Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for an early night.

Apologies about yesterday, everyone! My blogging assistant kindly put out a note in my absence late last night. I got caught up in some family stuff and wasn't able to hit the laptop to blog. Huge apologies!

Anyway, shall we get back to today? If you've been reading my blog for the last few weeks, you'll notice how I've swapped casual Sundays to casual Saturdays and how much I'm really enjoying having a lazy day on a Saturday. Today was no different. A lie in followed by some lovely text messages from MYB and then I made brunch for the family. I spent the afternoon writing and listening to music, chatting to MYB and doing very little else- bliss!

I've been really stressed out this past week and it's only hitting me now how tired it's making me. MYB calmed my mind this evening and I made the decision that I needed some major relaxation. I've had a candle-lit bath tonight, had an lush salad for dinner and gave myself a pedicure. I'm now blogging from my bed and I'm going to watch some silly but slushy chick-flick in a moment. Happiness all round.

Outfit time! The outfit is casual and comfortable- and why not? The printed pink tee is DKNY and I've added some super skinny jeans by Cheap Monday. For me, the highlight of this outfit has to be the wonderful Nike Liberty dunks which I have craved since they first appeared on my screen one beautiful day. Accessories are super bright with some ASOS bangles, a hairband by New Look and a retro style Gola bag. Happy weekend!



Early night. - by hollieanne on Polyvore.com

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for no blogging.

Apologies, guys. Will explain tomorrow.

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for wishing it was sunny.

Spring is my favourite time of year for all things fashion. Not only do we get the A/W fashion weeks (Erdem and Preen have proved to be my favourites so far) but we get that slight bit of sun which is enough to whip out those Escada/Primark sunnies even for the slightest few minutes.

I love dressing in spring because I'm such a girly girl and nothing is better than the feel of a slight breeze against my bare legs or walking around Hyde Park with no shoes on. I love the excitement that summer is round the corner and that I have no plans but to spend several hours a day in an office somewhere in London being paid to write features. Spring, for me, means jeans and flat sandals, cardigans wore unbuttoned with dresses and bare legs, homemade cotton tote bags with painted slogans and more corsages than ever.

But I'm feeling a bit sluggish of late and a bit ill so I've had a need for sun and spring more than ever. This afternoon, in the cold of the late February sky, I wore flat gold sandals with my jeans and silk top and it felt wonderful to feel the cold on my toes. I was rather freezing but there's something about the air on your toes that just feels summery and fresh and clean. I'm craving just a little more sunshine so that I can get away with plain tops, statement necklaces, jeans, flip-flops and huge sunnies more than I can currently.

So I've dressed for spring today! That mix-match feeling of open toe shoes and comfortable winter friendly trousers. This chain detail top by Balmain would be such a staple in my wardrobe and mainly worn dressed down with dark denim jeans for Sunday coffee and newspaper mornings with MYB. I've used some biker style Chloé pants but added some brown Steve Madden platforms to give less of a heavy feel and more light and summery. This incredible bag is the new love of my life and is designed by the ever wonderful Miu Miu who have also designed this super pretty pink hairband. To soften the look and make it really girly, I've used a necklace from Betsey Johnson and a ring available from Evans. Finally, to tie in with the animal print of the bag, I've selected a ring by Just Cavalli. Hope the sun turns up soon...



Wishing for sun. - by hollieanne on Polyvore.com

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for shopping for MYB!

This week is leading up to a very exciting end as, on Sunday, it'll be the birthday of the most delightful man I know! MYB will be opening cards and presents and suddenly feeling much closer to 40 come Sunday ;-)

As I'm not spending the weekend with MYB, I've been super organised as regards his gifts. I bought his card last weekend and I went on a lovely shopping spree this afternoon to buy pretty little gifts for him. I adore shopping for other people but shopping for MYB is something else; he has such incredible taste in everything (apart from music!) that I find myself feeling wonderful as I marvel over the geekiest and most gorgeous sections of department stores.

Clearly I cannot reveal what I ended up buying but I know, come Sunday, he'll adore them and perhaps feel that little more inclined to marry me!

I've style the outfit for comfort today. Lectures, writing, dealing with PR invites and shopping has taken it out of me today and I'm headed for an early night! I love denim dresses but this one here, by 3.1 Phillip Lim, is so simple yet so right. I've gone for red accessories with some Marc by Marc Jacobs mouse shoes, a See by Chloé bag (number 1 on my lust-list right now!) and jewellery from Lady Luck Rules OK! Finally, a pretty blue beret from Forever21.



Birthday gifts for MYB - by hollieanne on Polyvore.com

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for a day of broken hearts.

Here at Dressing For HQ, we're all a bit low tonight. Tears and pouts and sighs are echoing around as everyone tries to comfort me after several super rubbish things happened today. I'm not going into details, I just want to be given a break so much.

