OUTFIT: LIBRARY LOOK

As an life-long book worm, as soon as I spotted this dress I knew I had to have it!

Dress - Lindy Bop
Shoes - H&M

Made by UK brand Lindy Bop, this is their Bletchley Book dress - a 1950's style shirt dress, with a flare skirt, cute matching belt, and pockets!! 

I'd eyed up Lindy Bop dresses for a while now, I'm a big fan of swing skirts, vintage styles and cute patterns which they have in abundance (how nice is this woodland print dress, for example!) but it took a dress covered in books to make me race for the buy button. Only problem was it was sold out on their site, but a bit of googling led me to Little Wings Factory who helpfully had it in stock. Phew!

The dress is made from a matte finish fabric, and is essentially a fancy polyester dress, but it feels nice to wear, is sized well, and has a concealed zip fastening. You could easily wear a petticoat with it if you wanted to go full 50s, and I reckon - despite being quite a bold print - you can style it up or down, depending on how fancy you want to look. 

I wanted to look quite fancy as I wore it to go to the Queen's Garden Party in Edinburgh. I'd been invited through work, which gave me the excuse to dress up and head off to Holyrood Palace for an afternoon in the scorching sunshine, drinking elderflower cordial, eating tiny posh cakes, and lounging in very cute flowerbeds (whilst ignoring the actual Queen, sorry Lizzie!).

OUTFIT: MONKI & LEOPARD

Let me introduce you to my new favourite slouchy cardigan and boots combo! I've been on the hunt for a brown cardigan for aaaaages, and was lucky enough to find this under the Christmas tree - it's the perfect shade of chestnut (it matches my hair! I'm into that) has pockets, and basically feels like I'm wearing a giant blanket, which ticks all of my winter boxes.

Cardigan - Monki
Dress - Monki (via ASOS)
Boots - New Look (via ASOS)

I got some Christmas ASOS vouchers, so I treated myself to some leopard print boots (they are cute and comfy, and I treat leopard print like a neutral so I'm wearing them with everything), and a Monki wrap dress (which is now down to a bargainous £13 in the sale!).

I discovered Monki last year and I am in love. If you're not clued up, Monki's the Swedish fashion brand owned by H&M. It's just as affordable, but quirkier and cooler. 

They mix bright colours and bold prints with Scandi style and good shapes - their clothes are pretty much perfect for my body shape, and it is such a delight to find skirts and dresses that seem designed for normal body shapes (they come with sleeves! They don't surprise you with weird backless panels! They almost always have pockets!).

Hello, I still don't know how to pose in these photos, no #fashionblogger editorials here

I love dresses like this, as you can make them pretty casual (like this) which I'm wear to work or on the weekend (my life/work wardrobe is essentially interchangeable) or lose the cardigan-blanket, wear different shoes and it becomes a Nice Dress! Win win win.

OUTFIT: GIRLS ON TOPS

Have you heard of Girls on Tops? A t-shirt celebration of female voices in film, this tee brand started last year when a small group of friends wondered “wouldn’t it be cool if women in film were treated like rock stars…if Greta Gerwig and Annette Bening had their names on t-shirts too?". Why, yes, yes it would be.

Recognisable as clean white tees with simple black type, Girls on Tops have taken the world of film by storm, popping up on red carpets, and becoming the unofficial uniform of film festivals worldwide. Edinburgh International Film Festival was no different - it was so cool to spot staff, filmmakers, industry guests and audiences in them everyday, and I was chuffed to wear my love for Laura Dern very proudly on my chest.

Unofficial EIFF uniform:
Tee - Girls on Tops
Skirt - New Look
Boots - Primark

In the short space of a year, Girls on Tops tees are sold nationwide, and have been worn by Lynne Ramsay, Greta Gerwig, Rooney Mara, Timothée Chalamet, Laura Dern, Annie Clark and more. But what's even better, is that money from t-shirt sales now goes towards funding female-lead film projects and commissioning female-lead film writing.

Did you know that women only make up 16% of film screenwriters? That 78% of reviews from 205-2017 were written by male critics? That British cinema's gender imbalance was worse in 2017 than 1913? The film industry is dominated by men, so I am very here for anything that shouts about and celebrates women's achievement in film, and helps people break into the industry. And if I get to look cute doing so? Yes please!

