Why You Need a Shacket...Now!

Shackets are back on trend for yet another Spring, meaning that if you haven't already got one, you need one. For those of you that are a little confused right now, a shacket is a shirt-jacket hybrid. Genius. Which makes it the perfect transitional piece. Having borrowed by sister's camo style one the whole of last year I knew it was about time that I got one myself. I wanted a plain khaki one with some kind of detail to make it a bit different. Classic, but with a modern twist. So when I saw this one from Mint Velvet a few months ago I was obsessed. Show me pretty much anything with stars and I am sold!

However, as a student with absolutely zero income it was very out of my budget, so I pinned it to my Wishlist board on Pinterest and waited. I watched as it fell from £140 to £79 in the January sales, but decided it was still too much. And then I painfully watched as my size sold out just before the price fell again to £59. I think that actual tears were shed over a shacket that evening! But I prayed and I waited and sure enough the jacket came back in stock. A single size 8 was on Mint Velvet for £59 the other day! So I added it to my basket and paid with Paypal before I had a chance to think about how how deep I already was in my overdraft.

The shacket arrived and it is everything I could have hoped for and more. Plus I totally understand what all the hype around shackets is about, they are so versatile. Mine arrived 3 days ago and I have already worn it twice. The first time I wore it (shown in these pictures) was a slightly warmer Saturday. I wore it with a breton stripe top, black jeans and black boots and I love the combination of different prints and the outfit still looked really put together. Today was a lot colder, and wetter, so this time I wore an M&S thermal (lets keep it real), a thin grey knit slightly tucked in to a pair of dark denim skinny jeans and then the same black boots. Another very simple outfit, but that just looks so cool! Pinterest is also amazing for more inspiration of how to style your shacket. I saw someone pair theirs with a black leather which looked so good. Or a little slip dress for when it is a bit warmer. You could dress it up with heels and black leather pants. Or dress it down with a grey hoodie...very "street style". Basically the list is endless!

Now is the best time to buy as the high street has so many options. Although just a warning that you do have to be a little savvy about what you are searching for. Not all retailers are down with the fashion lingo. If you search shacket on H&M it will autocorrect to Shark and boys t-shirt will show up! They are often list under "cargo jacket" or "utility jacket" so try searching for that too!

Speak soon xx

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone!

Thought I would quickly check in to wish you a lovely day and let you know that I am currently working on some new material for my blog.

I had a lie in this morning, followed by a quick trip to the gym with my mum and my sister (yes, we now do family gym outings!). On the way home we stopped off at a lovely French market to pick up some fresh bread and cheese for lunch. And after lunch we went on a very long family dog walk through the bluebells which were so pretty. So after a surprisingly active Easter Sunday I am very much looking forward to tucking into some of the chocolate that I received. Although the Lindt chocolate bunnies are almost too cute to eat!

So enjoy the rest of your Easter, and the bank holiday tomorrow!

Speak soon,

xx

Hats and Pouts

Hats and Pouts

I really wanted to share some photos of an outfit that I wore to uni last week, but then the weather went really hot and suddenly it didn't seem appropriate to post about wearing felt hats and blanket scarves. However typical British weather means we are back to chilly winds and heavy rain again and I am spending my Sunday snuggled up in bed with my laptop. But I thought I would make the most of it and finally post this outfit.

As you can probably tell, I am still really feeling the monochromatic minimal style. I can't stop wearing my Zara trench coat at the moment, it feels classic but stylish and is the perfect Spring transition piece when the weather is still all over the place! In this outfit I have kept everything really simple, trench coat, white jumper and denim jeans, but I've played around a bit with accessories.

This black hat is actually from Primark, but I think the simple design and colour make it feel so much more expensive. It is also the perfect compliment to this beautiful blanket scarf from Joules, which is so soft and looks great draped around the neck showing off the subtle print.

What I am wearing:

Trench coat - Zara
Scarf - Joules
Jumper - H&M
Hat - Primark
Necklace - Accessorize
Watch - Nixon
Rings - Accessorize

I do actually have another little outfit post that I can't wait to share which was from when the weather was really lovely. So now I feel like I am going to have to wait until it has warmed up again before posting those photos! Blogger problems!

Hope everyone has had a lovely weekend. Speak soon xx

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday

Happy Easter everyone! Hope you are all having a lovely day with friends and family.

