Showing posts with label SS12. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SS12. Show all posts
Tuesday
Thursday
City Slickers: Paris
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| 1. IRO €108 a new take on the Breton stripe tee 2. Sandro €345 a statement jacket is an essential 3. The Kooples £94.50 (in sale) white jeans are a city style staple 4. Alexander Wang Rocco £730 keep it sexy with a studded bag 5. Zara £79.99 Swarovski studded sandals add a luxe edge |
First up we have the city of luuuurve: Paris. Whether you're going on a self-indulgent trip to visit your true love, Chanel, or you are on a sickly sweet romantic trip, Paris is all about style.
This is no place for your extravagant MeadhamKirchoff tees or your zingy neon denim, this is a city that is all about minimal chic. Think Iro, Sandro, The Kooples and Maje.
As far as style icons go, it's all about the beautiful Clemence Poesy. She does elegance with a idiosyncratic touch that makes her the ultimate Parisian girl crush.
I personally have never been to Paris (save a Disneyland trip as a wee one) so cannot offer you any hints on where to eat, drink and shop, but I don't think you can go wrong with plenty of champagne and Laduree macaroons.
My tip? Get the Parisian look ASAP as the sales at The Kooples, Maje, Sandro and Zadig & Voltaire are absolutely amazing. Emmanuelle Alt, eat yer heart out.
What City Slickers guide would you like to see next?
Monday
Flight of Fancy
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| !. The Kooples £63 in SALE 2. Topshop £35 3. ACNE £770 in Net-A-Porter SALE 4. Kurt Geiger £95 |
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| 1. Mulberry £325 and Archie Grand "Jetsetters I Met and Liked" notebook £12 2. Urban Outfitters £16 3. Eve Lom Rescue Cream £45 4. NARS Multiple in Orgasm 5. Clinique Chubby Stick in Woppin' Watermelon £16 6. Ted Baker iPad cover £89 7. Canon Powershot G12 |
It's always a nightmare to know what to wear to fly in. We always see those impossibly perfect style icons swanning on and off their trans-Atlantic flights and it is baffling. How can they look flawless after hours of obligatory excessive peanut and vodka consumption? Or is that just me?...
However, you're in luck as it really is not impossible to look cool after even the most stressful days travel. Opt for comfortable pyjama style pants with a cool jacket and sandals- simple but very off-duty Miranda Kerr. Make sure you've got a generous carry on and DO NOT overfill!
As far as beauty goes, make sure you have a super nourishing cream to hand to stop cabin conditions destroying your skin. Then simply add a little flush with a NARS Multiple and give lips a healthy sheen with a new Clinique Chubby Stick.
My top tip for a stress free holiday? Make lists!
FLIGHT BAG
* Travel docs?
* iPad?
* Camera?
* Make-up?
* Purse?
* Tickets?
* Hairbrush?
* Notepad?
* Pen?
* Shades?
* Headphones?
* Hand sanitiser?
* Phone
What else is essential in your carry on?
Wednesday
Pin It!
This week, as my deadlines are ALMOST out the way, I decided to turn my hand to Pinterest (bare with- i'm not exactly accomplished just yet!)
I'm not sure what direction to take my Pinterest in just yet, so at the moment it is a bit of a muddle, but i've done a lovely little moodboard using pieces from the new M&S Limited Collection (follow M&S on Pinterest HERE)
I decided i'd cherry pick a selection from their own board and put together a gorgeous summer look. I chose a dress and styled it to look elegant but still a little edgy. The pretty apricot dress is versatile- a chiffon shift with asymmetric detail- which I decided to play down with nude and gold accessories, with a splash of aqua for a cheerful summer touch. I feel the look is perfect for a summer wedding, an event that is always tricky to dress for.
Pair with a golden tan, loose sunkissed waves and a pretty printed clutch bag to add another dimension to the look.
A little Olivia Palermo, a little Kate Middleton and all from your local M&S!
Tuesday
Tuesday Bluesday
To lift my mood I thought i'd hit the Liberty website to lust after things that I can't afford- depressing but so pretty! I fell in love with this Hermione de Paula scarf at the weekend- all swirly florals with arty pink flamingo detailing and I also think a wardrobe is incomplete without a McQueen scarf and this one (a tearjerking £355) is my favourite to date- who knew skulls could be so pretty? I love it!
