Brand Lust: Miss Rebel A/W Wish List

As of yesterday, I feel that Winter weather has well and truly arrived. I had to travel back home from Halloween shenanigans having left my coat at a friends, and boy was I feeling the chill. 

In the last two months, I think we've all been sitting on the uncomfortable fence between getting the most out of our Summer clothes before they're shoved away for another year, and excitingly purchasing our new Autumn / Winter wardrobe. 

Through The Blogger Programme, I have been introduced to a new and emerging clothing brand: Miss Rebel.

I love discovering small brands like these simply because they prove that on-trend fashion can be reasonably priced. I've seen some brands that I fell in love with back in the day get way to big for their boots, so when a brand like Miss Rebel emerges, I pounce on them straight away, and spread the word. 

So I've put together a little wishlist from Miss Rebel's latest A/W 2014 collection just to show you what they have to offer and to inspire you, if not to check them out, then to get looking for small, emerging brands and to support them. 

Outerwear

(top left to bottom right) 

Faux Fur Trim Cape - £30

Scallop Hem Rain Mac - £20

Faux Shearling Fur Jacket - £32

Black Faux Fur Cape - £35.99

Dresses

Classic Zip Back Shift Dress - £18

Bardot Bodycon Dress - £13

Bones Bodycon Dress - £9.99

Bottle Green Tartan Swing Dress - £7.99

Jumpers

Spike Shoulder Jumper in Black - £9.99

Boucle Belted Cardigan - £29.99

Pugs Sweatshirt in Wine - £9.99

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Outfit of the Day: Autumnal Hues

 

 

Primark Fedora Hat - £8

Lost at Sea Coin Collar Necklace - £12

H&M Dappled Purple Split-Hem Maxi Dress -(sold out) 

Forever 21 Open Knit Cardigan (sold out in black & red, other colours available) - £18

Asos Netted Tights - £8.50

River Island Cut-Out boots - £30

It's been so long since I last did an Outfit of the Day post, which I apologise for. I also want to apologise for the fact that almost half of the items I'm wearing in this post are now sold out. I only bought the dress two weeks ago, and the other dress I bought with it is still on their site, so I was a bit baffled by that. 

Anyhoo, despite that, I hope this post has been in some way a source of style inspiration. I'm not adjusting very well to Winter layering after a good 4-5 months of a basic capsule Summer wardrobe. 

I'm loving the long open-knit cardigans that are about at the moment. I've never really been a cardigan person, but the casual yet textured blanket styles that I'm seeing are more my kind of thing. 

I love split-hems, and I'm trying to make mine as winter friendly as possible with the help of some statement tights, however on those really cold days, I'm layering up with as many opaque pairs as I can find. 

I don't think I'll ever tire of these River Island Cut-Out Boots. They're from River Island's Autumn/Winter  2013/14 collection, and I can't get enough when it comes to chunky black shoes, so these will probably be staying with me for life. 

I may be a bit late on the hype, but I've fallen head over heels in love with Forever 21. Whenever I step foot in their i'm never disappointed by the range of trends they have on offer, and they're not expensive at all, so you can expect to see a lot more of their stuff on here in the not too distant future.

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Marks & Spencers Autumn / Winter Collection

 As a 22 year old, when I think of Marks and Spencers, I think food. Amazing, innuendo inspiring food (those adverts are coming back by the way, prepare yourself) that gives Nigella a run for her money. 

Never in my life have I seen M&S as a trend-setting brand leading the way in high street fashion. I don't even think M&S saw itself like that, but it wasn't for want of trying. Just last year, they hit the headlines with a massive drop in profit due to a disappointing fashion range. It goes to show that you can put anyone from Twiggy to Ellie Goulding in your adverts, but if people walk through your shop or look on your website and aren't inspired, the whole thing is a waste of time and money. 

Now I've taken many a venture through the M&S clothing department, but admittedly it's only ever to get to the food section for a cheeky meal deal, BUT there have been times (depending on what store I'm in) where something has caught my eye. The more I've paid attention to them, the more I've come to the conclusion that M&S do have fashion potentioal, and yes, I do mean for people my age. 