OUTFIT: ORLA KIELY SHOES

As it's Science Festival season, I thought I'd share what I wore to our programme launch back in February. This year's Festival is themed around Building Better Worlds, so as press props/venue decorations we made these adorable happy planets, which are too cute to resist posing with!

Dress* - Tu at Sainsburys
Shoes - Orla Kiely at Clarks
Necklace - JOY

I've blogged about this dress before, but it's become a bit of a staple in my wardrobe when I need to be a little more dressed up! It's a really simple polka dot dress from Tu at Sainsburys, and I love the dipped neck and back which makes it feel a little more fancy. I had been a bit wary of the length when I first got it (because I am short, and longer dresses can drown me), but I've been wearing it with heels which works really well.

Talking of heels, look at my very favourite new pair of shoes...

Aren't they beautiful? They are from the Orla Kiely x Clarks collection, which I had been eyeing up as soon as they were released, but as they were a bit pricey, I couldn't justify buying them. Then in January I just so happened to be passing a Clarks, popped in, and found one pair in my size left in the sale! It was meant to be.

I'm pretty rubbish in heels, but these are so comfy and nice to walk in, thanks to the super chunky heel. They're so cute, and I love pairing them with an all-black outfit to add a pop of colour. 

OUTFIT: MONOCHROME FLUFF

Over Christmas my best friend came up to visit from London, and as part of BFF-bonding time, we found ourselves in Tesco, attempting to finish Christmas food shopping, but being distracted by the clothing section instead. At first we were trying to find something to buy for a night out with our school pals... but then we came across the most ridiculous fluffy jackets and decided that OF COURSE we should buy matching ones!

Jacket - F&F at Tesco
Jeans - Primark
Brogues* - George at Asda

I have a couple of furry jackets, but this manic monochrome number felt SO far out of my comfort zone. But my pal is a persuasive person, and she talked me into trying it on... I kinda liked it, and even though I really don't feel cool enough to wear something like this, I've worn it out a few times! And I've never felt daft... I've been too busy being the warmest human alive. 

I've mainly been wearing it over dresses, but today I chucked it on over black jeans (my winter staple), and my adorable sparkly black brogues (which are currently £8 in the sale!). I like this outfit a lot, I think my hair is still bright enough to add a bit of colour to the monochrome look (even if it's lightened up LOADS in the last month - look how bright it was before!), and it's super comfy and very little effort. 

I think I'm a faux fur convert - there's nothing quite like feeling like you've got a polar bear cuddling you as you walk. I also love that if I'm wearing it, there's a chance that at the other end of the country, my pal is too! 

OUTFIT: DENIM & PATCHES

For my birthday Joshua bought me an amazing set of patches, which gave me the excuse to treat myself to a new denim jacket. I've been on the hunt for a nice denim jacket for AGES, but I'm really picky about them (and over the years I've bought loads that just sit unloved in my wardrobe and end up going to a charity shop).

This time though, I've lucked out with this super cosy ASOS number that ticked all of my boxes (including 'being in the sale', hooray!).

Denim jacket - ASOS
Top & skirt - H&M
Boots* - Buffalo - Mac Queen from Spartoo 

I'm a fan of being slouchy and cosy, so this is my ideal winter get-up. My number one issue with most denim jackets is that they tend to be cropped, and sit really weirdly on me. As someone with curves, I hate tiny jackets and always feel really uncomfortable in them, so it was such a relief to discover that this jacket sits nicely on my hips and doesn't make me feel like a massive denim ball.

I've had these boots for YEARS and I'm slowly wearing them to death, but they are so comfortable. They are fleecy lined on the inside, and the leather is SO soft, they are just like wearing slippers! I'm not sure if you can buy these anymore (Spartoo have a couple of pairs, but not in my size), and I'm a bit gutted for the day they do give up the ghost!