What's more, loyalty card holders and those who picked up the Sunday Times Style will also be entitled to £30 off on a spend over £150! £325 doesn't seem so bad does it? Surely that's justified!
Friday
Thursday
Ring the Changes!
I don't know about you, but I find there is nothing more annoying than turning up to an event and seeing someone else in the same dress. Of course I do not begrudge them and their fantastic taste, but it is still a little disheartening to be matching and creates that inevitable niggle of "who wears it better?"
This is not the individual's fault, though, and is down to a pretty limited offering on the high street. Yes, each store churns out a number of gorgeous dresses, wonderfully varied in style, but there are only a few truly outstanding pieces in each collection, and these get snapped up by everyone. This leads to these dresses being ten-a-penny in your local bar, and ultimately being copied by Primark and market stall stands (see the body-con tiger print Topshop dress).
This provoked me to ring the changes a bit, give my online shopping a spring clean. Instead of searching through my usual Topshop, Miss Selfridge, Zara routine, I am thinking outside the box and have landed on pretty Brit brands like InLoveWithFashion (see my post here), Three Floor (see here) and Dahlia Fashion.
The Dahlia Fashion SS12 collection is a total treat. Though the range is available in Topshop, it is far less ubiquitous than the mainline collection, and is a little bit cooler as well. I am in love with this slightly kitsch gingham dress that feels ever so girly but still looks sexy with the cut-outs. I am also naturally drawn to this sailor-esque lace dress that is just what any girl needs for a festival.
Best get shopping!
Sunday
Sundaes on a Sunday
This weather, to be frank, is a joke. It's sunny one minute, torrential rain the next. You can't even use a brolly because of the aggressive wind, and any remotely summery clothes are inadequate when faced with a blast of chilly wind. Next week is May. What even is this?!
I long for REAL summer to come. I want to sit outside a pub in Angel in my lace dress, sipping on Elderflower Kopperberg in the uplifting sunshine. I want a BBQ in the park with Rick Stein's tandoori prawns sizzling (see Waitrose magazine). I want to bask in the beaming sunshine until the only feasible way to cool down is to eat ludicrous amounts of Samba Swirl frozen yoghurt, piled high with sweet shop toppings.
And, above all, I want to wear cute and girly clothes.
The Mulberry campaign for SS12 (see my post on said campaign HERE) was all about the charm of the great british summer. Seaside stripes, sticks of rock and the famous Brighton seaside brought the campaign shots to life, and lots of ice cream made it all the more charming. I have fallen in love with a gorgeous Mulberry vest (see the vest HERE) with an ice cream motif, and have noticed lots of kitsch ice cream pieces on the high street as well.
I just could not resist doing a post about my favourite sweet treat in the world: ice cream. Be it Ben and Jerrys or a Mr Whippy, ice cream is the best thing about summer. So enjoy this cheery post to get you through these drizzly, stay indoors and watch telly kind of days.
Meanie Bikini
a) Squirm
b) Scream and curl up under your duvet
c) Grin and whip off your dress to reveal a flawless figure in a Melissa Odabash number
Aside from the enviably and unbearably body-confident among us, most would opt for a or b.
Let's face it: bikini's are, excuse my French, bloody terrifying.
Effectively four little triangles to cover your modesty and that is it. Everything else is on display for intense scrutiny and undeniable bitchiness. For once I am left longing for slouchy knitwear and deceptively loose t-shirts. As much as we should love our bodies, it's not unusual to be slightly critical of the skin you're in.
It is no real secret that I am recovering from an eating disorder. Any regular reader could probably pick up on my obsession with food/skinny women/body image, and as I move into my final term of first year, I am aiming, reluctantly, to get up to a size eight. I am told to gain roughly a stone, the prospect of which fills me with dread, but I hope I can do it and HOPEFULLY won't look too repulsive in a bikini on my holidays.
What could help me, though, is someone buying me a Mulberry bikini in a size eight? Purely for motivational purposes, of course.
