Baby, it's cold outside.

PLEATED DRESS FROM IWEARSIN* | COAT FROM H&M | SCARF FROM NEW LOOK

VELVET TURBAN FROM CROWN & GLORY* | BOOTS FROM TOPSHOP

Since today has been spent lazily baking Christmas treats for the village lights switch on tomorrow night, I kept my outfit very cosy and casual. This pleated black dress is the perfect balance between slouchy and dressy, so it presented me with an opportunity to pile on all of my cosy new winter accessories. In particular, my emerald green velvet turban and fluffy new scarf that I picked up after our trip to the Christmas market earlier this week.

Tonight I'm celebrating my birthday early with my family. We're having Thai food for dinner (followed by an extremely stodgy but delicious looking profiterole dessert), and they've got a few presents for me to open that have been sat in the kitchen all day eying me seductively. Needless to say I'm very excited about finally opening them! I'm hoping for a few Lush goodies...

I feel like December has been a very long time coming. I'm looking forward to being unashamedly Christmassy, and people not being able to say a word about it!

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It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Just a quick update on life in Bath. About a week ago the Christmas market sprung up in Bath, and today I met up with a close friend of mine from university to go have an explore. We stopped for a quick lunch of tea and cheesy chips (super, duper healthy), then we grabbed a hot cup of mulled wine from one of the first vendors we came across and had a peer around the stalls. Whilst we didn't buy anything (apart from a bag of caramel cashews), it was still a lovely way to spend the afternoon and we came away feeling extremely festive. It was made even nicer by the fact that I finally asked her to be one of my bridesmaids - she said yes!

Whilst we were in town I picked myself up a new scarf and stocked up on yet more black wooly tights. I think I finally feel prepared for the oncoming cold! I still felt all festive when I got back to the flat so I started up my laptop and got a good chunk of my Christmas shopping done.

I think I've earned a mince pie and a hot chocolate!

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Glitter Kitty.

SEQUIN BALLERINA DRESS FROM LASHES OF LONDON*

GLITTER CAT EARS FROM CROWN AND GLORY*

PATENT BLACK HEELS FROM H&M

It's been an interesting weekend. Over my last couple of days in Cornwall we witnessed some of the flooding that hit the county hard. We're all safe, we're all dry, it's just been a little tense. I'm back in Bath now, and reminding myself why I love the winter months (despite the disgusting weather).

I simply love Christmas. I love the decadence and the rich colours and the good food and the cheesy music. I love the fairy lights and the mulled wine and the glitter and the decorations. However, perhaps most of all, I love the sparkly, puffy, pretty party dresses! Lashes of London is a brand I've only encountered recently, but they really know how to do party dresses. Sparkles, embellishments and gorgeous silhouettes... Deciding which one is for you is a feat indeed. Being the hoarder of puffy skirts that I am, I had to go for this sequin ballerina number. It has everything I love about party dresses - sequin embellishments, a full skirt and a playful length. I doubt I'll ever want to take it off, it's just so fun to wear.

Since I just wanted to have fun with this outfit, I paired the dress with my glitter cat ears from Crown and Glory, thick wooly tights (it's cold outside, in case you hadn't noticed!) and my ever-versatile patent heels from H&M. 

Now I just need a party to go to!

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Spirit Animals.

DRESS (WORN AS SKIRT) FROM SNOOZER LOSER* | ANGORA MIX JUMPER FROM YUMI

TWEED COAT FROM H&M | LACE UP BOOTS FROM TOPSHOP

I've officially been stuck in Cornwall for too long (and the earliest the trains are going to be running again is Monday!), as it would appear that I'm reverting back to my old chunky knitwear and puffy midi skirts. I don't necessarily see this as a problem - in general people here are a little less 'polished' with their dressing than they are in the city, and that suits me just fine.

The print on the skirt of this Snoozer Loser dress is one of my favourites. It's a little weird and wonderful, and ideal for adding a quirky edge to layered winter looks. Since it's a fairly statement piece, I dressed it down with a chunky cream jumper, my tweed coat, thick black tights and little black boots. Cosy, cosy, cosy.

I also wanted to show you a lovely little sketch the fabulous Paige gave me as thanks for having her stay with me in London. I don't often frame things, however this was just too perfect. From left to right, it features me, Steph of Stephanie Dreams and Paige herself. Isn't it the sweetest? I can't wait to put it up in our flat next week.

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Pinafore Pretty.

