Form a circle a salt to protect from zombies, witches, and old boyfriends.

The witching season is upon us once more, one of my favourite times of the year. Any excuse to dress up and I'm there! Here are a couple of cute Halloween themed bits and bobs I've come across and loved. I'm feeling really sick at the moment and looking at cute design is proving a fantastic way to make myself feel better. Now to work on that costume...What will you be dressing up as?

I would have a party just to use these cuties.

Can you imagine the effort that went into this?

80's-tastic costume inspiration. (I really want that felt hat.)

Maybe I'll try making some bone cookies...

I really think the whole Halloween obsession comes from my constant watching and rewinding and watching of Hocus Pocus as a child. Seriously, my sister and I could quote it word for word.

Happy Birthday MT!

I've always been a fan of "ladies of a certain age" chic. I was donning old lady head scarves before any of my friends gave the charity shop a look in, when I was still the girl who smelled like their granny. Some would say not much has changed, unfortunately.

I have a premature craving for comfortable shoes, when everyone else my age can run marathons in their stilettos and doesn't look like a drunk version of Bambi in 3-inch heels.

Combine this with a genuine love for Werther's Originals and an affinity for pulling my tights up to my bra-line (It keeps you warm. I don't care how septuagenarian I look.) and you see what we have here, dear reader. I am a Golden Girl stuck in the body of a 23 year old.

I even *whispers* really like prunes.

Just the other day, while flicking through an old Hello! magazine at my aunt's house (She really needs to sort that hoarding habit out.), it was like a ray of clarity fell onto the old, tattered pages in my hands (Seriously, the thing was like 10 years old.). I had a new style icon. Not a very popular one, however. No really like.

It's Old Iron Knickers herself. Maggie T in the sartorial house. Not saying I would have agreed (or even am aware, really) of her leadership policies. Just think she's a snazzy dresser, that's all. And in honour of her 85th birthday, I've put together some ensembles that I'm really quite partial to. Check this sheeeet out below...

Green cape? Why, thank you.

Box-style sixties shift? You're too good to me, MT.

Rose print blazer...Wear it with a simple tee and my skinnies you say?

It would be a pleasure.

Now I just need to get my glare down...

Turning Japanese, I really think so.

All day today, I've been wearing an oversized mans' shirt with only a string top underneath. I haven't felt cold once. This wouldn't be strange if it was mid-June, but it's freaking October, almost the middle of October! You can't enjoy the witching season in a tank top, for chrissakes. I was skyping with a friend today in New York and she said the exact same thing. Global warming has a lot to answer for, my friends.

I'm all for saving the environment and try to be as green as I can be, without heading down the clothes made of hemp and "knitting my own organic porridge" route. (Paraphrased from a very clever little article I read in the Sunday Times a couple of weeks back!) However, some of this ecofriendly stuff can be a bit well, too green for me. It'll be a cold day in hell (not likely at the way Mother Nature is hot flushing all over the place) before you catch Murzipan availing of reusable tampons, for example. Check it out just for the crazy-ass website alone - apparently the Polar Bear model is "quite romantic" but the penguin is kind of a loner. Okay then.

However, you may very well catch me using one of these little guys someday in the near future, the penguin or the walrus being the most likely candidates right now! Fridgezoo magnets start nattering away when you open the fridge door, but linger too long and they'll be on your case to shut it again. Granted, you won't know exactly what they're saying because it's all in Japanese, but this can only add to their value I feel. Hide one right in the back and scare the crap out of your boyfriend when his after-pub midnight munching directs him towards those leftovers you want for lunch tomorrow. Plus, I've always thought that having something in the fridge chattering at me might prevent me reaching for the last slice of cheesecake/bottle of vino blanco. These little guys are gonna have their work cut out for them, I feel.

Also, what ever happened to The Revs? Does anyone know?

Stick this in your pie-hole.

Only a dung beetle could have failed to notice that there is a slight bit of favouritism with the nineties, as far as "trendiness" (whatever that concept actually means) is concerned right now. In my neck of the woods, you can't walk 50 metres without hitting some denim shorts, Fred Perry shirts and a loafer or two. And that's just the boys.

