Birthday Wishlist & Passion For Fashion LINK UP

birthday wishlist by rachel-the-hat featuring Marc Jacobs

Topshop pink cap sleeve dress / Topshop tear dress / Purple long sleeve dress, $29 / Dress, $36 / Kohl dress, $24 / Zara cardigan / Red plaid coat, $21 / Satin thong, $11 / Shoes, $73 / Red short boots, $18 / Felt hat, $29 / Red shawl, $16 / Marc Jacobs fragrance / Crepe Tee Shift Dress, $73 / Buy Leopard Print Leather Fold Over Across-The-Body Bag from the Next..., $73 / Kelly Brook Green Sateen Eyelash Trim Plunge Bra, $24 / Kelly Brook Green Eyelash Lace Trim Satin Suspender, $13


Things have been pretty cruddy over here in the Turone household, what with illness sweeping through and lack of sleep our lives seem to just be merging from one day to the next in pj's and just about coping (sobsob i know) But after what has been a fairly rubbish week, i'm looking forward to seeing the back of it and *hopefully* having a corker of a week, starting this weekend.
On Tuesday i turn 29....!!! 29 people. is this too early for a mid life crisis? as i feel one coming on. Lately i've been looking at myself and i feel frumpy and mummsy. 2013 has been such a crazily tough year, one of the hardest i've ever had. Needless to say i'm saying goodbye to 28 with a few more wrinkles, a lot more worry lines and way too many grey hairs, but looking forward to a happier place and a fabulous 29th year.
So above is  my birthday wishlist to make me feel all shiny and new (and non mummsy and frumpy !) And if the birthday fairies do exist anything on this list would sure make this birthday girl happy!
Being a December baby has its advantages, this time of year is doubly exciting!!

So, Here's to an excellent december folks!!

Faux Leather Love

Faux Leather Love by rachel-the-hat featuring a red blouse

Leather dress / Leather dress, $32 / Brown dress, $36 / Gray dress, $24 / Leather dress, $34 / Red blouse / Long sleeve blouse, $24 / Black jacket, $70 / Gray sweater coat, $26 / Lapel coat / Leather legging, $24 / Brown purse

I am having serious faux leather lust of late. I can not get enough of it (as i've mentioned a few dozen times) Here's a few i have being eyeing up from Sheinside.

Are you loving the faux leather trend or is it something you avoid?

Red and Black

 Black and red is probably one of my fave combos this autumn/winter. I am a girl who loves red all year long, but with more black than ever being added to my wardrobe, its making for lots of easy to wear remixability (is-that-even-a-word?)I've loved this window pane, type pattern thats been gracing everything from sweaters to trousers. I've wanted something in the white and black print for a while, but this one took my fancy big time and it is so so comfy and warm and cosy to boot..plus plus in books!

I totally need to get a new black fedora type hat, i've flattened this one way too many times and its gone reeeally misshapen,but its been well worn i have to admit, its time for a new upgrade. Rachel The Hat needs a new Hat! Have you seen a good ones around of late?
I recently picked this sweater dress and long-line biker jacket out from the wonder that is Sheinside, that site literally has so so many amazing (really well priced) pieces, its like blogger/clothes collectors heaven.. talk about bad for the old bank account...eek!!

 Isn't autumn just looking beautiful lately?! I have to admit i am already getting Christmas excited, but restraining myself till Dec 1st! Plus with my birthday next week (arghh) i feel like December could be a really fun month, i can't wait! Do you have any great plans for the coming cold month? I would love to go to the Winter Wonderland in Cardiff to go outdoor  ice skating and take Neo to see Father Christmas and then we have our works Christmas doo which we are getting all dressed up for and drinking champagne! I can't wait! I LOVE this time of year, im like a giant kid!! I've already drunk my weight in Christmas coffees and hot chocolates (yup ive tried each and every one!!) and i'm going to make sure i soak up every moment of this wonderful season. Taking the moments in and enjoying every single second!

Sweater Dress : c/o Sheinside

Longline PU Biker Jacket : c/o Sheinside

Boots: c/o Lotus

Hat & Necklace: New Look

Leggings: Next

Leopard and Stripes

These photos were taken about 2 weeks ago (pre-haircut) and for some reason i had no inclination to post them. Which is quite handy for days like today when i have nada.. A combination of no hubby for photos, that insomnia again (still?) and a lot of  days of very casual wear has meant no new photos this week. But least i have these to share with you all today.

