My New Look Novelty Clutch Bags

Over the last couple of months, I've added several new novelty bags to my ever-growing collection of oddities. I just can't help myself when it comes to these wonderfully weird accessories; they're so much fun to collect and accessorize with! 

I know many of you love novelty bags as much as I do, so I thought it was time I gave you all a little peek at my latest additions. I have four to show you and they're all from New Look.

First up is the newest- a big, red, in-your-face strawberry! I want to take it on picnics and go strawberry picking with it on my arm. It wouldn't be very practical, but just think how cute my outfits (and photos) could be! The fruit trend is set to be huge again this Summer, and this strawberry is one of the best pieces I've seen so far this season. It's bold, it's eye-catching, and the stitching is a sweet touch. It's the perfect Summer clutch, and such a bargain at just £12.99.

My favourite novelty clutch du jour is a white and stone "99" ice cream cone! Oh, hell yes, this bag actually exists! I had to buy it the moment I first laid eyes on it, and began day dreaming about taking it to the beach, and enjoying a real ice cream in the summer sun with this bag on my arm. Okay, I have little chance of making it to the beach this year, but this bag will definitely be accessorizing a lot of my outfits this Summer. Even if it's just to go to the supermarket. I just adore this bag, and I think it might even be one of my favourite bags ever! The fact that it's surprisingly roomy is just a bonus.

The unicorn clutch bags are unfortunately no longer available, but I finally got my hands on them on sale back in February. They just galloped in to my basket when I bought the ice cream cone. I'd wanted them since they landed online late last Summer, but I guess holding back worked as I got them both half price! I was intending to keep one and put the other in the present stash, but in the end, I fell in love with both colours and couldn't choose between them. They look so different, even though they're ultimately the same design, so I had to keep both! I think the black stallion is my favourite; it's far more striking than the iridescent, and I love that it's so unlike the usual white or fair-coloured unicorns most unicorn things tend to be. The iridescent is awesome, too, though, and it definitely adds a whimsical touch to my outfits that five-year-old me would be proud of.

New Look novelty clutches are great because they're so purse-friendly, and their designs are so fun this season. They have several other designs, including a banana, pineapple, watermelon, and an ice lolly, which are all at the top of my wish list.

Have you bought any good novelty bags recently?

My Novelty Christmas Handbags

Move over Christmas jumpers, step aside bauble earrings, there's a new way to inject a bit of festive cheer in to your outfits this Christmas- with festive novelty handbags!

The novelty handbag trend has taken its quirkiness to a whole new level this Winter, with many high street brands featuring festive bags and purses in their Christmas collections. Being both a novelty handbag addict, and a huge Christmas geek, I couldn't love this trend more!

In fact, I've added two novelty Christmas bags to my wardrobe over the last couple of weeks and the best part is, neither of them broke the bank. I thought I'd give you a quick peek at them both today, while there's still enough time to snap them up before Christmas.

First up is the New Look red stripe bauble clutch bag, which is the best Christmas accessory I think I've ever seen! The bauble design is so fun, and so different to any other novelty bag in my collection or on the high street, so naturally I'm all over it! It's a real statement piece, so it's the perfect accessory to complete Christmas party outfits. I'll be using it for all my casual Christmas ensembles, too! (Well, I have to get my money's worth!) It's a guaranteed conversation starter, and it's the kind of bag that will attract attention wherever it goes.

For a clutch bag, it's surprisingly large, and it has enough room for the essentials..The best part? This clutch is only £12.99 and currently on sale for just £10.00! I managed to snap one up on Black Friday for less than a tenner, but even full price it's not going to break the bank!

The newest bag to my collection is this TU at Sainsburys Christmas pudding bag, which I treated myself to with some Christmas money on Tuesday, as a post-hospital treat. (Thanks, Nana!) It's not every day that you find a bag in the shape of a Christmas pud! (How cute?!) I actually first saw it a couple of weeks ago, but I couldn't afford it at the time, so it was the first purchase that came to mind when I was given some early Christmas money. I'm pleased I managed to get one before it sold out. I love it!

This bag is far more casual than the bauble clutch, and I'd say it's much more convenient with its cross body strap; it's ideal for Christmas shopping when you need both hands to carry all those heavy shopping bags! It has slightly more room than the clutch bag, too. It obviously won't fit the kitchen sink but you should get your purse, phone, keys, lippy, and iPod in here no problem.

I'm pleased to say this was another bargain-priced find; it retails for just £12!! It's inexpensive enough that you don't have to feel too guilty about giving yourself a pre-Christmas treat! Sadly Sainsburys still don't have a website for their clothing range (what's up with that?), but you should still be able to find it in your local Sainsburys if you hurry!

