Humani-tees are Always in Style... Style Ideas with Frontline Fashion

I love the idea of multi-tasking. However, when faced with the reality, I have to concede to being extremely bad at it. I am much faster doing just one thing at a time. 

Imagine the little dance I did then when I discovered this triple-whammy. Not only can I add a simple, stylish tee to my wardrobe, I am also supporting the rebuilding of the still-ruined Haiti island, and in order to facilitate the delivery of said t-shirt, I get to have lunch with a very hardworking, fundraising genius, I mean, friend of mine. 

Melissa Gilchrist Higgins is a lovely, Scottish ex-PR manager living in Dubai, and the brains behind Frontline Fashion. Her aim is to raise non-profit funds to support the orphanage her work to date has helped build, and to continue to show support to the people and namely, children, of Haiti. Another disaster zone which has slipped away from mainstream news, and consequently, our minds. 

It’s a truly wonderful venture and as I really can’t give it enough credit here, check out her amazing website… www.frontlinefashion.com

My personal favourites are the t-shirts... an edgy alternative to a plain tee. 

Clash with prints for a shopping date or...

Travel Inspiration: Ayesha & The Koala Experience

What seems like a lifetime ago, I used to work in an office. Riveting, I know. Working 9 to 5, I would take my six weeks holiday every year and travel here and there – Greece for a week, Amsterdam for the weekend – a couple of times I freaked my friends out as I hopped over to Bahrain and Beirut.

But when my older sister Ayesha decided to set off on a yearlong wanderlust tour of the Far East, Australia and New Zealand – it made me think how amazing it would be to jet off to the other side of the world, breathe new air and tread new earth. I itched to shake off the dust that seemed to be ever-gathering on my shoulders as I twirled endlessly on my swivel-chair, churning out magazine feature ideas like a machine. I was running nowhere on a treadmill of a career that seemed to only build stamina to ensure I could stand it a bit longer (in other words, too many beauty freebies held me in my job).

I distinctly remember hearing my sister’s story where in Brisbane, Australia, she “cried from cuteness” as she held a furry little koala bear, and felt his squidgy soft arms on her shoulders.

Instant travel inspiration!

When I made my dream come true, and stepped off the plane in Brisbane, I had an action plan in mind with a mere two-point checklist:

1. Hold that koala like he’s never been held before.

2. Get acquainted with a couple of kangaroos.

And so I proceeded to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, in the grassy, beautifully rural suburbs of Brisbane. I caught a bus early in the morning, and sat buzzing with energy inspired by anticipation. I am going to hold an. actual. koala. bear.

On arrival, I beelined it straight to the enclosure which allows weirdos like me to get up close with the bears. Feeling like the female equivalent of David Attenborough, wishing I had my own animal TV show and imagining how ridiculous I might sound on TV, I waited in line to hold my koala.

And then the moment when the squishy little guy was plopped into my arms and my hands disappeared against his furry little bum...

Without the slightest exaggeration, this is something I recommend everyone do at least once in your life. It is a must. Yes, okay, it’s a must that lasts 10 minutes and happens to be located at the other end of the world, but for those able – DO IT. DO IT NOW!

Having completed mission one and successfully stalked one poor bear out of his eucalyptus tree, I then marched into a field full of kangaroos, armed with edibles, and ready to make the acquaintance of an unsuspecting (or rather, totally suspecting, will-take-pictures-for-food type) kangaroo.

I can only thank my amazing sister for inspiring the idea above.

Here’s the evidence that I made it to Oz!

Evidence I’m definitely not stuck in an office any more!

Evidence that free beauty products do not inspire more than real experiences.

And evidence that I love my career change.  It was the best thing I ever did.

Love from Aussie Dolly x

10 Bright Ideas For A Winter Weekend in Lyon

Airport codes are silly and confusing. Especially when you plan your working duties (i.e. sightseeing) around the wrong one. 

I was enthusiastically planning my trip to LYS.

Lisbon. Portugal? No?

No.

Lyon. France?

Yes.

