How to... Be a Better Blogger: Commenting

This was going to be just one post but it seems that I got a little carried away and think I'll have to extend it into a mini series. Hope you enjoy it - and find it useful.


A big part of being a better blogger, for me, is visiting and reading other blogs and participating in the blogging community which, by virtue, means that commenting is an integral part of this process:



Last Autumn Amy of Wolf Whistle set herself the target of leaving 500 comments a month. At IFB Ashe Mischief took up the challenge too and called other bloggers to do the same. I decided to follow Grechen's lead and took the happy medium option and challenged myself to leave 10 comments a day.


I wrote about the subject of comments in a recent Friend Friday post, in which I referenced Chelsea's (of Dear Winnie) great post on the same topic in which she laid out her own 4-step plan to writing the perfect comment.


When taking up this challenge I was conscious that my 10 comments a day would not be two-word, "great post" comments that were effectively meaningless. It seemed I was not alone, Amy told Ashe:


"I promised myself when I started this that I wouldn’t leave comments such as  ‘Nice blog!!!’ as I generally feel that these type of comments are a bit of a let down."


While Ashe concluded that she would:


"leave 250 meaningful, thoughtful, useful comments."

Earlier this year, Ashe revisited the comment challenge at IFB and asked:

How did it go?  Was it more challenging than you expected?

Did you find many new blogs to visit? Build up any new friendships, find a lot of duds, or something in between?

Did you sustain the momentum and keep going? Have you built up new blogging habits from doing the comment challenge?  Are you more or less active at commenting now?

In response, I didn't find it challenging so much as time consuming - when I have a quiet week, it is easy to leave more than the target of 10 a day but when I have a busy week or two, it get difficult to leave even 10 comments a week.

I found straightaway that in order to leave enough comments I have had to go on the hunt for new blogs to read. It's been good to have a purpose to find good blogs that compel me to leave meaningful comments.

Like Ashe, I didn't do this to increase traffic, or to get more comments on my blog but that has been a rather pleasant side effect. However, despite it not being my principle reason for undertaking the challenge, if I have visited a blog and I have commented on posts for a month or two and not heard anything back from the blogger (a reply to a comment, a comment on my blog, or a tweet) I do still think twice about returning to said blog.

I'm not so strict as I was about 10 comments a day but I do still comment as much as possible and visit those blogs that I have discovered over the past six months.

Did you take up the comment challenge? How did you find it? If not, do you have any sort of a strategy for commenting on other blogs?

How To... Make Social Media Work For You

This is my first ever "techie" post, so please bear with me and let me know what you think! (Just, please, don't be too brutal.)

Last weekend I signed up to HootSuite and thought that now would be the perfect opportunity to explain how I make Twitter work for me and for my blog:


I have been on Twitter for about a year now and have always used it as a social media tool for this blog. It is a dilemma that, I believe, many bloggers face, the dilemma of whether or not to open up a personal social media account to your blog readers. So far, I have chosen to use Twitter for my blog and keep Facebook for my personal use*.

However, keeping my Twitter account professional doesn't mean that it can't also incorporate a personal twist:

- as I meet more bloggers, more of my followers become friends;

- my blog can be pretty impersonal at times (I'll be the first to admit that) and Twitter allows me to be a little more frivolous without it encroaching on my blog; and

- it also helps to engage and interact with others if you give your Twitter feed a little bit of the personal touch.

Just last week, I read Christen Rochon of Divas & Dorks' post on IFB, Twitter Content, Frequency and all that Jazz... in which Christen writes that she has "tried to limit [her] tweet frequency to the following categories, Informational, Epithetical, Resourceful and Basic Banter".


With this in mind, I decided to give some thought to how I tweet and then to share these thoughts with you:

• Keep it personal: I like to ensure that some tweets are about my day - what I've been doing or where I've been - maybe mentioning a company/friend/other blogger.
• Mentions: I like to engage followers/those I follow - it helps to get a blog noticed and to maintain interaction with other social media users.
• New blog posts: as a way to promote blog and new posts.
• Interacting: I endeavour to respond to tweets and to engage in conversation with followers, etc.