I'll say now that they are god awful at marketing their fashion and the styling on their website leaves a lot to be desired, but I don't think our high streets can cope with another major chain going bust. There are so many of us that are disappointed and apathetic towards our high streets, when really it's only us that can change things around. 

So in true Mary Portas fashion, I thought I'd show M&S how it's done (in a non-braggy way of course). 

Using the amazing Polyvore collage creator, I've put together 5 outfits that consist solely of M&S's A//W 14 collection. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, because I want all of it. 

School Girl Chic

Bow Collar Shell Top - £25

Checked Mini Skirt with Wool - £35

Leather Crocodile Design Tote Bag - £149

Leather Faux Fur Cuff Boots - £79

Floral Elegance

No Peep Rose Print Shirt - £35

Coated Skater Skirt - £25

Pointed Toe Lace Up Brogue Shoe - £25

Faux Fur Frame Tote Bag - £40

Winter Pastels

Faux Fur Textured Coat - £139

Ripped Skinny Jeans - £40

Leather Ankle Strap Boots - £69

Metallic Box Across Body Bag - £30

Merry Gothmas

Velvet Floral Lace Playsuit - £55

Leather Faux Fur Cuff Boots - £79

Faux Fur Top Handle Tote Bag - £40

Quilts and Pleats

High Neck Embellished Trim Blouse - £40

Coated Skater Skirt - £25

Quilted Bowler Bag - £30

Train Trim Ankle Boots - £45

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Jewellery Lust : Lost at Sea

 

Bags, shoes, hats, scarves etc etc. Everyone has a vice when it comes to fashion. That one thing that they're addicted to and will never stop buying no matter how much they have. Well I have two: shoes and jewellery. 

I've already done two Jewellery Lust posts featuring Black Tied and The Rogue and the Wolf , and with my addiction ever growing, it looks like it's going to become a regular feature, so I thought I'd explain what it's all about. 

I think it's really important to support new, growing brands, and they're a great place to shop if you're looking for something a little bit different. I'm noting with the high street that you won't have to go far before you bump into someone wearing the same thing as you, and some of the products are a bit over-priced. Online brands are a great way of developing your individual style and spotting new, emerging trends whilst potentially grabbing a bargain, so each of these posts are going to focus on one particular brand.  

This week, that brand is Lost at Sea Jewellery. I discovered them through Instagram (which, by the way, is a brilliant place for finding new brands), and adored their style. Selling not only jewellery, but homewares too, this is one of those brands which makes me want to fill my house with they're entire stockroom. 

I mentioned in my first Jewellery Lust post that I was noticing an emerging trend in ethereal and spiritually themed jewellery. Now that was back in March and the trend is still going strong. Think hamsas, buddhas, pentagrams, semi-precious stones, cuffs, chokers and amulets. 

What I really love about Lost at Sea jewellery is that their products work well with any style. I'm a bit of a grunge fiend, but at the same time I like to look feminine, and Lost at Sea jewellery helps to pull it all together. 

I recently ordered their Albirio Coin Collar Necklace in both silver and gold, and I haven't stopped wearing them. They're so dramatic and are timeless statement pieces. At only £12 each I thought it was a steel, especially compared to high street prices. 

I'm currently in the throws of redecorating my room, so next on the agenda is some Lost at Sea homewares. It'll be dream catcher galore! 

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London Fashion Weekend Street Style

London Fashion Week flashed by me in a blink of an eye. I barely got a chance to sift through some of the shows and pick out some common trends for SS15 before it moved on to lands afar. If like me you saw the whole event as a bit of a blur and wanted a well-rounded summary of the whole thing, then London Fashion Weekend was the place to be. 

For those of you that haven't heard of LFWEnd before, it's a more commercial version of London Fashion Week that's open to the general public, with tickets available at a variety of prices. The whole event spans from the Thursday to the Sunday and consists of dozens of designer brands showcasing their wares and giving anyone with a ticket cheeky discounts! If that wasn't enough, there are also designer and trend catwalk shows. This season's event featured designers such as Amanda Wakely, Nicholas Oakwell Couture, Notte by Marchesa and Fyodor Golan.

