New Discoveries

As a fashion student I am constantly buying new clothes (its an addiction...) and I find that after searching through all the stores I can think of, I don't always find what I'm looking for. Many times I have found myself searching for a dress but just can't seem to find that perfect item no matter how many clothing apps and stores I hunt through - sometimes you just need to cast the net a little wider!

I thought I would do something different and give you an insight into some of my new discoveries in terms of clothing companies/websites which may be useful for finding outfits in the lead up to Christmas. I always love finding new companies as they offer something fresh and unique that perhaps not as many people will already have!

1. Want Her Wardrobe (click for website)

Brand new, launching in August 2014, this online fashion brand offers fresh, trend-led clothing but still at an affordable price (win-win!). I first followed this brand on Instagram and loved the items they were uploading on a daily basis. This is a great way to discover new fashion brands and keep up-to-date with their latest products! In particular, I found that the selection of dresses and clothing were quite unique and I hadn't really seen anything too similar around the high-street and other retail stores which is great for finding something that really stands out! 

Below you can see an item I have recently purchased and some of my favourite picks from their website... 

Want Her Wardrobe
'Talitha Dress'

Left to Right: Evie Two Piece, Kendall Jumpsuit & Chanel Dress
All from Want Her Wardrobe

2. Verity Anne Clothing (click for website)

VerityAnne is a fashion boutique based in Hertfordshire offering on-trend clothing made with materials hand-picked from across the UK. I also discovered this brand over Instagram and loved how original and different their pieces were. As everything is hand-made to your size and materials are hand-picked, they are often very unique and interesting compared to typical high-street stores. In summer I purchased a hand-made two piece that I instantly fell in love with, impressed by the quality of the clothing but also the affordable price tag!

Below is my purchase and some of my favourite items at the moment...

VerityAnne Two Piece

Left to Right: Bethany Plunge Dress & Brittany Skirt

I hope this has provided you with some new inspiration!

Military Khaki

Hat//H&M
Top//Oh My Love
Cardigan//Boohoo
Jeans//Topshop
Boots//New Look
Chain//River Island

Latest Obsession = Khaki!

As you can see my current favourite colour is khaki, which I am starting to see more and more in stores/online, and decided I was definitely missing out! A trend making a comeback for Autumn is the military trend bringing with it the khaki shades, structured looks and plenty of pockets. The likes of Balmain featured khaki heavily in their Fall catwalk show, reinforcing the strength of the colour into the season.

Personally, I opted for this khaki cardigan from boohoo. For me, being a skint student, I want to make the most out of my purchases and I feel that this cardigan allows me to pick up on the trend without having to break the bank. The leather shoulder detail picks up on the military trend while the knitted texture picks up on the chunky knit trend, which often comes in during the colder weather. I am also loving slightly long-line cardigans at the moment linking to the duster coat trend which has emerged. It's a perfect way to subtly work the colour trend if you're not 100% sure and just want to give it a go!

Floral Appliqué

Dress//Asos
Shoes//Kurt Geiger (from BANK)
Clutch//Local Boutique

During my break from uni I had a few events that I had to find outfits for, including a family wedding (yaay!). I know how hard/stressful it can be to try and find the perfect dress but I knew I loved this particular dress as soon as I saw it! 

The intricate, appliqué floral detailing, is definitely what caught my eye as it creates a feminine feel along with a delicate floaty skirt. I also love the pastel blue colour - one of my favourite colours! The dropped back with slightly see-through mesh allows you to show a touch of skin but in a very subtle way.

I decided to add silver accessories as I thought this complimented the pastel tones of the dress. I got these Kurt Geiger heels in the BANK sale, successfully bagging myself a good bargain! The bag was actually a present from a local fashion boutique near my home town, which allowed me to finish off the look. 

Finding a dress with that extra detailing can help you to stand out but still keeping that elegance and class appropriate for an event such as a wedding!  

That's a Wrap!

I know it's not quite Winter weather, it's actually been quite warm the last few days, but my latest purchase is perfect preparation for those frosty mornings! As the reign of the Summer kimono comes to an end it is replaced with blanket wraps, capes and wide sleeved cardigans with warm-coloured patterns and cosy faux fur. I first fell in love with this trend after watching Cara Delevingne strut down the catwalk during the Burberry Prorsum A/W show (seen below) and decided to share my favourites from the high street...

