essbeevee: a blog about many things... but mostly dresses.

From every corner to every block.

2012-05-30T17:08:00.005+01:00

One of my 30 Before 30 was to go abroad for a long weekend - shockingly, something I've never done! A couple of months after putting that together was NYE, where my friends and I formulated plans for a minibreak and Lo! Lisbon in May became a thing.

I'd never been to Portugal before and didn't know much about Lisbon at all, but I really liked it. It's got some beautiful architecture (even the battered old buildings are stunning - but there's some amazing modern stuff too, including awesome street art - graffiti doesn't seem like the right word) and the locals are incredibly friendly (and hell, I'm just going to say it: SO many attractive men. Seriously.) and it's really easy to get around. The first day we were incredibly disorientated - it's all little narrow streets - but after a day or so we got to grips with it. That said, if someone had abandoned me on the way home from dinner on the last night, I would have got totally lost, because I have no sense of direction. And had also drunk a lot of wine.

We stayed in a gorgeous apartment next to the cathedral, but definitely weren't there long enough - I'd love to go back. One of my favourite parts were their famous custard tarts - OH MY GOD THEY'RE AWESOME - but even more than that was the chance to catch up with my girls and have some quality time. Lisbon was lovely, but if we'd all holed up in my parents' house for the weekend, I know we'd have had just as much fun.

The only thing with Lisbon was the restaurants - you have to really look for a good one, and if you haven't done research before your trip (as we didn't), you might be disappointed (as we were). But we sought out somewhere awesome for our last night, so if you go, make sure you pay a visit to Santo Antonio De Alfama - SO good. The outside-only Pateo 13 was also really lovely. Although, Lisbon is very fish and red meat focused, and I don't eat seafood, so I ate steak every day. If you're a vegetarian, stick to the pastries (and make sure you stop by Pastéis de Belém. Tell them I sent you. They don't know who I am, but maybe it'll be a conversation starter or something.)

Here are a million photos!

PS - There are lots more on my Facebook page!

Lose myself staring into my coffee cup.

2012-05-25T20:27:00.000+01:00

OH MY GOD IT’S SUNNY!!! For someone whose natural skintone is blue and who can’t sit in the sun for more than four minutes without bursting into flames, I am a major sun-lover. It’s just so HOT! It’s not RAINING! My hair ISN’T FRIZZY! SUN SUN SUN SUN.

YAY.

Also! Now it is hot I can take outfit photos after work again! So I ran outside the other night to show off this dress, which, to be fair, I didn’t wear to work like this. It’s pretty short and definitely requires leggings or tights. But it’s cute, right? I know it’s a total rip-off of that Rihanna dress from a while back, but I kind of loved that dress. It reminded me of this tartan skirt that my mum made me when I was 13, and it was SHORT. I wore it with a red t-shirt and a LOT of makeup to the Galleria cinema in Hatfield with my friend Lisa to go and see the Craft. WHICH WAS A 15. AND WE GOT IN.

Dress - New Look

Wedges - Primark

Hat - eBay

Belt - H&M

Necklace - Topshop

Now, I’m pretty sure I don’t look 15 in this dress, despite the pigtails. I mean, that was nearly half my life ago now (OH MY LORD). But I do feel kind of 90s and awesome! And that’s a good thing. But, okay – really, this is a winter dress. It’s a dress for opaque black tights and a neat little black cardi and chunky boots. But it is SUMMER, and I do not care for your rules, DRESS. Even though you are made of quite thick material and I was fricking boiling.

It has been very busy and mad in my life lately, but it has also been quite nice. Last week has seen me visit Portugal AND Coventry. My life, it is one of excitement.

This weekend I am going to a baby shower and then of course it is EUROVISION!! The best night of the year! I am going to get very drunk and live-tweet it and probably lose billions of Twitter followers in the process. My friends are drawing up our special Eurovision scorecard now. It is very involved, with a Hotness column (normally a reason to give extra points), a Game Changer bonus points column (normally given at the ‘OOOH FIRE!!’ moments) and a Creepy column (minus points!). I AM EXCITED.

Just drive on and don't ever stop.

2012-05-22T17:07:00.003+01:00

I love some of the random things that get sent my way, but the best one recently was a heads up about a competition that London Living were running to win a free London cab for a day. I entered and somehow won! I felt a little guilty because I have a car and can ferry myself around whenever I want, but it turns out that it's pretty amazing having a day in London and a car waiting for you. I kind of felt like a celebrity.

So, with my friend Anne in tow, we planned an amazing day. And then it poured with rain literally nonstop so we scrapped those plans and did other stuff. Here is what!

We started at Spitalfields Market for a wander, and most importantly, the best fricking breakfast that I have ever eaten at The Luxe. That is, indeed, a waffle, french toast, a pancake and bacon. DAAAAAMMMMMNNNN.

Here is an artful picture of my strawberry nails wrapped around my hot chocolate!

Then we headed to Fiona's house for her Bedroom Jumble. Fiona is the best person in the world and has gone to give Copenhagen a tste of her amazingness. London just couldn't handle her.

We also stopped and took some pictures in the cab. London Living sent me a hat, which, let's face it, looks way better on Anne than on me. Stupid giant head.

THEN! Battersea car boo - oh, right. Rain. FOILED. Instead! westfield! I've never been to Westfield - either Westfield - so it seemed like a good time to go.

Pinkberry!

Cinema!

Wahaca!

Aaaaand... somehow it is now 9pm and a Sunday and YAWN. Bring my car around, would you, Jeeves?

Best. Day. Ever. Thanks, London Living! And a special thank you to David the cabbie (who also has a blog!).

I'm wrecking this evening already and loving every minute of it.

2012-05-18T17:06:00.002+01:00

Guys, it's okay. I know what you think of me. You think I'm this intimidating, classy girl who wears pretty dresses and never has a hair out of place, who never gets too drunk or falls over or looks like a scruffbag 85% of the time. I KNOW, okay. But I'm here to tell you that it's all LIES! I'm... not entirely perfect. Sorry to shatter your illusions.

So, while I'm shattering illusions, I figured I would share a totally shambolic Friday Frock. I really, really love this leopard print dress, but it's a dress for going out and drinking sambuca in, not for looking wistful in the garden. SO THAT IS WHAT I DID.

My job is demanding and sometimes stressful, and working 10 or 11 hour days isn't unusual, but what makes it ALWAYS worth it is the great team of ladies I share my pod with. We work hard, but then when we all get together out of work... well. A combination of birthdays and shots and dancing and whatnot equals fun and some very un-blogger photos. HURRAH.