And my very favourite thing about this outfit? The amazing patches! I've got two from Stay Home Club (I cry at the most ridiculous things, so these are very, very appropriate for my life), a couple from TV shows I love, this amazing Jeff Goldblum Appreciation Society patch by Kodiak Milly AND a wonderful feminist dinosaur badge by Kate Gabrielle.

I actually can't pick a favourite, I feel like the coolest kid in town!

OUTFIT: FLUFFY JUMPERS & CHELSEA BOOTS

This outfit is really as simple as it gets, but this winter I've really liked slouching around in black jeans and boots.

I tend to wear dresses most days, but I really like this outfit - sometimes navigating my tights drawer just feels too hard (I don't know why I own so many terrible pairs of tights), and it's nice to dress in black from tip-to-toe - my hair looks brighter and I mean business!

Jumper - H&M
Jeans - Primark
Boots* - Tu at Sainsburys

This has pretty much been my staple outfit for my gothier days. The jumper is the fluffiest jumper of all time - you can't really see in these pictures, but is perfectly 90s-inspired, and is so cosy and snuggly! It's annoyingly starting to shrink in the wash, but I do wear it ALL THE TIME, so I might just need to admit defeat and buy a new one before spring stock starts coming in!

I bought these jeans a couple of months ago, and despite being a Primark bargain, they are wearing well! They are the first black jeans I've owned in YEARS and I can't imagine a wardrobe without black denim in it anymore - they go with absolutely everything.

My chelsea boots are from Tu at Sainsbury's, and are another staple item I can't believe I've lived without for so long. They are super comfy, and look just as good with a dress and tights (for fancier days) as they do with jeans.

OUTFIT: I LIKE BIG BOWS & I CANNOT LIE

I love December. It's the only time of year that you can get away with accessorizing in a full-on way ALL of the time, without anyone blinking an eyelid. I wore this outfit a few weeks ago to attend a fancy awards dinner, but I reckoned it would work just as well as a festive number.

Dress* - Tu at Sainsburys
Shoes - Ebay
Bow - Crown & Glory

The polka dot dress is from Tu at Sainsbury's, which means it's a total bargain (at the time of writing this post it's on sale for £13,50, down from £18). It's a longer length than I would normally wear - sitting just on my knee, but I think that makes it look a lot fancier and grown up. I love a polka dot pattern, and the neckline is super cute too - it dips down in a v-shape at the front and back of the dress. 

To dress it up even further, I added this over-sized velvet bow hairband by Crown and Glory. This comes in blue and emerald too, but I think the red is totally perfect for the Christmas season.

It can feel a bit scary to try a hair accessory that's this big, but hopefully I'm showing that it's a really wearable piece - I got lovely compliments on it all night, and I wasn't self-conscious at all (which feels like a big step, considering this time last year I was talking myself into wearing much smaller hair bows!).

My shoes are cheap velvet flats from ebay - I think they were less than £10, but they've lasted really well! Buying a house means my clothing budget is absolutely minuscule, I'm getting good at finding quality bargains!

OUTFIT: BIRTHDAYS & BALLOONS

Last week I threw a mini surprise party for my lovely friend Sian, which meant my flat was filled with bunting & balloons (and, er, loads of cut-out masks of Sian's face, which I now don't know what to do with).

I had such a nice time, so I wanted to show off what I wore that night (mainly because it gives me an excuse to play around with the balloons that are lasting FOREVER).

Dress (worn as top) - New Look
Skirt - H&M
Shoes* - George at Asda

My stripey top is actually a dress from New Look - I bought it earlier in the summer, and was gutted when it shrunk in the wash and was too short to wear... until I realised it sat really nicely under skater-style skirts!

The skirt is from H&M and has been a staple in my wardrobe for ages, I've worn it on holiday, to work, to music festivals, you name it, it works for (almost!) every occasion. I love this style, and I love that H&M have a new version of this skirt every time they update their collections - I think it's super flattering, so it makes my clothes shopping simple!

Necklace - H&M

I've already blogged about these shoes in my candy cane outfit post, but as predicted, they are all I want to wear at the moment. They're from George at Asda and they are as lovely as they are shiny.

