New Years Eve Florals...

12.28.2017


Style Theory: The brief for me on New Years Eve is to wear something a glam, a little dressy but mainly super comfy. 

This year, florals have been big news and this Studio by Preen for Debenhams dress ticks the floral trend perfectly in a subtle, wearable way. Preen are known for their delicate, trailing flower prints and this is the perfect winter, floral look. The dress looks fab on (size down it comes up a little big - I am wearing a size 8) I love the ruffle detail at the bottom. Just add a pair of patterned/opaque tights and a pair of heels or boots and you are ready to celebrate the New Year in style. Its great to be wearing a designer style at the fraction of the cost for New Years Eve..


I am still a huge fan of a pointed heel, it is still one of the most elegant style of shoe, these Carvela heels from Debenhams are perfect with opaque tights they elongate legs and make them look slimmer. The cross over detail makes them super comfy to walk in and I like the subtle black shimmer..perfect for New Years Eve.

All you need to add is a slick of Dior Rouge, I am wearing 999 matte and go heavy on the Kat Von D tattoo liner (both from Debenhams) to create the perfect cat eye flick and you are ready to party away...
Bag - Call It Spring 'Galalenna' Clutch Bag was £28 now £22.40
Dress - Studio by Preen for Debenhams was £55 now £27.50

Eyeliner - Kat Von D Tattoo Liner £16
Lipstick - Dior Rouge Dior 999 £27.50
Shoes - Carvela Black 'Kross' Heel £89


Wishing you all the most fabulous New Year, whether a quiet night in with a loved one, or a wild party with friends I hope it is filled with happiness, until next time Fran xx


This was written in collaboration with Debenhams, all styling, thoughts and opinions are my own.

Aladdin - A Glittery, fun night out

12.23.2017


Style Theory: Sometimes you need to take a break from reality and immerse yourself in a wonderful, glittering world of fantasy and that is exactly what Aladdin the Musical does. It is the perfect antidote to a hectic life, two and half hours of fun, full of familiar songs, amazing costumes and sets, the perfect evening out, you can literally just sit back and enjoy the spectacle..

Life is pretty manic at this time of the year so it was a real treat for Russ and I to be invited by Disney to see Aladdin the Musical, we fancied doing something different than dinner and drinks so going to see Aladdin the Musical together made the evening more memorable. The show is brilliant, a glittering array of dancing princesses, market square capers and stunning sets, it is fast moving, fun, pantomime-like in parts and the real highlight is the genie who is brilliant, his voice is fab, his songs my favourites (a friend like me etc), he dominates the stage in a really good way.


The sets are outstanding, intricately designed, full of lights and sparkle particularly the cave scene, along with the magical flying carpet that really does fly. We had a backstage tour afterwards with the Stage Manager (a massive highlight, I have never been backstage of a West End production before) and to see the sets up close was amazing. We saw the magic carpet and how it flies (we have to keep that a trade secret!) the lights, the props, the level of detail backstage was incredible. The costumes are beautiful, heavily jewelled and embroidered, they shimmer and shine on stage however seeing them up close really showed the immense amount of work that has been put into the design and construction of each garment..the colours rich pinks, silver and turquoises are bright and bold, a feast for the eyes.



It is the kind of show we left feeling really uplifted, it is fast, fun, never a dull moment, the kind of date night we should do more often. It is just as important for us grown ups to escape reality every so often and was brilliant to share the experience with Russ. Grab your girlfriends or your partner, treat yourself to glass of the bubbly stuff and then sit back and enjoy Aladdin the Musical the most fabulous, colourful, fun show. 
Aladdin The Musical - Ticket link

This blog post was written in collaboration with Disney, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Spotlight on And/Or

12.22.2017


 Style Theory: My daily uniform pretty much consists of jeans, a top, trainers, jacket and I have fallen back in love with scarves, they keep me warm and add a pop of colour to my wardrobe. 

AND/OR Jacket was £99 now £50
AND/OR Top was £49 now £25
AND/OR Jeans £120
AND/OR Trainers £85
AND/OR Scarf £45
The perfect mix for this kind of outfit is a boho, laid back look with a few interesting design twists and that pretty much sums up the John Lewis And/Or collection. It has an LA vibe about it that translates perfectly to an everyday wardrobe bringing a little bit of LA sunshine to a UK wardrobe. I love the striped details, the stars, the guitar strap details on the bags they make everyday wardrobe staples interesting.




I have been looking for a khaki jacket for a while and this AND/OR one caught my eye. It is the perfect length (I sized down to a size 8), I love the pleat detail at the bottom. It is the ideal jacket for running around the shops, and will come into it's own for everything from the schoolrun to evenings out in the Spring and Summer. The perfect jacket to buy now and wear all year...

