My Favourite Dresses of 2014

Whilst 2014 has been a bit of a roller coaster in my personal life, one thing that has not changed is my ever growing love for clothes.  Alongside that love for clothes, my body confidence has grown steadily too and that is in no small way due to the amazing blogs that I read.

Becky (Mrs BeBe) is one blog that I always take time to read.  She first inspired me to start my own blog and I love checking out what she is wearing.  Seeing her progress with her writing and how generously she shares her own story drives me on too.

The fabulous Betty Pamper always looks like she dresses exactly the way she wishes.  Betty wears the things that she wants, without worrying if things are "on trend" (I hate that phrase).  She wears the clothes that she loves, her personality shines through them and she always looks amazing.  This is the way I like to dress myself, not following the trends, just following my style; be it from Bon Marche or Asos.

Dani has the wardrobe that I wish that I could live in.  She is always perfectly styled in her photographs and her choices and combinations always inspire me to make bolder choices.  Love this girl.

Leah is a daily read for me.  Reading her blog is like receiving the most amazing hug of your life.  Her generosity, her willingness to share her life with you, both the ups and the downs and of course the great clothes she wears makes her a must read.  I always wish that I lived closer to Leah as she is just the type of person that I love to have in my life.

Em is just amazeballs.  Read her blog and love her.  That is all.

Mentions also have to be made for Nikki who has the best laugh of anyone I know, Becky whose love for dresses rivals my own (congratulations on your job lovely!) and the amazing Louise who inspires me greatly.

So, on to what I wore this year.  Here are my favourites:

There are just a few of my favourite outfits that I have worn this year, hope you like them as much as I do.

I hope everyone has a happy New Year.  Roll on to 2015, I have a feeling it is going to be a good one!

How to make a Cheap Maxi Dress Look Like a Million Dollars

Everybody looks good in a maxi dress, and there’s a huge selection of maxis out there to choose from. Unfortunately, not all of them are priced within reach of the typical girl—which makes choosing a cheap plus-sized maxi dress (that won’t look cheap) quite a challenge. Here are three steps to taking a discount maxi and making it look couture:


Pay attention to fit
This is advice that comes out a lot in the fashion world, but it really does matter. Fitted dresses look substantially more chic and elegant than those that are a hint too light, too lose, too long, or too short. With cheap maxi dresses, the length is particularly important: no maxi dress should touch the floor without showing off at least your toes. Remember that dresses can be hemmed and that even a trip to the tailor costs a lot less than buying fitted designer pieces, while making you look just as good.

A sexy cut goes a long way.
One way to dress up a cheap maxi dress is simply to buy a sexier cut. As a general rule of thumb, sexy dresses look more expensive than casual dresses. Remember that this rule has many exceptions, however, and if you wearing something too revealing to a casual environment, it can look a little bit cheap. There are many ways to make a make dress look sexy without going over the top, however. Evening wear/cocktail style maxi dresses typically have straps and a close fit all the way down to the waist, in contrast to the baggier maxi dresses you see on the beach. If you want to go a step even sexier, look for those with slits, cutouts, or mesh to show off a hint of skin. 

Accessories say a lot.
No matter whether you got your maxi dress for $500 or $50, its look will be influenced heavily by how you accessorize. Consider elements from earrings and necklaces to belts, clutches, shawls and of course your choice of footwear. For best results, contrast against the dress somewhat: a bright pink maxi pairs elegantly with black pumps and a black clutch, whereas a more subued dress is really going to pop with small touches of bright color in the accessories.



How do you dress up a bargain dress?


* Guest Post - Collaborated