WINTER WONDERLAND.

 fedora-TOPSHOP // cream knitted jumper- YUMI // ashby jeans (aw 13)- ALLSAINTS //

black wellies- HUNTER @ HOUSE OF FRASER //bag (ss 14)- ZARA // coat- MANGO

The phrase 'lazy Sundays' is frequently used between me and the other half, especially during the dark and colder days of the year, when we love nothing more than hibernating on the sofa, watching Sheldon Cooper and eating ourselves into a food coma.  For a change though, today the boyfriend and I decided to shake off some cob webs and venture out for a winter walk around one of our favourite local haunts- Alderly Edge woods. On an average summer's day by British standards, this particular spot is pretty magical to walk through- covered in pure white snow, even more so. Now usually I am not one of those people that gets overly excited by the sight of snow, as snow plus me results in bambi on ice. 

However today's little walk around the woods was more like something out of Narnia and thanks to my Hunter's in 'original gloss', my feet stayed firmly on the ground. As well as my sensible choice of foot wear, I changed out of my denim skirt into jeans at the last minute, while still keeping my pair of tights and two pairs of socks on underneath. Now this is not something I intended to pair together, I was just being lazy by keeping the tights and socks on, however I would highly recommend it. Considering it was minus one degrees, I managed a good 40 minutes before my feet started to feel sever coldness, which I think is pretty good going! I also wrapped up warm on top pairing a pink pure lambswool fine knit jumper underneath my cream thick knitted bobble jumper from YUMI, which I purchased from work the other day. Initially I had told myself that I was to refrain from buying anymore wintry garms in the sale, however I was in desperate need of a new jumper for work due to a problem with the pipes which has resulted in a major lack of heating. This one is perfect as although plain in colour, consists of a chunky knit and is adorned with bobbles and lace for added texture and interest. Also I have always had a massive thing for cream and white knits paired with light denim washes. I think it makes an ideal pairing for cosy and casual off duty style.  

Of course my favourite coat was thrown on top along with my trusty Zara bag- I do own more than one bag btw, it's just too much effort for me to keep transferring all my day stuff from one bag to another! As I didn't opt for my hooded coat today, I made sure I popped my topshop fedora on, to try to ward off the chill. I think the only thing that I was missing today was gloves. I am still yet to find the perfect pair of gloves that are not to restrictive or too long (I have very dainty hands). I don't want to have to take them off every time I need to brush my hair of my face or I need to get into my hand bag- surely that would be defeating the point right?! So any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Happy Sunday!

Elle.x

PINSTRIPES & PONY HAIR.

coat- MANGO // polo top- HM // duster- ZARA // pinstripe trousers- MANGO // bag- ZARA // trainers- asos white x le coq sportif @ ASOS

I don't know about you, but I have definitely noticed a sudden drop in temperature in the last ten days, a weather situation that I am never prepared for. My wardrobe has always consisted of a higher ratio of summer and transitional wear in comparison to wintery garms. I think this is usually because in the dead of winter I tend to hibernate more and just want to cover up in the same items, because let's face it; in winter it's too dark and too cold for people to even notice that you're wearing the same cosy jumper and hooded coat for the fourth time that week. If there was a choice between being super stylish whilst freezing my arse off, as opposed to being unfashionably warm, I would choose the latter. Which thinking about it,seems ironic, as my 17 year old self would have rather frozen herself to a fashionable death. Anyway today bearing the current temperature in mind, I decided to layer up in items that I have gradually accumulated in the last four months including my beautiful duster/cardigan that I picked up from Zara at the beginning of Autumn, however have barely worn it due to how it looks better as an outer piece. I decided to try it under my fuzzy cocoon coat and to my suprise, the mixed proportions actually didn't look half bad. I'm loving the layers on layers look atm, so I'm going to continue to experiment with the pairing of items in my wardrobe that I don't usually wear together.

As well as trying out new ways to layer up, today was the first time that I let my new pony haired beauties outside. If you follow me on instagram, you will have noticed my sheer excitement of being able to get my hands on a pair of the beautiful asos white x le coq sportif trainers. Not only is this a unique collaboration between the two brands, there were only 100 pairs to get hold of. Hence why they literally sold out within 48 hours. I am still pretty smitten with my new sneaks, especially since I failed to get hold of the sweatshirt I wanted/needed from the wang x collection. The only down side right now is the fact that Manchester is well known for sudden and heavy down falls and learning from experience pony hair/rain do not bode well together.

