Mint Velvet Leopard Print

It feels like Autumn is still just beginning as the sun is still shining and people are still walking around in t-shirts. But Autumn clothing has been trickling into stores since August which means that some brands are already having sales. When I was in town last week I spotted that Mint Velvet were already having a mid-season sale so I though that I would have a little browse. I spotted this leopard print jumper and thought it was a bit bold, but that I would try it on while my mum and auntie were also trying some clothes one. Long story short, I love it! It's cool and fun, but think the monochromatic colourway softens the look. I chose to size up by two sizes as I wanted the jumper to be a bit slouchy and oversized, so I can roll the sleeves up and do a "half-tuck" into jeans.

STYLING
As this is a fairly bold jumper I would keep the rest of my outfit really simple. I think blue or black denim jeans and black boots and some very delicate jewellery would work perfectly. But I would also like to try and style this with a white shirt underneath for a modern street style look. Or with a black midi skirt and some white trainers.

Mint Velvet Navy Leopard Jacquard Knit

Having a little browse in Mint Velvet inspired me to have a look online and see what else had gone into sale. There are some lovely pieces, including the khaki shacket that I am still obsessed with which you can read all about here. So I thought I would also share with you some of my other favourite sale picks.

Oatmeal Luxe Faux Fur Jacket

Black Fringe High Sandal

Dove Belted Tapered Trouser

Khaki Star Pocket Jacket

Ivory Stripe Shirt

Shae Print Maxi Skirt

London Fashion Week Festival

Yesterday I was lucky enough to go to London Fashion Week Festival with my mum. It has become a bit of a tradition for us to go whenever we can, as previously I would have been back at university in Manchester at this time. I had such an amazing day out, felt lovely in what I was wearing and even treated myself to a little something from one of the stalls. I have no idea how this post is going to turn out, maybe more like a diary entry, but I thought I would share it all with you.

BRUNCH
Where better to start than with the most important meal of the day! Our time slot for LFW was 11am-4pm, but we didn't really want to buy food inside the venue as it is usually pretty expensive and there aren't very many options. Instead I took my mum to Grind in Covent Garden, somewhere I had also never been before but I had followed for ages on Instagram and was desperate to go! We both ordered a coffee and a cooked breakfast which was amazing and fairly reasonable. I would definitely recommend it, but if you are looking for something more instagramable then maybe try one of their other locations.

LONDON FASHION WEEK FESTIVAL
Such a lovely selection of clothes, accessories and homeware. I fell in love with a dress from Lily and Lionel (here), although restrained as I am still yet to start my new job! What was really great was there was a a huge variety of product and price points, meaning there was something for everyone and it was a great place to buy presents. Rosie Fortescue was there with her beautiful collection of jewellery and I was so impressed by what a brilliant sales woman she is. And I also caught a glimpse of Hugo Taylor and Millie Mackintosh! But on top of all that my favourite thing to do was just seeing what everyone else was wearing. Everyone looked so fashionable, whether they were wearing something really smart and tailored or edgy and cool!

SHEERLUXE SHOW LIVE
Mum and I decided to skip the fashion show and instead go and see a talk. The talk I chose was from SheerLuxe and was a live viewing of their twice weekly show which I watch religiously on YouTube. It was so entertain, yet educational and everything I hoped it would be. There were some incredible affordable clothes featured from their High Street Edit that I have added to my Wishlist (mostly from & Other Stories). As well as a very interesting talk about all things beauty with the gorgeous Samantha Freedman. I even made some notes! Plus my mum, who had no idea about a lot of the people or fashion brands mentioned thought it was wonderful!

WHAT I WORE
I had been waiting for the perfect occasion to wear my & Other Stories dress that I bought at the beginning of Summer as it is a more autumnal style. It was something I saw and loved, saved up for and then treated myself when I could, so it it really special and makes me feel amazing. I think I should try and buy more pieces this way. When you wait a bit you are sure that you really love something, rather than making an irrational decision.
I paired the dress with some beige studded ankle boots (a Chloe copy) which I bought from Office last year. They keep the dress elegant while being comfortable enough for me to spend a whole day in. Plus they were a nod to the cowboy boot trend, which is really big right now. I wore my emerald green bag for a subtle pop of colour and all of my favourite gold jewellery.

