Thursday, 1 September 2011

Black is the New Black

Top: charity shop
bag: Urban Outfitters
maxi skirt: Boohoo.com
belt: my dad's
shoes: H&M

Necklace: charity shop
earrings: charity shop

Nails: Bella's choice - H&M 
eyeshadow: Brown - H&M

So this is a bit different from my usual style, since I don't usually wear a lot of black. I quite like it this gothic look though. Makes me feel like a vampire or something, what with me being three shades paler than milk.. but don't worry, I'm not a twilight fan girl. I went hunting round the charity shops today and I picked up this sweet green stone cross necklace for 50p! I would have bought it had it been £5 in a highstreet store. And the top I'm wearing was £2.50 froma charity shop! So I'm well chuffed about that. Sorry I'm always rambling on about charity shops, but you really should give them a try if you haven't already. You never know what you might find.

I'm also sporting some H&M cosmetics today, and although they were very cheap, the quality is pretty good. The shade on my eyes is called Brown, but I think it comes out more coppery, which I actually prefer. I love this shade of nail varnish, I've been wearing loads recently. And if you think it's too garish.. man-up and get some colour in your life! I kid ;)

Wednesday, 31 August 2011

New in at River Island



So another highstreet store, another  New in post. I don't actually shop very often at River Island, but I noticed that recently they've got a lot of nice stuff in. They seem to be going with this 'Chelsea girl' look for Autumn, so I've picked out a few of my favourites from that range, and some other things from the 'just arrived' section.

1) Pussy bow blouse - Brown and chiffon together sounds so wrong, but this diamond-patterned pussy bow number just works for some reason. The print makes it look quite 70's-inspired I think, but with a pair of high-waisted shorts and the right accessories, it would look perfectly up to date. I think it would also look great with skinny jeans and heels for a relaxed night-time oufit.

2) Envelope clutch bag - Snake skin is rumored to be making a come-back this season. But if (like me) you're not a big fan, this classy clutch bag is the perfect way to subtly incorporate it into your wardrobe. But my favourite thing about this bag is the envelope style front. If I had anywhere to go (lol) I'd definitely get myself an envelope clutch for nights out/formal events.      

3) Polka dot contrast collar dress - Whenever I see a dress with a collar like this, my first thought is always 'I want now!!' usually followed by 'I can't afford it' which is then followed by 'not fair :'(' So you can see I have the mental age ten year old when it comes to clothes. Anyway, back to the dress. It's pretty and stylish, great for daytime or a night out. Wear it with brogues and a red satchel bag for the ultimate dose of preppiness!

4) Varsity-style sweater - I called this varsity-style, but I'm not sure it officailly qualifies.. oh well it'll have to do. I've always wanted a sweater like this, white or light grey. I've seen people wearing them with skinny jeans, looking effortlessly cool. Unfortunately, I can't seem to pull off the effortless look, a certain amount of effort is required to make me look half-decent! Nevertheless, I'm sure it would look lovely on most people, especially with acid-wash denim.

5) Red quilted coat - Now I may be jumping the gun a bit with this thoroughly wintery quilted coat, but you've got to think ahead in fashion right? I've seen a lot of quilted jackets on the highstreet, I think they're shaping up to be next seasons 'it' coats. And there's something therapeutic about a pop of colour (excuse the cliché) in your winter wardrobe, especially when it's red! I'll probably search around for a cheaper version of this though, £55 is a bit pricey for me.

6) Black Chelsea boots - I actually recently bought these boots, and they're my absolute pride and joy! They're just so versatile and they'll be infinitely useful for A/W. The chunky heel is just right for me, small enough to make them easy to walk in but tall enough to give me some (much needed) height. I really recommend these, even though they're not cheap, because they literally go with anything and they're just darn lovely!  

