The Night Shift

It's pretty common for me to notice patterns in my outfit choices. Firstly, because even I have to admit that I don't deviate much from what I like (note to self: take more risks), and secondly, because I think I have one of those brains that really just likes noticing patterns.

I've recently noticed that my go-to outfit of choice for nights out seems to be a shift dress and nude heels. Not convinced? Allow me to elaborate. Presenting Exhibit A...

My friend Jeremy's 21st Birthday

This white chiffon shift with the embroidered neckline detail is just wonderful and was an impulse buy from the ever-trusty Topshop. The nude clutch is by Billy Bag. I also wore my nude court shoes from ASOS, featured in my post here. The facial expression is courtesy of one too many Cosmopolitans - shhhh!

And Exhibit B:
My 21st Birthday Outing, a few weeks later:

This black sequinned t-shirt shift was a last-minute panic purchase from ASOS, by Mink Pink. My word, am I glad I trusted my impulses on this occasion. I wore it with a pair of nude Balenciaga strappy platform sandals, which I got from a sample sale a while back.

Both dresses cost in the region of £35-£45 (I believe the Mink Pink one was reduced from around £90), so neither broke the bank - no wonder I could afford such a lovely holiday.

All in all, I think the moral of this sweet little tale is that a) impulse buys can be some of the best, and b) having a go-to style isn't always a bad thing. If it works for you, stick with it!

Ciao for now,
Charlotte

Cocktail Party

Exams finished tomorrow! No more Renaissance Literature and Medieval Renaissance and American Drama and Italian to deal with for a wee while, at least.


Here's my final favourite thing, and one I hope to be having plenty of to celebrate the end of exams:


Cocktails

Me enjoying a Singapore Sling at Raffles.

I love cocktails, I really do. Especially anything fruity. 


If ever I'm in doubt though, I come back to an old favourite, the Cosmopolitan. (Yes, very Sex and the City.) It's the perfect amount of fruity and feisty, and just looks so sophis. It always goes well with my outfits too.


In fact, my flatmate and I have set ourselves a challenge for this semester - to visit & drink at each of the supposed best bars in Leeds, according to World's Best Bars, a site I reckon I will be using wherever I am in the world from now on. 


Both of us will then blog about the experience (here's the link to her blog, very appropriately named and really cool in general, I promise - she got me into blogging in the first place). Of course, the standard of the bar will only really be interesting if you live in Leeds so we will be including outfits too. Hopefully some nice ones. Hope you're looking forward to it as much as I am!


Remember to enjoy alcohol responsibly!


Ciao for now,
Charlotte

The Deutsch-Markt is coming.

I can count the good things about Winter on one hand... and most of those reasons involve the word 'Christmas'.

The Leeds Christmas tree (before the lights were on)

But one thing about Winter is that your resident city inevitably becomes lit up all gorgeous, and will probably have a lovely market happening.

Christmas lights in Leeds' Victoria Quarter

In Leeds the German Christmas market is quite a big deal; everyone really enjoys it - maybe because of the litres of beer or the hot mulled wine - but it could be for the lederhosen-clad band playing Bavarian takes on 80's classics; why not?!

This week I went out with the flatmates and 'them downstairs' to the German Market and then for cocktails at Brown's - a lovely evening by all accounts:

The Lads - bit excited, maybe because they had too many...

...of these. Yes sir, that's a litre of the good stuff.

More Christmas lights (apologies for the BlackBerry-quality pictures)

For those who don't speak German, it says 'Will you marry me?'

Not sure how anyone could turn down that proposal!

...and finally, a moose head. It spoke, it moved. It had a very camp German accent. Why not?

Then... to the warmth! For cocktails!

(Please note this cocktail is not actually from Brown's but one I had at The Living Room, Leeds a couple of weeks ago. Sorry for cheating!)

At Brown's I had a Berry and Pomegranate Martini... scrumptious! (and holiday-appropriate, I felt.)

I also very much enjoyed the food of the German market, tucking into white-chocolate covered strawberries and a pretzel the size of my head. The mister (my lovely boyfriend Marc) had himself a Berliner (a jam doughnut auf Deutsch). See here for some interesting stuff on those!

Of course, the only thing about said evening was that it posed a bit of a clothing dilemma; how to keep warm at the mostly-outdoor market, and how to still feel appropriate for cocktail hour.

I plan to do a detailed post soon about winter layering (something that took me years to get any real grasp on), but for now I'll just give you the run-down of my multi-purpose outfit, which took me from lectures, to daytime shopping with the mister, to dinner in a local bar, to the german market and then for cocktails.

I wore a black shift dress from River Island (great staple, also good for funerals - depressingly enough) with a nude French Connection belt, the obligatory black opaque tights and black pumps.

I layered a couple of cardigans over that and then my new favourite blazer from Modcloth (get the blazer itself here). Add a scarf I bought from Prague (because the Balkans know how to do warm), some soft leather gloves my Nana passed on to me, a mug of mulled wine and a good friend to huddle with and you've got yourself a toasty situation!

Only thing I should have thought of was a hat... Oops.

Remove several layers once you're in the sanctuary of the cocktail bar and voila, appropriate dressing.

Enjoy whatever pre-pre-Christmas festivities are happening your way and remember to wrap up warm but stay stylish!

Ciao for now,

Charlotte