Dress - New Look (concession)

Necklace - Benita Blue

Drunken Eyes - Blogger's Own

It's kind of fitting that I am posting a work-related outfit post today because I GOT PROMOTED!!! I am now a Brand Manager, whoop whoop. It turns out it's really not easy to look humble when people say 'well deserved' at you. *looks humble* See, I suck.

PS - You guys get that I'm kidding with all the classy stuff and I know I'm a totally ridiculous human being, right? Good.

PPS - I'm in Portugal!

On the bad side of 25.

2012-05-11T21:06:00.003+01:00

So it turns out that the older my friends and I get, the more responsible things we end up doing like dinner parties and weddings and christenings and baby showers. It also turns out that these responsible occasions are actually just an excuse to hang out with awesome people and drink wine. Like, a LOT of wine.

Take weddings! Oh, weddings. Every wedding I go to seems to be that bit more boozy. But it's fine. It's actually really bloody fine. The weddings of my friends have seen the introduction of such fantastic concepts as shot o'clock (stay with me here because it's ever so tricky - every hour, on the hour... do a shot. GROUNDBREAKING.).

Apart from the flowing booze, it's a chance to see all my friends (even those who live in faraway places), see everyone all dressed up in their finery, have an excuse to purchase some brand new finery for myself... oh, and that's not even mentioning the fact that I get to see a couple of my favourite people on the happiest day of their life. I WISH THERE WAS A WEDDING EVERY WEEKEND.

Last weekend was the wedding of my friend Jon, who I have known for a very very long time. It was a lovely Spring affair in Henley, with Pimms, the Thames and even Dusty Springfield. And it didn't rain! Which, if you remember what the weather has been like lately, was kind of a miracle.

I took this as an excuse to debut a dress that I've been waiting to wear for ages because it's so damn pretty. I panic-bought it from Warehouse in January for my friend Mark's wedding (another wedding!) because the dress I was going to wear didn't fit (but then I found this beauty!). I sent back all the other dresses I panic-bought but I couldn't let go of this, I just fell in love. It's a gorgeous colour, a VERY clever, flattering little cut (god bless you, ruching) and how pretty is the waist? J'ADORE.

Yeah, I said that.

Dress - Warehouse

Jacket c/o Tesco

Shoes - Primark

Bag - Accessorize

I wore it with my favourite sparkly Primark shoes (about 4 years old, but still going strong), an equally old sparkly Accessorize bag (big enough to hold my DSLR, magic!) and the jacket Tesco sent me a couple of weeks ago (so versatile, and you can even machine wash it - that's my new favourite thing about it).

Fun fact about the wedding - Dusty Springfield was buried in the churchyard! And by 'fun fact', I mean slightly morbid. The reception, though, was in the rowing museum up the river, which they foolishly let us look around after dinner. Um.

Accessorizing with tiny animals is so now.

Let's be honest, we don't know if he was allowed to be on this.

Attempting to look comical on the kid-size table. But it kind of looks normal...

OBEY THE SIGN.

GROWING UP IS AMAZING.

Don't let drunk people walk past boats. Um. Sorry boat owners.

Ducks will not be friends with drunk people, no matter how hard we try.

Pure class.

PS - I totally changed my hair to a significantly darker shade but it still looks red in photos. I think this is just to confuse you.

Handbags and gladrags.

2012-05-07T23:21:00.000+01:00

Okay, so, I love shoes and all, but I have to admit that bags are my first love. I'm a sucker for a pretty handbag. I have, er, a LOT of bags. More bags than shoes? Perhaps. The thing with shoes are that the lovelier they are, the more painful they are. But bags don't hurt! Bags are just full of love. AND POCKETS. I'm not sure there's anything better in the world than putting all your things in the pocket of a new bag.

So, yeah. I really want a new bag. Which has inevitably led me to coo-ing over the selection on the House of Fraser website, which is full of hundreds of handbags that I would gladly sell my firstborn for. Or one of you guys. I think that's a fair swap, right? Plus, you'd get to live in the House of Fraser! It'd be like Home Alone 2!

PS - Written in collaboration with House of Fraser.

I'm your little scarlet starlet, singing in the garden.

2012-05-04T20:31:00.000+01:00

So, I made a pact with myself that I was going to Save Money in May and not buy any clothes, and then I wandered into New Look one lunchtime and they had an epic sale - I nearly had a heart attack when I got to the concessions section and almost all the dresses were reduced to £10 each! I took a huge armful to the changing rooms but thankfully only bought 2 in the end (if I'd bought all the ones I picked up, I would have spent £100. Somehow spending £100 on 9 or 10 dresses seems much worse than buying two £50 dresses... maybe because there is no way I could fit 10 more dresses in my bulging wardrobe! THEY'RE TAKING OVER, even after I just ebayed a bunch!) so as breaking my shopping ban goes, well. It could have been worse.

There were a couple of Maybe dresses in my pile, but this was one that was an instant yes. I ADORE the print. ADORE. I love spots (had you noticed?) but the colours are what sells it. I love blue/grey/purple tones and when I put the outfit together with navy tights and a hat, it all matched perfectly. I am hugely reliant on black opaques and black cardis, so I always feel a sense of achievement when I step out wearing no black - mission achieved!

I wore this ensemble on Sunday for a day out in London - I'll tell you all about that next week! Sadly the hat didn't do much to protect my hair from the rain - it was HUGE by the time I got home, with a frankly spectacular dent in it. Nothing does hat-hair like a beret.

Dress - Paprika via New Look

Beret & Shoes - Primark

Tights - New Look

Necklace - Hatfield House

In other news, I am SO happy that the weekend is finally here and it's a 3 day one! The last couple of weeks have been insanely busy - I can always tell how manic my life is by the state of my room and right now I can't see the floor. And my sporadic blog posting is another indicator - I'm planning to spend Monday giving my blog some loving. Long overdue! Life's good though - and I've got a great weekend ahead of me, including ANOTHER wedding. Here's the thing, kids, when you get Old like I am (3 months til 30!), everyone starts worrying about not being married, so they GET married and then you just get to go to giant parties all the time. I think I am at least 43% champagne these days. I'm sure that I'll be posting about that one next week (I have a gorgeous dress to wear!) and hopefully it won't rain TOO much.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone - what are you up to?

PS - I'm starting a new Twitter project on Sunday called Buffy Spam in which I'm rewatching the complete series of Buffy and livetweeting it. Join me at 5pm, why don't you? (I'm excited. I'm such a Buffy Superfan. I saw Avengers Assemble and embarrassed myself by telling my cool friends how proud I am of Joss Whedon. I AM SO PROUD.)

