You may remember I posted about my ‘eBay Challenge’ a few weeks ago, it’s taken me longer than I expected, but here is the final result!

The challenge itself was fairly straightforward; I had to purchase an outfit (not including underwear!) from eBay for less than £50. There were three possible outfits to choose from and I asked you guys to pick the final one. After you voted in your thousands (ahem...) the result was clear, the ensemble I had to find for less than £50 was a party outfit.

I set myself a deadline of two weeks to buy all of the items, which I managed to keep to, but I had to wait for the bag to be delivered as it was being sent from China. And then had to wait even longer for an opportunity to take the outfit photos, but I managed to get there in the end!

The dress was the critical element in planning this outfit, I knew once I had the dress that choosing and styling the rest should be reasonably straightforward. I must have spent a good four hours at the start of this challenge compiling a watch list of about twenty dresses and slowly narrowing it down to just five. I kept a beady eye on all the bids and eventually swooped in and nabbed this sequinned number from Warehouse for the bargain price of £24.99 - brand new with its tags still attached. A cost or jacket was next on my list and I managed to find this houndstooth coat, also from Warehouse, for only £11.49 - used, but still in great condition. The ankle boots were a complete steal costing only £5.50 and last but by no means least, the bag was a mere £4.99. Bringing my total spend to £46.97 - what a result!

Overall I’m delighted with the result of my first #ChallengeHelen. It shows that you don’t have to spend a fortune to find a great Christmas party outfit; it just takes a bit of time and some gutsy last-minute bidding!

As one challenge finishes another one starts, I'm currently taking part in MoneySupermarket.com’s Secret Santa Challenge. I've purchased my gifts and will be uploading a post all about the challenge and who I've been partnered with later this week, so keep an eye out for that.

It’s been a while since I've had the opportunity to take some outfit photos, so I'm delighted to be able to share a few shots with you today. These were taken yesterday in the garden of my friend’s house, thankfully the weather was kind to us and we managed to get some great photos.

My animal print cape is from Warehouse, a recent addition to my wardrobe – I took advantage of the 25% discount offer they ran in Grazia magazine. It’s a wonderful solution for chilly days, completely perfect for snuggly up in front of the TV and equally suitable for nipping outside. The boots were a spur of the moment purchase from Sainsburys as I needed a pair of comfortable flat black boots.

My bag is a new design from Jimmy Choo, called ‘Sasha’ it’s available for pre-order at the moment. My large ring is from Anton Heunis, which I purchased last year. The Chamilia charm bracelet and the Links of London sweetie bracelet were both presents from my husband.

My necklace was a gift from the Wallis press evening I attended last week. It’s the ideal accessory for this outfit; adding interest and a bit of sparkle to a simple black jumper.

I'm very envious of those bloggers whose spouses, partners or roommates are creative prodigies behind the camera lens. My husband is a brilliant IT professional, but taking photos and offering artistic direction is not his forté. In the past I've roped in my Mum to help me out and yesterday it was the turn of my lovely friend Lucy, whose blog (The Luxe Life) is a brilliant must-read.

Perhaps it’s just me, but the temperature in the UK appears to have dropped recently and although it would be premature to declare that winter is on its way, there is certainly a chill in the air that hints at the continued shift in the weather over the coming months. This new autumn bite has left me reaching for my comfy knits and warmer coats earlier that I expected. That being said, this is British weather we’re talking about and its continual unpredictability is legendary.

To celebrate the arrival of autumn I have pulled together a list of my favourite snuggly knits available to buy online from a few select brands. Choosing an overall favourite would be hard, but the cream poncho from Phase Eight does look delightfully soft and comfy. A wonderful alternative to a jacket in the earlier autumn months and an ideal knit to keep you warm and cosy when travelling.

An updated 'What's in my Bag' video. My first ever video blog (last Sept) was a 'What's in my Bag' video, so I'm delighted to have had the opportunity to film another. A few people have requested this video, so apologies that it took me a while to get around to filming it - I wanted to wait until I had some new things to talk about :)

Some of the items are available online:
Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM - http://bit.ly/KNwqnI
Jimmy Choo iPod Cover (in black) - http://bit.ly/Lqekab
Jimmy Choo Eau de Toilette - http://bit.ly/Lqer5J

You may have noticed that I’m no longer a ‘Billy No Mates’ with regards to The ‘It’ Guide. That is because I’ve been joined by the lovely Faye, who has taken over writing articles for the newly resurrected features section! I’m delighted to welcome Faye, I sure that she and I will have a great time working on the site together, we already have a lot in common, not to mention our shared addiction to all things Warehouse…

I was privileged enough to get a sneak peak at Warehouse’s new SS12 collection whilst at London Fashion Week in February. Although most pieces are already available online, there were a few items that we can expect to see in stores this summer – and they will not disappoint!

But until the summer collection is available, we have the spring collection to feast our eyes on. Bold tribal prints meet delicate lace detailing, whilst coloured denim fearlessly clashes with bright tops and jackets. Warehouse’s SS12 collection is truly mesmerising and a tribute to the ability of high street brands to keep this season’s trends fresh and flourishing.

Faye and I have chosen our favourite pieces from the current collection below. Faye has already bought the delicate blue lace jumper and I’m now the proud owner of the primal print scarf… addicts indeed!