Jersey Dressing

19 September 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
I have always been the girl who wears dresses, from day one - I've just loved them. In primary school I would wear dresses throughout the winter even though it's much more logical to wear trousers when you live in the North of England. I think my love from dresses stems from me usually being able to find trousers that are long enough to fit me, as I have very long legs; usually the long-length trousers available in stores are too short. Dresses on the other hand, are very different. With most, there's no height and limb length restriction. I can wear lots of dresses without worrying about them looking strange because they don't fit right. This doesn't apply to maxi dresses and skirts but that's a different story altogether. As I grew up, I began to favourite the fit-n-flare or skater style of dress because I found it most flattering for my body shape and they're comfortable for me to wear. I'm lucky to have a fashion designer for a mother, so a lot of dresses can be made specifically for me and they're one of a kind, but if there wasn't much time on our hands, I always resorted to dresses made out of jersey, one of my favourite fabrics. Jersey is a really soft knit fabric with stretch in and in many cases can be quite lighweight. This dress I'm wearing today is from Topshop, and although it's a drop-waist dress which I wouldn't usually go for, the fabric is just so comfortable and flexible I just couldn't resist. Most dresses today are made out of jersey for it's elasticity and durability, but I like that it comes in so many different colours and styles because it's a knit fabric, and I head straight to the jersey section every time we visit a fabric store. 
Dress - Topshop
Coat - Dorothy Perkins
Bag - TK Maxx
Shoes - Schuh

Loving Leather

18 September 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
I think an item made of leather is a must have in any closet. Whether it's just a simple skirt of a pair of super shiny trousers. I personally love leather jackets because I think they're so easy to style and can be paired with a lot of different items. I've found that leather jackets are the one item of clothing you can own for years and still style it to perfect, just like a promising pair of jeans. Leather as a fabric can be difficult to buy, usually the higher the quality, the higher the price. I don't own a lot of custom-made leather items simply because it can be cheaper to buy them in the long run, but there's so many leather items on the market at the moment in plenty of different colours so there isn't much room to complain. I actually remember when leather jackets because a huge trends while I was about 14 in 2008, Topshop had just released a line of leather jackets, and most of them had hoods on *cringe* which I was desperate to have. Of course now, I'm happy I didn't buy one because leather jackets look a lot better and are more versatile without a hood. Today's look is über casual as I'm only going shopping during my day off. One of my favourite things about good quality leather is that it's thick and naturally insulating so I can wear one of my favourite patterned tees underneath which is quite thin and loose on me, without getting really cold in the autumn breeze. I'm carrying my favourite leather bag from Topshop that's a really strong leather, making the bag well structured and less floppy. Finally, my leather hi-tops were bought a few years ago and are still a favourite of mine for the winter because they are so warm and well-lined as well as extremely comfortable to walk in.  
Top - Primark
Jacket - Miss Selfridge
Jeans - Next
Shoes - Fred Perry
Bag - Topshop

Watercolour Wanderlust

16 September 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
I've been obsessed with Tumblr ever since I first made my account back in 2011. It's just the perfect way to get inspiration in every aspect. I look there for motivation to work out, to actually get up and work or even just to work harder in everyday life. It's also the perfect place for style inspiration from the thousands of street style blogs, and gives me the strongest desire to travel as I follow quite a lot of travel and photography blogs - which is why my Tumblr blog's name is "Wanderlust". I actually have an entire board on Pinterest named "One Way Ticket" which is just full of photographs of places I would love to go - Pinterest is definitely my go to app when I'm ridiculously board and like to drool over stylish bedrooms of expensive outfits. One of the first things I want to do on my bucket list is travel to just about every corner of the Earth. From Scotland to Mexico to Thailand - I seriously want to see it all. My outfit today reminded me a little bit of a travel inspired look, which I think is down to the really nice watercolour effect on my dress. The fabric is silk, so it's already really soft, but doesn't have much of a natural stretch to it. However, the elasticated waist highlights a feminine figure and gives the dress more shape. The colours leak or 'bleed' into each other, and are all quite peaceful and relaxing colours which I think give the outfit more of a chill tone. My charcoal, rustic rucksack is from TK Maxx and was the only one left as TK Maxx is a one-of-a-kind type of store. The bag is made of denim which is tough and durable but really comfortable to wear on my shoulders, as I find with a lot of bags, they tend to rub on my shoulders - especially when I'm carrying a lot of items making it heavier. My matching boots are a favourite of mine as I've had them for a while and they're still remained in amazing condition. A lot of people are under the illusion that you must spend hundreds of pounds to find items that will last a long time, but this isn't always necessarily true. My boots are from Brantano which is considered quite a 'cheap' shop, and I don't splurge on them; yet they've remained in amazing condition and haven't fallen apart! 
Dress - TK Maxx
Cardigan - Next
Bag - TK Maxx
Boots - Brantano

