Blog Goals: What I Want To Achieve and Where I Want To Go

I have truly missed regular blogging. I have gone through some pretty rough patches recently which I've mentioned in previous posts and explains my absence from the blogging world. I made a return from my unexpected break with my 10 Ways I Cope With Having Anxiety post which basically gave a teeny tiny insight into why I wasn't blogging as much.  

I have to admit that I also felt like I'd lost my touch a little bit lately; it's also definitely hard with shift work, most people struggle to find the balance working full time but with my hours all over the place it's especially hard to keep up a regular blog schedule. 

As the past few days have been seemingly looking brighter, I delved back into the world of Bloglovin. I haven't properly sat and had a good blog reading session in a good few months; the idea at the time completely exhausted me. Today (as I'm writing this) has been the biggest and longest day I've gone through loads of blogs and felt that feeling equivalent of snuggling down into a duvet with a good book. I had that feeling and it was at work, that's how I knew my love was coming back. Going through Bloglovin and reading all the recent posts on my feed has really inspired me to log back on and really get back into proper blogging again and I suppose this has what's inspired this post. 

Many people I know, granted people who don't know much at all about blogging, have asked me what I want to accomplish with this blog. For me, Lipstick & Dresses has always been a fun hobby on the side. However, as time has gone on, and more people have asked me aforementioned question, I realise I'd love to be able to take it more seriously.

So what do I want? Let's have a look:

• Build a bigger audience
  It's a fairly obvious one really. I mean who wouldn't want more people reading their blog? I know this is a process that builds up over time and thankfully I'm very patient and extremely grateful for the readers I already have. 

• Meet new people and make more friends
  I have made some fab friends through blogging and I really want to continue to do so. I know this means I need to be more active in my blog and keeping up with meet ups. I'd particularly like to make some more international blogger friends as I always think it's great building friendships with people who live and work somewhere that's perhaps entirely different to you. 

• Work with more brands
  I'm really keen to start working with brands, particularly clothing ones, as I'm passionate about my fashion and it could be beneficial to both myself and any particular brand I work with. Again, this ties in with wanting to build my audience as more opportunities will then follow.

• Post at least 3-4 times a week
  I'd love to get to a point where I am posting 3-4 times a week and it's about finding that balance between working and posting. My current problem at the moment is that I get distracted very easily so with any spare time, I get sucked into Netflix and I then feel awful I haven't written a blog post that I wanted to write. It's about putting my priorities in order. Although I am busy, I need to get organised because I know I'll be able to squeeze in more time to write if I get down to it. Of course, I only want to post this much with good, quality content. I never want to post for posts sake.

• Improve my photography AND my writing
  I'm all about aesthetics and good writing skills and I'm well aware that I need to improve vastly on both for me to be content. Well, it's not only just to feel content or satisfied, I want my blog to also be a visually pleasing site to look at and for people to be able to read. I always love reading blogs that are really well written and concise (my favourites being Forever Amber and Tattooed Tea Lady, definite writing inspirations right there) as it keeps me interested. I can't deal with poor

Those are just a few goals I'm going to be working towards achieving in the next few months. ALSO, I just got a MacBook. I know, welcome me to the club. I've been wanting to get one for absolute years and so I've bitten the bullet and gone for one. This will help me massively with my blogging as my old laptop was on it's way out and very slow. Thanks to now having decent video editing software, this also means I can film new YouTube videos - wahoo! Onwards and upwards I say. 

If you aren't already, follow me here:

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xo

Welcome to adulthood.

Saving up for a house deposit isn't easy. I've had to stop spending my wages on beautiful clothes and sensibly put it all into savings until next year when I can buy a house! Obviously, this will always be worth it but as a person who has never managed to save and has a strong lust for vintage reproduction clothing, it's been a struggle.

Thus, there have been less outfit posts on this blog than anticipated. I want to build my wardrobe up but at the same time I cannot afford to. 

I thought instead, I'd make a sort of "wishlist" of clothing I have recently been eyeing up and mentally storing away for a later date.

1) 1940s Swing Trousers Denim, Vivien Of Holloway  -£45

2) Fairy Summer Bouquet Print Doll Dress, Collectif - £55

3) Chelsea Dress Navy Lilacs, Bernie Dexter - $156

4) Curve Rockabilly Handbag, Glamour Bunny - £50

5) Ione Precious Blue shoes, B.A.I.T Footwear - $67

Topshop lingerie range.