Come on, I'll be a no one.

2012-04-27T19:18:00.000+01:00

Well, hello! I did not mean to go away for two weeks. But I did. Where did I go? Oh, the stories I could tell you. But I won't. (Clue: nowhere.)

So do you remember a couple of weeks ago when I did the post on the Clothing at Tesco Facebook app and turned myself into a creepy Sims version of myself? I look kind of like I'd eat your face, right? (I think it's the eyes. And those are actually my normal eyes.) Well, people voted that the red dress and black jacket was the nicest outfit and so... well, I took too long to tell Tesco this fact, and they ran out of red dresses. So they sent me a grey one instead, which kind of fits the weather right now.

It's actually, though, a completely perfect dress for work, and a lovely fit. It's rare for a dress to hug my waist without squashing my boobs (here is an example of a dress that does that). So, even though it's all responsible and grown-up, I really love it, although now I REALLY WANT IT IN RED. Sucks to be me, right.

Uncanny Valley Sarah wore the dress with a dogtooth cardigan and blazer. In reality, this is a lot of layers, and I was hot (and it doesn't look great, really) and the fitted little blazer isn't really designed to be worn over a thick cardi. However, when taken separately, both the cardi and the blazer look really cute with the dress. I think I'm going to wear all three of them a lot.

Outfit c/o Tesco

Shoes - New Look (because I forgot to ask Tesco for shoes)

What do you think? Do you prefer creepy computer generated me to creepy real life me?

PS - A couple of people asked me if I didn't post last week because I've run out of dresses. I haven't! I actually bought two more yesterday. I've just been mega busy and working a lot.

PPS - I'm thinking about dyeing my hair back to brown. Do you have any strong feelings on this subject?

I'm the only sour cherry on the fruit stand.

2012-04-13T17:05:00.004+01:00

This dress is super nice, in a just-like-forty-others-I-own way, heightened by the omg-it-was-nine-pounds aspect. I KNOW RIGHT NINE POUNDS. God, I'm good at sale shopping. Like, SUPERNATURALLY GOOD. I think maybe it is my mutant power.

But yeah, you've kind of seen it before, so let's talk about my hair! My fringe didn't want to work at the weekend, so I went for the kirby grip strategy, which I thought looked okay in person. Kind of 40s? Maybe? Sort of?

Sans fringe, though, it means the photos are kind of dominated by my fivehead. And my camera has decided to eat half my eyebrows. I promise you, I have eyebrows. I know that my fringe normally covers them up, but I have REALLY GOOD EYEBROWS. I get a professional to deal with them! It really frigging hurts! I don't really understand what my camera is up to, to be honest. It's showing me up.

So, apart from all the stuff going on in the upper face area, I am actually kind of digging my hair and not just because I really like the colour at the moment. Basically, I decided my hair straighteners sucked so I gave my old ones to my sister and splurged on GHDs, but have straightened my hair with them like twice. They're just so good at curling, it's actually faster to curl my mop than straighten it (my hair never wants to stay straight, anyway). Basically, it's a revelation.

Anyway. Enough about me. How is YOUR hair today?

Dress & Shoes - New Look

Belt - M&S

Cardigan - Dorothy Perkins

Scattered polaroids and sprinkled words around your collar.

2012-04-11T22:29:00.001+01:00

I always meant to do an 'In My Room' post when I lived with my sister last year to follow up my first one, but somehow never got round to it. Almost a year later, I finally did. I spend a lot of time in my room - writing, drawing (tweeting, watching telly) and I actually really love it up here. Let's be honest, living with my parents is not ideal (and I won't be for much longer), but I am up in the loft so I actually have my own floor - it could be a lot worse.

I both am and am not a hoarder - I keep the things that matter, but try and keep the clutter to a minimum (or at least hidden). My best friend always says my room must be like catnip to my niece, as it's full of pretty things you just want to pick up and touch. That's kind of what I'm going for. :)

I kind of love all the little callbacks to past blog posts in these pictures, too. You might spot a skimming stone from Easdale, a gargoyle from Notre Dame, a macaron box from Paris and an owl from Florence. There's a car boot bargain or two... or three... or four, and more than one item you might remember from an outfit post. And shoes. Lots of shoes. And owls. Apparently I like owls?

I wish there were more photographs in here - I take SO many, but I'm terrible at printing them out. I must find something to put in that cute little heart frame dangling from my window!

I can't let this post go without addressing the elephant in the room (BOOM! HOW DO I COME UP WITH THIS STUFF?). My dad found this painting at a jumble sale when I was maybe ten? Twelve? He bought it for peanuts, with the intention of using the frame for one of his own paintings. But I just fell in love with it, and he re-framed it for me and put it up. I can't say enough how much I adore it. I love the mellow colours and how he seems to be bursting through the trees. I don't know if it's an original, but it's by Edward W.Byrne and is dated 1979 and it might be my favourite thing I own.

Champagne supernova in the sky.

2012-04-06T18:54:00.002+01:00

Last weekend I headed to an Aussie event with some of my favourite blogging ladies. I always say that Aussie throws the best events, and it's true - although I think partly it's because they have assembled such an awesome group of bloggers to be the Aussie Angels that they could invite us to an empty warehouse for 3 hours and we'd have a brilliant time. Especially if there was champagne.

Saturday's event was a bit of a fashion show - we watched models strutting their stuff up and down the catwalk, showing off some lovely outfits. And the gorgeous Reena represented the Aussie Angels, too, looking amazing.

Reena striking a pose.

Amy & Christina digging in to the yummy food.

Amy, being adorable.

Dream Team.

Hayley & Harriet being awesome.

Amy comes with an exclamation mark.

Reena, Kristabel & Lucy

I love this picture of Dani!

Lily, Christina, me & Hayley doing our best cheesy smiles.

Aussie's very own Holly, looking mischievous.

It was a whole thing. It made sense at the time.

This is my 'Recounting an embarrassing incident' face. I make it a lot.

Holly and a big old bottle.

Lucy & Kristabel, with the prizes they won!

Christina and I, who were a picture of poise and grace throughout the event, as always.

I wore this cute collared dress from Vero Moda, which I sort of stole from my friend Jennie. SORT OF. Basically, she was wearing it at our friend's birthday and said she'd thought of me when she bought it... which turned out to be apt, as I promptly ran out and bought it for myself from ASOS (for £16! BARGAIN!). She's right, though. It is very me.

I got loads of comments on my jewellery, too, especially my Wired Jewellery necklace. Isn't it cute? It even comes with chalk so I can change the design. I'm currently stalking half the Wired range - it's all so lovely!

