Feeling this.

This post is horrendously overdue, considering my birthday was technically a few weeks back, but what the heck? I thought i'd share some of the shenanigans with you. For a fairly naff, boring age of twenty two i had a really amazing week of birthday celebrations..

I went 80's dancing with my nearest and dearest, which included lots of oversized cocktails, awful dance shapes and full on renditions of Grease and MJ's Thriller. 

 

One Shoulder Wrap Dress - Topshop (£46.00)

The birthday outfit included this lovely berry dress from Topshop, it has very grecian edge with one shoulder and draped skirt. My wonderful YSL Tribute rip off heels from River Island lasted all of five minutes, in-fact they didn't even make it down Croydon high-street, such a wimp.

Then on my actual birthday i spent the day and night in Brighton with the boyfriend, it has such an amazing atmosphere, much more chilled out than London town. Not going to lie, i was equally determined to visit none other than Sea World (yep, i did turn twenty two, not seven). Boyfriend in tow we gazed at the array of colourful fish of all shapes and sizes, crabs of which i have a severe phobia of (shudder), starfish, sea horses and forget the sharks, there are turtles there the size of small cars.

After moseying on around the lanes and bracing the windy sea air one the pier, we checked in to the beautiful little boutique hotel called the Artist Residence, which is directly opposite the old pier. Each room in the tiny hotel is decorated by a local artist, it is also extremely affordable (dirt cheap) with breakfast in tow - i really couldn't recommend it enough. 

We stayed in the Panorama room, decorated by local artist Andy Mclynn which has a amazingly detailed paintings of Brighton's sea front.

And, of course, there wouldn't be a birthday without gifts right?

Breakfast at Tiffanys Companion by Sarah Gristwood - beautiful.

Parisian Chic - A Style Guide by Ines de la Fressange.

Benefit Lipglosses from my brother and Nars varnish in Night Flight from Matthew.

My lovely father who jetted off on my birthday to attend his best mate's wedding in New York, they got married on the actual Jersey Shore, no Snooki sightings apparently. He picked me up both presents from my parents and Matthew from Tiffany's. 

Return to Tiffany Pearl bracelet from my parents.

Tiffany Bead Bracelet from Matthew.

artistically displayed on shockingly bright pink new Kindle cover - unsure of the tiffany charms but i do love a dainty pearl and silver bead!

Last but not least, surprise tickets to see James Corden's new play - I'm so excited! 

Well done if you've read this far crikey! I throughly recommend staying in the Artist Residence hotel, as well as the scrummy doughnuts on the pier. And answer me this, WHY is Tiffanys a heck of a lot cheaper across the pond? In other thoughts, i've banked and saved all the birthday money/gift cards i received for the topshop and netaporter sales (yes please! - muimuimuimui)

Nothing but the beat

What an obligatory blog post to write. For my non-blogger readers, this post is all centred around what's in my handbag, yeah slightly bizarre i'll give you that. But as much as i adore the art of the handbag, what i carry around it are some of my most prized processions and my most loved and used accessories.

My handbag of the moment is my dearly beloved Mulberry tan bayswater, my Alexa has taken residence in it's dust-bag whilst i use this baby. Not such a baby any more, as you can see it's aged with grace love over the three years i've lovingly battered it around every single day. I saved long and hard for this bag, then BOOM! out of nowhere every Tom, Dick and Harry has one. Ahem, trend setter anyone? I kid, i kid.

Marc by Marc Jacobs purse - This was my first 'big' purchase, just after i started college, i saved up all summer. My dad nearly had a heart attack when he found out, but 5/6 years later it hasn't aged a day.

Mulberry Purse - I bought this little dark brown purse in the Mulberry sample sale last year for quite a bargain. It holds all my pennies, as well as being the perfect small purse for clutches and small handbags.

Cath Kidston Train Pass - Never buy these full price (day light robbery), wait for their amazing sales. Picked this up for three quid, which currently holds a good three thousand old train tickets.