Will you be treating yourself to one this Christmas?

New Additions

Can I start by apologising for the lack of outfit posts this past week. I've got lots of new outfits waiting to be worn and blogged about, but I've spent the last few days curled up under the duvet struggling through a very bad spell of pain. Hopefully in a day or two I'll be in a better shape for dressing up and taking photos.

I've taken time out from reading and sleeping to put together a little post of the things I've bought and been given this week.

So, I've been buying...

1. Printed trousers from Dorothy Perkins £17.00 (originally £29.50).

2. Match Stick trousers from Evans £12.00 (originally £45.00). (Now sold out).

3. Maggie Angus at ASOS Ursula Bear necklace in black £10.50 (originally £24.99).

4. ASOS adjustable enamelled and rhinestone frog ring £4.50 (originally £12.00).

5. Maggie Angus Wild Wolf necklace £15.00 (originally £24.99).

I've wanted both pairs of these printed trousers for some time but never committed. I finally took the plunge on Friday. The match stick trousers were hugely discounted, but as few sizes were left I had to size down. I'm praying they'll fit! I haven't bought many accessories all season, and when I came across these beautiful animals I just had to adopt them... More on that later!

I had a gift voucher for Amazon for my birthday (thank you, Nita), and I used it towards some Barry M nail paints and a Too Faced eye shadow compact Candy Bars Eyeshadow Thin Mints. (This listing I bought from is now sold out, and was a little cheaper than the one in the link above). I've been trying to supplement my habit of reds and corals with other coloured nail polishes this year, and I'm now converted to loving nail polish of all the colours of the rainbow. Yay!

Barry M nail paints in Green Glitter, Racing Green, and Emerald Green.

The nail paints arrived yesterday and I am in love. Until now green was a colour I restricted to my eyes. I've just applied a coat of Racing Green and wonder where it's been all my life. It's so beautiful.

The pansy printed Accessorize clutch arrived mid week, and although I loved the print, I was disappointed with the quality of the bag. Unfortunately, it was very thin and felt like a wash bag so I sent it back. It certainly wasn't worth the sale price of £18 let alone it's original price of £25. It's since been reduced further.

Thankfully, the pansy printed satchel my Sister bought me for my birthday was much better quality and very cute. It's such a lovely casual bag and looks good over a dress and denim jacket. It's the perfect day bag; not too big, not too small, and comfortable over my shoulders (very important)! I can imagine myself using it for day trips and shopping sprees when I'm more mobile. It's now down to just £11 in the Accessorize sale.

Well, that's me penniless for another week... but at least I've done well with the sales this season.

What have you been buying?

May 31 Day Blogger's Challenge: Day 8

Morning guys (yes, I know it's evening here in England, but I've just woken up...)

It's day eight of the blogging challenge and today's theme is... Something I've Forgotten About But Love...

Sitting here singing along to Linkin Park, I couldn't come up with any clothing I'd forgotten about. I'm only just building my collection back up after my last clear out. Then I remembered the scarf and shoes I'd recently pulled out of the wreckage that was my wardrobe. I admit I have a tendency to forget about accessories once I've bought something shiny and new that I don't want to take off. I'm working on displaying things better so I can see what I actually own and give everything the attention it deserves.

Before I explain about the accessories, I'd like to introduce one of my brand new purchases to you. The two beautiful polka dot dresses I ordered last week arrived today. This one was new online last week, and I managed to save £8 on it by using a discount code along with the promotion Dorothy Perkins was offering over the weekend. I've finally found the perfect casual summer dress! It's made from cotton (so perfect for those hot days), midi-length, extremely comfortable, and has a cute scallop detail to the sleeves. And of course, the polka dots won me over immediately! I really can't fault this dress- snap one up for summer!

I've kept the outfit casual by wearing the dress over leggings.

The scarf is cashmere, and one of two scarves my RAF brother-in-law brought me back from Afghanistan during his last stationing there a couple of years ago. Whether my Sister has a good influence on him or he naturally has good taste, I don't know, but he shops well! The scarf is so pretty, and I love the gold thread detail. It's unbelievable how little the Afghans ask for these scarves!

The one thing I love about navy blue polka dot dresses is that they're so versatile. There are so many colours that can be worn with them. I personally love wearing blue and yellow together. I love how turquoise looks with it, too, so found the perfect casual outfit to accessorize with my new clutch and belt! I can just see me strolling along in the sunshine in this.

I bought these purple sandals a couple of summers ago and have barely worn them, even though I love them. They're purple, after all! They've got a small wedge, and are so comfortable. Now I've rescued them from shoe purgatory, I'm planning on giving them a lot of love from now on.