And my bracelet comes from Jess at Raffles Bizarre, who makes amazing one-of-a-kind jewellery. I definitely do not wear enough bracelets. This must be rectified.

Dress - Vero Moda at ASOS

Belt, cardi & shoes - New Look

Tights - Tesco

Necklace c/o Wired Jewellery

Bracelet c/o Raffles Bizarre

The last photos are of Amy, who cannot resist taking the mickey out of my photo faces whenever we do outfit photos. I kind of think she looks adorable, though.

PS - Most of these photos were nabbed from the Aussie flickr!

It's a new dawn, it's a new day.

2012-04-04T23:55:00.000+01:00

I shop too much. There, I admitted it. I spend far too much money on clothes, money that I could be putting towards important things like buying a flat, or a car. But instead I buy pretty things. And, you know what? They do make me feel good. Wearing a dress with a skirt that flares out makes me feel happy. I love it when I jump the last step in a staircase and my dress balloons out, like a parachute. I love HUGE skirts, skirts that lift up when you spin around. I like spending almost every day feeling like I'm going to a party.

The real reason why I wear dresses all the time is really that. They make me feel a little bit better about myself. I do not feel nice in trousers, or jeans. They never fit me right and I feel self conscious and uncomfortable. Dresses make me feel... well, like ME. An incredibly therapeutic exercise is to look at your wardrobe and remove everything that you don't LOVE. It'll make you feel so good, trust me. And you'll be able to close your wardrobe door again!

There's a great online campaign at the moment called Glad Rags, focused around International Women's Day for the charity Platform 51. The aim is to break the stigma around mental health by asking women to talk about things they wear that make them feel good about themselves. What do you wear that makes you feel good about yourself? Is there something you wear every day or is it just your general style? I am curious.

If you're like to know more about the campaign, check out Platform 51's website here.

Live and let die.

2012-04-02T22:24:00.000+01:00

I always thought of casinos as impossibly glamorous places. Kind of a whole James Bond/Danny Ocean type of thing. Fancy dresses, tuxedos, secret missions - you know, they're pretty swank. And then I visited one in the first week of a new job, got very drunk, tripped down the stairs and ended up with a purple, probably broken foot. Probably should have gone to the doctors about that one.

But actually, even though it was in a rather grimy part of Coventry, it was still super fun. I played roulette - well, I watched my friend play roulette and gave him bad advice about various other casino games, and medicated my swollen foot with a lot white wine. Basically, I'm reminiscing about nights in casinos because I keep seeing all these super swanky dresses (kind of like the VoH one I posted about on Friday, which is so fancy I don't know when I'll get the chance to wear it) and have decided that a) I need to buy them and b) I need to go to swanky places where I can wear them which leads me to c) I must become a secret agent and hang out in casinos a lot.

SO! If I was a secret agent plus gambling mastermind, here is what I would wear. I would also wear my hair in a beehive and HIDE WEAPONS IN IT. Oh yeah. I have this all thought out. (NB: You probably are not allowed to conceal weapons in your hair in most of London's casinos.)

Now, onto more important matters. What would your secret agent name be?

PS: Blog post done in collaboration

How can I believe you, when you can't believe your luck?

2012-03-30T22:01:00.001+01:00

I am someone who, when I want something, will normally find a way to get it. Whether it’s out-of-my-budget or out-of-stock, oh, you’d better believe I’ll stalk the hell out of that until I spot it in the sale rail or on ebay. I’m persistent. But there’s one item of clothing that I’ve coveted for years – YEARS – and somehow never bought. The problem is that they never go in the sale, and ebay versions are never much cheaper, so I’ve always just longed for it from afar.

I am, of course, talking about a Vivien of Holloway dress. Probably the most ‘me’ brand there is – their retro styling makes me wish I could have been born in the 50s. My child bearing hips would have been so at home under all those petticoats! Ever since someone featured one on The Highstreet (LiveJournal’s finest, and the birthplace of many of my blogging peers) I’ve obsessed about them. When I started my current job, three years ago, I watched in envy as my boss accumulated a collection of the dresses, and shamelessly stole her idea to put her bridesmaids in VoH dresses (nope, I’m not engaged, but, you know. WHEN.). Oh, and when Sha bought her dream dress for her birthday in December – in between admiring how goddamn amazing she looked, I quietly pined for a VoH dress of my very own, even more. One day. One day.

So then, thanks to Hayley doing that whole ‘being amazing’ thing she does and passing on my details, I got an email from price comparison site, Idealo, asking me to take part in the Spring Dress Challenge - basically, offering to buy me a dress for Spring with a budget of £100. Obviously, they didn’t need to ask me twice, but when I went round Debenhams, Monsoon, Laura Ashley and the rest of the high street, nothing really stood out. And then I decided to try and be a little bit cheeky. ‘Um, can I have a Vivien of Holloway dress?’ And basically… DREAM DRESS.

Can I have a mother-flipping SQUEE?!

I absolutely adore it. The tight little waist, the HUGE skirt – I’m wearing it with two petticoats that I got from eBay (dying for a proper VoH one now) – I just feel like a princess in it. It’s so well made, too – it has boning in it to really pull you in, and you can tell it’s going to last for years. It’s not QUITE perfect for me yet – it’s a teeny bit tight, so I may need to lay off the pizzas for a bit if I ever want to wear it out, and it’s a bit long for my little legs, so I’m contemplating getting it taken up to knee-length. But all those are tiny things because IT’S SO BLOODY PRETTY.

So thank you, thank you, thank you Idealo for buying me my dream dress. I am in love.

Dress - Vivien of Holloway c/o IdealoPetticoats - eBayBelt & Shoes - MatalanNails - Vintage Pink Models OwnLips - MAC Ruby Woo

PS – Red lipstick seemed like the right thing to do with a retro number, but yet again, it leaves me cold. It’s just not ME.

PPS - Don't forget to vote for your favourite look in my Tesco post!

She is literally the polaroid of perfection.

2012-03-29T17:45:00.001+01:00

Like many people who have a serious hobby, I prefer to shop alone. A leisurely wander with a friend is lovely, of course, but it doesn't compare to the solitary, single-minded trip up the high street, going as fast or slow as you like, sometimes spending hours trying on everything in store. A lunch hour spent trying on dresses is a lunch hour well spent, if you ask me.