The trend shows are a summary of the top 4 key trends of the season. That's right!! Instead of watching shows of trends you can't get your hands on for a whole year, LFWEnd focuses on the trends for the very next season, making sure we've got our wardrobes in order for when winter does arrive.

Now if you are a fan of the whole seasonal event,  you'll know that street style is where everyone's eyes are really at. What people where to the LFW is just as important as what's on the catwalk, and that vibe still runs strong into the weekend.

Whilst I was milling around eyeing up some of the fantastic clothing and jewellery stands, I happened to notice a few people whose style game was on point! There were 4 main trends that were really prominent throughout the day, and these girls had those trends nailed.

1. Grunge

If you've read any of my fashion posts before you'll know that grunge is my go-to style. I'm addicted to black and when it comes to shoes, the chunkier the better. These were girls of my own heart. With grunge style, if you are going to be wearing a lot of the same colour e.g. black, texture and layering are key. I love how the tartan pleating contrasts with the monochrome fur on the jumper of the girl on the left, and just adds a touch of colour.

The girl on the right has added a sport luxe element to her grunge style with the sports bra style crop and the loose fitting trousers. The long cardigan works to pull the two pieces together and the cute up-do takes away any harshness.

2. One and Only

This is one of the trends focused on during the LFWEnd trend shows. It's all about patronizing one particular colour, using texture and tailoring to create feminine yet severe silhouettes.These two girls caught my eye from a mile off. The tailoring of the high wasted trousers and the crop teamed with the pixie crop hairstyle created an elegant androgynous feel. So simple yet so dramatic, and a perfect way of bringing an edgy vibe to what was already a strong shade of blue. 

White can be worn in a variety of ways, from sporty to severe, but I think this playful display of white is my favorite. It's an outfit that brings a smile to your face instantly. There's nothing over-complicated about this outfit which really goes to show that with this trend, less is more. The shift dress hangs effortlessly whilst the cleated soles take it to a casual yet kitsch level. It contrasts brilliantly with the perfectly coiffed afro, and the pastel blue bag is just the right touch of colour. 

3. Monochrome

We all know for a fact that the monochrome trend will NEVER die, so why not embrace it like this  girl has done! When its a gorgeous sunny day, sometimes all black and a bit of white can seem too harsh, but swap that black for a silvery grey or even a gunmetal shade and you've added a bit of sun to your outfit. The soft grey of the coat works really well in contrast with her light blonde hair and the white t-shirt, whilst the sunglasses again add remnants of summer. I don't want to sound cliche, but the only way I can describe this outfit is cool. And it is. It's effortlessly cool, and the epitome of casual street style. 

4. Vintage 

If vintage is your favourite style, then really the world is your oyster. Just from these three girls alone you can see the variety, and that's why I chose them. Each of them is individually unique in the way they have styled a vintage look. Vintage means you can get as crazy and daring as you like, and a perfect example is how the girl on the left has teamed a classically vintage shirt with a metallic silver pencil skirt. The chunky boots collaborate with the skirt to bring a modern edge to the shirt. The contrast of the tight fitting skirt and loose fitting shirt is always a flattering silhouette too. 

I absolutely adored the way the girl in the middle roles up the legs of her dungarees and paired them with some dainty heels, showing off just the right amount of ankle. There isn't much you can do with a pair of full length dungarees, but the way this girl has styled hers is a worthy template for everyone. 

Last but certainly not least is the girl on the right. If I'd have seen the fluffy bardot top and the vintage peg leg trousers laid out together I never would have thought they'd work, but sometimes, when you try an outfit on it can drastically change, for better or for worse. Here the outfit definitely changes for the better. The trousers are so vibrant and colourful that it needs something simple to go with it. I never would have guessed white as a worthy companion, but in this case the contrasts compliment each other. 

Steph x x x

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DIY Ripped Jeans Tutorial

 

Don't get me wrong, I love the fashion world and watching each season as it creates covetable trends and fads for us to stuff our wardrobes with, but nothing grinds my gears more than a rip-off trend. 

