ootd

Hello! I’m back with another ‘My Style’ OOTD for you! I’m obsessed with The Carrie Diaries at the moment, so this outfit is definitely inspired by her style. I love mixing prints anyway, but this combo is awesome… in my opinion 😉

What I Wore: Pink Coat* (ARK Clothing – No longer available), Zebra Print Turtle Neck (Jumble Sale), Denim Camouflage Skirt £9.00 (ASOS), Floral Necklace £15.00* (Punky Pins) & Metallic Soldier Heels (ASOS – Give-Away Prize)

Do you remember my Christmas Wishlist? Well, one of the items was a gorgeous pair of Soldier heels from ASOS, and look what I have! The ASOS Santa was doing a Give-Away, and I won some! YAY! I also treated myself to this skirt in the sale, and I am so happy I did! It’s so nice, and I’ve never had a denim skirt before so this is a nice all season addition. 2 other additions to my wardrobe, are my pink coat – so trendy 😉 😉 – and my gorgeous necklace. I love them both so much! The coat actually fits so nicely, and it’s a size 8 as well, so well done ARK! Unfortunately I have 1 broken version of this necklace, and 1 good version, which is a shame, but it is very good quality and even has sparkles in it… win win! If my hair was blonde and curly, I could get away as Carrie Bradshaw right? Gahh, I wish my hair wasn’t so bland… I mean, most people would love to have straight soft hair, but I would do anything for a bit of shape and volume. I finished Season 1 of The Carrie Diaries within like, 5 days… and I bought the book… and I kinda’ really want to just be her… *sigh* …although, am I the only one who doesn’t find Sebastian attractive? No? Just me… rightio… *awkward whistle*

I love all of the colours against each other in this outfit, and I can get away with wearing thick tights too! I love, love love, pastel against monochrome as well, it looks so purrrrty. Oh, and if you are interested, that is how high the shoes are! They’re pretty high, and make me taller than my sister, but they are so comfortable because they have a block heel. I’m just getting used to walking in them seeing as I’m more of a flats gal, but other than stairs, I seem to be doing well. Holographic shoes are in my wardrobe guys… mission accomplished 😀 Take a look at that meringue too… oh it was SO good! Definitely picture worthy! So picture worthy, I had to have these funny ones taken…

I honestly cannot wait until the summer when I can whip off those thick tights and coat. Summer here in France is so beautiful and makes me so happy, and I miss it like mad. Plus it means I can get a tan – Oh dear, I just said that in my head like Donna from TCD… oops… probably not the best of people to think it like… – and I can go to the beach and lay by the pool (if the wasps aren’t buzzing around, I have a HUGE phobia) and drink as many glasses of Coca-Cola that I wish…

IT’S CHRISTMAS! …time! It’s official, even to you grinches out there, that it is Christmas!  The tree is up, the decorations are out, and the films are on AND I have snow falling on my blog (so festive)! So, what’s better than a bit of a novelty Christmas OOTD? Excuse the cray-cray hair… it was windy okay! Oh and FYI, I have tights on! 

What I Wore: Christmas Pudding Jumper £18.00* (Not for Ponies), Black Velvet Pinafore £22.99* (ARK, Hearts & Bows), Bobbly Santa Headband, & Chelsea Boots (Jumble Sale).

As I said this is a ‘novelty’ outfit, but I actually quite like it… I’m not sure these windy pictures really do the pieces justice, but all of them are really comfortable! I’ve always wanted a pinafore skirt, and this velvet one is perfect! It’s a really nice velvet too, the inside isn’t scratchy and it’s adjustable which is a plus! It looks like a skort in these pictures, but it’s just a plain skater skirt bottom, and I think even with a light t-shirt this could be an all year piece! (PLUS You can get 25% off at ARK with the code: TOLLY25 so happy shopping!) The jumper though… maybe just for winter! I love Not For Ponies, and this jumper is so so warm and snug! I love it to bits! The full appliqué is a Christmas Pud with a moustache! A moustache… I mean?! #christmasswagger

