...The old man is snoring!

With Winter looming and Autumn in full swing I'm sure we shall be blessed with plenty of rainy days!

I stumbled across some rather cool umbrellas that make a rainy day seem all the more fun and even, perhaps desirable! If I had one of these umbrellas, I'm sure I wouldn't mind venturing out in the rain to show it off!

Checkout this Chocolate Pagoda Fashion Umbrella...

From Umbrellaheaven.com it doesn't come cheap at £34.95, but it's pretty funky with its canopy shape and I would hope that it would withstand some heavy showers and windy spells! 

This Twilight Deluxe Umbrella also from Umbrellaheaven.com would certainly brighten up a dark, rainy day! 

During the day this umbrella appears like any other 'normal' brolly, but as darkness falls a starry night sky appears!

I adore this 'Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining' umbrella, what a fabulous idea! Although this notion is hard to remember when having to dash about in the pouring rain, how uplifting for passers by! Also from Umbrellaheaven.com!

The next ones are some really different ideas that are so creative, I would never have believed they existed until I came across them! I found them on Thecoolist.com

The 'Umbuster', both a 'knuckle duster' and umbrella! Although I find umbrellas can be quite hazardous and dangerous at the best of times, this is sure to keep away any nasty people, what a multi-tasker!

The Multi-Unit Superbrella... with heavy winds and torrential downpours it can be so difficult to keep dry. Walking in the rain, even for a matter of minutes can result in one becoming absolutely soaked through and soggy, not a good look, or feel for that matter - especially if one has to sit in those same clothes for the rest of the day at work! 

It is made of 5 umbrellas - one on top and 5 in each cardinal direction. In the 4 corner triangles the designer has designer has inserted a patch with a rain proof hole that allows for aeration, how smart is that! 

                                            

I would be happy to see people walking the streets with this 'Polite Umbrella', as I do not take much pleasure out of being stabbed by passing umbrellas! This a normal umbrella, with a drawstring which, when pulled pulls in the canopy and all of its sharp bits!

                                     

The Hands-Free Nubrella does what it says on the tin! I'm not sure how many would opt for this given that it is slightly odd looking having an umbrella surrounding your face, but it seems pretty sturdy and even collapses and folds down to be stored. I think I'd give it a try, would you?

                                           

Isn't this Tandem Umbrella just adorable! I really love this concept, how romantic! Imagine strolling along in really strong winds and drenching rainfall (ok maybe not a romantic thought!), but to be able to share an umbrella without it being tugged this way and that, without being stabbed in the head and pretty much soaked anyway!

                                          

The Standing Umbrella! This umbrella has a tiny tip-based tripod to keep itself upright. Simple, but handy!

                                           

The Cloud Umbrella! 

Blend in with the surrounding clouds and perhaps they will think you are one of them, thus you dodge the rain?! Maybe not, but this umbrella has a series of inflated spheres that deflect the rain away from the user! Pretty cool eh?!

          

                                             

The Weather Forecasting Umbrella! How amazing! I definitely need one of these! This Umbrella connects to your wi-fi connection to deliver real-time weather data, which is then displayed by an illuminated translucent handle that glows blue when rain is coming! 

Wow, that's a lot of umbrellas! There more but I think that's enough about that miserable thing called rain. Although I would love to get some of these designs and try them out, I can safely say I would rather no rain at all!

                                        

P.S.

P.s. ASOS currently have a 20% off code for womenswear!

Enter HAPPYLFW at the checkout! How cheerful!

Delivery is also free!

Offer ends on Friday 23rd September!

P.p.s For all those shopaholics out there the maximum spend for this code is £500!

Flexible gone wrong!

I was supposed to work today, but naughtily took the day off last minute! My nan, mummy, younger sister and I invaded my older sister's new house for tea and biscuits this morning, then my sisters and I persuaded the 'oldies' out for lunch!

I am fortunate in that my job is so flexible that I can just let them know last minute that I will not be in if something does (or even doesn't!) come up! Although this is very handy while being a student, it is all too easy to decide to award myself a day off almost everyday, thus the bank balance takes a bashing!

I am really loving the shawls in River Island at the moment. A short while ago I found one that I really knew I should get, but didn't. It's not there anymore, the moral of the story: don't let things get away, get them when you see them!

I'm feeling that must-haves for my A/W 2011 wardrobe are Chelsea Boots, and A shawl (or two!)!

