Style Files - Vintage Cheesecloth

It's been a while since I've scoured vintage stores for long lost hidden gems. But I do like a bit of eBay browsing! I should really get back into the vintage thing though because its amazing the bargains you can find. Like this dress for example. Bought at Camden market several years ago, it makes its way out of my closet in the warmer months for an easy laid back summer day. This time we were playing with Abbie in a park close to our home. Sometimes it's too easy to forget the breathtaking views just yards from our doorstep. Welcome to sunny(ish) Scotland!

Bisous xx

Style Files - Playing with Pastels

Summer has finally come to Scotland and whilst I like to look smart for work, the oppressive heat does make for somewhat tricky office dressing. I picked up this pastel dress in the Miss Selfridge sale for a bargainous £10. It looks tweed-like (and therefore satisfyingly Chanel-esque) but it is actually a light knit and is smart but comfortable in the summer sun. My go-to Zara jacket completes the look nicely I think. A pair of Raybans and I'm good to go!

Bisous xx

Dress - Miss Selfridge
Jacket - Zara
Shoes - bought from Loch Lomond Shores

Saturday Night (and I like the way you move..)

And if you don't get the title I beg you to google it :)

Saturday was our second night at the beautiful Tigerlily. Having just about recovered from the night before, we chilled a bottle of champagne on ice and got ready to do it all over again!

This time we had dinner at The Living Room which was conveniently located 30 seconds from our hotel, saving our feet for dancing later. The chain has just launched a new menu and I have to say that the roasted quail and monkfish come highly recommended by me! Angela had 'the oddest prawn cocktail ever' (which, whilst odd, was delish) followed by the seabass with orange scented broccoli. Just in case that sounded a little too healthy for you, we washed it all down with mojitos and Singapore slings!

After dinner we headed next door to Candy Bar for a couple of drinks. Good music and an odd but fun crowd kept us there for quite a while before heading to All Bar One for 'one more before Opal'.

The Opal Lounge was where we danced our tired soles away on Saturday night. The music was good, I think (if you like the Spice Girls, Rhianna and Take That - which I most certainly do) and the crowd less pretentious than many people complain. Golfers through for the Open made interesting people watching opportunities and showcased original dance moves! As we dragged our sorry soles home (yes, Tigerlily will be called home) we opted for French toast for Sunday brekkie and tried very hard to resist removing our heels and walking the 4 blocks bare foot.

Altogether a fantastic evening! Cheers to the birthday girl ;)

I wore:
Dress by New Look
Shoes by Christian Louboutin
Bag by Rebecca Minkoff

NB This post is not sponsored

Tales of Tigerlily

It was my gorgeous friend Angela's birthday recently so this weekend I headed through to Edinburgh for a weekend of celebration at the 5* Tigerlily hotel. Surrounded by opulent pinks, purples and golds, our luxury suite was the ideal place to pop a champagne cork and get the party started!

We checked in on Friday afternoon and got ready for our first big night! Cocktails in our room were followed by an amazing meal at the Thai Ducit restaurant where we feasted on fresh fish and seafood and coconut rice-delicious! Get there before the Michelin stars and tour books do! Then it was back to Tigerlily for a classic champagne cocktail before a little 80's boogie at Lulus downstairs. When the music got a little stale we ventured outside and ended up in a Hawaiian themed night club complete with palm trees and Floral garlands. As we tottered back to our hotel tired but happy, we discussed what to order for room service breakfast (a "grill up" of course).

I wore: top by Topshop; jacket by Zara

(NB This post is not sponsored)

Style Files - Peachy Keen (Jellybean)

On a beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon in Edinburgh, I went strolling around the Grassmarket, stopping off at Mary's Milk Bar for delicious homemade gelato and taking in the Princes Street gardens. Oh what a difference the sun makes!

In weather like this I love a good maxi skirt & T-shirt combo - keeping cool and avoiding burnt shoulders are essential. The peachy coral loveliness of this one stole my heart (and it was a bargain too). Of course I couldn't resist the Grease quote in the title...