But for those Friday nights when you're relaxing at home, idly window shopping on your favourite websites, you can't try anything on. It's what I don't like so much about online shopping - you have to purchase everything you want to try on, sometimes in several sizes. It is a paaaain. So, I was pretty excited to find out about Tesco's new feature on their Facebook page, where you make a virtual 'You' - down to putting in your face and even inputting your measurements, and test out outfits to your hearts content. I'm not sure how much I look like me (and there were no ginger-with-a-fringe hair options...) but I had great fun playing with it.

The lovely Florrie did this challenge first (comparing it to Cher's virtual wardrobe in Clueless - it so is! Although, I actually find this post works almost as well) and then tagged me to try it out in her final outfit post. Basically, I have to try out three looks, and that's where YOU come in! I need you to vote on your favourite look that you want to see me try in real life, and then Tesco will help with that part. :)

Look One

This is a very 'me' dress - red, belted, a-line, but I decided to mix it up by layering this dogtooth cardigan over the top and a light black blazer over that. These cute t-bar heels finish it perfectly - cute, but sophisticated.

Look Two

Again, a very 'me' dress (but, y'know, that's probably why I like it). I think the two shades of blue look really cute together, and that style of blazer normally works quite well on shorties like me. I love the chunky black boots (although I'd almost definitely wear them with opaque tights).

Look Three

I had to mix it up a little bit for the last one, so have chosen NOT a dress! This spotty skirt is very summery and contrasts beautifully with the red t-shirt. The slouchy red blazer adds a modernised twist to the twin-set look. And I love these leopard print flats!

Now it's up to you! Tell me which you like best in a comment, on my Facebook page or on Twitter @essbeevee.

You have until this Sunday 7pm to vote - I'll report back next week!

How to get started in Marketing.

2012-03-27T17:00:00.000+01:00

Source (not originated)

I get the whole ‘OMG YOU ARE NEARLY THIRTY?!’ thing quite a lot, especially online – it seems like most style bloggers are students or recent graduates, and so compared to a lot of them, I’m quite the oldie. It does mean that every now and then I can give out a patronising look and say ‘Ah, when I was your age...’ (which, after a lifetime of always seeming to be the youngest, is rather satisfying).

The biggest difference between being 21 and 29 is work. When I was 21, I worked in a bar at uni, and as a receptionist/postroom assistant in the holidays. At 29, I’m in a marketing management role. It was a fairly natural progression, but at the same time it wasn’t easy to get here. I see a lot of graduates on Twitter who are struggling to find work, killing time in jobs they don’t enjoy so that they can make a living, but not getting anywhere on the whole ‘career’ thing. I’ve been there, and you know what? It sucks. For the first three years after I left uni, the only jobs I could get were administration roles where the bulk of my duties were stuffing envelopes, photocopying and typing up notes. Not very exciting.

So I thought I’d do a bit of a career advice post. If it’s popular, I might hit up some friends for their stories, and make it a bit of a series. But for now, here’s How To Make It In Marketing. By me.

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1) Degree
If you are 18 and pretty sure you’d like to work in marketing or something similar when you graduate, then for the love of god, do a marketing degree. The sad truth is that most degrees will only guarantee you a job in that area if you want to be a teacher. I did an English degree, because English is ‘my’ subject and I’ve always been really passionate about it, but it seemed pretty useless after I graduated. If a marketing recruiter has two graduate CVs – one has an English degree, one has a Marketing degree, you can predict which candidate they will interview. And I am NOT teacher material. No. God no.

2) Conversion Course
So, you ignored my advice and did that degree for love anyway. But the more you think about it, the more you really want to work in marketing, but no one will even give you an interview. Bums. Here’s what you do: take a job. Any job. Pay the bills, keep busy. And sign up for a part time conversion course.

CIM – the Chartered Institute of Marketing – give out qualifications that are universally recognised by the industry. If you have a degree already, you should be able to go straight on the CIM Professional Diploma. You can do it in evening classes – normally 3 hours, twice a week – and it costs about £1000 for a year’s study, plus exam fees. If you pass all four modules (with an exam each) first time, then you’re done! You have a Diploma. If not, then, er, you don’t. If, say, you failed Marketing Management in Practice twice like a friend of mine who definitely wasn’t me, no sir, then you can take it as many times as you want until you pass (and carefully gloss over that on your CV by listing when you are due to finish, not the start – finish dates) (but you didn’t hear that from me).

That line on your CV can open some doors. It shows that you are serious about a career in marketing, to the extent that you are willing to give up your spare time to pursue it. Just STUDYING it looks good – so don’t think that because you haven’t completed it yet, you can’t apply for marketing jobs. Get out there!

FYI – some companies will sponsor you to do the CIM, so if you’re working somewhere with marketing opportunities - even if you're not in a marketing role at the moment - ask the question. It can’t hurt, after all.

3) Internships
I... have never done an internship. I’ve never worked unpaid. It wasn’t that common when I was a student, not like it is now. But all experience is good experience and if you can, try and get some in during your holidays. Not only does it look good on your CV, it can also give you valuable contacts in the industry. However, don’t get too caught up in them – I think a lot of companies take the mickey now, getting people to work jobs that they should really be paid to do. You can’t work unpaid forever.

4) Applying
When I was looking for a marketing job, I realised that I just needed that ‘Marketing Assistant’ line on my CV and I applied for anything that was vaguely close to it. I went through my sent items and realised I’d sent CVs and covering letters to over 50 people – and that’s in addition to the online applications and calls from agencies.

To put it in context, I left uni and worked for the head office of a building society for nearly a year, stuffing envelopes and slowly losing the will to live. In hindsight, I should have looked into grad schemes straight out of uni, but without a marketing degree, they're not always guaranteed. But you can still get there! Then I managed to land a job in a PR agency which sounded PERFECT... except the promised career progression never came, and I spent my days scanning in articles and photocopying. I lasted 6 months. Then I worked for the council for 9 months, in an easy-but-fun job which I could quite easily do on 5 or 6 hours sleep. Boy, that was a fun year. And then, a week after I was told that my temp contract was ending, I was offered an interview for an admin role which I turned down, as I was only looking for marketing roles. They let me interview for a marketing assistant (on the understanding that it was a very admin focused role). I got the job, worked my arse off to prove myself and within a month and a half, was promoted to marketing executive.

There was a lot of luck in there - no one else was interviewed as far as I know - but I also feel like it was my time, and I know that if I hadn't worked so hard when I got in there, I would have stayed on the bottom rung for a bit longer. I had some bad luck with redundancies and at least one soul destroying, miserable 6 month stint in a marketing exec role, and I got a LOT of practise at interviews, but eventually landed my current job where I've been for nearly three years, and it's kind of ace (sure, it has its moments - it's work, after all - but overall? Ace.).

