The Cat's Whiskers

Hi! Remember me? 

I know, I know, sorry I disappeared again for a wee bit but life put blogging on the back burner.

But here I am again, this time with a post about cats. Yes cats. The other night I found myself searching all my favourite websites for cat print/cat items (as you do). I think I have the gumption to become a crazy cat lady; I just need more cats.

Anyway if you don't like cats look away now, because here is the cat's meow of what I found!

ASOS turned out to be a bit of a cat lady's dream:

Lulu Guinness Lily Cat Shopper £50

A| Wear Cat Print Dress: £32.00

Roksanda Illincic For Lulu & Co Cat Print Silk Skirt: £280

Well I didn't say that being a cat lady was going to be cheap.

Wildfox Cat Print One Piece Suit: £127

Paul & Joe Cat Collection Blusher Sticks: £21 

How could you ever bear to use it? It has a top hat for Pete's sake!

I am also a huge fan of the illustrator Gemma Correll because she also loves cats. Ok, that's not the main reason she's also an amazing artist:

Iconemesis Iphone Case by Gemma Correll: £19.99

(20% off at the mo!)

'Have You Hugged Your Cat? Print' by Gemma Correll: $30

15% goes to the Pablove Foundation for fighting childhood cancer.

Now onto Etsy. Etsy has so many wonderful cat inspired things it was difficult to know just what to select. 

Real Men Love Cats T-shirt by RC Tees: $24.00

I completely endorse this statement. 

Black Cat Leather Case by La Lisette: $44

And finally the ultimate cat lady attire so everyone knows just what you are:

Crazy Cat Lady Hoodie by The Bold Bannana: $28

I have become so obsessed by cat related stuffs that I have even dedicated a Pinterest board to the cause.

Will you be showing your love for cats for all the world to see anytime soon?

Love 

Madame Squirrel

P.S I'm selling some stuffs on Ebay (click the link to see them) as my phone decided to jump from my arms and smash its little face in. So why not have a look; I must warn you though none of the items have a cat in any shape or form on them.

Spending Ban

So following my spectacular Stateside holiday and with moving in day with the Monsieur imminent, I am now on a strict, enforced spending ban.

I will most definitely, almost certainly NOT be buying any of these *strokes computer screen and sits on debit card*:

* Navy Button Front Midi Dress by Topshop.

* Premium Silk Devore Cami Top by Topshop.

* Ideas Notebook by Sparrow Nest Script on Etsy.

* Cream Knitted Stitch Panel Cardi by Topshop.

* January Vintage Peep Shoes by Topshop.

Yes it's going to be tough but I have to do this. I need to make the most of the things I already own and stop lusting after the things I don't.

I'm quite looking forward to not endlessly trailing the new in sections of my bookmarked online stores and instead spending my time doing things that actually need doing, like sorting out my bursting wardrobe for one.

It's time for me to start appreciating the little (and free) things in life more and stop being so materialistic...I say this but you will probably find me a week from now standing in H&M stroking dresses while staring wistfully into space.

If any of you have any tips to help me achieve this spending ban (and prevent dress stroking) then please do comment below... I'm going to need all the help I can get!


Love
Madame Squirrel.

Stylin'

Recently, I have been looking at my (bursting) wardrobe and wondering just how many 'classic' pieces do I actually have in there?

I'm a sale (and Primark) magpie...in the way that magpies pick up silver trash, I pick up sale trash. I almost always buy patterned (or ugly) items, which tend to date quite quickly and lots and lots of tops and dresses (I seem to forget that I actually have a bottom half, which is a miracle considering how rotund my stomach is getting). I don't shop well, I'm a grab and try everything on kind of gal and I really need to change this habit of a lifetime.

Don't get me wrong I still want to look like me (tramp chic remember?) but I want to buy more 'investment pieces' rather than items that I will wear once and then sell on eBay two years later.

Here are some items that I view as the beginnings of a capsule wardrobe. Part of me wants to buy them all and put my existing wardrobe out of its misery (unfortunately I'm not that flush with the monies, so not gonna happen). As I can only (barely) afford the highstreet, I've mostly used items from the UK high street and I was genuinely surprised at the chic loveliness there is out there, probably because I just haven't looked before...