I'm enjoying a chocolate filled day, although right now I can't quite bring myself to eat these little bunnies! They are just too cute! xx

Styling Stripes

Styling Stripes 

    

I really liked my outfit from yesterday, don't you love it when you find a new way to wear clothes you already own? And while I didn't get around to taking outfit photos I thought I would share it with you today. 

 

Despite the snow at the beginning of March it has really started to feel like Spring again. I'm even leaving he house now with sunglasses and without a coat! So this was a casual outfit for wondering around town on a Sunday. 

 

I will be the first to admit that I probably have a bit of a stripey top obsession. Click here if you are the same and want a bit of a chuckle. But this grey version is a nice change to the navy/black and white. It's also one of the only long sleeved tops that I own. 

It was the first time this year that I felt it was warm enough to wear my brown loafers. I love how classic and preppy these are but also the fact that they are actually comfy! I also wore my beautiful Zara scarf for an extra layer when it got a little colder in the late afternoon. 

 

I am in love with this faux shearling gilet and now that the weather is a little warmer I can't wait to pair it with everything. It's cool but classic, and very cosy. The pockets are big enough that you could easily go out without a bag and it's the perfect length. 

 

I love the subtle prints and the different textures of this look. Today was another lovely day weather wise and I am really excited for Spring style. 

 

Speak soon xx

Styling Stripes

Styling Stripes 

I really liked my outfit from yesterday, don't you love it when you find a new way to wear clothes you already own? And while I didn't get around to taking outfit photos I thought I would share it with you today. 

Despite the snow at the beginning of March it has really started to feel like Spring again. I'm even leaving he house now with sunglasses and without a coat! So this was a casual outfit for wondering around town on a Sunday. 

I will be the first to admit that I probably have a bit of a stripey top obsession. Click here if you are the same and want a bit of a chuckle. But this grey version is a nice change to the navy/black and white. It's also one of the only long sleeved tops that I own. 

It was the first time this year that I felt it was warm enough to wear my brown loafers. I love how classic and preppy these are but also the fact that they are actually comfy! I also wore my beautiful Zara scarf for an extra layer when it got a little colder in the late afternoon. 

I am in love with this faux shearling gilet and now that the weather is a little warmer I can't wait to pair it with everything. It's cool but classic, and very cosy. The pockets are big enough that you could easily go out without a bag and it's the perfect length. 

I love the subtle prints and the different textures of this look. Today was another lovely day weather wise and I am really excited for Spring style. 

Speak soon xx

Big Shirts And Delicate Jewellery

Big Shirts And Delicate Jewellery

Hello lovelies. The weather has been so lovely here in Manchester recently, and it's nice to have breaks from coursework outside in the sun with friends and a good magazine. Another outfit post today and one that I have been wearing so much recently so I hope you like it. 

What I love about this outfit is that it is the perfect combination of smart and casual. This beautiful shirt is from Zara (obviously!) and is really loose fitting and comfy. I find that wearing this with a pair of well fitting skinny jeans and rolling up the sleeves a little gives that perfect effortless off-duty style. 

For a little bit of detail to what would be quite a simple outfit I am wearing a few bits of gold jewellery. My everyday gold watch adds a masculine touch to the outfit. Yet it perfectly compliments the delicate gold rings and my beautiful gold necklace. 

You might recognise this necklace from my Recent Sopping Trip post a few days ago. It's from the range Z by Accessorize which is such a gorgeous range that I would really recommend checking out if you haven't already. I think that this looks really expensive and looks great with this look as it picks up on the blue stripes. 

I'd love to hear what you think of this outfit in the comments. And feel free to leave me any questions or post ideas that you would like to see in the comments below. Lots of love xx

Big Shirts And Delicate Jewellery

Big Shirts And Delicate Jewellery

Hello lovelies. The weather has been so lovely here in Manchester recently, and it's nice to have breaks from coursework outside in the sun with friends and a good magazine. Another outfit post today and one that I have been wearing so much recently so I hope you like it. 

What I love about this outfit is that it is the perfect combination of smart and casual. This beautiful shirt is from Zara (obviously!) and is really loose fitting and comfy. I find that wearing this with a pair of well fitting skinny jeans and rolling up the sleeves a little gives that perfect effortless off-duty style. 