Cara Delevingne Burberry Prorsum A/W 14
Source: Vogue.com

My High Street Picks

Furry Cape//M&S
Shirt//New Look
Skirt//H&M
Hat//Asos
Necklace//Accessorize
Boots//Boohoo

I recently saw this furry cape while working at M&S and instantly fell in love. It's the perfect little cover up for winter complete with faux fur cuffs and priced at £45. This also comes in a lovely grey colour along with a selection of patterned capes to choose from!

                                  

The 'Intarsia Poncho Cardigan' is another of my favourites from Zara, coming in at £45.99, it's perfect for a more casual look to throw over a daytime outfit. Wearing a more tailored trouser can balance out the baggy fit of the poncho!

My final choice is this check patterened blanket wrap from New Look. The tartan pattern is bang on trend and it's priced at £24.99 - a reasonable price! 

A Honey Mustard Hue

Bright buttercup yellow was a key colour trend for Spring 2014, but as we move into Autumn/Winter a honey mustard hue is taking over! This skirt from Missguided demonstrates the new colour perfectly mixed with a tartan print which is making a comeback yet again! I also love the A-Line/mini skirt shape, giving a 60s feel, as the era makes a return for Autumn/Winter 2014. Take a look at my Pinterest page for some 60s inspiration... (http://uk.pinterest.com/julsb94/60s-fashion-trend-2014/)

Polo Neck//M&S
Skirt//Missguided
Brogues//New Look
Hat//Asos

I've paired this outfit with a hat to continue the Autumn/Winter look and added some simple brogues giving an overall feminine feel. I love this hat because I think it just adds a final touch to the outfit! I used to think of polo necks are being old-fashioned and quite unflattering but they've definitely gone through a style renovation with a slim line polo neck looking quite stylish and sleek. 

Check Mate

Starting to think that I might be obsessed with monochrome... but I love this checked pattern so much that I've doubled it up! Mixing prints can be really tricky, especially when it comes to florals, so I've played it a bit safe and gone for a similar print but in opposite colours. Hopefully, it really draws your eyes to the outfit without giving you a sore head.

Duster Coat//Crusade Clothing
Crop Top//Boohoo
Trousers//Zara
Clutch//Miss Selfridge
Shoes//Boohoo

Duster coats have been taking over the catwalks and blogs, becoming very popular on the high street! I love the shape of the duster coat (even though I'm quite short) as I think it gives a bit of a masculine feel to an outfit due to its loose fit and longer length. I've tried to balance this out with a more tailored trouser! The clutch is from Miss Selfridge which I thought could add a hint of the colour to the outfit, it's also quite big inside - very practical. 

Don't be afraid of mixing prints!!

Triangl in Tenerife

Sorry for the excuses, but I've been so busy lately I'e definitely been falling behind on the blog posts - one of the reasons being that I've been on holiday to Tenerife! (holiday blues...)

In preparation for holiday I had been searching for the perfect bikini and after hearing so much about Triangl I finally decided to get my hands on one. 

Triangl 

Triangl is an Australian company offering Swimwear and Underwear which is said to be practical but fashionable. Their main selling point in terms of Swimwear is their use of neoprene fabric, which is basically what is used in wetsuits, designed to keep the bikini's shape and also keep it in place. Retail prices of the Swimwear are around £60 and there's postage on top of that if you live in the UK like myself.

Personally, I am always looking for a bargain and I turned to Ebay to try find a good deal. I managed to find this 'New York Noir' Triangl which had only been worn once to try on and was too big so they sold it with all the original packaging and hygiene protectors. It cost me about £40 in total - bargain! 

Talking about sizing, it can be quite tricky to figure out what size you would be without being able to try them on first. I am usually a UK size 6-8 and a B/C cup and the XS in both the top and bottom fitted me perfectly! If you're still unsure there are size guides available on their website or the live chat option can also be very helpful. 

