Sweet freedom.

MY EXAMS ARE OVER!

Okay, now that is out of my system I can get on with the post. Today I had to go in to college for my final exam (French), meaning that I have officially finished college. A beautiful feeling of freedom is coming over me now, as revision is no longer on the agenda and deadlines become a thing of the past. To celebrate, my outfit felt quite free-spirited and eclectic..

Shirt - H&M; Shorts & Tights - Primark; Shoes & Headband - New Look; Rings - Topshop.

I love my new striped shorts since they are gorgeously light and summery, as well as being flattering with their high waistline. Since I love a bit of a print mix I paired them with one of my favourite tops, this sheer floral shirt, and instead of tucking it in I tied it at the front for a more relaxed feel. Then I added coral slippers and a cute floral headband for a whimsical edge to the outfit. Strangers in the street complimented me on it - clearly I am doing something right with this accessory!

One quick little notice - I won't be able to post for a few days, possibly not until the weekend since I am busy celebrating my new found freedom with friends over the next few days.. Follow me on instagram @babydolltara to keep up with my life in pretty little snapshots.

Love and kisses, Tara xox

Endings.

Once again it seems like I have become lazy and inconsistent with my blogging - but I did warn you this could happen! Exam-frazzled nerves have kept me away from my constant updates, which means that today I have two outifts from the previous week for you to check out, and the news that yesterday was my last official day at college. I don't believe that two years have gone so fast, and that now I only have to go in for a few days to do exams and will possibly never have to set foot in there again after that. It has been a brilliant place to be, with enjoyable classes, wonderful teachers and of course hours and hours of fun with some amazing friends that I hope will stay close to me forever.

Outfit one..

Shirt & Tights - Primark; Shorts & Bracelets - Tosphop; Bralet (underneath) - New Look; Creepers - Amazon; Earrings - Miss Selfridge.

This was another of my attempts to be edgy I think, by working my creepers into one of my looks. I really love this shirt with the embellished collar because it can be the perfect nod to tribal chic, and really ups the ante on your average blouse. Teaming it with these raspberry shorts really helps balance out a high neckline which could easily look too prim and ladylike, and I just really adore my creepers. Some tough-yet-pretty jewellery was the finishing touch to this ensemble.

Outfit two..

Blazer - Bershka; Top & Necklace - Topshop; Trousers - ASOS; Shoes - Dorothy Perkins; Earrings & Ring - Miss Selfridge; Cuff - H&M.

Here I am returning to my beloved floral prints, but not in quite such a girlie way.. I am still very much loving the trend for printed trophy trousers, so I am bringing this pair out of their hibernation again. The bright digital blooms look very summery, especially when paired with a very SS'12 peach pastel blazer and a light metallic blouse. I allowed some black to slip in with the pointed court shoes, but that was because there were already enough colours and prints going on in the ensemble and these heels allow the existing elements to shine. Oh, and sorry about the poor picture quality, I had to take it on a timer in my kitchen..

Which one do you all prefer?

Also, since it was the last day, we took some photos - and here is one of my gorgeous group of friends.

Love and kisses, Tara xox

My week in style.

Since I had all of my birthday shenanigans to post about this week I held back on the outfit posts, and now you lucky people can feast your eyes on all of this week's outfits in one (long) post! In my first official week of being 18 I haven't really gone crazy with it, and to be honest I can't feel much of a difference aside from being legally an adult - there's a little bit of new self-responsibility there. I certainly haven't made any changes to my style, which is still ever-changing, fun, experimental and intrinsically girlie..

Monday

Blazer - ASOS; Blouse - New Look; Skirt - River Island; Shoes & Tights - Primark; Earrings - Topshop; Necklace - Accessorize; Bracelets - Lola Rose, Pull & Bear, Topshop, ASOS & Accessorize.

