Blogmas Day 29: Into The Woods - OOTD

Dress - Boohoo.com

PU Leather Jacket - Missbehaver.com

Scarf - Asos.com

Gloves - Asos.com

Satchel - F&F at Tesco 

Boots - Miss Selfridge

Lipstick - MAC Cyber

So I'll admit I've been pretty crappy with Blogmas, however I'm pretty pleased with how much content I've managed to come up with, and I really hope you've enjoyed it. 

With the chaos of Christmas finally over, I decided to pick my camera up once more and get back into the swing of things with a good ol' Outfit of the Day post. 

I've been meaning to do another one for ages, especially since I got this new dress from Boohoo.com. 

I've never owned a wrap dress before, but for anyone with a curvy figure they're incredible flattering. I'd never looked twice at one until I saw this print. From a distance it looks like any old monochrome pattern, but close-up the detailed woodland print becomes clear. 

What I really love about it is that you can dress it up and down, and that goes for the boots too. They were a brilliant Black Friday buy that go with absolutely everything, from dresses to ripped jeans. I'm such a sucker for a chunky heel. 

The scarf and gloves also featured in my Black Friday post and were my best bargain buys. So happy to finally own a pair of leather gloves. 

All in all I feel the contrast of soft fabrics with leather, as well as matte with glossy makes for an outfit suitable for a variety of occasions, be it a meal out or a walk in the woods (not if it's muddy though, the boots now need a good scrub; luckily they're washable). 

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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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Camden Bargain Buys

 

 

Ahh Camden. My home away from home. 

I'm forever discovering new and interesting places in London that fulfill my needs for the weird, wonderful and bizarre, but every time I go to London, I'll always at one point or the other find myself returning to Camden. 

Not only did it play a huge part of my childhood (yes I was an Emo/Scene Kid) but it is an amalgation of all the things I love: music, fashion, food and BARGAINS!

During the months of June/July, I got to visit Camden twice. Once with the lovely Fi Shemmans before the Cosmopolitan Superblogger Masterclass, and then with my best friend George Puddephatt for a nostalgic catch-up . 

Camden has changed a lot since I was 15/16, especially when it comes to shopping. It has definitely become more commercial. I'm not complaining, it just means you have to hunt a bit harder for those unique items. 

The t-shirt pictured above I bought from the market on the right hand side of the river, with the Vespa seating area. Because of all the food stalls there I always forget that there are shops behind them, but on this occassion Fi reminded me, and we spent a good hour or two there. The t-shirt came from a stall selling tonnes of garish yet eye-catching graphic print tees. Falling back into my monochrome habits, I fell in love with this particular one. It's got a sports luxe meet grunge vibe about it, and I could instantly picture in my head how I wanted to style it. For only £12 I thought it was an absolute bargain. 

The sunglasses were an emergency buy. Whilst waiting for George to meet me in Camden, I'd realised I'd forgotten my sunglasses, and the sun was blinding. Upon walking towards the main stables I  found a mini market on the left side of the street, with one vendor selling hundreds of on-trend sunglasses for £5. From flip-up sunglasses to oil slick, this guy had everything. I must have spent a good 20 minutes trying them on before deciding on this gold-rimmed oil slick pair. They are a proper statement and for £5 I won't be to heartbroken when I loose them (and believe me I will). 

Lastly but certainly not least are the bohemian bracelets and bindis. These came from a Middle Eastern shop just a few minutes Camden station. You can smell the incense a mile off, and the gorgeous colour scheme of oranges, reds, yellows and pinks draws you in. This shop has a pic 'n' mix system, where you grab a bowl and sift through piles of bracelets, rings, anklets and incense all priced between 20p and £1. It's hard not to go overboard, but when you see how much jewellery like this is going for in high street brands you'd be well and truly justified to do so. 

So if you're ever in London and looking for a bargain, take a little trip to Camden. Even if you don't buy anything, I guarantee it's a visit you won't forget.  