Do you use Twitter or Facebook or both to promote your blog and to engage with readers? Do you use a social media platform like HootSuite? If so, which one and why that one? If not, thought about it?


Finally, techie post: hit or miss?


*My Facebook account remains my personal account and, as much as it feels stupid to admit it, there are still friends who do not know that I write this blog.

How to... Dress as a guest for a (Royal) Wedding

This post is a part of the Royal Wedding series, featuring on here during April.



Source


Wedding season is nearly upon us - that time of year when, for those of a certain age, wedding invitations seems to fall through the letterbox on an almost daily basis! And this year's wedding season plays host to the wedding of the year: the Royal Wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton. If you are anything like me, you will come out in a cold sweat every time you receive a wedding invitation arrives: WHAT DO I WEAR?!

This wedding season, I am coming to your rescue. (This post comes as a follow-up to last summer's post.)


• For a royal wedding, a hat is a must. The bigger, the better. Check out Kate's head wear in the photos above. Of course, if you don't "suit" hats or don't want "hat hair" for the reception, you could try a fascinator.
• Last summer, for my cousin's wedding, I found the perfect "wedding guest dress". If you don't have one, or just want an excuse to go shopping, try to find a style that is classic and timeless, in a fairly neutral or inoffensive colour. Floral patterns work well for weddings. As does anything in a light fabric, like silk, satin or chiffon.
• Heels. A pretty dress just doesn't work with ballet flats. (If you really can't last a whole day in heels - slip a pair of pumps into your handbag and put them on later in the evening for dancing!)
• A cover-up is a necessity. In the UK, it is neigh-on impossible to predict the weather and even if it looks beautiful and sunny in the morning, it can quickly change to cold and windy by the afternoon. If it's a church ceremony, it is also advisable to have something to hand to cover your shoulders.
• I am a huge fan of clutch bags. Unfortunately, we ladies don't have a million pockets, like our menfolk, in which to stash our purses, phones, lipstick, blister plasters (!), and anything else that is necessary for a day out - but a reasonably sized clutch doesn't detract from a glamorous outfit and allows for somewhere to put all of our bits.

Dorothy Perkins Black braided floppy hat; Erdem Salome dream silk Freya dress; Marc by marc jacobs Patent wedges; and Christian Louboutin Loubi bow embellished satin clutch.



Dorothy Perkins Blue shadow butterfly dress; Accessorize; Dorothy Perkins Blue envelope clutch bag; and Dorothy Perkins Fuschia bow slingback shoes.



Alexander McQueen Silk moth print cape; MATTHEW WILLIAMSON Parachute gown; Deepa Gurnani Gold embellished headband; Dorothy Perkins Rose floral envelope clutch; and Dorothy Perkins Blush corsage sandals.

Have I missed anything? What are your top tips for wedding guest chic?

How To... Tie A Head Scarf The Liberty Way

Ever wanted to know the "right" way to tie a head scarf? You have? Well, how lucky that I found this fabulous "How To" video tutorial from Liberty London to show you! And, if you haven't, well take a look anyway because it might just provide a little inspiration!

If you check back later for today's 30 for 30 challenge outfit, you'll see that this has a little relevance!!

If you want more inspiration for your (Liberty) scarves, check out their YouTube channel.

Do you have any scarf inspiration you'd like to share? How do you wear your scarves?

How to... make a pearl cluster pony band

When I spotted this Pearl Cluster Pony Band on the French Connection website I was upset when it was sold out. So I thought I'd try and make one for myself:

I took a plain pony band, a pair of pliers some jewellery wires and faux pearls (from an old faux pearl necklace):

And voilà:

What do you think?

How to... Grow out your pixie crop



Sources (clockwise from top left): #1; #2; #3; #4; #5; and #6.

