THE CHARCOAL BIKER

24 May 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
If you have been following my blog for a while, or seen a previous post of mine, you will know that the dark grey/charcoal colour is one of my favourite colours for clothes because it's so easy to still and effortless to pull off. I have also found that this colour sophisticates outfits and adds a element of elegance, even when it's a really casual style. I also have an 'OUTFIT card', which is a loyalty card for shops like Topshop, Dorothy Perkins, Miss Selfridge and Wallis. These are some of my favourite shops because they're always on-trend and I can always find something I like in either of these shops so it's of great convenience that they're in the city centre closest to me. 
I have recently been obsessed with this dark grey coat I bought because it does have wool in so it's warm enough to wear at the moment. The North of England recently had an amazing weekend of sun, and then all off a sudden there was wind, rain and everything in between so this coat is perfect for keeping me warm without having to layer underneath. The only downside to wool is that if it does get wet, it can get really heavy and the more wool the heavier it gets.
Charcoal is also my favourite colour in denim, simply because it can be styled for any theme, occasion or look, and today I styled these super skinny jeans with biker boots that I think become a statement piece in this look.
Jumper - Dorothy Perkins
Coat - Dorothy Perkins
Jeans - Miss Selfridge
Boots - Brantano
Bag - TK Maxx

LEATHER PRINTS

22 May 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
It's  not long now until I no longer have to attend lessons and it's a time that couldn't come quick enough. No longer will I have to chose clothes according to rules or practicality. I may even have a pyjama day once a week as a reminder that I can wear any clothes during the day. But it's still Thursday and I have school so today I'm wearing this silk dress from TK Maxx that I originally bought for my holiday last year, but loved so much I thought it deserved an outing into the world. I really like the mix of colour in this dress, as it's like tie-dye or watercolours which I think is a great way to add colour to your wardrobe. The elasticated waist highlights more of a feminine figure to the dress rather than just a straight or t-shirt dress. My leather jacket is from Miss Selfridge which has become my go-to jacket for strange weather days because it's waterproof in case it decided to rain, but cool enough to wear in the sun and light enough to carry. My bag is from TK Maxx which I have been using as a school bag because it's just so big and there are about six compartments inside which defines me dream bag. Converse have also become my go-to shoe for school or a long day in general because they're just so comfortable for my feet. I have flat feet, which means there isn't that natural arch in the bottom of my feet, also means my feet can start to hurt after a while but this doesn't occur with Converse or high heels. I also adore Converse because most of their styles are unisex so I can wear men's or women's shoes in my size - a rare occurrence for most brands.

CHEEKY CHELSEA BOOTS

21 May 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
Half way through the week! Only a few days to go until it's a solid week of revision, preparation and a tiny bit of freedom. Today I'm wearing a striped tee made for me, which I love the throw on for a casual day because it's a simple but shaped style and really easy to pair with different items in my wardrobe. I'm carrying a huge and spacious bag from TK Maxx that I've really grown to love as a school bag as well as a handbag. My blue jeans are from Topshop and by MOTO which is one of my favourite brands of jeans because they're just so soft. Jeans shopping is usually the worst experience as I have really long legs, (36" inside leg) which means most jeans, even the tall ones are generally too short, however this pair of simple blue jeans I tried fit very well without being unreasonably short so I decided to keep them. Fortunately, I'm wearing my new Chelsea boots I bought from Dorothy Perkins last week for £33.00 and I love. At first they were a little bit too small as I have size 10 or 9.5 feet but they are leather which does expand a tiny bit after being worn and now they fit perfectly. Chelsea boots were a major trend from Alexa Chung to Emma Watson so I decided to grab a pair for myself. I chose black as it's the one colour that pairs with every colour and always looks chic. My coat is from Next, which I bought about two years ago in the autumn line as an impulse buy that I certainly don't regret. This coat is perfect all year round because I'm never too warm in it, and it's lined with a thick polyester which keeps me warm if it does get cold. It's also a lightweight coat which is always a quality I look for in coats.

GOTHIC FLORALS

19 May 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
Every spring season, the floral trend graces runways and flower power inspired all. However this season, we still saw plenty of petals, but not as many pastels and pretty pinks as predicted. Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Erdem and Fendi all showcased deep, brooding tones with a hint of romance in their S/S lines. 
My floral zip-up cardigan is from Next which I bought a few years ago but is perfect for this trend. It captures the vibrant essence of spring flowers, just in a darker style. I paired with this my dress which was made for me and I love because the hemline is not perfectly straight - it is a little longer on the sides which gives a nice shape to the dress. My tights are basic plain black tights from M&S and both my bag and shoes are from Next. My handbag is one I use as my 'everyday' handbag which I value in my wardrobe as it's black leather and a lot bigger on the inside without getting too heavy. Black leather is one of my favourite fabrics because it can be paired with anything or style to any look. In either a jacket, dress or bag form; I adore black leather. I added these lighter toned shoes to the outfit to brighten up the bottom half and add a touch of sophistication and formality to my outfit of the day. They have an element of the Chelsea boot style with cutouts which makes them perfect for spring. 

BACK 2 SIXTH FORM

16 May 2014

Bingley, West Yorkshire, UK
I've had a compact week, from school to work to internships to more work to one-off shirts and essays galore. At least today is Friday, which means only one more week to go until I go onto study leave. Study leave does of course have the downside of having to revise at every waking hour, but at least I can be at home! So today I'm wearing this light grey jumper I bought from TK Maxx for £8.00 and I love because it's not too itchy to wear. A lot of jumper contain too much wool which irritates my skin so it's hard to find jumpers that I can wear of a long time, and this jumper has softer fibres and a stretchier fabric which makes it really cosy to wear all day. My jeans are from Miss Selfridge and I love the acid wash effect on them as 'damaged' denim was a huge trend over spring - from ripped jeans to different dyes, destroyed denim transformed this season. My coat is one that I've had for years, so I'm unsure as to where it's from, but I love to wear it on days like today where there is a chance of rain, but it's not too heavy to carry in my bag if the sun appears. I'm carrying my everyday schoolbag from TK Maxx and my shoes are from Schuh and are just the classic hi-top Converse which I have owned for a few years now. One of my favourite things about Converse that I often take for granted is how durable they are. I have had a few pairs for a while and they don't get holes in or wear away - the perfect shoe.
Copyright © Anika May | UK Life and Style Blog.
Design by Fearne