This may be spontaneous blog post of sorts, but today is my day off and I've been 'oohing' and 'aahing' all morning, whilst "window shopping" online. 

For the past few months now, the lingerie range at Topshop has really been impressing me design wise. I find that the downside of this, is the size range. Lingerie departments in shops like this usually means the range of sizes of bras is normally always restrictive. I don't agree with this (and I'm sure most women will not either) at all because it's mostly suggesting that those with larger busts above a D aren't good enough to have their sizes stocked?! It's not great, but that's just the way it right now, I suppose. From other women with larger busts I've spoken to, they're tired of having to spend an extortionate amount of money for bras that are actually pretty, so it would be great if high street shops could extend their ranges. I don't know too much about this subject and why they don't though, so I'm sure there's someone out there with an explanation. 

I'm a 36B so I've always been able to find cheaper underwear in shops in my size. I'm fortunate that I haven't had to struggle to find my size in shops. 

Primark do some lovely underwear sometimes if you're on a budget but the quality is awful after a few wears. 

So, Topshop lingerie! 

For a while now, they have been releasing lingerie sets that are more appealing to me for my body type. With high waisted knickers and long line bras, I feel most comfortable and sexy. I also found this the case with bikinis when shopping in-store for my holiday. 

They are so cute and lacy and at such an affordable price for a set. I find that there is usually always a code or some kind of discount online to be used on their website as well (I always look before I buy anything online, VoucherCodes usually always have something).

I've bought a few sets from their lingerie range now, and I find them to be a good quality. I've bought a lacey soft bra set in baby blue, and after several washes, it still looks perfectly new and the colour hasn't worn. I find this happens a lot with other brands.  but the main reason that I love their range so much is because they're all so vintage inspired, which is why I absolutely adore them!

Retro winter fashion selection.

Looking for some retro and pin up clothes for the winter? Here are my top choices. 

There are some incredible vintage reproduction brands out there and they are doing excellent bits for the winter season. My particular favourites are from Collectif Clothing, who are consistently brilliant. 

I've been really surprised with Miss Selfridge's winter collection this year too. They've had some excellent retro and pin up style coats and knitwear, a surprise for me to find on the high street. 

1. Pippa cardigan by Voodoo Vixen

2. Phyliss velvet pencil dress by Collectif Clothing

3. Camel faux fur collar cardigan by Miss Selfridge

4. Pearl coat by Collectif Clothing

5. Florence Noelle check skirt by Collectif Clothing

6. Retro seamed stockings by What Katie Did

Christmas wishlist: Top 5

Everybody's favourite time of the year is just around the corner! Personally, I love Christmas.  I do get a little weirded out by how, year by year, the Christmas stock seems to put out earlier. I'm sure I've seen stuff being put on the shelf by the end of august?!

I do enjoy the atmosphere though. I love the decorations. I've already been into central London to look at the lights on Oxford Street, enjoying the view in the Selfridges windows. 

This year is the first one where I am on a proper "grown up" wage and where I can afford to really treat my favourite people. Where last year, I was only working part time at Sainsbury's, I could only afford to buy pretty small budget presents for a select few people; this year, I've gone a bit mad. 

I'm more about giving presents this year rather than receiving them, but getting presents is always wonderful and you always seem to contemplate how you have so many amazing people in your life, who know you so well when it comes to presents. 

I would never expect anyone to buy these next 5 items for me for Christmas, because I can get them myself. I am lusting after them, but I'm being stringent when it comes to money now.

Urban Decay - On The Run palette. £37 

This has been out just a few weeks and I think it's a great idea. Take a selection of fantastic UD products; blush, bronzer, eyeshadow, mascara, lipgloss and eyeliner and put it all into a little compact box and you no longer need to carry around a load of different items when you are on the go. I find myself ending up packing all of my make up where ever I go and it's heavy and frustrating. This little darling carries a combination of every thing and is fantastic if you don't have the space for anything else. 

What Katie Did - Morticia Corset - £159.50

I've been lusting after this corset for months and it's killing me that I don't have it! I've seen these corsets on the likes of Georgina Horne from Fuller Figure Fuller Bust and she absolutely SLAYS. I don't think I'd look anywhere near as good but if I could just a little tiny bit, I'd be set forever!

