THE ROLL NECK CHUNKY KNIT

I didn't get involved with the roll neck trend until very late last year in the boxing day sales, when I spotted this Next forest green chunky roll neck jumper for £10 from £32. Instinctively, I picked it up and ran to the till right away, slightly unsure of how I'd style it but I actually love it. Who knew my wardrobe would spy an element of colour?!

It kind of has a mohair feel to it alongside it being a regular knit, which is quite unusual and one of the things that interested me. It is quite a short jumper, just skimming over my waistline and where my jeans sit, and I think I would have preferred it a little more long-line but it doesn't taint my opinion too drastically. For me, I like to wear this with a low bun or ponytail, black jeans and my leopard skate shoes, but I haven't worn this in an outfit without loving it. 

Buying this jumper has made me want so many more, especially in a crisp white knit, so I best get hunting before the weather gets too warm (I wish) - I type this while my feet are freezing. 

WINTER LIP BALMS

When it gets to Winter I think all of us crack out the more intensive skincare, the nourishing masks, and the thick body creams, as well as the lip balms. If anyone is like myself, the balm section of your lip drawer is overflowing and you aren't quite sure which ones you should reach for. I have 2 budget friendly recommendations that I use constantly to keep my lips ready for whatever weather (and lip stick) is thrown at them.

The first is one I've used numerous tubes of - Nivea Milk & Honey. It's thick, smells really natural and almost somehow cosy, and does one hell of a job at keeping the lips nourished. I use this in the morning before makeup application, as well as in the evenings among my skincare routine upon makeup removal. This is usually about £3 so doesn't break the bank and lasts quite a while.

The second is the Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm, in just the regular formula/scent. It's minty and refreshing and isn't as thick as the Nivea offering. This is the one you could use during the day when we want a bit of a kick of nourishment as well as a minty flavour. This is £4-5 and so isn't that expensive either and could do well as a little stocking filler this Christmas.

Honestly, lip balms are one of my biggest necessities in Winter as the feeling of sore chapped lips genuinely makes me shudder.I know the Nuxe Reve de Miel is on my wishlist but until then, these serve me more than well.

SEASONAL EYE COLOURS

It's that time again where the dark lips and dark eyes come around, and I swear I love it more and more each year. I'm a huge fan of a dark lip (recommendations please) but sometimes my natural eye makeup takes control and I feel like I need to shift the dark colours to my lids for a change, so I've devised a group of colours I think are a nice way to ease into things.

The first is Smashbox Limitless 15 Hour Wear Cream Shadow in Gemstone. It's fairly subtle, as blended out of the lid it gives a bronze-mauve/reddish tone and I really enjoy it for quick looks when I can't be bothered but want my look to be rather sultry. The other cream is the Maybelline Leather Colour Tattoo in Chocolate Suede which is a rich bronzed brown which I really need to come to terms with using without looking like I've rubbed my eyes too hard. It sets to a semi matte finish with a little shimmer mimicking that leather look, so it's hard to make the blending look good with it being such a dark colour.

As for powder, I find these need a little more work, but you really cannot beat the finished look. The first is KIKO 137 which is a strong red tone, which everyone was going mad for with the likes of Cranberry from MAC last year. I wanted to ease into it at a cheaper price and last year this was one of my favourites to wear on weekends with minimal makeup elsewhere. Finally is MAC Woodwinked; a gold, bronze, copper blend that slapped on the lid and buffed out gives a sheen of warmth that just reminds me of autumn leaves - how poetic, but there is some serious love for these shadows, and I've already cracked them out this year.

THE CAMEL SCARF

Since spotting a lust-worthy camel scarf in Topshop, I've had my heart set on one for the perfect Autumn/Winter staple. I didn't really was to part with £16 for a scarf, so when I found one in Forever 21 in Florida for $9.80 I couldn't resist and picked it up immediately. It's not incredibly thick, but still its not like the £4 scarves from Primark which are rather thin and slippery. It's the nice weight that you can wear it inside or outside and not be too hot nor cold.

It's a different texture than many other scarves, and my friends told me it looks like a 'potato sack'. Well, they aren't wrong. It looks slightly woven with thicker threads than usual but I really love it. The colour is perfect, it's a little darker than the one I saw in Topshop, but still looks so classic. It's just the sort of scarf I can throw on when I want to be warm but don't want to look like my neck is being consumed by woo. I really love it.