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5) The Reality
If you want to work in marketing, you have to REALLY work in marketing. It's not all about long lunches and glamorous projects. You have to put the effort in, you have to put the hours in, but it's really rewarding. I get to be creative, I get to write and I work with a great supportive team who make me laugh a lot.

6) Don't Judge A Book...
Don't be blinded by the industry. If you, the typical reader of this blog, had to choose between working for a bathroom company, a caravan sales company and a nail polish company, you'd choose the latter, wouldn't you? Me too. Worst. Job. I. Ever. Had. The other two were the best. Just because an industry doesn't SOUND exciting upon first look, doesn't mean it's not interesting. Often those industries are the ones taht take a more quirky approach. Also, secret - they tend to be better paid.

And that's it! All my advice on how to get started in marketing. Sorry it was so long! Was it interesting? Useful? I'd really like your thoughts - again it was a bit of a departure from my usual bloggings, and I'd rather not spam you all with stuff you're not interested in if you're, er, not interested.

But if you DID like it, do you have anything to add? Any other careers you'd like me to look into? Any volunteers for future posts?

Storm in a teacup.

2012-03-25T17:52:00.002+01:00

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I've always been a stubborn avoider of hot drinks. The occasional hot chocolate, I can handle, but tea or coffee? Not for me, ta. It's not a bad way to be! I am exempt from the tea run at work (my motto being 'Hey, if I don't drink it, I ain't making it.') and a lifetime of never drinking coffee means I have an insanely high tolerance for caffeine, meaning I can astound my friends by taking five proplus tablets at once and becoming marginally less tired.

There are downsides, too, though. That insanely high tolerance for caffeine means that I could probably do with a regular source of it throughout the day. And I don't get to use a cool mug. Oh, and organising meetings makes me panic because I know I'll have to offer to make drinks, and I SUCK at making drinks. Basically, why can't everyone drink water? Especially in the summer! The idea of hot chocolate on a warm day is just weird, but it doesn't seem to slow down tea drinkers. IT CONFUSES ME. OH! And don't get me started on cream teas. Why do they never give you an option to JUST HAVE THE CAKE? When I ask for a cream tea without the tea THEY LOOK AT ME LIKE I'M INSANE. YOU DON'T NEED TO DRINK TEA TO LIKE SCONES WITH CREAM AND JAM, TEAROOMS.

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So, yeah. Being anti tea, working in an office, IN ENGLAND... it basically makes me feel like an alien. But I don't LIKE it. I think fruit tea tastes like weak squash (why is weak squash SO much worse than water?) and mint tea tastes like the weird toothpaste my Grandad used to use and green tea tastes like rockpools and regular tea tastes, well, kind of like rockpools too. Milky, sugary rockpools.

BUT! When Twinings contacted me to see if they could convert me, I was actually tempted to give it a go. I had this whole plan of getting my colleagues each to make me their perfect cup of tea, and I would try each one and give them points. But the plan was doomed. What with the combination of an insanely busy couple of weeks at work, and me, the guinea pig, coming down with a cold that made my colleagues less than keen to let me drink from their cups of tea... er, it didn't happen. But I still wanted to talk about my experiences with tea, because, come on! Who stands up for the non-tea-drinkers in England? WE'RE PEOPLE TOO. We're efficient, hydrated people! We think nothing of chugging 3 litres of water between the hours of 9 to 5! We don't spend ages waiting for the kettle to boil! We get up and GET GOING in the morning, with no need for that first cup of tea. BASICALLY WE ARE AMAZING.

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However... this little failed experiment has got me thinking. I haven't actually tried REAL tea in years. And last year, out of the blue, I started to like olives, after LOATHING them. Now I am obsessed with them. And I like red wine now! So maybe, just maybe, my tastes have changed. So maybe it's time to give it another chance. Watch this space...

What do you think? Are you pro or anti tea? Are you surprised at how capslocky I get about tea? Check out the Twinings Facebook and let them know what you think!

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PS - This post was written in collaboration with Twinings, but let's face it, I don't need much encouragement to launch into a rant about something that really doesn't make me that angry in real life.

Just like a circus.

2012-03-23T17:06:00.001Z

I never realised I had so many LBDs until I started blogging. Now I know I have lots... and, to be honest, I like them all a lot more than this one. It's okay, I guess, but it's not a great fit - too low cut for work but rather too long for a night out. I've worn it once, and... meh. It's just a bit nothingy. It's also linen, which is the worst. I hate you, clothes-that-need-ironing! I am embarrassed by how obvious the creases are in the photos. They didn't show in person, I'm sure of it!

So, I figured I'd do something about that by the magic of... ACCESSORIES. Ooooh. *waves hands around mysteriously*

First of all, this shrug, which Hayley picked up for me from Primark for a bargain price. I haven't worn it yet (Jen has one too and seems to find millions of ways to make it work, but I'm less adventurous than she is!) but it works perfectly with an LBD, especially to make a too-busty dress a bit more decent!

Secondly, the petticoat. It would look better under a more a-line skirt, to be honest, but I still think the effect is pretty damn cute, and turns a dull dress into something rather more special. Sarah told me about the petticoats from Boux Avenue, and when I took a look, I found it was reduced to just £10! It's lovely quality, similar to the kind they sell in Vivien of Holloway, but much shorter. Which suits me, because I'm much shorter than most people. I'm very tempted by the other colours now, especially black (although I do wish they did a red one!).

I'm pleased with the overall effect - I really feel like I'm wearing a different outfit. And I'm not sure I'm ever going to take the petticoat off. HOW did I not own one before?

Dress - ASOS
Petticoat - Boux Avenue
Shrug & Shoes - Primark
Belt (worn backwards) - Matalan
Ring - H&M

My own flower sky, a garden of colour.

2012-03-19T17:03:00.002Z

So, when I was investigating my stalkerish tendencies against polka dots, I noticed that, actually, polka dots don't have that much cause to worry. Don't get me wrong - my love for them burns like an eternal flame, but actually, if there's one outfit theme that seriously might need to double lock its doors at night and keep an eye out for short gingerish people, it's florals.

I FLIPPING LOVE FLORALS. See? But still, you know, an acceptable, not weird amount.

Um, this is turning into a series, by the way. BUT WHAT'S NEXT? Can you guess?

Walking with spiders.

2012-03-16T17:14:00.003Z

I always think that if Little Red Riding Hood had stuck to the path, there would have been no story. Oh, sure, no one would have got eaten by a wolf, either, but if you believe the later versions of that story, everyone was fine. Except the wolf.

