If there's one thing that everyone needs during the Christmas party season it's a good clutch.  That's why today on the blog I am introducing Madam Q Couture, a handbag project designed by Manchester based designer Sophie Ho.  She wanted to create a line of clutches that embodies the Manchester lifestyle... edgy, fun and sophisticated.

Manufactured locally in Manchester Madam Q Couture's first collection is made up of two different styles of clutch bags, the Olivia clutch and the Scarlett clutch.  The Scarlett clutch, my favourite, is slightly bigger and has a removable strap.  Both styles are available in black or white with either a studded motif or a jewelled wing embellishment.  

The Olivia Clutch

The Scarlett Clutch

Unfortunately they are not available yet but Madam Q Couture is currently running a Kickstarter to fund the project, so if you like what you see and would like to get your hands on one of these amazing clutches be sure to check it out.

Coat - New Look

Dress - Topshop

Boots - Office

I gave you a little snippet of this coat in my winter haul post here, and explained how I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it.  I will admit when I went winter coat shopping I had an image in my head of what I wanted: soft, oversized and pastel coloured.  Whilst this is not the complete opposite, it is super soft and cosy and slightly oversized, it is most definitely not pastel coloured.  This coat is a lot darker than the pale pastel beauty I imagined myself returning from my shopping trip with, but I am happy with the choice I made.  Being darker I find it goes with most outfits and I have been wearing it at every opportunity and am sure it will become my new best friend as the weather gets colder over the next month or so.  Now I am on the hunt for the perfect scarf to go with it...

It's getting to that time of year again, when twinkling lights are going up around the town and the smell of Christmas is in the air.  That means one thing, Christmas balls and parties are on the horizon.  Which in turn means the hunt for the perfect Christmas party dress.  I was recently introduced to Aviva Dress, an online store that sells an array of evening dresses that are perfect for Christmas.  At such great prices there's no reason you can't feel super glamorous in beautiful cocktail dresses.  Here are just a few of my picks for the Christmas party season.

Red


If there's one colour that really makes me feel Christmas-y when it comes to dresses it's red.  With Rudolph's nose and Santa's suit it is a colour we automatically associate with Christmas and probably pretty much the only time I've worn a red dress.  I especially love the middle dress, it has such a lovely flattering neckline and would be perfect for dinner out as well as a Christmas party.

White

Now, I think white dresses can be a little hard to pull off, especially floor length gowns which can look a little wedding-y.  However I love the idea of a snowy white dress and the embellishment on these to long dresses make them look a little less bridal and a little more party.

Black

Then there's the classic black dress.  When I think of classic dresses for Christmas I instantly picture something black and gold.  Black to me is an all time classic and what is Christmas without a little twinkle of gold.  That's why I picked this sequin dress because for me if there's ever a time you can get away with a dress covered in sequins, it's Christmas.

Navy

Another classic colour to me is navy and a great alternative if you want to try another colour besides black and aren't quite brave enough for brighter colours such as red.  Adorned with sequins and beads these navy dresses are perfect for Christmas.

Aviva Dress have a style to suit every single body shape and size and also offer custom made dresses for a small fee of £9.99.  This is perfect if like me you have a bigger bust and small waist and find it hard to find form fitting formal dresses that fit perfectly.  I'd definitely recommend checking them out if you're on the hunt for a beautiful dress.

What colour and style of dress will you be opting for this Christmas?

Today I thought I'd share with you a little winter shopping I did recently whilst on the hunt for a new winter coat.  As you'll be able to tell I'm loving New Look's winter collection at the moment, they have some really nice pieces.

Coat, £54.99 - New Look

There are so many nice checked coats around at the moment and I have browsed many online as well as tried several on in store.  Now if I'm being honest, I remember seeing this coat online and it never really caught my attention, however when I saw it in store I fell in love with it instantly.  It is a lovely soft wool and so cosy, and I love the navy and green tartan for winter.  If you were to get this coat though I'd definitely suggest down-sizing as it is very oversized, even in a smaller size it is quite big on me but I quite like the oversized look.  Must be fairly popular though, as it seems that it is already sold out online.

Skirt, £19.99 - New Look

Sandals, £22.99 - New Look

Sticking with the tartan theme I also bought this lovely black and white brushed wool effect skirt.  I think it'll look great for winter with a turtle neck, thick tights and boots.  Now I know it's a little cold for sandals but if there's one thing that was missing from my wardrobe it's a pair of simple black sandals.  I like that these have a thicker strap and a chunkier heel than your typical pair of strappy black sandals.  I have not had them long and have already worn them several times as they go with everything, so I can see myself getting a lot of wear out of these.

Jumper, £22.99 - New Look

After getting over my fear of pink in this post I thought I'd a little bit of colour to my wardrobe this winter, as pastel pinks and blues are everywhere this season.  I love this little fluffy jumper, with it's embellished neckline it is great for jazzing up a simple pair of jeans or trousers.  I also like that it has short sleeves because I find that I can get a little too hot in long sleeved jumpers sometimes, even though I love how cosy they are when everywhere has heaters on it can be just a little too warm and uncomfortable sometimes.

Dress, £14.99 - H&M

I love this simple black and white checked dress, it is quite thin for winter but add a pair of tights and a nice big cosy cardigan it is just perfect for throwing on with little effort.  

Faux Leather Trousers, £14.99 - H&M

The second item I got from H&M was these faux leather trousers.  The first thing that drew me to them was the colour.  I'm loving this deep burgundy colour for winter and will make a nice change from black leather.  As far as leather trousers go they are pretty comfy and seem pretty good quality for the price.

Boots, £15 - Primark

Finally I bought myself a new pair of boots.  If I had my way, and the budget, I'd have a wardrobe full of boots.  They are one of my favourite things to shop for.  I love this grey suede pair from Primark, not only are they really comfy but an absolute bargain too.

What have you been buying for the winter season?

One of my favourite places to go is the zoo and will go at any opportunity I can.  If I lived close enough I'd definitely buy an annual pass and go every week if I could.  I just have such a huge love for animals and if I'm ever feeling down a trip to the zoo is a sure fire way to cheer me up.  I'm like an over excited child when I go to the zoo, especially when I get to see an animal for the first time.  I have never been to Yorkshire Wildlife Park before, but with the UK's only zoo with a polar bear I couldn't wait to go and see it.  Unfortunately I couldn't get a great picture of him as his enclosure was massive and he was near the back, but still just to see the sheer size of him even from so far away was amazing.  It is not the biggest zoo that I have been too, but it did only open 5 years ago and seems to be a work in progress and expanding with new animals and enclosures.  It was however still a great day out and would definitely go back.

Which is your favourite zoo?  I'd love a few more to add to my list.