Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for McDonalds.

My lecture this evening was rather dull, a simple reading and then answering questions about said reading. It didn't work for me so I spent the time gossiping with a friend about the male species, doodling flowers and writing love notes to my love.

I left campus feeling slightly deflated and not full of the buzz that I normally have on a Monday evening. Never mind, eh? The chatting and drawing was nice and I did learn something, I guess.

What made me evening was how hungry I was. M&S provided the muesli this morning and I grabbed a Starbucks coffee but, come 8:30pm, I was really hungry. In came the wonder that is McDonalds. Walking through town and trying to contact MYB (I think he was playing Dad Taxi at the time), I heard a rumble from my stomach and opted for the close to hand branch of McDonalds. I opted for a still Fanta, fried and some fab chicken burger with cheese and nachos on. Nice!

So I'm dressing for the guilty pleasure that is a McDonalds on a freezing cold winter night. You need comfort, you need warmth and a little style. But who is really going to see you? You can afford to be a bit slouchy. And why not? Wrap up warm in this beige cardigan from Republic and pashmina from Forever21. I've gone for a simple jeans a t-shirt look with a cute tee which is also a Forever21 number and jeans by True Religion. Finally, for a tiny bit of glamour just in case anyone does see you, slip on some orange Pedro Garcia flats and a classic quilted Chanel bag on your arm. Until tomorrow...



McDonalds. by hollieanne

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for making the deadline.

I was poorly this morning so missed my philosophy lecture and drifted off whilst watching news story after news story about Kerry Katona and her "frazzled" appearance on yesterday's This Morning.

However, I knew I had to pull myself together and make it in this afternoon as my feminist work of art in the form of an advertising essay had to be submitted and signed for by 5pm. Come 1:45 when my eyes were sore, the rain was hitting off the roof like mad and my mum was offering tea and hugs like there was no tomorrow, I was rather reluctant but there was zero way I was going to lose 2% of my grade mark for being late.

Braved in thick tights, my tattered metallic purple flats, a lifetime lasting LBD and my envy inducing M&S circle trench, I made it to campus at 4. Now, anyone reading who has younger children will know what a nightmare brothers can be when it comes to using the computer. I had a major panic on as my "darling" brother had used all the ink on the printer for printing off Hannah Montana and Halloween pictures to display in his room. Thankfully, the library came to the rescue and my essay was signed for in the office at 4:47pm. And I wasn't the last one to hand it in; with around ten minutes to go, at least three names were still not reported to have handed in the essay which was worth 60% for unit 1- eeek!

Dressing For is today designed with rushing about in mind. Some Christian Louboutin patent flats provide sophisticated and stylish footwear by the iconic designer of shoes- when deadlines are minutes away, I doubt your heels will get you far! Slip on a 3.1 Phillip Lim orange dress and black tights for a super simple but chic look and throw over a clashing colour such as this pink cardigan. Finally, add an on-trent tassle bag and a Dries Van Noten statement necklace that is to die for!



On time. by hollieanne

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for sausage dog cuddles.

I had the most brilliant day today! Did I go shopping and find the perfect vintage fur coat? Nope. Did I get the role of editor at Glamour? Sadly not. Did I meet Kate Moss and ask her why she's so overrated? No, but I will one day. Did I meet Peaches Geldof/Laura Hollins (Agyness Deyn)/ Gok Wan and make them vanish off the face of the earth? Again, no but I will one day!

Today, my greatest life dream came true... I got some major cuddly snuggles from a gorgeous wee sausage dog! Ahh, it was love.

There I was, walking down my local high street and giggling to myself at the 14 year old pregnant girls and the amount of 6 month old babies with Greggs pasties in their mouths when I suddenly spotted the most gorgeous and divine creature alive (sorry, Robin!). He cause a bit of a fuss- the long body, wet nose and cute little dreamy eyes made everyone stop and stare and eventually I just couldn't help myself.