I recently won these practically new leopard print booties on ebay for £5.00. I don't think they had even been worn, they arrived like new! I kinda love them too, they're not the most comfy so not for long day wear, but for sitting on my behind and eating a meal in a nice restaurant they are just fine!
I just love the punch of fun they add. Who would have thought a few months ago i would be wearing leopard print booties and own more than a handful of leopard print peices.. not me thats for sure! I've even started looking at neon pieces lately which is sooooo not like me! I don't know if its the lack of sleep or maybe style growth? who knows, but im happy to go with it. But if i start looking like this feel free to give me a nudge and a "what are you thinking?!" Mkay?

 Fashion is for everyone. 

Whether you're single in the city or a stay at home mum from the country...
we all have a passion for fashion!

Every Friday Lena & I will be co-hosting a fashion free-for-all linkup!

Anything fashion goes!

Link up your outfit posts, a fashion recap, a fashion wishlist, get your kids or hubby in on the fun... if you've got a passion for fashion, this is the place to be!

Celebrate your style with us every Friday!

We'll be pinning our favourite looks to our Passion for Fashion boards on Pinterest!
You can find the board HERE 

Follow both hosts Lena and  Me so we can come visit you!
If you could link back to us via text link or button and help spread the 
Passion For Fashion word. 
The more ladies the merrier!

Then go visit, blog hop, follow and comment on all the fabulous ladies you are meeting!

{this linkup is very NEW we would love for you to help us spread the word! }

 Tweet us / instagram us with the hashtag #PassionForFashion

 with your outfits, 

Lets spread the Passion For Fashion word, the more the merrier!

get everyone involved!!

Link Up!!

Modcloth Coach Trip Dress

Modcloth recently reached out to see how i would style one of their classic dresses (The Coach Trip dress in Noir).
I almost felt a bit overwhelmed with the possibilities as it is such a great blank canvas that can be re mixed a ton of ways. My initial thought was to go with black and red, a classic and a definite staple go-to combo for me. But then i started messing around with some great autumnal colours and topped it all off with a touch of teal , because quite frankly im totally taken by teal,haha. It just adds such a great unexpected quirk to any outfit.
So here we have it!
How i would wear The Coach Trip Dress in Noir...

Autumnal with a hit of Teal by rachel-the-hat featuring nylon stockings

Coach kohls dress / Wool cardigan / Nylon stocking / Chelsea Crew ankle boots / Yellow purse / Metal jewelry / Orange belt / Hat / Touch of True Beauty Gloves in Teal

Its my birthday in two weeks (eek 29 how the heck did that happen?!) So this serves well as a husband i would like any/all of the above please!! Isn't that cardigan amazing?!

What d'you think?

How would you style this dress?

Insomnia

 Im just gunna come right out and say this. Insomnia is a biatch isnt it. As you can tell from these photos sleep is not my friend of late, and me and the wee hours of the morning have become well acquainted.  This makes for a pale ass Rachel with bags the size of refuse sacks under these eyes, hence the not so great photos and lots of headless shots below.. apologies for that, but i assure you i'm doing you and your computer screen a big favour.

Ever suffered from sleepless nights? To the point where you feel like a zombie come morning time? And yet go to bed at night and BAM! Brain WIDE awake... not cool brain, not cool!!

 Because of the general zombie-esque nature of my daylight hours this past week, i have literally been throwing on this brown biker jacket and brown Lotus boots over pretty much every outfit. Chuck them on over jeans and a top, you're good to go. Dress and a scarf, off i trot. easy peasy no brainers is where i am at right now.
I long for a solid 8 hours sleep(heck id even take 7 at this point in time!) Maybe after that my outfits may be consist of other articles and i won't look like i've just walked off the set of Walking Dead.. here's hoping!

Oh and also i got my hair cut quite substanstially. Not entirely sure i like it (not great first show here, Welsh mist means greasy/wet/frizzy hair..nice!) but its hair, it'll grow back soon.

 Dress: Primark

Biker Jacket: New Look

Scarf: Miss Selfridge

Boots:Lotus

 On that note, i shall leave you with a shot of the beautiful welsh countryside.. Pretty huh!

Faux leather skirt as day wear & Passion For Fashion Link Up!!

This season i am loving faux leather. Its the edginess it brings to an outfit, the luxe feel and the remix-ability of it that seems to get me purchasing more and more pieces. Take this faux leather mini skirt. It is definitely something i would normally shy away from (massively) in the past, but with the new me trying different pieces this little skirt made it in to my faux leather collection, and im super glad it did.

