You're gonna hear me Roar

Firstly I would like to apologise for how utterly exhausted I look in this images - clearly life is catching up with me at the moment.

This was last weekend when The Boy and I had free tickets to the Ideal Home Show (courtesy of my lovely work colleague). 

At the weekends I love to dress as casual as possible but I am trying to move away from my leggings and jean shorts phase (alas, I am no longer a teenager). I've been living in these jeans from Next lately which I picked them up a couple of weeks back at the last Next sale. They were a steal at only £14 a pair (naturally, I bought them in both a light and a dark wash). They're a relaxed fit, feel really comfy and are somewhat akin to being able to wear pyjama bottoms all day long (it's a yes from me).

I picked up the jumper recently when I had some discount to use in H&M. I'd been toying with the idea of buying it for a while but, again, felt like it was maybe a bit too young for me. But who cares, it's just a bit of fun and I personally think it looks pretty good. And it gives me an excuse to run round the flat singing eye of the tiger all day long (much to The Boy's delight).

Jumper - H&M

Jeans - Next

Bag - Clarks

Trainers - Converse

(links can be found below)

Water, water everywhere...

So, it's the new year and I'm desperately trying not to shop before my trip to New York. Even with my frugal, buy-in-advance ways the lead up to Christmas was an expensive one, so January looks set to be particularly lean. The good news is that not only do I not need anything but my wardrobe is overflowing with gorgeous forgotten gems that simply need a bit of a re-style for SS13 to bring them up-to-date.

That being said, there are plenty of new season beauties out there for the taking. Just not by me. So, here's what I would buy, if I were allowed to shop.

1. A leather-look pencil skirt

PU Pencil Skirt - £28

I went for a wonderful brunch and a wander around Chelsea with Zsa Zsa on Saturday and she was looking as stylish as ever in this little gem from Next - a steal at £28. I liked it so much I found myself on the way to the online check out before reality hit and I had to take myself off to do some cleaning to stop myself from purchasing it - I advise you do so quick before it's sold out.

2. A pleated shirt dress

NW3 Chiara Dress - £149

I love this preppy shirt dress by NW3 at Hobbs - it's a great transitional piece that will work now with tights and boots, then with sandals and a straw hat for the warmer months. I'm telling you, this dress will be mine by the end of the season.

3. Peep-toe wedge boot

Open toe high vamp wedge boots - £60

Wedges are one of my favourite type of heels, comfortable yet stylish and this pair by River Island are absolutely gorgeous and perfect for a night out.

4. A spot of leopard print

Leopard print t-shirt dress - £35

If you know me, you'll know that I love leopard print and this dress by River Island is the perfect way to indulge my addiction without looking like I belong on TOWIE.

5. Big black shoulder bag

Black leather bag - £69.99

It's a big regret of mine that I did not buy the black leather shopper that NW3 did last season and I've been searching for a similar version ever since. Luckily for me Clarks has come up with this beauty to fulfill my shoulder-bag needs - I will also own this by the end of the season, of that I'm sure of.

What's next at Next

Those who know me well will be familiar with my love affair with Next. I've always been a fan of the retail store and I even love their sales (although I'm not one of those camped outside at 4am women, I always find what I want). They've recently begun to release their new collections for AW12 and let me tell you, I am loving what I'm seeing. I've always been a bigger fan of winter than summer and it looks like Next have hit the nail on the head with the perfect mix of fashion must haves and core staples to get me through the season. 

Here's a glimpse at what I'm loving so far.

 Clockwise from top right: You can't beat a good Mac and this wine colour is perfect for Autumn (£80) - These Chelsea boots/shoes are perfect for winter walks (£28) - For smart work dresses, Next can't be beaten (£40 and £35) - I'm loving peplum tops right now and I can never resist a bit of animal print (£24) - Relaxed check dress for weekends away (£38) - Flock spot pencil skirt, bang on trend (£35) - Rivaling Burberry with this classic trench (£80) - A faux fur fifties inspired coat? I'm in (£110) - These trousers (and legs for that matter) are to die for, get me to the gym (£35)

Beautifully British

 Scarf: Next

Jacket: Topshop

Dress: Hobbs

Bag: Hobbs

Shoes: Aldo

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to receive one of the official Next ParalympicsGB scarves and I've been waiting for the warmer weather to arrive (finally!) to debut it here on Lost and Found. Now I've been eyeing up these scarves in the window of my local store for a while (along with many other Team GB items - we'll get to that later) and think that they're a great way to support our country and the athletes taking part (all profits from the sale of these scarves will be donated to the British Olympic Association – which helps British Olympic and Paralympic athletes deliver their best performance at London 2012 and beyond). I'm not a huge lover of sports but there's something about the Olympics that always gets me feeling patriotic so this year with the games being held in my home city my excitement levels are set to go through the roof! Alas, I shall be watching the games entirely from the comfort of my own sofa (or maybe on a big screen in a park somewhere over a glass of Pimms) as I missed out on tickets but I'm sure the atmosphere is going to be electric all the same.

I received one of the small scarves which looked great either draped around my neck or simply tied to my handbag (the perfect way to subtly support the team). Here's how I wore mine (I love a maxi and a denim jacket):

As I mentioned, there's many a patriotic item in Next at the moment that has caught my eye, from womenswear, the Flag Print Maxi Dress is my must-by of the season. It's supportive without being in your face and is a great cut for a variety of body shapes - plus is the bargain price of £35. I'm also loving the Team GB homewares (in particular: cushions) - it looks like I know where I'll be spending my May paycheck!

Visit Next.co.uk/london-2012 to view all of the team GB collections, and to be in with a chance to win your very own Team GB scarf to show your support click here to enter.