All Saints Leather Jacket

As some of you may or may not know, this month I finally turned 21! This is all kinds of crazy as I still get asked for ID when buying paracetamol (you need to be 16)! I had such a lovely day with my family, dog walking and then a pub lunch. And then in the evening we met up with my boyfriend Jack for a lovely meal at the National Portrait Gallery Restaurant followed by Matilda at the West end which was just incredible!

This year I was totally spoiled by all of my friends and family who got me some incredibly generous gifts. But I thought I would kick things off with a quick post about the very special gift that I received from my parents. I know that watches tend to be the gift of choice for a big birthday like a 21st. But I got a beautiful watch for my 18th and I already had a few others, so while I knew I didn't want a watch I did want something timeless.

After a trip my first ever trip Bicester Village with my best friend I stumbled into All Saints. I don't usually shop at All Saints, it's a little above my budget! But when we were in Bicester Village surrounded by Prada and Gucci, All Saints suddenly felt like a more affordable option. You don't have to study fashion to know that All Saints are pretty well known for their leather jackets, so when I walked in I was immediately drawn to the wall of leather jackets...and this one in particular!

For a girl who spends 95% of the time wearing neutrals (probably 80% monochrome!), this was a pretty bold choice. But the burgundy shade just drew me in and made me fall in love. And I actually think it is my majority neutral wardrobe which means I am going to get so much wear our of this jacket. The leather is butter soft, the colour looks great with my dark hair and the fit is perfect, big enough that I could wear a jumper under it without being too boxy. As it was from Bicester Village it was around 50%, and then when I got to the till I found it was £50 cheaper than I originally thought! Isn't that the best feeling?!

I'm so excited to wear this jacket  when the weather starts to get a little cooler. And even though this is the most expensive thing I have in my wardrobe, I believe that leather jackets get better with age and wear, so the price tag isn't going to put me off wearing this. And as much for my benefit that anyone else, I have put together a little "Burgundy Leather Jacket Inspo Board"!

I can't wait to share with you all of the other amazing presents that I got for my birthday in a post coming soon!

Speak soon xx

Swimsuit of Dreams

I honestly can't remember the last time that I wore a swimsuit previous to this one. I think it was probably about 7 years ago for a PE lesson, so it would have been one of those horrible black ones with the unflattering neckline that go see-through in the wrong places all to quickly! So naturally, with all those awful memories of one piece costumes, the swimsuit to get me to fall back in love with swimsuits needed to be a bit special. And with the florals, the frills and the beautiful back detail, I think I have found the one.

There is a hint of Dolce and Gabbana about the print and something slightly "grannyish" about the costume. Almost so bold, floral and frilly that it really shouldn't work; but it totally does! My brother's exact words were "that is the most hideous thing you have ever worn!". My mum on the other hand loves it so much that she bought a dress in the same print! And I am just obsessed with this swimsuit!

For a girl that lives in neutrals and breton stripes yellow florals are not something I would usually consider. But swimsuits are huge this year and I really wanted to buy into the trend this Summer. I initially started searching online, filtering by the colour black thinking that this would be the most flattering. But they either reminded me way too much of my school days, or they were so revealing and seemed to have even less fabric than a bikini! And then the one time that I forgot to filter my search I came across this little H&M number and knew it was the one.

I'm very fussy when it comes to shopping for swimwear. I find that with such little fabric and so much skin on show there is a fine line between classy and well, not so classy. And when most of my holidays tend to consist of family, I like my swimwear to be family appropriate! And I completely forgot how practical swimsuits are. There are no issues when you are jumping the waves or going down a water slide! Plus, this costume looks amazing with a little pair of denim shorts, something I'd feel comfortable wearing in a cafe after the beach.

Personally I think this beautiful costume is better suited to my previous holiday in Bali! For now though, I am in Cornwall wearing a swimsuit that I will definietly not be swimming in, as I can't even begin to describe how cold the sea is here! But at least it's pretty!

Speak soon xx

 

 

That Zara Dress

Or should I say playsuit? It looks like a dress, but it is so short that I feel the need to let people know that there are some shorts underneath to protect my dignity! You must know the dress I'm talking about...the Zara one that everyone owns. And if you don't have a version of it yourself (be it sleeveless, striped, plain etc), then I guarantee that at least 5 people you know do!

Usually I find there is nothing worse that wearing something that everyone else owns. I'm definietly not a trend setter, but I do prefer to wear things that people can't just look at and sigh "Zara, I have it too!". Plus the more people that buy something the more saturated the market becomes, and suddenly that it thing is officially out.

My gosh, this dress has saturated the industry! I've seen it on about 8 friends scrolling through my Facebook, about 15 bloggers that I follow on Instagram, and it is still popping up on my Pinterest. Usually I'd roll my eyes and run a mile but when I saw the blue bell sleeved version on sale I thought I would give it a quick try on. And unfortunately I completely see what all the fuss is about!

The seam across the chest looks like it shouldn't work, it's something that you'd dress a 4 year old in. But it simultaneously manages to flatter those who have been blessed with boobs, and create the illusion of something for the rest of us. The fact that the dress is so incredibly short means it makes even the most petite look as though we have legs for days. Yet the shorts mean you don't have to panic on tube escalators or dance without lifting your arms up and flashing your underwear. The low back is flattering, but you can totally still get away with wearing a regular bra. The fabric is cool and airy, but for something from Zara feels weighty and not at all sheer. The shape of the dress means you can go out and order a starter, main with chips on the side, a cocktail and still have more than enough room for dessert. It's like leaving the house in pyjamas but looking put together. And you can rock the dress with Birkenstocks, trainers or heeled sandals. And as if all that wasn't enough...it has pockets. Sold.

So now I completely understand why everyone has this dress. Because Zara totally nailed it! I'm not sure they need to bring out any new colours or versions. They've already saturated the market themselves! But it does go to show that where good design, style and functionality meet, something amazing can be created (and sales will be off the chart!).

Would love to hear in the comments if you have this dress (or similar) and how you like to style it.

Speak soon xx