The hunt for the perfect maxi skirt.

For the last few summers I have wanted one thing: the perfect maxi skirt. I'm rather short and not exactly a skinny mini so if I'm honest I feel I resemble a house in them... a very wide house. I initially wanted a jersey one however made my hips look far to wide and then last year I wanted a pleated one but dear god my arse is too large for that. So anyway I had resigned myself to a maxi-skirt-less life. But, this season I noticed something different. Instead of bulky wades of fabric, the high street are offering chiffon maxi's, with short skirts underneath with splits up the thighs. Meaning a bit of flesh was still on show and the dreaded bulk is somewhat avoided. Suddenly I knew my prayers had been answered.

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1. This beauty is my ultimate love, I found it in the Zara store in Milton Keynes, however it was the only one left and the zip was buggered and the sales woman said that Zara refuses to discount damaged clothing (SHAME ON YOU ZARA). I went on a search in Manchester and online and I had friends in Leeds, Bournemouth and Sheffield looking for it but I couldn't find it ANYWHERE however when I was in London for my birthday I found it!!! The only issue being it's a size too big but I bought it anyways and hopefully the mother can take it in. 
2. Before I found the Zara one in London I went on a hunt for a similar one, I found this ASOS beauty but yet again IT WAS SOLD OUT IN MY SIZE - que me having a minor breakdown over my unluckiness. However my lovely mother kept checking ASOS on the sly every 5 mins and eventually a size 10 came back in stock and she surprised me with it on my birthday! Ta Mum. 
3. I'm loving my coral however I'm defs thinking a black one is needed in my wardrobe EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD IN BLACK and I have this weird thing where I like to buy the same thing or very similar in various colours.

Anyway they are, I tend to wear them with a block colour I'm especially loving them worn with this black crop top from Blue Rinse as there is the perfect amount of skin left showing. I then wear this simple collar necklace from H and M and I'm good to go.

What I love so much is that depending on the weather (which is extremely variable in England) or occasion I can style them up or down...

For dinner or drinks with friends/fam//boyf I accessorise with my Zara beaded clutch and these white wedges from Topshop. They're so beaut however after a rather *ahem* intoxicated night out they're a bit scuffed but ho hum I still love them.

For sunnier days (these are few and far between but sometimes miracles do happen and we have sun) I wear them with this statement Zara Clutch and River Island sandals. 

For the more common rainy and nippy days I whack on my trusty Topshop Ambush boots and Mulberry Alexa neither of which ever fail to complete an outfit. 

So all in all they're versatile, can be worn day or night with heels or flats. They're also perfect for work, I'm interning at a magazine publishing company this summer and although it's fairly casual I dont't want to rock up in stupidly short vintage Levi's as it may be slightly inappropriate to flash the ol' bum cheeks at work. 

Kathryn x 

Oh! Whats Occurring?

I love a bit of leather. A leather jacket is obviously a must in every girls wardrobe and it's one of the items I own that I will always spend that little bit more on because I know how loved mine always are. However leather is generally expensive so when it comes to other pieces like shorts and trousers im not adverse to a bit of faux leather *ahem* pleather. 

These waxed trousers are from Zara, I would have killed for the real leather J Brand or All Saints beauties but I cannot justify spending hundreds of pounds on real leather trousers which realistically I will only wear a couple of times a year. I love the gold zip detailing and as they are only waxed rather than full on leather they are much less scary to wear as well as more day time appropriate!

These pleather shorts are from Topshop last year and have been seriously well loved. The look gorgeous with a chunky knit jumper for day or with heels for a night out. 

This leads me on to my hunt for a leather/ pleather skirt. The hunt has been on for quite a few years as I won't lie to you every time I found one I had hideous visions of Nessa from Gavin and Stacey and that is one comparison I can bloody well do without.

So anyway it was absolutely chucking it down in Manchester recently (shocking I know) so I decided to take refuge in the H and M on Market Street. I have a strange relationship with H and M, their advertising campaign and look books are always really impressive and quite a few people I know find some absolute gems in there, I on the other hand am usually left empty handed and disappointed. However it's been newly refurbished and looked bright, uncluttered and quite a few things in the window caught my eye: essentially the opposite to the store environment before. So I walked in and there it was, a leather, well pleather,skirt that ticked all my boxes. It’s barginous (£14.99), a simple design and although it’s faux leather it avoids that awful shine fake leather often has.

Paired with a simple shirt and a statement necklace or a neon knit (there are the PERFECT fine neon knit sweaters in Zara at the minute I will be running to buy tomorrow) the skirt makes the perfect dinner/drinks outfit when worn with wedges but styled with embellished sandals I can see myself wearing it come July when I start an internship. 

Kathryn x

P.S. I am sure some of you are thinking, leather?! In Summer?! That could lead to some sweaty situations. However as I write this I kid your not it is as if it is the apocalypse, I have never seen so much rain. So I feel I am very much justified in buying essentially winter clothes in June. 


P.P.S You will only understand the title if your a Gavin and Stacey fan! 

I am stressed therefore I shop.

Apologies for the massive blog slacking, exams have been casually ruining my life. I have gone home in a last ditch attempt to try and revise without distractions so my day to day existence is spent sat looking over lecture notes I do not, and will never understand and then occasionally leaving the house to either see the boyf or travel back up to Manchester for an exam. You don't have to say it, my life is thrilling. I'm going through some serious uni related confusion at the same time as doing exams. This combination means I do one thing ... shop. So off I popped to Milton Keynes shopping center with the intension of doing some serious retail therapy. And you know what I feel 100 times better post spending splurge. Here are a few things I bought.