Parks and Recreation mini colouring book - £6.90

Ahhhhhhhh my god. I just discovered this a couple of days ago and it's so cute! I love stuff like this because I find colouring and drawing eases my anxiety and distracts me from silly thoughts. I think it would be a brilliant stocking filler. 

Etsy is one of my favourite places because people are so creative when it comes to making things and you get the satisfaction of buying from independent people rather than big retailers. 

Dita Von Teese - Madame X lingerie
Bra £32 - Suspender Belt - £25 - Briefs - £20

Dita Von Teese is one of my favourite women and I look up to and adore everything about her. Ever since she brought out her own lingerie range, I've been lusting after every single piece. Sadly, I've never been able to justify spending over a £100 on a lingerie set. Maybe one day!

Babyliss Curl Secret - £100

My dear old mum told me about this little contraption. I watched ReeRee Rockette's YouTube tutorial/review on how to use it, and I'm so curious to try it! I've pretty much always struggled finding the right technique to curl my hair with and this looks so simple. At £100, I'm a little hesitant to spend it on something I may or may not get on with, but the idea is bloody great. 

Well that's my top 5 christmas wishes. My main focus of the next year is to save for a house with my boyfriend and that will eventually be the best Christmas of all :)

*This post is not sponsored or written in partnership with any brands. All words are my own and products I genuinely love

xo

October wishlist: Voodoo Vixen!

If I had the money, I would a 1000% buy the entire contents of this website, in my size, and wear nothing else ever again (okay and Collectif Clothing too).

My mind has been pre-occupied with staring at the clothes on the Collectif website really, that I'd forgotten about other vintage reproduction sites.

The first items that made me internally scream "I must have this now, right now" are the Isabella and Marietta cardigans.

They're so pretty and would make an amazing addition to a lovely flowing skirt. 

Keeping on the theme of red and black, this Connie dress is so beautiful and I don't have anything like this at all in my wardrobe. I am so in love with the kitsch glasses design, and I love a dress that covers the shoulders as I'm not a fan of mine at all. Essentially, I'm all about dresses that you can nip in at the waist with a lovely little black belt.

Finally, the final item on this wishlist is the prettiest and summery (alright I know it's October but it still feels like summer outside) Finley dress. The colours are incredible, yellow and purple work so well together. I feel like I don't own enough clothes with colour - this is starting to change - as I mostly feel more comfortable with navy, black, light blues and so on...this dress would be perfect for bringing me out of my comfort zone.

*This post is not sponsored or written in partnership with any brands. All words are my own and products I genuinely love

Pay day Wishlist!

I want to spend the whole of October without buying any clothes or shoes...but life makes it so hard!! 

I've been lusting after a lush winter coat for a while now, so when I walked into Miss Selfridge in Bedford...I practically screamed when I saw this! I fell instantly in love with the colour, the faux fur trim and the belt; it really screams sophistication and glamour to me. I thought at the price tag of £89, it wasn't bad at all! I've seen coats I've liked retailing for almost £200 that I've not liked any where near as much as this! I have decided I am going to restrain myself until next week, make sure I've put most of my money into savings and then buy it. 

So the skirt. I've fallen yet again, another victim to the Collectif Clothing sale; it's absolutely incredible. I've posted about my previous bargains but now I have my eye on this pretty Florence Anchor skirt. I've scrolled past it before, not really noticing it; but when I zoomed in and saw the gorgeous anchor pattern, and really wanting a nice circle skirt, I knew I have to have it. I've been toying around in the past 24 hours as to whether to buy it now or not, especially as it is only £19.75 in the sale. 

*This post is not sponsored or written in partnership with any brands. All words are my own and products I genuinely love

ASOS bargains

This is my first ever purchase from ASOS - and of course it is in the sale! 

The ASOS Bright Floral Beach Crop set are at a bargain total of £16 together and is no doubt going to make me look fabulous when I'm on the beach in Mexico ;)

And to top it off, I snapped up these adorable bad boys - the cutest ever pink shoes which are down to £12 from £25...can I put a heart eyes emoji here, as this accurately sums up my feelings right now?

I will do a proper review of them once they are delivered, but for now when I'm not at work I will be sitting by the letter box at the front door waiting patiently!

*This post is not sponsored or written in partnership with any brands. All words are my own and products I genuinely love