Red. It's a colour I like to dabble with once in a while. We flirt, we hang out, we find ourselves together more and more often. Then red suddenly takes a disliking to me, it doesn't want to be seen with me in public and shuns me for a while. How sad it is that red just wont settle down as my trusty companion for good.

I found this wonderful tunic dress; it looks really red and bold up close but according to these pictures the colours are all merge into something resembling a slightly ruddier shade of nude from a distance. I guess it pays to stay at close proximity. The pattern is small, busy and really rather wonderful and ought to be admired. Now, I can't decide what my favourite thing about this tunic is, there are a number of delightful features.

The banding to the top of the sleeves to match the banding under the bust is such a cool feature which adds a whole lot of character. I love it. Do I have anything else in my wardrobe like it.... no, I don't think so. Plus the sleeves billow out a little towards the cuffs and they add a pinch of drama; they warrant a good amount of arm swishing to make best use of the generous fabric.

My preference for conservative dressing (which to be fair does seem to be limited to covering my chest) was challenged with this low-swept neckline but it does sit comfortably so I'll live with it and enjoy the change. Impressively, the fabric is so stretchy it's most amusing. It will ping right back which makes it a particularly serviceable material for a clumsy clot like me.

Knee socks and leather boots. Outfit complete.

Sophie

These pictures were from late September, you can tell that Autumn hadn't really set in by the leafy green trees!

Can you believe it's the first post this season with a tartan skirt? I KNOW! My beloved collection of these awkward length pleated skirts is about to come into it's own with some thermal tights – Bob's your uncle. That day I was undecided on the red or the blue skirt so I asked the opinion of my esteemed consultant (husband) and after the very briefest of dithers he chose blue. Things have moved on; roll back 18 months and he assured me he wouldn't be seen dead with me if I wore these skirts, even he has warmed to them.

Oh my gosh, these biker boots have been a godsend, I love them so much. By far one of my favourite buys of the year and touch wood a pair that will last a good while. There is little worse than finding a pair of treasured boots wears out before your love for them wears thin. The idea of forking out a fortune for an expensive well made pair does scare me but it has to be said that cheaper footwear is made pretty shabbily these days so it's little wonder they don't last.

Have a great weekend
Sophie

I'm not one hundred percent sure what rockabilly is by definition but to me it has to be a country (& western) style with a whole lot of rock thrown in for good measure. When I saw this dress languishing on a rail in Cancer Research it was always coming home with me; the colour, pattern, fit, frills.... it was a no brainer, except it was completely see through, needing a slip to go underneath (is it called a slip? A lining really). Fortunately, I've got one already which works just fine.

Yes, it is unlike me to wear over-fussy clothes, I'm more of a no-frills girl at heart but ringing the changes is something that floats my boat. This blue dress is way more flattering than I rightfully deserve; the fitted waistband creates a silhouette which I love and the neckline with the little sleeves is both conservative yet a little more revealing than I usually tend to go for. The skirt has just the right amount of swoosh without being impractical plus is an entirely respectable length.

Can I just take a second to say, yeah, my make up is a little heavier than normal which perhaps is something only I would notice but HELLO big hair! The bigger the better I say.

Trusty leather bomber jacket, newish boots – both eBay, old necklace, bangle – gift, bracelets – who on earth remembers.

This dress is one I can just imagine reaching for as one of those items to reach for for when in a “help! I have nothing to wear/ nothing suits me/ I hate my wardrobe” state of panic and then having my concerns quelled.

Is Autumn prompting you to try anything different?

Sophie

Biker boots, I love thee. After a couple of years of adoring everyone else's biker boots and yet never really considering making a purchase for myself I came across the perfect pair in TK Maxx (the place which holds both gems and junk – you never know what you may find but it's always worth a look).
This pair are 'Bronx' and are black leather with a quilted ankle and silver buckles, they are flat and wonderfully comfortable. I dithered after oiking them off the shelf and squirrelling them away in a pull along basket (genius invention), which has got to be done when they are the only pair – you don't want to risk someone else running off with them. I tried them on and paraded up and down the 5 – 5.5 aisle, beaming that they stayed on instead of getting left behind as so many pairs do unless firmly tied on. Then I ummed and ahhed a little more and consulted.
Buying footwear is always a big deal for me; investing in more expensive items is still something I'm not all that comfortable with. Sometimes you spend more and yet they never get worn, other times they never leave my feet and I pat myself on the back for making such a wise purchase. At £50 these are what I'd classify as medium risk, way more than I'd fork out for something I wasn't dead keen on but in this case I was smitten plus being flat boots they tick the practical box in grand style.
A jersey t-shirt style skater dress? Yes, in red no less. Never owned one before, it's not something I've really been drawn to until now. This autumn I'm all over more of a rock chick look, darker, rich colours, more leather and boots, all the boots.

Remember the days I never accessorised? Long gone. I found the beaded chocker in a bowl at a charity shop till for about 50p which has pleased me no end, these were the coolest thing to wear when I was about 10. Ahhh, the good old days of the mid nineties! It's also the first outing for my Iced Rainbow feather necklace* which is a really cute and being white it's going to go with so many things I want to wear.
Do you remember the nineties fondly?
Sophie