Monochrome Madness

23 July 2014

Gilstead, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK

Sometimes the hardest part about picking an all black outfit is finding all black pieces that are actually the same shade of black. If you wear all black outfits a lot, like me, then you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Today I went with a monochrome outfit, because I love this slightly oversized black and white shirt that I bought in Next's recent sale. I chose it to try to break out of my all black habit, but I also like how the white is incorporated in the shirt, it's not just black with white buttons or collars. I personally think the monochrome look is timeless, effortless and faultless. You can never go wrong with it because it's two colours that always correspond well with each other. My leggings are a little shiny, but I chose them over plain black leggings because they can look green-ish or even brown on camera. These leggings are also a bit stretchier than normal high street leggings so they're much more comfortable. My all black Converse are my favourite pair because I can literally wear them with  anything. I first saw them on Tumblr, and knew I had to buy them immediately because they will never clash with any of my clothes. They can also become a really simple statement piece if I contrast them with a super colourful outfit.  
Shirt - Next
Leggings - made for me
Shoes - Schuh

Simple and Summery

22 July 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
Summer seem to be finally in full swing after the awful thunderstorm the other night and a few cloudy spells. Although I'm a winter person, one of my favourite looks for summer is simplicity. Not overloading an outfit with too many accessories or too much layering of fabrics. I also prefer to wear lighter colours if I can, and white is one of my favourite colours to wear in the sun because it doesn't absorb sunlight, but reflects the natural light making the colour appear even brighter. My dress is lace at the top, and plain white at the bottom so it's a little different to your average white dress. It's a fit and flare style, which is one of my favourites and is  also long enough to wear with high heels. Because I'm 5'11", a lot of dresses look a lot shorter on me than they should, and look even shorter with high heels so a dress to the knee like this is perfect. I went with a really simple cardigan to add a touch of colour to my outfit, along with my tiny bag and favourite heels. These platform heels are currently my favourite pair because they're simple without being boring. The straps aren't complex, and there isn't a wide range of colour used, but the shape and style is unique. They're also incredibly comfy which is ideal for a summer's day. 
Dress - made for me
Cardigan - Dorothy Perkins
Shoes - Next
Bag - Topshop

Cosy Summer

21 July 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
Living in the UK, especially the North, it's very hard to determine how long the summer is going to last, and we often deceive ourselves, thinking it's warm outside because it's July, but it's actually not that hot at all. A lot of the time, I have to dress for the weather, which does sometimes limit my options, but there are ways around it. Today I'm being very daring, wearing no tights which may not seem like much of a daring thing to some people, but I'm always in tights when I wear dresses or skirts, probably because my legs are always cold. My coat is one of my very favourites which was an impulse buy that has actually been successful in the long run. The one thing I absolutely adore about this coat is the faux fur-like fabric it's lined with, and that also lines the huge collar. This coat is super warm  and the fabric is so soft and comfortable to wear. I often like to wear coats that are really long or oversized because I can wrap myself up in them, but this coat is perfect for keeping me cosy. My top underneath is a short sleeved cropped top so if I do get too warm, I can always just take off my jacket. This jacket is also essential for days like today where the weather could go anyway, and I don't want to layer my outfit in case it does turn out to be really warm.
Also keeping my cosy and comfortable are my skater shoes, that I have recently grown to love over the past month. They're really well structured as they're originally made for skateboarders, but inside they are heavily cushioned which is ideal for me because my feet are always freezing cold. These shoes are great for walking in too, because I'm flat footed so they stop my feet from hurting unlike a lot of other shoes.
Top - made for me
Skirt - made for me
Jacket - Matalan
Shoes - Brantano
Bag - TK Maxx

Fashion Phases

19 July 2014

Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK
One thing I have noticed with my style is that I always go through different stages of styles. Whether it's over-wearing an outfit, or one item I just can't get enough of. Most of the time, it's a case of buying an item, and then only really loving it a few months after I've bought it - bit of a strange habit. My mum is always getting frustrated because I want to throw clothes away, and then a few weeks later I'll be looking for it trying to figure out why I would ever throw it away. When I first bought my jumper, or "sweater", I used to always try to pair it will all the clothes in my wardrobe, no matter what. It's the kind of jumper that doesn't go with a lot of skirts, so I was limited in that sense, but I own too many jeans so the pairings seemed endless. I still adore this jumper because it's so cosy to wear after at least two years of owning it. I was first attracted to this jumper when I saw it was a little different to you're average woolly knit. I not only love that it has extra long sleeve, but also the knit effect just below my should which makes it a little more unique.
My jeans are also another item I went through a fashion phase with. Distressed denim was a huge spring trend so these were perfect at the beginning of the year, but I bought these jeans a while ago and still never wore them. When I did buy them, I had a little accident of accidentally setting of the alarm tag on it, which contains ink. So, as you can imagine, when I went to buy the jeans and check out the rest of my clothes, I had ink all over my hands and had to explain to the majority of the senior staff at Miss Selfridges that I stood on the tag in the changing room and I wasn't trying to steal anything. I haven't actually been back in that store since, but now I'm extra careful around those ink-filled security tags.
Because these jeans have loads of different shades of blue in them, due to the acid wash effect, they're really easy to style, especially in summer as I'm trying to brighten up my wardrobe this season. Did you go through any fashion phases? 
Jumper - Topshop
Jeans - Miss Selfridge
Shoes - Schuh
Bag - Next

Sudden Sunshine

17 July 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
Summer has actually started! A sudden heat wave has hit the UK and I'm absolutely loving it. I know what some people may be wondering: isn't she warm? I'm actually the type of person that is always cold, not matter what, so I'm not really overheating today. But I am wearing tights and a coat which can easily be removed to create a summery look. The temperature is slowly rising in the North, and this dress is absolutely perfect for today because it's very thin cotton so it stays cool the entire day. I love the colours of this dress, which was the only one left in the store, because it features a wide range of colours that blend into each other with a 'watercolour' effect. That mash-up of colours in this dress give it that summer feel, and it has no sleeves which makes it ideal for the warmer weather. The elasticated waist in the dress highlights a feminine silhouette and creates a skater style which is one of my favourites.
My sunglasses are my newest summer favourite because they can be paired with anything. I have quite a round face, so I usually go for the oversized black sunglasses, but I decided to make a change and wear these mirror aviators that I absolutely adore. Not only is it extremely entertaining watching people check out their reflection in my glasses or try to figure out if they can see my eyes, these glasses are also super light on the inside so they don't effect my vision in anyway. They also don't have a weird colour tint on the inside so the sky still remains blue!
Dress - TK Maxx
Coat - Dorothy Perkins
Bag - market
Boots - Dorothy Perkins
Sunglasses - Primark
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