Friday 31 August 2012

#42

High-street Haul
My mother and I both had a few errands to run in our beautiful local city Bath today, and were we really going to come back empty handed? Obviously not. With sixth form just around the corner, I had a few bits and pieces to get as well as a few updates for my wardrobe. My beautiful mum kindly treated me to most of my purchases, so big shout out to momma Keeves!
As you can see I went on a slight black/leather binge but what can I say? Black is the new black! I actually went out with the idea of buying some new slipper shoes as mine have officially fallen apart (boohoo!) but couldn't find the perfect pair and then fell in love with these Brogues instead! I have to say, I haven't been in (let alone bought from) New Look in months after many failed attempts when shopping there before, but the one thing I always find myself going back to regarding New Look is their shoe department. While full of a lot of well...crap, they always have some hidden beauties for some even more beautiful prices. These were just £17.99! Oh and I'll be reviewing this cream blush by No7 for you after I've had a substantial trial period with it so keep your eyes peeled!
x



 Leather Biker Jacket: Miss Selfridge
Leather Shorts: Topshop
Brogues: New Look
Purse: River Island
Cream Blush: No7 at Boots

Tuesday 28 August 2012

#41

Leopard Joins The Race!
I thought I'd try out a super cheesy, blogger-type title for this post? Thoughts? Completely Awful? Yes, I thought so too. Moving on, I suppose you already know that I am not going to write about actual Leopards today (no offence to the Leopard community) but rather about their FAUX FUR. 

After a lifetime of being deemed everything from 'tacky' to 'slutty', Leopard print is making a steady comeback. I am not innocent when it comes to judging leopard print clothing, but, to be perfectly fair, it is only this year that designers have really worked with the print to take it from 'cheap' to 'classy'-whether that is by the materials, styles, or cuts used. I am yet to discover an 100% leopard dress I'd wear, and jeans and tops are a still a bit of a no-go zone for me personally, but the selection of leopard print footwear out there on the high-street is quickly expanding, and I genuinely am falling for leopard print! 

So have the designers of 2012 done enough to resurrect leopard print and put it's shamed past behind us? Or will you be staying clear of this particular trend in the hope it won't last?
Either way, check out my picks from the high-street and see if your judgement can be swayed, and if so, by which designers/shops:





















Sunday 26 August 2012

#40

For a very long time, I thought a new season called for a new wardrobe, and therefore new clothes, but this year I've decided to look at things a little differently. Despite magazines alerting me left, right and centre of all the new and upcoming trends for autumn'12, I've been determined to carry a few of the summer trends I indulged in right through to winter. 

So as promised, I've had a go at autumnising (yes, I did just make up a new word!) my wardrobe. I actually found this challenge really fun and exciting because despite adoring fashion, a lot of the time I just throw on the first thing I come across and put minimal thought into layering/accessories and the like. Although what I've done in terms of styling is pretty simple, the ideas I had refused to emerge until I found half of my wardrobe sprawled inelegantly across my bed, myself standing over it hmm-ing and ah-ing. 

My point is, we all assume we have to follow every trend of every season when in fact, we already have what we need to make great fashion statements all year round. And while you may think yourself 'uncool' by not keeping up with the latest trends, the fashion industry adores and admires trans-seasonal fashion.
 I am no longer yearning for quite as many new autumn buys, just from spending an hour or so really analysing what I already own and trying out new combinations of garments. The trick is to buy into timeless pieces that you're buying for you and not for the benefit of others; for example to look cool or to fit in with your friends sense of style. Once you have these pieces you can work with them all year round to create plenty of different looks without falling out of love with the purchase. It sounds pretty simple, but it takes a lot of thought and patience to withhold from impulse buys. It's not just about clothes, it's about finding your defining style, one that represents all sides of you and gives you lasting confidence and contentment. When you're wearing the right clothes, comfort becomes second nature, and who wouldn't want that?

