Mint winters day OOTD & new cross bracelet

For those of you who follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you would have already seen my picture post of two bargains I picked up in the H&M sale last week. I was quickly popping into my local store buy some socks (of all necessities) and got distracted by the sales racks where I found this lovely cropped mint knitted jumper for only £15! Even though it's now winter and you might see mint as more of a spring colour I see no reason why to shy away from brightening my winter days with colourful outfits. This is me in my new jumper on Sunday, where I combined the mint jumper with my favourite bright pink winter wooly snood scarf.

Do you like this colourful look for winter?

To keep warm I paired it with my super snug tan UGG boots!

I have also been meaning to show you this new fine side cross bracelet that I got from ASOS a few weeks back. It is from their ASOS collection and you can get it in silver, gold and rose gold. It looks more gold in this photo but mine is the rose gold one.

Get it here for only £6 (link)

I was back home (yet again!) this weekend to celebrate St Nicolas with my family. It is my favourite Dutch tradition because it is an evening full of laughs, presents and the most yummy St Nicolas treats!

I definitely indulged in a fair amount of Speculaas this weekend....

Dutch Speculaas Chunks - you can find my recipe here (link). The gym is definitely calling my name this week after my indulgent but fun family weekend but hell it was worth it ;)

Neon Pink Stripes

When I spotted this jumper on ASOS I didn't have to think twice about clicking the 'add to bag' button. Stripes (you know I love anything stripey...), warm and neon pink is my definitely my idea of a fun winter jumper! Last Sunday was a stunner of a day so I went for a lovely walk in Kensington Park Gardens with the parents who were visiting for the weekend...

Neon pink striped jumper by Mango (link)

Jeans - Abercrombie & Fitch

Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars

I love the navy blue detailing on the sleeves plus it's super comfy. And for only £27.99 I think it's quite a steal. I am a bit worried that my stripes 'obsession' is getting slightly out of hand though. Today I was in Zara and I tried on four striped jumpers. I really wanted to buy them all but managed to control myself and not buy any.... but think I will end up going back to make this one mine - oh oh ;)

The perfect autumn Sunday...

Last weekend I was away with a girlfriend for some R&R in the countryside; you can read my first post about this here (link). So now onto Day 2 :) After having such a fab day full of fresh air, exercise, relaxing treatments and delicious food it's fair to say we slept like babies in our lovely room at The Olde Bell. We woke up about 9.30am, which is pretty rare for me to sleep in that late on a weekend (unless I have had quite a boozy night before that is..) so we just threw on some clothes to ensure we didn't miss the hotel breakfast buffet. And trust me, this is not one you'd want to miss. The breakfast display was rather impressive....

I had a ginormous bowl of natural yoghurt with their crunchy homemade granola topped with figs, stewed plums and a swirl of honey. I then also couldn't resist helping myself to some of the pastries and maybe even a toasted crumpet with peanut butter, yummmm!

After a our very fulfilling breakfast it was time to put on the wellies again (which were by now nicely covered in mud from the previous day's adventures) and head out into the fresh autumn weather!

Me outside our countryside retreat in the wee village of Hurley along the Thames. We walked along the Thames towpath and had fun playing around in the beautiful autumn leaves!

Jeans by Abercrombie & Fitch

Regent Savoy Wellington Boots by Hunter

White singlet & striped Blythe sweater by Abercrombie & Fitch (as seen here)

Navy waxed hooded jacket by Dorothy Perkins (as seen here)

We also made some new friends along the way....Haha approach with caution though ;)

A perfect countryside Sunday afternoon is not complete without a Sunday roast so I'd done a bit of research earlier in the week and had found that there was a fantastic gastro pub in the area. The Hinds Head in Bray is located in a cosy listed 15th-century building and is owned by UK Michelin chef Heston Blumenthal. The Hinds Head offer outstanding traditional seasonal cuisine and historic British dishes. Over the years it has received many awards for its food; in 2011 it was even named the Michelin Pub Guide’s “Pub of the Year”. So where better to go for our Sunday roast right?

The service was smooth and friendly and everything on the menu looked pretty mouth-watering but I knew pretty instantly that the pork roast had my name written all over it....

I love my Yorkshire puddings so I always order one on the side because traditionally they only come standard when you order the roast beef. But for me a Sunday roast has to include a yorkshire pudding which I then drown in lots of gravy! The roast also came with a lovely side of panfried beans and parsnip. C'mon how good does this look?

