Shh - it's the witching hour

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Today I get to show off my favourite new piece of jewellery: my beautiful Russian Doll bracelet from Etsy shop Shh by Sadie Handmade Jewellery - isn't it just the cutest? Sadie sells the most fabulous statement pieces - I could have spent a fortune (always the sign of a good Etsy shop). I recommend a visit to her shop and her blog too!

So yes it's Halloween, but generally in the UK we don't celebrate it like in the US, but it is becoming more popular (the supermarkets are full of more Halloween stuff every year). No parties this year but I thought this would be my ode to Halloween - orange and black and a black floppy hat with a cat (leopard) print belt ;)

I totally love this outfit - the skirt is becoming a staple item for both summer and winter (see it worn here and here) and the striped dress I've worn as a top more than a dress.

Hat: F+F
Striped dress (worn as top): F+F
Skirt: River Island
Belt: Asos
Shoes: Javari
Orange Russian doll bracelet: Shh by Sadie
Nails: Barry M Cyan Blue

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Pile on those autumn layers

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Oh I do love how autumn means you can pile on the layers. If an outfit isn't quite working, you can just pile on more stuff until it looks right. This was such an uninspiring weekend outit until I put on the hat, added a yellow belt for an extra colour pop and put my parka on. I am so excited to be wearing my parka again, it's such a casual classic - and I'm still totally in love with my orange brogues (the best impulse buy ever).

Autumn is definitely in full swing now, not least because the clocks go back tonight. When they change my brain immediately thinks I should be eating fish pie, chilli on jacket spuds (a Bonfire Night tradition in my family), and sausage and mash. What my brain fails to realise is my body is wailing extra half a stone...!

Whatever.

Cap: F+F
Parka: La Redoute
Check shirt: New Look
Striped dress (worn as top): F+F
Trousers: Can't remember
Belt: La Redoute
Brogues: Office similar
Watch: Fossil
Ring: Boots
Silver link charm bracelet (right hand): Tesco
All other bangles/bracelets: Asos
Nails: Barry M Cyan Blue

Don’t forget my giveaway!!!
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Vintage girl seeking handsome leather jacket

This is the first time I've worn this vintage skirt on a cooler autumn day (see how I wore it in the summer here). I quite like it with my fave studded tan boots and denim jacket; on that previous post I received an excellent comment that suggested I wear it with a leather jacket which I think is a great idea. Now weirdly I have never ever in my life bought a proper leather jacket - not through lack of wanting; I have simply never found one that I love enough to warrant spending a lot of money on (which I've always maintained you should do to get one that will last years).

Now I do have my eye on this one from Asos (what do you think?) which I think is the perfect length, has enough interesting detail to make it a bit edgy and should be good quality considering the price, but I worry that I may find another one down the line that I like more, or that it will go out of style quickly (which is daft as I've wanted a leather jacket for about 15 years). Some women are picky about men, I'm picky about leather jackets: can't find the perfect one, but I live in hope.

Skirt: Vintage ebay
Denim jacket: Asos
Tee: Asos
Belt: Asos
Boots: Duo
Watch: Fossil
Ring: New Look

(Btw I'm very lucky that I don't have to be picky about men, as I already found the perfect one, bless him. If I can find the perfect man, surely I should be able to find the perfect leather jacket?!!)

High waisted dilemma

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[We seemed to have entered monsoon season in South West England this week... no way am I venturing outside to take outfit photos in this wind and rain! So I'll be posting a few previously-unseen outfits in the meantime.]

It wasn't that long ago that we wouldn't have dreamt of wearing high waisted jeans (not that any denim brands made the waistlines any higher than about three inches below your navel). Who would have thought we'd all have something to thank Simon Cowell for where fashion's concerned? So I would like to thank him for bringing back high waisted trousers so our t-shirts stay tucked in, our tummies stay warm and we don't have to worry about builder's bum. Heaven.

This outfit was a bit of an experiment and the jury's out as to whether it's worked; the waterfall style cardigan is one of my favourite pieces that I've worn to death over the last few years. I had the brainwave of wrapping it round and tieing it at the back to make a crossover top - thank god for the high waist of my jeans otherwise I would have been entering serious dressed-as-lamb territory. I'm lucky enough to have kept quite a small waist over the years so I think I can just about get away with exposing this much torso at my age. The lack of cleavage and bare leg helps the decency level... I think. I hope.

Cardigan (worn as top): Asos
Jeans: Asos
Belt: River Island
Shoes: Very
Bangles: New Look
Watch: J Jeans by Jasper Conran

Weekend metal mixer

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An easy, relaxed look for the weekend.