So there I was in Lyon, with a loose travel guide to the city thanks to a whatsapp conversation with my sister and a timeout article screenshot on my mobile. I had less than 24 hours to explore so I got to it.

Following my surprise trip to Lyon, here are my tips to enjoying your stay in southside France… in winter. Enjoy!

Happy New Year: 4 Resolutions For 2014

Okay, so I can't claim to have taken a blogging sabbatical. I have instead been busy earning a promotion over the last six months. Free time has been taken up primarily with writing reports, sleeping and eating. And occasionally I squeeze in my so-called social life. A little while ago, I was offered the permanent position of senior flight stewardess for the world's no.1 airline.  Hard work having paid off, I can now return to my first love - travelling the world, and consequently, writing about it.

With 2014 underway, the usual resolution rigmarole has hit me. Being a girl who loves a gimmick, I do like making resolutions. It goes in with my other indulgences, such as stationery, writing lists and packing. Don't judge.

So here are my resolutions.

The Sunday Stalker

Let’s be honest, who doesn't love a good nosy through the blog world every now and then? From those who drive you mad with their ever-expanding designer collections, to the experts who are brimming with beauty advice and then there’s the rest… Home décor, baking, brunching, DIY, man repelling… you name it, the blogosphere’s got the lot. And so, that leads me to the initiation of The Sunday Stalker… where every other Sunday I spill which brilliant bloggers I’ve been stalking over the weekend.

I’m going to start with my daily go-tos. These are the blogs that, quite simply, give me great pleasure to read and I’m sure you’ll know them. If not, don’t say I didn’t warn you… addiction awaits.

The Man Repeller

That means “outfitting oneself in a sartorially offensive mode that may result in repelling members of the opposite sex” according to Leandra Medine, author of The Man Repeller, lady with an impeccable eye for a shoe, and funny girl indulging a seriously admirable sense of humour. 

Honestly, I cannot thank this centre-parted divulger of fashion genius enough, for all the hours of entertainment I’ve enjoyed at the hands of her witty, refreshing online dialogue. If you fancy knowing best how to wear an overall, work a full white outfit, or any other known faux pas with panache, head on over. You will love this blog. It’s just not normal not to.

I heart MAC... / The Beauty Of Louise

Exciting news from The Trolley Dolly! I recently teamed up with lovely Louise over at The Beauty Of Louise, detailing a joyful visit (or five) to MAC and the beautiful buys I invested in. Click hereto see my guest post and visit Louise’s gorgeous blog :)

Alongside the items bought there I also purchased these beauties from the Limited Edition Style Seeker collection and I wanted to give you a review based on my own experience of MAC, as an avid eyeshadow-buyer and Fluidline fan.

Eyeshadow Duo in On The Hunt...

The gold is hyper-pigmented and the red can be built up to the desired strength as you like it...

Fluidline in Dark Diversion...

First of all, I just have to talk about this Fluidline. ^^^ My poor mother… what I put her through whilst we were shopping. I stopped for goodness knows how long, just staring at this plummy, aubergine-y, charcoal purple-y pot of perfection. And then along came the delightful MAC salesperson… she saw me coming.

1 Top: 7 Ways >>> PART 3

Today sees the last of my seven looks created with just one top! I hope you've enjoyed this mini-series... sometimes it's fun to see what you can create from your own wardrobe, knowing there's no post-retail guilt trip to come. It's all very well throwing money around with designers and buying up every new collection from Zara and H&M but it's nice to know how to 'recycle' a piece without looking like you only need one coathanger for your entire closet.

You can take a look at Part 1 (looks 1 & 2) here, and if you want to see what else I did with my LBT (Lovely Black Top), you can click here for Part 2.

And finally, here are looks 6 and 7 - let me know if you like them! :)

LOOK 6

Goodie two-shoes

Cardi, Primark | Jeans, Salsa
Jewellery, Barcelona street stall / talented Spanish man :)

[Wear it for... a family do | lunch with the 'rents | shisha date]
[Style it: neckline under your arms creating the illusion of a strapless top - and then you can decide whether you'd like to tie the sleeves in a bow in the middle of your back, or tuck them inside the neckline. If you're not wearing a cardi, I think the bow would look better. Just a thought.] 

