Leather Squids

I was looking forward to trying out a new eatery in the Westend at the weekend!

I went out for dinner with a group of friends to catch-up on new stories, old gossip and exciting adventures and decided that it was the ideal opportunity to pop on a new pair of trousers that I eventually bought after a whole lot of craving.


Leather trousers are amazing for Autumn/Winter and these pair are a peach! I decided I wanted a pair of leather - or a least leather-look - trews ages ago and I eventually bit the bullet. They are perfect to dress up for a night out or layer up with cosy knits, being an amazing alternative to plain denim.

With them being leather-look I was expecting to pay a bit more but after scouring the shops nothing was standing out and I was all ready to give up when I spotted this pair on the Sale rack in River Island and they were perfect! It was just a bonus that they happened to be pretty much half price as well.


A big over-sized monochrome tee is the ideal accompaniment. I wear this one all the time and have had it for years, but I still love it. Just to be a little bit more dressed-up I added on this gorgeous textured jacket to help battle the cold weather. The studs, padded shoulders and structured fit make it the perfect layer for an evening out.

Shoes are needed, obviously, and a heeled boot are the perfect balance between dressier stilettos and summery sandals. The oxblood colour of these are gorgeous and look ideal paired with a berry lip - of course which I did! Add a big ol' sparkly necklace and it's most definitely prosecco time in order to kick off the night.

After we were nice and bubbly on fizz we trotted down Great Western road to the Squid and Whale. I'd never been before, but one of my pals had and I was pretty darn pleased with the introduction. The buzzy bar was complete with melting candles in gin bottles and amazing menus to pour over complete with mouth-watering Mexican food.


To get things going margaritas were at the top of the list. There was even some Jalapeño Margaritas, that had some kick to them and for the less adventurous, or traditional there was also Classic Margaritas, which I had and was more than pleased with.

Soon a plate over-flowing with food arrived. As you can see the portions are HUGE and they're not overly expensive either so you most definitely get your moneys worth, there is no doubt about that. I had the Oaxaca-Pollo. It was a burrito absolutely bursting with chicken, rice, salsa fresca, jack cheese and frijoles refritos. There was even nachos and salsa on the side - just in case you needed them.

Mine was absolutely mouth-wateringly delicious, but I can't lie and I did feel a bit of food envy when steaming pots of deliciousness arrived opposite me. The Cochinita Pibil did look amazing and I think that's what I'll have to get next time. For all you non-mexican speakers, it was slow roasted pulled pork in Yucatán style, which apparently is a recipe from the Mayan age. To top it off there was rice, pink pickled onions, queso fresca, frijoles refritos and house guacamole. 

All in all I can't wait to go back again. Next time though I'm thinking in pyjamas, leather trousers aren't all that forgiving.... 

Jacket - Zara
Top - River Island
Trousers - River Island
Boots - Forever 21
Necklace - Primark 

#HotChocHotties

It's time to talk about something important...

It's HOT CHOCOLATE TIME!!!

What could be a better treat as the nights draw in, the air gets chilly and lets face it the telly gets a whole lot better. A hot chocolate is a really lovely seasonal treat that transports you to festive scenes as you warm your cockles up with a warm, sweet mug of goodness.

And now in a delightful turn of events you've been given the chance to benefit from your hot chocolate indulgences. The St Enoch Centre is hosting it's very own chocolate competition to find Glasgow's very best hot chocolate recipe, along with all kinds of hot chocolate tips. Make sure I get a copy of it? Thanks.

You can find out about all this scrumminess right HERE and when you're sharing all the deliciousness, just make sure and use #HotChocHotties. There's even prizes for the most inspirational chocolate inventions - including luxury chocolate collections and gift vouchers of up to £150.


Now I really should share some absolutely fabulous hot chocolate recipe, but I'm not the best in the recipe department. When it comes to hot chocolates I usually just make a big chocolatey mess and throw everything in, let's say that I'm going for the 'rustic' approach. Handfuls of marshmallows, lashings of whipped cream and a sprinkling of chocolate shavings - amazing. In reality my sister makes the best hot chocolates, I don't know how she does it and she won't let on to her secret, maybe you've got a secret little trick that you do? Well go on get entering then.

