Style Speaks Louder

Sunshine!! Finally we have been blessed in the UK with sunny spring weather and although its not quite time to start shedding the layers its definitely time to start lightening up.



Here is one of my casual spring time looks, featuring my go-to Ted Baker classic beige mac and my new Nicholas Kirkwood pointed flats.





I'm so excited about the weather getting warmer because it means I can wear these Nicholas Kirkwood silk printed flats that I picked up in the Net-A-Porter sale after drooling over them last summer. Aren't they beautiful!



What is key to spring style is light layers, so I have layered a vibrant ribbed Topshop jumper over a muted grey Zoe Karssen t-shirt, with customised ripped jeans and finishing off with a classic light beige belted mac from Ted Baker. I added my Paul Costelloe pink over the shoulder bag (similar here) to add a pop of colour to clash with my Topshop knit (similar here), it is spring after all, time to say goodbye to #allblackeverything.



What are you itching to wear this spring?

Thanks for reading x

I love the season that is Autumn, everything looks so romantic with orange leaves floating down from the sky and the Autumn sun casting silhouettes. Its also the time of year that pumpkins come out to play in various forms in the run up to Halloween.
Pumpkin and squash are my favourite Autumn treats and I also like to indulge in pumpkin spiced lattes (AKA PSL) so I thought I would make a make-up look inspired by the month and the PSL.

I've used pretty orange hues on my eyes and my lips to create this cosy Autumn make-up look.

The orange eye-shadow and lip products are Topshop products that I bought towards the beginning of the year but I've gone back to them to re-work them for Autumn by introducing more earthy tones to my eye colour from my (favourite) bareMinerals eye-shadow palette.



To get the pretty burnt orange colour on my eyes I used the orange shade from Topshop's 'Long Weekend' eye-shadow duo and swished this over my lids, I then went over with a small amount of the glitzy gold hue from the duo to add a bit of dimension. I then took the shade 'Get Ahead' from the bareMinerals Power Neutrals palette and added this to the outer corner of my eyes blending into the socket. I added a final pat of the Long Weekend Orange to the centre of my lid to make the colour pop.

For the lips I patted on Topshop's Lip Cream in Pout, a little of this colour goes a long way so I smoothed the colour into my lips with my finger. They no longer sell Pout on the website but Topshop's Lip Varnish in Fun and Games is very similar.

All make up used for this look:

[caption id="attachment_543" align="alignnone" width="2000"] The Body Shop honeycomb bronzer, bareMinerals 'Get Ahead' eyeshadow, bareMinerals blush French Kiss, Topshop Long Weekend eye duo, Topshop Lip Cream, Topshop Magic Liner, bareMinerals foundation.[/caption]

*All the make up used in this look is cruelty free at the time of going to publication.

As you may know I live in my jeans, specifically skinny jeans - the skinnier the better, but I've been crushing on boyfriend jeans (or should they be husband jeans if you are married? ) and I recently bought these ripped up slouchy boyfriend jeans.

I've been wearing them mostly with Nike Air Max trainers and t-shirts - keeping it simple but I love how they can be dressed up here with a silk white lace top and some pointed flats.







I live in South East London where these beautiful old warehouses used to be used during the war for ammunition production, and have been restored and converted into flats.

I just love the architecture of the warehouses and how each one holds a piece of our history.



Maple also enjoyed her little exploration of the warehouses, even if it was a little windy that day....



DERP!



Jeans:Topshop,  Top:Zara (old) similar here,  Shoes: ASOS,  Bag: Paul Costelloe similar here 

I have been having a bit of  a beauty moment recently and yesterday I went on a mini beauty spree in Westfield and above are the fruits of my labor. We were in Westfield to watch Godzilla and I had a good 30 mins to kill so I took full advantage.

First up was bareMinerals in Boots where I replaced my missing bareMinerals foundation. I have missed this little baby from my beauty box recently and I'm so glad to have it back - I feel like myself again. I originally wanted a slightly darker shade of Light but I had to take the Fairly Light as that's all they had at the time. I'm happy to wear either shade as both suit my skin tone.

Next up was Body Shop and I need to credit EssieButton here as she is the reason I made my purchases. #thebloggermademedoit.