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What I Wore: Floral Grunge at London Zoo

Two weeks ago today I was preparing to celebrate my 22nd birthday at ZSL London Zoo Lates, a festival for adults held at the zoo (you can read all about it here ). The day before, I still hadn't chosen my birthday outfit (I'm not the only one that has birthday outfits right?) I was in a bit of a panic. Yet again I'd left it to the last minute, so ordering online was out the window. My only option was Bedford Town Centre. I'm not complaining, but with only a handful of high street brands, I was worried I would end up grabbing any old thing for the sake of having something new, or come home empty handed. And to add to the stress, what the hell do you wear to a party at a zoo?!

I looked through Topshop, New Look, River Island, Oasis and Warehouse, but remained uninspired, which I was really surprised about considering I've been so obsessed with New Look lately.  My last stop was a Miss Selfridge concessionary department in Beales. I adore Miss Selfridge's style, but being a small concessionary shop with very small stock, I didn't get my hopes up.

I was pleasantly surprised though. I was desperate for a bit of colour , and Miss Selfridge was packed full of it. I had originally been looking for a nice summery dress but when I saw the range of vibrant crops Miss Selfridge had in store, I decided for the first time to try some on. Now crops are intimidating, especially if you don't have a flat stomach, and if you have a large chest like I do, but my advice to all of you out there like me is don't write crops off completely. Try some different styles and you will find ones that suit you. I would recommend crops that are square in shape - they don't cling and emphasise your chest, instead they make your waist look smaller. I would also recommend not wearing a padded bra - if you want to make your chest look smaller, they are your worst enemy.

Anyhoo, I saw this tropically floral crop, tried it and fell in love. It was a nice, loose fit, worked well with my hair and was perfect for day and evening looks. It had a skirt to match, which I was so tempted to get, but it was quite restricting. Unfortunately they're now sold out, but you can find a very similar style here.

I adore the summery, hippy grunge look that's around at the moment, and really wanted to give it a go, so I paired the top with some high-waisted denim shorts which I'd roughed up with a cheesegrater (cheeky life hack) and my white flatform sandals. My hair is way to thick for full-on grunge buns, so I went for the half up, half down style, and teamed it with a delicate bindi, a pack of which I bought from Camden for £1, and my £5 circle mirror sunglasses (again from Camden).

I'm planning on doing a separate post on crops and the variety of styles for different body shapes, but until then, I hope you've enjoyed today's post, and have an awesome weekend!

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Outfit of the Day with Missguided and Boohoo.com

Tartan Dress : Missguided.com (now only available in green) £16.09

Olivia Cleated Sole and Tread Lace Up Boots: Boohoo.com £45

Black Beanie Hat: Primark £2

Black Floral Sunglasses : Primark £3

90s Style Tattoo Choker: Moon Child £2.99

Silver Daisy Necklace: Balagan Jewellery (not yet on sale) 

If like me you love to channel a bit of grunge in your outfit, then a tartan dress is a staple. This one from Missguided uses navy instead of black which I think makes it a bit more suitable for Summer, and the thin flowing material helps to create quite a feminine silhouette, which counteracts the harshness of the black accessories. 

Talking of which, Primark have an incredible range of ABSOLUTELY BONKERS sunglasses, in fact there are some which I think are stepping outside the definition of what sunglasses are. I saw some that were literally the word 'LOVE' made to sit on your face, with your eyes peeping through the O and the lower half of the E. I didn't want anything too crazy, so I thought these were somewhere in the middle. They're chunky and make a statement whilst remaining flexible enough to work with a variety of outfits. 

Don't even get me started on the shoes. They are my babies. Being 5'2, they're the only pair of shoes that get me even close to average height. They're surprisingly comfortable and easy to walk in, and if you are short like me, they're amazing for making your legs look like they go on forever. I'm a sucker for a mega chunky black shoe, and these help me turn something girly into something with a bit of an edge. 

Moon Child is a shop on Big Cartel that sells an awesome range of witchy and spiritual jewellery, from chokers and ohm pendants to charm and gemstone rings. This is a jewellery trend that's becoming huge, so this is definitely a brand to watch. 