Hot chocolate is the best drink as a winter treat, it reminds me of skiing holidays, where you close your eyes and point at what liquor off the obscure menu you want to add in. It immediately takes you to winter afternoons in front of fires and movies, curled up with a tartan blanket. Some amazing holidays are brought to mind when croissants are dunked in frothy hot choccies for breakfast and nights in Italy supping on soup bowls of intensely thick cioccolata densa. 

And lets not forget that hot chocolate has been around for a helluva long time.

It's believed that the Mayas first drank hot chocolate up to 2,000 years ago and up until the 19th century it was even used as a medicine - ummm suddenly I'm not feeling so well! It was the drink of Kings and become popular in the court of King Charles V, becoming a fashionable beverage to consume. For many it was considered a luxury as cocoa was so expensive and it is even noted that it was used as a dowry when the Spanish Royal Family married other European aristocrats.

So it's a luxurious drink with the royal stamp of approval, what could be better?!

The Mayans mixed it with chilli peppers, whilst others used vanilla and spices, with the Old Spaniards drinking it cold. So take inspiration from them! Add spices, how amazingly christmasy would cinnamon be or make it chilly like the ye olde folk from Spain and watch as it becomes even more delicious as the ice cream melts away.

I'm sure there's a whole load of you out there with some pretty darn amazing chocolate recipes so let the St Enoch Centre know and you could win some prizes! Just don't forget to use the #HotChocHotties and sent me samples...

Insta-Week

I got to see an absolute legend in real life this week!


Pretty nails make Monday mornings so much better don't they? I really like a lazy Sunday painting my nails and this weeks colours were mint green with a bit of sparkle on top! The pale pink glittery polish looks great layered on top of coloured nails and is ideal to use on an accent nail.

There was a few OOTD posts this week on the blog, starting with this one HERE. I went out for a lovely long Sunday lunch and the ideal Autumn outfit was needed. So I donned a comfy white shirt and a old, but well-loved tweed jacket and trotted off for pizza, wine and gossiping.

The second OOTD featured a whole new way to wear the Coco and Cleo jumpsuit, HERE. Instead of dressing it up, dress it down with big cosy knit jumpers and over-sized jackets. The pastel pink colours look great against the monochrome and the jumpsuit proves to be multi-functional disguised as trousers - two looks for the price of one!

A #tbt to some Summer fun at Rockness. This was about five years ago and the first ever festival I went to, it was all the fun in the world. Three days of cider drinking in the sun, music and generally being just a bit silly with friends, what more could you want from a Summer weekend.

On Saturday I went to the Good Food Show. It was amazing! It was packed with all sorts of tasty delights and once we'd filled up on multiple gin tasters and all kind of titbits of food we decided to stop at the champagne bar and share a bottle before we went to see the main event. It was great just to sit and take it all in for a bit, and some amazing people watching!

And then we got to see the hero - the one and only Mary Berry! They put on a separate show and it was a little like being at a One Direction concert for the more mature lady as everyone was up on their feet jigging away and taking part in a mass dance-off to win a blender. And then The GBBO double-act cooked up a treat. They were great and had every one giggling the whole way through - how long till the next series?

Cosy Checks

Here's a slightly different way to wear a really amazing jumpsuit.

You might remember I wore this jumpsuit on a rather special night out HERE. I dressed it all up with killer heels and a pretty clutch with some bright red lips and then supped on fizz and had a lovely night out.

However, the joy of this jumpsuit is that it can be worn in so many different ways and a casual look is just as easy to achieve as a more dressed up version.

I was going for a really relaxed spa day and wanted to be comfy before and after so this jumpsuit is perfect. It's light and loose-fitting and so comfy to wear and I kinda felt like I was out in my pyjamas in some ways, ideal for relaxing!

Cosy, knit jumpers are amazing for this time of year and I love the colour and cut of this one. It's a really pale, pastel pink and is cut cropped with rolled up sleeves. The crop also is perfect with the jumpsuit as the drawn in waist falls on the same line as the crop cut.

The monochrome checks are just wonderful as well and the black and white look perfect with a pale pink jumper, balancing out the colours.