On her YouTube channel and her blog she has recommended both products that I purchased and after seeing them in store I knew I wanted them.



The first product is the Aloe Lip Care which soothes very dry lips and as Essie explained will fix any problems with dryness you might have with your lips. I tried the product on in the cinema because I couldn't wait to get home. The smell is amazing and the product is quick thick but not gloopy and really does feel that it is doing good.

The second product I got was the Honeycomb Bronzer in shade 02 which Essie described as giving an excellent al-round glow. They didnt have any out on the shelf so I had to ask a shop assistant who very kindly went and got me one from the back. However there was only one shade, which I swatched before buying and it suited me, but I would have liked to see the full range of shades. Saying that this bronzer is amazing, it has given an excellent natural glow and has not left me looking orange or like I have fallen in a vat of fake tan.

I next trotted over to Topshop, just for a look really, and ended up buying four beauty products. Oops.



They had an offer where if you spend over £15 you received a free Lip Cream - so it seemed rude not to.



I had actually had my eye on the Eyes Duo - Long Weekend set after swatching the peachy orange a while ago. I must say it is an excellent eyeshadow. The peachy orange colour is really complimentary and adds a pop of colour to the eye without looking too unnatural. The gold shade on the other side is very shimmery and translucent and I would probably wear it to go out in.



I also wanted to get a more precise eyeliner so I picked up the Magic Liner which has a perfect pointed felt tip end, great for flicking. However after first use it is apparent that I need alot more practice with it.

I also picked up the Matte Nails nail colour in 20N11F PNK - which is a pretty pale pink. I have yet to try it on but I'm interested to see what the matte effect    will look like.



And finally I picked up the Lip Cream, for free, in Pout - which is a very bright orange. I would have preferred a pinker shade but it was either the orange or a plum shade and I quite liked the orange. The smell of the lip cream is very sweet and nice but the application is tricky, it goes on quite thick and clumps if you have any dry spots on your lips and I needed to rub the colour into my lips to make it look smooth. I still really liked the colour on my lips however but for the quality I'm not sure I would purchase it again.

Well those are my recent beauty buys. Leave me a comment letting me know if you have bought any of the above products recently and what you think. x

So I have been rearranging my wardrobe recently, doing a bit of a spring reshuffle and some colour coordinating. My wardrobe looks so organised!

While I was re-organising I re-discovered my lemon yellow pleated midi skirt from Oasis that I bought over a year ago but I have never worn. I really wanted to keep the skirt but its not as easy to throw on like a pair of jeans are, so I thought I'd have a root around my wardrobe and come up with some different ways to make the skirt more wearable.

Floaty pleated skirts are all over the place right now and they just feel so pretty and summery so I really want to get this beauty out into the daylight.

For a similar yellow pleated skirt try this sporty pleat midi from Topshop or this yellow circle jersey  skirt from Cos.

LOOK 1 - Grunge/Casual  One of the reasons that I haven't worn this skirt is that it seems like effort and its such a pretty skirt and I can be a little anti - pretty most of the time.

[caption id="attachment_359" align="alignnone" width="630"] Oasis Skirt, Luella t-shirt, vintage belt, RayBan sunglasses, ASOS chelsea boots, Born in Canada cuff[/caption]

This Grunge style look is effortless, I don't like wearing heels as I'm already tall enough and why put my feet through this. So I'm either in my trainers or flat black boots. The white Luella bat-man print tee is fun and quirky and takes away the formality of wearing a full pleated skirt. I could easily wear this as a casual day time look - completed with a leather jacket of course.

[caption id="attachment_358" align="alignnone" width="630"] Leather Jacket - Urban Code[/caption]

For a similar look I love these slogan print tees:



 

 

 

 

LOOK 2 - Sport Luxe I really like the idea of wearing skirts with trainers, its the Tom-boy within me always looking to get my feet into trainers. So as a result I am a little obsessed with trainer wedges/heels. Call them what you like, they look cool and are easy-peasy to walk in - remember I don't like heels. Wedges are a different category though so its ok. I'm not really the type for crop tops, and this is in fact a folded up t-shirt, but I thought it was a fun way to pair a simple white tee with the skirt and it works.

