Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for Halloween.

Boo! It's officially the night of Halloween where brats from round the streets put on plastic masks and take all the sweets out of the tin you didn't like.

I did, however, take my little brother trick or treating this evening and we actually had fun! He wore a skeleton outfit and I threw on my leopard faux fur coat and popped a few gold bow hair clips in to look like ears. Of course, I wasn't trick or treating for myself- the few pennies wouldn't buy me a Chanel and my diet isn't going half bad so I'll pass on the sweets. But my seven year old brother is now covered in chocolate and wondering what to spend his £3 on.

On our way home from an all day shopping trip, my family and I came across a little 3 year old girl with her parents who was out all dressed up as a pumpkin- her little baby walk and the blonde locks coupled with the bright orange outfit was just too cute for words so, as the car was waiting to get out of a lane and onto a main road, we all popped our spare change into her matching pumpkin bucket. Some people dislike Halloween but I think it's super cute!

So, if you're too old (or too cool) to go knocking on doors, try a Halloween party and make Bloody Mary cocktails and scary gingerbread mummies! Yeah, OK, not so cool but never mind. Dressing For is something you could only get away with on October 31st. Start with a rather pretty Topshop cat mask and clip hair back with some Halloween themed bows. Next, an investment piece of a beautiful L'Wren Scott boxy cape- at just over a grand, I'd suggest not dribbling chocolate down it or splashing an extra bloody Mary all over it. Be brave and slip on some silver leggings and top the cat look off with some Louboutin leopard print pumps and an amazing Cavalli Swarovski embellished clutch. Happy Halloween!


Halloween! by hollieanne

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for leopard print coats.

The piggies are doing very well. Horatio has stated himself as a bit of a bully and appears to love biting the bottom of Gordon and chasing him around until he does a tiny piggy cry- poor thing. Once we can handle them in the next few days, I think Gordon will get a few more cuddles to make up for mean Horatio's chasing.

Anyway, onto fashion! I've never been a coat person, really. Perhaps it's a Newcastle thing as Newcastle girls as known for never wearing a coat on a night out. Or perhaps I just don't mind the cold. But this A/W I've acquired four lovely coats of all colours and styles.

My first purchase was a beautiful khaki full circle skirt mac from the M&S. It's become a very envy induced coat with stack loads of compliments and many people not realising Marks and Spencer could be so fashion forward (It can! You just have to search a bit!). My second purchase would again be from Marks and Spencers. A beautifully smart and amazingly cut bright pink number with the most amazing over sized collar and a wonderful cocoon shape. This coat would set me back a small fortune but it's a beauty. The third buy of this A/W was my beloved cape from Primark with military style buttons. Yummy! And then, my latest purchase would be a dream. Searching Primark amongst size 8 bow print tea dresses reduced to a fiver, I'd find a fabulous and rather divine faux fur leopard print coat. Slightly cropped sleeves, finishes at the waist and with a high collar- I couldn't ask for more for £25! And it was the last one in my size- total shopping fate!

So, today we are dressing just for that coat! The boyfriend is being indecisive and making you feel a bit rubbish, your brothers are home for half term and driving you mad and your best mate is too busy swooning over his cricket trophy. So, what do you do? Grab an amazingly stand-out outfit and go off for a cocktail. I've started with a New Look jacket- double breasted so perhaps for the smaller girls in life but still super cute and yet super smart. Underneath we have a fab Alice in Wonderland vest by Topshop and then (wait for it...) some PVC leggings. Yup, this is an outfit for the super skinny but if you can work it, then bloody well work it! Slip on super high Jimmy Choo shoe-boots and hold this bright blue feather Topshop clutch in the hand wearing the red cocktail ring- clashing colours but oh so good! I'll have a martini...


Leopard Print Jacket. by hollieanne