Dress: Dorothy Perkins

Leggings: New Look

Belt: Dorothy Perkins

Clutch: Dorothy Perkins

Scarf: Gift from Afghanistan

Shoes: Evans (would you believe?)

Finger nail polish: Inglot

Toe nail polish: Bourjois Paris

What have you recently rescued from neglection?

One Girl's Love Of Dresses

So, who here in England has been forced to take a duvet-day for fear of being blown away outside?

It's been so blustery here, I began to wonder if a hurricane was brewing. My bedroom window was torn open while I slept (luckily not off it's hinges), and I kept waking repeatedly thinking the house was going to fly off to Oz. Thankfully the tree over my rabbit's pen didn't fall down in the night but it's still batting furiously against the wind. Scary stuff!

Anyway, I was really excited to get dressed this afternoon in to my new dress. You've probably noticed how much I love dresses. If I could wear them all day every day I would be content for the rest of my life. I feel most like myself when I wear one, and feel they're more flattering on my curves than a pair of trousers.

You all read how much I love the same bird-print dress in black, and I just had to get it in brown. I love the shape, fit, and style. It's so comfortable to wear. It's a bit chilly today, so I threw on a cardigan and purple leggings, and accessorised with a black belt, an owl brooch, and a polka dot hairband.

Sorry about the crap photos. My camera needs charging so I was forced to use my iPod. Here is a pasty-faced make-up less me wearing:

Outfit Details

Belt- Dorothy Perkins.

Leggings- New Look.

Cardigan- New Look.

Owl Brooch- Accessorize (I think).

Dress- Dorothy Perkins (it also came with a nude belt).

Polka Dot Hairband- From an accessories shop in South Street Sea Port in New York. I can't remember what it was called, but it was inside a little mall there.

My hair is actually a brighter red than these photos show. Although it does need redyeing. I didn't dye it for four months, which really faded the colour, so when I dyed it last month the colour didn't come up so bright. I use Schwarzkopf live xxl "Real Red", but am naturally a mid-dark brown with a few hints of auburn.

I can also report that I gave in and ordered the envelope clutch I was talking about yesterday. I kept thinking about it all night, and was still obsessing over it when I awakened. Maybe I'll put something up on ebay to compensate for it, but I doubt it! I've no regrets, and can't wait for it to fall in to my hands.

Have you ever came away from a shopping trip, knowing you just had to have an item you saw but didn't buy?

Hope you all have a good night.

Money Can't Buy Me Love... But It Can Buy Pretty Things

Evening fashion lovers,

So it's that time of the month again when our overdrafts/ bank managers/ shopaholics-within can breathe a sigh of relief again. Well, for most of us, anyway. That's right, it's payday!

I think somebody is going to have to hide my bank card and wheel me off to shopaholics anonymous! There are too many lovely things available this season- probably one of my favourite seasons yet, but I really should be watching the pennies until I know where the next ones are coming from. I've made a couple of purchases on things I've been lusting after and/or actually need, and now will try to be sensible. We'll see what happens! I really do have the sense to spend only what I can afford!

I love my black bird-print Dorothy Perkins dress so much that I had to get it in brown, too. I know I will be wearing them both for years to come as the cut and style is so lovely. The fabric is so soft and comfortable, too. It was delivered this morning and I'm already in love with it. It came with a belt, too, along with a further two I purchased in black and teal.

Last night, still wide awake at 4am, I was sat browsing the Topshop website, trying to justify buying these studded slippers which I've been admiring from a far for months. Since I haven't bought shoes since last August, and am lacking everything that isn't a sandal or ugg boot, I justified buying them. The price is so low (£28) for how expensive they look, and I know I shall be wearing them with everything from dresses to jeans. I just hope they fit my annoyingly-wide feet.

I also returned a basic purple wrap dress I've had hanging in my wardrobe for a few weeks. There was something about the particular shade of purple I decided I didn't like and on reflection, realised I probably would never wear it. I got a refund and put the money towards a couple of Dorothy Perkins scallop trimmed cardigans, as that is one thing I'm lacking in the wardrobe after a clear out of ones which had become faded, torn, and shapeless. I love the scallop edge to the collars!

I was looking at the cardigans on the H&M website, but as I'm not sure how their sizing is, I held off. How do you guys find their sizing? The last time I shopped I had to size up, but as their cardigans are dual-sized I wasn't sure if doing so would make them too big. Any feedback would be appreciated!

I have my eye on this envelope clutch (also from Dorothy Perkins), so MAY give one a home somewhere down the line.

Have you been shopping this weekend? What have you all been buying? Or what are you lusting after?

I'll hopefully be back with an OOTD post tomorrow.