[caption id="attachment_357" align="alignnone" width="630"] Splendid T-shirt rolled up, Necklace from eBay. Orange watch Michael Kors and Ash silver trainer wedges.[/caption]

If you, like me, are less likely to wear a cropped t-shirt anywhere other than your balcony then you could pair a sporty style t-shirt similar to the Primark quilted faux leather tee below:

[caption id="attachment_360" align="alignnone" width="630"] Primark grey quilted faux leather t-shirt[/caption]

For a similar look try these tees:

  

Look 3 - Date Night Black  I'm really looking forward to wearing this skirt in the evening as I think would be more fun to wear colour in the evening especially as the weather is getting warmer. So I have teamed it with three different black lace or sheer shirts I have for a more sophisticated look - one includes heels (well wedges)

[caption id="attachment_356" align="alignnone" width="1100"] L-R Vintage Lace shirt with Office peep toe wedges, Topshop lace peplum shirt with ASOS Ladybug flats and Primark sheer shirt with ASOS belt and shoes as before[/caption]

I really like the vintage lace shirt from Look one and because it was so lacey I felt that it should be teamed with some wedge booties which I got a while ago from Office.

The Topshop lace peplum top in Look two adds to the shape of the skirt with the peplum spilling over the top of the skirt to add extra volume. I think the ASOS flats look pretty cute with this skirt too.

 I added a belt around the peplum of the top to cinch it in at the waist and teamed my cobalt blue clutch with it for a colour pop.

 

The Primark sheer blouse in Look three is a more laid back simple look which I like alot, you could wear this to the office and then out for dinner or just for relaxed drinks and dressed up with simple court heels if you are the sort for high heels.

 

But with flats you can dance around, like this:



So hopefully this little yellow skirt will be making its outing very soon. Leave me a comment below telling me which look you like best or how you would wear your lemon pleated skirt.

When it comes to my staple wardrobes items jeans and a t-shirt make the top of  the list, closely followed by a clean simple jumper. I'm not a girly girl so I practically live in jeans and a t-shirt or when its still cool weather, like it is now -  a nice fine knit jumper.

I'm a little obsessed with finding the 'perfect' white t-shirt. In my eyes there are a few boxes it has to tick. The material has to be either a soft cotton or a fine jersey so the material drapes and hangs nicely and the sleeves have to be the right length and create the right overall shape. The neck line should be flattering - I am still looking for the perfect round neck that isn't too high or too low - but this Topshop tee (above) is a pretty good v-neck - low enough to be flattering but not revealing. I am pretty pleased with this white v-neck and you can be surprised how good a decent white t-shirt can look.

When it comes to jeans I prefer to buy from Topshop rather than any other high street retailer. For my height (I'm 5'9) they fit me perfectly and have a range of leg lengths, although I prefer my jeans to neatly end at my ankles so I choose a 32 inch leg and a 28 inch waist.

These are the Leigh style jeans which are a soft skinny leg jeans. The leopard loafers are also Topshop but from a little while ago.



 

And finally I really love this Topshop grey jumper. It's a slouchy knit that drapes perfectly and has been my go to item for the cooler spring days.





Unfortunately it looks like the weather is about to get colder again in London so it looks like I've just bought this just in the knit of time.

Pencil skirts, pussy bow blouses and polka dots, yes Lady like Chic is back and making quite an impression on my work wear wardrobe. Its a trend that has been triggered by the recent obsession with the TV series Mad Men. Think nipped in waists and hourglass silhouettes.

I'm usually found in skinny jeans and comfy cardies but the recent interest in pencil skirts and perhaps the cold weather has had me turning to a smarter approach to work.
Pencils skirts paired with flouncy blouses look glam but are effortless to pull off. Heels add an extra wow factor but in my opinion this look looks great with flat pumps too, although the pencil skirt wobble (the walk you are forced to partake in when wearing a tight pencil skirt) does look so much sexier in heels.

I've already purchased the fuchsia angora wool bow detail jumper above from Topshop and I already have a growing collection of chiffon blouses and pencil skirts. Hand me that Mulberry satchel and I'll be ready sashay into the office.


