Outfit: Big Bird.

Photo credit: Shane Murray

Blouse: C/O Sugarhill Boutique* (buy here) | Jeans: C/O She Likes* (old) | Jacket: C/O Ravi Famous* (buy here) | Boots: Primark | Hat: Primark | Rings: Rare London (buy here)

 

So the name of this post came to be when my best friend- who was taking my photographs for me this morning- stroked the arm of my jacket and said, "You're a bit like Big Bird from Sesame Street". Boys can be so charming, no?

 

This super soft shaggy fur jacket from Ravi Famous is one of my go-to pieces during this transitional time of year; it is snug enough to protect you from the odd chilly breeze but it doesn't fasten up, making it easy to throw on top of an outfit when the weather gets a little cooler. I also seem to be reconciling my love for blouses- I couldn't get enough of printed button-up shirts last year but this heart-print Sugarhill Boutique number is the first one to be added to my collection in quite a while and I think navy and cream is a difficult combination to get wrong at this time of year!

 

What are your go-to Autumn/Winter pieces?

 

Frances x

 

*DISCLOSURE: Starred items are PR samples.

 

Guest Post on Hairtrade.com

Hey, my loves!

 

Just a quick "hello" today to let you all know that Hairtrade recently invited me to write a guest post over on their blog, so I decided to talk about my favourite (and super quick and easy) way to change my hair up a little bit for Autumn/Winter! The blog post just went live this afternoon, so please pop over there and check it out, and I would love it if you left me a comment, like or share to let me know what you think! You can find my guest blog post here.

I hope you like it! :)

Frances x

Wishlist: Tailored.

Duster Coat: Lavish Alice, £60
Tres Chic Clutch Bag: Miss Selfridge, £16
Black Collarless Cape Blazer: Lavish Alice, £54
Pink Satin Longline Culottes: ASOS, £45
Mustard Roll Neck Cropped Sweater: Lavish Alice, £28
Black Crossover Wrap Culottes: Lavish Alice, £48
Dogtooth Suit Blazer & Cigarette Trousers: Topshop, £116

I'm sorry about posting two wishlists so close together my lovelies, but I'm just trying to keep the ball rolling on my blog whilst I am struggling to get hold of somebody to take my outfit photos for me (single lady problems). Lately, I have found my style evolving again. Whilst beanie hats, oversized flannel shirts and chunky heeled boots are what dominated my Autumn/Winter wardrobe and defined my sense of style last year (don't get me wrong, all three of these will still be making appearances all Winter long), AW14 seems to have found the more "mature" side of me.

 

Monochrome palettes with a subtle hint of colour, clean lines, just a little less skin than usual (I am partial to a good suit/midi skirt and crop top combo) and a bit of androdgyny if you will; I love the simplicity, versatality and timelessness of smart, tailored pieces. Lavish Alice gets my pick of the moment, as they are currently killing it with sophistication and a touch of edginess this season (that cape blazer, though). I'm not sure if my new-found love for matching suit co-ords, culottes, cigarette pants and midi skirts this year is a sign that I'm getting old or whether it's just a little heads up that the laid-back, oversized-sweatshirt-loving Frances can indeed scrub up well ;) (doesn't mean I won't pair a smart blazer with a pair of boyfriend jeans every now and again- see my last post here).

 

Are you in to the more tailored look this season?

 

Frances x

Outfit: Street style with Grafea.

Photo credit: Grafea

Top: C/O Fashion Union* (old) | Jeans: C/O She Likes* (old) | Jacket: C/O Lavish Alice via BANK* (buy here) | Shoes: F&F (old) | Hat: Primark | Necklace: Dorothy Perkins (old) | Rucksack: C/O Grafea* (buy here)

 

In the middle of my many escapades around Manchester last week, I found a bit of time to meet up with the lovely ladies from Grafea, a local brand whose gorgeous handmade leather rucksacks I have lusted over for quite some time now. They took me for a wander around the Northern Quarter, where I had a standoff with a Mancunian rat (it touched my foot- I'm scarred for life), whilst posing for a few streetstyle shots with Grafea's chic white Salt rucksack (which was a match made in heaven paired with my white blazer, no?). It was a pleasure to shoot with Grafea, and also to become the proud owner of my very first piece of handcrafted leathery goodness- Could this be the start of something new? I don't know if it's the timeless beauty of them or that classic leathery scent that makes them so addictive. They also did a quick little interview with me, which you can view with a few more shots from the day on their blog, here :) 

Do you own a Grafea rucksack? Which is your favourite?

