One of my favourite things about Christmas is the parties leading up to it. I love the glitz and glamour of a smart venue, getting together with friends for a natter and a giggle over drinks and nibbles, and of course, the excuse to get glammed up! I've always loved the ritual of getting ready for a night out - to be honest, for me it's as much fun as the event itself. In my ideal world, that ritual involves a bubble bath and a glass of champagne, followed by hours wrapped in a silk kimono while I apply scented body cream, do my nails... you get the picture.

In reality, there might be time for a quick shower before I throw my dress on and go straight into the hair and makeup. Everything else needs to be done the night before, or else it probably isn't happening!

I was really excited when Boohoo invited me to their Christmas party at the W Hotel in Leicester Square this year. It sounded like a fantastic venue, I'd get to say hi to a few bloggers I'd met before, and best of all, plus ones were allowed, so I was able to bring my sister with me. Boohoo also very kindly offered to gift me a dress for the occasion. What more could any girl want?

Preparation began a week or so before with my favourite tanning routine. The dress I was going to wear was quite demure, but there was still going to be a bit of flesh on show, so I wanted a bit of a glow. Often, instead of a regular fake tan, I'll use Dove Summer Revived for a few days leading up to an event. It's much less hassle to apply and gives a similar effect if you let the colour build up over a few applications.

Next, nails. I always find that manicures take me the longest time to do, and there's nothing worse than rushing it and going out with a smudged nail (first world problems!) Often, I'll give myself a mani pedi the night before an event, so I have time to do it properly. This time, I went for the shade I'm Not Really A Waitress by OPI - a gorgeous ruby red with a pearlescent finish that's just perfect for this time of year.

As my dress was black, I decided to go for a red lip, and in fact the makeup I ended up wearing for the occasion was very similar to the look I posted here. The biggest difference was that I used Mary Lou Manizer by theBalm as a highlight instead of Mac Soft and Gentle, as it packs a bit more of a punch. I didn't do anything different with my hair - just curled it like I always do and applied half a can of hairspray to protect it from any weather related mishaps on the journey there.

With my dress being quite simple and understated, I allowed myself a little bit of sparkle when it came to accessories. The gold clutch bag and ring are years old, but I did treat myself to some new shoes from Topshop. How gorgeous are these? The shape of them is just perfect, and I'm completely in love with the beautiful embroidery and ballerina style ribbon ties. I honestly think the detail on these makes them look so much more expensive than they really are, and thanks to the block heel I can actually walk in them too! They're also available in plain black velvet and a sort of mermaid-esque shimmer finish. The embroidered ones are definitely my favourites, but given how amazing the shape is I'm seriously tempted to buy the plain black as well.

Of course, in the middle of getting ready, you need to take a quick break to check social media. It's compulsory.

Then put your shoes on...



And when you're finally ready, you need to take a blurry as hell mirror selfie. Because otherwise, you're missing the point.

Haven't Boohoo done an amazing job with this dress? It's so pretty and easy to wear. I felt like a princess in it, but also super comfortable. I actually don't think the pictures on the website do it justice. Because Boohoo clothes in general are really affordable, it does leave you wondering about the quality, but I was pleasantly surprised when I received this. The dress feels weighty and soft to the touch, and I love the sheer striped overlay on the skirt. At just £25 I think it's a brilliant buy, and I'm tempted to snap it up in another colour, possibly the white.

The party itself was so much fun. Held in the glamorous and very cool nightclub on the first floor of the W hotel, the atmosphere was buzzing. There was champagne aplenty, and all sorts of delicious food to snap up as it whizzed by on trays, including adorable mini cones of fish and chips. There was a photobooth, fabulous glittering face paint, great music and more. The following set of photos was taken by Boohoo, so thanks to them for allowing me to share them here, not to mention inviting me to such a great party!

I didn't steal the balloons. Honestly.


When the night was finally over, I was so happy I'd invested in this Zara Faux Fur (featured in my Coat Wishlist) to cosy up in on the way home. Not only did it look great over the dress, it worked equally well over jeans and a jumper the following day. This is yet another piece that looks and feels so much more expensive than its price tag would suggest, coming in at well under £100.

Have you got any Christmas parties planned in the coming weeks? And if so, what are you going to wear?

Kate x

Truth be told, I've always hated being made to feel that there's some reason why I can't wear something. Whether it's because of my height, my shape, my colouring or my age, the thought of dismissing beautiful clothes because I "just can't pull them off" really niggles me. Now I'm not saying that I think I can wear absolutely anything, but I do think that most of us can wear more than we think we can - it's all about how we wear it. In other words, I think you can do a heck of a lot with styling. So when Boohoo got in touch to ask if I'd like to take part in their dress of the month campaign, in which a group of bloggers are challenged to style up a dress they had no say in choosing, I jumped at the chance. In fact, I was kind of hoping that the dress I got sent would be something I'd never usually dream of wearing, just so that I could put my styling theory to the test.
 

