I paired the dress with my go-to clutch and shoes which I wear to most parties or nights out. I can't wear skyscraper heels anymore, chunky heels all the way now. If you're a bit more adventurous than me you could pair them with a pair of classic black heels like these gorgeous shoes.

I'm not going to make any bold and unrealistic goals for the new year but the one thing I've promised myself that I'll achieve is looking a bit more polished in 2015. I've become stuck in a style rut and I've really not been making the effort recently. I'm just throwing on dresses that I know fit me well and are work appropriate but not spending time on picking out a few accessories that make the outfit stand out or trying new trends and experimenting. I've been buying lots of Joules and Boden recently and whilst they make some great stuff I don't think I'm quite at that middle class mother/yummy mummy stage of my life yet.

In my bid to look more chic I've been scouring the internet and found a store that stocks up to a size 18 (I get so frustrated when brands stock 8-14) and has loads of basic items which can be mixed with more statement pieces. Esprit is a fashion brand that blends creativity and responsibility fused with a sunny Californian attitude. Effortless style, authenticity and easy-going living are at the heart of the brand philosophy. There is loads of laid-back tailoring, hand-crafted and responsible production. 

One of the main reasons I visited Budapest was for the Christmas markets. I wanted to visit one on the continent but Germany can be very expensive because they use the Euro there so I settled on Budapest as a cheap alternative. There were plenty of other reasons I visited Budapest including the hot spas and historical sites but the markets were lovely and Budapest it the perfect city for a festive Christmas break.


Martyn and I were very lucky because there was a Christmas market right on our doorstep. There is a Christmas Market just outside the Basilica (post about the church here) which was only a two minute walk from our apartment. That meant there was a constant supply of mulled wine on my doorstep, we drank a lot of mulled wine so we didn't freeze because it was -2/4 outside for most of our stay. Each hour in the evening the Basilica was lit up with a wonderful light show, some were a bit psychadelic like the photo below.


We drank so much mulled wine on our trip, we bought mugs so it would stay hot and took them home with us. I'm sure they were only around £1.50 each too, bargain.
Some traditional Chimney cakes at the market. Kürtőskalács (chimney cakes) are made from sweet, yeast dough. A strip is spun and then wrapped around a cone–shaped baking spit, and rolled in granulated sugar. During the baking process the sugar stuck becomes caramelized and forms shiny, crispy crust on the cake. You can also have additional toppings like ground walnut or cinnamon powder^.


We also visited the Great Market Hall at the Pest end of Liberty Bridge. It's a great place to stroll even in cold and rainy weather. The three-storey hall is huge and you can pick up plenty of Hungarian paprika here.
They really know how to do Christmas well in Budapest and I felt that once I got home my festive cheer had disappeared a bit. I was excited to get that Christmassy feeling back when ICE International Currency Exchange challenged me to recreate a Hungarian Christmas. I picked up a lot of souvenirs on my trip and some items in the UK to bring a Central European feel to my home. Christmas in Hungary is celebrated with traditions similar to those found in other Central European countries as well customs unique to Hungary.

Hungarian Christmas starts with the celebration of Advent. Advent starts four Sundays before Christmas, at this time families decorate their front yards and tables with beautiful advent wreaths adorned with four candles.Every Sunday before Christmas they lit one additional candle and the last one is lit on Christmas Eve. You can find colorful wreaths in every Hungarian home and I saw some giant ones at the Christmas markets dotted around the city.

The Christmas and gift-giving season starts  early with the Santa-like figure, or Hungarian version of Saint Nicholas, Mikulás (or Szent Miklós)  visiting the homes of Hungarian children on the night of 5th December, on the eve of Saint Nicholas Feast Day, 6th December.
If you're from outside the UK I would love to know how you celebrate Christmas and please share any unusual family traditions you might have, I would really enjoy reading them.

The words Christmas and stress seem to go hand in hand for me at the moment. There's social events most nights, presents to buy, I've got a cold and I'm really looking forward to a whole day off with nothing to do. There isn't just one super cure for a stress free and relaxing Christmas, but there are a few simple things we can do so it doesn't get the best of us.

Make a list and check it twice.
I always find that writing things down helps clear my mind. I have a card list, present list and food list which all get ticked of and give me peace of mind. I also write all parties and things I need to attend in my diary so I won't forget anything. When writing your to-do list you could rate the items on it in order of importance. If the less important things don't get done, don't stress out.

