A week in my shoes: OOTD everyday for my work week!

Pre-Christmas working is an absolute bitch. Last minute rush and general annoying-ness of customers is enough to kill you, if the early starts and awfully late finishes don't that is. 

So basically the jist of this post is, I had to work loads before Christmas which was really annoying, but here's the pretty outfits I put together at 5am each morning. Surprisingly good for my one-eye open, still half asleep self that I've been like what seems forever.

Let me know what you think or how you've been styling up your outfits for the festive season! 

Day 1: I decided to keep it pretty simple, a grey long sleeved babydoll from Topshop with black leggings, New Look ankle boots and my River Island fur stole. Possibly the comfiest outfit ever! I teamed all this with my Earth necklace from Topshop (which I'm completely obsessed with), a studded gold bracelet (which an elderly lady in a wheelchair told me was lovely, so there you go) and my big faced River Island watch. My standard black eyeliner and bare lips kept up with the simple comfortable vibe for today. 

Day 2: Finally got my 'Pioneer' top from The Maine's merch store at 8123, it's so cute (although it was mostly covered by my cardigan all day as it is December and bloody freezing). The leather panelled cardigan was an amazing find at only £19.99 from Zara, and teamed with a black dip hem skirt and Topshop's version of Creepers, my look was nearly complete. To make this look really pop I added a statement orange lip with the Revlon 'Just Bitten' lip stain in Rendezvous. 

Day 3: I had the day off today so got to see some friends and do last minute Christmas shopping, so wanted to keep it casual. This ottoman scoop neck dress in a deep red colour from Dorothy Perkins was perfect to get in a festive mood (this week should have been FULL of reds and green, I'm a terrible festive fashion girl) and comfy enough to get all my errands done in. My Topshop creepers make another appearance with some doorknocker earrings for my jewellery to add a little quirkiness to the look. My favourite Dorothy Perkins crown print scarf finished this look off perfectly.

Day 4: Oh, look my scarf and creepers make another appearance. This time, I paired them with my new Topshop lace tunic that has such a beautiful burgundy print on it, with lace around and under the boobs. In. Love. And of course, my trusty Zara handbag brought it all back in to finish off the fairly dark look (black leggings, black cardi, black handbag - well it is winter, cut me some slack.)

Day 5: How ridiculously amazing are these Dorothy Perkins ankle boots?! I've never been the biggest fan of leopard print but completely fell in love with these when I found them! Matched up with my favourite over sized Allsaints top and leggings, they added an edgier twist to a pretty simple/boring outfit. Some sparkly Topshop socks - it's December, everything should be sparkly - peeking out the top of my ankle boots added to the altogether slightly weird outfit that seemed to work out pretty well! My 5am sleepiness did pretty well I think!

My Autumn/Winter basics: Major high street shopping haul!

It's officially Autumn with Southampton parks now covered in leaves and never ending rain, but the change in temperature/end of summer does mean one good thing: WINTER SHOPPING!

Back to uni shopping has pretty much been my mission for the past week - Surely that's the best thing about the change of seasons? Reinventing yourself? Aaannyway, with my new dark hair (which is even darker now since blonde patches appeared earlier this week) I needed some new looks. 

First of all, I fell in love with this Dorothy Perkins scarf with an over sized crown print - and at only £12 its an affordable way to give a royal spin to any outfit while being chunky enough to provide some warmth in the cold - I've been rocking it over plain dresses and t-shirts. 

Next, a lovely thick burgundy coloured fine-knit cardigan from H&M. Priced at £24.99 and comes in a range of colours, the cardigan is what H&M does best: lovely affordable basics. A knit cardigan is an absolute must for this colder weather! 

Yesterday I picked up this black blazer pictured bottom left from River Island that I have completely fallen in love with. A slouchy fabric with cable pattern on it, this comfy blazer is an essential for smartening up an outfit. I'm actually wearing it today with a t-shirt dress, leggings and my new DP scarf! The blazer is slightly more expensive at £35, but its one of those pieces that can go with everything, so is definitely worth it. 

And finally - I know I do A LOT of shopping, I'm a fashion student! - I fell in love with this city bag from Zara that I had to have. With long and short straps, a zip and flap to seal the bag it's the perfect black chic handbag - something I was in desperate need of. Zara are amazing for doing beautiful but affordable handbags and this is no exception at only £29.99. I've been rocking this to uni every day the past two weeks and I'm completely in love (although the flap can get annoying if you don't like fiddly things or are clumsy like I am.)

That new bag feeling...

Grown up shopping. I don't mean home shopping or even sexy shopping, I mean the time when your mum stops shopping for you and you get to do it on your own. Not to go all Confessions of a Shopaholic on you, but shopping gives me a massive buzz. The exciting feeling in my stomach, like a first kiss, but better. Finding a piece that you simply adore, whether it's Primark or Prada is an unmistakeable feeling to a fashion girl. 

I don't get this feeling often; I think the best case of it was finding some Vivienne Westwood Melissa silver heels in the Selfridges sale for under £30 - I do remember there being actual squealing. And again with my Urban Outfitters flatforms and now my latest purchase - the oversized tote. 

The pale Zara tote I blogged about recently unfortunately was not meant to be on my last trip to West Quay, but after a terrifying - I'm not even kidding, I nearly kissed the ground when I got off that thing-  bus ride to the next town in Tenerife I found myself hunting the bag down once again. Not available in the original colour I had fallen in love with, but in black (too grown up) or a nude with orange colour blocking and red handles there, I found myself drawn to the nude version with, yep, that excited schoolgirl feeling. 

Hence why I've been strutting around like the cat that caught the cream the past few days with my lovely new bag in tow. I. love. shopping. 

I have fallen in love!

You know when you see someone wearing something on the street that you love and you actually consider hunting them down to find out where they bought it? I've had that for a while...

A lunch date with a friend led me to the solution to my problems, the bag is not ridiculously overpriced and is available ON THE HIGH STREET. God bless Zara and all it's loveliness.

This gorgeous leather shopper is my absolute new favourite and will work great as a transition piece into A/W.

£39.99 from Zara. I. Am. All. Over. That.