I opted for a fun mix of patterns to beat the Monday morning blues - there's nothing like my cherry print skirt to add a playful edge to an outfit. I can't wait to wear it in a more retro fifties style outfit, but that will have to come when the weather finally improves! For now I settled for pairing it with a polka dot blouse, framed with black tights and a blazer and finished with my much-abused mint green shoes. I also wore my hair up for once, and it looked better than I thought.. I still won't make a habit of it though.

Tuesday

Blazer - ASOS; Dress, Shoes & Flower Ring - Topshop; Tights - Primark; Earrings - New Look; Bracelets - Topshop, Accessorize & Lola Rose; Star Ring - Forever 21.

With Tuesday came a very girlie look - inspired by the gorgeous lace on the Valentino catwalks I wore my new Topshop lace dress (a birthday present!) and kept it feminine with glittery pumps and statement earrings. Then of course I added a boyish edge with my blazer, and I love the juxtaposition it adds. Again, I can't wait to wear this dress without the necessity of tights and a blazer, but for now I like it layered. I just felt super-pretty wearing this and can't wait to break it out again.

Wednesday

Denim Shirt - River Island; Dress & Bracelet - Topshop; Belt, Tights & Shoes - Primark; Ring - H&M; Headband - New Look.

Since Wednesday was finally a sunny day where I am I decided to go for a more summery, almost festival-esque look. White has rolled around again as a key colour for this season, so I pulled out my broderie anglaise dress, and made it a little more seasonally appropriate by layering it with a pale denim shirt and patterned tights. My mint shoes added a confectionery edge, and I topped it all off with a sweet floral headband. I have been waiting for a sunny day to start wearing my floral headbands again, and this new one is super cute with its gorgeous yellow flowers. I loved feeling so summery and pretty, and I want more sunny days!

Friday

Blazer - ASOS; Top - Yumi; Shorts & Tights - Primark; Shoes - George at Asda; Bracelets - Topshop, River Island & Lola Rose; Ring - Miss Selfridge.

With Friday came a gorgeous print mix - a clash of some tropical-inspired parrots (thankyou to my friend who got it for me), and Prada-esque car print shorts. They really add a fun, playful edge to my outfit when put together and pick up on the cute, cartoon prints trend of SS'12. I also love these bright shoes, and cannot believe I picked them up at a supermarket!

Before you say anything, I realise Thursday is missing - I was actually ill then, and nobody wants to see a picture of me in my PJs in my bed. One thing I have realised looking at these outfits is that I can be completely different in my look from day to day, and just how versatile fashion can be, in that you can dress for every different part of you personality, which I love.

Love and kisses, Tara xox

[PS. I realise I am getting ridiculously haphazard with my blogging - when my life calms down a little I will be back to regular posts I promise!]

Tip top.

At the moment I am a strange mix of excited and petrified, thanks to the fact that it is only a week until I become an adult. Well, that accounts for the excited, but the petrified? Oh, that's because my first exam is that day too. Yes, some cruel twist of fate means I am going to be examined on my ability to talk fashion in Spanish. And some other, more depressing unknown subjects too (out of the environment, racism, terrorism and unemployment). It's a well-known fact among my teachers and friends that I hate speaking exams - I get incredibly nervous. So all in all, not what I was hoping for on my birthday.. And now every time I count down to my birthday, I count down to the exam as well! Today, the pressure and excitement really started to sink in. So forgive me if today's outfit isn't quite as put-together as you are used to..

Blazer - ASOS; Shirt & Shoes - New Look; Skirt & Cuff - H&M; Tights - Primark; Ring - Topshop; Collar Tips - Ebay.

Today's outfit consisted of some sharp, simple separates, pulled together with the detail. I am wearing this white, chiffony shirt for the first time and I love it. In this outfit it has been dressed up with the blazer for my take on some sleek, business-like tailoring, then the look has been softened by my colour block pleated skirt and some quirky patterned tights. From the waist up I am dressed quite androgynously, in a classic masculine combination of a blazer and a white shirt buttoned to the top, but waist down is more feminine and quirky, and the contrast is what makes this look interesting. I said the detail pulls it together, and it does - the block of purple adds interest, and the pleats add another level of texture that is very of-the-minute. 

