Autumn = Knitwear

Hey,

So this time of year is my absolute favourite. The mornings are cooler, the leaves fall, the sun shines brightly but there's a nip in the air - oh, and it's also my birthday!

I've just had the most wonderful birthday weekend; basically just eating and drinking a lot with excellent people.

I've generally felt super happy these past couple of weeks, everything is going fantastically (work, wedding planning), I've had a brilliant birthday and the change in seasons has really perked me up (I was so done with 'summer').

We've been so lucky with the weather here. It's been blissful, perfect and definitively autumnal. I felt like as soon as the 1st of October hit, the temperature significantly dropped too - which has got me all excited for adding to my autumn wardrobe.

The first piece of knitwear I acquired this season is this Stripe Colour Block Jumper from Matalan* - who have a great range of classic styles at the moment and have even put together a handy Knitwear Guide on their site.

Jumper - Matalan*

Choker - ASOS

Jeans - ASOS

Boots - Kat Maconie

It has a real 90s feel to it. I think it's the tonal grey and black in the wide block stripes. It actually reminds me a lot of a jumper my mum used to wear a lot when I was younger!

I live in chunky knit jumpers at this time of year so I'm sure I'll get lots of wear out of this piece.

I decided to dress up the jumper and new slim 'mom' jeans (ASOS' 'Farleigh' fit) with some red lippy and spangly red shoe boots from Kat Maconie. KM is brand I've only recently come across but when I happened upon her site I was in LOVE!

I'd say KM's prices are a stop gap between high street and designer - the new collections are more than I'd probably pay for shoes but there are some amazing bargains to be had in the Sale and Outlet sections (like these boots!).

I was so excited to find the brand, I thought twice about sharing it! JK. In all seriousness, KM's shoes are totally my bag - quirky, edgy and affordable. I can't wait to add more to my collection.

What are you wearing this Autumn?

MyBag's Pre-LFW Party at The Alchemist, New York Street

Hey,

Last week I got to know some beautiful handbags from one of my favourite online retailers a little better.

MyBag invited a few of us Manchester bloggers down to The Alchemist on New York Street in the city centre to see some key pieces from their latest collection.

The Alchemist is renowned in Manchester for its amazing mixology -  I've certainly had some of the best cocktails in town there! 

The drinks on the evening did not disappoint, as we were greeted with the most gorgeous refreshing cocktail on arrival - Peaches and Cream, which came with a side of prosecco. I'm a big fan of the similar but more well-known Pornstar Martini, even though I'm not keen on pineapple, so this peach-based drink was a dream. 

Above: the beautiful Chyaz and Lauren demonstrating the pour

Surprisingly, the food at The Alchemist was just as good as the drinks! We were treated to some exciting and delicious canapés which included pulled pork bon bons, skewered chicken and cheese quesadillas.

I'd never actually think to head to The Alchemist for anything other than cocktails but after checking out their menu, I'll definitely be going back for food - the brunch options sound especially appealing.

The Bags

Oh, the beautiful bags.

The main event of course was getting to check out some of the beautiful pieces on offer from MyBag. 

The spread of brands carried ranges from indulgent heavy hitters like Karl Lagerfeld, Lulu Guinness and Aspinal of London; to more affordable luxury from the likes of Grafea, The Cambridge Satchel Company and Ted Baker.

The bags on display had a decidedly transitional feel, in pretty shades of pale pink and deep burgundy. Rich burgundy is one of my favourite shades and is perfect for Autumn - my favourite season! 

While I could quite happily see myself carrying any of the stunning bags on display throughout the evening, my absolute must-have would have to be the classic Lulu Guinness lips clutch.

I'm a massive Lulu Guinness fan (my last visit to the store resulted in me having to prise myself away with just an umbrella) and while I already have a patent zip top clutch, I'd love to own one of the designer's trademark lips box clutches.

This one is in a beautiful dark red with a matte finish - the perfect pairing for an Autumnal makeup look!

Which piece is your favourite?

  

Glamorous X Trafford Centre

Hey,

So a couple of weeks ago, I got an exciting first look at the new Glamorous flagship store in Manchester's Trafford Centre.

The Glamorous team invited a few of us over to the store early on the first day of its launch. We were treated to a tour of the store, some lovely breakfast and a little shopping spree!

Felt fedora - Topshop

Gold choker - New Look

Long striped top - Ragged Priest

The store is lovely - fairly small but beautifully fit out for a great shopping environment. As the first standalone retail space for the brand, it's important that it sets the bar, and I think they've done just that!

It was so good to walk into a store in mid-August that wasn't covered in sale tape! The store is filled with new season trends, with a disctinct 70s, folksy vibe.

Glamorous has long been a brand I've loved; with a great knack for hitting new trends right on the head while keeping the ideal balance between price and quality.

I'd highly recommend a trip to the store, which is in the Trafford Centre's upper mall, close to Debenhams, Schuh and Lipsy.

I got some awesome pieces that I'm taking away with me to Italy this week so I'll be sharing those soon!

Are there any pieces that have caught your eye?

AX Paris Autumn/Winter'14 Press Day

Hello!

I was recently invited to attend the AX Paris Autumn/Winter'14 press day. It was nice to see the brand host the event in their hometown of Manchester- there's so much going on here at the moment, I can't keep up!

The press day was held at Black Dog Ballroom on New Wakefield Street where I've attended a few blogger events before, though AX Paris really made the private terrace space unique. We were greeted by cocktails, cupcakes and rails and rails of stunning partywear.

Black tattoo choker- eBay

Gold moodstone chain choker- ASOS

Vintage gold chain- charity shop

Tartan duster jacket- Rare London*

Black T shirt- The Ragged Priest

Black high waist jeans- Primark

Reebok Classic trainers- Bank fashion

Above is what I wore to the event. I wore my new Reeboks as I was going into town to meet friends afterwards and these are so comfy, though kept things a bit smarter with a longline jacket. I'm loving duster jackets at the moment, they're so easy to throw on, and this checked one from Rare London is perfect for Autumn. 

Everyone loves a good photobooth and me, Irena, Martyna and Lily got stuck right in! Always great to see these girls. I was also really pleased to finally meet Gail from The Equinox Fashion who's recently moved over to Manchester from Thailand. There was a bit of a fangirl moment too chatting to Amy Valentine, who's blog I've read for ages.

After catching up with some lovely bloggers- we checked out the clothes! The AX Paris AW14 collection is full of sequins, embellishment and sparkle; perfect for those Christmas parties!

My favourites were the faux fur pieces above- a beautiful cream shaggy faux fur coat (seriously want) and a black gilet.

After a while, the team at Black Dog Ballroom started bringing out an amazing buffet with sweet potato fries, pizzas and mini burgers- my kind of food!

There was also a henna tattoo artist which unfortunately I didn't get chance to indulge in, though from the seeing the other girls who'd had it done, it looked awesome.

Keep your eye on AX Paris' New In section for these beaut new season pieces!

Have you spotted anything to add to your wishlist?