I stroked him (I've since, in my head, named him Mustard) and his tiny wet doggy nose gave me a sweet little kiss. I cuddled him and thought about running off with him but I wasn't sure my gladiator sandals would carry me fast enough. I'm not one for animals but sausage dogs are a major exception.

The outfit selected for today represents all the joy Mustard gave me this afternoon. I haven't stop smiling (little things please little minds...) and I doubt I ever would if I owned this yummy Dorothy Perkins coat- just look at the bow! I've added a Karl Lagerfeld tee and Topshop mini and paired them with bright orange tights and green Topshop frill heels to brighten it all up. Finally, a patent orange bow bag and elephant earrings complete the bright colour pop look. Yum yum!



Sausage dog joy. by hollieanne

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for creative writing.

Nice little English Language lecture this morning. Actually, when I say nice I mean rather dull in the form of being given 2 hours and 30 minutes to write a short instructive piece (How To Apply Lipstick was my contribution!), a formal letter (I complained to Dune about the red patent paint coming off my new wedges after one day) and a descriptive piece (based on getting a cab after my boyfriend and I left the Wallpaper* Design Awards in January of this year).

As my lecturer was reading through my rambles on air kissing and Eton accent slurring of "It was lovely to meet you, Hollie daaaarrrrrlling" she gave me a compliment which, at first, I didn't realise how amazing it was. Apparently my descriptive pieces read exactly like F. Scott Fitzgerald (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._Scott_Fitzgerald). I admit, I didn't know who he was! Yup, I can tell you who was in the front row of the Alexander Wang A/W 2008 show but I'm not the most literally read bird. It's not that I don't care, I love to read and will read anything I can get my hands on, but perhaps I enjoy the more fluffy side of things after a long stressful day of sub-editing/feature writing/studying.

My classmates then informed me how much of a wonderful man Mr. F. Scott Fitzgerald actually is and that I should be elated that I have a similar tone and style to him. Wa-hey for me!

So today I'm dressing for creative writing. Hours in coffee shops writing descriptive pieces about a geeky boy who makes it in the Big City, creating ideas for short stories and epic novels, producing characters like the person I've always wanted to be, daydreaming and scribbling every though on the page. Ahh, the art of imagination...

This outfit is indeed eclectic but why not, eh? I do realise that I am a massive La Garçonne geek and I do adore Chloé but how can I help it when they produce these beauties included in the outfit below? The wear with everything La Garçonne dress should be a staple and when paired with the chunky striped Chloé cardie, it's the perfect slouchy working from home outfit. I've added a brilliant pair of Gareth Pugh leggings (possibly the only wearable thing he's ever made) and stuck on a 40s style green trilby to be extra colourful and quirky. Again, it's a selling my granny style situation for this Chloé day bag. Any offers on my darling grandmother? I'll accept in the region of £825. Let the bidding begin!

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for Wokmania.

I was educated tonight. I learnt something that will stick with me through all my life and prove to be a valuable life lesson. Tonight I learned that you should never, ever, ever allow students near a chocolate fountain! The thing is, the title of "mature student" means nothing when it comes to a river of cheap chocolate sauce.

We couldn't resist the unlimited ice-cream machine and nor could we resist plunging the ice-cream under the chocolate fountain and cheering like seals when the chocolate quickly solidified. I admit, as a group of people in our early 20s (well, almost for me), we used a five year old boy and his masterful handling of the flowing chocolate Heaven as our mentor. That kid knew how to do it!

I was one of the boys tonight. The girls among us aren't exactly girly girls and despite my dress loving appearance, I can handle my own. So I was on Fosters tonight. Yup, I drink pints when I'm with the lads and wine when I'm with the boyfriend (despite our rather long lasting relationship, I still want him to think I'm a classy bird!).

