Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for being an editor.

Well, an editor of my own work. As many of you know, I'm working on my first novel and I'm finding it much harder work than I ever thought despite it being an utter pleasure. The editing of all my writing can take so long and I change my mind over things all the time so a lot of work needs to be put in. When I write, I just go and go and go and I often scribble 5,000 words in a day without taking a moment to stop and do some editing. Then it catches up with me. I've spent today just working my way through it all and doing some much needed editing of my book. My mind feels so much clearer now.

I'm exhausted today, though. I have that quite nice feeling of being sleepy and warm and needing a nap. I'll sleep well tonight!

My outfit for today is all about comfort but style- popping out to the shops for a newspaper and a sly bar of chocolate, sitting at my desk and working away with Radio 2 in the background, laughing at photographs from the past few days and scribbling down feature ideas. This top is so stunning but I sadly have no idea where it's from, I believe it's some sort of Japanese label. The jeans are Stella McCartney, I've gone for some cute Converse and added a gorgeous Prada bag. The ring featured here is Disney Couture, the watch is DKNY and the bracelet is from ASOS.

Editor. by hollieanne featuring Stella McCartney jeans

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for a lost voice.

Oh, here's me thinking that a good night of sleep would mean I'd wake up this morning and feel refreshed. I was most certainly wrong! I woke up late this morning with a killing headache, puffy eyes and a sore throat. When I wanted to feel refreshed with a steaming hot bath, I was told a water pipe had burst up the road which left out entire house smelling of eggs and made the water brown. Lovely!

My sore throat turned worse and I ended up losing my voice for several hours which certainly wasn't fun. I did manage to enjoy the sun a little, though, if only from my garden. I've spent my day writing, reading magazines and newspapers and the normal things which come along with a lazy Saturday. I'm now sat in bed listening to The Smiths- bliss!

Outfit time! Whenever I feel low- whether due to psychical illness or just being a little depressed- I really feel a great colourful outfit just adds that something to make you smile and feel a little better. I've become a bit of a fan of Dorothy Perkins fan tonight with this magenta cardigan, emerald tulip skirt and grey bag all coming from the High Street store. I've added grey Falke tights, grey pumps with chain detail from Primark and a gorgeous necklace available from ASOS. I hope you're having a great weekend, everyone!



I lost my voice. by hollieanne featuring Dorothy Perkins bags

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for having the spring sniffles.

Hurrah- I have a major cold and cannot breath through my nose. Welcome to spring! I started feeling ill yesterday and my weak immune system made the decision to make things a million times worse this morning. I should have spent the afternoon having lunch with friends but had to opt out and spend my time soaking in the bath, taking flu pills, working my way through loads of tissues and falling in and out of sleep.

What do you do when you're feeling ill? I'm sure we're all fans of a duvet day, hot chocolate and perhaps sympathy from a good looking bloke/bird. I only had two out of three today but that'll do for now!

I didn't even have the energy to pop out for a newspaper today but this outfit is the perfect casual outfit for slouching at home in and going out for an essential supply of magazines, chocolate and super soft tissues. The jeans I've used are by J Brand, the over sized tee is Topshop and this wonderful Blondie charm bracelet is by Lucky Brand. Miu Miu provide beautiful classics with some flat peep toes and a stunning patent bag.


Spring sniffles. by hollieanne featuring Lucky Brand bracelets

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for mornings and evenings in the sunshine.

I beat the clock today. Rather than feeling gutted that I had- in effect- lost an hour of sleep, I woke two hours earlier than normal and jumped into some lounge wear and headed for the garden. I spent an hour drinking a few cups of herbal tea and reading my book as my toes touched the morning dew and my legs stretched out onto the cool grass.



I had to depart from my literary bliss to go out shopping for the afternoon but this only resulted in a chance to purchase more things for my reading pleasure. In the case of today, I bought a Sunday paper and Psychologies magazine.



When I returned home this evening, around 630pm, I put on my favourite H&M hoodie and ventured out into the garden once more with my new stack of reading material, a glass of wine and another mug of herbal tea. Sitting on the bench and watching the sun go down, it made me think of how I need to pull myself out of this little low spell I've been feeling for a few days. I hope it goes away soon.

The floral maxi dress featured here (perfect for sunny afternoons) is by Charlotte Russe and I've added some gladiator heels by Nine West and a Topshop straw clutch. The two necklace here are also by Topshop, the earrings are ASOS and the bangles come from French Connection. Finally, you all know I love a floral ring and this Betsey Johnson one is so cute!



Newspapers in the garden. - by hollieanne on Polyvore.com

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for hidden comforts.

I'm back! Have you ever found yourself feeling all warm and snuggly just at something so small? That little bit of comfort when you're least expecting it- like a memory, a smell or reading a text or e-mail from a loved one?