Now what do I mean by a rip-off trend? I'm talking about the popularization of something that's been around for ages and no one batted an eyelid, only for someone to wear it standing outside Somerset House during LFW and suddenly it's worth its weight in gold. OR, having to pay through the nose for a trend you can very easily make at home. 

Now this post is about the latter, and more specifically, ripped jeans! I get in such a rage seeing certain high street brands charge £40 or more for a pair of ripped jeans. Its so ridiculous. The trend is based off something we do accidentally to our clothes at home anyway, so why not do it accidentally on purpose and save yourself quite a bit of money. 

After saying that, you're probably thinking 'Well if it's that easy, what's the point in a tutorial?' Unless you're willing to adorn your unloved jeans and do a few knee skids on the living room floor, there's a quicker and less painful way to create that worn and torn look. 

The reason for the tutorial is that since this trend came about, I've seen a lot of terrible DIY attempts roaming the streets because people think it's as easy as taking a pair of scissors to your denim kneecaps, but for a realistic tear, a lot more commitment is required. 

What You'll Need

An old pair of denim jeans 

Sandpaper or a wire brush

A white pen/ eyeliner/ piece of chalk/ silver gel pen

A small, pointy and sharp pair of scissors

A small piece of cardboard

Step 1: Try on the jeans, and draw a line across the middle of your knee 

Step 2: Stuff the small piece of cardboard inside the leg you're going to start on first, so as to protect the back part of the leg. It also creates a stable surface for you to work with, and saves you sandpapering your own hand. 

Step 3: Grab your wire brush/ rip off a section of sand paper, and start rubbing along the line you've drawn. In most cases the line will rub away, but once you've made a start you'll know where to rub. How long this takes will depend on how thick the denim is, but just keep going until you start making small holes or tears in the denim. It took me a good 15 minutes on each leg, and a whole sheet of sand paper. 

Step 4: Now if you want, you can leave it hear, and leave everyday wear of the jeans to widen the holes and tears you've already made, However if you want the results straight away, stretch the fabric with your fingers and quickly slice along the tears you've already made to create one big tear. Be careful not to stab yourself in the finger like I did. 

I'd love to hear of any fashion DIY's you've achieved at home. Let me know in the comments. 

Steph x x x

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Textured Nails

Nail varnish. 

Oh how I love it. Oh how I'm addicted to it. 

I am a self-confessed nail varnish hoarder, and this post is basically about how that hoard has just grown by two. 

Words cannot explain how much I love the fact that the world of nail art has expanded into so many forms, whether it's nail wraps, art pens, confetti, sequins, magnets, or crocodile effects. 

I used to bite my nails quite badly (sometimes if i'm stressed or nervous or bored I still do), but I must say the wide range of options available when it comes to nail art has become my motivation to stop. 

So these two nail varnishes were quite a spontaneous purchase, but these two textured effects I hadn't yet tried, so to a nail varnish hoarder, this purchase was a must. 

The varnishes I bought were Barry M's Classic Matte Nail Paint in Burgundy Crush, and Seventeen's Rock Hard Nail Effects in Grey. 

                                                                                                                                     

The Barry M Matte Nail Paint is the first matte nail varnish I've tried, and I was really impressed. I was a bit disappointed with the range of colours in this collections, which consisted of just this Burgundy shade, a Black, a Light Brown Caramel, a Nude Vanilla and a Brown Mocha. Granted, all of these shades would look amazing in matte effect,but I think this is an effect that I personally think if it was on every Barry M shade, I'd happily buy the entire lot with my life savings. 

It applies really evenly, and two coats is enough for an opaque, matte finish. I think for a grungey look, this particular shade is a nice, more Summery alternative to black. 

One thing that I was really surprised with was how long it was before the varnish chipped. I really love Barry M as a brand, simply for it's variety of shades and effects, but I do have a few issues with how quickly the varnishes chip, but this particular shade was quite resilient, and that was without a top coat, which would obviously take away the matte effect. 

