Capri pants are the retro girl's jeans!

It is weird but I have never felt compelled to wear or own jeans, I don't know why I just don't feel comfortable in them. Capri pants are my jeans :)

I really do love them, and they are versatile, feminine flattering and comfortable. They show off your shape in ways jeans only dream of!

I think they look really cute teamed with a simple 50s style jumper. I really like this fit of jumper, I think it clings to your curves in all the right places. It is very flattering on the shoulders, works wonders for the bust and nips you in nicely at the waist! Really girls what more could you want? 

Jumper: Bettie Page Clothing Pull Over Sweater in Turquoise

Capri Pants: 3/4 length by Stop Staring!

Shoes: Hobbs

No Makeup

Forever Autumn and the Thunderchild

I've been listening "The War of the Worlds", maybe it is the impending alleged end of the world. I always think it is like the sunscreen song, what is the point worrying? The stuff you should be worrying about you never see coming. 

Anyway I love the song Forever Autumn which is followed by The Thunderchild. I am hard pushed to choose a favourite season as they all have so much to offer, but when it comes to colours I think red heads were made for Autumn.

I love the print on this dress and the matching little bolero jacket is just super cute. The colours are beautiful, the camera doesn't really pick up on the flecks of bronze and gold in the print. The dress is a sarong style halterneck wrap. This is one of my go to outfits for autumn, and it always makes me smile :)

Dress: Sarong Wrap in Autumn Leaves, Vivien of Holloway

Belt: 2 inch Brown elasticated, Vivien of Holloway

Shoes: Hobbs courts

No Makeup

Retro all the way down to quad boots for rollerskating

One of the things that has brought me the most happiness and fun into my life this year has been rollerskating :) It's brilliant fun and a cheap night out and well it works that inner thigh! It is a great way to spend a Saturday night zooming round on wheels before home for some wine and whine. The best bit is when it comes to the best friends song, and the DJ says "grab your best friends hand and skate round" - there is something liberating about being nearly 40 and doing just that!

The other thing that I makes me smile about rollerskating is all the teenagers who come up to me and say "Wow I love your playsuit". Rollerskating opened up a whole new area of my wardrobe!

I am a retro girl when it comes to skating, I'm still old school going for the quad boots over the inliners. I can't stop in inliners and well braking is a requirement. The other thing I love about rollerskating is simply put, it is always shorts season!!! So you have to keep your legs looking trim.

I so don't want to end up like Lady Kronenburg, the woman who looks 16 from behind and 64 from the front!

Shorts: Daisy Dukes Deadly Dames at Pinupgirlclothing

Top: Peasant top in bandana print by Mode Merr

Bolero: Bolero by Mode Merr

Ready to go wearing Marv's skates

Action shot - I invested in my own retro rainbow quads. God my leg's look long in this. Marv's response - "Chick that's because they are, just like your arms, now watch your knuckles monkey!"

Dragons and Fairy Gothmothers

This isn't my usual style of corset, it is a bit softer and less 'extreme' I was really attracted to the print which had gold and red dragons on it. In the perfect world there would have been an emerald green dragon print corset but it was not to be :(

See though like a true mancunican I am carrying the sunshine in my smile!

Corset: Dragon print Fairy Gothmother

Capri Pants: Dangerous Curves by Deadly Dames from pinupgirlclothing

Shoes: Kurt Geiger

No Makeup

If you are wondering about why any woman in her right mind lets a man "shoot" up at her when it is so unflattering..............then it is because I am too polite to say to a member of HMF, it is a lens not a scope! They just go into "fire" mode. Still I can get away with it. ;) Photo courtesy of the Royal Marine Commandos.

Red and Green should never be seen .......

They say red and green should never be seen........(except when worn by an Irish Queen). Well I can only claim association by marriage. Emerald green is an amazing colour for my tones, I enjoy wearing it.

I had fun trying on corsets at Fairy Gothmother, the heavens had just burst even by Mancunian standards, it was proper rain so at little more wind and rain swept than usual!

Corset: Emerald Green Fairy Gothmother

Capri Pants: Dangerous Curves by Deadly Dames at Pinupgirlclothing

Shoes: Kurt Geiger

No Makeup

If you are wondering about why any woman in her right mind lets a man "shoot" up at her when it is so unflattering..............then it is because I am too polite to say to a member of HMF, it is a lens not a scope! They just go into "fire" mode. Still I can get away with it. ;) Photo courtesy of the Royal Marine Commandos.

9 to 5: Dolly one of my guilty pleasures

We all have a guilty pleasure that we can't help but engage in. I confess mine is Dolly Parton! She is awesome and I can't fault the woman who said, “It's a good thing I was born a girl, otherwise I'd be a drag queen.”

I'm hearing you Dolly. I think there is part of us that likes to dress up in crazy things and have fun :)

I like listening to 9 to 5 on the way to work, it starts my day with a quirky smile. This outfit is my homage to the ladies in the original 9 to 5 film.


Blouse: Bettie Page Clothing - Puff Ball Sleeve in Blue
Dress: Bettie Page Clothing - Jumper Dress
Shoes: Kurt Geiger


This outfit really works hard at the office, it is flattering and feminine and you can get an entirely different look be altering the blouse. If you are a bigger busted lady then I might not recommend this one for you. You don't want to arrive into the room five minutes after your chest!!

There is part of me that thinks of this outfit as being in the vein of "Geeky librarian to sex goddess", you know the ones where they have their hair up and glasses on? I don't wear glasses but my friend had some frames with no lenses so we went for it - I love the 'Eric Morecambe' style frames in the second picture, they are just "full on geek"! Love it!!!