For a little bit of detail to what would be quite a simple outfit I am wearing a few bits of gold jewellery. My everyday gold watch adds a masculine touch to the outfit. Yet it perfectly compliments the delicate gold rings and my beautiful gold necklace. 

You might recognise this necklace from my Recent Sopping Trip post a few days ago. It's from the range Z by Accessorize which is such a gorgeous range that I would really recommend checking out if you haven't already. I think that this looks really expensive and looks great with this look as it picks up on the blue stripes. 

I'd love to hear what you think of this outfit in the comments. And feel free to leave me any questions or post ideas that you would like to see in the comments below. Lots of love xx

New Zara Top

New Zara Top

The other week I was in London making a quick stop in Zara when this beautiful top just caught my eye. And I think that this is the quickest purchase that I have ever made because I had to go and meet some friends but I also knew that I couldn't leave this top behind. I tried it on in about 2 minutes! 

In some ways it is a similar kind of style to the Zara top that I showed you right at the beginning of the month. It's the same kind of fabric, has the same back fastening and looks great with a pair of black jeans. I think Zara come out with a few of these kind of smart style tops. They are so flattering and the fabric is really lovely and heavy so they have a lovely quality to them. 

What caught my eye in this top was the beautiful colours, the natural pink, the black and white and the gorgeous teal shade. I thought this was perfect for this time of year and the transition from cold to warmer weather. 

As this top is quite drapy and loose fitting I like to pair it with some super skinny jeans and my little black heeled boots. And as I wanted to top to be the focus of my look I kept my jewellery really simple with just my everyday gold watch and Pandora bracelet and some little drop earrings from Accessorize. 

I kept my makeup really simple and pretty as I didn't want anything too bright or bold as the colours of this top are pretty muted. I used my Bourjois healthy mix foundation for dewy looking skin and Mac Patisserie on my lips for something nice and natural. 

For my eye makeup I chose to use my Too Faced Bourdoir Eyes palette and opted for the pinky shimmery shades. I still kept it quite light and pretty and then just used lots of my Benefit Roller Lash Mascara for beautiful fluttery lashes. 

Hope you liked this little evening look with my latest Zara purchase. I can't seem to find this exact top on the website but they do have the same top in a different colour palette that has now gone into sale which you can check out here. Happy Sunday! xx

New Zara Top

New Zara Top

The other week I was in London making a quick stop in Zara when this beautiful top just caught my eye. And I think that this is the quickest purchase that I have ever made because I had to go and meet some friends but I also knew that I couldn't leave this top behind. I tried it on in about 2 minutes! 

In some ways it is a similar kind of style to the Zara top that I showed you right at the beginning of the month. It's the same kind of fabric, has the same back fastening and looks great with a pair of black jeans. I think Zara come out with a few of these kind of smart style tops. They are so flattering and the fabric is really lovely and heavy so they have a lovely quality to them. 

What caught my eye in this top was the beautiful colours, the natural pink, the black and white and the gorgeous teal shade. I thought this was perfect for this time of year and the transition from cold to warmer weather. 

As this top is quite drapy and loose fitting I like to pair it with some super skinny jeans and my little black heeled boots. And as I wanted to top to be the focus of my look I kept my jewellery really simple with just my everyday gold watch and Pandora bracelet and some little drop earrings from Accessorize. 

I kept my makeup really simple and pretty as I didn't want anything too bright or bold as the colours of this top are pretty muted. I used my Bourjois healthy mix foundation for dewy looking skin and Mac Patisserie on my lips for something nice and natural. 

For my eye makeup I chose to use my Too Faced Bourdoir Eyes palette and opted for the pinky shimmery shades. I still kept it quite light and pretty and then just used lots of my Benefit Roller Lash Mascara for beautiful fluttery lashes. 

Hope you liked this little evening look with my latest Zara purchase. I can't seem to find this exact top on the website but they do have the same top in a different colour palette that has now gone into sale which you can check out here. Happy Sunday! xx

Drugstore Favourites - Spring Edition

Drugstore Favourites - Spring Edition

There are a few products that I am just reaching for all the time at the moment, pretty much everyday really. And I think when you are using a product that often it usually means that it is pretty good. So today I wanted to share my current Drugstore Favourites but sort of a Spring edition. And all of these products are from the Drugstore so they are really affordable. 