I've not mixed metals before now but I thought it was about time I became a rule breaker where gold and silver is concerned. I'm perfectly at home with florals and stripes, pink and red and even mismatching shoes and belt, but gold and silver? It just seemed so... improper. Now I see the photos I don't know what I was worried about. The silver ring is one of my favourites and I have a lot of fabulous gold bangles so why haven't I mixed them before?

Sweater: La Redoute
Shirt: Vintage eBay
Chinos: La Redoute
Moccasins: La Redoute
Belt: Debenhams
Brooch: Accessorize
Watch: J Jeans by Jasper Conran
Ring: Boots
Purple & orange bracelet: Asos
Watch strap bracelets: Asos
Other bangles: New Look, Debenhams
Nails: Nails Inc Elizabeth Street

Don’t forget my giveaway!!!
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Summer outfits roundup

My favourite outfits from the summer, in case you missed any. I'll probably do this at the end of each season... enjoy!







Don’t forget my giveaway!!!
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Don’t forget my giveaway!!!
Enter my fabulous BRACELET GIVEAWAY with Sandy Mitchell Jewellery!







Don’t forget my giveaway!!!
Enter my fabulous BRACELET GIVEAWAY with Sandy Mitchell Jewellery!

The Yorkshire lass

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There's a bit of a Yorkshire thing going on here - totally unintentionally - with the flat cap and the rabbit brooch. All I need is a ferret down me trousies... though I don't think it would fit inside those jeans.

I love this combination of some of my favourite pieces: the suede waterfall jacket (so soft); the animal print Topshop top (also worn here); my Gap skinnies (I know flares are back but I still think skinnies work with everything); my grey flat cap (love the edge it gives any outfit) and the clog heels (had them for a couple of years now, still love them too). Btw I'm not from Yorkshire, or anywhere in the North, in case I've confused anyone. Northerners/Southerners always have to be very clear on these matters.

Enter my fabulous BRACELET GIVEAWAY with Sandy Mitchell Jewellery!

Jacket: Very
Orange/animal print top: Topshop (now sold out sadly)
Jeans: Gap
Heels: New Look
Rabbit brooch: Self-made (pre-cut felt rabbit from a haberdashers, brooch pin glued to the back and a sticky jewel for the eye)
Cap: F+F similar
Belt: Asos
Grey cuff: Asos
Orange wristband: Asos
Watch: Red Herring
Nails: Models Own Concrete Mixer

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I don't Heart Mondays

(Can't remember what I was pointing to here but the picture makes me laugh - I was probably bossing K about)



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I've always thought this dress was covered in hearts. But now seeing the print in a photo I can see that they're upsidedown - I guess I always see them as hearts because I look down on the dress when it's on. (So what shape is that then I wonder? ?)

Anyway after a very shortlived weekend we're back to the grindstone, there's definitely no more hot weather on the horizon and I've no holiday left till the end of the year. Plus the X Factor finals are well and truly underway so that's Christmas practically here and OMG now it's Monday again :((((

Over the weekend I visited all my favourite blogs for inspiration - and found quite a few new ones too - I now have loads of new outfit ideas! So maybe I don't heart Mondays, but next weekend I'll be getting out my next season clothes from storage and rediscovering all the warm clothes I'd forgotten about - don't you just love doing that...? I might get the scissors and sewing box out too, to make some "new" outfits. Right, where's that thimble...?

Dress: New York Laundry
Striped top: Primark
Jeans: Miss Sixty
Shoes: Melissa at Asos
Belt: Primark
Necklace: Asos
Ringwatch: Accessorize
Silver hexnut bracelet: Asos
Bracelets: (Neon laces tied round wrists) ebay
Multicoloured friendship bracelet: Urban Outfitters
Other bangles: eBay, Asos, Debenhams, New Look
Sunglasses: Rayban Wayfarers
Nails: Barry M Peach Melba

Giveaway: Sandy Mitchell Jewellery

Click to enlarge

Just in time for Christmas, or maybe you'll want to keep this for yourself...!

To say thank you to all the fabulous people leaving lots of lovely comments on my (still very young) blog, I'm giving away a fabulous Scribblework black bracelet with pink beads by Sandy Mitchell Jewellery worth £28.50 (44.61USD) to one lucky winner! This jewellery collection is made of beautiful black enamelled wire spun with glass beads and made by hand by Sandy in Devon, England. The bracelet will be sent in a Sandy Mitchell presentation gift box.

All you have to do is:

1. Follow my blog with Google Friend Connect by clicking on "Join this site" (if you haven't already)
2. Visit Sandy Mitchell Jewellery and choose which jewellery collection is your favourite
3. Comment on this post to let me know the name of the jewellery collection you like the best, and that you're following my site via Google Friend Connect. If you have any problems commenting (like Google permission problems), let me know via email and I'll tell you how to get round this, I know how to fix it! email: notdressedaslamb[at]gmail[dot]com.