While these pretty patterned babies won't exactly conceal any flaws or flatter a fuller figure, they are beyond gorgeous. All swirly florals and pastel perfection, they are simple but still pack a punch and are miles away from those horrendous push-up ones available in most stores at the moment.
Prior to a full bikini edit coming soon to SW Fashion, these offer up just a splash of poolside perfection to whet your appetite.
But if your appetite is the problem when it comes to bikini confidence I have a couple of tips for you (try HERE, HERE and HERE)... Thank me from the beach ladies.
And never forget the three golden rules of bikini shopping:
* Wear PLENTY of fake tan to trick the unflattering changing room lights
* Go before lunch- even skinny girls look hideous in a bikini with a bloated belly
* Try and forget that Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Gisele Bundchen ever existed... They are mere freaks of nature.
Tuesday
Dresses Made for Dazzling
Often I find myself falling head over heels in love with clothes. I see something I want and I must have it.
Earlier this month I did THIS blog post to keep my spending controlled and so far I have been a reasonably good girl! My latest purchase has been this white dress from Miss Selfridge which is beyond gorgeous.
Sadly, though, on entering the Miss Selfridge store I realised that this run of minimal spending has come to an end. How could I live without these sugary, floaty dresses? Just wouldn't be on!
Check out the best dresses on the high street HERE.
Wednesday
Sunshine Smile
I love yellow! It doesn't suit me, it isn't easy to pull off, but I still absolutely love it. Primrose through to mustard, it is such a happy colour and as soon as I see it I almost cheer up!
Our little taste of Summer may have been short lived as snow decides to rear it's ugly head once again, but lets relive it with a beautiful buttery patent Mulberry and these Missguided shoes that I literally can't stop featuring on here! I think I just need to put myself out of my misery and buy a pair. Here's hoping I did okay last term at LCF, so I can justify treating myself to these gorgeous boots (buy them here)... and i'll just keep dreaming on the Mulberry front!
Sssshoe Time
Thank god for my iPad! I downloaded a few magazines to read, one of which was the new issue of Harpers (starring Victoria Beckham looking phenomenal- see here) and I noticed a pair of gorgeous Kurt Geiger heels (£220) that I fell in love with. I also had a little bit of deja vu.
These shoes are just cropping up everywhere! From the versatile but fashionable snakeskin to the metal spike heels and ladylike pointed toe, these have all the markings of an 'it' shoe, and they are affordable! Well, more so than Louis Vuitton!
Mid Week Mossy
Excuse my recent lack of posts- I have been on holiday where wi-fi is beyond temperamental. My salvation has been the fact that the local newsagent stocks Grazia- THANK GOD.
However, I have put together a few little image-based pieces for you to enjoy! Hope you like!
First up is Kate in these GORGEOUS peachy trousers. Pairing with simple black pieces, Kate shows that pastel colours do not have to be saccharine sweet. These Zara slouchy trousers are just like Kate's but are so comfortable- perfect for summer sunshine!
Monday
SS12 Wishlist
And here you have it- my SS12 must have list. I have a few bits and bobs, and these are my must-haves for summer! And were I to buy them all, how much would that set me back? £153.96. A worthwhile investment I reckon!
So why have I chosen these pieces?
THE PALE JEANS Okay, perhaps they are not quite white but these Topshop supersoft jeans are just to die for (read my wee denim review here!). White jeans do seem tricky to pull-off, but they are definitely a summer must-have. Pair with a breton tee and bright flats for a cool springtime look, or try with a patterned blouse and wedges for evening. And with that, we move swiftly on to...
THE SILKY BLOUSE I am a little bit obsessed with blouses, and this Zara floral one is right up there for me. Paired with denim or leather shorts and flats, this watercolour-print blouse is versatile and very easy to wear! I'm also waiting to purchase the studded one from the Zara April lookbook (see it here)
THE DAY-TO-NIGHT DRESS This sparkly Topshop dress is extremely flattering and very feminine. Mint is my favourite colour this season and looks lovely dressed down with flats or up with heels and statement earrings. Try the creamy mint shade with a deep Mulberry purple as I wore today- a beautifully rich colour combo!