My favourite detail however has to be my new collar tips! I have been seeing them on shirts in shops and on celebrities, and love the extra detail they add, but I was struggling to find any in stores or online that weren't permanently attached to a shirt. I love shirts, but I wanted the versatility of some collar tips I could add to any of the shirts and blouses with collars that I already own. So I went to the website that sells everything - ebay. And these gorgeous vintage style ones turned up - I adore the shell motif and stylized shape of them, and the way they take a plain shirt to a whole new sartorial level.

Love and kisses, Tara xox

Breaking up again.

Today was my last college day before breaking up for the Easter holidays. While I'm pretty keen for a holiday and looking forward to lounging around in the sun (if it lasts), reaching the end of my penultimate term at college has made me realise just how close the exams are. Time to get my head down and do some revision, I think! Tomorrow. Today is going to be one last fully lazy day, especially after some car issues first thing and the sheer joy of handing in a finished piece of coursework..

Blouse, Shorts & Sunglasses - H&M; Shoes & Ring - Topshop; Tights - Primark; Necklace - New Look.

Excuse the strange morning light in this photo, and try instead to focus on the clothes.. I opted for an outfit that I again was not convinced by in theory, but actually loved in practice. I thought that combining some bright digital florals with scarf-print shorts would be too much, but apparently in this 'anything-goes' season it works. I surprised myself a little with this, and am proud I had the guts to wear it out! I did tone it down a little with plain black opaques and glitter flats, as well as some much-needed sunglasses.

Love and kisses, Tara xox

Ready for the weekend.

Friday has finally rolled around after what seems like an insanely long week, and for once the weekend isn't completely packed - there may even be time to breathe! I'm not saying relax, but this weekend I won't be rushing backwards and forwards between places quite all the time.. I was incredibly glad it was the last college day of the week today, and that I only had 3 lessons with a free period first (during which two friends & I braved the car-wash - terrifying), and no work tonight either. Finally, a little bit of time to catch up on homework and then catch my breath.

Blazer, Top, Shoes, Earrings & Ring - Topshop; Skirt & Cuff - H&M; Tights - Primark.

I hadn't realised quite how Topshop-heavy today's outfit was until it came to listing it.. Well, I can't lie I am a Topshop girl at heart. I broke out another of my new buys today, the pleated colour block skirt from H&M and am incredibly glad I snapped it up. It works really well with my Topshop separates, especially since the majority of the outfit is black which lets the pops of colour in my top and skirt really stand out.

Love and kisses, Tara xox

Qu'est-ce que c'est le point?

Disclaimer: This post may contain moments of tedious ranting and occasional lapses into French.

Today has literally been one of the most useless college days I have ever had. Of course, normally I love my Wednesday half days, especially now I get to drive in, but today was just not worth it. Firstly, a road was closed on my way in so I had to double back and take a different route (which I didn't know), making me half an hour late for my first class. I then had an hour of history, before the second class turned out to be cancelled anyway! Including getting petrol/groceries, I ended up travelling for around two and a half hours, for one hour of history. Utterly not worth it. As you can tell, this has put me in a simply charmant mood. 

Anyway, fashion. I am quite glad that this wasn't one of my most fashion-forward days, since the look would have been completely wasted on my car. Today, I was actually dressing for a challenge set by one of mes amies, to wear something from 2010..

Top & Earrings - H&M; Shorts - Blue Miss; Shawl - River Island; Tights - Topshop; Boots - Primark; Socks - Urban Outfitters; Rings - ASOS, Accessorize & Rock N Rose; Bracelet - Lola Rose.

The top is actually my 2010 item, and I don't mind bringing it back out in 2012 because it feels quite springlike with the butterfly motif. To pull it into the new season though, I added this baroque shawl, light denim shorts, chunky boots and my opinion-dividing tights... I may be a complete convert to the sickeningly-sweet, sugar-coated feminine looks of SS'12, but every so often I have my tougher, laid-back days. Yes, on me this practically passes for grunge. And, quelle surprise, this look was much more appropriate to for the disgruntled walk to and from my car and around Sainsbury's. Tripping around in lace would have felt trop joyeux for a pointless day like this one!