The pork was beautifully cooked and the roast potatoes were some of the best I've ever tasted. They were perfectly crispy on the outside and soft in the middle! And the best part?

The crackling!! Yummmmmmmmmm such a naughty treat but oh so tasty.

When our bellies were well and truly full after our delish lunch it unfortunately was time to head back to the city but we both felt super duper relaxed, refreshed and told ourselves; we should do this more often because this was really the perfect autumn Sunday!

A girly weekend of R&R at The Olde Bell

Occasionally we all need to escape the busy city life and spoil ourselves to bit of R&R in the country side. Fresh air, walks, massages, fireplaces in country pubs and delicious food are all good for the soul, so me and a girlfriend decided to go on a wee road trip out of London and book ourselves a room at the gorgeous The Olde Bell in Hurley. The Inn is only a 45min drive from the city; located in a wee village along the Thames and is very close to famous English countryside towns Henley on Thames, Maidenhead and Marlow.

The Olde Bell is not a hotel where the rooms dominate, but where the common spaces are the heartbeat of the place. It has a lovely pub area where you can sit down for a casual lunch or enjoy tea and cakes or a glass of wine by the fireplace.

After arriving at the hotel we checked into our room, dived onto the bed and did a big 'whoooopie we're here!' and then headed downstairs to enjoy a delicious parsnip soup with freshly baked breads in the pub.

The Modern Coaching Inns rooms are designed by the celebrated designer Ilse Crawford (portfolio includes Soho House New York, Grand Hotel Stockholm, Cecconis and more). I loved the design and style of the hotel; a perfect mix of old and new. Old beams, wooden floors, wool and fluffy blankets and modern furniture. The bathroom featured an amazing claw foot bath and lots of Aesop goodies!

After our heart-warming lunch we decided to go for a walk in the cold countryside. We had a mix of four seasons during our two and a half hour walk; sunshine, wind and rain! But I loved being in the fresh air, getting some exercise, catching up with my friend and exploring in the woods.

I think autumn is one of my favourite seasons!

See I am no princess! I don't mind getting a little muddy and luckily I had my trusted Hunter wellies!

Perfectly timed after we got back from the walk (a little windswept and wet from the rain) our room got magically transformed into a private beauty spa because through the hotel we'd booked for a mobile treatment by Flutterby. I got a full body massage and my friend a facial. After this we felt super relaxed and could have almost hopped into bed right then and there but we managed to pep ourselves up for dinner in the main restaurant of the hotel. This was my casual outfit of the night...

Jeans by Abercromby & Fitch (link)

Leopard print shoes by ALDO (link)

Green off the shoulder top (purchased in small boutique shop in Barcelona)

Black wool cardigan by Country Road

Double layer navy/beige leopard printed scarf by ZARA (recent purchase)

The main restaurant serves simple, rustic and great quality food so we decided to order from their three course menu at £29.50 per person. We both had the goats cheese and baked beets as a starter and I had the braised lamb shoulder with pearl barley and red cabbage and Katharina indulged in the sirloin steak with triple cooked chips and bone marrow gravy. It was a lovely evening; enjoying delicious food, a glass of red and wonderful company! But best part had to be...

....DESSERT!! ;) I had the Rhubarb and Apple Crumble and Katharina the Sticky Toffee Pudding ♥

After dinner we retreated to our room for some reading and a great nights sleep! To be continued.... x

Burgundy outfit of the day

Here a recent outfit of the day featuring my beloved new burgundy jeans! When I was in New York City I fell in love with the shop Aritzia.

Aritzia is a women's fashion boutique that offers a mix of beautifully designed clothes that are on trend, high quality, and good value. They have boutiques across the US and Canada. Me and my flat mate spent quite a lot of time in their dressing rooms trying on clothes and from there deciding how much damage this shop would do to our bank accounts because we seroiusly wanted to buy it all! This scarf is one of the items I just had to have, the colours are perfect for fall and a girl can never have too many scarfs right?

Burgundy waxed jeans by Gina Tricot

White v-neck tee by Zara

Black jersey blazer by Zara

Linen scarf from Aritzia

Leather over the knee high boots by Oasis

Grey cable knit vest from United Colors of Benetton

Watch by Michael Kors

Black leather biker jacket from River Island

How to wear: Tartan Mini Skirt Outfit

This was my outfit of the day when out for lunch in my local hood, Notting Hill, yesterday. It was such a gorgeous crisp sunny autumn Sunday in London so after I managed to drag myself out of bed with a wee hangover (sunglasses luckily hide the dark circles...) it was time for some food and laughter with friends at Granger & Co.