As for Seventeen, I've never used their products before, but was attracted to their Rock Hard Nail Effects collection. Said to give your nails a gritty concrete effect, I was really curious as to how this would look. 

I really like the grey colour, and again it applied really evenly, and two coats is more than enough for an even finish. This is an effect that I think can only be noticed up close, but it does look good. The varnish is supposed to be matte as well, but the matte effect is nowhere near as noticeable as the Barry M varnish. 

This varnish also comes in a red, a black and a blue. 

Steph x x x

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The Return of the Choker

YESSS!!! Choker’s are back (can you tell I’m excited?)

In my opinion, there’s not much that can be salvaged from the 90s when it comes to fashion, although I was pretty young then, and the stuff my Mum dressed me in was pretty shocking. However one item that I’m very happy to hear is making a comeback is the choker.

When it comes to colours, styles and textures the sky is the limit, in fact statement necklaces are still in right now, so the bigger and bolder the better. This trend is so tasteful, and I love that there are two sides to this trend. Both the grungy, punk rock style and the understated, refined style (also known as necklace cuffs) go to prove that something so simplistic can actually make a dramatic change to an outfit.

If it is the more understated look that you prefer, a simple gold or silver band is enough to add an element of glamour to whatever it is you’re wearing, whilst elaborate, jewel encrusted statement pieces are all you need to add drama to something that was previously quite subtle.

This is actually a trend that is so flexible that if you’re a dab hand at crafts, you could even make your own.  

The current interpretation of the choker trend is very varied, but I’m a sucker for nostalgia, so I’m really pleased that the ever so 90s stretch tattoo chokers as well as the simplistic black velvet ribbon chokers are working their way onto the high street, so at the moment, I’m definitely veering towards the grungy look.

So just recently I purchased a velvet ribbon choker with pentagram charm from Ebay, and I’m absolutely in love with it. It gives an instant retro gothic look to anything I wear it with. 

One of my favorite jewelry companies Regal Rose do some amazing chokers here that I can't wait to get my hands on, so go check them out if you're looking to get one yourself.   

I'd love to hear your views on the choker. Do you prefer grungy or refined? What are you wearing yours with? I'm really enjoying discovering new blogs, so get commenting so I can look at yours : )

Steph x x x

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Hello Everybody!!!!!

Eeeeeek my first post!

 I'm actually more nervous about this than you can imagine, and I'm very new to this so please be kind. Having my own blog to explore and express my love of fashion and beauty has always been an ambition of mine, and I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so I've been putting off this first post, constantly telling myself there's more I can do to prepare (crazy I know) But I've forced myself to dive straight in, otherwise this blog space I've spent ages setting up will just sit here empty. 

I've spent quite some time following some amazing bloggers, and decided to get involved myself. I feel I have quite a unique sense of style that I really want to share with you. 

 I've just recently graduated after dedicating three years to an English Literature degree (another one of my passions) and I think those three years was when I really developed as a person. I discovered my passions, my own sense of style, and really thrived in being given the opportunity to be individual and discover my identity. I did struggle for a while though. Being 5'2, with a rather curvaceous figure meant that there were a few styles that were shut off to me, and for someone just starting to explore their style, that was quite hard to accept. Now though, I feel I have created something that reflects everything I love. 

I love anything dark, weird and unusual, and try my best to portray that in the way I dress, and as you've probably figured from the title of this blog, I love to wear heels, they're my weakness. The chunkier, more dramatic, and more likely they are to give me altitude sickness, the better. I would say that's what the majority of my hard earned cash goes on, so you can expect to see a lot of shoe porn haha.  

If you're wondering what you can expect from Blood, Sweat and Heels, well, it'll be a mixture of today-im-wearing posts, product reviews, trend and runway reports, some of my favorite things,  and me and my hairdresser friend Natalie (I'll introduce you to her at a later date) are going to throw some awesome hair tutorials your way, inspired by the latest catwalk and celebrity looks. 

Well aren't you guys in for a treat : p

Really can't wait to get started, and I hope you enjoy reading Blood, Sweat and Heels as much as I enjoy making it. 

Stephanie x x x x

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