When i picked it up in Matalan, i took it to try on and asked myself "is it practical and will i wear it?" I mean its a faux leather skirt, where the heck do i go to wear something like this?! But after trying it on and finding it was a great fit i thought, heck, i'm going to try and make this work. So, i paired it with this quilted grey sweatshirt and my trusty biker boots for a relaxed daytime outfit. What d'you think, faux leather mini ok for day wear?

I have been a super lazy blogger this week (apologies for that!) My outfits have been very simple and basic this week. Nothing note worthy, but strangely i've been really happy in them. Simple black outfits have been my staple and i'm starting to become totally ok with this. I have given myself a hard time in the past, if my outfit hasn't had loads of interest with multiple layers and accessories and pattern mixing, i worry that i will appear less put together. But slowly i am learning to love a simple outfit. Today's outfit i wore (these photos were taken earlier this week, i was just lazy to post them!) was simple black skinny jeans, black knitted sweater, leopard scarf, brown biker jacket and brown boots. It was so super simple, but i loved it and was complimented on it. I guess what i'm trying to say (perhaps more to myself than to anyone else) is simple can be good. It can be chic and if you feel happy in an outfit then it shows.

Do you ever dress uber simple?

 

 Skirt: Matalan

Sweatshirt: New Look

Boots: Lotus

Scarf: so so old i dont rememeber

 Fashion is for everyone. 

Whether you're single in the city or a stay at home mum from the country...
we all have a passion for fashion!

Every Friday Lena & I will be co-hosting a fashion free-for-all linkup!

Anything fashion goes!

Link up your outfit posts, a fashion recap, a fashion wishlist, get your kids or hubby in on the fun... if you've got a passion for fashion, this is the place to be!

Celebrate your style with us every Friday!

We'll be pinning our favourite looks to our Passion for Fashion boards on Pinterest!
You can find the board HERE 

Follow both hosts Lena and  Me so we can come visit you!
If you could link back to us via text link or button and help spread the 
Passion For Fashion word. 
The more ladies the merrier!

Then go visit, blog hop, follow and comment on all the fabulous ladies you are meeting!

{this linkup is very NEW we would love for you to help us spread the word! }

 Tweet us / instagram us with the hashtag #PassionForFashion

 with your outfits, 

Lets spread the Passion For Fashion word, the more the merrier!

get everyone involved!!

Leopard Print Skirt Love

The other day i mentioned that leopard print/animal prints have been turning my head more than previously, and how i found a sudden liking for them. Well, that liking shot up a notch recently when i found this skirt, tried it on in the changing rooms and declared love from there on out. 

I've never been drawn to leopard print, i had a scarf that previously saw not much wear, and some classic pumps, but that was it. Small doses was enough. Now i can not get enough!

 It feels so different for me, but in a good way. It was so easy-to-wear with its a stretchy mid length pencil skirt it was a great length for practicality but i felt pretty damn snazzy in it (snazzy, not a cool word? something your parents would say trying to be cool? oh dear...) Out of the comfort zone of dressing but definitely in the comfort zone of wearing. I can see this becoming a definite staple in my wardrobe, perhaps a little remix with a striped top, and there are some great colour options coming to mind for it too.

 I decided to go for a simple black and chocolate brown theme today, just keeping it super super simple, but i have to say i was so happy with the outcome.. this is up there in my top 5 (ever changing list) of outfits. I think hubs even liked it and he is not a big animal print fan...at all. I think i may have converted him and me!
And this new faux leather jacket is just a beaut. I have wanted a chocolate colour biker jacket (rather than a light tan colour) for a long time, this one goes so so well with my amazing Chocolate knee high Lotus boots i just couldnt say no..Plus jackets are investments aren't they?! And i do believe it is the kind of piece that will really make a lot of my outfits really come together. Can you tell im rather pleased? heehee.

 I actually wore this on a nice evening date with the hubs, we had yummy food in our favourite pub and the went to see Thor 2 (which FYI, was awesome and unexpectedly funny in parts but you know, caped Chris Hemsworth, need i say more?) We've really missed our cinema and date nights since Neo started school as we have been without my beloved mum once a week. But that just made this one all the better. I have to say there are some amazing films coming out soon, we saw the trailer for the new xmen film and the 2nd hobbit, which has Legolas in (yay!!). If you didn't know im a huge film geek, like huge! and just a bit of a geek in general really,haha.

Skirt: Dorothy Perkins

Roll neck Sweater: Old (F&F Tesco i think)

Faux leather brown Jacket, Necklace& Bag: New Look

Boots: Lotus

So thats enough babbling on from me lovelies, hows your weekend been? 

See any good films?

Wear anything out of your comfort zone?

I highly recommend doing both hahaha!