 I got a lot of compliments on my tartan mini skirt that I picked up at Gina Tricot in Sweden a few weeks back (read here). The skirt is right on trend with the 2012 fall/winter fashion as part of the popular English Heritage style. I continued the navy/black look by pairing it with black tights, boots and a navy knit jumper.

Tartan mini skirt by GinaTricot

Black boots by Country Road

Navy Jumper with elbow patches by ZARA 

Sunglasses RayBan

Watch Michael Kors

I think a tartan mini skirt is a timeless investment for any fall/winter wardrobe. A lot of people might be scared of looking too 'school girl' in this kind of skirt but I think when styled correctly it can look very chic and fun. Here a few little tips for when wearing tartan (or plaid, as more commonly called in America):

• Pair your tartan skirt with stylish tights and over-the-knee boots or ankle-boots. This look will help you make yourlegs look longer. If the skirt is quite mini then make sure you wear it over opaque tights or leggings to remain looking classy. Knee-length pencil tartan skirts also work, as long as you downsize your top half with a form-fitting blazer/jacket or shirt. Don’t go longer than a knee-length tartan skirt unless you want to look like you stole the kitchen tablecloth.

• Stay in the same color family. Tartan usually has at least three or four different hues interwoven in the design, giving you a wide palette of color choices. The only time you should not match is when you are coupling a black and white tartan with, say, a red silk shirt. 

• Also pay attention to the fabric and colour before buying tartan for your wardrobe. Neutral and earth colours look good on all those who are short and are not comfortable with their body proportions. Whereas tall people can go for the bright coloured checks to add a fun colourful streak to their look.


• Fit plays a vital role with this print. A perfect tartan or plaid print must be well fitted on the body part for which it is intended. Baggy tartan skirts or shirts can look very unflattering to most body shapes.

• Tartan is a bold pattern, so avoid going overboard when accessorising. For starters stick with one prominent tartan piece or several small plaid accessories.

• Keep the top in solids, a subtle design or a print in one or two basic colors. You do not want to top a tartan skirt with a loud tartan blouse, even if they do have the same hues. Usually tartan pairs well with neutral tones like black, white, navy, grey or tan for a chic look.

What do you think of my tartan look, is this something you would wear this winter? xoxo

How to wear: A/W Trend - English Heritage

One trend that featured a heavily on the 2012 Autumn/Winter catwalks was English Heritage. Many designers like Burberry, Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors included tweed, dog tooth and tartan as part of their fall collections for this year. The English Heritage trend is all about country living meets city dressing...

I'm definitely loving this A/W trend and luckily we don't have to spend big bucks at the designer stores to get this English Heritage look. The high street stores are filled at the moment with great items that you can mix and match to incorporate country cool into your wardrobe. Here are some looks from the high street that I am loving and I thought I'd show you how I would make this big autumn trend wearable:

How lovely are both these trench coats & I adore the pearl collar peplum blouse!

(You can click on the image above to to view all the individual item links)

(You can click on the image above for the individual items links)

I've always loved the tartan/plaid look so this trend is right up my alley plus I think a classic tweed jacket is a classic wardrobe staple must-have!

(You can click on the image to to view all the individual items links)

One item that has been on my lust list for a while now that fits right into the town & field trend this autumn is a wax Barbour jacket. However after all my recent holidays, I really can't afford to splurge on a Barbour coat. So I couldn't believe my luck when I spotted this awesome wax jacket at Dorothy Perkins last week. And at only £59 it wasn't going to break my bank; ka-ching!! Today was a typical English rainy day so this was the perfect day to show off my new purchase :)

Navy waxed hooded jacket - Dorothy Perkins (link)

Red cable knit jumper by Abercrombie & Fitch (as seen here)

Denim jeggings from ZARA (link)

Hunter Regent Savoy Wellies (link)

A pair of Hunter boots are a must-have for those rainy London days; no need to avoid the puddles ;)

The jacket did well in the rain today and kept me warm and dry. Plus I love the checked detailing in the hood and the patch stitching on the arms! What do you think of my new wax jacket and the English Heritage trend? Have you seen anything that you'd like to add to your wardrobe to look countryside cool this autumn?