My day has been filled with things like that. Waking up this morning, I found myself feeling beautiful and loved more than ever in the mist of domestic bliss and a silly conversation about normality. Mid-morning was spent in Caffé Nero with a blackberry yogurt and a coffee as the rain beat heavy on the widows and I snuggled deeper in my cosy chair and pulled my newspaper closer to my body as if it losing myself deeper in the articles were like a blanket. And now it's evening and I've been wearing a simple outfit of a black vest and pj bottoms but, as I pulled the top over my head, I found myself surrounded by a beautiful smell that brought me back to a precious moment this morning. It's sad but true that I'm finding myself sniffing my top and pulling myself closer and closer to this morning despite time slipping away from me.

Sometimes, when you need reassurance or a little comforting the most, memories and pleasures sink into you without realising until you're tired at the end of the day and you realise what a simple but lovely 24 hours you've had.

The outfit today is simple, it's normal and it's nothing too special but it's the type of outfit I'd wear to go out for that coffee and watch the skies turn grey. The simple pleasures in life are the best. I love the colouring of this pretty Topshop buckle detail trench and, at £65, it's a bit of a steal. I've used a simple grey tee, some jeans by 7 For All Mankind and then added heels by Dorothy Perkins. The finishing touches come from a scarf and ring by Topshop and a Chloé bag. Hope you've had a great day!


Comfort. - by hollieanne on Polyvore.com

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for getting back to normal.

Very productive day in my little world. Woke this morning and booked two Beyonce tickets, went back off to sleep for a little while whilst wishing MYB was there to spend a lazy morning with me and then I spent the afternoon in town catching up on the much needed feeling of contentment which has been missing due to illness these past few days.

It was nice getting back to the normality of skinny coffee, Marks and Spencer, daily newspaper buying and freshly blow-dried hair. I devilishly read pages of the book I'm currently reading as I sat in Starbucks and I lost myself in daydreams of MYB and I chain smoking in Paris. I haven't felt like this all week; illness just makes me feel stupidly depressed and I cry more than most because I feel helpless and hate not being up and about and going at a million miles an hour.

My mother finished her first week of her new job so I met her at the hospital with a card and the biggest and most expensive bouquet of flowers I could find- she really deserved it.

The outfit for today is very sweet and I love the navy shades with the clashing pinks, oranges and browns of this Forever21 dress. Over the top of the dress I'd throw on a relaxed trench like this Mike and Chris one. I've added some navy flats, a pretty glitter beret by Coach and a clashing 3.1 Phillip Lim clutch. Lastly, I've added some flower rings with the neon pink one being from Topshop and the other from Forever21. Happy Friday!


Starbucks and flowers. - by hollieanne on Polyvore.com

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 critiquing the critique.

Having been in the journalism trade for some time now, I've come to realise that- unless stated- criticism is never personal but always constructive. You develop a thick skin in this industry and rejection becomes your new best friend. You brush it off and get on with it, change bits of an article to fit the bill, find a new source and scrap a million ideas you thought were world changing. Hey, that's just the way it goes.

But upon returning to education, I was looking forward to getting to grips with questioning the lecturer's marking and self analysing work. Rather than accepting things and doing as my editor tells me, I was looking forward to saying "Well, actually, I think...".

So today I got my "personal essay" back for my HEFC English Language course. I'd wrote about an event in my life which will change me forever, an event I'm still recovering from but an event which is so profound that I can detach myself from it and write it as if it were a film script. I was elated with the first draft and handed it in two weeks before the due date as I was promised it would be marked early and I could work my way towards a first.

Hmm, I got the essay back today and what a fuss it caused. Magazine titles need to go in italics? Sure. I used an apostrophe wrong? Sorry! But an attack on my past? Er, no thanks.

Yup, my teacher actually implied that I am possibly rather stressed and I need to take it easy and not question the marks. And what did I do? Well, I said that- for ethical reasons- I didn't want to lie in my autobiographical piece even if it did get me a distinction. Hmm, walking on eggshells are we? It's called having the balls not to mumble "OK" and totter off and be an unethical writer.

Dressing For is today about being sharp, smart and a little bit of a rebel.

Miss Selfridge have done this wonderful grey check skirt that could easily be a designer piece with a huge price-tag, add on a quirky and super cheap Paris tee from Wet Seal and then throw over a wonderfully odd Fred Flare cardigan for that inner protester. The beret of my dreams and Aldo gloves give a chic feel and the La Garçonne shoe boots are perfect for sashaying down the corridor with attitude. Finally, an amazing John Galliano newspaper bag that reminds me of my media roots.


Critique. by hollieanne