The pixie cut seems to have the cut for celebrities wanting to make an impact on the red carpet this year - and for a good few years now. Two years ago I decided to take the plunge (for the second time in less than a decade) to go for the chop. And - for the second time in less than a decade - I hated it. But growing out a pixie crop is far harder than it seems. If you are a celebrity, chances are you will have the help of hair extensions as you grow out your short style. But as a mere mortal, what can you do?


I recently spotted this article on MyDaily UK which I wish I had had to hand when I was growing out my crop a year ago.

Carey Mulligan (a Style Icon on here at the end of last year) demonstrates How (best) to... Grow out your pixie crop:

Source

From cute and choppy to the quirky braid, and mussed-up layers to the fake up-do. There's no excuse to ever look like a scarecrow ever again.

How do you wear your hair? Have you ever braved the crop?

How to... pack for a mini break

Before heading off to Paris last October I posted about my approach to a capsule wardrobe. I did manage it – to a certain extent that time. This weekend I am off on a mini break to Glasgow for three nights – it was my present to the boyf for Christmas! Gvien that I am currently undertaking the 30 for 30 challenge, I have been thinking about a capsule wardrobe for my trip. This time the emphasis is on making as many outfits out of as a small a number of pieces of clothing as is possible which will thereby leave me enough room for extras, like straighteners and toiletries. This also ties in, of course, with the Friend Friday posts which discussed the idea of pre-planning outfits, so with this in mind, I have had a go at pre-planning the outfits for my weekend away:


We fly out on the Friday night, after work. We will have time to pop home and change as we’re flying from our (very) local airport. Whenever I fly, I want something ultra-comfortable and given that we’re flying at night, I also want something that I can snooze in whilst on the flight (even if it is only just over an hour long!). I have therefore gone for simple oversized basics with my old failsafe, my H&M poncho:

The weekend will mainly be spent sight-seeing – with a little shopping on the side! It is likely to be fairly cold so I will throw a thermal vest into my bag – just in case! My EMU boots will keep my feet warm and comfortable – there is nothing worse than spending a day walking around a city in shoes that are killing your feet. This is Saturday’s outfit:

I’m not sure what our evenings will entail but a meal out will definitely be on the menu (please excuse the pun!):

Sunday morning I’ll be back in my sight-seeing clobber:

Then a meal out again on Sunday night (and maybe even the cinema?):

Monday we’ll be back on the airplane and back to Cardiff in time for lunch – boo hiss!!

So, it would seem that I only in fact need to pack a total of eight – yes, 8 – items (as well as some clean undies – obviously!). Now, that doesn’t sound too bad to me. What do you reckon?



The only thing not "true to life" on the collage above is the DP jumper which I have in purple, as seen here. And, of course, the "dream carry-on" and "dream satchel"... But a girl can dream...

Would love to hear from anyone with tips for Glasgow; what to see? Where to shop? Where to eat? Drink? What to eat?

How to… have the closet you want without spending a fortune



Source

I have another fabulous blog to draw your attention to that aims to show you how to dress with a limited budget and to pay off your debts whilst you do it! Meet Grace of Money Smart Fashion. Her recent post The Best Way To Save Money On Clothes got me thinking about the ways I save money when shopping for something new for my wardrobe:


Carrie's closet in SATC 2




♥ Shop it. Your closet, that is. (This is Grace’s idea too!) Make sure you know what you have. If your wardrobe is a complete mess and you have no idea what is lurking at the back under that pile of unworn clothes, why not check out my Wardrobe Detox series for some handy hints on getting your closet in order?

♥ Hunt out discounts. The boyf hates this about me but I am all about the discounts. If there is a voucher to be had, I will have it! If you’re shopping in the UK, before you make a purchase anywhere - on the high street or online - make sure you check out Money Saving Experts’ pages. One of the most important pages is Money Saving Experts’ list of discount codes.

Source

♥ Shop til you drop! Yes, you need to keep visiting the shops in order to find the best deal on that piece you are searching for. If I have a specific piece in mind (at the moment, it could be any of those featured in this post), I shop around. At the moment, I am looking for the "perfect" breton tee. So I will be "shopping" for my breton tee until I find the right one, at the right price. And in the meantime, I'll enjoy the shopping! This is the story of how persistence and patience paid off for I'm Not Emily Brown.

