pick of the best: sandals

Welcome to this week's very late (so so sorry!) pick of the best! The gorgeous summer weather we've been having over the weekend got me thinking about footwear, specifically my lack of summer shoes, which is why I have decided to take a look at some of the sandals in the shops at the moment.

As I pretty much live in my DM's, or a pair of boring black Topshop boots, the thought of exposing my feet to the world when the warm weather hits is pretty terrifying, but this lovely selection makes the scary prospect that tiny bit easier!

Hawk Feather T-Bar Sandals, £30, Topshop



Navaho Sandal, £65, Office



FRAN Suede Tassle Sandals, £40, ASOS



Plaited Beaded Sandals, £29.99, New Look



Brown Print Gladiator Sandals, £44.99, River Island



Kalahari Sandals, £55, Carvela (Kurt Geiger)

 I think my favourites have to be the leopard print sandals from River Island as I really like the chunky straps and buckles; I am definitely not one for a dainty sandal that will expose my whole foot! I can imagine wearing them with a lovely black maxi dress on a long summer evening.

I should be back to my regular blogging next week. I started a new part-time job at a bank on friday (I definitely need to get some shopping funds while I pursue my writing career!), and I've been suffering with an ear infection so I've been a bit down. Once I've settled into the job, and visited the doctor, I should be back on track though!

Hope you're all enjoying the lovely weather!

pick of the best: fringing

Welcome to a new item for the blog; pick of the best! Each week I will choose a key trend, or a style that I'm particularly admiring at the moment, and share some of my favourite items with you.

Everybody knows that this summer the 1970's are making a huge comeback; this means bright colours, denim flares and festival chic - which leads me, of course, to fringing! The high street is already going mad for this trend, with plenty of fringed bags, tassled loafers and distressed tees having hit the stores in time for Spring, so here are some of the items I'm currently lusting over.



Leather Fringe Backpac, £60 (Sales), Urban Outfitters



Coral Lace Fringed Crop Vest, £26, Topshop



Sand Fringed Side Denim Shorts by Unique, £70, Topshop



Brown Fringed Flat Loafer Shoes, £39.99, River Island



House of Holland Dress with Fringe Strap, £485, ASOS




Eleven Paris Fringed T-Shirt, £65, ASOS



Okay, the House of Holland dress is slightly expensive but I love it so much that I just had to include it! It's nice to dream anyway.

What do you all think about the fringed trend? Is it the ultimate addition for boho chic, or too try-hard festival fashionista? 

unplanned leave

Hi everyone!

Huge apologies for my unexplained absence; the past month has flown by so quickly that I didn't realise so much time had passed. I promise to everything more fully in a more detailed post over the weekend but just as a quick update...

Since my last entry I have left my job in retail to finally pursue my dream of a career in journalism. It's a huge risk, and everything I'm writing for so far is completely unpaid, which means that once the remainder of my last pay check has gone I will be on a complete shopping ban! (Although, I might make an exception for charity shop bargains?!). I'm keeping my fingers crossed that being penniless will pay off eventually, as having some time at home to freelance means that I will finally be able to start building up a respectable portfolio.

I have also been decorating my bedroom which has meant that my laptop and all my belongings are scattered all over the house, and I have had no space to sit down and type a cohesive and interesting entry! The last coat of paint went on this evening, however, which means I should have my room back in the next couple of days to really concentrate on some quality blogging!

I spotted a couple of lovely pieces in River Island recently;

Grey print peter pan collar smock top; £26.99

Cream belted lace skirt; £24.99

This photograph of the top, from the River Island website, doesn't really do it justice! In reality, the three little buttons are sparkly and bright and the ditsy print has a real vintage feel. The mid length of the skirt is really on trend, and would be perfect for making the transition from winter to spring; this piece would look equally good with thick tights and chunky boots as with bare legs and leather loafers in the warmer months. The heavy lining also gives the skirt a nice weight, making it both practical and luxurious.

so this is the new year

Happy 2011 everybody!

Okay, it is eight days into January already but it's better late than never! I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and New Year.

I've had a few days off work so I've been writing and e-mailing all the magazines I can think of in an attempt to secure an internship somewhere! I am desperate to get some work experience in an editorial department, so if anyone has any ideas of how to do so then please let me know! I've got my fingers crossed that there will be at least once nice editor out there who is willing to do me a favour!

Anyway, on a more fashion related note, I have just returned home after a lovely shopping trip with my mum and sister where I purchased a few bits in the sale. I am definitely not one to turn down a bargain! I bought a lovely leopard print skirt from River Island which was reduced to £10. I must admit, I'm not a huge fan of River Island in general as I dislike the way the plaster their name all over the garments and add unnecessary sequins and jewels to everything; but the pleated detail of this skirt, and the way it sits just on the knee, gives it a slightly vintage look which I love! I also picked up a beautiful faux fur collar and velvet lined snood in Claire's Accessories, thanks to the advice of my ten year old sister! The collar was a bargain at £8, and is identical to one I had my eye on in Topshop before Christmas!

I also treated myself to a couple of cosmetics; the new Max Factor lip tint pen which looks and works exactly like a felt tip, and a gorgeous Yves Saint Laurent lipstick in a bright coral colour.

Over the past few months I have become obsessed with rings; the bigger, the better! I was delighted to snap up two beauties in the Accessorize sale for 70% off! One is a gold cat's head covered in diamantes and with sparkly green gems for eyes, and the other is a jade green stone set in a chunky burnished gold ring with feather detail.

(You can see a couple of my other recent additions in this photograph! The gold owl in specs was a Christmas present from my boyfriend, and the bird with green eyes was from Freedom @ Topshop).

In other news, I have finally joined the world of Twitter! There should be a link to my account on the right side of the page. My username is mica_57. I currently have no idea how to use it, but in my bid to break into journalism I decided that I should really stay up to date with modern forms of communication! Having said that, I am currently on a facebook detox for the month. I definitely have a love/hate relationship with technology; I dislike the self promotional aspect of social networking, whilst somewhat enjoying the self reflexive side of it. Hypocritical, I know. I havn't suffered from any terrible withdrawal symptoms yet, but I shall let you know more as the month continues!