These are the lip products that I have really been loving at the moment. Rimmel Moisture renew is an old favourite that I always come back to at this time of year. It's just a really beautiful shimmery pink and just gives a really fresh look to your makeup. Another old favourite is Maybelline coloursensational shine gloss in Cashmere Rose. This is a really natural pinky gloss and honestly these glosses are amazing. These are the only lipgloss that I actually wear. And finally a new favourite which is Revlon lipstick in Pink in the Afternoon. It's a pinky coral colour that I have just fallen in love with. It's perfect for adding a little pop of colour without being anything too bold. 

I think that I have probably talked about this foundation from Bourjois a lot on my blog, but there is no harm in mentioning it one more time. I don't wear foundation on an everyday basis as I like to let my skin breathe a bit more. But for nights out and special occasions this is all that I will reach for. It applies beautiful, it lasts a long time and it just leaves my skin looking beautiful with a lovely glow. This maybelline fit me concealer is another quite new favourite. Several weeks ago I found that my old concealer was just getting a bit to dark for me and was looking a little orange under my eyes. After searching around Boots for ages for a pale concealer this is the one that I chose and I am really impressed with it. It's the perfect under eye colour as it is really brightening, it lasts well and doesn't crease and it is just a really great concealer. 

These two eye creams are basically the only thing that I have been wearing on my eyes for the past month. They look beautiful on their own but they also work amazingly together. I recently did a whole really detailed post on these so you should definitely check that out here. 

Hope you liked this little post. Let me know in the comments below what your summer favourites are or if you have tried any of these products. xx

Drugstore Favourites - Spring Edition

Drugstore Favourites - Spring Edition

There are a few products that I am just reaching for all the time at the moment, pretty much everyday really. And I think when you are using a product that often it usually means that it is pretty good. So today I wanted to share my current Drugstore Favourites but sort of a Spring edition. And all of these products are from the Drugstore so they are really affordable. 

These are the lip products that I have really been loving at the moment. Rimmel Moisture renew is an old favourite that I always come back to at this time of year. It's just a really beautiful shimmery pink and just gives a really fresh look to your makeup. Another old favourite is Maybelline coloursensational shine gloss in Cashmere Rose. This is a really natural pinky gloss and honestly these glosses are amazing. These are the only lipgloss that I actually wear. And finally a new favourite which is Revlon lipstick in Pink in the Afternoon. It's a pinky coral colour that I have just fallen in love with. It's perfect for adding a little pop of colour without being anything too bold. 

I think that I have probably talked about this foundation from Bourjois a lot on my blog, but there is no harm in mentioning it one more time. I don't wear foundation on an everyday basis as I like to let my skin breathe a bit more. But for nights out and special occasions this is all that I will reach for. It applies beautiful, it lasts a long time and it just leaves my skin looking beautiful with a lovely glow. This maybelline fit me concealer is another quite new favourite. Several weeks ago I found that my old concealer was just getting a bit to dark for me and was looking a little orange under my eyes. After searching around Boots for ages for a pale concealer this is the one that I chose and I am really impressed with it. It's the perfect under eye colour as it is really brightening, it lasts well and doesn't crease and it is just a really great concealer. 

These two eye creams are basically the only thing that I have been wearing on my eyes for the past month. They look beautiful on their own but they also work amazingly together. I recently did a whole really detailed post on these so you should definitely check that out here. 

Hope you liked this little post. Let me know in the comments below what your summer favourites are or if you have tried any of these products. xx

Simple Stripes

Simple Stripes

Happy Friday everyone! And what is meant to be the hottest day of the year so far, although apparently the air is so polluted that we can't go outside! Not that I need to as today is my last day at home so I will be spending most of today packing to go back to university. 

Another outfit post today with some pictures that I took a few days ago, and if you also follow me on Instagram then you might recognise this from my family day out at the dockyards. 

This is very quickly becoming my signature and go to outfit. Denim jeans, a striped top and my Zara trench coat, and if it is warm enough my sunglasses. And I have so many different striped tops that technically this isn't outfit repeating, right?!

Hope you liked this little outfit post. I have really enjoyed doing these posts while I am at home, but when I go back to university I don't have my amazing little sister to take these photos for me, so it gets a lot harder. 

Wishing everyone a lovely (and hopefully sunny!) weekend xx