Love and kisses, Tara xox

[PS: The French cropped up a little because I am actually mid-essay en ce moment, and my brain is in that odd limbo between languages...]

A double dose of style.

Catch-up time! Since yesterday was all about my amazing night seeing Florence & The Machine, my Monday college style got passed over.. So today's post is a double-up of Monday & Tuesday's looks, both of which were designed to make my sleep deprivation less noticeable. I have nearly caught up on my ZZZs now, but I still nearly nodded off on the bus a few times. 

Also, since it is March, the coats have been well and truly packed away because it is officially Spring, so these looks may have been a little impractical for the windy weather, but since when was I practical? And as Kylie says, a girl's gotta suffer for fashion! Here's Monday's style..

Blazer & Skirt - ASOS; Top & Necklace - New Look; Belt - H&M; Shoes & Bracelet - Topshop; Tights & Ring - Primark; Bead Bracelet - Accessorize; Earrings - bought in India.

Apologies for terrible light! It was early in the morning.. Anyway. The basis for this look was the tribal trend of SS'12, which is one of the key looks. I bought this top on Saturday and was keen to wear it, and then I remembered this gorgeous tribal skirt that I had from a few years back (it's a bit big now, but nothing a belt can't fix!). I love the idea of mixing prints, and the tribal look lends itself so well to that because it is just so more-is-more. Of course, I had to put my own stamp on the tribal look with my beloved blazer, and some glam gold accessories.

And here comes Tuesday, yet another bright look.

Blazer - ASOS; Jeans & Ring - H&M; T-shirt - Mary Katrantzou for Topshop; Shoes - New Look; Bracelet - Pull & Bear; Earrings - Topshop.

Again, not the best light I have ever seen.. Sorry. Today's outfit started off with my gorgeous Mary Katrantzou for Topshop t-shirt, making its debut. I am still completely in love with the digitized floral print, which manages to combine modern cool with a romantic spring print - that's the genius of Mary. It is also amazingly well cut in a beautiful-feeling material, so it was definitely worth the frantic shopping & the pricetag! I styled it with my blazer to add structure, then tucked it into my metallic skinny jeans which add much-needed colour, and another SS'12 twist.

Love and kisses, Tara xox

Panic-dressing.

Another college week is ending, and yet again I have no clue where it's gone. Seriously. I may have short term memory loss or something, but I cannot believe that another whole week has gone by. Time is the one thing I need, and it is ticking by too fast. My teachers are actually counting down to the exams now - I, personally, am too terrified to contemplate them right now. Yet again today, I channelled all my nervous energy into my outfit and ended up with party-wear..

Shirt - River Island; Dress & Ring - H&M; Belt & Socks - Primark; Shoes - New Look; Bracelet & Necklace - Accessorize; Earrings - Topshop.

I had worn this dress to a party a while ago (here) and loved how glamorous it was, considering the simple cut. Now of course, there is no way it was going to appear at another party any time soon, but I like it too much just to commit it to the back of my wardrobe for a season or two.. so I decided to dress it down for day with my oversized pale denim shirt. Denim is a hot fabric for SS'12, and I think the paler the better, as it taps into the pastels trend a little & is more interesting than dark denim. I then threw on some over-the-knee socks (which were a pain all day!), cinched in my waist to give myself some kind of figure and accessorized with a few carefully chosen gold pieces & a slick of lipstick. I also opted for half-up hair because I do get sick to death of having the same hairstyle day in day out! I'm not going to lie, I was cold today. But now it is March it is definitely Spring, therefore the coats can be packed away for another year, and I am diving headlong into transitional looks that will see me through to summer.

Love and kisses, Tara xox

Minted.

