Welcome to the dark side...

Prada AW12

Jean Paul Gaultier AW12

Chanel AW12

If you're a fledgling fashion intern, model or blogger these days it seems the unofficial uniform is black, maybe with a little monochrome or grey thrown in to mix it up. Usually, I prefer to dress like I've rubbed myself up against a wet unicorn that's been trotting through rainbows. Far be it from me to hate on black clothing - the LBD is still the staple for any girl's wardrobe (I now couldn't dream of life without my French Connection yoke mini) and black is universally acknowledged as the most flattering and alluring colour in style. Still, I'm always a little disheartened when I step on to the high street in Autumn and the displays are filled with fifty shades of black. This Winter, however, is different - I suddenly find myself hideously attracted to the blacks, oxbloods and graphites that litter the shop windows because everyone has gone embellishment and oddity crazy: studs, sequins, prints, inserts, patterns and sheer fabrics have (somewhat) lured me over to the dark side, and you should definitely join me.

River Island Grey Print Maxi Skirt - £25
This skirt has everything - a little grey, a little black, a little of what I'll constrew as oxblood, plus it looks like a big pile of Autumn leaves and everybody loves those (except gardeners).

In Love With Fashion LOU LOU Black Open Back Dress (back view) - £32
Cold shoulders and an exposed back but with a maxi skirt to make up for all that flesh, this dress is the perfect amount of exhibitionism for the Winter without those catty labels.

New Look Black Lace PU Sleeve Jacket - £34.99
Leather (look) and lace - an unusual but welcome combo for this season for releasing your inner gothika. 

Office Over The Top Wedge - £70
I feel like Oxblood is probably going to be the most difficult colour to work with this season as it's so inbetween, but these killer wedges from Office are right on the money and could be paired with brights or darks from the ankles up.

Pull and Bear Animal Print Jersey - £29.99
Super cute! People will probably want to pet you if you wear this.

ASOS Marketplace Pirate Ship Foldover Clutch - £15.99
Quirky little clutches are a mayjuh weakness of mine, and this one is a friggin steal as well as working the "grey and interesting" look.

ASOS Sheer Bomber Jacket - £35
Own it, love it, wear it everywhere. Bottom line? It's awesome go get one!

Miss Selfridge Project #3 Lace Panel Dress - £52
Yes we're bordering on the pricey here but if you want a truly knockout dress in everybody's favourite shade check out Project #3 at Miss Selfridge - a limited collection of stunning pieces, definite crowd pleasers and this art deco style mesh and lace number is spot on for AW12.

ASOS Sweatshirt with Stud Shoulder - £35
It's got studs and a leather look trim BUT it's also comfy as hell, I think Rita Ora whenever I see pieces like this and who doesn't want to be a little more like Rita?

Black Milk Black Galaxy Leggings - £48.37
Not usually something I would include in a Cheap Like Me post but if we're talking about innovative clothing then I have to mention my true love Black Milk. Yes a pair will set you a budgeting girl back a buttload but the wear you get out of them is worth every penny. 

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!

juicy fruit!

Last weekend I think I stumbled across the cutest little bikini on the market right now!

If you've flicked through any of the fashion bibles recently you'll probably have seen Stella McCartney's fruity pieces, and there's plenty of imitations and inspirations on the high street.

Stella McCartney RTW SS11

H&M's new collections have been splashed about everywhere from TV screens to bus stops, and they've had some great pieces on show (alas the Seventies style jumpsuit they dangled in front of my eyes seems to have sold out everywhere!) BUT they haven't showcased this little beauty yet, and more fool them!

Banana bikini top - £9.99

Banana bikini bottoms - £7.99

This adorable little two-piece is on trend for the Summer with a great design and cheap as you like! You can pick up the whole set for just £17.98! You can't see from these pictures but the bikini is a halterneck, has support panels at the sides and removeable padded inserts, so it can actually give you a good lift despite its non-supportive appearance.

(N.B. having tried it on myself, I would say that this bikini is better suited to C cup sizes and smaller OR those with gravity-defying boobs!)

It also has super cute pineapple charm details on the ends of the straps, continuing the fruity theme and sealing this bikini's status as a real steal!