PLEATED PINAFORE DRESS FROM KEE BOUTIQUE | CHIFFON BLOUSE FROM NEW LOOK (OLD)

HEADBAND FROM CROWN & GLORY* | NECKLACE FROM ZARA TAYLOR* | BOOTS FROM TOPSHOP

If you live in the UK, you're no doubt aware of the horrific weather conditions at the moment. Because of flooded rail tracks, I am currently stranded in Cornwall, which is hardly the worst thing in the world, but it meant that I was unable to attend the Dahlia event this afternoon. They're one of my favourite brands so I'm absolutely devastated. I was so looking forward to meeting up with some fellow bloggers and eying up pretty dresses. C'est la vie...

On the bright side, I've spent today baking gingerbread men. They're a new one for me, so I was over the moon when the first batch turned out perfect. We've made holes in their heads (although I felt a bit cruel doing so!) so that we can thread them along a some festive ribbon to make a garland for the kitchen. I'll definitely be sharing photos - it's one of the better Christmas DIYs I've attempted!

Although I couldn't attend the event today, I still wore the outfit I'd planned on wearing. The gorgeous pinafore is from Kee Boutique, a brand I really should buy from more often! The print is so on-trend and it looks adorable paired with a cream blouse. I just wore it with this old New Look number I picked up for about £5 in the January sales! I kept accessories simple but sweet with a Crown and Glory headband and my Zara Taylor 'A Nice Cup of Rosy Lea' necklace.

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When in Cornwall, do as the Cornish do.

FAUX FUR CAPE FROM THE BBMEETUP | TWEED COAT FROM H&M

BOOTS FROM TOPSHOP | MY BATTERED OLD SATCHEL

It's always nice to come back to Cornwall for a few days to refresh myself, especially after a hectic weekend in London. I never truly appreciated the lazy pace of life until I left it behind, but now that I live in the city I love visiting my family. The sea air is therapeutic!

Yesterday my mum and I headed to Falmouth to do a little Christmas shopping. As is always the way when we shop together, the first stop was Costa, where we indulged in seasonal lattes and shared a brie and cranberry panini. They also had these adorable little gingerbread biscuits on the counter, and being the sucker for nicely decorated confectionery that I am, I couldn't not buy a packet.

We ended up buying more Christmas decorations than anything else. I got a little excited whilst we were in a crafts corner and ended up buying a bunch of glitter and glue in the (arguably naive) hope of knocking together a few DIY pieces - we'll just have to see how that one works out!

I'm back up to Bath tonight, and tomorrow I'm London bound for the day for the Dahlia Christmas event. Hopefully I'll be meeting some new people and catching up with some familiar faces. Being that it's Dahlia, no doubt I'll also be falling in love with an array of gorgeous dresses whilst I'm at it...

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The faces behind the November ads.

 CROWN AND GLORY

If you've been following my blog for a while now, you'll know that I simply adore all things Crown and Glory! The main lady herself, Sophie, has been so good to me, and I just love following the brand's journey. Over the past few months I've posted a plethora of their stunning glitter bows and floral headbands, however today I thought I'd share their velvet turbans (modeled by yours truly!).

 STEPHANIE DREAMS

 Where to begin with Steph! Recently I've been lucky enough to meet and befriend some of my fellow bloggers, and Steph is one of those lovely ladies! She's one of the most charming, genuine girls I have ever had the pleasure to meet, and her fun loving, colourful personality comes across so well in every one of her blog posts. Her outfits are perfect, her hair is gorgeous, and her blog posts will brighten your day.

 LISETTE LOVES

  Lisette is a lovely grounded lady with a pretty face and spot-on personal style. Whether she's posting fashion, beauty, or general lifestyle posts, she does so with an endearing honesty. You'll be romanced by her down to earth attitude and unfailing charm. She has an eye for a bargain and finds joy in the little things. Her blog is so heartwarming and beautiful.

 SALLYTANGLE

An utterly dreamy and whimsical blog sharing the personal style and adventures of the lovely Sally. She's honest, she's sweet, and her blog is an achingly pretty little retreat. She looks at the world in a very beautiful way and it's a joy to share her journey.

 PAIGE JOANNA

Another of my dear friends. Paige is a little star with enormous talent. Not only is she an extremely photogenic pixie of a lady, but she's one of my favourite illustrators (the mastermind behind my banner in fact!) and one of the most creative people I know. Her aesthetic is beautiful and nostalgic, and her outfits are pretty and well executed. She's charismatic, bright-eyed and her blog posts always make me laugh!