Welcome again to the sheer loveliness that is Wednesday - and no sarcasm necessary, because I actually love Wednesdays. I only have two lessons in college, which leaves me plenty of time in the afternoon/evening to do work, relax and just laze around my house in general. It's probably the most stress-free weekday, especially since I can take time writing posts -  instead of frantically bashing something out around 9.30pm, I am actually writing around 4.30pm & doing it very leisurely.

As far as today's outfit goes, I would hardly say I am pushing the boat out, but I think that the colours employed keep it on the stylish side.. 

Cardigan - Dorothy Perkins; Top, Necklace & Ring - Topshop; Jeans - H&M; Shoes - New Look; Bracelet - Temporary Secretary.

You can now see why this post is called minted, right? I thought the best way to rev up a jeans-and-vest-top look was to go for more statement hues, and as well as being different I have played to the SS'12 colour palette. I absolutely adore this mint vest top, it is probably the simplest top I consent to wear, yet it still looks cute thanks to the scalloped edges & gorgeous colour - Topshop, you are genius. My gold jeans have been a wardrobe favourite since I bought them a few months ago (you must be sick of seeing them!), and since metallics are still hot property this season they will remain as such. I just love the colours of this outfit, and the way it is framed by my chic Chanel-esque monochrome cardigan, then topped off with a gold statement necklace and more gold jewellery. This is simple, yet chic, perfect for my minimal-effort Wednesdays.

Love and kisses, Tara xox

Whoever invented Mondays is not my friend.

Oh how I love Mondays. Not. They are probably my least favourite day of the week, since I have a full college day from 9am-4.30pm, complete with French, Spanish & double History.. Welcome to my fun life. Anyway, I know I say this pretty much every college day, but I was really not feeling up for college today - so yet again I decided to dress a little larger than life to give me the motivation to keep me going!

Shawl - River Island; Top, Shoes, Tights & Ring - Primark; Shorts - Topshop; Bracelets - random collection from ASOS, Topshop, Lola Rose and various holidays to India & Indonesia.

This was another of my thrown-together outfits, with some of my slightly quirky separates. I absolutely love this baroque shawl from River Island, it is the perfect way to rev up a t-shirt & shorts combo, and that faux fur trim is so cosy & warm, which is perfect for transitional weather in England. I think we have actually started to break into that transfer from winter to spring, where the weather starts becoming almost bearable, and I am so glad about that. Spring fashion is not looking so out of place now!

One last comment about my outfit.. thrown-together it may have been but the starting point for it was my Lady Gaga top. I love this top because it is basically a giant photo of one of my idols, the incredible Stefani Germanotta, and not only is it a giant photo I can wear on my chest, it is a photo of the Born This Way cover - one of my favourite songs of all time. This is a chance to wear one of my obsessions literally on my chest, but still work fashion into it!

Love and kisses, Tara xox

Finally, some Katrantzou is mine..

The first day back after half term is always pretty painful, especially the February half term when you realise there is only a term and a half left of the year. I am currently half way through my final year in college, getting prepped to sit MAJOR exams, and slightly freaking out. So excuse me if from now on my blogging gets more and more rushed and makes less and less sense...

Anyway, to cheer up such an unattractive prospect as the first day back, I decided to go bold with what I was wearing, and also try to compliment my new hair (which I am still not used to).

Blazer - ASOS; Blouse - Lefties; Jeans - H&M; Slippers - New Look; Belt - Primark; Necklace & Bracelet - Accessorize; Earrings & Ring - Topshop.

When trying to step out of the ordinary and rev up a day-to-day outfit, metallic jeans are a fail-safe option, especially in this glamorous gold. Metallics are not just for party season anymore either - they are shaping up to be one of SS'12's big trends for day and night. To dress mine down (but still chic) for day I went for a matchy-matchy coral blouse and slippers combo, topped off with my black blazer which is probably overworn already.. A quick slick of lipstick, some cute gold accessories, ten minutes spent styling my (new) hair and I was good to go!