I'm going to need to experiment with the jumpsuit and some winter boots in the future, but for now the black ballet pumps worked perfectly. Never underestimate a simple shoe and I wear these ones loads as they go with everything, as sometimes a simple shoe can let the rest of the outfit do the talking.

To top it all off the best thing to do is pop on a big comfy, oversized jacket. I love this one so much, it's so comfortable and just wraps you up in a cocoon of warmth and loveliness. It's pale colour and shape goes with everything and I find that the pink, almost grey colour is a nice change from navy or blue winter jackets.

We relaxed all day at the spa and indulged in some stress-releiving massages and said cheers with a glass of fizz as we giggled in the hotel restaurant eating lunch in our robes!

Coat - French Connection
Jumper - Topshop
Jumpsuit - Coco and Cleo
Ballet Pumps - H&M

Sunday Tweeds

Last Sunday I met a few old friends for Sunday lunch.

Autumn was definitely in the air and it was a lovely crisp blue sky day - just perfect! And a fairly simple outfit was the order of the day to catch up over big pizzas and white wines.

This cotton shirt is really pretty, it was discovered in Zara a wee while ago and has hung in my wardrobe unloved for far too long. I went off wearing it and I'm now really glad it's been rediscovered and has come out of hiding! 

It's got a pleated bib at the front that just adds an extra bit of detail and the rolled up sleeves make it a lovely casual look. I actually wore it in a similar way HERE, just with different finishings for a slightly different look.

I adore these coated jeans and they are a much better alternative to plain denim when you want to look an extra bit polished. They are Topshop Leigh cut and really comfy with a slight stretch to them. The coated top gives them a bit of sheen and a slight leather-kinda look, just tuck the front of a cotton shirt into the top and you're sorted.


As the chillier weather rolls in I'm so happy to get my collection of boots out again. This brown leather ones are a staple in my wardrobe. I wear them a whole tonne! The wooden block heel gives me a bit of extra height and they are simply a classic, ready for you to wear with anything - perfect. 

I have a slight obsession with jackets and hoard them and crave new ones every winter. This is actually a very, very old Topshop one. The green tweed and almost military style buttons are amazing for a weekend jaunt and looks great against the white shirt, it's Autumnal dressing at its best.

We chatted for hours and hours until we felt we'd been they're far too long as we said our goodbyes still giggling at the stories we'd caught up on, what better way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

Jacket - Topshop
Shirt - Zara
Jeans - Topshop
Boots - New Look
Bag - Primark 

Insta-Week

So there's not been very much Insta action for the past two weeks, I guess I'll just have to fill my life with a lot more pretty things!

It was Monday morning and back to work before I knew it. I actually quite enjoy putting together outfits for the office. Smart looks don't have to be boring and this aztec jacket adds a little interest to a monochrome look. It's smartly tailored and looks great with a silky white top, smart black trousers and ballet pumps. Wrap-around a big tartan scarf to head out in the chilly mornings and you're good to go.

I'm sure I've mentioned before, but I was once treated to an Elle subscription and I love it when it pops through the letter box at the end of every month. The latest issue had Anne Hathaway gracing the cover and how AMAZING does she look. I love the short, glossy, brown hair and the dark red lips on her Snow White skin, she's absolutely killing it.

Autumn nails time! You can't go wrong with bright and beautiful nails in the summer, but I must admit I am a fan of darker colours. The deep, dark red is perfect for when the weather turns colder and the leaves are all pretty red and orange colours. I quite like to add in an accent nail every now and again and this sparkly gold is ideal.

I discovered the absolutely best tea this week. I'm not exaggerating when I say it's fantastic! Chamomile tea is great to unwind in the evening as a destress, but this takes it up a level with chamomile and honey combination. The smell is overwhelmingly delicious, so indulge yourself in it, light a candle and snuggle into a good book. And there's the perfect winters evening.

A #tbt this week and here's a wee photo of me and one of my very good friends! This was taking 3 years ago!! We got all dressed up for a dinner that's a University tradition. We still go back now and it's a great reunion for everyone. To top it all off I still wear this dress and still love this clutch!

You may remember when I introduced you to this amazing Coco and Cleo jumpsuit, HERE. Well I discovered a new, comfy and casual way to wear it, it's all coming soon on the blog so keep your eyes peeled!

Until next week!