Selecting the outfit for Dressing For today required me to pick something feminine and yet edgy. I would probably sell my gran (if she were alive) for this silk D&G tartan blouse (I'm sensing a sell-out item...) and once paired with some classic black jeans, your outfit doesn't need much more apart from some sexy shoe-boots like these ones by Chloé. I've added a Butler and Wilson brooch (I adore Butler and Wilson!) and a pair of super cheap Claire's angel wing earrings. Finally, anyone fancy spending about a grand on this Roberto Cavalli leather shoulder bag for me? There's not much I wouldn't do...

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for the farm at the bottom of her father's garden.

I met my father's latest girlfriend today and saw his new flat for the first time. My dad has a habit of swaying from one woman to the next so planning an outfit to impress her is long gone. It's a Sunday so I stole my mother's grey dip-dye leopard print cardigan, my favourite green skirt and grey leopard print shoes. And a slick of pink lipstick which makes my father realise I'm a real live grown-up now!

Hmm, so this girlfriend is blonde. His previous lot, minus one, have been dark ladies but I'm guessing he got bored. My opinion of the lady we'll call K has been odd. My father first told me about her and explained how she's had a very, very, very bad time over the past few years. Blackmail to make me like her after I bonded so well with the last girlfriend? Probably.

In the end, K was OK. Nothing to write home about. But what was to write home about was my father's new flat! Wow, wow and wow again! Not only is it super chic, super slick and super modern but it has the most amazing countryside views and a farm for a garden. Yup, my father who works in a call centre now has a farm for a garden. I spoke to the 3 ducks, made noises at the horses, laughed at the hens and gave the goat an evil stare. I'm impressed, Dad!

So today's look is all about looking chic in the mud. OK, so this Stephen Jones beret is nearly £200 but it's gorgeous! Add a cute tea dress by Goddiva, a Lady Luck Rules OK brooch and the compulsory Cath Kidston wellies are you're sorted. All that's missing is a bit of hay at the end of your lippie coated pout.

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for conversations about curves inspired by Jourdan Dunn.

Marks and Spencers often provides a source of inspiration for me. I heart their clothing and would much rather dig around their stash of clobber for an hour and purchase a £79 trench coat than spend the same amount of time in Oxfam only to come out with a granny batwing jumper with gold sparkles on that all the 18 year old girls of Birmingham are sporting.

But today, as much as their clothing was yummy, it was the location of the sandwich fridge area that caused a rather fabulous conversation. At one side of me was a stand of magazines (everything from Heat to Top Santé to Woman's Own to Cosmopolitan) and at the other side was a fridge featuring calorific lunchtime treats. I opted for a copy of Vogue and a banoffee dessert.

I was VERY happy to see the gorgeously gorgeous Jourdan Dunn on the cover of November 2008 British Vogue. She's beautiful, enough said. The banoffee dessert is beautiful. Ahh, if only there was some sort of Jourdan Dunn dessert invented and then I'd be in Heaven.

My mother commented on how young Ms. Dunn looks and how skinny she is. After watching Channel 4's tear inducing "Dana: The Eight Year Old Anorexic" last night, she had a point but I wish not to debate the fashion industry and their ill looking clothing models. I'm a fat bird, I'm always going to think they're too skinny, aren't I? My mother smiled at my bootylicious bottom (covered by grey wide-leg pants today) and then looked at the chosen dessert. This then sparked a conversation about when I was interning at a women's magazine some time ago and came across two women in the (AMAZING) company restaurant. The two women, dressed like Topshop and Marni had thrown up on them after too much vodka, shared a plate of lettuce. I wish I was joking.

So today we celebrate beauty- whether you're a very thin supermodel or a round apple shape like moi. Personally, I'd rather miss out on a Primark tea dress if it means that extra slice of four cheese pizza at Pizza Hut, but each to their own.

Today I've selected a curve loving dress available from Net-A-Porter, some yellow tights (why not?!), Marni shoes to make sure the only wobble in my legs is because I'm struggling to navigate said heels after four glasses of rosé, a cute Topshop owl brooch and, for the hell of it, a brocade vintage bag.