Steph x x x

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Skulls and Daisies with the Balagan Group 2013/14 Collection

So the lovely people at the Balagan Group were kind enough to send me a selection of pieces from their 2013/14 collection. 

One thing I love about the Balagan group is that all of their jewellery is hand made. It's so refreshing to hear about a brand like this, in among a sea of products made by machines or made abroad. 

If that wasn't enough, the Balagan group's philosophy is 'Jewellery for self-expression.' 

I couldn't agree more. 

With statement jewellery being the trend of the season right now, more than ever we're looking at how necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings and even head pieces can express our own unique identity, whether it's your mood, your passions or your style. 

Balagan means 'chaos', and even though there's such a huge selection of jewellery to choose from in this collection, there was no chaos involved in choosing the pieces that I thought would help express me and my style. 

As you can see, the collection varies dramatically from one piece to the next. 

My ultimate favorite is the Silver Holly Leaf necklace from the Blowing in the Wind collection. The leaf pendant itself is gorgeous, but I also love the delicate silver chain with tiny rings placed along it. 

I've also had many complements on the interlocking ring, just because it's so different. Usually I like to wear a lot of rings on one hand, but I think this ring looks perfect by itself. 

The skull pieces I chose because I thought they were incredible cute, with just enough grungy essence to suit my own personal style. The earrings are tiny, but look really good mixed with a selection of other earrings on the ear where I have multiple piercings, and the droop earrings are perfect for a night out, adding just a touch of glamour. They're the kind of earrings that annoyingly leave people starring for ages at your ear as they try and figure out what they are. 

With daisies being SO on trend at the moment,  I felt like I had no choice but to request the earrings and necklace. They're so delicate and simple, but add a little bit of kitsch to an outfit.You can also never go wrong with floral earrings really. 

Lastly, but certainly not least are the Opal earrings. I chose these simple because of the colour. Pastels and brights are massively on trend at the moment, and I couldn't help but feel that these were the best of both worlds. I adore how the colours change in the light, and considering I have a very monochrome based wardrobe (a habit I'm trying very hard to break) these are a perfect addition of colour. 

At the moment, the Balagan group is just a wholesale jewellery supplier, BUT as we speak they are in the process of setting up an online retail store called the Karma Cafe, so as of yet, these products aren't available for purchase, but watch this space. 

Let me know what you think of the products, and if you've come across any amazing jewellery brands lately. 

Steph x x x

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Jewellery Lust

Hello lovelies. For today’s post, I've decided to share with you beautiful people two amazing jewellery brands that I've discovered in the last few weeks or so.

 For me, when it comes to jewellery, I love anything really unique and different. Sometimes I think an epic piece of statement jewellery can make an outfit, and some of my favorite outfits are ones where I dress quite simplistically, but team it with a really unusual necklace or ring.

 These two brands definitely fit into that category. 

I fell in love with them the moment I saw them. They're the kind of brands where you just want to own absolutely EVERYTHING. So far, I have a piece from each brand, and am slowly working on building up my collection. 

 So the first brand is The Rogue and the Wolf on Etsy. Set up by Eloise H.R and Michael W, these creative geniuses seem to take a lot of inspiration from fairy tales and their love of wild things. From antlers and cat skulls to silver daggers and brambles, their pieces wouldn't look out of place on Maleficent (who by the way is the most badass Disney villain. CANNOT WAIT for the film.) 

 The second brand is Regal Rose. Run by twin sisters Rebecca and Louisa, I feel this brand is part of an emerging fashion trend that consists of the celestial, the mysterious and the romantic. Think crystals, moons, stars and precious stones. Those four elements on their own sound very ‘peace and love’, but Regal Rose adds a slightly grungy element with their use of hard metal that gives their pieces an edge. 

 From The Rogue and the Wolf I bought the Queen of Hearts Crown Ring (as an Alice in Wonderland obsessive, this was a must) and from Regal Rose, their Crystal Cluster Stacking Rings in white acrylic.

So seriously, if you're looking to add a bit of excitement to your jewellery collection, go check out these brands, I guarantee you'll want it all. 

Steph x x 

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