I can’t remember where this is from, or when I got it, but I love my bobbly santa headband! I walked in to McD’s to get a quick snack and by my surprise nobody even smiled at it which sort of made me sad, but oh well! Yes, I do wear it out… Look at that view though? So beautiful! We had a quick drink at this lovely cafe/bookshop and it was very cosy, and they had gorgeous twinkly lights! I really do love this time of the year and I can’t wait for the rest of my family to come over! 😀

I never really do book reviews on here, but I got really excited about fellow blogger, Natasha from The Girl In The Lens‘ book, I just had to let you know about it! If you are a fan of The Hunger Games, you will love this book! ‘THE ELITES‘ is about a city in the future and the two main characters, Silver and Butterfly. Silver is a ‘Red’ and has even more of a struggle through the troubles she gets into, and Butterfly finds out more about his past. It’s a really interesting book and had me hooked the whole way through! Natasha is so nice, and has let me ask her a few questions about her writing…

When you were writing The Elites, did any of your past personal experiences go into it? I didn’t intentionally include events or experiences from my past, but I’m sure they affected how I wrote the book. The racial issues are definitely influenced by me being mixed race and having been brought up in two very different countries and cultures, and my time spent in Malaysia (where my mum is from) and travelling with my parents also inspired the cultural landscape of Neo-Babel. Especially all the food references!

Throughout The Elites you are extremely good at using metaphors, personification etc to describe things, what would be your biggest tip for keeping that up throughout your writing? Oh thank you! I’m so glad you thought so. My biggest tip for varied and unique description is to really immerse yourself in every scene. Imagine you’re there. Feel the slap of the wind on your face, the roar of the air rushing past your ears. Taste the bite of the wind-blown saltwater on your tongue. Just really try and put yourself in each and every scene, noticing every little detail. Then, when you come to describing it as you write, you’ll have so many different sensory experiences to draw from!

Who is your favourite character in The Elites? (Mine has got to be Butterfly!) Butterfly has pretty much been everyone’s favourite so far, which is great, as he’s one of mine too! I love how grounded and strong he is in his values, and how he keeps Silver steady, helping her through the darkest of times. People keep telling me off for giving Butterfly such a tragic story, since he’s such a nice guy!

I’m not sure whether my brother really wanted this out on the internet, but I just had to put it up! He is a bit silly when I am trying to get good pictures… grr! I was so annoyed I had to clearly express myself *face palm* Hahaha!

Hello everyone, I hope you are all well! Today I have another ‘My Style’ instalment with a nice bit of tartan! I’m currently listening to Daniel Bedingfield (old school tunes) and drinking a nice warm cup of tea whilst my fingers struggle to get from Q to P on a very cold keyboard. P.S If you pop over to my Facebook page, there is a give-away going on to win a leather watch! Go go go!

What I Wore: Grey Coat with Faux Fur Collar (John Lewis), Tartan Dress* (Uncommon Nonsense), Super Soft Long Gloves £5.00 (ASOS) & Dr Martens €35.00 (Jumble Sale).

Before I begin… I finally have some warm gloves! My fingers have been turning into icicles, but after having a browse on ASOS, I decided on these, and they live up to their name, because they are certainly soft and long! Moving onto the main outfit though, this is like my coat. I love it so much and I’m sadly starting to grow out of it, so please John Lewis, can you bring another version out! I received this dress from the lovely people from Uncommon Nonsense, and I had no idea what it was going to be like, and I do really like the tartan, I must admit, but the size is way off for me, but that is only because I am usually a Size 4/6 in ‘bigger’ dresses, so this is just a tad roomy for my liking. It’s nice layered up though, especially with my fluffy jumper.

Can I just say that our grass is looking rather ‘lush’? Just a fact… lol. *back to the dress, Tolly* Oh yes… I like how it has a little bit of detailing so when I wear it with my fluffy jumper it pokes out the top. The dress also came with a faux fur collar, but unfortunately it doesn’t sit perfectly 🙁 so, that’s why I opted for my ‘collared’ coat. (I’m currently typing but unsure what is happening with my thumb, I believe it has lost all feeling and has gone a bit odd. Very strange sensation going on here!) 