I imagine I'll be getting endless wear out of this - especially when I'm walking to school in the brisk 7:45am cold this winter...lovely.

THE CHUNKY MONOCHROME JUMPER

The seasons are changing, and for me, that means buying more clothes. I was in the need for some new jumpers, and I had three ideas in mind; a monochrome option, a camel coloured one, and an oatmeal coloured one. In H&M I found the perfect 'salt and pepper' esque jumper and I cannot wait to get more wear out of this.

It cost me a mere £14.99 which is really affordable for a jumper, and it's just the right thickness - not too overheating, but not too thin that you need to wear something underneath for warmth in the colder months. I am picturing wearing this with ripped jeans, a leather jacket and ankle boots, or even some leather coated jeans if I can find any and a beanie - the looks are endless, which is why I really love it. It is a nice length, not cropped, but not oversized or long, and although it's not completely fitted, it isn't too baggy (I want an oatmeal one with these qualities instead).

I am hoping that H&M come out with some more jumpers of this style so that I can grab a couple more, but if you have been seeing any nice ones in any other stores, let me know.

THE FLANNEL SHIRT

For the longest time, I have been lusting after a flannel shirt - to me they just seem so Kylie Jenner and I always think up endless outfits they would go well with, so when I was hunting for one there was no hesitations on whether I actually wanted to spend money on something.

Being the petite person I am I actually managed to get this in the New Look teen kind of section for a mere £14.99. The material is so nice, slightly fluffy and seems like a really great layering piece - especially after seeing a post on how to style flannel shirts from Lily Pebbles. I was either hunting for a monochrome one or a red one, and I decided on the red as I thought it was about time I added a little colour to my wardrobe. Now, I really want the blue one New Look offer too, as it looked like a really great piece.

I envision wearing this open, with the sleeves rolled up, paired with a slogan tee, black ripped skinny jeans and flat boots (both of which I'm still hunting for). Nevertheless, it looks great done up tucked into plain jeans or over leggings for a slouchy approach, as well as looking great almost as an accessory around the waist.

I expect I'll be getting some major wear out of this in the Autumn/Winter, and I hope it'll last me for years to come as flannel shirts really are a timeless piece.

FESTIVE TARTAN NAIL ART

Tartan is slowly but surely becoming my new favourite thing. Considering when I went to London at the weekend the 't' word was mentioned in numerous conversations, and I lust everything and anything covered in the print, it is time to fess up to my addiction, and what better way to do it than try out some coordinated nail art. 

It would appear that Lily Pebbles has literally just done a post on this idea too, but I promise my pictures were taken 3-4 weeks ago in preparation, and that I haven't copied! Basically, this is that kind of nail art that looks so complex, but takes you a matter of lines, and minutes, to complete the job. 

The colours I used were OPI Red Light Ahead... Where? as the base colour, and then I used green, black, white and sliver stripers to create the stripes, and in a few different lines, and the tartan look was complete. The stripers were from the brand 'Rio' in case you were curious, but any will do. 

I think this could be my chosen nail art for the 25th, but then again, Megan gave me some smashing monochrome Nail Rock Nail Wraps for my birthday yesterday, which I cannot stop staring at...

 

PRIMARK'S CHUNKY PATENT BROGUES

Like them or loathe them, I have bought some new shoes. Patent esc. brogues to be precise. From Primark. I have been outfit planning for the Clothes Show Live 2013 (it is still a month until I go..), and I decided I needed a comfortable, chunky soled, closed up, shoe which would match with whatever I decided to pair them with - dresses, jeans, the lot.

I found these chunky looking ones in Primark, no shame - although there may be a little of it, as my entire outfit will probably be from Primark, at a rather big fashion event - wild. But, if I saw someone wearing these, I would most certainly think they were darn expensive, and not from anywhere near Primark - result. The best part? These bad boys were £12. WHAT?!

They don't make my feet look like canal boats, and they look smashing with jeans or dresses, and there was no staggering price. Although I will be sporting Primark based attire for the day, I will feel pretty good about it. I also bought the big, black oversized furry/fluffy/hairy cardigan they have out at the moment, and that will be getting an outing on the day too.

Love them or hate them, these could be up there to be my new favourite pair of shoes, and I haven't even worn them out yet.