Carrie's closet in Sex and the City

♥ Make sure you have the basics in your wardrobe. Once you have these - and make sure you have bought pieces that will last and that you love - anything else you add to your wardrobe will be embellishment and you won't have to spend heaps to get the most out of your closet.

♥ Don't (always) be tempted by a 50% off tag. Sales and discount vouchers are a great way of getting something you want for less but don't buy something just because it is half off. Now, I have often read: if you wouldn't buy it full price, you shouldn't buy it half price. I disagree. I have a fair few things in my closet that I bought on sale and that I would never have bought full price but at half price (or less!) they have become wardrobe staples. Just make sure you're not buying something simply because of it's price tag. Of course, this also goes for cheap stores, like H&M and Primark.

♥ Think: Quality not quantity. We all love a bulging wardrobe, filled to the brim with pretty clothes but it just isn't practical. As my recent wardrobe detox has taught me, I actually prefer a slimmed down closet collection which allows me to dress quickly and easily and to see at a glance what I actually already have.

Source

What are your tips for having your dream closet without breaking the bank?

ALL UK RESIDENTS: REMEMBER TO ENTER TO WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO LONDON FASHION WEEKEND!

How to... make your own printed tee: Part 1

When I saw this tutorial at She's got a passion for fashion which shows you how to print a t-shirt (t-shirt above), I knew I had to have a go. It seemed so simple and much better than the t-shirt inkjet paper I had thought of using previously.


So, I have ordered the Dylon Image Maker from amazon.

I have a plain white t-shirt just screaming out for a make-over.

But now I have to decide which picture to print on it. So, I need your help. Please.

Audrey Hepburn is definitely my chosen tee icon, but which do you think?

This?

Or this?

As soon as I have made my decision - with your help (!) - I will get on with the simple (!?) task of printing my tee and will then put up my own "How to... make your own printed tee" tutorial.

Have you tried this? Would you?

Which photo should I go for?

How to... Choose a present for the man in your life:

Source

This post is a part of Men's Style Month on Sugar and Spice.

Buying present for a man if the bane of many a woman's life. Clothes don't seem to have the same sort of appeal that they do to another woman and men don't really tend to "accessorise". Top of most men's wish lists is the latest gadget which more often than not is somewhat more than we had budgeted for. So, what do you buy?

Here are my five top tips to a stress-free present buying experience:



1. Take him shopping. Sounds silly? But I have actually discovered quite a few ideas for presents for the boyf simply by walking him through a few stores and him stopping to point out things he likes.

2. Steal his amazon wish list. Or ask him for it! Most men I know have one and they provide a very easy solution to the what-so-I-buy-him dilemma!

3. Book a hotel somewhere you both really want to visit. Or a train ticket. Or a flight. You get a break too! Or a ticket to a gig you've both been wanting to go it?

4. Cook for him. Not like you do every other night of the year! Make a really special meal. Maybe you sampled an amazing meal on holiday together and you could replicate it? Or just a combination of his favourite dish, favourite dessert and favourite bottle of wine?

5. Vouchers. If you're really stumped, everyone always appreciates a voucher that means they can choose exactly what they really want.

What do you choose when you're shopping for the man in your life?

How to... Wear a Tux (as a woman!)

This post is a part of Men's Style Month on Sugar and Spice.


Source

The tux seems to be the fashion forward look of choice for red carpet events. Here are my tips for rocking a tux as a woman:

• Keep the jacket short/cropped;

• If you are daring enough - go bare under your tux jacket!

• Go all out and add a trilby;

• For a real impact, choose a white tux, like Stella McCartney above;

• Wear heels;

• Accessorise - add a bit on bling in the shape of a cocktail ring or some statement earrings - to keep the "look" feminine.

Would you choose a tux over a dress for an event or party? How would you style it?