OUTFIT: BOOHOO WINTER WARMER CHALLENGE

Oh the weather outside is frightful! It's been absolutely freezing the last few weeks, so I was pretty pleased when Boohoo got in touch to challenge me to put together a winter outfit for under £40. I love a bargain, so I starting scouring their site to find a few pieces to keep me cosy from head to toe.

Navy dress - Boohoo*
Tan shoes - Boohoo*
Cream hat - Boohoo*
Necklace - H&M

When I'm online shopping I tend to stick to shapes I know will suit me - I'm quite curvy, and I hate being frustrated if I see something lovely online, only to realise it turns me into a box when I try it on.

A skater dress is pretty much my go-to style, so I was delighted to find this floral knitted (!) skater dress for only £12. I love this pattern - it feels grown up enough to wear to work, but also nice enough to wear out to dinner or the pub with pals. It's also more of a knitted effect than an actual knit, but I really like that - it's cosy, but doesn't weigh you down like a massive sweater dress would.

For added cosiness, I threw on a beanie hat, which was only £3! I love hats, they help hide my wild hair and you cannot go wrong with a slouchy cream hat.

I also scowled massively at the camera, because I am still rubbish at taking blog outfit photos. I am trying! 

Finally, I got these beautiful double buckle Chelsea boots in tan for only £16. I love the buckle details on these shoes, and they've also got a zip up the back so you don't have to faff around when you're putting them on and off. I've pretty much been living in these since they arrived, and they're super comfy and are handling Scottish rainy days pretty well!

So dress, shoes, hat all for £40! Yeah, you'll need a jacket, but I think that's a pretty good winter haul.

OUTFIT: CANDY CANE CHRISTMAS

It's December 1st which means it's officially time to start counting down to Christmas! Hooray! I love December so much - I love the decorating, the food, the hot booze, the fact it's okay to wear glitter all the time, that you have big get-togethers with your friends and family, AND it's also my birthday month. Best time of the year!

George at Asda are also fans of Christmas cheer, and asked me to share my essential Christmas Day outfit. I also got to pick a couple of things from their party dress collection (thanks guys) and pose in front of my new candy striped study wall - I knew there was a good reason to paint my house ridiculous colours!

Dress* - George at Asda
Shoes* - George at Asda
Necklace - JOY

Christmas Day for me is generally a very relaxed affair - my family always played board games rather than dressing up fancy, and I've kept that tradition as I've carved out my own Christmases away from home. 

Generally, after lounging about the morning, most of the day will be spent cooking Christmas dinner - last year we cooked a goose and it was incredible! - then eating as much as physically possible, and collapsing on the sofa to watch the Doctor Who Christmas special and old festive films. So for my Christmas outfit I try and find something that feels like I've made a little bit of an effort, but allows for maximum comfiness when I'm too full to care! 

I picked out this lace insert dress and it's perfect! (It's also only TWELVE POUNDS. Christmas bargain!). It's a skater-style dress in a jersey fabric, so it's soft and super cosy. The lace sleeves and back help dress it up that wee bit, so it happily sits in the land between I-made-an-effort and I'm-going-to-snooze-on-the-sofa. 

To give it a little bit of colour, I added my very favourite JOY rainbow necklace (I'm going to have to buy another soon as I am wearing this one to death!), and a glittery holly clip from Crown and Glory.

To add another touch of festive sparkle, I wore these amazing gold lace-up brogues from George. They're a really beautiful rose gold colour, and I'm pretty sure I'll be wearing these all of December (and hoping the weather isn't too terrible so I don't ruin them!). They're also a bargainous £14 (and come in silver too). 

I hope that's inspired you to start planning your outfit... there's only 24 sleeps to Christmas!

OUTFIT: SCARVES & CYCLES

I am so pleased that scarf weather is back! I love this time of year - when you're not freezing, but it's cold enough to wrap up, the days are still bright, and leaves are crisp on the ground.

Cape - Dorothy Perkins (via Depop)
Scarf - Primark
Jeans - Primark
Boots - ASOS
Sunglasses - Forever 21

I had been searching for a cape for months, and was so pleased to finally find one I liked earlier this year. It's got a massive fleecy hood and huge pockets, and despite basically being a giant blanket, it looks really nice on too! It's also surprisingly ace to cycle in. I ride my bike a lot these days (my boyfriend is doing a good job of converting me into a proper city cyclist), and this cape is great - it's warm, but there's (obviously!) lots of ventilation, so you don't get too hot if you're cycling quickly!