Delegate.
Giving up control isn't always the easiest thing to do, but it can make a big difference. I like to control the menu over Christmas but I don't drive so going to pick up the food can be difficult for me. I've asked Martyn to pick up a few bits for me. I've had to learn to relax when he comes home with Aunt Bessie's roast potatoes instead of regular potatoes which I roast myself. It's not worth worrying about.


Remember you count 
Last but certainly not least: remember that you count too. Don't forget about yourself amongst all the hustle and bustle of making everyone else's life special. When you are out shopping or at home take some time to thank yourself for a job well done. I've been reading a book in bed and getting my lovely Pied a Terre scented votives and diffusers out to create a relaxing atmosphere.
I  have Iris & Vetiver, Plum & Black Amber and Fig Leaf & Cassis scented candles, I can't pick a favourite. It's nice to treat yourself to something luxurious like this or a new hand cream or nail polish.

The Simply Be campaign named #SimplyBeReal has made me chuckle a few times already when I've seen posts about it on twitter. Illustrators have been recreating the 'real moments' women experience in everyday life. Fashion doesn't always to go as planned and I've had a fair few fashion disasters in my life so I had a hard time narrowing it down to one moment to bring to life in an illustration.

I've been working in the library sector for over five years now and what I wore was never a problem when I worked in public libraries with low shelving. I started working at a University library just over 4 years ago (you can read about that here) and that's where the problems began...

My job is a bit more physical than people imagine, I'm crawling around on the floor fixing problems with computer cables and shelving books on step ladders. My embarrassing fashion moment came when I was shelving some books in the library up on one of the high shelves whilst wearing a rather short skater skirt. A patron walked past and whispered to her friend that she could see right up my skirt and I was mortified. My face turned a violent shade of red and I've not been able to wear short skirts to work since.

I'm a midi skirt fan now and only wear dresses below the kneed to avoid any further embarrassment. 


My illustration was created by the wonderful Anke Weckmann and I love how she has captured me and my story. What to you think?

I would love to hear your funny stories, fond memories and fashion mishaps so please share them with me in the comments or by using the #SimplyBeReal tag.

One of the highlights of my trip to Budapest was visiting the Basilica. It was named after King Stephen I, the first King of Hungary who brought Christianity to his country who was canonised after his death.








It really was breathtaking. I'm not a religious person at all but the scale and beauty of this building really took my breath away. I was definitely deeply moved by my surroundings. There is a small fee, 200 HUF to enter the church (less that £1) and if you want to climb the dome like we did then there is a 1000 HUF fee which is around £3 but well worth it. After climbing lots of winding stairs to the top of the dome we were rewarded but amazing panoramic views of the city. It was very grey and cold for most of our stay but the views were still spectacular. You can see as few at the Buda hills and make out all the major landmarks.


Our apartment was only a two minute walk away from the gem that is the basilica. We booked it through airbnb and really enjoyed our stay there. It was a very good price, the perfect size for a couple and had everything we needed. I would highly recommend a stay if you're considering going to Budapest. The host was from the UK and moved to Budapest with his Hungarian wife, he kindly picked us up from the airport and gave us a quick tour of the area.



There was plenty of space for four people/a family too as the one bedroom apartment also had a sofa bed.


If you want to read more about my trip to Budapest make sure you keep an eye on the Budapest tag. Have you been anywhere exciting recently? Please leave links below so I can get some travel inspiration.

I love this bag and it has been so well used. It can be a clutch or shoulder bag, very versatile and the neutral colours match most things.


What will you be wearing for all your family occasions and Christmas parties this year?

I have to apologise in advance, you are going to be so bored of Budapest once I've finished with it. I've got about six posts lined up about it and I might even attempt to make a blog about my trip there with tips for people going there for the first time. I arrived back home from my holiday in Budapest on Thursday and I've been looking through the photos and wishing I was back there every day.

It's a beautiful city and they really know a thing or two about lighting up their buildings to make it look magical at night. It was dark in Budapest at around 4pm everyday so a lot of my photos were taken at night, here are a few of my favourite photos of my new top destination:



The photo above is of the gorgeous Széchenyi Chain Bridge which is a suspension bridge that spans the River Danube between Buda and Pest, the western and eastern sides of Budapest.  Designed by the English engineer William Tierney Clark, it was the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Hungary, and was opened in 1849.




Lots of these photos were taken on our last night in Budapest where we rode trams 2 and 19 down each side of the river taking in all the sights for the final time. The photo below is of the other end of Budapest and shows the Gellert area and the green bridge which links it to the Jewish Quarter. Martyn and I loved just wandering around the city (even though it was very cold) with a mug of mulled wine in our hands and making the most of the views from both sides of the river.