The giveaway closes at 10:00GMT on 14/11/11.

All entries will be checked so do make sure you join my site and state your favourite jewellery collection - the winner will be drawn at random just after the closing date and announced on the blog after they have been contacted successfully.

Good luck everyone!!!

Heathcliff - it's me, oh Cathy

There was only one thing that sprang to mind when viewing these pictures: Wind + rolling countryside + long billowing skirt = Wuthering Heights, what else...?

I love flowy romantic looks and I've been wanting to wear this (very dressy) skirt in the autumn with a sweater and brogues for ages now, and it's finally chilly enough to do so. I bought the sweater (Tesco again, hooray for supermarket clothes!) a couple of sizes too big because my size was quite short and fitted but I wanted to pull it in with a belt - I don't think a slim fit would have had quite the same effect. The desire to pile on everything in nude and neutral shades was overwhelming; this was quite hurriedly put together but I think Emily Brontë would have been proud ;)

Sweater: F+F
Skirt: New Look
Belt: Asos
Brogues: New Look (changed the laces with ones bought off eBay)
Leopard scarf: Asos
Necklace: Coast
Nude cuff: Asos
Ring: Topshop (currently only available instore - this matches the brooch I wore here)
Nails: Models Own Concrete Mixer

The impulse shopper

Monday is not a good day for me if I haven't planned my outfit the night before. I usually end up leaving late for work (I am not a morning person ever) in my bleary-eyed state after trying on half the things in my wardrobe and leaving the unwanted clothes in a pile on the bed. So I'm not sure if this oufit works, but for something put together at 6:30am in the dark (the light was on but my eyes weren't really open) at least it's a bit of colour to brighten up yet another grey British day.

This dress is actually one of my favourite buys - I had a splurge in Karen Millen a couple of years ago and ended up impulse buying not just one but three dresses =wince=. Word of warning: do not go into a favourite shop with the intention of "just looking thanks" unless you have the willpower to try on maybe just one thing, if you have to try anything on at all. I took three very different dresses into the changing room at Karen Millen, loved them all equally, and just couldn't leave any of them behind... so I ended up buying all of them. This is the budget-busting, bank-breaking way to do it, so whatever you do - Don't Try This At Home (or in The Store).

Unless they're all in the sale like mine were, so of course that's perfectly justifiable. [cough]

Dress: Karen Millen
Jacket: La Redoute
Top: Primark
Skinnies: Gap
Boots: Asos
Belt: Accessorize
Flower brooch: F+F
Earrings: eBay
Silver bangle: Christening present (so nearly as old as me)
Other bangles: New Look, F+F
Blue ring: Topshop
Nails: Models Own Concrete Mixer

Black Tie Friday

I think I've noticed a bit of a personal trend for something-Friday posts as I had Flowery Friday in September and now Black Tie Friday today; I think it's because our dress code at work is pretty laid back and a dress-down day wouldn't present any challenges. So I thought I should just create my own Friday themes!

I've had this black Asos tie for a little while (it's still available to buy!) - I bought it out of pure desire, without a thought about how to wear it... being made of chiffon and having unexpected beads on it when it arrived made me love it even more. I've not worn it before now because my white button down shirt totally disappeared off the face of the earth(?) and so I had to buy another: I'm kind of glad as this one has round Peter Pan style collars which look so much better than pointed. Worn with my favourite pink skirt (also worn here) and my yellow cardi (also worn here) I am in love, it's one of my favourite looks I've worn recently.

So after Flowery Friday and Black Tie Friday, another theme could be Button Down Friday where I style the white shirt in an unexpected way... anyone have any other ideas?

Black tie: Asos
Cardigan: H! by Henry Holland
Skirt: Warehouse
Shirt: Asos
Shoes: Asos similar
Belt: F+F
Watch: 4itgirls.co.uk
Heart charm bracelet: Tiffany & Co
Black ring: Miss Selfridge
Nails: Barry M Neon Pink

Lazy summer days (in October)

How great was this last week of weather? Temperatures totally unheard of for September, let alone October. This was taken on Sunday while it was still hot... we're back to normal now but I'm so pleased I was able to wear my cutaway Asos top again before the summer clothes are put away for another year. No need for too much in the way of accessories apart from some cats eyes sunnies and an updo to keep my neck cool.

Top: Asos
Trousers: Very
Belt: F+F
Ring: Topshop
Sunglasses: Asos
Watch: Red Herring
Flip Flops: Debenhams