The scarf adds a bright, cool splash of colour and the jeans are fab on, a slouchy fit, I sized down but they are quite tight across my tummy, I think they will give a little after a few wears so I stuck with the smaller size.
AND/OR Jacket was £99 now £50
AND/OR Top was £49 now £25
AND/OR Jeans £120
AND/OR Trainers £85
AND/OR Scarf £45
The trainers I completely and utterly love, they are soft leather, the laces that go low on the front of the trainers make big feet (like mine) look smaller and I love the silver sparkly stars along the side. These will look gorgeous in the summer with dresses and skirts.

A few other pieces that caught my eye below...
AND/OR Stripe Top £39
Love a slouchy, stripey top they are such useful pieces for wearing all through the year, the metallic gold stripe makes this a little more dressy. Size down this comes up huge!
AND/OR Pom Detail Shoes £89
The dream gold shoes, 'Tinkerbell all grown up' shoes..
AND/OR Leather Tote Bag £89
Gold bags are a neutral, they go with everything and are perfect to add a bit of luxe to your look.
AND/OR Ankle Grazer Jeans £85
Love a pair of skinny, ankle jeans again they can be worn the whole year through, wear now with black boots and in the summer with flat black strappy sandals and a tee.
AND/OR Grazer Jeans £89
Or the jeans in blue..
AND/OR Guitar Strap Bag £99
This bag is made of the most beautiful leather and the guitar strap adds a cool twist.
SO many gorgeous pieces and it looks like Spring/Summer 2018 AND/OR collection is going to be beautiful too! I love a laid back look and this collection is so up my street. 

Thanks so much for reading, until next time Fran xx

This blog post was written in collaboration with John Lewis, all styling, selections, words and opinions are my own.

Those Perfect Last Minute Gifts...


Style Theory: This year I have left it unbelievably late to do all my Christmas shopping, basic error on my part, but I have managed to bag quite a few tree presents for my family from Marks and Spencer. I am always amazed by how many beauty brands they stock and really gorgeous gift ideas. Look away family because here is what I have bought you....
M&S Cashmere Jumper £75
I am a huge fan of M&S cashmere, it is up there for me with the very best of the cashmere jumpers and just slightly less £££ than others. The jumpers wash well, I bought one of those cashmere washing netted bags off ebay to wash mine in and so far no shrinkage! I bought this for my Mum, she loves wearing a round neck jumper with a blouse underneath and navy is flattering against her skin.
M&S Pointed Pumps £29.50
Because one of my sister's loves a touch of sparkle but likes to dress it down with skinny, ankle jeans and a black poloneck..these shoes will look gorgeous on her on Christmas Day.
M&S Philip Kingsley Elasticizer £17
This has been recommended to my sister by her hairdressers as her hair (like mine) is pretty fine and damaged. It was initially created by Philip Kingsley for Audrey Hepburn so if it's good enough for Audrey it's good enough for my little sister..
M&S Pixi Multibalm 2 in 1 Lip and cheek colour £12
Multibalms are such useful products all year around, they are perfect for the schoolrun when I don't have time for make up, just a little moisturiser then slick of this on my cheeks and lips makes me look slightly more human. This is for the littlest sister..along with the mascara below..
M&S Pixi Lash Booster Mascara £14
Because everyone loves a new mascara!
M&S Ren Bathing the Night Away Gift Set was £50 now £25
My best friend loves Ren and this bath set is a real treat (and a great buy!)
M&S Christmas Makeup Bag Set was £25 now £12.50
I bought this for Jess as, at 10, she has more nail polishes and make up that I have ever owned in my life, hopefully these little make up bag will keep it all together.
M&S Signature Hand Care Duo £25
My friend has just moved into a new house so this is the kind of extravagant purchase I can never justify buying myself but as a present it is perfect because it will definitely be used.
M&S Rosie for Autograph Underwear Set
I do love a beautiful underwear set for Christmas and this is on my list..
M&S Mens Cashmere Jumper £89
My Dad loves a grey cashmere crew neck, every year he gets one from one of us but he wears them a lot and men are soooo difficult to buy for so this is a pretty safe but luxurious option.
M&S Oudinot Rose Pink Champagne £28
For the teachers as they work so hard teaching my kids they deserve a glass of pink champagne on Christmas eve..
M&S Pom Pom Throw £69
I have wanted this pom pom throw for ages, it looks gorgeous on a sofa or bed, a real treat for Christmas.
M&S Autograph Leather Shopper Bag £99
I use my red tote bag non stop, you can fit so much in them and the red adds a pop of colour to any outfit.
M&S Girls Unicorn Onesie £18-£27
I bought this Unicorn onesie for Jess for pyjama day at school and she lives in it, the softest, cosiest onesie and what little girl doesn't adore unicorns at the moment?
M&S Boys Onesie £16-£25
Jack has this onesie and also rushes to get into it when he comes home from school..