Of course there will come a time when trends are not suitable any more. I don't think I'll be restyling my cropped tee for winter for instance! And after all, fashion is evolving incessantly, so I'll always be on the look out for the latest enticing trends but maybe, not just yet and not quite as much. Have you got any tricks for making your wardrobe more trans-seasonal?
x




1) So I started with my Lipsy playsuit for this look. It's V-neck back makes it even more summery than the lace and colouring already does so layers were essential if  the look was to keep me warm in autumn. I added my cropped mohair Topshop jumper, then my River Island blazer under my New Look waxed jacket and completed the look by adding a little grunge with black leather boots and a matching black leather shoulder bag. I also added my sunglasses to the look, even though I'm only holding them as I thought they'd be perfect for those sunny autumn mornings! The coat, boots and bag keep the look on-trend, dipping into those grunge and slightly military styles we've seen so much of recently. I love the contrast of 'pretty' and 'grunge' in this outfit and I think it will work well for autumn 2012.








2)
This is my attempt at reinventing the very spring/summer orientated peplum trend. When the trend first took off, it was mainly seen styled with pencil or tube skirts, but there is no reason why it can't be warn with jeans (as long as they're skinnies!). Although the cardigan and pashmina take attention away from the usually eye-grabbing peplum shape, the clashes of plain, bold white and infinite detail just seem to work. I love the way this look takes an item as defined and ladylike as the peplum and makes it casual and cosy!





 3)
This cropped white tee is fairly new so I don't have an original photo to show you. However, over summer they have been spotted styled mostly with skirts, often midi's or maxi's. I'm actually glad I only delved into this trend very recently as wearing this top with a pair of shorts would seem a little tasteless; two small, tight items rarely look respectable. While I love this trend, I do worry about the 'image' a crop top can give off and so have done my best to make up for the revealing of my tummy by adding layers, jeans and boots. In theory, this outfit is ridiculous, a hugely summery top combined with rather winter-y garments, but in appearance I adore it. I judge whether my outfits are suitable or not based on what I'd think if I saw someone else wearing it, and for me this is one of those styles I'd love on someone else but never have the guts to try myself, except this time I have! While it is rather intimidating going out in such a small top, my love for this look out-ways (most of the time) any insecurities. Plus, the cardigan and jacket mean I can zip up any time I like, whether that's due to cold weather or an encounter with someone who I'd prefer to hide my stomach from e.g. grandparents, teachers and Dad!



4)
Last and in fact, least, is my Topshop bodycon dress which I have turned into a top for this shoot! Not permanently of course, I simply folded the skirt half up and tucked it into my jeans. That's the great thing about body-cons, they're so easy and comfortable to double up as a top. The tie-dye trend has been huge this summer and I'm not quite ready to give it up yet! I love this dress and have not had much of a chance to wear it this summer so it will be making an appearance this autumn! This look was basically an example of the dress-into-a-top trick, so accessories and layering have been kept to a minimum.











 

Saturday 25 August 2012

#39

The fact that I cannot afford to shop at Whistles and actually, don't even own a single item of clothing from the British store, could and would not stop my excitement when I discovered Whistles are launching their first ever limited edition collection!

"We decided to stretch our creative wings this year and allow ourselves the luxury of designing a small tightly-edited collection of what we consider to be the most covetable pieces of the season, in the most luxurious and desirable fabrics,"-Jane Shepherdson whistles chief executive  

Almost everything Whistles produces and sells exudes effortless luxury-which of course is their aim. They're the kind of brand which enables you to look (and feel) fabulous in a basic pair of trousers and shirt simply because of the materials used and the cut of the clothes. That said, they can also offer up some gorgeous evening wear and some very cool biker jackets, along side their iconic look of tailored trousers and shirts/knitwear.
So all of this makes me wonder, how are Whistles going to wow with this limited edition line? The collection will include 70 'luxury' pieces (but isn't Whistles luxurious enough already?!) some made only in batches of 20 and available in a few specific stores. Because of these figures, there is definitely a lot of suspense and expectation surrounding the launch, and Whistles are going to have to take things a step further if it is to live up to the 'hype' as it were. But what can that possibly mean when they're already using the best of materials and producing the best of everyday wear? Maybe we will see them using newer, seasonal materials and designs or maybe we will see them take a different approach altogether and break away from their high-fashion-but-accessible routes. What's for certain however, is that it will be a collection that excites fashionistas everywhere.