STRAWBERRY SISTERS

 It probably comes as no surprise to you that I'm a fan or red hair, so of course I appreciate a blog written by a pair of gorgeous, flame haired sisters! Their joint project of a blog is extremely fun and full of life. These two gorgeous ladies never take themselves too seriously, and the result is a blog that never fails to surprise and delight. Their material is always fresh and innovative.

GINGER PICKLE

An utterly adorable store stocking jewellery, accessories, homeware and stationary. I adore their cute aesthetic and their vibrant, quirky stock. In particular I've fallen completely in love with their prints! I've included a few of my favourites above, but there are so many more going on my wishlist. Pastel colours, cute illustrations and playful puns? Count me in.

THE VINTAGE SET

As much as I love vintage, I'm not the best finding at finding great pieces when it comes to crammed shops and markets, so it's always welcome to find stores like this one. They're finding the amazing vintage bits so that you can shop them from your desk chair/sofa/bed with ease. Don't mind if I do!

 SOMETHING INDIE

The perfect site if you're after something a little bit different, stocking clothes, accessories, jewellery and more. I'm eying up this sequin jacket, this butterfly necklace and this sugar pastel bag. That's a whole lot of pretty!

If you'd be interested in a December ad space, email me at thebriarroseblog@gmail.com for more information.

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Behind the camera, an engagement shoot.

Once upon a time, long before I started modeling, yours truly wanted to be a photographer. It started when I was fifteen and whiled away my afternoons getting lost on Deviantart, then getting frustrated with the family point and shoot when it wouldn't do as I wanted. For my sixteenth birthday I finally got an SLR (the same one I use today!) and whilst it's fairly basic and outdated, it's seen me through the past four years faithfully.

I studied photography at A Level, however I didn't pursue it any further. Nowadays the only photography I really do is for my blog posts, so when Shannon of Daisy Rain asked me to do her engagement shoot, it was a tempting offer. I was a little worried that I was too rusty to be trusted with something so important and special to them, however Shannon had faith in me and I tried my hardest to bring their vision to life. Considering I haven't been too hot with my photography for the past couple of years, I must admit I'm quite pleased with the final photos.

This is really just a taster, but I was so excited to share! Now that Shannon's given me the green light, I wanted to post a few of my favourites. Aren't they a sweet couple, and how beautiful is her ring?

Congratulations, Shannon and Jack, and thank you for trusting me with your engagement shoot!

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Crazy little thing called Love.

Thursday evening was the night of Love's Next Top Designer event, and it truly lived up to the hype that's been building over the past month or so. Love is such a fun, down to earth brand, and the evening was everything you would expect from them. The champagne flowed generously, there were piles of sweets on every table and the social hub was a 'garden', boasting delicious handmade cupcakes (I kid you not - I munched my way through about three!).

What made the event extra exciting was that I was a blogger judge, and my lovely friend Paige was a finalist! It was such an honour to feel so involved, and even though Paige didn't win (although I do wish I could have bought her dress - you can see the design from concept to completion on her blog) it was great to see such a variety of pieces in the final.

It was also wonderful to finally meet Arabella. In all seriousness, there are no words to describe how strikingly beautiful this lady is! I also got to meet Sophie from Mad PR for the first time, and she is possibly the warmest, most welcoming person I have encountered in recent months. A couple of my ticket giveaway winners managed to make it too, including India from Out With The New, In With The Old (who was wearing the most amazing green vintage dress), and Hannah of Daisies and Dr Martens, whose illustrations are always worth a peek.

Of course it was lovely to spend some time with a few familiar faces too, Steph, Kim and Amy. Needless to say, I spent a fair amount of time at the Crown and Glory stall catching up with Sophie and Rhiannon whilst trying on a few new pieces (I will never have enough, wait until you see what we have in the works for my trip to Disneyland Paris in December!). Sophie really does make all of my hair accessory dreams come true. She was kind enough to let me have these fun cat ears to quirk up my beautiful Love dress.

It was just a wonderful evening, made all the better by good company, crammed goodie bags, the ever so tempting sample sale and the gorgeous Chelsea Doll glitter necklaces that the blogger judges were given as a thank you. It was such a shame to leave, however it was also nice to get back to the flat with Steph and Paige - after hours of wearing heels we needed a rest! We pulled on our pajamas, tucked into hot chocolate loaded with marshmallows and had an old school sleepover. Perfect.

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