Outfit August - Last day - dusky pink swing dress

Hello babes! It's the last day of Outfit August and I've not participated as often as I wanted to, but I've definitely realised I have PLENTY in my wardrobes to keep me clothed without new purchases. I bought this dress at the beginning of the year and I hated it at the time. It hangs a little differently on me since I've been exercising more and I like it more now - it was way too short for my comfort before. Read on for more pics and how Outfit August went for me.

Outfit August - Ice cream dress

Hello lovelies! This Simply Be dress is one of my old favourites - a dress I wear time and time again without getting bored. The photos in this post were taken at Beachy Head, Seaford and Alfriston. We were at Beachy Head the day of the chemical spill - we left about 15 minutes before it kicked off. We were so lucky! Read on for more pics and outfit details.

Outfit August - another tapestry print dress

Hiya babes! I was all ready for Autumn, and then we had the best bank holiday weekend I can remember in years. The weather has been amazing. My dress may not have suited the weather, but I love the warm tones of autumn florals all year round.

Outfit August - Pink harem trousers and breton stripes

Hello lovelies! I discovered these photos on my computer the other day. I take so many and don't post half of them. It's a slight cheat as they're from July, but this is just the kind of relaxed thing I've been living in this month. 😊

Outfit August - Looking to autumn in tapestry print

Hello loves! My cousin gave me this dress when she stayed with me recently. I love tapestry print everything, even though some might say it's a bit 'old lady's curtains'. 😝😝😝 I always associate tapestry print with autumn, and I think I'm ready for Halloween, Fireworks night, fallen leaves and cups of steaming hot chocolate. The only thing I'd like to hang onto from summer is the long days. How I dread S.A.D. each year!

Outfit August - Trick or Treat

Hi babes! Is it Halloween yet? 👻 This is about the time every year when I get really excited about Halloween and start buying Halloween themed clothes. This kind of outfit is where I feel most me - alternative, not fashionable by 'normal' standards, wearing a hodge podge of things.

Outfit August - 16th August - featuring my niece

Hello lovelies!

I'm back with another Outfit August post, and this one features my niece. We went to feed some ducks at a local pond. We took some porridge and we were besieged by wagging little duck bums. I fed some of them by hand and it really tickles when they peck you!

Outfit August - 9th August - Casual looks

Hello lovelies! I've got a few casual looks to share today. I've been walking every day so I've been living in cosy jersey clothes that are comfortable to wear when I'm hot.

Outfit August - 2nd August - Gingham mini smock dress

Hello lovelies,

This is a bit of a cheat for Outfit August - I'd already taken these photos but I haven't published them yet and I don't want to leave them any longer. This dress is out of stock but gingham is really hot right now so you'll easily be able to find something similar.

Outfit August outfit challenge - dig out your hidden gems

Hello loves. I've been doing Outfit August on and off since 2014. It's a month long outfit challenge anyone can join in with - as frequently or infrequently as they like throughout the month. I see it as a chance to root right to the back of my wardrobe and hunt out long forgotten gems. Too often I buy new things and forget about older items, and I'm rubbish at accessorising at the best of times, so it's a chance for me to dig into my accessory stash and put a bit more effort in with regards to that. As a woman with chronic illness I spend a lot of time barefaced in comfy clothes so it's a reason to get made up and dressed more often than usual. Some of the outfits work and some of them don't but it's all part of the fun of experimenting. There hasn't been more than 1 or 2 fashion posts a week on this blog for a while, so I look forward to doing more. It'll be nice to do some ordinary around-the-house shots rather than fancy ones out on location as well.

I probably won't be doing an outfit every day, and even if I do, I'll post a round up every 2-3 days rather than updating daily. It's something fun for me to do, and God knows I have enough clothes, shoes, bags and jewellery so it's time to make use of them. Here are some of my previous Outfit August posts.

Thanks for reading. Leah xoxo

Outfit August 27th - duster coat

Hello honey buns,

I've had this duster jacket by Simply Be for a couple of months but only took it for a spin a couple of days ago as I was unsure how to style it. Then the weather took a turn and it was now or never!

Calling this a duster jacket is a bit of a misnomer. It's thin and light (it's not lined) and has barely any more substance than a kimono. Had I bought it at full price I would've been peeved, as I believe it was £50 originally. My only other bugbear with it is the pockets, which are on the seam and basically mean you're virtually getting to grips with your butt-ocks (Forrest Gump voice) to put your hands in them. However I love the length and the full length sleeves which can be rolled up. It's a great way to cover up without boiling when it is warm as it's lovely and airy. Call me an eternal optimist but I'm hoping this cold snap might bog off so I can get some more use out of this jacket.

