3, 4 and 5

Dress - Esprit, Shoes - Dorothy Perkins, Cardigan - Present from mother.

Tights and beret - New Look.  Earrings - Claire's.  Belt - New Look.
Scarf - Topshop.

Estimated temperature - 3 degrees.

Outfit #3

I've already worn this dress in a couple of looks on the blog, but I love that here, it's a great layering pieces and pops under just about any neutral outwear you can find.

At the point of taking these, I had just finished a 10,000 word portfolio for my first big assignment of the year and was rushing to submit it afterwards!

Outfits #4 and #5 are down below because I'm mildly ashamed of them - can anyone say white wall?  But seriously, any blogger who goes out and takes their own photos with a tripod can understand just what an enterprise it is. 

When Dhany, Jamie or Mavis used to take my pictures, it was: Go outside.  Photographer says please pose like this (or in Jamie's case "can you stop looking so horrible?!").  Click, click, click.  Everyone is happy.  The End.

Not so with a tripod!  First, I get my kit on and struggle outside with my tripod and camera, then look for a suitable place to take pictures, depending on the kind of look I want and the sun (or, in Inklund, the lack of it).

Then, most fearsomely, I drop my coat.  This step is best done very quickly and without regret.  Several passersby stare at me, thinking I must be crazy to divest my outerwear in 3 degrees.

I set the camera up and try out a few test shots, putting it on a ten-second-three-shot timer and then run round the front like a madwoman.  Pose, click.  Pose, click.  Pose, click.  Lather, rinse and repeat.  Only I have to keep shifting it around depending on where I want the image and at least half of the time, I have to retake shots because I'm out of frame or too far to one side.  People come walking down the path and I pretend I'm taking pictures of the grass or something.  Occasionally they come walking by in mid-pose and there's nothing for it, I just have to pretend my hide is extra-thick.

I ruin several shots by blinking or not hitting the mark on time, so I set up several more.  At this point, I can't feel my fingers and I've given up completely on trying to mask what I'm trying to do each time people walk by.  I fervently hope none of them turn out to be my friends, but there's only so much good luck one person can have.

At last, at long, sweet last, I can take the camera off the tripod and start taking detail shots of myself which often looks like I'm bizarrely trying to photograph my boobs.  The End, except for tomorrow, the day after, and the day after that!

So, gentle reader (though I know some of you are anything but), when you see these pictures below, have a little love for someone who may or may not be able to feel the first digit of each finger anymore.

Outfit #4

Jeans - New Look.  Shoes - Shu Time.  Cardigan - Present from Mother.

Coat - Primark.  Undershirt - F21.

I partly cheated by throwing on my coat here, but this is basically what I wore when I ran out to get groceries a couple of days ago.

And yesterday:

Outfit #5

Top - Primark.  Shorts - DIY.

Boots - Dr Martens.  Tights - Marks and Sparks.  

Earrings - School vendor.

I'm usually not into super shiny AB crystals because I think they can get a little tacky what with the multitude of colours, but these were just so much fun and so sparkly that I had to have a go.  Look how they're throwing glints of colour onto my cheek, even.

Thanks to a lot of scrambling madly around (feeding ducks and throwing coins into ponds, don't ask), I've torn a little piece of leather off my Doc Mart boots.  I know they're supposed to get all worn in and scruffy, but can anybody tell me if there's a way to deal with them if the top bit of leather peels off? 

An intensely hopeful boot-lover thanks you!