N’aww, isn’t Papa Posh a nice photographer? 🙂 So yup, if you did enjoy this post, make sure to give it a bit of love by leaving a comment! As I said at the beginning, there’s a give-away on my Facebook page, so make sure you take a look at that! Good day my lovelies! (I have a numb thumb – I’m a poet and you know it  – to sort out!)

Hi hi! Today is another edition of My Style, but with a little twist! Read on to see a pretty cool little thing from a certain App brand! *cough* Shuttersong *cough*… 😉

What I Wore: Black Fluffy Jumper £10.00 (Primark), Denim Dungarees (Jumble Sale), Tartan Check Scarf (Second Hand), Tiny Heart Necklace (Girl Talk – the one with TDP in it! 😉 ), Dr Martens (Jumble Sale) & Mermaid Logo Watch (Shuttersong)*

I know this is a weird way to start, but do I look like a deranged elf? I always think I do…? Okay, umm… back to normal… This outfit nice and warm and cosy, and because it has the different textures (fluff and denim), I think it makes it more ‘fashion-y’ and all that jazz. I also like how the denim and the scarf a nice pops of colour against my jumper, so it isn’t too dark and gloomy. It was especially cold when I took these photos, and walking around Toulouse is quite a trek, so I was freezing! Darn you Winter! Ooh ooh! I’m wearing my little heart necklace I got in my Girl Talk magazine (when I was in it), and it is now my lucky necklace, and reminds me of my proud moments 🙂 – Whilst taking these pictures, I realised how embarrassing it is when you take them in public!

Click on the image to see what music I put on top! (direct link)
Now, you might be wondering, ‘Tolly, why is there an orange dot on that picture?’ well, let me introduce you to Shuttersong! Shuttersong is basically an App which is available for iOS users (iPhone/iPad), where you basically, add music, or a recording on top of the image! I think it is really cute because you could have a picture of you blowing out your candles, then Happy Birthday on top! The App is FREE which means you should totally go and try it out! Visit the App Store and click the download button! On to the watch though… I didn’t own any black, or simple leather watches until this one arrived, and I am so glad I have it! It goes with most things and is the perfect of sizes! I really do like it a lot! It has the Shuttersong Mermaid in the centre, which I have to say, is rather cute! I also like how it has a silver middle, and no numbers because it makes it even more versatile and plain. Plus, it’s real leather, so hopefully it should last quite a long time before anything needs to be replaced!

Some random pictures I know, but heck, why can I not put my photography on my own blog? If you are wondering, the first image is of some hammers… from the Air Bus museum (yup, that really makes sense), but I thought the focus was quite nice. Then the second one is of some buildings (obviously), and after reading Islaay’s post, I have been obsessed with the way buildings look, and I tried to do some of my own! What do ya’ think?

(This post contains a sponsored image. I may have been paid or gifted by Shuttersong to publish the image. All opinions are 100% honest, as always. You can read my full disclaimer here.)

An new OOTD! Woop! I know you guys like ‘My Style’ posts, seeing as I did about… 4 recently, but I had a bit of break from them so here you go! Enjoy ^.^

What I Wore: Monochrome Tweed Dress (ZARA – Old), Green Stripe Detail Dress Top (Primark ASOS – Underneath), Shapeless Socks (House of Holland ASOS), Black Jelly Shoes (Supermarket), American Car Print Oversized Bow* £12.00 (Beauxoxo)

I feel like these pictures don’t do this outfit justice. I swear it looks nicer in person! Oh well, I still like it! Also please ignore my weird arm/shoulder situation… I know it went a bit funny… I feel like this is a good summer to autumn transitional outfit because it mixes pops of pastels with darker colours, and also includes layering! Plus… how cute is my hair bow?! Georgie from Beauxoxo is literally, so lovely and makes some super cute stuff!

I also paired this outfit with my pink tweed jacket – Chanel-esque – and I think it just makes it all complete. I do have to say it though, but if you are a french parent, please can you teach your children that everyone is different? I got laughed at twice this week (not for just this outfit) and it really doesn’t make one, feel too good. I dress completely different to the girls around ‘ere, so please… STOP. *composes herself* Anyway, with this green Primark dress top, I almost feel like a vintage Barbie doll which has been dressed in clothes which are too big, in a good way of course. I also feel like Pippi Long-stockings, except my stockings don’t stay up – House of Holland, do improve your ‘One Size’ sizing, I do like to actually ‘wear’ my socks.