Now, the outfit wasn't the only way that this first day back was brightened up - oh no. I am sure you are all aware that a certain Mary Katrantzou for Topshop collection dropped last Friday, and that I was absolutely desperate to get my little paws on a piece or two.. Well, I'm ecstatic to say I was successful, and today I arrived home to this..
 

3 gorgeous little (well, quite large actually) packages waiting for me. And inside were 3 beautiful pieces of Mary Katrantzou's genius collaboration.

First up is this cute floral print t-shirt. Mary's latest catwalk was all about florals, so it doesn't surprise me that she has continued to use them as an inspiration. I love the graphic, digital blooms on this black top, and the sleek, slightly oversized cut makes it perfect for tucking in or wearing straight out. I foresee some print mixing with this little baby!

The second piece, and possibly my favourite overall is this absolutely incredible blouse. If I loved the digital floral prints on the first top, I think it's safe to say my brain is overloaded with love for these stunning computer-generated flowers. The unnaturally bright hues and soaring, swirling petals that sprawl across the soft, chiffon-like sheer fabric of the blouse are simply breathtaking in my opinion. When I finally looked past the aesthetics of this shirt, I did get slightly confused though.. both sides have a collar, so until I saw the label I was honestly baffled as to which way round it was supposed to be worn, since the 'back' and 'front' are both equally gorgeous. If you trust the label, the buttons go on the back, but I may end up wearing it both ways round just because it looks beautiful from all angles.

The last thing I managed to snap up on Friday was this beautiful shift dress. Usually I stay away from shift dresses, due to my height, but this one is incredible. Again, the digital print is so eye-catching I can't tear my eyes off it, especially that stylized bird. Mary Katrantzou is literally a creative genius for designing something this gorgeous and this wearable, and making it so affordable that a humble little Topshop girl like myself can own it.

Along with the purchases came a *free* Mary Katrantzou for Topshop printed bag.. And since it took 3 separate orders to get my 3 pieces, I am now the proud owner of 3 of these bags!

These are also amazing, and I can't believe they were just giving them away with the orders! I am also glad I have three, because now one can be kept pristine and the other two can be used, abused and shown off. 

I am completely in love with my Mary Katrantzou for Topshop haul - I am now the proud owner of three gorgeous, bold and wearable pieces by arguably my favourite designer of the moment! I can't wait to wear the pieces, although it feels a waste just to wear them to college.. but then letting them gather dust in their garment bags feels equally wasteful. I guess I will just have to see what special occasions come up soon.. 

What do you all think of my Mary Katrantzou gems? Did anyone else manage to pick up any items? Love and kisses, Tara xox

Working that Katrantzou.

Okay, this one's going to be a little rushed... It's approximately 9.38pm as I type this, and all I really want is a good sleep. That's thanks to the full college day (plus driving both ways) and the hectic old shift at work, which wasn't exactly the perfect end to this half term! But there is no way I'm going to let my blogging slide, and besides, I actually loved today's outfit.

Blazer & Ring - ASOS; Dress - Mary Katrantzou for Topshop; Tights & Boots - Primark; Socks - Dorothy Perkins; Earrings - Camden market; Bracelet - Pandora.

It seems fairly simple, no? Dress + tights + blazer + boots is like fashion 1,2,3 for the perfect daytime outfit - and in principle this is a very basic look. But as with all of my other 'simple' styling, the devil is in the detail, most of which comes from this gorgeous dress! It's from Mary Katrantzou's previous Topshop collection & I decided that even though it is party perfect, I simply could not hold on long enough before wearing it and so I added some pieces that give it a slightly tough, structured and even mismatched feel. The body-con style of this t-shirt dress (which really is unforgiving - no more cake for me!) is countered by the blazer and boots, which manage to make it casual enough for day. My favourite little style detail from today though is the way my almost chilli-orange-coral lipstick pops against the otherwise simple colour palette - it's a little unexpected and just raises the look from simple to stylish. I could rave on about how much I love Mary Katrantzou now, especially since I just realised that this time next week her Topshop collection will have dropped, but I'll suffice it to say that she is my current favourite designer, which is saying a lot when you consider just how gorgeous the latest D&G, Louis Vuitton & Mulberry collections are...