Hope you've all had a lovely weekend & happy new year btw!

Elle.x

W E E K L Y I N S P O: OFF DUTY STYLE

All images via TUMBLR

Trying to make my 'weekly inspo' post an actual weekly feature is at the moment proving to be alot harder than I originally thought, due to being so busy and caught up with work during this particularly tiresome festive season! Finally have a few hours to myself this eve though (I'm working all weekend- boo hoo), so get the chance to share my latest inspirational theme with you. This week my thoughts turned to 'off duty' style. 

If like me you have to conform to some type of work related attire 5 out of 7 days a week, on those rare days you actually get to wear all your latest purchases, sometimes deciding what to wear first as well as what with, can actually pose as a real head scratching moment. As all our favourite brands and stores get ready to go into sale and new season collections are slowly trickling onto shop floors in preparation for spring/summer 15, sometimes it can be so easy to automatically convince yourself that you must buy something because it's either in the sale or because you are fed up of sale/stock that you've seen around for the past 2 months and 'need' some newness. Sound familiar? This is definitely a thought process I have found myself giving into during the twice yearly transitional period. Most of the time though I already have a great outfit in my wardrobe, I just haven't got as far as working out how to actually piece it together. 

So I have collated some of my 'off duty' style inspiration, which I'm sure will be food for thought for some of you lucky people that have some time off work during Christmas and need some help deciding what to pack for your visit home. I have covered all the style staples that have been street style favourite's for a while now and I'm sure that most of you have somewhere in the depths of your wardrobes : over sized coat, check. slogan sweatshirt, check. pinstripes, check. old school trainers, check. And of course, grey, navy and camel, check. The last image is more of a directional thought towards the upcoming season. I am seriously in love with the military details of the skirt and also an avid fan of getting my pins out- yes I am already getting fed up of having to wear tights. Anyway hope you enjoy and happy holidays!

Elle.x

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD.

coat- WAREHOUSE, polo neck- H&M, biker trousers- ZARA, clutch- Micheal Kors A/W'13 @ SELRIDGES, boots- TOPSHOP, ring- MOTHSTYLE

After spending most of this morning cleaning our apartment, the boy and me decided to get some fresh air this afternoon so we went for a little wander around our West Didsbury surroundings. 

Now that I have come to terms with the fact that this cold British weather is here to stay for another couple of months, I found myself dressing a little more appropriately this weekend, with special thanks to my new favourite coat which I picked up yesterday after work. How fab is the colour of this quilted sleeve parka from Warehouse?! Available in three colour options, I was instantly drawn to this burgundy number, which contrasts nicely with the black faux fur detailing and compliments my dark features. I was also in favour of the huge fur lined hood which provides the perfect amount of shelter against gusts of wind and sudden down pours, which I am often subjected to living in Manchester. It also happened to be a mere £40 in the sale- not too shabby. Ultimately it is the perfect all year round 'go to' as it is light weight enough to wear during summer rain, but still provides enough insulation when teamed with layers, for the colder months. 

Today I decided to wear my new purchase over a simple all black ensemble, which I think makes the burgundy shade 'pop' and the sleek layers were ideal for partnering underneath the slightly voluminous silhouette of the coat. I packed light today and opted for my checkered clutch bag which I have been in love with ever since it was gifted to me last Christmas. I think a striking clutch is a great way to add interest to mono heavy and pared down outfits; they make a great conversational piece and also make the ideal gift! And of course I wore my trusty Margot boots, which I will be watching like a hawk on the Topshop website this boxing day as I really want to snap them up in patent as well, but only if they end up in the sale. Hope you all managed to brave the winter chill in style and warmth this weekend!

Elle.x

B L A C K F R I D A Y B U Y S: LEATHER ELBOWS & WINTER WHITE.

fedora- Topshop similar HERE, jumper- COS, jeans- TOPSHOP, shoes- Primark see in store, coat- Zara similar HERE, bag- zara last season similar HERE

Yesterday was spent catching up with some dear friend's in the city and drinking mulled wine at the German markets in Albert's square. However I was not prepared for how cold or how unforgiving the weather was going to be- yes it may have looked deceivingly sunny, but 2 minutes later it was hailing! It was my own fault for not wrapping up warmer, but I have been finding it hard to wear anything other than my black Friday purchases all week.