How to... Dress when you're petite



Kylie Minogue; Eva Longoria; Nicole Richie; and Vanessa Hudgens


At a mere 5'2" and a bit I have to be careful when I dress that I don't end up looking frumpy or drowned by my outfits! From a few comments I've received I realised that many of you find dressing when petite a challenge too, so I have come put together some of the "rules" I have found to work over the years:

1. Make sure you choose the right skirt length or the right heel height for the length of skirt, e.g. Shorter skirts and dresses suit a petite frame but if you want to wear this season's midi length skirts make sure you add a higher heel.

2. Maxis can drown a petite frame but if you keep it simple and fairly figure-hugging it will work.

3. Heels, so I am told, are a petite girl's best friend. I'm so not a heels girl but I do love the height they give me.

4. Tuck tops in.

5. Avoid cropped or capri pants as they will make you look frumpy and your legs appear shorter.

6. Stick to smaller prints as larger ones will make you look smaller.

7. Tops should be waist length as anything too long will shorten your legs. However, there is an exception to this rule: team a thigh skinny tunic with leggings and this will elongate your body and lengthen your legs. Team with heels for an added bonus!

8. Choose vertical stripes over horizontal, not only do they have the benefit of making you look slimmer they also make you look longer.

9. Avoid bulk and keep layers light.

10. Make sure, when shopping for a new winter coat this season, that it is not too bulky or loose - keep it nicely fitted and not too long.

Ultimately, BE YOURSELF! Don't be afraid to experiment (and to get it wrong!).

What tips do you have for dressing for a petite frame? Or for your size in general? If you'd like to write a guest post, check this out.

How to... Find footwear for the big freeze

As the UK is hit by snow and we all begin to dream of a White Christmas, I got to thinking about the constant effort to find suitable clothing and footwear at this time of year.

Of course, we all know to layer up and to don a hat and scarf and gloves but when it comes to footwear, what do you choose to trudge through the snow and ice on a cold winter's day? Certainly not a pair of ballet pumps or high heels!!

For years wellington boots seemed like the most appropriate choice of footwear - of course they remain a good option and you can see my picks here - but they don't have to be the only option:

From left: EMU STRINGER MINI boots; UGG BAILEY BUTTON boots; and DR MARTENS UNION JACK boots

When I went to New York a couple of years ago in January, I picked up a pair of EMU boots to keep my feet warm and dry:

They are, of course, rather similar to the UGG boots made famous by a multitude of celebrities:

Finally - and maybe not such an obvious choice - Dr Martens. See here for my decade-long love of these iconic boots.

Which boots will be keeping your feet warm and dry this winter?

How to… have a very merry recessionista’s Christmas

Talk of the economic crisis and job losses and the recession do not seem to be quieting, so another Christmas rolls around and the spectre of the debt incurred by spoiling loved ones with lavish gifts rears its ugly head - again! But do not fear my lovelies, for I am here - exactly a month before Christmas Eve - to tell you how to have a splendid and sparkling Christmas without blowing your budget:


1. Last year I devoted a whole post to the idea of making your Christmas gifts - all of what I said there still stands true. Check it out and see what fabulous ideas you can glean from there.

2. I always go a little overboard when it comes to Christmas cards as I know how much I love to receive them and put them up all around our flat but the cards themselves and the postage costs can all get pretty expensive. So, why not send e-cards? I'm not a huge fan of this - for the above reasons and that I think it is a little impersonal but that's just me and for those who do do it, great!

3. If you're like me though and it just doesn't feel like Christmas without writing out your Christmas card list and sitting down to write them, then why not make them?

4. Shop the sales - I don't mean the January sales (really, who is that organised?!) but most stores seem to have sales on throughout the year. For stocking fillers and “extras” I check the sale racks, particularly the jewellery and accessory parts as these often offer the best value for money and no one can resist a lovely scarf at Christmas or a pair of sparkly earrings.

5. Host a Christmas party for close friends and bake special Christmas treats - often the effort that is put in to such a party will suffice for a gift. This year I actually plan to attempt to make my mince pies - with a little help from a jar of mincemeat and some ready-made pastry.