Love and kisses, Tara xox

Keep calm & go shopping.

Only two more days until half term.. That's not much to get through. Only 9 more classes, two more long days with early starts, and two more outfits left of this half term. Seriously, where is the time going? I am so looking forward to half term, because it should be a chance to relax (well apart from coursework, homework and actual work) and maybe even sneak a lie in.. For now, I was happy enough that today was at least Wednesday - which, since it is a half day, means I get the car (which still excites me!), I only have two lessons and there is usually some fun to be had in the afternoon...

Shawl - River Island; Jumper - New Look; Shorts - Blue Miss; Tights - F+F at Tesco; Shoes - Topshop; Earrings - Miss Selfridge; Ring & Bracelet - Accessorize; Necklace - Republic.
After yesterday's monochromatic look, I just had to break out some serious brightness. Pastel colours (such as the candyfloss-pink displayed on my slouchy jumper) and baroque prints (like my gorgeous shawl) are huge trends for SS'12, but I am not entirely convinced that the designers championing them meant the two to be combined.. But ah well. Taking on board the more-is-more, anything-goes, so-wrong-it's-right vibe pervading the catwalks I decided that since I felt comfortable in it, then it probably works! Oh, and you might have noticed something unusual here - my hair is up! I rarely have the time or inclination to try my hair in any manner other than down and straight (if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?) but today I just had the urge to do a different style. Admittedly, it's only a ponytail, but for me that is unusual, okay!

Since it was a half day today, I picked my mum up from her work (she finishes early-ish too) and we went for a quick shopping trip. Yes, all I do is shop. I didn't actually buy much, but the accumulation of that and a little package from H&M made today's haul pretty lovely.

I started off in Topshop, unashamedly picking up a pair of cute studs in the remnants of the sales - at that price I just could not say no to these elegant, ladylike earrings. I will admit that I mostly wear big, long earrings, but every so often a pair of studs like these comes in handy, like if I am wearing a statement necklace. These are pretty classic, so they should last a fair few seasons.

I also finally gave in and bought one of these scallop-edged vest tops from Topshop. Every single season I have been tempted by these because they come in such a rainbow of colours and are delightfully simple, yet detailed enough not to be dull, but I had held back because of the price and the fact that I simply did not need a vest top. However, when I walked in and saw one in this stunning shade of mint green my resolve crumbled and I snapped it up! Mint is one of my favourite colours for spring (yes, Gaga was right) because it is not only a super-pretty pastel ice-cream shade, but it is very flattering. Love this.
 

After passing my test I decided that it had become appropriate to personalise my car a little, and so far that has only stretched to sunglasses, spare flats for driving and blasting out Lana Del Rey at every opportunity. So when I was browsing Accessorize and saw this cute air freshener with a vanilla scent (one of my favourite scents ever!) it looked perfect. This will be hanging from my mirror as of tomorrow morning!

And now we reach the little H&M parcel. This double ring is just so cute and quirky, the perfect added detail to pretty much any outfit!

This dress was a total bargain, and was basically screaming 'buy me!' from the H&M website and catalog - I simply love the graphic, blue poppy print and simple shape. Print is obviously a huge trend this season, and florals have definitely gone digital (thanks in large part to Mary Katrantzou), so this is the perfect pattern.. not to mention the fact that blue is a hot colour too, with different shades cropping up all over the catwalks. This could easily be layered with a chunky knit and boots, clashed with more patterns or even belted and dressed up in a slightly retro way - I can't wait to wear it.

All in all, today has been pretty good! What do you all think of today's look & mini-haul? Love and kisses, Tara xox

When in doubt, go Gaga.