Zara Perfume in Iris - Cheap as chips, but smells to die for.

Moleskin Diary (with battered Mulberry sticker attached) - such a beautiful diary, the leather bound thick paper is every stationary dream and i quote the lady in the book shop when i say, once you go Moleskin you never go back.

iPhone 4 - emotionally attached.

Clarins Lip Perfector - Smells like toffee, tastes like toffee.

Mulberry keyring - a present from the lovely Sarah, with one house key, that is never used, ever.

Pink Tangle Teezer - must have!

Ancient iPod - this was given to me eons ago from my parents, my dad had 'fix up look sharp' engraved on the back and, yes i refuse to use the iPod on my iPhone, i get awful stares on the morning commute when i whip em both out.

I promise you this post wasn't sponsored by Mulberry - though i wish it was. And I much rather use my Luella bag to work (isn't as kickable in the staff room) so I'm forever taking out the crap (6000 lipsticks and tissue packets) when I swap bags. Long.

Heaven knows i'm miserable now.

This is - i must say - investigate journalism at best. Raw, emotive and digging out the true facts of the matter. For months, years even there have been rumours passed around back and forth, building excitement only to be squashed by the unknown. So it was time i felt, for Sarah and i to seek out what lay ahead and see the truth for ourselves. Last Wednesday, we battled it up the Northern Line to a dingy little shopping centre in north London to Edgeware, where we came across perhaps the best kept secret in perhaps, none other than the Topshop Outlet. 

 Our first thoughts when we approached this very small store dedicated to previous sale items was the sheer amount of stock. Each wall bay and stands are jam-packed full of last season stock at very low sale prices, with every item on the offer buy one, get one free. The stock we saw was mostly high summer, with the exception of pieces that are actually brand new (such as this dress) and items that have just hit the online sale last week. Everything is in size order, and naturally most items graced the floor. The ladies that work in their must have the patience of saints i tell thee. We saw numerous ladies filling up trollies worth of stock, to presumably be shoved on eBay. The other customers mostly looked like locals,  unlike Sarah and i who were completely fazed by the whole time and dug right in. There were racks upon racks of tops, blouses, shorts, dresses and trousers; with a limited amount of accessories and shoes. Piled up with a variety of items, we hit the changing room to find a number of bits completely faulty, with zips missing and slashed holes, i guess this has happened at its previous store destination and has been shoved out anyway.

After grabbing most things in sight, i spied this dress on the changing room rail, had a slight heart attack and fell in love again. I say again, due to desperately wanting this dress over the summer and never buying it, yet finding it now half priced! Hurrah!

Nice tights line!

Sequin Dress - (reduced from £65, to £30.00)

I then picked up this dress as my free item, a simple striped dress that can be worn in the summer.

Overall, although i am over the moon with my purchases, Sarah sadly left with nothing. Although this shop is clearly wonderful, i dare say it is fairly hit and miss. As its quite a fair journey, in norf norf London its would be a major disappointment to not find anything. However we have decided to visit after Christmas, when more seasonal, easier to wear items will hopefully have better stock. Watch this space.

The Topshop Outlet is situated in the The Broadwalk Shopping Centre just a stones throw from Edgware tube. We hopped on the Northern line from London Bridge and found it pretty easy to find. All the shop details can be found here.

So there we have it, will you be visiting?

Fix up Look sharp

 

 

Skinny Jeans - H&M (£19.99)

Black & White Tweed Jumper - Topshop (£43.00)

Red Block Heels - New Look (£19.99)

Vest - Topshop

That's me, in skinny black jeans, thats right. Nearly three heart attacks in the fitting room, four size variations and various jumping around, i bought a pair of black skinnies. Why? Because whilst on the tube, i saw a beautiful girl rocking the most tapered pair of black jeans i've ever seen, with red cherry lips and oversized cream shirt. Naturally, i ran out to shamefully borrow her look. London really is a street style book of inspiration.

Just Colour Your Nails........

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