6. A bottle of something sparkly. For parents/grandparents/uncles/aunts/employers this seems like a perfectly acceptable gift.

7. In a similar vain, you could buy a girl friend a cocktail glass and mini versions of the components for her favourite cocktail.

8. Learn to knit - obviously this is probably something that you’d have to start for next Christmas but just think of the joy of giving someone a scarf that you had made yourself.

9. Organise a day-trip for someone - maybe buy the train tickets for them or a ticket to a museum or an exhibition that they want to see - it doesn’t have to be expensive but the recipient will no doubt be surprised and pleased by the gesture.

10. Candles. Always appreciated and if accompanied by a lovely holder they are all the more welcome.

11. Finally, if you - like many I know, myself included - you collect Boots Advantage Card Point, Nectar Points and Tesco Clubcard Points, remember these at Christmas and use these to purchase gifts. With the help of these points you might even be able to splurge on something special for someone that you might not have otherwise bought. Alternatively, use the points for your everyday spending needs and save the money you'd normally spend on these for presents.

How do you plan to celebrate Christmas this year? With the usual extravagance that goes with the event or with a little extra care?

*If you're still having problems finding gifts for your girl friends this Christmas, check out my How to... Give thoughtful presents for your girlfriends.

How to... Wear a midi

The midi skirt was all over the catwalks for Autumn/Winter 2010. From androgynous styling at Margaret Howell:


Elle.com

To Mad Men inspired looks as Louis Vuitton:  

Style.com

And sexy glamour at Nina Ricci:

Style.com


It is perhaps not the most flattering length to have graced the models at the shows or the manequins of our high street favourites but it is there nonetheless. Bloggers everywhere (The Style Crusader and Scenic World, to name but two) have been spotting and sporting the trend for a while now. You might remember that I invested in such a midi skirt from River Island a month or so back (here) and was a little unsure about it and how to style it but I am now learning to love it. This is my latest styling attempt:

I think the key rule when wearing a midi is to wear heels. If not, you run the risk (particularly if you are short, like me) of look stumpy and chunky. Like my current favourite suede court shoes from Spartoo.

The second rule is to find a style and length that suits you and makes you feel comfortable. If you're unsure about a tight calf-length midi, why not follow the Nina Ricci path and go for a little bit of a shorter length? Like this Warehouse double layer tube skirt.

Keep the rest of your outfit pretty streamlined - particularly if you are going for a more Joan à la Mad Men look. If this is the look you want to achieve, grab this Warehouse midi full skirt.

Don't keep your midi for formal (or work), work it into your casual wardrobe too with a little masculine styling, like Margaret Howell. If you're lucky enough to be tall, try teaming with a pair of brogues. And if you're not, a pair of heeled brogues would work just as well.

For a weekend midi, why not try a relaxed knit dress in this season's colour? Like this Asos midi length knitted dress in camel.

Will you be wearing a midi this season? If so, how will you be styling it? If not, pour quoi pas?

How to… shop till you drop without breaking the bank

This is something that I have tried and continue to strive to do, therefore this post has a little of a “do as I say, not as I do” undertone to it.

I think that as bloggers we have a responsibility to our readers not to just become another part of the peer pressure that can force some people into a danger spiral of spending and debt from trying to keep up with all of the trends all of the time. This is something that was discussed in this Friend Friday discssion. Sure, there are some people – and bloggers – who can afford to spend all of their days dressed head-to-toe in designer clobber but I’m not one of them and I don’t think that many of my readers are either.


1. First – and this is the one that I struggle with the most – make a budget and stick to it. Make it realistic. Look at how much you actually spend each month and work out roughly how much you can afford to spend. Don’t make it so limiting that within the first day of the month you’ve bought one thing and blown it and then end up scraping the budget and spending too much. Again. I speak from personal experience.

2. Sleep on something you want. If you still want it the next day, it’ll still be there. If, of course, it is the last one and in your size, why not buy it but then leave it in the bag, with its receipt and tags on, and sleep on it. More often than not, when I do either of these I find I didn’t actually want it as much as I thought I did and I end up “saving” however much I would have wasted on it.