THE SNAKESKIN SANDALS (LOW AND HIGH) Snakeskin is a huge trend this season, and is so versatile! It will look perfect with pretty pastels or with neutrals. Metallics can get a little bit boring after a while, so why not mix it up with a pair of snakeskin flats and a pair of wedges for evening!
THE CUTESY BIKINI Every girl loves a pretty bikini, and as I failed to get my hands on the H&M Versace fruity number (refresh your memory here!), this Zara one will certainly do the trick. The flattering halter detail is great for a less than busty girl like myself!
THE TAILORED SHORTS Anything Erdem-esque and i'm smitten, and these well cut Zara shorts are a total bargain! Worn with white tailoring or just a crisp white shirt they are a Summer essential! I love them.
What will be making your SS12 must-have list? Tweet me @SWfashion_ or feel free to comment below!
Hello Moto
In a mad panic over what to wear to London Fashion Week, I was- for the first time in my life, might I add- struggling to find something I wanted in Topshop.
In all seriousness. Me.
And before you snap "go somewhere else then...", I had a skirt to exchange. I saw many pretty dresses and lots of lovely shoes, but nothing was really grabbing me, until I saw a pair of pastel blue jeans.
To this day, I still regret starting ballet at the tender age of three as constant toe-pointing and tippy-toeing has left me with bulging calf muscles which have an annoying tendency to look chunky and tree-trunky. I digress, but basically light denim does NOT flatter me in the slightest.
However, these lovely Leigh jeans had to be an exception! They are soft and stretchy meaning they are comfortable and fit like a dream, and the colour is the perfect way to wear pastels this season without looking like a packet of Love Hearts.
I now have my heart set on the white jeans, and they have made it into my short and concise list of things I need for summer. I just love them! Trust me- these are tried and tested denim that I absolutely love. I don't think i'll be going back to my Abercrombie skinnies again, especially as these are just £38!
Get a pair here, but leave some white ones for me please?
Sunday
Lookbook Love
I am in LOVE with the new Zara April lookbook. Like genuinely feel sad that I can't afford it all! It is all so, so, so gorgeous! From the acid bright statement jewellery, to distressed denim and slick creamy tailoring, I am just head over heels with this collection.
Top of my wishlist are the necklace, the white bouclé jacket and the studded cream blouse. I LONG for the aquatic themed dress but I know I don't have the long legs or the right look to pull it off (violins out please)
See more here, but I would not recommend doing so if you are poor like me. It's depressing.
Thursday
Cheeky and Cheerful
Who doesn't love a bit of fashion fun? I, for one, love an outfit that cheers me up and these Bitching & Junkfood shorts are just the ticket. The bright yellow cut-offs have a little winking face on the back pocket, and are just too cute!
I, however, am nowhere near leggy or cool enough to pull these off, but I still absolutely love them!
Treat yourself to a little Thursday pick-me-up here!
Saturday
Flower Power
While returning a pair of faulty boots to Office (heartbroken as I really did love these studded booties- so much so I posted about them!), I spotted these Ferragamo-esque wedges winking at me from the display. While I have always had a bit of a silly soft spot for an impractical wedge, never have I been drawn to a rainbow striped pair.
These 'Wonderstuff' wedges are, however, the cheeriest shoes I have seen in a long time. How could anything get you down with these on your feet?!
Wear with denim and a blouse for a pared down look, or try with a simple colour block dress for a bold look that certainly packs a punch!
Even the name is bringing a smile to my face!
Monday
The Perfect Look
I adore this look from the Zara People lookbook- it is just so perfect! I think I will be giving this a go! Check it out here!
Friday
Chelsea Chic
An enviable blend of chic French labels like Maje and Sandro (my favourites!) topped off with luxurious accessories and glossy hair, Millie's look is polished elegance balanced with a youthful edge. She dresses the way I would if I were rich... And pretty... And not so lazy.
Her outfit at last night's Look awards is a case in point, showing just how to work brights this season. I love, love, love the look! She tweeted today that she was wearing Australian designer Rachel Gilbert with Jimmy Choo wedges (mmm, so lush!), and her papaya leather jacket is by the amazing Parisian brand Carven. I adore her style- she is the perfect example of how to wear a trend without looking a fashion victim.
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