Teenage Drama Queen

15 September 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
Teenage Drama Queen
Another week, another wishlist. I absolutely love this set I made of Polyvore and the items in it even more. The first item I adore is the Monki Amelie Singlet that is only £10.00. Such an amazing price for a great top too. I really like the cropped cut of this top, and although it's black (which is a colour I'm supposed to be trying to avoid) I think the unique hemline makes this top stand out a little more, along with the really cute embroidery detail along the bottom. This singlet is idea for layering, which is always a trend that naturally returns as the colder weather sets in. I paired the singlet with some D&G Jeans I had sitting in my 'liked' list on Polyvore for a while now. A lot of the jeans I own are actually really dark, and I have a habit of sticking to dark colours that I'm really trying to break. I'm assuming I gravitate towards darker colours because I feel most confident in them (due to the myth that they're more slimming) and because I've worn darker colours for most of my teenage life. The lighter wash of the jeans brightens up this whole set and contrasts well with the singlet. The ASOS Suede Fringe Clutch Bag is going straight to the top of my "Things to Buy When I Get Paid" list. Hopefully it will still be on sale at £21.00 when I do get paid at the end of the month too. Not only is this bag suede, it has a fringe style which I think really 'spices' up an outfit. It's made by one of my favourite online stores: ASOS. I never used to shop at ASOS, I always saw it as really expensive and just stuck to the stores that where in the city centre. But when I discovered this magical online library of fashion, I couldn't get enough - they have everything. Not forgetting all the boutiques and marketplaces within ASOS which is a great way to get high quality items for reasonable prices. ASOS always has sales which is a bonus, as well as selling designer label items in case I feel like splurging.
I've never seen boots like the Zara Leather Combination Heel Ankle Boots before but I think they're really cool. I like the two different colours in the boots and I think it makes them stand out against typical Chelsea or ankle boots. The open design of the boots makes them a lot more comfortable to wear for a long amount of time as they're leather and have a small heel for extra height. Finally, the Marc by Marc Jacobs Olive Raised Dog Phone Case is a must have for me. I must point out, it's half price at my-wardrobe.com, being only £20.00 which is an amazing price for a designer phone case. Marc Jacobs has always been a favourite of mine, and I absolutely love his designs and flawless style. French Bulldogs are also my favourite breed of dog, I'm so desperate to have one and this phone case is ideal for me. Not only is it black and white (I can't help it), it's rubber and made for my iPhone so I really believe it was meant to be!

Gleefully Gloomy

13 September 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
I realise today's title is a bit of an oxymoron but I'm sticking with it. I was hoping for more sun today but it looks like autumn is finally setting in. This isn't a bad thing, because I love jumpers and unlimited hot chocolate and rainstorms (when I'm inside) as well as warm fires and non-stop Netflix. Right now, Yorkshire is stuck in the middle of summer and autumn - it's reasonably warm, but the clouds just blanket the sky and have a gloomy effect on everything. Nevertheless, my outfit contains more colours for the darker palette, but remains just as bold as necessary. I've been obsessed with this aztec print dress for Topshop since I bought it a few years ago. Unfortunately, I'm still growing so it is getting shorter (not ideal for windy days), but I can't help but love it. I first bought the dress as a last minute resort for a casual meal out with friends, and never realised it would slowly become one of my closet favourites. The pattern is maroon and black, but I think it still stands out despite the somber colour tones. I wanted today's outfit to match and each piece to compliment the other so I paired my dress with one of my favourite coats from Next. I adore this coat so much I almost cried when I thought it was stolen. The really thick and warm lining makes it ideal for the season, and I've found that the colour paired well with a lot of other items in my wardrobe. My charcoal boots match well with my dark leather shoulder bag to finish the look.
Dress - Topshop
Coat - Next
Shoes - Brantano
Bag - gift
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