I always want to go down the path that looks like it leads to a story, whether it's the gap in the hedge that reminds me of the way out of Wall, the stepping stones, the hidden door in a garden wall or past the creepy statues.

Our garden looks like it has miles and miles to explore, but it's overgrown and there's a great big river in the way, so it's not easy to get any further than the decking. But this week I pushed through, further out and further in and got way beyond my normal spot. Even though I could still see my house in the distance it felt like I was still exploring somewhere new. Maybe next time I'll venture a little further from home with my camera, and find myself an adventure.

Dress - Apricot
Belt & Shoes - New Look
Necklace - Dorothy Perkins

It's not easy to look graceful balancing on a log, by the way. And sometimes you get your hair caught in trees.

PS - Thanks for all your comments on Wednesday's post! I was in two minds about posting that, and I'm glad I did. :)

Why I'm Quitting Magazines.

2012-03-14T22:01:00.003Z

Bit of a different post for me this one, and I'm sure it'll be a little tl:dr for many of you but I needed to have a little rant...

Tuesday night has always been magazine night. I buy my magazine at lunchtime or on the way home, then read it while eating my tea. When I lived with my sister, we’d sit there together, munching on pasta and half-watching Don’t Tell The Bride, while she flipped through Closer and I read Look. Then we’d swap.

Getting home on a Tuesday night and realising I’ve forgotten to buy my magazine is the worst. It’s my routine! Tuesday night is magazine night and NO ONE CAN TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME.

Um. Except me. And I’ve done just that. See, lately I find that when I get sick of the magazine piles in my room and chuck them in the recycling, I’ve actually hardly read any of them. And the ones I have read are, well, underwhelming. So, I quit.

Why I Quit Magazines.

1) They’re kind of horrible.
I used to be a diehard Heat fan, around 8 years ago when it was genuinely hilarious, but then they just got MEAN. I’m not interested in seeing which star is worryingly thin or which star is ‘embracing her curves’ or which star is not wearing makeup. No matter how Heat puts it, they’re just putting photos of women on their cover and inviting us to stare at their flaws. That’s really healthy, Heat.

I read Heat a few weeks ago for the first time in years and it’s got worse. They have a feature called ‘Tasty body, but lose the head’. That’s NOT okay.

2) ...and very hypocritical.
Most noticeably on the subject of weight. A recent issue of Look had an article about Demi Moore's 'worrying weight loss' a few pages apart from a photograph admiring Kate Bosworth's red carpet look.

3) Over reliance on blogs.

If you’re relying on blogs to provide your content, well, it’s kind of a no brainer really. *boots up Google Chrome* I’m always pleased and proud when I see bloggers I know and love in print, but there are some titles that have turned into Spot The Blogger features. Once in a while these success stories are interesting, but every week or every month? Not really. (*ahem*Company*ahem*) And don't get me started on magazines using hashtags and internet speak. Journalism isn't just a longer version of Twitter.

4) Sometimes, they just LIE.

I always read Look magazine for the fashion, not the gossip. But week after week their front page deals with some made-up celebrity story (which seems pointless considering almost every issue has a genuine celebrity interview – put THEM on the cover!). Yeah, I said it. Made. Up. I’ve lost count of the amount of times they’ve reported Brad and Angelina have definitely broken up, or Jennifer Aniston is actually pregnant, or Cheryl Cole is back with Ashley Cole. NONE OF THOSE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED.

This cover is a year old. Angelina and that surrogate have been pregnant for a long time.

5) Almost all the content has already been online.

Let’s face it, any fashion, celebrity or general news of note hits Twitter within seconds of being leaked. I mean, by the time news of the new Mulberry bag hit magazines, it had already been all over Twitter and countless blogs. If I want gossip, I have Oh No They Didn’t. If I want runway commentary or a real perspective on high street fashion I have flipping hundreds of knowledgeable women all over my Google Reader, Instagram and Twitter timeline. And I PREFER that.

A magazine isn’t going to tell me that a skirt is nice but comes up two sizes too small, or that the zip sticks on that dress, or to run to the shops now because the sale just started. It’s why my favourite fashion blogs are the ones where they’ve ben out and bought the items themselves and are discussing them without being biased.

6) I’d kind of rather read a book.

Because not finishing Wuthering Heights because I was reading about the baby that some journalists thinks that Kate and Wills might have at some point in the future based on no evidence other than the fact that they have interlocking parts is really not a good way to live my life.

Repugnant.

And although I’m pretty sure I’ve guaranteed my exclusion from any future magazine features about bloggers by posting this, I wish the magazines would actually read it and realise that I’m not being critical for the sake of it, I’m suggesting ways in which they could improve. Come on, Heat. Go back and read your hilarious issues from 2000 and get that back. Stop focusing on reality TV contestants and start focusing on small, indie shows again and amusing commentary about celebrities. Or embrace your teenage readership and actually include some content that won’t turn them into body obsessed, shallow morons who think making jokes about disabled children is funny.

Fix Your Shape / Eating Disorders Are Bad / Underweight Woman Loses More Weight YAY 4 HER

And Look – embrace what you’re good at. If you must, include some HONEST gossip, not useless speculation pieces with about as much truth as a National Enquirer article. Quit putting flipping Beyonce or Angelina on the cover. Or diet tips from Victoria Beckham WHO IS UNDERWEIGHT. You’ve got an exclusive feature with Nicola Roberts in there – put that feisty redhead up front! But honestly, I think you should lose the gossip. That’s not why people read you, it’s the fashion news from the high street that I always used to read you for (hell, I can’t afford any of the selections in Grazia!) so do THAT. I think you’ve lost sight of why you’re popular.

Oh, I could go on, but I won’t. I know that I’ll still read the occasional magazine when I’m getting a train or whatever (and I don’t really count newspaper supplements), but that weekly habit is well and truly kicked.

But anyway. Rant over. I’d love to know your thoughts, though. Do you think the internet is killing magazines? Ultimately, I think yes, but only because magazines are kind of terrible. Give us a reason not to abandon you, magazines! You were good once!

Out, damned spot.

2012-03-12T17:07:00.002Z

Last time I went away for a long weekend, I unwittingly packed four polka dot dresses. Whilst wearing a fifth polka dot dress. Over a pair of polka dot pyjama bottoms. And then I got under my polka dot duvet cover and went to sleep. I only noticed all this because I was watching an episode of New Girl in which Zooey Deschanel's characters was concerned that someone had said to her 'You rock a lot of polka dots' in a derogatory fashion.

I AM NOT EVEN JOKING.

