Category Archives: shopping

How to Wear White Jeans with Trilogy*

09th April 2017
I’ve only ever ventured in to white jeans territory one myself. Partly because I am a walking magnet for dirt and incredibly prone to spilling coffee over myself, but also partly because I’m clueless on how to wear them. They do seem to be a bit of a stylish summer staple though so today I have a post on some simple ways to style them.
1. With classic stripes A striped shirt worn tucked in to white jeans is an easy, instant chic outfit for Spring. Avoid full on nautical vibes by keeping it simple with minimal accessories. Throw on a denim jacket for a cool cover up and an easy on the eye take on double denim.

Striped Shirt from Trilogy | Jacket: L’Agence at Trilogy | Jeans: Paige denim at Trilogy

2. A touch of polish

The Hoxton cropped jean by Paige denim is a super flattering style that creates a streamlined shape with their high rise waist and skinny fit leg. They are a really easy style to dress up for an evening look or for the office- add a pretty blouse or a blazer/tailored jacket- check out Iro or Helene Berman at Trilogy for sleek and professional pieces.

Jacket: Iro at Trilogy | Jeans: Paige Hoxton Crop

3. Weekend vibes

Again, using the Paige Hoxton cropped style as a base you can create an easy laid back weekend look with the simple addition of a chambray or colourful flannel shirt (try rolling up the sleeves for an even more relaxed vibe). Make the most of the cropped length by pairing the jeans with simple ankle boots or some snazzy trainers.

Shirt: Rails at Trilogy | Jeans: Hoxton crop by Paige

Are you a fan of white jeans? How to you wear yours?

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Posted in fashion, inspiration, outfits, personal style, shopping

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Re-Visiting Stylewise Direct

03rd April 2017
Last summer I wrote a post about women’s fashion clothing wholesaler Stylewise Direct. They recently got in touch with me again and offered to send out a couple more items for me to style. I was impressed last time so didn’t hesitate in saying yes.

Dress c/o Stylewise Direct | Boots c/o George at Asda

I really like this dress as a more subtle take on the embroidery trend that I love so much. The fit impressed me, the dress hangs beautifully and I really like the subtle flared sleeves. I did order a size up when I requested this and I’m glad I did, it does come up on the small side but sizes are so variable these days that it’s probably a gamble where ever you shop from.

Blouse c/o Stylewise Direct | Dress: Primark | Boots: River Island

I really didn’t expect to love this blouse as much as I do. I picked it as it looked like a fun way to embrace the trend for all things pink whilst sticking to my “safe” florals print preference. I absolutely love it though, especially in this combination with the dress and the boots (and I don’t often declare love for one of my own outfits). I’m really impressed with the quality and fit of the blouse and would seek out more in this style without a doubt. I’m not usually a blouse person but this one has me re-thinking that stance.
To find out more about Stylewise Direct you can check out my original post. Although the items aren’t available for individual purchase the idea of this post is to highlight their existence- I know that several of my blogger friends have their own blog shops, or might be thinking about starting one and therefore when Stylewise Direct got in touch I thought it would be great to be able to attest to the quality of some of their items for anyone who might be looking for a supplier or taking the plunge in to setting up shop.

I might not be brave, or organised enough to set up a blog shop of my own but if I did then Stylewise Direct would be my wholesaler of choice. Is this something you would consider, or do you already have a shop of your own? I’d be really interested in hearing about your experiences.

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Posted in fashion, lifestyle, outfits, personal style, shopping

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Spring Style for Men*

30th March 2017
I spend the majority of my time focusing on wish lists for myself, which would make sense given that I am a) without a man in my life and b) female. But sometimes my mind likes to wander and I’ll pop together something a bit like this, with the alternative title such as “what to wear on our first date”. Perhaps this is me ready to really embrace the world of dating again, or perhaps more to do with the fact it is 6am as I write this post and I have already been awake for almost three hours. Either way here is a little menswear wish list kind of thing for your browsing pleasure.
I don’t profess to be an expert on men’s fashion, I couldn’t even tell you what the trends are this season (that might be my next time passing exercise) but I like this outfit. It’s clean, it’s simple but to me still shows that some thought has gone in to it. I especially like the denim shirt although anyone wearing it around me might find that I borrow it from time to time- hence the emergency white tee to be worn underneath. I was going to go for a double denim type approach to this look but then saw sense and played it safe with some chinos instead- I really like the blue and green colour combination and I think the shoes finish it off nicely. In case anyone was wanting to shop the look, the whole lot is from Jacamo.

Accessories wise I don’t think anyone can go wrong with a backpack, although I might be projecting my own current obsession with them here. I like it when men carry bags- it means I don’t end up lugging around their keys/phone/wallet when they get bored of carrying things in their pockets…I can’t imagine leaving the house without a bag and still find it alien when I see men with just their bank card and house key shoved in a pocket.

Anyway, I’m rambling on here but I think I’ve managed to come up with a stylish and semi-on trend (a quick google tells me backpacks are in so I ticked one box right there). What do you think of this outfit? Any men taking notes? (Don’t all rush at once!)

