Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for surprise e-mails from MYB.

I've had a hectic day which resulted in some power dressing and super defending. I could write a mile long blog entry about the antics of today with television companies, porn, turning into my alter ego a la Beyonce and Sascha Fierce and the ripping apart of presentations. However, I like the positive things in life and find that a blog entry on your dear author going on and on about the ins and outs of advertising revenue, putting together a Microsoft PowerPoint and the National Geographic Channel would just be a one way ticket to Dullsville.

So, we're going to keep the mood upbeat! Don't you just love it when surprises come at just the right time? After an amazing day in education and a muffin and cappuccino at Starbucks, I came home and was exhausted. It's times like this, after five hours sleep and lots of caffeine, that I realise I am but a 19 year old and shouldn't want to "get myself settled" for the night in comfortable clothes and with a hot water bottle but that's the way it went this evening. I changed into some wide-leg trousers and a cashmere cardigan once I returned home and sat myself on the comfortable chair to read my e-mails; after a few press releases, a Facebook update and a case study request (I didn't have one, sorry!), I noticed an e-mail from a certain name I remembered very well but hardly ever see in my inbox.

MYB (or My Yummy Bloke for those of you who have not long joined us) has been so rushed off his feet with work lately that I started to get worried about his stress levels. Sure, we've spent some gorgeous time together of late just relaxing but I can't exactly be there to pour him another cup of coffee or give him a hug when he's being given paperwork beyond the roof or trying to employ decent news journalists, can I? He was working in a different city today which is a real regular occurrence but I couldn't help but feel sorry for him- late nights and lots of work are not good. So, during my only spare five minutes of the day, I dropped him an e-mail to say hello despite knowing he wouldn't perhaps get it until tomorrow once he was back in the usual office. I like to be a romantic idiot, to be honest and one of the things that most attracts me to MYB is how sweet and romantic he is.

As regards romance, I like the small things. Perhaps my definition of romance is different to most but to me it's things like when MYB knows my taste so well and texts me to tell me about a certain song I'd love or when he thinks the drive up to Chatsworth will be just as pretty as actually walking around the grounds will be or when he lights candles as we have dinner as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Therefore, after a crazed day, a small dose of MYB romance was just what I needed and just what I got. This afternoon MYB had sent me an e-mail just to tell me he thought I was gorgeous. He took time out of his crazy work schedule just to tell that to some 19 year old writer with a love of tea dresses, balloons and peach coloured socks. I'm positively glowing with happiness now.

I'd wear the outfit I've selected for Dressing For to go out for dinner with MYB- my treat! I love Gareth Pugh but, as I'm sure I've mentioned before, very little of his stuff is really that wearable but these two pieces are a total exception and are clearly being added to my Lust List; the silk top clearly reminds everyone of that Kate Moss ripped vintage Dior dress a little and the zig-zag wrap cardigan looks so comfortable. Pair with some Karl Lagerfeld straight leg jeans and a purple overload via accessories with a strawberry pendant, a pair of stunning earrings with a price tag of over £3,000 (eek!), some amazing Louboutins and a Dorothy Perkins clutch.


Surprise e-mail. by hollieanne

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for NOT meeting his parents.

My relationship with My Yummy Bloke has always had it's problems (although details should be spare for girly chats as, if recent behaviour is anything to go by, his ex-wife will be reading this and getting herself all worked up) but for a while it's been rather gorgeously fabulous. I always fear looking further than tomorrow as regards My Yummy Bloke as he's older, a lot more successful than moi and has- without making him sound ancient- been there and done that. My silly little 19 year old fantasies about the perfect wedding or whether I think we should go on a romantic two week love-in in the Caribbean in the summer of 2015 wouldn't be unwelcome but perhaps would just feel awkward. But lately, as things settle and the honeymoon period is closed to the point that I can forgive him for not calling me because he was enjoying his cuppa too much, it's actually been nice to wonder what we'll be doing for my birthday in May next year or whether he'd ever be up for spending New Year 2010 in Times Square.

I'm a realistic girl- My Yummy Bloke and I probably won't stay together for a lifetime but, actually, the idea isn't appalling.

However, despite being super suited and very much together, we've never met each other's parents. Actually, this is a half lie in my case. When I became ill in June 2008, my mum and her partner drove down from Durham to see me in Derby City hospital. When I was well enough to leave, my mum and her bloke drove me to my Bloke's house on the way back to my place. They stayed in the car whilst I ran across the road, knocked on the white door and held the man who'd stayed up all night with me as I threw-up all over the place and cried my eyes out for hours- that night, when he looked after me and still called me Sweetpea despite me not looking so sweet, I knew more than ever that I was in love with him. Anyway, back to the point- we've never introduced each other to our parents!

My mum has spoken to my Bloke on the phone for various reasons over time so they're not strangers but I may as well be to his mummy and daddy. So, as I sit here with a poorly tummy and a craving for diet ruining chocolate, My Yummy Bloke is out for dinner with his yummy parents. I often wonder what his parents must think of me, I mean, I'm a journalist turned mature student turned soon-to-be fashion promotions student. And, of course, I'm young enough to be his daughter and swear like a trooper. Not to mention the rather chaotic family, the fact that his kids probably aren't too keen on me and the way I'm totally gone after two glasses of wine. What a catch!

Hmm, would I like to meet his parents? Hell yes! But I can see why I haven't yet. For a start, he's really independent and I think his parents are quite reserved with him regarding matters of the heart, especially after his divorce and the LTR after that that was expected to last forever but clearly didn't. I guess that I am sort of wondering what tonight would have been like had he taken me. The thing about me is that, although I am some foul-mouthed Northern lass with a big bottom and a love for Heat magazine, I am actually a rather polite bird. I can use a knife and fork, I actually know more than you'd think about politics and current affairs and I'll not mention that time Their Yummy Son and I got caught kissing like mad in Chatsworth. It's not that I think My Yummy Bloke has a problem with me or how I'd behave, I just think that-perhaps- as you become older it's less of an important thing to have your parents approval. But please, My Yummy Bloke, introduce me to them- I'll wear a nice frock!

And speaking of nice frocks, what a breathtakingly gorgeous piece this Christian Dior dress is. I want to get married in it in Paris with a small bunch of pink roses and no-one there besides my groom (either Jude Law, George Lamb or- at a push- My Yummy Bloke) and our close family... I'm getting carried away. At over £5,000 the dress is, to say the least, an investment piece. I'd slip on some pretty pink ballerina flats and add a vintage clutch bag. Curly hair would look smart and pretty clipped back with these divine Betsey Johnson hair slides and then pop in some Dorothy Perkins heart earrings and add an almost identical Mikey heart ring. An all round pretty and parent approving outfit, don't you think?


I could meet your parents. by hollieanne