I could go on forever but it is safe to say M&S 'saved my Bacon' when I did a mad dash to the shops the other day, the easiest place to pick up a few gifts I know my family and friends will love.

How are you getting on with your Christmas shopping are you almost finished? If you are I am slightly envious I still have tons to get! As always I love hearing your thoughts and comments, until next time Fran xx

This blog post was written in collaboration with M&S, all thoughts, selections and opinions are my own.

Chritmas Gift Guide for Youuu!!

12.17.2017

image via Pinterest
Style Theory: This is basically my Christmas list, all the things I would love to find under the tree, so if you are looking for something to suggest to your husband/partner just pass this on...Russ this blog post is coming your way!!

To start with Golden Goose trainers which are on the top of my list..
Golden Goose £300
I know ridiculously expensive, but honestly they are the most comfortable trainers I have ever worn. They look amazing with dresses, jeans and shorts, can sail effortlessly from the winter to summer and once you have bought a pair you will never look back. They never get sweaty or smelly and are my go to trainers for everything from the schoolrun to dressed up with smart outfit for meetings. I have a pair of the lo trainers but would love this style. They sit perfectly at the ankle, super flattering (I find higher trainers make my legs look chunkier, they also look great with ankle length jeans and save your ankles from freezing in the winter, just add a pair of sheepskin trainer liners in them for extra warmth and they are the perfect (albeit slightly expensivo) Christmas present.
Le Labo Santal 33 £175
Another slightly spendy item but this is the most amazing perfume, a PR friend of mine was wearing it in a meeting (thanks Tarn!) and it smelt amazing, it really fills a room in a nice way and is just so lovely. Expensive... maybe I will have this on my January birthday list!
M&S Cashmere £89
I have talked about this poloneck a lot but I do actually love. I have already bought one and have worn it loads this winter, both dressed up (perfect on Christmas Day with a skirt and heels) and with my jeans and snowboots. Definitely the one of the hardest working pieces in my wardrobe.
Gucci £270
I wear my Gucci belt a lot, in fact there are not many days when I don't wear it so it definitely a dream Christmas present. The one I have linked to above is the man's version (ie. buckle buckles the opposite way to normal) this is the one I have as the woman's version was always, always sold out. It is a bit of a pain to buckle it up the wrong way at first but you soon get used to it. I bought the 105cm size but it is a little too big I wear it on the smallest hole so definitely could have gone for the 100cm or 95cm - I am average size 10.
Mini Fang Necklace  - Missoma £105
Large Horn Necklace - Missoma £139
These necklaces look beautiful layered together, I have the shorter necklace (the mini fang) that I wear all the time and would love the large horn necklace, it balances the look out perfectly. Again these look just as good on the beach as with a Christmas dress.
Ugg Slippers £79.99
Because there is nothing better than putting on a super cosy pair of slippers when you get home.
Gucci Soho Disco Bag £805
If you fancy a more spendy present, I do love my Gucci bag, it is surprisingly spacious and can be used every day. 
Gucci Disco Bag £805
Or for a pop of colour go for red (this is still on my list)
Topshop £24
Love this scarf with a khaki jacket, it is huge and super cosy.
Monica Vinader Diamond Circle Stud Earrings £160
These earrings look stunning on, super sparkly but subtle and classy.
Bella Freud £295
Still hankering after a Bella Freud 1970 black polo neck, it looks so chic and can be dressed up or down perfectly.
&Other Stories Silk Blouse £79
Love this silk blouse the perfect Christmas Day top to wear with jeans and black, heeled mules.
J Brand Selena Jeans £120
My fave jeans ever and the ones I wear most days, the J Brand Selena jeans are incredibly flattering and are great with heels and trainers. Size down at least one size as they come up a little big.
Jo Malone Candle £45
A classic but still one of my favourites!
Wild & Bloom 
A subscription to Bloom & Wild would be the most luxurious gift that would brighten up every month, the flowers are always outstanding and the bouquets beautifully put together.

A few ideas of gorgeous presents for you from that someone special.Hopefully you are far more organised than me and are nearly finished/have already finished your Christmas shopping, I am no where near finished, in fact I have only just started, wish me luck as I join the other last-minuters doing a mad dash around the shops!!

Until next time Fran xxxx