First off are what I have dubbed as my 'Birthday Shoes'. As it's my birthday at the start of June, I obviously feel I need a whole new outfit and when I saw these bad boys in Kurt Geiger I simply couldn't walk away. I'm a sucker when it comes to studded shoes (lets be honest I'm a sucker for studded anything) and have a worrying obsession with Sam Eldman and these have a feel of his footwear. I can't walk in them to save my life mind and have a feeling when these are combined with alcohol they may make a lethal combination which results in me being rather too well acquainted with the floor. But oh well, they're pretty.

Next up are a slightly more sensible pair of shoes. I popped into Office and bought some plain white low top converse. It was a toss up between these and Vans but went for Converse as I think they look better with Disco Pants which I, along with the rest of the world, have been living in. Their a little dirty already as I have  worn them i kid you not every day since buying them.

Next up I went to Topshop and found just a simple floral crop top which'll be perfect when/ if we FINALLY have some sunshine.

I of course couldn't go shopping without visiting Zara. I have a minor obsession with tie-dye and felt I needed this top in my life as it was less than 20 quid and I have been eyeing up a similar jumper in Urban Oufitters at over double the price! Boom. 

I've also been loving crochet and this white jumper with ribbon detail just needs to be paired up with leather shorts and converse and it's good to go!

Finally from Zara I bought this mint cardie. Like every other girl, woman, blogger in the known universe I have become obsessed with pastels this season. My wardrobe is now full of pastel shades where it was once a sea of grey and black. Am I turning into a human fondant fancy? Yes yes I am.

Me and the madre also went for a cheeky Wagamamas. How much do you love that restaurant? I do go there slightly too regularly, it's got to the point where the staff know me which is always slightly worrying. I had chilli squid and Yaki Soba it's what I get EVERY TIME and it never disappoints.

So the moral of today...When your feeling down, buy clothes and eat Wagamamas. Simple pleasures.

Kathryn x 

Clutch Loving.

I couldn't help myself in London yesterday, my spending ban just went right out the window and I picked up these two beauties. I won't lie I'm not particularly a bag person however I was given the beaut Mulberry Alexa for my birthday last year and I have literally used it everyday since. However when I go out I have a few crappy old things I simply make do with. So I decided I needed more statement bags that make people go 'wow' rather than just bland bleaughh bags. So when I walked into Zara on Oxford Street yesterday I was in heaven (I apologise yet again for my Zara obsession, I have a genuine problem, I just love their clothes too much!), what surrounded me was a collection of embellished clutches that I knew had to find their way into my wardrobe. 

First off is this little number. I'm a sucker for any form of aztec print and this is a very subtle but beautiful hint towards aztec. I have never seen anything like it and it's perfect to make an LBD on a night out a little more interesting. I love the mix of colours as I would never be brave enough to wear such a vibrant orange.

Secondly I bought this less striking but no less beautiful clutch. It being slightly bigger than the first bag I can see myself using it not just in the evening but during the day too with a simple white dress, gladiators and a tan or with denim shorts and a floral blouse. It has an almost boho feel to it and could definitely imagine Sienna Millar with it! 

So those are the two beauties I bought yesterday however there is a gorgeous turquoise, pearl embellished one which is very Chanel Spring/ Summer 2012 that I will be getting my mitts on it as soon as my student loan comes through!

Kathryn x

Button Up.

I took a cheeky trip to London today, I'm skint and technically on a shopping ban so I only bought a few bits and bobs. I have previously spoken about my love of a good ol’ buttoned up studded collar in my last post, its smart whilst remaining edgy and makes a plain shirt look a bit more on trend. As beautiful as my Zara babies are, I thought I’d try the buttoned up shirt with some different collar accessories to jazz them up.

Firstly I thought I’d try collar tips and I found this beauty today in, you guessed it, Zara (I promise I shop at other places but I cannot physically help myself, all their clothes are right up my street). It ticks the pastel box for Spring/Summer 2012 but I think the collar tips are just adorable so much so I had to briefly forget about my spending ban. 

Secondly I thought why not try the choker style collar necklaces which seem to be filling high street shops at the minute. Their beauty is in their simplicity as they can work on a variety of shirts from plain or patterned to long sleeve or short sleeve shirts. This one is from H and M for a mere £6.99 and adds an instant update to a simple button up shirt. At such a barginous price I couldn't say no. This shirt is from yonks ago from New Look but the collar necklace makes it instantly 'now'.

So button up ladies and jazz up your collars!


Kathryn x

Clever Collars.

Oh Zara, how I love you. You just produce beauty after beauty which my bank statement despises you for yet I just need to have. No truer words can be said after I found this little beauty in Zara in Manchester a few weeks ago: white - check, chiffon - check, oversized - check, studded collar DOUBLE CHECK. Studded collars have long been an obsession of mine and this ticks all the boxes. Worn with denim shorts and a leather jacket to spice up an otherwise plain outfit or worn with bodycon and heels for dinner and drinks, I can tell it will be worn to death.


Funnily enough last autumn I bought an extremely similar studded collared shirt from Zara but this time in black which I have hardy had off my back all Autumn/Winter.

A studded collar detail adds a little edge to something which could be plain and a bit too simple. I am loving mine so much I have ordered some studs off eBay to try some cheeky DIY to make my own so watch this space ...

Kathryn x