Here are a couple of the shawls I really like from River Island's website:

Can't show you my favourite one as it's no longer there!

Really wanting a nice vintage onee with some personality and history behind it, but unsure of how to get my hands on one...charity shops, ebay? What do people think?

Although I must admit the cold, dark and dampness of this time of year really bothers me (so much so that I am sure I have SAD) there is something so lovely about snuggling down with a nice hot chocolate and blanket, hiding away indoors! I am not afraid to say that I have been snuggling down with my throw and slippers these last couple of evenings!

Now that the cold, crisp Autumn is sneaking up on us I am thinking about a nice new coat, an investment piece! Any ideas on what I should go for?!



Weighing up the odds!

So I'm back on form...

My passion for unhealthy window shopping (sometimes online bulk buying) addiction is creeping back.

Although I must admit that for a good number of weeks I have been flicking through so many pages of 'New In' on various online stores, particularly stalking H&M almost every single day, I have not been on form as I was! My H&M basket is in fact bulging at the seams because I have continued to add to it over such a prolonged period, so much so that some items have gone into the sale - is that a reason to surrender or what?!

I have not actually made any purchases for a fair while - since my ebay jewellery bulk-buy in fact I think!

I decided that today would be the day to sort out my wardrobe, swapping spring/summer-wear for autumn/winter-wear - rather sad to see just how much of my summer-wear was confined to the deep, dark, depths of my wardrobe and barely saw daylight thanks to our pathetic weather!

Also alarmed to find that I actually have rather a limited amount of autumn/winter wear! Footwear is a particular problem area, so I feel this must be amended!

The hair has been dyed, I was going for the Ariel (Little Mermaid) red, unfortunately it is not nearly as drastic, although maybe that is a good thing after all?

Thought I'd share my code findings for anyone who fancies a spot of online shopping!...

Dorothy Perkins are currently offering 25% off online, just enter the code: DPVIPE

New Look are being slightly generous too and offering 15% off when you enter: NLVCTP 

Both offers end tomorrow though, so hurry!

My skin grows thicker for the new season.

Time stands still, yet it changes everything - that seems to be the summary of my life at the moment. No change, except in that which I feel I detest.

Apologies that I have not been around on the blogosphere lately, I have been contending with a lot and with my cynical nature, did not feel that creativity or sharing words or creativity in any way deserved my anchored time!

A break up after 5 long years has left me feeling confused - I feel rather like I am hanging in the air, with my feet dangling, unable to touch the ground. Although I initiated this break-up, naturally this outcome is the hardest one to resort to. I feel free, yet trapped. Trapped in my longings for yester-years, trapped in my sadness and trapped in my weak 'What if?'' moments where I want to undo what I have undone!

Shortly before all of this I made the decision to change courses at university, which, although should have been a fairly simple procedure, turned out to be ridiculously prolonged and complicated, thus other options were explored and I am now an Open University student!

Among other things, these fairly large changes in my life have been at the centre of many a conversation at weddings, house warmings and suchlike - because invitations to events of these sorts like to present themselves when one has issues that they are trying to avoid dealing with, let alone discussing with others, does anyone else find this?! One's fairly event-less life suddenly becomes unusually eventful shortly after an issue that deserves to be shunned, not shared! 

Perhaps this is just me, in person I prefer to keep things to myself; a problem shared is not a problem solved from my perspective! But that's just my introverted, bottle-it-up way - although I have adopted this 'sharing a problem' philosophy through the channel of blogging right now!

How miserable I sound - apologies for that!

I have come to the realisation through various recent happy and unhappy episodes, that we really must live for ourselves, not to please others. People-pleasing does not lead to real happiness and after all we only live once! 

I have been exercising an honesty-is-the-best-policy attitude - trying to be frank with people, not in a selfish or malicious way, but in a way that is not in my recent submissive, people-pleasing nature! So I try to over-rule this nature forever and ever! Telling people what they want to hear, agreeing with what I feel should be agreed with and being 'too nice' is a ticket to being trodden down, if not slightly pathetic! 

I've been keeping my heart closed to everyone and everything recently! That includes those enticing, lovely Autumn/Winter pieces that I have been getting to know recently, but not fully letting into the realms of my wardrobe! The (online) baskets are bulging, but like that they will stay while I continue to exercise cold, hard will-power.

