Back home for a few days after a fabby weekend with The Foghorn, mom, Auntie R, and her son.

Every year the four of them spend two weeks at Centre Parcs in Nottinghamshire, it's really The Foghorn's holiday, and the rest of us are just window dressing and bum wipers.

I go along for the first weekend as it takes two cars to lug all the stuff there, and Auntie R doesn't have one. I also give mom a break by sleeping with The Foghorn, who can't be alone overnight in a strange place as she has quite severe epilepsy and has 4-5 seizures every night. She also tends to go to the loo when she has a fit. Which is fun at 3am.

Despite the lack of sleep (and being woken one morning with Foghorn repeatedly hitting me in the arse, leaving a fist-sized bruise which is slowly turning a fetching shade of ochre), I had the loveliest time. So much so that I am returning on Friday for more.

It gave me a chance to catch up on some of my less academic reading. Namely InStyle, Vogue, Elle... you get the picture. I love the changing season, and working out how to adapt my current style to the new trends and weather. It's a particular challenge this year as I'm now living on a student budget again, meaning I am having to be more creative than ever.

For the time being, I'm going with items such as the grey cowl-necked clingy jersey sweater dress I bought last winter, plus the new one I am knitting in fine grey and pink cotton. My collection of beautiful vintage and high-street minidresses - mostly empire line or shift styles. These worn together with footless or brightly-coloured opaque tights which I can pick up for a few pounds at Primark.

I have my drainpipe jeans and slouchy pin-stripes which should see me right through winter. Worn with customised t-shirts, plain vests (and cardigans I've made myself), or soft jumpers.

I'm on the lookout for a couple of 80's style 'bodies' too. Remember them? Will look fantastic with drainpipes or loose trousers, and if they can't be found I'll improvise with second-hand leotards or swimsuits.

My one problem at the moment is finding belts small enough to fit my waist. High street sizes are way too big (most "smalls" are actually 26", which isn't small in my book). Children's versions fit and are affordable, but are hard to find in suitable styles. At the moment I have a wide lilac suede one that I picked up on ebay, and another in woven brown leather that I happened upon in Oxfam a couple of months ago.

My only rule is that I can only buy from discount high street shops (e.g. Primark), second-hand (but only from charity shops and ebay, not boutiques), or high street items if at greatly reduced prices (such as the Vila trousers and top and Ichi jumper I picked up at Hammonds last week - all three cost me just over 20 quid). No designer labels. No boutiques. Nothing, in short, that costs money.

This is of course neglecting to mention all the fantastic things I shall be designing and making myself. More on them to come.