 

Frances x 

 

*DISCLAIMER: Starred items are PR samples

Wishlist: Bags That Don't Look Like Bags.

[Clockwise from bottom]

Milkshake Clutch Bag: New Look, £12.99

Donut Clutch Bag: New Look, £12.99

Hamburger Clutch Bag: New Look, £12.99

Cat Clutch Bag: eBay, £22.99

Unicorn Clutch Bag: The Whitepepper @ ASOS, £40.00

 

It has been a long while since I last put together a wishlist, but I have a new obsession that needs addressing. Bags. But not just any bags; I'm talking about bags that don't even look like bags. Since Lulu Guinness' trademark lip-shaped clutch bags took the designer world by storm, it seems that the high street is going mad coming up with their own quirky bag designs and I'd be lying if I said I didn't adore the novelty of it.

 

 My obsession started on a trip to the Trafford Centre a few weeks ago when I walked in to New Look with the intention of buying a bag big enough to fit my DSLR in, but I left carrying the milkshake clutch bag pictured above instead and decided that a compact digital camera would have to make do for the occasion (sometimes you just gotta make these things work). Nothing gets a conversation started at a bar like being asked for your ID (seventeen forever) and pulling your drivers license out of your giant strawberry milkshake. It makes for fun photographs, too.

 

Have you spotted any cool, unusually-shaped bags around?

 

Frances x

Event: Rare London AW14.

Events seem to be in full swing in Manchester at the moment and I hopped on another train to Piccadilly station on Wednesday for Rare London's Autumn/Winter press event. Walking in to the Renaissance Manchester City Centre Hotel, we were greeted by the amazing scent of warm chocolate as the Rare ladies had something special planned for us- A chocolate making workshop.

 

Before we got our hands dirty, we had a bit of time to mingle over cocktails whilst having a little nosy through the rails containing pieces from Rare's Autumn/Winter collection, where I fell in love with this houndstooth dress (which I have been lusting over on the website for a little while now), the lip-shaped clutch bag pictured above and the black and white fur coat (It's the battle of the fur coats over this one and the one I fell for at last week's AX Paris event!). Most exciting however, was the  very first showcasing of their luxurious new brand which is due to launch later this month, Opulence England, which screams red carpet glamour with floor-length numbers, intricate designs and beautiful embellishments (just look at those pearls and studs)- I promise you, ladies, you're in for a treat.

 

After a quick photo opp session with the props and selfie sticks provided, it was time to don some sexy plastic aprons and sit down for the chocolate making workshop. I definitely wasn't prepared for the amount of confectionery I was about to consume; after tasting around ten different variations of chocolate, plus munching on the marshmallows dotted around the tables, it was only the fact that I felt a little sick that was keeping me from bouncing off the tables from all the sugar. However, I am now an adept chocolatier, taking home with me a box of my very own chocolate ganache truffles and a handmade giant chocolate button. Okay, maybe my skills will be limited to making rustic-looking truffles for family occasions, but they did taste good!

 

Thank you to the lovely ladies at Rare London and Label PR for having me on Wednesday, and again for providing us with an amazing bag of treats to take home! Here are some of the fabulous blogging ladies I had the pleasure of meeting and catching up with :)

 

Amy (Salt and Chic)

Laura (Lola Cola Kate)

Callie Rose (Callie Rose)

Rosy (Ro's Tinted)

Victoria (In The Frow)

 

Are you excited for the Opulence collection?

 

Frances x