Cue silly gif, just because.

Jacket, Simply Be
Dress, old Yours Clothing
Leggings, Very
Belt, from a New Look dress
Boots, old Tesco
Hair flower, eBay

We went to a flower festival at a local (ish) church the day these photos were taken and I will share more photos later on in the week. Most of the displays were based around books and the creativity was amazing.


Thanks for reading!
Leah xoxo

Outfit August 25th - graveyard stomp

Hello you!

These photos were taken at a church in Winchelsea, where Spike Milligan is buried. I decided to err on the side of caution and wear a jumper AND a leather jacket as the weather looked dire this day, and of course I was too hot. But the jacket looked cool like that - just call me the Fonz!

Oh my lawd, I just realised I'm top to toe in old New Look. Literally, apart from my shoes and underwear.

Hair flower, jumper (via Mookie), leather biker, skirt, all New Look. Even the chunky black ring I'm wearing is from New Look.
Shoes, old Very.

I'll have some more photos from the graveyard and church coming up later in the week, including Spike Milligan's grave.

Thanks for reading.
Leah xoxo

Outfit August 24th - Mickey taking

Happy Sunday earth monkeys!

I got 'earth monkeys' from the PG Tips advert and it tickled my fancy.

I'm wearing this Mickey Mouse t shirt which I got at a clothes swap, but the print is really oddly placed so you can hardly see it. 

Top, clothes swap
Skirt, old Yours
Shoes & bag, old Very
Hair bow, Beauxoxo
Lippie, Barry M 52

It was really windy when I took these photos so there's some movement in my skirt in the photos, which I love. You can't beat a bit of air up your skirt. ;) 
Thanks for reading!
Leah xoxo

Outfit August 23rd - ready for Autumn

Happy weekend sweet peas!

We appear to be heading for the end of summer, so I have the urge to wear all the jewel tones.

Dress, old New Look
Belt, from another dress
Leggings, Very
Shoes, Rocket Dog
Cardi, old Everything 5 Pounds
Necklace, Galibardy
Hair flower, old Peacocks




Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
Leah xoxo

Outfit August 22nd - Short dress as long peplum

Greetings fellow earth dwellers!

I had a bit of a brain wave the other day of what to do with all my skater dresses which are way too short for my level of comfort over leggings. Use them as a long peplum over a skirt! But does it work? You tell me! :)

I think it might've looked slightly better if the dress was an inch or two shorter, but I hope it's not too strange an ensemble. It will breathe new life into the dresses I really didn't know what to do with.

I HAD to get this clutch as soon as I saw it on the New Look PR Instagram. It was love at first sight. I haven't got a lot of whimsical accessories and that needs to change. The queen of fun accessories is Laura, check out this post for all the awesome!

It feels so weird to be back in tights in the middle of August but the weather has taken a chilly turn of late. The last two nights it's been icy when I've gone to bed. I'm also wearing tights to hide the bruises from my visit to the beach, as they've not healed up still and I can't be arsed to apply foundation/concealer on them right now. I don't know what it is with Fibromyalgia and troublesome shins, but marks do not seem to fade. Oh well, it'll soon be time to wrap up like an Eskimo anyway. ;)

New Look Inspire polka dot dress
Belt, old ASOS Curve
Skirt, old ASOS Curve
Plus size All Woman tights, Big Bloomers Company
Floral motif Everything 5 Pounds shoes
Hair flower, old Peacocks
Studded bracelet, old Primark
New Look Inspire Doughnut clutch

Thanks for reading!
Leah xoxo

Outfit August 19th - pattern clash

Hellooo!

You know sometimes when you pull a couple of things out of your wardrobe at random and it actually works? This. I love orange and brown. It must be being born in the 70s, when everything was brown.

I nearly called this outfit post 'The Flamingo' though, as I appear to have only one leg down most of the time!

No ironing again - love me, love my crinkles! I did actually iron for a blog post last week, but it didn't look like it, and that was 10 minutes of my life I'll never get back. :)

Necklace, Black Heart Creatives (Yes, I'm a feminist who uses the C word).
Top, via Mookie
Cardi, old Just For 5 Pounds
Skirt, old New Look
Shoes, Everything 5 Pounds. (I sized up as E5P shoes are always small).

