tooooo many tights!

Well the weather can't quite decide what it wants to do with itself right now: one moment I'm rejoicing at the nip in the air meaning I can break out my chunky knits and the next I'm scrabbling to peel off the layers lest I melt into a little puddle on the floor. BUT seeing as it's October and technically it's meant to be Autumn/Winter now I thought I would pay homage to one of my favourite cold weather accessories.

Wolford A/W '11 Bonny Dots

Tights tights tights: streamlining legs, shutting out the cold and reducing shaving costs for the female masses since the Sixties. Since then designers have experimented with patterns and prints to jazz up this simple staple, and this season it seems as if they've gone mad for extravagant leg dressing. In terms of premium hosiery, the first brand that always comes to my mind is Wolford, well known and loved in the fashion industry for its high quality product and high fashion designs. Unfortunately at around £30 a pair, those of us on a budget are somewhat loathed to click 'Add to Basket'.

That's why I was delighted to find so many alternatives on the high street, still on trend but with a much more convenient price tag:

Gipsy Big Spot Tights from ASOS - £8!

These Gipsy tights available from ASOS are a dead ringer for the Wolford Bonny Dots, and a darn sight cheaper at only £8! Cuter than a basket of puppies and kittens and simple enough to pair with several of this season's other trends without looking like you're a sandwich short of a picnic.

Next Navy Medium Spot Tights - £6.50!

Next also offer their own take on the polka dot pins, but they've also incorporated a twilight blue, an intoxicating favourite with fashion houses this season.

H&M Houndstooth Tights - £2.99!

My personal favourite after trawling through several websites and high street shops, these extravagant houndstooth tights from H&M are a complete bargain at only £2.99! Talking from experience, they look KILLER with a slinky, high-waisted pencil skirt and blocky, platform heels but they'd also go great with any number of this season's Forties inspired pieces. (N.B. The above image is of the Wolford Cheryl tights, H&M are rubbish and have not put their version up on their website, but it is almost identical except for the nude panels which are a very sheer black on the H&M product.)

Next Black Star Tights - £6!

Another popular name in the hosiery game is of course the dashing Henry Holland, whose collaborations with Pretty Polly have frequently been the focus of my style envy. This season he has snatched the A/W '11 star print trend from the skies and sprinkled them over a pair of his famous tights. Though not quite as dear as Wolford at £14.99, it's always good to look after the pennies, so you may want to opt instead for Next's version for only £6!

And finally, though not necessarily a trend for A/W '11 I felt I had to share a surprising discovery I made whilst shopping yesterday: fishnet tights are a frequent favourite of mine for nights out, but blow me if they aren't hard to find on the high street for a reasonable price! I know you'll all be screaming PRIMARK at your computer screens, but unfortunately for a girl with a little more cushion for pushin' around the derriére, the fit is truly awful. So imagine my surprise when I spied my faithful fishnets in Wilkinsons for just £2 a pair! Plus the fit is fantastic, who knew?

Wilko Fashion Tights - £2!

That's it for another post lovelies! I really am trying to get round to my supermarket beauty buys, hopefully this week will prove slightly more productive, and I hope to do a budget nail colour/design video too! In the meantime, leave me comments if you buy/own any of these tights and let me know what you wear them with!

a Sixties staple - for under £20!

Well my lovelies it has been a little slow on the shopping front of recent! Moving out in September, several V.I.P's birthdays and a holiday in less than 10 days (eeeep!) mean that even my bargain scouring has been reigned in. I have however been searching the net for cheap little beauties to see in the new season and to share with you all, and I have found a little high street delight that I am dying to get into my own wardrobe!

Peacocks Funnel Neck Block Print Dress - £18!

As well as the naughty Forties, several AW '11 collections have given more than a nod towards the age of Mary Quant, Twiggy and the dawn of the mini skirt. Jean Paul Gaultier, Prada, Bottega Veneta to name a few have drawn on key trends from the iconic Sixties in their collections. But for those of us who can only dream of registering for a Net-A-Porter account, the super workable Funnel Neck Block Print Dress from Peacocks may be a little more reasonable!

Balenciaga RTW AW '11

A mini dress, although extremely fun may not be the most appropriate work wear and for budgeting beauties, an item of clothing must be multi-functional! So why not take a leaf out of Balenciaga's books and incorporate another key trend of AW '11, tunics and trousers. Wear the Peacocks dress with a pair of loose straight leg trousers (a clashing jewel colour if you really want to make a statement!) for a more professional look.

Prada RTW AW '11

For a day time look, team with slouchy knee socks, wide belt, low to mid Mary Jane heels and an oversized clutch a la Prada! Hair and make-up should probably be pared down to avoid looking too cutesie.

Jean Paul Gaultier RTW AW '11

For a night time look, it has to be the ever sensual Jean Paul Gaultier that we look to for inspiration. A beehive, high, blocky heels, massive earrings and coloured tights is most definitely the way to dress up this high street bargain.

One of the other great things about this dress seems to be its cut too! An A-line is great for pear shapes (yippee!) as it skims over the widest area of your silhouette, so this dress should terrific for those of us who are blessed (yes, blessed!) with more cushion for pushin'!

On an un-dress-related note, because I am going on holiday in less than 10 days (did I already say that?! Probably about 572 times.) I will really try and get a budget holiday essentials video done beforehand, so stay tuned for that if you have any end of Summer or Winter sun holidays on the horizon!