New York Noir Triangl Bikini

My Review

Overall I was very pleased with my Triangl bikini, it fitted perfectly and the bikini stayed in place even through a whole day of slides at a water park. The bikini comes with it's own bag and packaging all branded with the Triangl label and even the tiers have the Triangl logo. It definitely gives the impression of high quality swimwear! The only downfall is that due to the black colour when it came into contact with chlorine the colour started to rub off leaving me with slight black marks around the inside of my legs but this washed off easily and wasn't very noticeable. Final tip - make sure you wash your bikini properly with water after being in contact with chlorine as advised by the instructions that come with the bikini.  

The Bargain Blossom Blazer

As much as I hate to say it, Summer is coming to an end (cry) and as a result the shops are filled with sales as they launch their new Autumn/Winter collections. However, it does mean that you can pick up a few bargains which is always a good thing!

 

 

 

 

Blazer//Zara
Cami Top//New Look
Skirt//Missguided
Clutch//Accessorize
Shoes//Oh My Love

I picked up this lovely Zara blazer in their Summer sale and I love it! The delicate pattern is perfect for wearing with jeans or dressing up for cocktails. Being a skint student, when I buy items I like to know that I will get good use out of them. So for example, even though it will be getting colder, florals can still be brought through into the next season. Also, zip detailing was used frequently in dresses, skirts and jackets by the likes of Christian Dior and Jean Paul Gautier - so again the zips on the sides of the blazer can carry through into Autumn/Winter.

 

Hope everyone is enjoying what's left of their Summer!

 

 

Great Lengths

I've gone to great lengths to find a maxi dress that would actually suit me and not make me look shorter (trust me it's very difficult) and finally I have found one which I am in love with. 

Personally at my height of 5 ft 2, I find it more flattering to have a split in the maxi dress which gives a flash of leg and prevents you from looking shorter. Or in a similar way, I have chosen a deep V-neck and a high waist which creates the same balance and illusion of having longer legs! 

Maxi Dress//Oh My Love
Clutch//Accessorize
Shoes//River Island

This particular maxi dress is from 'Oh My love', a favourite brand of mine, complete with a pretty feminine pattern and interesting back - perfect for my holiday to Tenerife! The shoes are another favourite, again they are a bit different with tie up laces which I think adds to the feminine look. 

Overall this has quickly become one of most loved items in my wardrobe and I hope it proves that even if you are not so lucky with your height you can still wear floor length maxi's!

Think Pink

"You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take."

Sorry for the cheesy quote, but recently I decided that it was time to put myself out there and find a new job that actually relates to what I want to do in the future. Luckily, it paid off and I am now a visual stylist/visual merchandiser at M&S - loving it so far! 

Along with the new job I also got a new discount card, which I think my mum was more excited about than me. However, I was actually really surprised at how much of the clothes I ended up lusting after - my first purchase being a beautiful white long line blazer! 

Blazer//M&S
Top//Topshop
Jeans//Zara
Shoes//My1stWish
Clutch//Boohoo
Necklace//New Look

Lately my wardrobe has been full of this powder pink, which along with white, is one of my favourite colours for the Summer. It's also good for enhancing a tan... always a plus. Being only 5ft 2 I love these chunky heels from My 1st Wish who offer a range of shoes at a reasonable price - definitely worth a look! Even though this blazer was a little expensive I felt it was worth it for the tailored fit and it also goes with a lot of different outfits so I feel like I'm getting my moneys worth!

Ray of Sunshine

The sun is back and so am I! Been so busy lately enjoying the sun but I'm finally back to blogging. I thought I would make the most of the sun with this summery outfit complete with a bright sunshine yellow.

Top//Topshop
Shorts//Misselfrdige
Leather Waistcoat//New Look
Jelly Shoes//Zara
Sunglasses//TITP stall
Choker//Ebay

As well as the yellow, I am also loving lace and crochet this Summer. I eventually managed to get this crop top in my local Topshop store after it being sold out online in my size. It's definitely a popular Summer item! As always I can't help myself when it comes to sales and these jelly shoes were a steal at only £5. Lastly, my favourite Summer accessory at the moment are these black, round sunglasses which I bought at a stall at T in the Park. I love the shape, but I know some people can be a bit wary if it suits them. Give it a go! 

Hope you're all enjoying the sun...