Polka dot skirt and pink bow detail jumper - Topshop. Cream blouse - Reiss. Pink leopard print pumps - Louboutin. Mulberry satchel. Chanel lipstick.

It is almost a year since my last post and unsurprisingly in my last post I was blogging about winter wear. I love winter and love wrapping up in layers, pulling on boots and thick winter coats.

This year my fascination is with the new animal print - Dalmatian. But before you jump to images of Cruella Deville, no actual Dalmatians are harmed in this seasons trend.

Dalmatian print is giving leopard a run for its money and is popping up in everything from nail art to ankle boots.
Keep it simple with these Dalmatian print slippers from Topshop and pair with a polka dot blouse and black leather leggings.

So it has been a while since I last posted in August, and as you may imagine I have now resigned the flirty summer dresses and short shorts to the storage cupboard and embraced again my winter woolies.

Maybe being born in winter (I'm a Decemember born) is the reason why I delight in thick scarfs, wool coats and knitted pom pom hats. I just cant get enough and to kick off my new posting I have made a mood board of all the winter gems I am loving or lusting over at the moment. From Burberry's shearling jacket to the return of fairisle knits here are my top winter treats.

I just love this Burberry shearling jacket, its the coat of the season and I heart the cute Topshop pom pom hat. I'm also have a moment with leopard print and Louboutin - a match made in heaven and these little booties are both sexy and cosy looking - if only I could walk in 5 inch heels (and money was no object) they would be mine!

Pretty florals, pastel colours and floaty fabrics. Yes I am talking about Spring Summer 2010 and the flirty floral trend that is already creeping into stores.
Despite the February cold we are in the middle of a full floral bloom as new season stock floods the stores.

The SS10 feminine trend is in stark contrast to the black leather and power shoulders of AW09 and despite my usual tomboy style I am embracing it whole heartedly.

In good ol’ Topshop I’ve already spied a pretty floral skirt and faded floral print shorts and if dreams came true I would also be snapping up the above gorgeous Erdem floral dress, which is where the whole floral trend really started.

In keeping with the girly feel of the floral trend, nude colours and soft fabrics are also a big SS10 hit. This Topshop layered pink chiffon top will look great with florals, as will this soft ribbed ASOS cardigan. And I love these suede and wood Ash wedges which will toughen up the girlyness.

Credits:
Erdem, Hoshie print silk-satin dress, £665 and Marni, embellished ribbon necklace, £395 both available from www.net-a-porter.com.
Topshop, pink tiered cropped blouse, £35 Topshop, faded floral saloon shorts, £30 and Topshop, pansy print slip skirt, £35.
ASOS, nude ribbed long cardigan, £25 www.asos.com.
Ash, suede and wood wedges, £145.
Miss Selfridge, floral printed bangle £9.
Nails Inc nail polish, £20 for a set of three from www.johnlewis.com

I have just got back from Emma Cook at London Fashion Week and it was amazing. Quirky cool was the theme at Emma Cook with plenty of floaty white and ruffles to put us in a summer mood.

Sheer black and tight silver pencil skirts hinted at a more grown up collection but the fabulous rose- like ruffles throughout and the iridescent pink and peach flapper cocktail dresses, owned the catwalk. I loved the fringed pale grey flapper dress and a pretty pink-tiered dress with a reference, it seemed, to the sea.
It was also clear that Cook had thought about British weather as a whole line of clear macs encrusted in Swarovski crystals paraded down the catwalk, that’s rain with style.

Quirky prints and cropped jackets kept the collection very playful where as soft hues of gold, grey and pink created a very relaxed but elegant feel to the show.
Cook kept it all very fresh and young, and counterbalanced the 1920’s dresses with chunky ruffled platforms (her own design for Topshop), and plenty of feminine frills and tucks.

The atmosphere was very relaxed and energetic but that may have been the quails egg Benedict and blood-orange juices they were serving to the fashion hungry crowd. Goodie bags totes designed by Cook for Topshop lined the rows, but it seemed that only front row (no I didn’t get one) got a little something, maybe something from Swarovski, one of the sponsors or maybe some Mac makeup.

Next up Louise Goldin SS09 – I’ll keep you posted.