Skirt - Primark
Top - River Island
Bag - Rebecca Minkoff
Bracelets & anklet - Accessorize
Gladiator Sandals - Topshop

Style Files - A Leopard Never Changes her Spots

A loose blouse is ideal for these hot summer days - smart enough for the office but cool enough for the sweltering heat - I opted for this outfit for a day in our London office. Flying there and back in a day is a tiring experience but I made up for it in airport shopping! Stay tuned for some new togs...!

Blouse - Zara
Trouser - Zara
Purse - Zara
Shoes - Christian Louboutin
Nails - Nails Inc shade 'Portobello'

Cake & Cocktails

Sunday was our last day in Edinburgh and we rounded off a great weekend with yet more good food and cocktails (running theme here)!

After French toast with Greek yogurt and berries in bed, we got ready and headed out into the beautiful sunshine. Of course we (read, I) couldn't resist a spot of shopping so we scoured the sales for a cool haven from the heat. After a refreshing drink at Cafe Rouge, we returned to the shops to whet our appetite for Afternoon Tea at Tigerlily.

Now, believe me when I say that you will want to arrive hungry for the delights in store here! From smoked salmon & cream cheese sandwiches to clotted cream and jam scones - with cupcakes, brownies & strawberry tarts in between - this really was a feast fit for a queen! Add cocktails served in tea pots then some breakfast tea to finish and we had very happy tummies indeed! Even if it did mean hitting the treadmill that night when I got home...

A great end to a great weekend - it was all about the company, Ange (although luxury surroundings, good food & champagne helped too)! Now for the detox!

I wore:
Dress by H&M (an Edinburgh purchase!);
gladiators by Topshop & bag by Rebecca Minkoff

NB This post is not sponsored

Styles Files - The Weekend Post

Cocktails & Dreams at the Orchid Bar in Aberdeen
Beaded top by Zara, Bag by Rebecca Minkoff, Jewellery by M&S




With a balloon Chippendale!
Allana (left) wears dress & shoes by Topshop
Linda (right) wears dress by ASOS and shoes by Christian Louboutin

 



With the lovely Allana
Necklace (right) by Accessorize




Dress-up photo booth at Bev's Birthday Bash!



Style Files - Hear me Roar

I am a teeny tiny bit obsessed with the Zara sale right now - OK, I'll admit it - every time I go into a store I come out with a bag... or two. So what's new? The most annoying thing is seeing everything that I paid full price for mocking me with a marked down ticket. Mental note to self - try really hard not to buy full price in Zara from now on...!
Rant aside, I picked up this amazing tiger sweater in the sale which I adore - it looks very similar to the Kenzo version that bloggers and magazine editors have gone crazy for - at a much more reasonable price.
It does have strange slits to sides of the arms but I kinda like that.
The printed sweater is everywhere this season and is the perfect antidote to British summertime - when you are just too stubborn to wear a jacket but too dam freezing to wear a tshirt. Embrace the tiger!

Bisous xx

P.S. Can you see Abbie pretending not to pose for the picture - she always seems to make it into my posts - almost like a 'Where's Wally?' of the puppy variety. Let me know if you spot her!

Sweater - Zara (sale - £17.99)

Jeans - H&M

Hoop Earrings - Superdrug (not available online)

Nails - Barry M Gelly Nail Paint in 'Lycee'

(N.B. This post is not sponsored)

Style Files - Retro Print Clash

Black tights? Yes - it really is that cold in Glasgow. Torrential rain and grey skies are no strangers to us Scots but so far July is turning out to be pretty dreary. Let's hope it turns around quickly so that I can showcase all of my amazing NYC purchases which are a little more summery than the current weather allows. Fingers crossed...
Meanwhile I am putting my summer brights to one side (never forgotten but on hold for now) and am experimenting with print. I love a retro print and this orange skirt screams '70s. Of course, some people would leave that as the stand out item but I just can't resist a good print clash! Avoid looking totally crazy by keeping the colour pallette similar and wearing with pride!

Bisous xx

Blazer - Dorothy Perkins (still available in store but not online)

Skirt - Wallis (old but I love this one by Etsy)

Blouse - (last seen here)

Shoes - Office (last seen here)

Earrings - Made by me (check out my jewellery making post here for inspiration)

(N.B. This post is not sponsored)