I am a true supporter to Georgie at Beauxoxo! I feel like other hair accessory brands, or handmade brands have a sort of ‘factory’ feel, and more of a ‘churned out by the dozen’ feel, but with Beauxoxo I feel the lurrrve. I know that a lot of hard work has gone into each individual piece, and now I have my own hair band, I know for sure. The fabric is really nice and soft, it’s well made and sits nicely on my head(?!). I love the prints that are available, and next on my wishlist are the sparkly bow headbands! They look perfect for A/W! I really do think you should go check out Beauxoxo, I do really support her work and some of it is sooooo gorgeous! GO GO GO!

Watch out for another OOTD featuring this gorgeous headband! I’m not sure this outfit gave it justice, but I still love it! I hope you do too! Please leave a comment if you like!

I’m really excited to be writing this ‘My Style’ post. I absolutely loved wearing this outfit, and editing it was even more fun. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do, and make sure you put on your 50s cap for this one!

What I Wore: Denim Dress €2.00 (IKKS – Jumble Sale), Blue Cardigan (Primark), Aztec Knee High Socks (River Island), Jelly Shoes €4.00 (Supermarket), Vintage Cat Eye Sunglasses €1.00 (Jumble Sale).

I feel like a vintage doll in this outfit. The dress is just so simple and versatile, it’s one of my best jumble sale finds. I popped a white t-shirt underneath, with some gorgeous knee high socks and my black jelly shoes. I love how all the colours match together, and I feel like I could wear this in whichever season. Just pop on some tights in winter, and voila! Hehe, anyone spot Mama Posh in the reflection?

If you think that these photos aren’t in focus, well you are wrong. I looked up how to edit them all vintage-y, and I now finally know off by heart the ins and outs of making your photos look beautifully retro. Also, yes, I am wearing eye liner. It seems every time I wear my Primark cardigan, I am always wearing eye liner?! I feel like the eye liner just completes the look and feel of this outfit, and it makes me feel a little bit more special!

I just love this outfit, so so so so much. It’s the most gorgeous outfit ever, and err, I love it. Haha! I don’t think I will keep the editing the same again, but I will keeping it as light and delicate as this. What do you think? Too much or too little? Let me know in the comments!

Excuse the really odd title of this My Style post. I thought it was quite fitting, though…?! I also excuse the fact that my editing is changing. I’m trying to find the perfect way that suits the feel of my outfits I wear, I know it can be annoying, but I just can’t find the right type of colours etc

What I Wore: Floral Crown (DIY), Oriental Silk Kimono Top €1.00 (Jumble Sale), Sleeveless Parrot Blouse £8.00* (Peacocks), Petite Lasercut Hi Low Skirt £13.00 (ASOS), Jelly Shoes (Supermarket).

I LOVE THIS OUTFIT. When this gorgeous blouse slipped through my letter box, I was like.. ‘Hmm, what should I wear it with’, so I went on the hunt for something to wear with it. BINGO. A 1 EURO Silk Kimono Top in the perfect turquoise blue. The colour picks out the parrots in my blouse, and ooooh they look so nice together. Add my flowy lasercut skirt from ASOS (Still available here, grab it whilst you can!), and it’s just perfect. Although this blouse is Peacocks, I really do like it. It’s great quality for the price. The one thing that is a shame, is the fact that there are only a few gems in the range for girls, which are in the midst of 1D T-Shirts, so come on Peacocks, give us some more! I definitely think I would wear this to LFW though, for one of the more informal shows… *sob sob* Ahhh, one can dream!

As I always do, here is the lifestyle part of my OOTDs… last week we went on a day trip, involving an hour and a half car journey. We went to a pretty village which was basically on the edge of a hill (One of the building was IN the hill). We had a walk round, a drink and a kebab – the yummy ones, pita bread, chips, BBQ sauce, onion… you know the drill. We then went back home stopping off to of course take my OOTD pictures 😉 #bloggerproblems. It was a really lovely day, but also absolutely boiling! I am going to miss the summer, but oh boy, I can’t wait for cosy nights in the winter!

