Marrakech fits, 2023.

Continuing with my holiday outfit retrospectives, here are all the outfits I wore for a holiday to Marrakech in February 2023!

Dressing for Morocco posed a unique sartorial challenge; I usually lean into playful, shorter silhouettes on holiday, but local custom calls for a more conservative approach. I had to get creative to ensure my personality still shone through while staying stylishly covered up.

Day 1

Lisbon fits, 2022.

Part of my return to blogging will be some retrospective outfits of the day. As I tend to dress more adventurously when on holiday, I've raided my iPhone vaults containing photos from various holidays in recent years to showcase my more interesting 'fits!

Thus, I bring to thee: every outfit that I wore on a girls' holiday to Lisbon in October 2022 (with some bonus pictures of the delicious food we had)!

Day 1

Dress review: blue floral dress (Albaray)

I received the good news in July of this year that I passed my last actuarial exam, which marked the end of me studying for the actuarial qualification since 2018, as well as the end of me studying for the rest of my life! 

After accruing an undergraduate degree, an MSc, a PhD, and then the actuarial qualification, I feel like I have thoroughly had more than my share of studying, and am very much looking forward to having my evenings free to relax! (and hopefully blog a bit more!)

To celebrate, I treated myself to this pretty blue floral dress from John Lewis, in the hopes of having a not-so-Cruel Summer (obligatory Taylor Swift reference). The dress is from Albaray.

As you may have gauged from my outfits in the past, I really like having flowers on my clothes (exhibits A, B, C and D).

Product review: MAC Hyper Real Glow Palette / Get It Glowin’ highlighter palette

Prior to going into lockdown, my daily make-up routine consisted of just two products: MAC concealer for the bags under my eyes and blemishes on my face, and MAC blush to give my cheeks a bit of colour. On Fridays, if I was feeling audacious, I would top this look up with MAC eyeshadow, usually a glittery pink shade, on the eyelids. I'm certainly loyal to the brand! 

This was an extremely simple process that I could do quickly when my train was ten minutes away from its destination, meaning that my make-up was freshly applied for work. 

Over lockdown, with there not being much to do, I had time to refine my beauty routine, and in doing so, added an extra component to the existing process: highlighter. 

OOTD: When hope was high and life worth living

My attire from a visit to one of my favourite Chinese restaurants in London, long before the lockdown mess began! Because it's nice to have nostalgia about dressing up and eating delicious meals, even if we can't quite do it yet!

Dress: Oasis

Handbag: Michael Kors

Glasses: Red or Dead

Hoop earrings: New Look

OOTD: Repping my favourite and least favourite films of 2019

In this aesthetic, I'm pairing a Parasite T-shirt (my favourite film of 2019 and one of my favourite movies of all time; I was so buzzing to be proved wrong, and see it win Best Film and Best Director at the Oscars over CoD: WW1!) with a floral headband a la Florence Pugh in Midsommar. I despised Midsommar - it was all kinds of toxic indulgent garbage, but I will concede that floral garlands are a very pretty look.

T-shirt: RedBubble (bought online)

Floral headband: Accessorize

Earcuff: Etsy (bought online)

The result is a casual yet girly and very cine-literate outfit! Of course, a flower headband is only a miniature version of the full-on garland that Dani wore in Midsommar. But I did recently find a larger garland that was truer to the look:

Excuse my gross make-up-less face there. My face without make-up deserves a 15 rating.

It might be harder to square wearing this to work on Dressdown Fridays, though!

OOTD: cocktails in a pop-up bar in Paddington

Shirt: Hawes and Curtis

Trousers: Topshop

I usually find Hawes and Curtis shirts a bit steep, but there was an Easter weekend deal on them (3 for £X, I can't remember how much exactly now), and my credit card was also offering 15% cash back on money spent there. Given that I adore H&C's lovely designs, I took this as a sign that I should stock up on some work shirts!

OOTD: My 'Gareth Southgate x City of Stars' look

This look was partly inspired by Gareth Southgate rocking a waistcoat during the World Cup. Although I don't have a waistcoat, I do own this rather fetching sleeveless sweater, which I've paired with a black starry blouse. Thus, due to my compulsive desire to enforce a film reference on everything, this is my Gareth Southgate x City of Stars outfit.

Point of interest, the last time I mixed Gareth Southgate with 'City of Stars', I covered the song, called 'Dear Gareth Southgate'.

Shirt: Warehouse

Sweater vest: Alba Moda

Trousers: John Lewis

Glasses: Red or Dead

OOTD: new haircut

With the sun finally hitting the UK, I decided my long hair of previous was getting too unmanageable, and thus, in trimming it, I've gone from Alicia Vikander in The Light Between Oceans length to Jessica Chastain in Miss Sloane length! And, in keeping consistent with the Chastain look, I've duly painted my nails black, like Liz Sloane had!

Dress: Marietta dress from Hobbs

Earrings: Amazon

Glasses: Red or Dead

The Marietta dress is now  the third dress from Hobbs I own (the other two: un et deux). Their dresses are perfect for the kind of aesthetic I'm going for at work: elegant and demure.

I find clothes definitely help with the 'fake it 'til you make it' mentality, by which I mean, even if I'm in a sub-optimal mood, if I'm at least sharply dressed at work, I feel better about myself. This then helps to improve my frame of mind, and how I carry out my work.

Mark Twain absolutely nailed it when he said 'clothes make the man'.

