My latest lovely from Lipsy

I wasn't actively on the look out for a new dress but when one catches your eye and dazzles you it's hard to resist. Even harder when it fits perfectly and looks fabulous! Pay day had finally arrived only a few days previously so I knew I could afford to splash out and with summer practically on the door step I figured I'd need a new dress for all the parties I was planning on attending!

This little darling is strapless, has origami pleats in the skirt, a deep waistband and a boned bodice. Gorgeously perfect for this season. I honestly couldn't help it!

The Gorgeous Girls Aloud

This post is a little late, I had hoped to get it written last week but I've been a busy girl enjoying the glorious sunshine, shopping and drinking wine. A little too much of the latter two, but that's another post! 

As you know, my friends and I headed to Birmingham to see the fabulous Girls Aloud one Wednesday in May. A hotel was booked, a dress was bought and I was excited!

It was my job to print off directions to the hotel and the NIA, Google helped me out and I had the maps at the ready. Once we were all lip glossed and looking lovely we headed out to the venue. My friend, map in hand, lead us girls to...not the NIA, but Birmingham's business quarter. I'd mistakenly printed directions to the law courts. Never again will I be given the task of sorting out directions. 

A speedy emergency taxi ride later we eventually arrived! Once wands (a tradition) and drinks were purchased we took our seats, which were, by the way, excellent!

The next morning we all woke up with super hangovers wishing we'd gone a bit easier on the Sailor Jerry's, fantastic night though! Thanks girls! x

Stop! Shoe Thief!

After seeing the gorgeous Girls Aloud in Birmingham I spent the return trip to Manchester nursing a mega hangover. This was made even worse by a text I received informing me that another secretary at work has my new shoes! My new fabulous frill shoes! I go away for 2 days and look what happens.

Quite frankly I pride myself in keeping well away from the hugely predictable uniform of black trousers and white shirts, like lots of office workers, and always make the effort to dress with a little more imagination.

My new shoes fit perfectly into my wardrobe. I especially love wearing them over brightly coloured tights, which I often do, the frill really stands out and bright tights make your day pop.

Having the same shoes as another secretary is not something I'll enjoy.

Run fat boy, run!

On Sunday the boyfriend ran the Bupa Great Manchester Run, achieving a running time of 58 minutes, not bad after only 5 weeks training. My friend's husband was also running and us girls spent the day supporting our men and cheering them on.

The boyfriend raised £220 for Marie Curie and my friend's husband ran to support the Stoke Association, raising £445.

Well done boys, heres to next year! Maybe I'll join you...

Monthly Gatherings

I have a small group of girl friends in Manchester, all of whom I met at work and have been secretary to, and once a month we try to get together at someones house for drinks, nibbles and plentiful gossip. It's a winning combination.

Its no surprise that when 5 girls get together and drink cocktails things become lively, but some occasions are more eventful than others. Last Summer I was cooking potatoes in my friend's kitchen and after detecting a strange smell I discovered my top was on fire! A piercingly loud scream (by me), 4 blank faces and a very quickly thought-out shake of the fabric later I was left in my jeans and bra in shock! I still to this day blame cooking with gas, we at home have electric, and not the 3 glasses of wine I had gulped.

We're all getting older now and we even have a party member with-child so evenings together are sometimes a little more sedate, getting so drunk you can't speak properly isn't all that funny, more mortifying, when one of you is on the lemonade! She's kind though, she doesn't sit and make embarrassing jibes about the foolish things we've done (thankfully!). Behaviour like that and she'd be struck off.

As we're all readers and the occasional book swap has been known to happen I had the idea of introducing an official book swap. It turned out a success!

At the moment I am, for the second time, trying to get through The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I lazily gave up the first time after deciding it was too intelligent for me but I've been encouraged to make the effort and give it another go.

We arrive, pour the drinks, swap books, trash someones kitchen, greedily eat the host's offerings then drink and gossip well into the night.

Moving to Manchester was quite daunting but this group of friends and our evenings together has made living here all the more wonderful.

My New Outfit!

As you know the boyfriend and I are attending a work friend's wedding reception at the weekend and I wasn't sure what to wear. Panic hadn't quite set in but I was getting concerned...

I ummed and ahhed over my Marlene Birger dress but its rather special and I don't want to show it off too often, plus dry cleaning bills are rediculous!

As usual I wanted a new outfit but my budget was teeny tiny! I scouted around on ASOS and a few other websites for inspiration and found the above. Its cute, summery and perfect for a wedding reception with the dress code 'casual'. What does that even mean?!

I found a floral tulip skirt in Primark for a tenner and a black bandeau top in H&M for a fiver. Perfect and at £15, its an offical bargain! I'll be teaming my new finds with the evil purple New Look shoes I've been complaining about. Wish me luck!

Busy Times

Busy busy times have arrived.

On Saturday the boyfriend and I hopped on the tram and went to see An Inspector Calls at The Lowry Theatre. I studied the play at school and really enjoyed it so I was very much looking forward to seeing it on stage. Stupidly I left my glasses at home and our seats weren't great but the set was fantastic and we had a great time. After the play we went to Walrus for their Beef Mussaman, its delicious!