I mean, I like polka dots, okay? They're nice! I wouldn't have said I was OBSESSED with them. Except, um. Apparently I am. So then I decided to have a little look back through my Friday Frocks, and, er. Yeah. If I were polka dots, I'd probably take out a restraining order against me.

When I grow up

2012-03-09T17:06:00.002Z

It's weird for me to admit, but okay. I... am a grownup. I have responsibilities. I have a real job. I have BUSINESS CARDS. So, while it's fine most of the time to wear super girlie ensembles that probably would be better suited to a six year old, sometimes I have to LOOK like the responsible adult that I apparently am.

I love this dress for those occasions when I need to look all SRS BZNZ but also, you know, like me. Red is probably my favourite colour - fie on those who say it clashes with ginger hair, fie I say! - but I do think it can still look smart and work appropriate, in the right dress (not in the wrong dress).

Dress - Closet at Dorothy Perkins

Blazer - Red Herring at Debenhams

Necklace - Topshop

Hairclips - Primark

The jacket is new, though, and probably even more Sarah-Does-Workwear than the dress. A polka dot blazer? Er, YES PLEASE. I found it in Debenhams earlier in the week and when those magical 25% off signs went up the next day, I popped back and snapped it up. I love the print, of course, but I really bought it for the fit. Now, as you know, I'm a massive shortarse, which I understand is rather an oxymoron (TWITTER SHOUTOUT) but ssshhh. This whole oversized trend looks awful on me - if you're little but curvy, it's just unflattering. But this - cropped, but not TOO cropped, and with neat little sleeves - PERFECT.

Now, I just need to find this exact blazer in every single colour. Can't be too hard, right?

I've missed your ginger hair, and the way you like to dress.

2012-03-07T17:02:00.024Z

It may come as a shock to you all, but I am not a natural redhead. I know. Who knew? Well, I get asked about my hair quite a lot though, so I thought I'd do a bit of a post about it.

My natural colour is a medium-dark brown, if you're curious (and don't remember). I've dyed my hair for pretty much all of my 20s, ever since I realised that first, flukeish grey hair at age 19 had multiplied. If I left my hair to its natural devices, I don't think I'd even be a quarter grey, but on the occasions I've left it a little long between dye jobs, those silvery strands are getting more and more noticeable (but don't cry for me, Argentina - I'd much rather be grey than bald!).

My favourite brown hair dye is Maple Syrup by Garnier Nutrisse, which fades to a really warm colour with auburn tones.

I was trying to go red for a while - subtly red - and the colours just weren't taking. My friend Rachel recommended I tried Schwarzkopf, saying it was 1) brilliant and 2) cheap, so I picked up this (on offer in Wilkinsons at £2 a box) and gave it a shot.

This colour is very vibrant - it doesn't look remotely natural, but I always quite liked that. It actually turned out that the colour my friend recommended wasn't the above, though (which was the shade I used for most of last year), but this one. I gave it a go. Why not?

It's a lot more plummy, but I was taken aback by its staying power. It didn't fade much at all, and it was only when my roots started to get ridic that I redyed.

Schwarzkopf is great because it's really cheap and often on offer in Wilkinsons. I flipping love Wilkinsons. I have long, thick hair, so I need two boxes - if you have long hair and are changing to a colour drastically different from your own, use two boxes or you'll end up with patchy colour. You can't really use TOO much dye.

I dye my hair about once a month. Fading combined with root regrowth means it becomes a necessity. I have bad roots here and here if you are thinking 'I have never noticed your roots before!'. You get a better result when you go professional, but box dyes are SO much cheaper. I know people who spend around £100 getting their hair dyed - the most I spend is around £10 for two boxes. And that's the PRICEY stuff.

On Elizabeth's recommendation, I also tried this colour. It was super vibrant, but I was starting to get sick of the unnatural reds. And this one... well.

After that, I got my hair dyed professionally - I had bleached strands woven through, so the copper colour came out really ginger. I was slightly horrified for the first day - it was much lighter than I anticipated - but then I realised how much I liked it. I didn't stick with it due to not having time to get to the hairdresser, and the roots came through SO obviously because it so much lighter than my natural colour, which I didn't like. Bloody roots! You ruin everything!

About a week before I'd got my hair dyed professionally, Amy and I stalked a girl at the Motel Blogger event and Amy found out the shade she used, so as soon as I re-dyed, I went for it. Funnily enough, Ellie uses this shade too - it's funny because Amy and I both see Ellie a lot, I'm surprised we didn't make the connection!

It's L'Oreal Mango - it looks orange on the bottle but it is the closest my hair has got to AUBURN, which is what I've always wanted. I really want my hair just to look naturally red, but it's incredibly hard to achieve. This is my favourite shade of box dye that I've used, and after the first couple of washes, it fades from being mad bright to a more Christina Hendricks shade.

Currently, I'm using Nice 'n' Easy Warm Auburn, which previously turned my hair a warm brown. But after making my hair be red for the last year and a half, it went ahead and stayed red. I think I might have reset myself to ginger.

I was debating re-embracing being brunette again, but whaddya know? I kind of like it red.

PS - A bunch of people have been doing sponsored posts about hairdye recently. Not me, I just really like talking about hair.

Apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur.

2012-03-05T23:36:00.000Z

There are some things that I think you can't declare to be an abomination without experiencing it for yourself. Like Twilight. (My judgement: terrible but compulsive. And I'm only Team Edward because he and Bella are super bores that deserve each other.)

Which brings me onto ugg boots! I've featured furry boots before, although they weren't the classic "Ugg" style. Even though I've never owned ugg boots before, and, well, they're not VERY me. I'm more of a high heels or ballet pumps girl, really. But so many of my friends love them, and I've always been reluctant to just dismiss them - just like Twilight, I prefer to be fully informed before judging.

Sooo, when Whooga sent me an adorable email, suggesting I'd like to try some of their ugg-style boots because my feet might be cold, I accepted. My feet are ALWAYS cold, you guys! Right now I have tights and two pairs of socks on!

It was raining on Sunday when I finally got the chance to photograph these, and even though sheepskin is resistant to water, I didn't want to risk ruining them on their first excursion so I photographed them inside, when I kept them on pretty much all day - kind of like slippers. They are ridiculously cosy and comfortable, I have to say. Basically, if I could wear pyjamas all day, I would, and so I do totally get the popularity of uggs - they're like PJs for the feet! They were a little tight for me, but I folded down the tops which made them fit perfectly. And I think they look better this way!

I remain a little undecided on uggs, to be honest. I completely understand why they are so loved, but I am unsure how much I'll actually wear them. Still, if the big freeze returns as the papers predict every other day, I have a feeling I'll be living in them before long.