OOTD: Okay ladies, now let's get in formation

Top: Primark

Earrings: Aldo

Glasses: Red or Dead

The larger-than-life hoops earrings are a homage to Taraji P. Henson as 'Cookie' in Empire. The next film Taraji's appearing in is the female reboot of  What Women Want, Want Men Want, and I will hopefully be seeing that soon! 

As a point of BBFC nerdiness, I find it interesting that the original Mel Gibson film was a PG-13/12A, yet the reboot is embracing the crude adult humour, and has gotten an R and 15, and even a 16 in Ireland. I'm guessing the film's producers have targeted the grown up audience following the success of Girls' Trip. If What Men Want is half as lulzy as Girls Trip, it will be a trip to the cinema well made!

OOTD: You promised me Kate Spade, but that was last year

Ever since I heard 'No More (Baby I'ma Do Right)' from 3LW when I was ten, I've wanted my own Kate Spade handbag, because it gets name-dropped in the song (I'm very easily influenced when it comes to rap songs mentioning brands, ha). Now, some 18 years on, I've finally been able to treat myself to that very thing. Baby I'ma do right!

Dress: Ted Baker

Handbag: Kate Spade

Earrings: Christmas market stall (Leicester Square)

Cardigan (under handbag): H&M

Glasses: Red or Dead
Nail polish: Essie

OOTD: Polka dot tights

T-shirt: H&M

Hoodie: Marks and Spencer

Handbag: Michael Kors

Boots: Dorothy Perkins

Tights: M&Co

Miniskirt: a gift

OOTD: Once you go Hobbs, you don't go back

I always thought there was a certain élan that came with Hobbs dresses, perhaps, in part, because 'Hobbes' happens to be the surname of Miranda from Sex and the City, the high-powered, successful career lady of the show. So it was like, in wearing Hobbs dresses, I would, by extension, be having a bit of Miranda in me!

Dress: Hobbs

Necklace: a gift

Earrings: Christmas market stall

Glasses: Red or Dead

Jacket (to the side): United Colours of Benetton

Hopefully, in the future, I'll build up more supplies of gorgeous Hobbs dresses, so I can emulate the most intelligent Sex and the City character more!

Speaking of film/TV characters' influences on my sartorial choices, when I now go clothes shopping, I seek to emulate the styles of certain sharply-dressed women. Alicia Florrick from The Good Wife and Rachel Zane from Suits are the two at the top of my list.

And, having recently watched the enjoyably soapy A Simple Favour, I am absolutely living for Blake Lively in menswear...

Work wardrobe goals!!

OOTD: Will they know what you overcame? Will they know you rewrote the game?

What I wore to catch Hamilton at the Apollo Victoria theatre, something I'd been eagerly awaiting for months!

OOTD: Red meat, red wine, purple dress

Dress: TK Maxx

Heels: Marks and Spencer

Handbag: Michael Kors

Raincoat: Monsoon

Earrings: Miss Selfridge

Glasses: Nicole Farhi

OOTD: Wearing my 'Insufferable Emma' dress

My five least favourite actresses are Jennifer Lawrence (eighth worst performance of 2017), Emma Stone (actually not a bad actress tbf, but she stole a role from an Asian actress in Aloha), Emma Watson (worst performance of 2017), Cara Delevingne (fourth worst performance of 2017), and Kaya Scodelario (I don't contribute to her Box Office takings so haven't seen a film she's been in for years, thankfully).

So 40% of my 'Insufferable Women' list consists of women who share the same name as me. What they also have in common is that in the musicals they acted in, their singing was... not the best. This quote from Phantom Thread perfectly summarises my reaction when I heard Emma Stone wail through 'Audition' and Emma Watson's auto-tuned caterwauling in 'Belle':

In La La Land and Beauty and the Beast, the two Emmas each wore a yellow dress. Stone's came in the 'A Lovely Night' dance, and Hermione's was in the scene when she first dances with the Beast.

Not one to be left out, I thought I'd make like my two namesakes and also wear a yellow dress. After all, I too, am an Emma of dubious singing talent, who has far too high an opinion of herself. Hence, my yellow dress is verily named, the 'Insufferable Emma' dress.

Dress: John Lewis

Earrings: from China

Glasses: Red or Dead

OOTD: I knew you were trouble when you walked in

What I wore to dine at one of my favourite Japanese restaurants for the umpteenth time!

Angelica T-shirt: New Look (a store I'm clearly a fan of!)
Earrings: Won in a competition

OOTD: And there's a million things I haven't done

Outfit of the Day featuring me looking extremely pleased with my Hamilton guitar book!

 A picture without the book covering my dress:

Hair styling attempts: trying to curl my hair to look like Jessica Chastain's at the Golden Globes.

I loved Jessica Chastain's look at the Golden Globes on Sunday, so I tried to replicate those curls on my own hair. Due to time constraints, I didn't have time to use the hair curler, so just tied my hair up in a tight bun immediately after I washed it, used a hairdryer until it was partially dry, and kept it in the bun until the evening, which is when the photo was taken.

I daresay it looked better on Jess, but hey-ho, it's fun to try new things!

As for the OOTD...

Sweater/shirt combo: Debenham's

Glasses: Red or Dead

Earrings: TK Maxx

OOTD: Office Christmas Party

On Friday December 15th, I went to one of two Christmas parties our Institute is invited to (the second will be after the New Year - keep your eyes peeled for an OOTD then!). Naturally, this was an opportunity for me to get my gladrags on!

Dress: Jane Norman

Ring: Accessorize

Necklace: New Look (I was going for a Carrie in Sex and the City-style aesthetic!)

Earrings: Topshop