Sexy Librarian .....

Ultimate Geek .....

Photos: Marvellous Marv the Hardware Hippo and Best Friend in the Universe

Sex and spelling ....... There is a connection

Obviously the title is somewhat tongue in cheek, however, we engage in so many lazy forms of communication now a days that we rarely stop to think about the use of language. I hate text speak emails, it makes the sender appear uneducated and unintelligent. It also shows that they are lazy and not willing to put the effort into communicating properly with you.

If people can't communicate then they won't form a relationship. This is key and just in case any of you girls have forgotten the golden rule I'll remind you.   

You don't sleep with a man to get into a relationship with him, you sleep with a man because YOU ARE in a relationship with him

Never sell yourselves short girls! You want your cake not crumbs.

So sex and spelling - Why it counts :) ENJOY!!


My first experience of "sex and bad spelling" was at work and it was forever immortalised on my appraisal. My boss had put "inculated process within the department", I had no idea what it meant. I turned to "Google". This is an excerpt from the conversation that followed the results "Hi VV Boss, this word here (points to it). I don't think it means what you think it means. I don't think either of us should be commenting on extra curricular activities".....He had meant inculcated, however he was an former Para ...... OOps I typed that.

Grammar can radically alter the meaning of a sentence:

I can also get annoyed when people always your when they mean you're. I made this card to explain the difference to guys :)

I love benefit make up, I have used their eye kit big beautiful eyes since they started making it! It is a lovely neutral palette, when they added this card to the someecards collection I thought it was fantastic! Sadly though boys do NOT get your hopes up, as actually I won't sleep with you on a first date no matter how good your English is. 

For me this is more about good relationships are built on good communication and people making the effort to get it right. 

However, this is the hands down winner when it comes to sex and spelling ..........................

Stacy's Mom, has got it going on! The rules of cougaring

Sometimes not looking your age isn't as great as people think, people think you are much younger than you are which on the dating scene can be amusing. The plus side is you aren't going to find yourself appearing on 10 years younger! (If they did that to me I would have acne!!!)

I tend to play the 10 year rule, so domestic tabbying and Puma'ing is ok - but once you are into cougar territory you have to step carefully and Sabretooth catting well girls that's when you are old enough to be their mother. It's wrong!

• 0-5 years younger                                Domestic Tabbying
• 5-10 years younger                              Puma'ing
• 10-15 years younger                            Cougar'ing
• 15+ years younger                              Sabretooth Catting

It isn't always easy doing the right thing, trust me knocking back a guy who is half your age with washboard abs and biceps and legs to match requires a certain level of madness, but you just need to remind yourself "What would their Mother think?" .......swiftly followed by "What would your own Mother think?".....

When I find that a younger guy is trying to Cougar me, or worse Sabre Tooth Cat me I accept their compliment. It is nice that someone has found you attractive and you should always thank them for saying so, but at the same time you have to let them down nicely.

I always say "Thank you, for your compliment, it was very sweet and sincere of you to say those things. However, this is all a bit Fountains of Wayne for me!" and then send the link below:

Little Mermaid

This dress is a stunner - I adore it, I love the sea foam blue and the rouching around the top. It was originally a wedding dress, but I bought it for a ball, it is covered in dainty crystals and sparkles beautifully as you dance around the floor.

My friends say I look like Ariel from The Little Mermaid, in this ball gown, I feel like a princess wearing it, and it makes my eye colour really "pop"

Photos: Marvellous Marv the Hardware Hippo and Best Friend in the Universe

Jessica Rabbit

I bought this for a Help For Heroes Fund Raiser, my friends set me the challenge of looking like Jessica Rabbit. The top isn't a true corset so I can't cinch it down like my others but it is a truly beautiful dress.

I love wearing ball gowns and beautiful dresses made from natural materials, this is raw silk which feels amazing against the skin, the train is a work of art. The roses are amazing, fortunately it is also detachable.

All I need now is a Prince Charming to take me to the ball!

Photos: Marvellous Marv the Hardware Hippo and Best Friend in the Universe

Christmas chocolate box dress

It's Christmas season so a girl has to choose her party frock with care. I don't think you beat this beautiful dress by Bernie Dexter, the material is hand block printed in Japan with a Thomas Kinkade-esque print around the skirt. It is so feminine, seasonal and timelessly classic. The back is fun too because there is a hole cut out.

It reminds me of the Christmas Chocolate Box Lid with scenes from bygone years, I love it and I think it will form part of my Christmas wardrobe for years to come.

Dress: Bernie Dexter Osterley in Winter Print

Shoes: Bordello Mary Jane

Photos: Marvellous Marv the Hardware Hippo and Best Friend in the Universe

Know your own self worth

• I might not be someone's first choice, but I am a great choice.
• I might not be rich, but I am valuable.
• I don't pretend to be someone I'm not, because I'm great at being me.
• I might not be proud of some of the things I've done in the past, but I am proud of who I am today.
• I might not be perfect, but I don't need to be.
• Take me as I am, or watch me as I walk away.

I was sent these words and I thought I would share them. I think they paint a portrait of someone who appreciates and likes themselves as a person. It is difficult when we first meet people we often pretend to be things we aren't to impress them or to make them like us more. It is pointless and a waste.

If someone is going to like you or reject you, let them do it for being the real YOU, be true to yourself if you aren't you just end up living a lie and it will never bring you happiness.