The morning started off fine. MYB sent me some lovely morning texts to apologies for falling asleep before we had a chance to chat last night and I went out for a lovely run for a while. I ate lunch, got stuck into a wonderful project I'm working on and then, sat in my bed working and listening to Kanye West, I hear some bad news which would leave me crying for the next few hours. Devastating doesn't even come near it.

I'm so lucky to have such wonderful people around me. MYB has been a saint and I couldn't be more thankful of how he coped when I rang his office and cried down the phone to him. MYB couldn't have said nicer or more sweet things; I just really hope I haven't let him down.

But this evening got worse. Something trivial and expected but nonetheless rubbish. Let's hope tomorrow is better, eh? And I'm going to make some pancakes soon to make me feel happy inside.

Black is the main shade for this outfit. Depressing, I know, but there are some lovely colour pops which symbolise happiness and a bright future. I've used a beautiful Rick Owens tie-front leather jacket and used a Topshop printed tee underneath. The black jeans are Sass & Bide. Colour comes in the form of some incredible Brian Atwood heels, a Marc Jacobs bag and jewellery from both Topshop and Wet Seal. Happy Pancake Day!



It has been a rather bad day. - by hollieanne on Polyvore.com

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for Samantha Cameron.

I'm a Tory girl and not afraid to say so. Whereas my parents are Labour voters and I come from a long line of working class North East men and women, I totally favour the Conservatives. I could blog for hours on why their policies appeal to me but I'll opt out for now and discuss my love for Samantha Cameron. She makes me swoon! She's by no means my lady crush but she's a true inspiration and icon for me and thus I ended up writing 1000 words on her and her wonderfulness today.

Sam Cam not only has a wonderful dress sense (elegant, colourful, modern, trendy, chic, well fitting...) but she's an incredible role model for those wanting to juggle a vastly successful career with motherhood. She's beautiful, does a wonderful job at Smythson and should be praised for coming out as an individual despite the success of her husband.

Writing 1000 words on my idol was a pleasure and I hope I've given a successful argument that she plays a key role within the Tory party.

Enough politics and onto fashion? Indeed! I'm sorry if this entry is too politically focused but I have dressed in typical Sam Cam style here. Samantha Cameron is often seen in Reiss and this top from the very store would look wonderful with her colouring. I've used some trousers, gloves, heels and a bag by French Connection and added a statement necklace from Jigsaw. Final touches come from some Forever21 earrings and a stunning Chopard diamond watch.


Sam Cam - by hollieanne on Polyvore.com

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for the car breaking down.

What a day! Here's me expecting a simple Sunday and it turns into a nightmare. This morning I woke up late, text MYB to tell him about my nightmare (I heart how much he looks after me even when we're apart) and watched Hollyoaks with a grilled bacon sandwich. I got dressed in some comfortable Sunday clothes, made a coffee and made plans to go out for the afternoon with my family.

My mother is learning to drive so she and her partner opted to spend the afternoon having a little practise whilst my brothers and I went shopping and had lunch together. Once we were dropped off, my brothers and I walked around the shops and I enjoyed getting male opinions on shades of lipsticks, high heels and jeans. My brothers may only be twelve and eight but they know their stuff on fashion! My younger brother even declared that today was the "best day ever" as he got to "enjoy all the shops for girls". Strange but cute.

My mother was taking a while but we were happy in the knowledge she was learning her driving stuff so we went for three large Starbucks hot chocolates and a shared shortbread. Drinking hot chocolate with my two little boys is almost as good as sipping on champagne with MYB!

After a while, however, we worried. My mother wasn't answering her phone and neither was her partner. The shops were close to closing when my mother turned up looking flustered. The car had broken down a fair while away and the RAC were coming out to rescue them. As it was a long way to walk, my mother suggested I keep the boys busy and she'd come back for us once the car was fixed but she warned us that if she was longer than an hour and a half, we were to make our own way back.

Two hours passed and they hadn't turned up. Worried and cold, the boys and I walked for ages in the rain to get help. I'd forgot my bank card so we had no money on us but the lovely people at Sainsbury's garage called us a cab and we paid once we arrived back home. An hour later, my mother and her partner arrived home totally exhausted.

It's been a tiring, exhausting and stressful day but we got through it.

Style is a must in these situations, however. No cash? No transport? Not a problem if you're dressed wonderfully. I love this Topshop jacket- it is so 80s and fabulous! I'd wear the jacket left open with this brown and white striped DAY Birger et Mikkelsen tee, some jeans from New Look and mustard colour heels by Kurt Geiger. This sweet cross the body bag is vintage and all the jewellery featured is from Topshop.


Broken down. - by hollieanne on Polyvore.com