The scarf is my new favourite thing. My friend bought this scarf last year, and I've been so jealous every time she wore it, so I was delighted when she said she'd spotted it again in Primark this year. It's half houndstooth, half tartan, and is suitably MASSIVE and cosy.

Bike - Kingston (via Amazon)

I ordered my bike this time last year after my very old, but very loved ancient Raleigh was stolen from outside my work (boo, hiss!). This is a Kingston Hampton Classic, which I got from Amazon (it felt weird to buy a bike from Amazon, but it was the cheapest site!). It's not the best bike if you want to cycle out of the city (or up a particularly steep hill), but it is a brilliant city bike (and I am getting better at hills).

I had been a little worried that getting a bright colour might make it more attractive to baddies (my previous bike had been a beautiful green vintage number), but I really didn't want a boring bike! I get loads of compliments on it too, which makes me so happy - fellow cyclists say nice things when we're waiting at traffic lights, and people give me thumbs up as I cycle past. It's very sweet!

OUTFIT: KIMONOS & CURLS

Alright, I know that jeans are in no way an exciting outfit, but I liked what I wore to work and I wanted to share it! This was from a muggy cloudy day - while the rest of the UK was whining about a heatwave, Scotland was cloudy and filled with thunderstorms.

Kimono - New Look
Vest top - H&M
Jeans - Topshop
Shoes - New Look
Satchel - The Leather Satchel Co

I bought this kimono from New Look back in March when I was feeling enthusiastic about summer, but I've only just gotten round to wearing it. It's really light and floaty, so it's perfect for hot weather when paired with a vest top.

I try to dress a little smarter if I have client meetings (so I'll wear a dress, rather than jeans), but for a day spent in the office, this is a pretty perfect comfy combination.

 

I've also been living in these shoes since I bought them, and they are now so beat up, I'll probably have to bin them soon (sob!). They are the world's comfiest loafers, go with almost anything, and have a nice pointed toe, so even though they are now a bit scruffy, they still feel a little fancy.

Sunglasses - Forever 21
Necklace - H&M

Since I returned from holiday I've been curling my hair pretty regularly in an attempt to recreate sea hair (my hair always curls amazingly in the ocean, it's like magic!). It's a bit of a faff to use a curling iron all the time though, so I'm experimenting with some sea salt spray - I'll let you know how I get on!

I'm also quite obsessed with statement necklaces at the moment, and I really love this plaited one I bought from H&M (who have the loveliest things in right now). Annoyingly though, because I'm a sucker for cheap jewellery, I always face the problem where the colour rubs off and then my neck goes green. Aargh!

OUTFIT: FANCY FLORALS

A few weeks ago I went to try out the new (amazing!) afternoon tea at one of Edinburgh's fanciest venues, The Signet Library. I'll blog about the afternoon tea in more detail soon (because seriously, it was so so so good), but I also wanted to share what I wore that day.

Dress - JOY
Bee hairclips - Crown & Glory

I got this dress in JOY last year, and I love it! JOY are really great if you're curvy like me, most of their dresses are super flattering and cut in at the waist. They tend to be on the pricier end of my budget (most JOY dresses are around £40-£60), but they often have bargains in their sales, and do good freebies if you spend over a certain amount.

Dress - JOY
Polka dot blazer - Urban Outfitters
Satchel - The Leather Satchel Co
Shoes - New Look 

I paired it with my favourite blazer, a light polka dot one, which I got ages ago from Urban Outfitters, and teal shoes which pick out the colour of flowers from the dress. It's a little bit too short to wear without tights (although that might just be me!), but I like that it brings a summery vibe to cooler days.

OUTFIT: SUNSHINE & FLOWERS

I was thinking the other day about how much I love reading outfit posts. Not high fashion styled-completely-out-of-my-league outfit posts, but normal people wearing pretty clothes that don't look TOO scary to try and style (I particularly love Wardrobe Conversations, A Rosie Outlook and Miss West End Girl for this kind of post!).