WHAT I BOUGHT
There was so many beautiful pieces that caught my eye, but I managed to stay sensible! I've already mentioned the dress from Lily and Lionel which I will link here. The fabric was stunning and the wrap style was really flattering, but the price was too high considering I don't actually have an event to wear the dress to. I've saved it to my ever growing Pinterest Wishlist though so watch this space! What I did buy though was something that I was actually going to purchase anyway - how very sensible of me! This Summer I got my helix pierced, and though it is still healing at the moment I will eventually swap it for a gold hoop. I've had my eye on these ones from Astrid and Miyu (here) for a while as they are really small, but they have the beautiful diamante detail. I managed to get 10% off with London Fashion Week discount but you can received the same disount on your first order by signing up to their news letter.

Speak soon, xx

 

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

The Basics You Need

There are some days where I have planned my outfit possibly even days in advance, and other days where I have about two minutes to throw on something before I head out the door! And on these such days I always like to have some fail safe basic pieces that I just know will work. Cue the breton stripes (basically my uniform!), a good pair of black skinny jeans, and while the weather still can't make its mind up, a denim jacket. All these pieces are staples in my wardrobe all year round. And when I thrown them on all together they just work, and I don't even have to think about it.

Side note: I've started to curl my hair quickly in the morning with my straightens and I am loving the outcome in the photo!

This 3/4 sleeve stripe top from Joules is my favourite as it is the only white based one I have found that is a thick enough fabric for me to not have to worry about what colour underwear I'm wearing! And I love the subtle nautical logo on the sleeve. My denim jacket is such a lovely wash, not to dark or too light and it's not too oversized. I also like to roll the cuffs up on this one for an extra preppy detail. And finally my jeans, which you can't really see, but I am sure they have featured in many of my other outfit posts are from Monki. I love them and wear them so much that I actually have two pairs!

I could do a whole long post about basics that I think every woman should have in their wardrobe, but it's all been said so many times before. The white shirt, the LBD, a trench coat/mac...But if your looking for something casual but put together that you don't even have to think about on those mornings where you just need to roll out of bed and run out the door then this outfit is the one. I also recommend Converse or some type of trainers if like me your morning will probably also consist of running for the train!

Speak soon xx

Jacket of Dreams

Jacket of Dreams

More frequently, probably due to the tremendous amount of fashion magazines and blogs that I read, I have an item that I am wishing for stuck in my head. It's probably based on a designer item I have seen that I am trying to find a dupe of for a fraction of the price. But either way having an image of the "perfect" item stuck in my head makes be incredibly fussy. I've probably already decided the colour, fabric and length, basically exactly how the piece should be, and how it should look on me! And usually it can take years to find! Does anyone else have this problem of is it just me!?

Going into each new season I usually have a little mental list of items that I want to buy into. Right now for example I'm on the hunt for a pair of grey wool shorts, some brown leather ankle boots and a printed silk square scarf. But a piece that have been on my list for years (no exaggeration) was a beige aviator jacket. Basically the ACNE STUDIOS one, but without the £2000 price tag! And every year when coat season came around I would search in every store for my dream jacket.

That was until Zara! Beside from being my favourite shop just for all clothing (although particularly Winter I find), Zara are amazing at creating dupes for designer pieces, something in just a couple of weeks after they have been on the Catwalk.

After the most amazing trip to London Fashion Weekend with my mum we decided to pop into the beautiful Zara in Sloane Square just to have a little browse around. And it really is such a beautiful store that I really recommend! When I first walked in I started spotting a couple of aviator jackets. The first was in a lovely light grey however it was longer that I was looking for. The second was small and thin and in an orangey beige...and the third was perfect.

And they had one left in my size! So I tried it on straight away and it fit like a shearling lined, super cosy glove. The price tag was a little high (although nothing compared to the £2000 ACNE one!), so obviously I completely forgot the fact that I DO NOT need another Winter coat/jacket and bought it! Zara also have this amazing way of changing their stock almost completely every couple of weeks so that if you see something you buy it straight away as you don't know if it will even be on sale in a weeks time!