 

This 'How to Wear' post is part of a bigger research project I took part in with Most Wanted to find out to how to take the A/W 12 top trends from the catwalk to your wardrobe, via the high street stores to create the hottest looks. You can read the all the articles here including other big season trends like mixed patterns & prints, berries, unexpected leather and military!

Tory Burch splurge purchase!

For a long long time now I have lusted after a pair of designer Tory Burch flats. I tried to be good and not give in but it didn't help that I kept seeing them pop up on my regular blog reads like here and here. So when I was in New York City I decided to treat myself and finally satisfy my cravings. In London a pair costs £170 and in the USA they were $195 which converts to about £120 so that's quite a saving...well that's how I justified this splurge purchase to myself ;)

 

Anyhoo here they are....aren't they just beautiful?!

I chose the Classic Reva Ballet flats in black. These iconic shoes are known for its timeless design and comfortable fit. I love the big gold logo which gives them a very chic feel that effortlessly compliments any outfit.

I got mine from Bloomingdales (link) but have since found out for you UK ladies that you can actually score yourself these lovely flats for about £125 from ShopBop online with free world wide delivery here!

 

This is me wearing my new flats out and about the other day....

The dress in this photo is one of my favourite wardrobe items at the moment. It's the Louche Rocia Digital Print Floral dress that I got from JOY a few months ago. I walked past the shop on my lunch break, spotted it on the mannequin and it was love at first sight! For only £55 (link) it had to be mine and I think it's is the perfect dress for a wedding, a garden party or even just for work to let the fun floral print brighten up my day!

 

I am definitely loving my new Tory Burch flats; classy and comfortable; now what more can a girl want....?

......maybe one in every colour? ;) xoxo

 

ZARA sales bargains!

It was a gorgeous sunny day in London on Saturday which meant shorts and singlet weather! I picked up this gorgeous emerald blue silk top in the ZARA sale a few weeks back so I thought I’d quickly show you a picture of my outfit of that day wearing my new top. This singlet was hiding in a jam-packed sales rack and I was stoked to find it was my perfect size and only £4!

Silk top: ZARA

Denim shorts: VERA MODA

Gold greek style sandals: ZARA

Gold and Turquoise earrings: H&M

Aviator sunglasses: RAYBAYS

Such a great colour!

I actually managed to control myself in the ZARA sale this year; the only other item I got was this silky black and white printed dress for onlu £16. It's perfect for work or going out for dinner or a few drinks on a weeknight.

Did you find any great bargains in the sales this summer? xoxo

Birthday Celebrations =

Instead of moping about turning yet another year older, I decided to just embrace it by throwing a party to celebrate my birthday with some of my closest friends in London. And when I think celebration; I think of champagne or bubbles! So when I found out about a company that could provide cold flowing Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) by the keg making it available on tap in the convenience of your own house; the idea of my birthday ‘Prosecco Party’ was born! So me and my flatmate ordered two kegs to be delivered to our house and it was set up with a cooler and tap to allow the bubbles to flow all night long.....

Here you can see our own 'Prosecco bar' attached to two (20 litre) kegs!
 Fore more information on how to rent-a-keg of Prosecco, click here.

My birthday celebrations officially kicked off already on Friday when I received a lovely bunch of flowers from a friend of mine delivered to work. Also it is a Dutch tradition to provide cake or sweets to your office to treat co-workers on your birthday so the night before I baked a delicious (if I say so myself) Lemon Syrup Cake. It was super easy to make and disappeared rather quickly at work :)

The recipe is from Nigella Lawson and you can download the recipe here.

The girls at the office also got me this amazing birthday card.....

Appropriate much? :)

On Saturday was the night of the party; where the drinks flowed, the music pumped and the laughs and chatter was all around. It continued on until the wee hours of the morning and I loved spending my birthday with some of my favourite people! I didn't end up getting many pictures because when 'hosting' you tend to get so busy mingling with everyone but here a couple of shots from the night!

I treated myself to a new dress for the party! I wanted something fun and colourful and this turquoise knitted panel bodycon dress from Lipsy fit the bill perfectly. It was £48 and you can buy it here.

Many many people crammed into our house!

And then my wonderful friends even surprised me with hummingbird cupcakes, candles and singing me Happy Birthday! I feel truly blessed to have so many amazing friends in my life ♥  It was the best birthday ever and I am excited to see what my 28th life year will bring me :)

Happy Hump Day! xoxo