Clothes

L-R Top Row: Silk Crepe Boxy Shirt £45 Topshop, Moto Vintage Skinny Baxter £40 Topshop, Tall Piped Trench Coat £68 Topshop, Moto Oversized Denim Shirt £34 Topshop, Cherry Red Knit Ruffus Dress $195 (ok not quite high street) Sandro via stylebop.com L-R Middle Row: Polka Dot Peplum Shell Top £35 A|wear, Traditional Leather Jacket £165 Topshop, Jody Dress £39 Coast L-R Bottom Row: Cotton Breton Top £22 Oasis, Black Super Skinny Jeans £38 Miss Selfridge, Khaki Safari Jacket £35 Dorothy Perkins, Basic Neppy Tee £14 Topshop, Black High Waisted Skater Skirt £12 Desire Clothing

Accessories

L-R Top Row: Brown Leopard Print Bow Ballet Pumps (Sold Out: £15) Red Herring at Debenhams, Leather Satchel, $75 Golden Ponies on Etsy, Powder Ballet Pumps £7.99 H&M L-R Middle Row: Black Ambush Boots (Sold Out: £75) Topshop, black metal bar detail envelope clutch £18 ASOS , Black Banana Heel Platforms £35 Jane Norman Bottom Row: Brown Sandals £12.99 H&M

I personally feel that all these items are pretty timeless; they just won't date. To me style is a very personal thing, usually mixed with a big dose of confidence, but there are certain items (a uniform if you will) that are associated with classic dressing; polka dots, the breton stripe, the classic trench etc etc. They are the perfect basics to add touches of seasonal trends to; a pair of neon shoes, an aztec print scarf or a paisley t-shirt for example.

I haven't included any jewellery as I feel that timeless jewellery is made up of the more personal items that people acquire; the gold and silver chains that people wear everyday, the rings and bracelets that have been gifted for a special occasion or passed down from generation to generation.

The items I've used are spring items (I couldn't find any jumpers or coats anywhere...it's not like we need them now or anything is it England dwellers!?) so I may look again around mid summer(!) for winter items that would be wonderful additions to a capsule wardrobe - I'm thinking oversized cable knit jumpers, tailored camel coats and classic navy duffle coats; it makes me feel cozy just thinking about it.

Before I go here are some stylish ladies showing me just how classic stylin' is done:

Here

Here

Here

Here

Here

What are your must haves for a classic wardrobe? Do you agree with my choices?

Love
Madame Squirrel.

Colour Coding.

I am obsessed with things (especially books) that are organised by colour. One day I want a massive room full of books (a library you might call it) that are all in colour order. I know technically you wouldn't find a book you wanted ever again (unless you knew the exact colour of it) but the prettiness would be so worth it. Just look! Look at the prettiness:

Via

Via

Via

Via

Via

Any other pretty pictures of colour coding send them my way, I can't get enough of them :)

Love

Madame Squirrel. 

Guest Post: Chestnuts & Cedars

Something a bit different today: A guest post from Amy at Chestnuts & Cedars, who I mentioned in this post yesterday!

'I am so flattered that Dannii* let me contribute to her amazing blog today! She and I go way way back to when we were 3 years old in Kindergarten. I have no memory of her not being in my life and although much of the second half of our lives have been spent on two different continents, we've been strong friends (Dannii was the first person I ever got drunk with!). 

When Dannii asked me if I would like to do a post on interiors I immediately jumped on it. I often dream about my perfect apartment, but the closest I get to interior decorating is pinterest on a Friday night (doesn't get any crazier than that people). I've been eyeing up the replica baby blue Grant Featherston style chair for a while now so thought this was the perfect time to dream about my non-existent living room. And as this is the lovely Dannii's blog, see if you can spot the mustache reference!

Amy xx'

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8
Paint Swatches: Top/Middle/Bottom

So what are you waiting for? Head on over to Chestnuts & Cedars before I get you all drunk!;)

Love 

Madame Squirrel

*: Yes my real name is Dannii. And there you all were thinking it was actually Madame Squirrel :)

Midweek Inspiration

The Blog: Color Me Katie

You cannot help but be inspired Katie's blog; so uplifting and fun!

Also just look at her cat Moo. If that doesn't make you want to read her blog I don't know what will.
Picture by ColorMeKatie

The Image:

Pantone Tarts by Emilie De Griottes for Fricote magazine

The Place:

Manarola, Cinque Terre, Italy by Robert Crum
Print avaliable from Etsy