I've managed to find the exact jacket on the Zara website incase you also want to treat yourself to something snuggly for Winter as well!

Suede Effect and Fleecy Jacket 

So here I am, with the jacket of my dreams. Just hoping the weather gets very cold, very soon. Recently I've actually been hanging it on the back of my cupboard so that I can admire it just before I go to bed! Sad, I know! But in a way I feel proud and like it is a huge accomplishment that I have finally found something that I have been dreaming up for years!

Maybe I need to get out more...or just go back to Zara and see if they have anymore dreamy items in store that I need for Winter!

Speak soon

 

The Summer Mini

The Summer Mini

It is really sad how long ago my holiday to Marrakech feels after 5 solid weeks of work. But I am back again with another Marrakech post which is sort of helping me to relive the amazing memories.

I really wanted to share my favourite Summer skirt which I have been wearing so much this Summer. As much as I love a great pair of jeans or shorts there is something about wearing a little skirt or dress that just makes me feel pretty. This one I picked up from Zara a few months ago is gorgeous. It's got a beautiful textured stripe print and is in a fairly weighty fabric that feels expensive and means that I don't have to worry about wearing this on days that are a little more windy! And I find the A-line shape really flattering and not to short so this could be dressed up for smarter occasions.

I wore this outfit on our last full day in Marrakech, when we decided to leave the old town and go and explore the beautiful Gardens of Majorelle. The botanical gardens are amazing with all the cacti, amazing fountains and the gorgeous mix of cobalt blue and yellow. It is such a peaceful and magical place to walk around and we caught some lovely footage for our video which you can watch here.

Hope you enjoyed this short little post. I have a final Marrakech post and my favourite outfit from the holiday coming up soon. And then a few more posts planned for you too. Speak soon xx

Marrakech Midi

Marrakech Midi

My first outfit post from Marrakech! This was actually one of my favourite outfits that I wore on the trip, although saying that I really enjoyed wearing all my pretty summery clothes. Because now that I am back in England I am definitely not able to wear anything like this anymore!

This is the first midi skirt that I have ever owned, because when midi skirts first became a huge trend I was really not convinced. I felt like they made my hips look big and my legs look short, which to be honest the body con midi that I am picturing probably did. However this gorgeous midi skirt is a totally different story. I feel like the shape of this is really flattering and the pleats smooth over my hips and elongate my legs (even with flats). I also love this muted mint shade, which feels like a mature nod to Summer pastels.

Top - Tesco
Skirt - Primark
Bag - Mango
Sunhat - Forever 21
Watch - Nixon
Sandals - Primark

We spent this day exploring a lovely museum and a beautiful old university, where the picture below was taken. The whole trip I was just amazed at the beautiful architecture. It's amazing the time and skill taken to produce all the intricate detail. I found that everywhere you looked in Marrakech there was something beautiful to look at, whether it be a wall carving or a lovely woven rug. And it is definietly somewhere that I hope to go back to one day as there was just so much to see.

Hope that you enjoyed seeing my first holiday pictures and this very Summery outfit. Expect many more to come!

Speak soon xx

Sun Daze

Sun Daze

I am fully aware that by the time this post goes live it will no longer be a Sunday, and my title pun will have less of an effect! But I am sticking with it anyway.

This Sunday, one of the hottest days of the year so far, I went to my boyfriend Jacks house for a family barbecue. After weeks spent revising in tracksuit bottoms, my hair in a messy bun and no makeup on it was nice to get a little bit dressed up. It was also lovely to put a pretty blouse on and not have to worry that it wouldn't even be seen under a coat or jacket!

We had such a lovely time in the sunshine chatting, drinking and eating barbecue food followed by the most incredible pavlova.

I decided to keep my outfit fairly simple, jeans and a white blouse, and then add some pretty accessories such as this satchel bag, delicate jewellery and sunglasses of course.