LOOK 7

Slimline

I personally love this look with black jeans, as I think it would look too complicated with another colour -
but leather-effect leggings (and very big hair) could also look very rock n roll :)

I like the look of these skinny jeans tucked into the shoes.
It's a little bit edgier and shows off the bright orange suede.

[Wear it for... a date | work (with a coloured blazer) | dinner somewhere posh (how about a sequinned blazer this time?)]

[Style it: one arm in, one arm out. The unused sleeve is then brought around your back and under your bust to create a sort of belt and the end is neatly tucked away under the exposed arm.]

And that's that - 1 top, 7 ways!
Let me know which little ensemble you liked best - I'm tied between Look 3 and Look 7... what do you think?

Love from orange-suede-obsessed Dolly x

1 Top: 7 Ways >>> PART 2

Welcome to the second part of my little one-top-trilogy, using just one ingeniously versatile black top from Salsa Jeans and a limited wardrobe selection... click here to view Part 1 if you want all the details!
I hope you like my ideas, pretty much slapdashedly put-together one sunny afternoon when I was feeling a wee bit creative...
I think my personal favourite is LOOK 3 - which one do you like best?

LOOK 3

Attention to detail

Top, Salsa Jeans | Jeans, Salsa Jeans | Shoes, Zara

I'm having a moment with these a.ma.zing Zara shoes -
bought in Madrid for 29 euros, I love shopping Mango and Zara in Spain!

[Wear it for... a first date | rooftop cocktails | posh bbq]
[Style it: Simply place the elasticated neckline under your arms to start with, and then drape the sleeves from the either side at the front to the back of your neck, where you can secure them with a pin, or with a simple knot. I kept accessories to a minimum, and just brought out my big earrings (always a winner).]

LOOK 4

1 Top: 7 Ways >>> PART 1

I discovered Salsa Jeans in Dubai.
The Portuguese brand is one I'd never heard of whilst living in Scotland and although we have the likes of Bershka, Mango and other delightful European imports, I must have somehow missed the Salsa boat. It's possibly a stroke of luck that I was oblivious for so long, from the point of view of my poor, abused credit card... but I am now officially a BIG fan.

This however, is not a post on how much I adore their famous insta-figurefixing jeans (that's to come later).
It is instead the first of three posts about one very versatile top from Salsa which slunk off the hanger and into my wardrobe after I discovered how inspired its design is. 

The top has been made to produce 5 different looks (according to the tag), and I have put together the following 7 looks... using different styling so that each one is different to the other. 
One top providing an outfit for each day of the week - can't be bad!
I've also limited myself to only a few accessories, one jacket and two pairs of shoes, plus basic bottoms (blue/black jeans & leggings), to show how simply changing the top can totally change the outfit!

Enlisting the help of Mum (clearly a natural with the camera!), we shot this in Scotland and I do hope you like my little floral backgrounds in line with the latest trend floating around this season...

These outfits are entirely my own style so I apologise in advance for the great expanse of black that you'll see . I do love black... But I thought a wee splish-splash of orange shoes and blue denim would be enough to brighten it all up!

If you're interested in trying this idea, you might not find the top as I bought it a couple of months ago, however, any loose-fit, stretch top with a wide neck will work.
Enjoy - here's PART 1!

LOOK 1

Dolly in black

I road-tested this outfit coming from Dubai to Glasgow -
full flight, sitting next to fidgeting mother with 6 month-er, 
and it passed the comfort test with flying colours...
And this bag was a lovely £12 from Primark.
Yes. That is my smug, just-got-a-bargain face... How did you guess?

Leggings, Topshop | Boots, (very last last laaaast season) Zara | Jacket, Zara

[Wear it: work | casual business lunch | air travel]
[Style it: this look uses the top, as is, with both sleeves, and the elasticated lower part extended over the leggings slightly. No-one wants to see anyone else's butt in leggings, sorry!]