So I'm going to try and up my meagre efforts at my own outfit posts, and start sharing what I'm wearing a little more regularly.

Top - H&M
Skirt - H&M
Floral crowns (I only wore one, promise!) - Crown & Glory
Necklace - H&M

Last week I was treated to a blogger morning at Spa in the City (more about that here!), and as it was held in one of Edinburgh's parks, it felt like a good excuse to wear a flowery outfit.

I didn't intentionally pick an all-H&M outfit, but I am really loving their stuff at the moment! There's an H&M about five minutes from my office, which it means I pass it every lunchtime, and it's just too good to resist. This top is from their basics range (so was only £6!) and it is great - the cropped sleeves are perfect for sunny but breezy days.

Floral headband - Crown & Glory
Shoes - New Look

I'm quite curvy, so I'm a fan of outfit silhouettes like this, that nip in at the waist and kick out to a skater skirt shape. I also seem to be OBSESSED with turquoise, I don't mean to, but practically everything I've bought recently has been in the same shade (I'm also wearing turquoise nail polish with this outfit). At least it makes colour coordinating easy! 

Now I just need to learn how to get my photo taken in public without nervously freezing in an awkward grin... will I ever be cool? (Thanks to Amy from Scotcampus for taking my photos!).

OUTFIT: POLKA DOT PINAFORE

I've been posting more outfit posts lately, and whilst my awkward self-posing is a million times better than how it used to be, I don't think I'll ever nail the cool, slouchy scowl face of bloggers that actually do this well.

Anyway, here's some smiley school-photo-esque poses, of my very favourite dress.

Pinafore - H&M
Shirt - H&M
Shoes - ASOS

I bought this pinafore in H&M at the end of last summer, and it's been such a brilliant staple in my wardrobe. I'm quite lucky because I work in a very creative place, which means my work wardrobe is super flexible - almost anything goes, as long as I know when to look a little more presentable (like when I'm meeting clients).

I usually wear this pinafore with t-shirts under it for a casual cute look, but I recently discovered that it goes SO nicely with this sheer shirt, and helps the whole outfit become that little bit smarter.

I absolutely adore these mary jane shoes from ASOS, which were a total bargain at £25 (and at the time I'm writing this, these exact shoes are in the ASOS sale for £8!). I do worry I dress a little bit like a schoolchild (especially when paired with my red duffel or yellow raincoat), but I think I pull it off? I hope so, anyway!

OUTFIT: RED RIDING HOOD

My winter coat collection is seriously getting out of hand, but I don't care... look at this beautiful duffel coat!

Coat - JOY
Skirt - H&M
Boots - ASOS
Headband - Crown & Glory 

I had been eyeing up this coat all winter, but couldn't quite justify buying it, so I just did that weird thing where I would look longingly at it every time I passed JOY, with occasional pathetic trips into the store to stare at it. Step in my hero lovely boyfriend, who very kindly bought it as a spur of the moment present (what a guy!).

The last month has been freezing, so I've been wearing it LOADS and it's so cute. The hood and sleeves are impossibly soft and cosy, I find myself absent-mindedly stroking them all the time.

I'm also a big fan of my mermaid-inspired Crown & Glory turban (I know I'm writing about them loads, but I'm quite obsessed with hair accessories this year!). This arrived in my Glitterati box and at first I was a bit unsure about it (it is a shimmery spandex band, after all), but it's surprisingly wearable and I love the colour combination of it with my jacket.

OUTFIT: AZTEC CARDIGAN

As much as I love my ever expanding wardrobe of winter coats and jackets, I am excited for Spring, and not having to wear one million layers of clothing every time I leave the house.

I wanted to share with you my new favourite slouchy furry, sort of cardigan, sort of jacket, thing, which is from JD Williams (who very kindly gave me my pick of knitted goodness from their massive knitwear section). As I gravitate towards anything that looks warm and soft, I couldn't resist this oversized cardigan, which is cosy enough to wear as a jacket on days that aren't TOTALLY freezing.