Top - New Look
Jeans - Topshop
Satchel - Accessorize
Sandels - River Island

I think I have finally mastered the art of hair curling with straighteners! I'm not perfect, or particularly quick, but I love how natural these loose waves look. I also love the detail on this New Look blouse. I bought it in the sale and have had it for years but it is still one of my favourites. Also how adorable is my gold elephant pendant which my little sister bought me!

I also kept my makeup fairly simple, so that it wouldn't all melt off in the sunshine and heat! I kept my skin dewey, classic brown eyeshadow, fluttery lashes and my favourite nude matte lipstick. I am definitely going to have to write a post on this lip product fairly soon as it is all I have been reaching for recently.

I love how simple, girlie and understated this whole look is. It is the perfect combination of put-together without looking like you have put too much effort into it. And I can't believe how well my shoes and bag match!

You might recognise these beautiful shoes from a fairly recent post. I got them from River Island and I am just in love. For a while now I had wanted a pair of Summer heels that I would feel comfortable wearing during the day. These shoes (which I found in the sale as well!) are exactly what I was looking for. They are simple, comfortable and the nude shade means they are wearable with so many different outfits.

...And pout!

Yesterday was just as hot as Sunday, and I spent most of the day lying in the sun with the latest issue of ELLE Magazine and a berry smoothie! Not a bad Monday I guess! Today however is a totally different story. I went into town with my brother to pick up some ingredients as I am going to do some baking soon, and just as we arrived the torrential rain started. The saying "and the heavens opened" was very appropriate! But it was still so humid, so I was wondering around wearing a t-shirt and carrying an umbrella. Very strange!

I'm off to do some baking (and eating!) now. Speak soon xx

Bombers and Backpacks

Bombers and Backpacks

To celebrate the end of term, multiple finished deadlines and finally getting to leave my desk I went with a group of my course mates on a day trip in the May sunshine. After nearly two years I finally left the city of Manchester to explore some surrounding areas in the North - and it was beautiful. The little town we went to was called Knutsford, where we spend the day wondering the cobbled streets, sitting in cafes and picnicing by the lake in the most amazing park.

One of the perks of being about with a group of fashion students, all with their own blogs (which I will leave linked below) is that a photoshoot was bound to happen!

I have been meaning to share this bomber jacket on my blog ever since I bought it a couple of weeks ago, and with these lovely pictures taken by my friends Maddie and Vicky, I finally get the chance. This is actually the first thing that I have ever ordered from Miss Guided! I know, considering how often I shop online I can't quite get my head around it either!  But bomber jackets are really having a moment right now, and I wanted to join the trend but with something a bit different to the typical khaki and black Topshop bomber jackets that everyone seems to have.

It was the colour that first caught my eye of this jacket, the beautiful mauve that actually looks almost lilac. Perfect for Spring and adding a feminine touch to a more masculine style jacket. The other thing that I really love about this jacket is the two tone fabrics, the satin and then more of a crepe fabric on the top half of the jacket. It's a lovely extra detail that makes this bomber feel a little bit different.

I have been wearing this a lot recently while the weather is still trying to decide if it is going to let us have a lovely hot Summer!

What I am wearing:

Bomber jacket - Miss Guided
Jeans - Topshop
Cami - River Island
Backpack - Accessorize
Trainers - Adidas (Stan Smiths)
Sunglasses - H&M

These are actually my favourite shoes right now, and I am not proud to admit that I have bought a few pairs of shoes recently! These are just so comfy and cool and I just love how they make an outfit look really casual for Summer. I just hope I can keep them this white forever!

Links to my friends blogs:

Vicky 
Maddie

I am actually writing this from home (Kent) as I came back on Sunday to revise, before going back up to Manchester for my exams. It is so lovely to be back, although not so lovely to be spending most of the time sat at my desk working. And after a beautiful day like this on Saturday I can't wait for Summer, and day trips like this in the sunshine. Maybe I won't even need to wear my jacket by then!

But for now I need to apologies once again for not being as active on my blog as I would like to be. But thank you for staying with my while I get through coursework deadlines, and right now my exams.

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

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