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I promise not to make sleep deprived blogging a regular thing!

Posted in accessories, fashion, shopping, wish list

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How to Add a Pop of Colour to your Summer Wardrobe

28th March 2017
When the sun is shining I feel the sudden urge to get out my bright clothes and I’m not the only one. Knowing how and where to add colour can be hard though as you don’t want to overdo it. I feel at ease with red lips and fun prints but what other ways are there of adding a pop of colour to your summer outfit if you’re not quite so brave?

Colour block skirt
I own more A-line skirts than I’d care to mention and have them in pretty much every length, colour and print. It makes sense then that for summer I like to colour block with a bright skirt and a complimentary colour top. For those with a curvier frame wearing bright colours from the waist down works really well and an A-line shape skims the hips. If you want a more toned down look just pair with a neutral top instead.

Bold Summer dresses
For the ultimate boost of colour and energy to your wardrobe it has to be a patterned summer dress. There are so many patterns that are trending right now- from pastel gingham to bright stripes and vintage florals to fun food prints – pineapple anyone? Aztec prints also never go out of style so I’m keeping an eye out for this trapeze dress from Sainsbury’s holiday shop when doing the weekly shop.

Add colour in your accessories
In winter it’s easier to accessorise with colour simply because you wear more accessories and can layer up with hats, gloves and scarves. It’s still possible to do it in summer though – albeit in a slightly more subtle way. I like to add colour with a big bright bag to carry all of my everyday essentials (i.e. my entire life) or in or a pair of platform heels.

Off the top of your head
You can use your head, quite literally, to top off your colour offering. My cat beret gets a little rest over summer but out comes the sun hat instead. Even if yours is plain it’s always possible to wrap around a colour-coordinating scarf to match your outfit. For another instant colour update using a pretty silk scarf tie it round some classic vintage rolls- with the added bonus of keeping your neck nice and cool!
Finishing touches
Last but not least don’t neglect your face and fingers. If you’ve gone for accessories to add tones to your outfit pick the same shades out in your eyeshadow, lipstick or nails for added zing. While I stick to reds and darker shades of make-up in winter, spring is the time to experiment and I’m not afraid of orange lipstick, purple eyeshadow or pastel green nails – as long as it matches something I’m wearing! If you’re not feeling too brave start with a bold nail colour and go from there. This guide to nail shades covers orange, green, bronze, hot pink and everything in between.
How will you be adding colour to your Spring/Summer looks? I’d love to know.

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Posted in accessories, beauty, fashion, guest post, lifestyle, make up, nails, shopping

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Bad Mood

22nd March 2017
My love for slogan t-shirts is still going strong and they are the first thing I seem to be drawn to upon entering a shop at the moment. Last month, on a trip to Cabot Circus with Mum we popped in to Pull & Bear- one of our favourite places to browse for affordable basics and cool casual vibes and I happened upon one of the most me tees I have ever seen. Behold…

Tee: Pull & Bear | Jeans: H&M | Converse: Schuh (similar)

Looking back at these pictures “beholding” might not actually be that possible as I’ve kind of failed to capture the slogan but this perfectly oversized white tee states “bad mood” and handily serves as a warning for when people are best to avoid me.

I do my best to be chipper, really I do but sometimes life gets the better of me and I am prone to either a short temper which leaves me snapping at everyone over the smallest of things or I retreat in to myself completely and barely say a word. I’m putting it down to a mixture of hormones at various points in the month as well as the pressures of still not being in work, dealing with eating disorder recovery 24/7 and not sleeping brilliantly but it’s pretty handy to be able to at least warn people they might not quite get the reaction they are expecting from me.

This was actually a really hard outfit for me to photograph- aforementioned eating disorder recovery is taking it’s toll and the struggle with seeing changes in my body [of which I know are further grossly exaggerated in my head due to the nature of the beast] has left my body confidence at rock bottom. Still, it has to be done and I can’t go backwards so I’m determined to keep on wearing the things I want to wear and not give in to the urges to hide behind baggy dresses and jumpers all of the time- although of course they have their time and place!

It’s a hard journey and harder still when you can’t explain to anyone why after 15 years this still torments you. Why you’ve been signed off from work for almost a year knowing exactly what you need to do to get back there [which you want more than anything else] and yet still struggle so much to do it. Having spent the majority of last year firmly in denial this year has seen a renewed determination and slowly but surely progress is being made. It feels fast, it feels scary and I’m not even sure why I’m writing about it on the blog, other than to serve as a reminder to myself but the end result will be worth it and this time there IS no going back. I have plans, things I want to achieve and there is no room for anorexia to be my side kick.

Apologies for getting so deep and personal once again, it happens from time to time and I did say I wanted to bring a bit more “real life” to the blog.

I suppose I should also apologise for all of the random people I’ve snapped at over the last few months, well, mostly. Friends and family please accept my sincerest apologies. Random people I encounter on a daily basis who seem to make it their life mission to wind me up? I’m so not sorry!

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Posted in fashion, life, life stuff, outfits, personal style, shopping

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