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 Featuring Miss Selfridge, Topshop and New Look

SUN! YES SUN! IT'S HERE! FINALLY!

I may dress every now and then like I'm more comfortable in a dark cave, but I really am a Summer person. 

For months I've been yearning for an opportunity to start creating my Summer wardrobe, and what a better opportunity than now. The items in this Outfit of the Day I've had for a while now, but they seldom get an opportunity to be seen, what with rain and clouds determined to be centre of attention. 

If you read my March Haul, you would have already seen these luminous yellow shorts from Miss Selfridge (which they've now sold out of, but there are some similar ones in peach here, or some shape flattering skorts in a very similar yellow here). These shorts are perfect for elongating the legs and emphasing your waist. 

I don't have much colour in my wardrobe, but when I do I like it to be something very eye-catching and dramatic. Something as simple as a boldly coloured pair of shorts bring a real essence of Summer to an otherwise all black outfit. 

Because I wanted the shorts to be the focal point of my outfit, I teamed it with a very simple loose black cami top from Topshop. These are essential. They're timeless, and can be worn with anything from jeans and skirts to dresses that have a deeper neckline than one might wish. If you're going on holiday and are trying to put together a capsule wardrobe, stock up on these. 

The kimono is one of my recent bargain buys from TKMaxx, for only £25. It's so delicate and airy that it's perfect for sunny days. If you're self-conscious about your arms or back its a gorgeous cover-up that doesn't leave you sweltering in the mid-day sun, and it's brilliant to just throw over a bikini whilst you're on the beach or at a festival. Kimono's are a definite must-have item for this Summer, so if you're looking for a bit of a bargain definitely check out TKMaxx before heading anywhere else. 

The bowler hat is from H&M, and although it's not really that appropriate for this weather, it goes perfectly with this outfit. Also I'm really prone to sunstroke and look silly in most Summer hats, so it was either this or an old beret. 

The chain necklace is from New Look, and is another way of breaking up the black of the top, kimono and hat with another source of colour. 

Finally, the shoes. They are from River Islands A/W collection, but if you wear them without socks and with shorts or a skirt, they're just as good for Summer, however they have a more updated version with an open toe that you can find here. You should know by now that I love my big black chunky shoes, and I never like to look too girly, so these are my way of adding a bit of a grungy edge to this outfit, but some delicate gladiator sandals or some nice block heels would work really well too. 

I'm really interested to hear how your Summer wardrobes are coming along, and if you've found any bargain buys on the way, and also what you're doing to make the most of this gorgeous weather. 

Steph x x x

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