Turban - Crown & Glory velvet headband
Cardigan* - JD Williams
Black T-shirt - H&M
Black skirt - H&M
Ankle boots - ASOS

I'm not going to lie - as soon as it arrived, it became my go-to slouch around the house outfit (paired super stylishly with a pair of pyjama shorts), which is great for comfort (it's SO comfy), but not so good for a blog outfit post, where I attempt to look like I know how to dress.

So, I forced myself to take it out of my slouchy pile of clothes, and put together an outfit that was still warm and comfy, but also going-outside appropriate. I'm pretty pleased with it!

I paired it with my Crown & Glory turban headband (from their Glitterati box), a super simple outfit, and a simple gold necklace.

Rope headband - Crown & Glory

I don't think it's the most flattering shape for my figure, but I also don't care. It's like wearing a massive furry blanket - which kind of ticks all of my boxes.

This is the sort of thing I'd wear to the pub, or for a mooch around the markets on Sunday, and if Spring ever actually appears, it'll be an ace thing to have for weird sort-of-spring, still-quite-freezy weird weather days!

OUTFIT: GAME MASTERS

A few weeks ago, I went along to Museum Lates: Game Masters  - the latest in the National Museum of Scotland's super popular series of late-night events. Museum Lates are so much fun! You get to explore the museum without millions of kids getting in the way, take part in interactive and crafty sessions, drink wine and dance in the beautiful Grand Gallery.

The Museum is currently home to Game Masters, a massive interactive exhibition celebrating videogames, so this month's Lates was themed around gaming... which meant it was also the perfect chance to dress up (I can never resist an opportunity for fancy dress!).

Misty dress-up:
T-shirt - H&M
 Shorts - New Look
Braces - Amazon
Red sneakers (not shown) - Amazon

I wanted something easy to put together (as we were heading straight from work), so I dressed up as Misty from Pokemon - a game I absolutely loved when I was younger! I painted my nails in the pattern of her pokemon Togepi (because I am a cool grown-up), which meant I didn't have to carry around any props (all the better for carrying beer instead), and I discovered that braces are surprisingly comfortable.

Joshua was king of dress-up though, and went as a Pikmin, which is a character from a super cute (and seriously addictive) game we've been playing. All night people kept coming up to us to gasp at his outfit and take his picture (and occasionally, presumably out of sympathy, take my photo too).

It was just SO much fun! The Grand Gallery was lit up with Pac-Man shapes, you could make videogame-inspired jewellery, craft pixelated Valentine's cards, take part in Just Dance on a massive screen (only mildly embarrassing), listen to game-themed poetry, play on arcade games, or tipsily explore the museum (my favourite bit is their massive t-rex!).

Game Masters is on until April 20th (so you can come see it as part of the Science Festival!) and is definitely worth a visit (even if you don't think you're much of a gaming fan). Museum Lates run across the year, and if you keep an eye on their events page, details of the next one will hopefully be up soon.

OUTFIT: CAPE

About six months ago I decided I was desperate for a cape, and I have been (lazily) searching for one ever since. I had pretty specific ideas - it needed to be cute (obviously), have a hood, be an ACTUAL cape (I can't believe how many are called capes but have sleeves?!), and not be too pricey as I already own considerably more winter jackets than I need.

I'd been keeping an eye on local charity shops and ebay, but nothing jumped out, so then I thought I'd take a look at Depop - an app for buying and selling, that loads of bloggers have been chatting about lately (it's basically a hipster ebay). Aaaand, I found one!

Cape - Dorothy Perkins (from Depop)
Dress - H&M
Shoes - ASOS

This cape was originally from Dorothy Perkins, had only been worn once, and was on sale for the super bargainous price of £20 (down from an original price of £69!). I LOVE IT.

It's got a super cosy fleecy hood, has big pockets, and is just so warm and nice to wear. I was a bit nervous that I'd look like I was wearing a tent and it would drown me, but buttoned-up or opened, it sits really nicely.

It's surprisingly tricky to get used to wearing a cape when you haven't had one before (or maybe I'm just a bit rubbish!), but you get used to no sleeves, and it is basically like wearing a massive, socially-acceptable blanket, which is one of the best fashion decisions I have ever made.