As you may know, a few weeks ago me and the family headed off to Andorra for the weekend to stay with my brother before his friends arrive for summer. It was a long 2 and a half hour car drive, but I am sure after reading this ‘my style’ post, you will understand why it was worth it. The scenery was phenomenal, and that is not an exaggeration, at all.

Kenzo Jungle Trousers – €3.00 (Jumble Sale) & Dr Martens – €35.00 (Jumble Sale)

If you don’t know, Andorra is a country in between Spain and France, and it is about 3 times the size of the Isle of Wight… but the population is less due to it all being mountains. On the border of France, is actually quite epic. We had to drive up a long (and actually quite scary) mountain edge. At first you think that the mountains are quite small, but when you get into Andorra, they are so big. I had never been to any mountains before, so it was interesting to see what they were really like.

A village an hour away from the border.

I’m sorry, I kinda’ had too… 

Haha, it seems like every time I feature Papa Posh he is always doing a ‘looking out at the view’ pose… he’s good at them…!! Oh, and can you see me by the little pointy hut thing? Anyhoo… as you can tell, the whole place is beautiful, by that I mean the scenery… the towns aren’t that amazing, seeing as they are all catered to skiers, and not holiday go-ers, but it was nice enough! Also, definitely don’t go there when it is a religious celebration…. when you have people throwing fireworks into the road, right outside your apartment window, it is quite annoying… and scary at times!

What I Wore: White Studded Jacket €1.00 (Jumble Sale/DIY), Mustard Yellow Peter Pan Collar Vest (Matalan), Pale Blue Pleated Maxi Skirt £6.00 (ASOS), Mint Green Converse Style Trainers £7.99 (H&M), Floral Sunglasses (Shop in Carcassone), Orange Bag €9.99 (H&M).

I decided to play it comfy for the days that we are out seeing as we were going up and around twisty roads for long(ish) periods of time. I am really happy with my new H&M bag! I thought it was sort of a rip off at first, but now I can see why it is quite a lot of money for faux leather. It is the perfect size, it looks great, and according to my brother, it looks more expensive than it really is, and I totally agree. I love the colour, and am totally happy I bought it now! Woop! As you can see also, I am still loving my maxi skirt and fake converses! They look nice and are super duper comfy, so it’s win win!

Whilst we were in Andorra, we also visited a few places, including a Historical Art place which is where the first 2 pictures here were taken. Doesn’t Mama Posh look good in her first blog appearance? I think so! We also visited a place called Naturlandia, which is an adventure place, literally at the top of a mountain! I would definitely recommend going there because there is, a 5.3 KM toboggan! Nope! You did not read that wrong! It is the world’s biggest and it is soooooooooo fun! Me and my brother went on it twice, and definitely don’t regret it (well, except the bruised backs from the dodgy seats)! You sit in and it takes you up for 10 minutes to the very top of the mountain, you literally sit vertically at one point! The view is spectacular when you look back (probably wouldn’t recommend doing so but, if you can!), and you don’t realise how high up you are until you drive up. The toboggan is different to most, because you can control it and go as fast or as slow as you like. Me and my brother being the most daring of the people on the ride decided to go full speed ahead… which meant having to break about 6 or 7 times for the slow coaches in front. I cannot recommend it enough going just for the toboggan, it was amazing! Seriously it was! You can find more info here: Naturlandia!

I hope you enjoyed this little lifestyle post! I am going to be doing a design collection inspired by it, so watch out for that!  You may notice a slight difference with upcoming OOTDS… our family maaaaaay have got a new camera! YAY! So excited to start doing proper good ones! Woop!

Whilst you are reading this I am away in Andorre! My brother is going to be there all summer with his biking friends so we decided to stay for a couple of days before they all arrived! I will speak soon, and enjoy the new post!