How did Monday roll around so quickly? Apparently my weekend has been totally swallowed up by work, a party and yet more work - fun, yes, but not so productive! At least this week is the last one before half term, which means half a chance of a good lie in, a chance to get my coursework under my belt and possibly some time to relax.. Just four more days. Since I was not really in the mood for a Monday today I hadn't really got any outfit ideas, so once again I fell back on pairing my separates...

Blazer - Topshop; Skirt - River Island; Top & Boots - Primark; Tights - New Look; Bracelets - Accessorize; Wing Ring - ASOS; Camera Ring - Temporary Secretary.
And by pairing my separates I mean breaking out the GAGA t-shirt! I bought it recently upon a complete whim, because I love a bit of Gaga, and hadn't gotten around to wearing it.. so when some outfit-related indecision struck it was one of the first things on my mind. Since it is Gaga, you've got to go a little quirky, so cue a masculine blazer, a 50s style full, hot-pink skirt, some starry tights and slightly mismatched chunky boots. This was only one interpretation of this rather awesome top though - I am already contemplating different ways to wear it... Watch this space. Love and kisses, Tara xox

Windswept and interesting..

I hate the fact that I have to take most of my pictures indoors, because I leave the house so early and get home so late that it is too dark. Therefore on my half day at college (Wednesday - today!) or if I go out at the weekend, I will take my picture outdoors, except if it is raining.. Today I certainly wasn't going to let a little bit of wind put me off. So here I am, windswept and interesting..

Top - Lefties; Shorts, Shoes & Earrings - Topshop; Tights - Primark; Necklace - Christmas present; Bracelet & Ring - Accessorize.
I'm not even going to comment on my hair. Honestly, I am just surprised you can see my face, given how it was blowing around everywhere as we tried to take pictures! Hence why my pose is less than comfortable.. But anyway, after many, many outfit changes this morning (stylist's block still reigns supreme) I settled on this berry-toned ensemble. There's something about berry shades that makes them work in pretty much any season, and they all go together so well.. today I had a strawberry blouse and raspberry shorts. Is it wrong that that actually sounds pretty tasty? I added in a touch of glitter too with the Topshop dolly shoes - possibly my favourite flats at the moment - and then maintained the berry theme with some seriously rich lipstick. Love and kisses, Tara xox

A very long day.

More random moaning about the joys of being a student coming up.. let's get it over with. I had two exams today. Two. Plus isolation, since they originally clashed. Therefore, I was stuck in a room from 9.30-1.00 by myself (well, apart from the invigilator), then moved to another room to sit an exam from 1.25-3.45ish. Painfully long day. Made me very tired, very grumpy, and lacking the enthusiasm to do absolutely anything tonight - hence this small, slightly whiny post. Don't worry, I'll be back to my usual cheery self come tomorrow, when there are no ugly exams to worry about! To tide you over until then, here's my outfit of the day..

Jumper, Shorts & Ring - Topshop; Socks - River Island; Shoes - New Look; Key Necklace - Rock N Rose; Binoculars Necklace - Temporary Secretary; Egg Timer Necklace - Christmas present; Earrings - Miss Selfridge.
I will admit that this is one time I began planning my outfit with comfort in mind, knowing how long I would end up sat in one place for today! I'm not all practicality & sensibility though - the slouchy, loose knit of this jumper, micro shorts and knee socks did not a warm outfit make.. When wearing these gorgeous raspberry shorts, I felt like I had to go slightly oversize and chunky on top, to stop myself flashing too much flesh and looking trashy rather than chic - and the perfect match came in the shape of this caramel jumper. I then decided to rev up my block colour separates with aztec print socks (for a fun touch) and oodles of jewellery. One of my favourite things about this outfit is that the tonal feel is just playfully broken up by the pop of pastel blue nail polish (Barry M in Blueberry Ice Cream). This shade is one of the ones I picked up on Saturday, and I am so glad I did. It is gorgeous, springlike and oh-so-mood-enhancing - the perfect pick-me-up when you have to write for around 5 hours.. Love and kisses, Tara xox