LOOK 2

City safari

Jeans, Salsa | Earrings, Aldo | Scarf, Mum's



Note - for all those with no waist (like moi), invent one with this double trick...
Tie a skinny scarf at the narrowest point of the jacket (where it nips in at the waist),
not the narrowest point of your torso.



I love leopard and peacock together - it's my safari in the city :)

[Wear it: lunch with the girls | date night | coffee with a client]
[Style it: for this, i pushed the sleeves inside the elasticated neckline and then pulled the neckline up under my arms so it holds the top as a strapless number. 

I added a scarf to break up all that black but if you're short, this won't work so well with flat boots, so I'd suggest (nude) heels instead.]

Hope you've enjoyed the picture-fest that is Part 1, more to come tomorrow!

Let me know what you think of these different looks :)

Love from dressing up Dolly x

Show & Tell - Maggie's Farm Boutique, Dundee

It was just by chance that I happened to glance inside to the magical interior of Maggie’s Farm Boutique, carefully and cleverly designed by owner, Laurissa Drysdale.

It was a love at first sight moment – when I clapped eyes on a gaudily upholstered armchair in the shop window, its pink and gold combination waving at me like an old friend. Oh, how I exaggerate. It was subsequently a heartbreak moment upon discovering the wonderful chair had in fact already been sold! Damn these one-offs and their finders keepers charm.

Clothes and amazing furniture - I'm in heaven!

And it’s not just chairs… this beautiful boutique has all sorts of dreamy numbers for the vintage junkie. Chairs, chests, chic dresses and bags, pretty playsuits, scarves, tees, shorts, jackets, jewellery… someone STOP me! Playing in this fairground of inspired style, colour and detail, I daydreamed of a wardrobe that emanates cool like Ashley Olsen, style like Rachel Zoe, and quirky chic like Le Blog De Betty and all sorts of other nonsense that I needn’t (read – shouldn’t) divulge. If you get the chance to pop in, you’ll understand why, and maybe have a few daydreams of your own…

Chair, £125 | Dressing table (behind), £395

Her stock, its detail, diversity and lack of mainstream availability, is in fact the reason why Laurissa’s beautiful boutique (named after a Bob Dylan tune, in case you’re wondering) has remained one of Dundee’s secret successes. “I hate when I spend a fortune on an outfit, only to go out and discover everyone else is wearing the same thing,” Laurissa told me. I couldn’t agree more.

The interesting (and appealing) thing about Maggie’s Farm is that not only does it provide the high street shopper with a quirky vintage alternative to the mass produced Primark / New Look fare, Laurissa also buys in non-vintage pieces and re-works them for an individual, unique twist on a modern product. Alongside this clothing fantasy, she also stocks wonderful jewellery and Ashley Olsen-worthy bags. I have a crush on the fringed leather masterpiece that comes in tan and black (below).

Travel Wardrobe - Frankfurt, Germany

Returning home from my too-short trip to Spain, I realised I'd had a little post-Madrid wardrobe inspiration. As I packed for another destination, I got a little more excited than usual as I pulled out a few of my favourite high street items forgotten at the back of my wardrobe.

As an air hostess, each new stopover requires route-specific outfit packing, sometimes for weather completely opposite from the previous. With new ideas influenced wholly by the mixed looks of Madrid’s street style señoritas (you can see the post HERE) I packed my 'Travel Wardrobe' for Frankfurt, Germany. I hope you like it!

Leopard print scarf, H&M

Skinny jeans, Salsa

Ankle boots, Primark

Sunglasses, H&M

Right now, Dubai is way too hot for the scarf and the ankle boots - so I enjoy the novelty of wearing them on my trips to Europe which is still cool and rainy. When I'm back in the desert, I might subsitute the boots for simple sandals and a lighter scarf as a cute headband (read: no idea what to do with my hair in this humidity).

Hope you like my choices... what did you wear today? Send me a link to your blog/twitter/instagram/pinterest :)

Love from travelling Dolly x