Thanks for reading!
Leah xoxo

Ann Harvey Watercolour Check Jersey Maxi Dress*

Hello sweet peas,

I was contacted recently to let me know that Ann Harvey are back and available exclusively at Bonmarche. I was offered an item to review and chose the Watercolour Check Jersey Maxi Dress because I loved the colour scheme and pattern. Ann Harvey do sizes 16-32 which is fantastic.

There are dresses which make you feel good, and then there are dresses which make you feel great, and this is one of the latter. From the moment I tried it on (straight out of my dressing gown!) it made me feel amazing. It's a stretchy, cool viscose blend and is generously cut so that it skims over my body. It has flattering pleats at the front of the dress under the bust. I'm wearing the size 28 but could have sized down comfortably. It's almost floor length on me in bare feet. I'm 5ft 5 and a half for reference and am wearing wedges here to bring the dress off the floor.

You can check out the rest of the range here. 

Hair flower, Off With Her Head Millinery
Watercolour Check Jersey Maxi Dress, past season Ann Harvey
Bag, British Heart Foundation
Necklace, from Rebs
Bracelet, old Debenhams
Shoes, old Evans

Have you had a look at the range? What do you think?

Thanks for reading!
Leah xoxo

*Post in collaboration with Ann Harvey. Opinions are honest and my own.

Outfit August Day 11 - Yours Tropical Print Fringed Kimono

Hello lovelies!

I hope you had a good weekend?

I bought a kimono from Yours in the sale recently. It was something I'd had my eye on for a while and I was thrilled it came down from £30 to £19. Its full name is the Multi Tropical Print Sheer Kimono Shrug With Fringed Hem which is quite the mouthful!

It's lovely and comfortable, and very light and airy. I'm wearing the 28-32 which has now sold out, unfortunately, but some sizes are available. Yours have loads of other lovely kimonos.

I'm wearing:
Kimono, Yours
Dress, old Yours
Leggings, Very
Shoes, old Evans
Necklace, Superdrug

Thanks for reading!
Leah xoxo

Outfit August Day 8 - Animalistic Stud

Hello flowers!

I don't know about you but I like the sound of an animalistic stud! ;) If you want to see a hot piece of man-flesh I'm lusting over currently, click here. Ooft.

I called it 'animalistic stud' because I'm wearing wearing animal print and a studded belt. I'm goofing off in these photos because hubby and I had a tête-à-tête which had been coming for a long time and although it was hard, we both felt lighter afterwards.

You can probably see some of my bruises from my sea dunking through the gauzy part of the skirt. It's going to be a while before I get my pins out again. Knowing how badly my shins stay marked from bruises etc I'm not looking forward to seeing the permanent effects of 30 seconds at the hands of Mother Nature.
 
Top, old New Look
Belt, old ASOS Curve
Skirt, old Yours Clothing
Bag, old Everything 5 Pounds
Shoes, old Very

I like my hair in these little buns. What do you think?

Thanks for reading!
Leah xoxo

Outfit August 5th August - Monochrome

Howdy!

Thanks to all of you who left lovely comments on my blog yesterday. In some ways the level of self-centredness that blogging requires (after all you're talking about yourself all the time) can sometimes mean the world appears to shrink to the size of a pinhead, and you lose sight of the bigger picture. It's a good idea to refocus, gain some new perspective and come back at it from a new angle.

I haven't been strictly planning the Outfit August posts. When I did Fatshion February I put a lot of planning into what I was going to wear but this time (so far) I've been letting an item come to mind and then building something around it in a much more relaxed manner. I found this dress in the wardrobe the other day, thought 'That's where you got to!' and decided to give it another whirl.

You can see the sunburnt ankle a little bit in the photo above. It's not painful to walk on now. It just itches like fark.

I straightened my hair tonight for the first time in months and ye gads it's got long. Time for a trim soon! I am growing it, but not without regular trims to keep it in good condition.

Dress, Forever 21+
Scarf, a festival years ago (this differs to my cheapo eBay ones in that it's square & thicker material).
Belt, ASOS Curve
Hair flower, old Peacocks
Shoes, so old I can't even remember where they're from

When my mum and step dad had to move a few months ago, they found loads of my old stuff as they packed up. Amongst that I got back about 4 odd shoes (random) and the only pair of matching shoes I got back were these wedge sandals. I wore them to a friend's summer time wedding well over 10 years ago and was pleased to get them back.

Finding things you've lost after years is a bonus! Have you ever lost anything for ages and found it later on?

Thanks for reading,
Leah xoxo