the age old question

dress: Topshop

I'm in love with this dress. I actually bought it today, precisely ten minutes after receiving my pay check and it took me quite a while before I really fell in love with it. You know when you're in the changing rooms, wearing flats and it just doesn't quite look right? This is a heel dress through and through. It's actually now out of stock on the Topshop website, and they had to take mine off the mannequin for me, as they were also out of stock.

The question I have for you all is - what do I wear underneath for a night out? It is much more low cut than the picture explains, and impossible to wear just a normal bra underneath. During the day I'd wear a vest top underneath, no problem. Currently my possibilities are my La Senza essentials bra, wearing a seamless bandeau or body tape? Could anyone help me out? I'm especially interested in how well the body tape works.

i fell in love at the seaside

dress: small local store
boots: evans
belt: h&m
jacket: ebay

I've had yet another busy week. I'm sure the majority of bloggers can sympathise at the moment with exam stress, high workload and general end of year sorting out so you'll have to excuse my erratic posting. Despite the end of year exams, I took time out this week to visit the seaside (and a very large Primark), not to mention to squeeze in some comedy gold at the crazy golf course.

I think this could be my first outfit post ever, and it really is more of a holiday snap. I'm fully embracing the maxi dress for the summer, it makes getting dressed in a morning so much easier. I love going to the wardrobe, choosing a print, and being ready within two minutes. I wish I could give you more accurate details about my outfit, but it really is an example of shopping around. The floral print maxi dress was £15 from a small shop in my local high street. I wouldn't usually even go in there, the bright pink hotpants and crazy leggings in the window usually put me off. But for a change they'd bought in range of printed/floral maxi dresses and some very sweet playsuits.

My denim jacket is actually an eBay bargain from two seasons ago, bought for around the £15 mark. I'm such an odd size that buying off eBay is often not recommended, but I struck gold with this denim jacket. I've worn it for two years, and I'm never even tempted to replace it with a new high street style. You just can't get rid of the old favourites sometimes. On my feet I'm wearing low top brown boots from Evans, who do an extra wide size. They are so comfortable, but sadly a year of constant wear is taking it's toll and I think I might have to invest in a new pair (the heel is coming off, I'm feeling it might be time to let go). They were £40, but I've certainly got my wear out of them.

I'll share my purchases with you at a later date, over and out . Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

giveaway #1

I'm celebrating 50 followers! I'd just like the chance to thank everyone for following me and supporting me since the beginning of the blog. We're actually quite a new blog, so it is only onwards and upwards from here on out. To the giveaway!

I'm giving one lucky reader the chance to win some jewellery from my own shop, sense and sensibility. You will win an owl ring, an owl necklace, a birdcage necklace, a monopoly ring, a choice of a domino ring/lego ring, all shown in the picture above.

To have a chance to win, comment on this post with your email address, so I can contact you if you're successful. You must be a follower of this blog through Google Connect to be entered into the competition. The competition will end on the 25th May, 12:00 midnight.

Good luck!

vintage levi and st michaels

By now the majority of my readers know that I've struck up a great friendship with fellow blogger, Ella. She gave me the chance to pop round to her vintage stockroom and have a rummage, which inevitably meant I was going to be coming home with some vintage wares. I've never been a vintage girl before meeting Ella, but now I'm converted. You can get some excellent bargains, and unique pieces.

I managed to pick up a pair of vintage Levi shorts. Ella bought some men's Levi jeans and has been converting them into shorts for her shop, Belle Vintage. I always find it difficult to know what size I am in regular clothes, let alone vintage shorts, but the first pair I tried fit! They're going to be perfect once the summer weather comes back to the south, and I can't wait to dress them up for a night out.

I'm also swapping my St Michaels red shirt for this sleeveless white shirt. The red shirt, which was oversized when I bought it, has become too much oversized, so it seems only fair to let other people have a chance to love it. This sleeveless white shirt is going to be great for the summer, and I love that I can wear it with anything. Expect to see a lot of it!

owl necklaces for sale

Don't you love this owl necklace? I've been waiting for these to arrive for quite a while, and they are just what I expected. I couldn't wait to offer them to my lovely readers. They're available at the sense and sensibility shop for the rock bottom price of £4. How can you resist?

owl necklace - £4

It's been yet another busy week with university and work, but I'm just scheduling some posts as we speak. Think a beauty review, new clothes and even better, a giveaway! Yes, I've reached 50 lovely readers and I thought it was time for sense and sensibility to do its first giveaway. I'm also going to Brighton this week to see the high street store sights, so expect some news from there too. May is going to be full of blogging treats!

absent without leave

I feel like the worst blogger ever for not posting in over a week. I've come back to university, started my part time job again and begun the hefty revision all in around five days. Can you forgive me for going AWOL? I have a couple of beauty posts lined up, and hopefully will be hitting the shops this week to spend my hard earned wages, but in the mean time I thought I'd show you this.

I met up with Ella on Wednesday, and she brought me a present! It's a vintage Monopoly set, and I'm already thinking of ideas for the houses, plus ready to make the playing pieces into sets. Got to admit though, I think I might have a few games with it first. So thank you to Ella, she really is the best. I think Starbucks are now prepared for our three hour trips where neither of us quietens down for the whole time.

I also purchased this green bikini set for swimming this weekend. I didn't want anything too expensive, but I was surprised to pick this set up from George for £5. It's perfectly good for holidays, let alone a couple of odd trips to the swimming baths. They've just released their new swimwear range, and there are a few affordable bikinis, so head down for your holiday shop.

I'm sorry for my absense without leave, I'll be back with you ASAP.

owl rings + birdcage necklaces

You're probably thinking I've been quite quiet on the shop front recently, and you'd be right. I've been sourcing a few products which I think may interest everyone to sell in the shop. They've taken quite a while to be delivered, but I tried to employ a bit of patience despite my excitement. I'm really pleased with what has arrived, and they are now available to buy at sense and sensibility.

owl ring - £4

bronze coloured owl ring, perfect for the owl enthusiast

bird cage necklace - £6.00

silver tone birdcage necklace containing one caged bird