Over the weekend I started a new project, as I've said before I hate denim skinnies so out came Betty Silver the sewing machine and now the unwanted skinnies are on their way to being transformed into a fab pencil skirt.

For his last birthday I bought the boyfriend tickets to see Eric Clapton play at the MEN. That’s happening on Thursday. Can't wait to hear Layla.

Friday I have the day off work to travel to Grimsby as my friend has bought my sister and I tickets to see Derren Brown. That will be interesting, I’m prepared to come away totally baffled and questioning life itself. Or I might decide he's a big fraud...I'll update you.

Saturday its back to Manchester to attend a work friend’s wedding reception. As of yet I don't have an outfit, no wonder I'm not sleeping at night. I'm thinking perhaps my recently dry cleaned bright pink Marlene Birger dress with the horses, hounds and foxes paired with my new black Bertie sandals.

Sunday the boyfriend is running the Great Manchester Run for Marie Curie. When I first heard of this and his date to start training came and went I was rather worried he'd look an idiot and I'd be forced to deny even knowing him but now training is in full force and I'm actually rather proud!

Next week me and 3 friends are staying over in Birmingham (boo hoo, hideous place) to see Girls Aloud. Miss Selfridge served me well and I have a very cute new dress for the occasion. My new dress, my friends, a twinkle wand, a few cocktails and a hot dog makes for fabulous evening!

Flamingos

Ah the flamingo...

Some days I wish I were a flamingo. Gloriously pink and elegantly balanced on one leg basking in the Florida sunshine. They are quite simply beautiful. Lately I've noticed a few flamingo decorated items on the high street.

Disappointingly the fabulous flamingo isn't being showcased quite as spectacularly as it should. In particular Next, before uni I worked there and frankly the above items scream Next. And not in a good way. 

Topshop didn't do much better. 

There's nothing glorious or fabulous about Topshop's efforts. Dull dull dull. 

ASOS did much better. This dress is pretty, feminine and perfect for the summer. 

I'm secretly hoping that a flamingo craze wont spread the nation but just incase it does, I loved them first!

When the boyfriend and I finally get round to buying a house this will most certainly be my first major purchase. 

This picture was taken in the men's toilets of a Miami zoo in 1998 when Hurricane George threatened their safety. 

The Great Search

I was born with rather odd toes. 

Apparently when I was a toddler my mum would tape my toes together in an attempt to straighten them out. Growing up people dared to presume that my parents bought me cheap, ill-fitting shoes. What they didn't know was that when my dad was a young man he was the Assistant Manager of Clarks and learnt the importance of a well fitting shoe! Throughout my childhood he insisted my sister and I get fitted properly at Clarks and wear 'proper shoes'. The measuring machine and Princes Key made it all worth it, I was so proud! Things turned sour when I became a Clarks wearing teenager surrounded by friends sporting the latest Kickers. 

My sister, who has perfect feet (although she's a size 5 and at 5 ft 8 that clearly makes her a freak), loves to tease me for mine. Only last month when I stepped on my mum's Wii in bare feet she pointed and laughed! Sisters can be so mean.

This weekend the boyfriend and I spent some time at my friend's house and we got onto the subject of shoes. Clearly not believing me when I moaned that because of my feet I struggle to buy shoes that fit I decided to do something most unheard of: I showed them! My friend soon understood but her husband wasn't convinced.  He proceeded to get on his hands and knees for a closer look! The shame! 

Not only are my toes freaky, shoes never fit me properly and to top it off, a lot of shoes I  do buy are ruined within weeks. 

Recently I bought a pair of black, patent, lace up heels from Wallis. I wore them for one day, on the 10 minute walk to work, around the office, up and down the aisles in Tesco and then home again. After only one day and hardly over-use one heal had come loose and there was a hole in the toe of the right shoe! Ruined and beyond repair they went in the bin!

Maybe its the way I walk?

To replace the Wallis pair, keeping in mind I'd already spent money on work shoes once this month, I bought a cheap pair in New Look that seemed to fit at the time but after a day at work I walked home in pain upset that I'd wasted even more money! They'll no doubt live at the back of the wardrobe for the next 6 months until I admit they don't fit and throw them away. 

Only a rich man buys cheap shoes. I am neither male nor rich. But here is my dilemma, do I buy cheap shoes knowing there's a chance they'll be ruined within a week or do I risk buying expensive shoes, in the hope they will last?  

Over the last few days, since the painful walk home in the cheap New Look pair, I've been on a mission to find the perfect pair of shoes. I thought carefully and decided the shoes had to be...

• reasonably priced (£30-£40)
• 2-3 inches high  - I'm 5ft 7 and giant secretaries are scary
• black - to match most outfits
• a material that cannot be damaged when being caught between paving slabs on the Manchester streets! 

I have looked in 10 shops and tried on over 50 pairs of shoes. I never thought shoe shopping could depress me this much. They either didn't fit, were too expensive, pinched, rubbed, were uncomfortable or just plain ugly. 

I've been thinking of jobs that don't require wearing nice shoes and now I'm seriously considering quitting my job to follow in my Dad's footsteps and become a plasterer. Do overalls come in pink?