And then it arrived. A stunning, floral print, wraparound maxi, it was exactly the sort of thing I'd have picked out myself, given the chance. Was I disappointed that it wasn't more of a challenge? Well... no. If I'm honest, the dress is so beautiful that I was just thrilled to have received it!

Dark florals are ideal for this transitional time of year, and with sleeves rolled up and pretty sandals, it works really well as a late summer piece. As it gets cooler, I'll wear the sleeves long and add tights, ankle boots and a leather jacket.


Although it's a maxi dress, it stops just above the ankle, which immediately suggested "statement shoes" to me when it came to styling. These fabulous Topshop mustard mules - which by the way are one of my latest obsessions - fit the bill perfectly. Mules aren't the most flattering of trends, and in fact, I avoided them completely back in the nineties when they were last popular. But the high heel and pretty colour of these somehow seduced me, and now I can't get enough of them. I love them with this dress, but they look equally fab with jeans. They're also easy to walk in, which I wasn't expecting - always a bonus!

As well as the mules, I went for another nineties trend when styling this dress - the velvet choker. Now this I loved back in the day - I can remember having quite a few of them in different colours. It's been so much fun to revisit this trend - turns out I still love it!

Dress* - Boohoo, Mules, Choker - Topshop, Bag (similar) - Zara

*Dress sent to me for review. All opinions, as always, are my own.

Ah, September. That back to school buzz of brand new stationery, a year full of promise and of course, new clothes. I find that no matter how old I get, I still seem to catch these excited feelings about this time of year. Now it's obviously been several millennia a while since I had to prepare for going back to school, but updating my wardrobe for the new season is something I still get to do year after year, and as far as I'm concerned, I'll probably never tire of it!

I've noticed a few trends coming through to the high street in the new autumn collections that have my pulse quickening, and one of them is over the knee boots. While they've been a fixture in autumn/winter fashion for a while now, this year I'm seeing so many more and in so many different variations than in recent seasons. And guess what - I kind of want them all. Predictable, aren't I?! I've compiled a little wishlist of some of my favourites, so take a look and see which ones you like the best!

1. River Island Studio Over the Knee Boots - These are so sleek, and the attention to detail makes them look, in my opinion, a lot more expensive than they actually are. The fact that they're sock boots is great for those of us with skinny calves, plus I love the contrast with the leather forepart and the gold trim on the heels. The only negative about these - for short girls like me - is that they really do look very long, more "thigh high" than just over the knee. Realistically, they'd probably come up to my waist. Oh well! Maybe these are just ones to lust over rather than actually buy.

2. Dune Lace Up Boots - I think these might be my favourites. I adore that lush black suede, and that fabulous lace up detail. Luckily, they have a zip fastening, otherwise it might take you a week to put them on, although quite frankly, the finished result is so fabulous that it would totally be worth the effort. The block heel and rounded toe are genius on this boot - anything pointier might have taken them into slutty territory, but as it is, they're just effortlessly cool. I simply cannot stop looking at them. Oh, and did I mention they're also available in khaki? Swoon.

3. H&M Tan Over the Knee Boots - A super affordable (£39.99!) offering from H&M, which easily holds its own against a lot of much pricier boots. These come in black as well, but I think the tan pair looks more expensive, and creates more of a contrast with the heel, adding that little something extra. These are a great shape and have a little tie up detail at the back - just on the top section. They'd look fab with some blue jeans, a soft white polo neck jumper and a shearling jacket.

4. Asos Tortoiseshell Heel Boots - Another tan pair, these are super simple. There's almost nothing to them, apart from a simple drawstring fastening at the back and, of course, that gorgeous tortoiseshell heel. These are a great casual option, but again they're probably more suited to taller girls than me. I'll just have to settle for wearing them in my fantasy life, where I'm actually Gigi Hadid.

5. Kurt Geiger Tassled Boots - Now these are quite different from any of the others, and quite the statement piece. I love the fringe detailing and think it gives off a cool, boho vibe. These boots would make the ideal partner for any fedora and gilet combo.

6. Zara Flat Over the Knee Boots - Chic and minimal, I'd pair these with something classic and sophisticated, like a tailored coat and a ladylike handbag. The flat, stacked heel makes them ideal for running around in, but they're sleek enough to look smart at the same time. They're also available in tan and are another great affordable option, coming in at £49.99.

7. Kendall and Kylie Grey Stiletto Boots - Available via Asos, these could be difficult to style, but done right they'd look sensational. As suggested in the photo here, they'd work really well with a simple little black dress, but I'd go for something quite demure (high neck, long sleeves) to balance out the overt sexiness of the boots.

What are your feelings on over the knee boots? Yay or nay? And are there any on my wishlist that have caught your eye?

Kate x