(Image courtesy of the V&A)

Enter Patrick Cox.

Cox's Wannabe loafers were first created for Autumn/Winter 1993-94, and became so popular that he even had to put a doorman outside his London store for a bit of crowd control. They've been redesigned every year since, changing colour or design features. However, one could hardly say that demand for them has remained as high as that first bout of mayhem. This in mind (I'm guessing. Disclaimer: Not actually claiming to read Patrick Cox's thoughts.), the designer has turned his creative attention to the world of cupcakes. Yes, cupcakes. The logical progression, n'est-ce pas?!

Teaming up with master patissier Eric Lanlard, the two have created a marvellous offering with a rather splendid name two "Cox, Cookies & Cake" anyone? There's lots to choose from - raspberry compote cupcakes, Nanaimo squares based on Patrick's mother's own recipe, or erm, Bum Cake. Wonder how Mrs. Cox feels about sharing a menu board with that beauty. Hmmm. With prices starting at just £2.50, its a pretty cheap way to get your fix of Cox. Ho hum. Available from their Soho shop, map here. All food images from coxcookiesandcakes.com

Sweet, sweet charity.

Feeling rather brave this morning, I elected to try my new midi skirt on London streets for a day of charity shop-hopping. Here's what I wore...

...My black Divided waffle scarf, Awear skinny belt, vintage polka dot skirt, and a simple Primark vest top over.

Bit weird, this new skirt length. I guess I'm not used to feeling the end of my skirt brushing against my calves. Also, holding the damn thing down whilst climbing up windy Tube passages got seriously old. Fast.

Coming home with a vintage Jaeger jacket, a khaki maxi and a really ladylike Oleg Cassini blouse more than made up for it though. Charity shop win!

All in all, not bad for a first outing...Must just remember to wear modesty-covering knickers with this one!

Honestly mate, you look sterling.

This Is England is one of my favourite films of all time. It seems weird to say that about such a, well, grim, film, and when ever I recommend it to friends, it does come with this disclaimer: Never. Ever. watch it the day after consuming a ridiculous amount of beverages of an alcoholic nature. Ever.

You will want to kill yourself.

The first time I saw this film was with my ginger-haired bestie, who had earlier that week been laid off from her job and had very little prospects in the immediate future. I almost had to pull her in from the balcony over the closing credits.

I'd even be scared to watch it after a watered-down WKD, to be honest. HOWEVER (and it is such a big however it merits the use of caps lock), it is pretty effing deadly, isn't it. You can imagine my joy when I heard a four-part miniseries was being made, oh yes. Lol (Vicky McClure) has been one of my lady crushes since she rocked her Fred Perry in the original.

Not such a fan of the blonde hair in this incarnation, but I'm willing to let it slide. Also, maybe it's just me, but I am really fancying Milky this time round. He's such a sharp dresser, no?

Don't let the system get you down...

There is a long, long list of things I want to do before I drop off the face of this planet. One of them is chatting to Madonna, the Queen of Pop herself (we share a birthday, don'tcha know). Another is marrying Michael Cera. A third is growing my hair past my shoulders (and you may think, dear reader, that this is the most easily achievable of my life goals, however Mother Nature begs to differ, it would seem). Today, another target was added to that list. I NEED to meet this kid.

I know this picture has been all over tha' tinternet for donkey's years now, but for some reason it really struck a chord with me today. Which could have a lot to do with the fact that I am really dehydrated and haven't been sleeping so well, but I digress. Who is this child? Where is he now? Does he still play clarinet/flute/oboe/whatever the hell that is*? Does he have a girlfriend? What's his favourite film? So many questions.

The people over at thesearethings obviously shared my fascination with the ginger-topped wonder, as they turned him into a funny letterpress print, stickers and a tee. He clearly made quite the impact then. Get your hands on him (not literally, obviously. Jeez.) here! They have a bunch of other deadly stuff also, I'm particularly keen on the 2011 travel adventure calendar - time to start the Christmas wish list methinks!

*Please excuse my complete ignorance when it comes to musical instruments, thank you very much.