What I Wore: Green Ruffled Cap Sleeve Top (M&S), White & Grey Daisy Print Dress (Jumble Sale), Red Daps worn as Sandals (Primark) & Floral Alice Band (Primark/DIY)

Last week we had a glorious day! It was the perfect temperature and the sky was clear and blue! #perfection To top it all off we actually found a cherry tree outside my bedroom window (Kinda silly of us not to have noticed, but hey ho!). It had LOADS of cherries on it! They were so sweet and delicious! Can’t wait for it to start growing again! I also got cooking  drink making in the kitchen, and made the BEST – slightly biased there – strawberry milkshake, you will EVER taste (recipe below). It was delicious and the whole family drank it! *pats self on back* After the amazing drink we sat around in the sun enjoying a nice bowl of cherries. It wasn’t quite hot enough for the pool, but it was still a marvellous day.  (BTW, my hair looks way darker than it is in these pictures!!)

Strawberry Milkshake Recipe: (4 x Glasses)
– 2 & a half scoops of strawberry ice cream
– Half a glass or strawberry sirop
– Enough milk… not quite sure how much
– A blender

Put all the ingredients in to your mixer, in any order. Turn your blender on  and mix *whurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr* stop when you think it is smooth enough or as chunky as you would like it. Add more sirop or ice cream to your taste, and voila! Add a strawberry on the side and a nice paper straw, and you will be done! *gulp gulp gulp* ‘Very nice Tolly’ Well, thank you!

How would you like me to do recipes on my blog? I know it isn’t to do with fashion, but I believe I am quite good at doing drinks 🙂 Let me know in the comments below! 

(This is a scheduled post. I am currently away so will not be able to reply to any comments!)

If you know me, I love sunglasses. I have a notice board where you are meant to slip pictures in, designated to them. So when Zoobug children’s eyewear contacted me I just couldn’t resist saying yes to receiving some of their gorgeous goodies in the post. *Adds 2 more pairs to the collection* Warning: Picture heavy post!

AV Orange €55.00 (ZooBug)* & Limited Edition Frames (Zoobug)*

The pairs I received are gorgeous! When I was told I was going to receive some, I actually looked at these Aviators, and by chance, I got them! I never wear these styles, but I think they are actually okay! My favourite have got to be the AVs, as they are bright and perfect for summer! I also LOVE the pop of blue on the ears! The purple pair have got silk in them apparently?! How cool is that?! I really like the print, and with the jacket I wore to the Style Blogger Awards, they go perfectly!

The lenses in both of the pairs are really good quality. I usually wear cheap bargain pairs from Primark, and I can sort of see the difference, but I would have to say they aren’t quite as good as, say, Ray Ban lenses. They are both polarised, with 100% UV protection just like adult sunglasses, so I’m safe from the sun! I like the colour of the lenses though, they are a nice grey/purple colour, so it doesn’t make anything too dark. The purple pair are probably most comfortable, but that may just be on me, as I do tend to find AVs quite uncomfortable. I was surprised by the sizing, as to me ‘Children’s’ sunglasses, sound too small for the used-to-adult-sized Tolly, so that’s a plus! After using them on an odd couple of hot days last week, I found they got more comfortable and they didn’t look so weird on me!

As you can see the packaging is very nice! I like how sleek it is, and how sturdy it feels. I am definitely going to be able to keep them safe! The cases are also very light weight so for any of you mummies, you don’t have to worry about any extra weight when carrying around little Benny’s glasses! I have no idea who Benny is! You also get a nice wipe which means you don’t have to fear scratches from wiping them with the edge of a t-shirt!

What I Wore: White Jacket €1.00 (Jumble Sale – DIY), Floral Tie Up Top €1.00 (Jumble Sale), Floral Broach (Vintage), Grey ZARA Shorts €1.00 (Jumble Sale), Floral Keds (ASOS) & AV Orange €55.00 (ZooBug)*

May we just applaud my editing skills? I said in my latest OOTD that I am really enjoying editing, and it may seem vain, but I am really proud of myself! As a blogger, not having a fancy camera can be quite annoying, but I think I am making it work quite well!

If you don’t know already, the nominating has OPENED for the Posh Fashion Awards! Click this link for more information, or click here to get nominating! Good Luck!