Whistles Limited Edition Line Launches exclusively online at http://www.whistles.co.uk/ on the 28th of August and will be making it's first in-store appearance at the south molten street boutique on September the 6th, in order to coincide with 'Vogue's Fashion Night Out'.

Monday 20 August 2012

#38

As you may, or probably not, have noticed, I've become a little lazy (again) with the old blog, so apologies for that! However, my friend from Reading has been staying with me the past few days and therefore I have been super busy on tour-guide type duty! I've been having a lot of fun visiting some local tourist attractions that I hadn't been to for years including cheddar gorge and Priddy-a beautiful little village with super sunset-watching hotspots! I completely regret not taking enough photos but I hope the snaps I have for you from today's trip will make up for that. So today we went to *African bongo drum roll*, Longleat! With it being one of my favourite places from my childhood, I was extremely up for going back and checking out all the new exciting things that have been built there over the years. I can't imagine you don't know, but if you don't, Longleat is a safari park/zoo/campsite all-round fabulous place. Animals are well looked after with suitable, spacious enclosures and there are dozens of various attractions for anyone and everyone! This visit was particularly memorable because I tried a few (some scary!) new things, including holding a snake who was far too determined to get it's head next to my hand, complete with slithering tongue! 
Of course this is a fashion blog so firstly, my ootd (outfit of the day):



I'm afraid I was very pushed for time with this little shoot and the camera was playing up a little so they are not of the highest quality. My outfit was slightly boring I suppose today, mainly because we had an early start and therefore there was no dawdling over what to wear. On top of that,it had to be versatile in a variety of weather conditions (England seems to be messing us about a bit with weather at the moment!) as well as being comfy for the long day ahead! So I went safe with my bargain Topshop woollen trousers which have been featured before (I love them okay?), new look slipper pumps, black vest top, waterfall-ish cardigan and Elephant print staple bag (so appropriate!). I know it's not a particularly interesting choice but there you go! Moving on to the really exciting bit, here are my totally un-fashion-related-yet-completely-cool photos from today, enjoy!

Feeding the giraffes! 





Anne the elephant...



African bongo lessons!


 Camera shy Lemurs...



 Nigel the Tortoise...


 Baby Zebra aw...



 Sleepy Rhinos...



 This Camel's got a lot going on...



Bambi's daddy!



 Comfy?



Top quality cuddles from this guy...



 Sleeping Lions...



 Pretty Cheetah!



 Got pretty close to a Meerkat!



 AH!






Tuesday 14 August 2012

#37

For some reason, as soon as my hair gets to be reasonably long, I have a compulsive need to chop it all off again! As cheesy as it may seem, for me, doing something different with my hair symbolises a mini new start in life and having it short (literally) takes a weight off my shoulders! It's less 'girly' and less 'pretty' sure, but it's also much easier to brush/dry/style, gives me a sense of freedom and reunites me with me, because short hair is what I feel most comfortable with no matter how 'mumsy' or 'tomboy' I end up looking! And of course, if you know me at all you'll know the majority of my girl crushes have short-mid-length hair! Anyway, I'm looking forward to styling it more and experimenting with it and I hope you like it as much as I do! That's all for now, I hope you're all having a fabulous week so far and I aim to be back tomorrow with at least one new post!
x






styled with...

Tresemme Brush/ Charles Worthington mussed up texturing spray/ Charles Worthington volumising mousse/ Charles Worthington salt spray