I have been contemplating voluntary work abroad - I found one opportunity in particular that really reached out to my heart which involves volunteering in China during January. Given that I am now fully flexible due to my study arrangements, as well as my fully flexible job I am unsure as to whether or not I should live for the moment and jump off of this cliff of monotony into a free ocean of adventure and change, or remain in this frozen time period that seems to thrive on monotony!

Unfortunately my analytical, (currently) very sensible-self struggles to choose between living for today and living for tomorrow! My savings will just about cover this potential adventure... a long ponder....

On a positive note I passed my driving test a few weeks ago - I am pleased to report a positive event amongst the negatives! My very kind, generous sister has offered my her car (she had planned to get a new one anyway!), now I know that I am lucky not to have to concern myself over the expense of a car, but obviously the expense of car insurance is now a factor I must responsibly include in any spending speculations and considerations. 

I take a great disliking to responsibility, I love to be free of it, in a child-like state, worrying not about life's problems, but what might be for dinner later!

Thankyou to anyone who bothered to read through all of those ramblings!

Have a fabulous weekend all! I'm off to rebel against myself and dye my hair red!


....Just realised the irony of this post above my last post! How funny!

The perfect day for a wedding

A friend of mine got married today and what a lovely day for a wedding it was!

She had a beautiful, princess-style gown. It got me thinking about the many different choices of wedding gowns that are on offer to us consumers!

I always dreamed of having a great big, white dress until recently when I decided that in fact I think I prefer the idea of a simple, grecian dress.

I have been drooling over some beautiful gowns online and thought I'd share them with you! Searching for wedding dresses made me appreciate just how lucky us ladies are to have such an abundance of choice!

I am about to post quite a number of gowns, but considered that you may enjoy looking at them just as much as I did!

I should mention that I do not actually anticipate getting married any time soon, I just like to explore and appreciate the different styles!

Looking at gowns such as these convince me that you cannot beat a ballgown style wedding dress... 

(Number 8557(

These gowns are from the Justin Alexander collection.

(8567)

Lazaro Ball Gown Dress from the Spring 2012 collection.

From the San Patrick 2012 collection

I love the lace detail on this dress, as well as the veil style - kind of reminds me of Rapunzel, making it all the more fairytale!

Acanto Silky Tulle Ballgown (Rosa Clara 2012)

Jim Hjelm Bridal Gowns (Number: jh8101)

Number: jh8117

Vera Wang Strapless Tumbled Tull Caged Gown 

(Spring Collection 2012)

Now onto the simple, but elegant grecian styles...   

Rosa Clara Hector Silk Voile Gown 

Harmoni Silk Voile Draped Strapless Grecian Gown

Given that I love the grecian style so much I thought it made sense to add this bridal dress from 'Mamma Mia'!

I love the simplicity, with the layers and then the gorgeous head piece. Not that the breath-taking scenery, with the iconic Greek music and romantic story have any influence on my admiration!  

I've always been intrigued by Indian weddings and their attire, so thought I'd add some images of Indian brides too!

The brides look so magnificent. I just love the rich colours and the henna designs are so intricate!

I think that my love for extravagant attire, along with jewellery makes me appreciate Indian brides all the more - they really do wear some amazing jewellery!

Which wedding dress style do you prefer?

Are there any wedding dresses from any other countries/cultures that you find beautiful and worth sharing?

Seek and you shall find.

I sometimes wonder whether the shops know of my compulsive, terrible shopaholic habits when they cunningly stalk me. Just recently in the space of a couple of days I received a H&M catalogue through the post, emails inviting me to view their items and even a TV advertisement! Then I remember I'm not so unfortunate - I'm one of many of their targets!

Naughtily searching for new interesting pieces to add to my wardrobe and jewellery boxes of course I have found some more basket-worthy items.

Trawling ebay I found an item that is very similar to the Disney Couture Magic Castle Necklace, obviously for a fraction of the price! Don't mind if I do!

(Picture number 1 is Disney Couture, Number 2 is ebay seller: Yimaneili)

Have been finding the same/similar items in various locations of late, with varying prices, thus I can conclude that inevitably it does pay to shop around!

Below are some other bits from the same seller, along with a couple of pairs of shoes that I'm lusting over from 'Shoesone' - very reasonably priced, and a Garbage-Pail-Kid t-shirt from 'TruffleShuffle', just because I think they are so cool.

How great is that light-bulb necklace?!

P.S. Urban Outfitters are currently offering 15% off online when you enter: UOSUN15 at the checkout!