3. Look out for things that you lusted after, but didn’t fit in your budget, at sales time. I have managed to find a few things like this and it always feels even more like a bargain.

4. I have read this so many times and have never seemed to be able to do it but if you can, I think it must work: take an inventory of your wardrobe and work out what is missing from it and make a list. Then, when you’re shopping, hunt out these rather than going into a shop with no plan whatsoever.

5. Allow yourself one frivolous, non-essential buy every couple of months. If you’re always waiting till you find the one thing that your wardrobe’s missing, or your waiting to see if that one piece you’re lusting after goes into the sales, you’ll soon get despondent and likely give up on the whole thing. So allow yourself frivolous buys occasionally. They make you feel good and will add something to your wardrobe.

Of course, there is no real sure-fire way to stop yourself from bankrupting yourself with your shopping, except to go cold turkey. If you think you might be a bona fide shopaholic, check out my post here. And to see how I did when I went cold turkey last year for six months, go see my posts here.

What are your tips for budget shopping? Do these apply to you? Do you think bloggers have a responsibility to encourage readers not to overspend?

How to... have a super scary Halloween without the super scary credit card bill

As Halloween approaches this weekend, it is probably time - or maybe even a little late - to start thinking about your costume and the party you're either off to or intend to host. But this time of year can start to get very expensive, very quickly so let me present my guide to "a recessionista's Halloween":


The costume doesn't have to excessively expensive. Remember, chances are, you'll wear it for one night in one year and then never again:

1. The Ghost. For a ghoul on the cheap, raid your mum's laundry basket for an old sheet. Cut two eye holes and you're done.

we heart it

2. The Corpse Bride. Remember that old prom dress, bridesmaid's dress or even wedding dress you have and never wear? Don the dress with some white face paint and you'll instantly become a character fit for a Tim Burton nightmare.

3. Mummy. Another option for that old sheet you have. Simply, rip it into strips and wrap around and pin with safety pins. I would advise wearing a pair of white leggings and a white tee under this as there is likely to be some "slippage". Maybe also have someone on hand to feed you, if you have tied your arms in too!

we heart it

4. The Witch. Every girl has an LBD in her wardrobe. Team it with some cobweb/fishnet tights and a cheap hat from your local gift store and you're ready to fly away on a broom.


If you are planning on hosting a Halloween party the question is, how to do this without breaking the bank:

1. Keep it simple. Go old fashioned and organise some traditional Halloween party games around the house for guests to partake in, like apple bobbing. And maybe even end the evening with ghost stories around a log fire, or in a room lit solely by candlelight. Even better if you can get your hands on a pumpkin or two and have the room lit from tealights in these.

we heart it

2. A murder mystery dinner party. If you're looking for something a little different - and perhaps more sophisticated - than a traditional Halloween party, why not grab a murder mystery dinner party? You can buy a boxset for under a tenner - like this murder mystery dinner party game from Amazon - and the rest of fairly straight forward.

3. If spending time in the house, isn't your thing, why not go trick-or-treating in your street or apartment block? Too old, I hear you cry? Rubbish!

4. Of course, if you plan to do none of the above and simply have a quiet night in, do make sure that you have got some treats in, in case someone else on your street or in your block decides not to stay in! The supermarkets always have offers on big bags of sweets - and if you don't use them all at Halloween, you can keep them for Christmas.


If you are hosting a Halloween party, I'm sure you'll be keen to make sure that you serve suitable Halloween fare for your guests:


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1. Apples. Great for bobbing but also eating. As they are, in a pie, or as toffee apples. Buy them ready made or make your own. For an easy peasy recipe, check out this one at Cupcakes and Cashmere.

2. Pumpkins. If you're already buying pumpkins to decorate your house at Halloween, you might as well use the flesh from inside them. Feed your guests on pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin soup or spiced pumpkin cake.

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Now all that remains is to invite your favourite people over for some frightening festivities and to have a happy Halloween.