Dressing like a cartoon...

 I had intended post a typical week on the Thermic , Plan but as I sit here in the cold, polishing off a packet of Hobnobs (dark chocolate of course), it feels a little hypocritical.  So instead, here are some clothes.  As per the previous post, I'm only buying 'different' and these looks are a million miles from anything currently in the closet.

Now here is the kicker, this outfit is from Matalan, wear it in the Cowley Centre (it is as glamorous as it sounds, you don't need much imagination, 70s low built concrete shopping centre on the wrong side of town) and everyone knows the shirt was 12 quid from Matalan.  Wear it in the fashion office and of course the assumption is it is from Burberry.  I've always thought it true of diamonds, it's WHERE you wear them that is the indicator of authenticity...

More cartoon colours, I love this frock for the South of France....

And finally what I wore out to do the shopping, perfect comic book fun courtesy of Markus Lupfer who you can buy on secretsales.com for up to 70% off!

Has anyone else gone cartoon crazy or is it just me and my very own trend?!

Primark and orchids

I've been looking for quick solutions to lank, rat's tail hair as much of the day I am between classes or with wet hair from the shower.   I found a selection of flower hairclips, a bit 1990s Johnnie Loves Rosie, but not the £30 each that theirs cost.  Here is the orchid that I am wearing below, and the white one above is here

 and I love this double purple one.

And I bough the big orchid in pink...

Although there are lots of colours and it is £2 including postage...

I finished off the hair bouquet with some roses in red and white..

The top is from Primark via Ebay and cost about 20p, I do find it enormously satisfying buying recycled fast fashion, as it really does feel like that could save the planet. Although the colour is awful on me, I might dye navy blue or dark red.  The jeans are, as ever, my £5 Matalans (they just say 'Flare' printed directly on to the jean waistband), I have about four pairs and I love them, they fit like a glove and I notice, on someone very cool's blog, although I can't remember who now, may be Tiffany Wendel(?), that boot cuts are back, although they were calling them bell cut. 

The necklace is vintage from the Blue Cross charity shop and the sunglasses are my favourite shape, almost total face cover from Rayban Wayfarers.

Dinner at Coya

Just before Easter, when instead of raining, snow fell (almost hourly), a friend called to say that she had secured a much in demand table at Coya. Not one to know anything about 'must visit' eateries, I assumed the hyperbole regarding the restaurant was just to get us out on a freezing night (I'd just bought some yeti boots from Matalan and probably only accepted as I knew my feet could be toasty en route).

Set up by the guy behind Zuma, I guessed it would be a dressy place and put some thought into what to wear. DVF top from Bicester Village (£30 quid from £150!), Zara coated leggings, my Ebay 'mistake' and co-ordinating shoes and bag. I pushed the boat out with my American Dream hair clip-in magic hair, since Coya is Peruvian by theme and all South American ladies have the most amazing hair, so it seemed appropriate.

The food was fantastic, as was the wine, which if I'm honest I had more of, it is horrendously expensive, and those little sharing portions of delicious, tiny, health conscious bites (which for rich people masquerades as 'normal' food), a little like tapas, but cleaner flavours with lots of raw fish and bar b q-ed meat, not sure I am selling it well, but the Wall Street Journal reviewed it as one of the top ten restaurants in the world today.

What to wear for tea

A friend popped around in the afternoon for some tea and biscuits on moving day. It was all a little rough and ready as I hadn't unpacked anything but a couple of mugs. We wore matching beige cardis, mine was £1 from Primark, the lace top was from Monsoon and the jeans my Matalan favourites. Notice the furry poseur in the background who likes to creep into every photo! This is my friend who owns the most amazing interiors shop that you can see here.