So I may have been working throughout the entirety of the black Friday fever that graced upon us during the previous weekend, however I still managed to find the time to indulge in a little bargain hunting to ease how stressful it all was ( stressful being an understatement for those of you that also work within retail!).

First up was a little visit to my local  COSSTORES concession situated within Selfridges Exchange Square. For anyone who has been stalking there collection recently, errr how dreamy is all the knit and outerwear that is on offer at the moment?! I was already fixated on finding the 'perfect' black jumper, a staple piece to compliment my existing everyday wardrobe. I picked up every offering that matched the criteria and headed straight to the fitting room. As soon as I popped on a beautifully soft black crew neck jumper, comprising of 100 per cent lambswool and adorned with genuine leather elbow patches I knew I was in love. Selfridges were also offering a 20 percent discount to it's customers over the black Friday weekend so obviously it would have been rude of me not to take advantage of this rare opportunity. 

However instead of ending there, a day or two later I found myself heading back to Selfridges, after not being able to shake the idea of whites jeans in winter out of my head. I'd previously seen some when walking past the Topshop concession and was annoyed at myself for not just trying them on the first time round. So anyway finally popped a pair on and just wasn't convinced. It wasn't the colour concept that was bothering me, as the white looked striking against the jumper and personally makes a fresh change to your standard mid wash; it was the fit. For some reason the 'Jamie' jeans I had picked up in white had far too much stretch in them so I instantly knew that after a few hours wear there would be some serious sagging going on. This is a huge issue I have had with Topshop jeans in the past, resulting in several pairs having to be chucked out and as a result this was the first time in a years that I had put a pair of topshop jeans back on. 

However almost ready to bail on the whole white threads idea and head home, the nice assistants handed me another pair of the exact same jeans in the 'Leigh' version. The denim was that little bit thicker, the fit was so much better and after turning up the hems a little I was pretty happy with my new found friends. Which is surprising as I up until now I have always been subconsciously against white jeans/trousers in the winter, it has just never been something that I have ever seen or considered to have worked for daytime attire. For now though I am enjoying the refreshing break from black tights and dark denim and since my new game changing purchase my white ripped skinny's have only come off to be put in the wash- they seem to attract every kind of mark including pen! At the moment I like to wear mine turned up, with either grey, navy black or neutral tones and a trainer or chunky shoe like my Primark vamp shoes- save the ugly sandals and man shoes for the summer.

Hope you all had a lovely weekend and happy Monday!

Elle.x

W E E K L Y I N S P O : OVERSIZED AND SUPERSTARS.

Picture sources: 

one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. eleven.

Firstly, apologies for the brief hiatus; currently trying to fight off the second bout of flu within a five week period. Clearly my immune system is not on top form at the moment! So in the mean time here is some weekly inspiration, a post that I have been thinking about having as a weekly feature on ze blog. This week I'm currently lusting after over sized silhouettes, Adidas super stars, turtle neck knits and lots of faux fur texture. Enjoy!

Elle.x

T H E U L T I M A T E S U N D A Y H A N G O V E R.

white teddy robe- TOPSHOP, pia wallen cross blanket throw- HAUS, diptyque- LIBERTY, lounge top- TOPSHOP, lounge pants- TOPSHOP, panda eye mask- URBAN OUTFITTERS, the violet magazine- NEWSSTAND, gran linen pillow- FINE, jo malone diffuser- SELFRIDGES, herman stripe cushion- CITTA DESIGN, eve lom cleanser- SPACE NK, eve lom rescue mask- SPACE NK

Sunday's hangover proved way too much effort for me to finish my 'november hitlist' that I had started the day before in Photoshop- this is something I will eventually get round to posting! I get way too ocd when it comes to anything creative, however still wanting to throw some kind of mood board together, I discovered my new friend- meet Polyvore (if you haven't already!). I've seen it cited on other blog's, but since I'm one of those who likes to stick to what they know, I never realised how valuable a tool it would prove to be.

The overall theme predominantly ended up being based on all the dreamy home comforts that I was craving in my current state of feeling sorry for myself. After 3 months of waiting, last night a group of friends and I finally got to go to bugged out at the warehouse project, which is back at store street this season round- for one year only! and boy did it live up to expectation. However 7 hours later and at 5am in the morning all I could think was, I need my bed and fluffy dressing gown!

Hopefully my dreamy wish list has provided some comfort to you to, hope you all had a lovely weekend!

Elle.x