Nautical (bargain) Dress and *The* Shoes of the Moment

Dress (only £27!): Wal G c/o Topshop. Shoes: c/o Topshop. Earrings: Dior. Sunglasses: Prada.

Alright, so I'll admit that the word 'bargain' doesn't always have terribly pleasant connotations. I certainly don't mean it in the 'bargain bin' sense. What I mean is, this dress was an absolute steal. I picked it up on my recent spree c/o Topshop, and whilst totting up the total of the things I'd chosen I was astonished to find that this dress was £27. TWENTY SEVEN POUNDS. Sure, it's not actually Topshop, it's Wal G - a concession sold in Topshop, and sure, it's also possible that I have a totally unrealistic idea of what a bargain actually is, but this is without a doubt my favourite piece I picked up on that day, so I'd have been willing (and was expecting) to pay more. It fits perfectly, the material is light enough to keep me cool on a warm day, but not flimsy enough to see through in the light or to blow up and flash everyone in the slightest breeze - I tested this theory by taking it for a spin (quite literally) around the rose garden in Hyde Park. So, thank you Topshop and Wal G for making it possible for me to meet my favourite new summer dress! (Oh and thank you to Becca for being my photographer!)
If you like this dress, you can take a look at it here, or click on the image below. (Oh as the dress comes in S/M/L rather than regular sizes, it might be helpful for me to tell you that I'm a UK size 10 and I'm wearing it in a size M!)

London Fashion Week Day 3 Outfit - Black Satin Skirt, (Faux) Mink Stole & Pointed Bow Heels

Click to item or similar; Mink Faux Fur Stole: c/o Dorothy Perkins. Top: River Island. Skirt: Coast. Sunglasses: Prada. Shoes: Russell & Bromley. Earrings & Bag: Chanel. 

Hello all!

Arabella is wearing a midi skirt. Stop the press. Alert the media. 

With this outfit, I wanted to mix various textures; jersey, satin, patent leather and faux fur. I set myself a little challenge to mix what I consider to be a very informal, casual piece; the bardot style striped jersey top, with something undeniably dressy; the voluminous satin skirt. I'm hoping I succeeded in my personal challenge. In fact, when several people photographed me and then asked 'it's all Chanel, right?' in regards to what I was wearing, when I then corrected them that it was all high street besides the bag and earrings, they were all agog! (Sigh, a girl can dream.)

The fur stole (faux, of course) - the ultimate transitional piece for autumn/winter. Whether it's a breezy but sunny September day, or a frosty December morning - a fur stole (or 10) is always an absolute necessity in my wardrobe around this time of year and in the months to come. They're perfectly versatile in the fact that they can be added and removed to a huge selection of outfits, and taken on and off throughout the day depending on the temperature. A fur stole is the cherry-on-the-cake on a new winter coat. I personally have a mildly shameful number of fur stoles, this mink style one being a new favourite. The neutral colour means that it'll compliment and work with almost any outfit; casual or formal. Of course, I have to mention the most boring element of style, practicality. It's undeniable that a fur stole, or in fact any kind of scarf can make all the difference come the colder months due to the fact that our necks seem to feel the cold more than anywhere else! 

Here's what I'm wearing (or similar!)