Tuesday, 30 August 2011

Little Red Dress

Red dress: Boohoo.com
suspender tights: eBay
heels: Dorothy Perkins
bag: Matalan
bracelet: H&M
binoculars necklace: eBay
Rings: Topshop

Something pretty simple today. I wasn't in the mood for a complicated outfit so I just threw on this cute red dress from Boohoo.com. It arrived in the post this morning after about two weeks of waiting! I don't usually shop at Boohoo because I find most of the stuff is chav-gear, but I happened to come across this dress and I had to get it. It was just £15 too, so I don't really need to feel guilty. I'm going to wear this outfit with a black blazer for my friend's 18th on friday, so I'll try not to wreck it before then. It will probably end up in my floor-drobe though, along with everything else haha.

I also ordered a black jersey maxi skirt, which is not something I'd usually go for, but I thought I'd try something a bit different. I'll probably do an outfit post with it pretty soon. What do you guys think of maxi/midi skirts? Tell me if you like them and how you would style them in the comments!        

P.s. I tried out a centre-ish parting in this look. On seeing the photos I can't decide whether I look ok or like a foot.. feel free to tell me how stupid I look in the comments. 

Monday, 29 August 2011

Trend: Pleated Midi Skirts


Links to Lookbook: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Trend alert! Pleated midi skirts are all the rage on Lookbook.nu atm. It's another one of those unexpected 'grannish' trends. I mean who would have thought that mid-length skirts would not only be in fashion, but would look good few years ago? I certainly didn't. But I think there's evidence enough in the photos above that they're definately not just for OAP's anymore. Having said that, there are steps that should be taken to avoid looking like your gran when sporting the midi skirt. A stylish pair of shoes, preferably killer heels, is essential to keep things looking fresh and up to date. And always tuck your top into the skirt, and pull in the waist with a belt to retain a nice silhouette. This will prevent you from being swamped by too much fabric. Of course these are just my suggestions, you can wear the trend in whatever way you want. And it's not like I haven't made a few fashion faux pas in my time.. Ugg boots and sparkly jeans anyone?   

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the images used to create the collage of photographs. I put in links to the relevant Lookbook pages. Please contact me if you do not wish your images to be used on my blog.

P.s. I recently entered the VOLCOMunity competition on Lookbook.nu and it would be really great if you could hype my look! I entered the look you saw in my last post, go here to hype it on Lookbook. It's doing quite well atm, I'm in the top 50. So I might be in with a small chance of winning with your help :)

Saturday, 27 August 2011

Vintage Denim

Blouse: Urban Outfitters
DIY vintage shorts: eBay
Platform sandals: H&M
Bag: Urban Outfitters
Ring: Topshop
Necklace: random gift shop?
Earrings: eBay
Nail varnish: 17 - Mint Choc Chip 


So I was finally able to upload this outfit post after having to order a new cable for the camera and then switching to a different computer and THEN coaxing my computer into recognising my usb.. anyway, long story short, the world of technology was conspiring against me when it came to uploading this outfit post!

I'm wearing my vintage shorts I mentioned I few posts back, and I loveeee them! I actually cut them a bit shorter and added a few studs I got off eBay to the top of one of the pockets. It's ridiculously easy to do, I don't why I haven't studded anything before. There's loads of tutorials on Youtube like this one on how to customize denim shorts. I'm especially pleased about these shorts because they are the first thing I've ever won on eBay, since I normally just go for the 'buy it now' option, so I don't have to handle the disappointment of losing the bid (very mature). But I got lucky this time and I swiped these babies for just £8! Get in!

I got the blouse and the bag in the Urban Outfitters sale. The bag was an absolute bargin at £10 but the blouse was a little more expensive. I generally refuse to buy anything from Urban Outfitters unless it's a sale item, because the stuff (although it's lovely) is way over-priced. I think it's a pretty good tactic to wait until the sales to buy the majority of your clothes because not only will you get more for your money, but it stops you from splurging too often.

P.s. If anyone has any requests or suggestions for my next post, please feel free to write them in the comments! :)