts & thanks to Sharon for making an appearance on the blog :)

Autumnal Lunch

Currently all my friends are moving away from London for University and I'm having to say my reluctant goodbyes (cue the violins!). I met one of my closest friends Sasha today to do just that (as well as for a long overdue catch up and good food). Here's what I wore for my casual lunch date.

Top: Twenty8Twelve, not available online (sorry!)

Leather jacket: NewLook Link!

Jeans: AllSaints, old season (similar here)

I confess to having no self-restraint or patience which today resulted in me wearing my Twenty8Twelve tee that I bought yesterday, I just couldn't wait! I paired it with a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and my black leather jacket, just as predicted in my last post! On my feet I wore my beloved Kurt Geiger ankle boots that I practically live in every day..you'll notice they're looking a little 'well-loved'! 

Boots: KG by Kurt Geiger, last season (similar here and here)

Due to the sudden drop in temperatures here in the UK (Winter is fast approaching brrrr!) I had to throw on a scarf to stop me shivering. This one's from New Look.

Scarf: NewLook Link!

Meet Sasha. My absolutely wonderful friend of over 7 years who I adore, mainly because she provides photos like this.  

London Fashion Weekend Mini-Haul

As promised, here is my follow up post on the few items I snapped up at London Fashion Weekend this season. I could have spent hours browsing through all the gorgeous rails of clothes and accessories. Equally so, I could have easily spent half my life savings on all the things I had my eye on. This time I did restrain myself and narrowed it down to a few pieces that I just couldn't resist.

Three of the five items I purchased were jewellery. I am a bit of a self-confessed jewellery fiend and am known for having stacks of bracelets up my arm on a daily basis. However I never stray from anything sterling silver. Personally I would rather spend a little more money on a piece of jewellery if it means I can wear it daily without it tarnishing (or turning my fingers green!), so naturally when I spotted the Wishlist London stand (see their website here) I was in my absolute element.

All their designs "offer spiritual meaning and protection" using symbols like Evil Eye, Hamsa Hand and the Peace sign. While I don't worry about the spiritual meaning in things, I am drawn to ethnic feeling jewellery and so when I spotted the Hamsa Hand necklace I found it difficult to walk away!

I think it looks so simple and delicate when paired with a casual outfit and the tiny White Cubic Zirconium stones catch the light without making it look too sparkly..avoiding the cheap look in my eyes. I absolutely love this piece.

The next two I spotted on a hand of one of the assistants who was helping me at the stand. She was wearing a double finger ring and a chain ring. The combination of the two worn together looked great but I think each individual piece could look stunning when worn alone. Alongside sterling silver, Moonstone is something I love in jewellery so the chain ring was perfect for me. I love the bohemian feel that the chain ring gives while still staying really delicate and simple.

Note: I'm wearing Essie's Bahama Mama on my nails Link!

I recommend checking out Wishlist London if you're going to LDWend yourself, there are also gold options available as well as cute little bracelets with bright coloured thread and charms. I was told their website is currently being redesigned and updated at the moment so don't worry if you can't get to the event, all their beautiful stock will be online soon! And what's more, with every piece sold, Wishlist London donates a percentage of the profit to War Child to protect children living in some of the World's most dangerous war zones. What more could you want?! A beautiful piece of jewellery and a worthwhile cause! (It's a no-brainer for me!)

My last two items were both from Twenty8Twelve, a brand linked to Sienna Miller (here's their website) and I have always lusted over it because of it's beautiful tailoring and gorgeous printed fabrics but the price tag was always an issue! Luckily this was not the case at LFWend with all the prices slashed. I managed to find two hidden beauties amongst the rails of endless clothes. One a relatively plain everyday grey cotton t-shirt which I plan to pair with jeans, boots and a leather jacket in the Winter, and the the other a cute little silk skirt in a beautiful print which I can wear on nights out or for dinner dates etc. I can't wait to style these pieces (OOTD's to follow, keep your eyes peeled!)