On holidad part two - the purchases.

As promised here comes a quick show-and-tell of my Madrid shopping haul, disappointingly small though it is. It was mostly the product of a last-day shopping frenzy, although I did try not to waste all my Euros..

The first thing that got me was a pair of sunglasses on the first or second day, since I had forgotten to pack mine! I was caught by these in H&M and decided that they were a very practical, yet stylish purchase.

I love the classic, Wayfarer-esque shape that means they will go with most outfits. I actually have some Wayfarers in black, and I adore them, so getting a similar style in another pattern makes sense (to me at least). The again classic tortoiseshell print gives this style a chic twist and adds a bit of interest. I got a fair bit of use out of these on the trip itself and can see myself living in them on any future holidays thanks to their versatility and the fact they were so cheap I won't mind subjecting them to a bit of a battering.

Next, my eye was caught by a gorgeous blazer in Bershka..

It's a little plane-crumpled from being squeezed into my cabin-baggage suitcase, but I think you can still see how beautifully summery it is. I have been contemplating a coloured blazer for what seems like forever - basically since I discovered how versatile and incredible the black one could be! Since head-to-toe pastels is a bit of a trend this season I thought that if I was going to go for one, pastel was the way to go, and this stunning peach shade was perfect. It is also really well fitted, even on a petite girl of 5'0. I think it must have been intended to be cropped, but that just means it is a perfect length on me. I also love the bold black button and striped turn-ups on the sleeves for that extra little detail.

At every turn I was drawn to tropical print shirts, and in Blanco I finally caved and bought this one.

I wasn't initially sure about this blouse, but the print certainly attracted my attention. Then I saw one of the shop assistants wearing it and really liked the cut and how it fell on a person, which made my decision for me. I didn't even try it on, I just picked it up in an XS (European sizing was mind-boggling to me) and bought it. Now I am back home I am so glad I did, I love the bright, beautiful print of a beach - palm trees, flowers, sea and all - and can't wait to wear it. This will be a perfect piece for day all through spring and summer.

I also decided to replace my purse, since it was getting rather battered and saw this one in Blanco too.

I absolutely love how chic this purse looks, how simple and classic it is with that clean shape and gold detail. My favourite thing about it however is the colour combination - it is the perfect way to work a pop of yellow into my wardrobe.

Finally, I got a bit overexcited in Muji. I don't know what it is, but their practical-meets-quirky take on useful things just pulls me in like a moth to an electric light. 

Something about cute stationary can attract me and excite me in a similar way to clothes. I don't know what it is - maybe a desire to accessorize absolutely everything. All I know is that I had to force myself to stop with just a black rubber, two pens and a notebook. The pens are in rose-pink and sky-blue and are possibly too beautiful to ever write with. And the notebook, well, that I just could not leave behind - it is tiny and has rainbow coloured pages. Isn't it the cutest? I don't know if I will want to waste it with my trivial scribblings, but I love it anyway.

And there you have my actually quite restrained and small set of purchases from Madrid - what do you all think? Worth it?

Love and kisses, Tara xox

It's a beautiful day..

Today has been the best day I have had for ages. And considering it is a Monday, the start of yet another monotonous, educational week, that is saying a lot! It started off incredibly, because I finally passed my driving test today! You are now looking at a girl who can legally drive herself around alone. I'm ecstatic about that, and to celebrate I took my first solo drive after college (just to Tesco, but it's a start!), which wasn't half as scary as I thought. I also loved the cute little snow flurries today, because even though they didn't settle they made it look like a winter wonderland. Taking my test in said flurries was less fun, but at least it was a legitimate reason to be extra slow and cautious... The final reason why today was awesome is much more fashion-fied - I got a bit of a lovely surprise when my MUJI haul came in! And as if that all wasn't enough, I loved what I was wearing too.

Cardigan - Dorothy Perkins; Top - H&M; Jeans - Primark; Shoes - New Look; Earrings & Ring - Topshop; Bracelet - Accessorize; Necklace - Rock N Rose.

In a shock turn of events, I appear to be wearing jeans again - but it's okay, these are a cute coloured pair that work really well with the monochrome cardigan. Plus they were comfy to drive in! I am not going to over-analyse this look because the best is yet to come with my MUJI goodies, but I will just say how much I love this perfectly peachy nail polish. It is Barry M nail varnish in Peach Melba and is a gorgeous pastel shade that is just bright enough to pop against the outfit, but somehow subtle at the same time.

 Now onto the best part of today's post - my new wardrobe additions! A week or so ago I saw this post on Style Bubble, and got a little bit overexcited. I loved the look of the colours and patterns being diffused through the latex, so when I saw that Susie herself had a very similar plastic raincoat from MUJI, I had to go and take a look. And then I decided that for such a cheap price this clear, free-cut-able, hooded raincoat was about to become one of the few practical things I have ever owned, style wise.

Okay, so I got a little snap-happy with this one. But there was just so much detail! This coat is like the pac-a-mac's cooler, fashion-fied older sister - yes, it folds away into a cute little pouch for practicality, but it does not contain any of the hideous pac-a-mac detail (such as drawstring cuffs, or the tendency to come in slightly gross shades of khaki). This is a cheaper, simpler version of those latex coats that Susie opened my eyes up to, and gives just the right amount of colour diffusion through the thick, clear plastic. I love the collar, and the fact that the hood is detachable, as well as the practical-yet-cute poppers that fasten this coat. However, my favourite aspect by far is that this coat can be cut - it comes ready with perforations on the sleeves and the hemline so that you can make it any length you so desire, which is perfect when you are only 5'0 like me. It's practically made to measure.

I am well aware that this purchase ventures into the realms of the weird and wonderful, and that absolutely none of my friends will own one, as well as the fact that I will get stared at when I wear it out. But that's fashion for you. I love it, and I think I just might have the guts to wear it out... What do you guys think of it?

While on MUJI's super-cute website, I couldn't resist the temptation of filling my online basket with some more of their practical little goodies. I am always filling up my notepads, so I decided to pick up a few more, and I love the minimalist style of these. The square block pad is especially sweet. I adore coloured pens, and they make revision so much more fun, so here's to cheering up my college life with these two pens in rather fetching shades of orange and purple. The rubber was sheer impulse, because black is clearly far cooler than your traditional white eraser, and the toe separators are practically necessities. Did I get too carried away? I don't think so. I simply loved getting this in the post - the perfect end to a beautiful day.

Love and kisses, Tara xox