How To Wear: The Cat Costume

Jumpsuit - Asos
Faux Fur Coat - H&M
Heels - Oh My Love
Necklace - New Look
Cat Accessories - dressing up box in the attic...

*I've had these cat ears and tail for years now but I've recently seen some in Accessorize and also Claire's. 

Trick or treat? I treated myself to a night out on one of my favourite times of the year - Halloween! I love dressing up but as a fashion student I kind of wanted to look semi-fashionable and creepy at the same time. 

I know what you're thinking...the standard black cat outfit that everyone resorts to as the easy, last minute Halloween costume. However, after recently purchasing a jumpsuit and having only worn it once I thought this was the perfect excuse to wear it again. In an attempt to make more of an effort I also purchased some white contacts and followed a tutorial on youtube to create my cat make-up look. (Click here to view the tutorial I used). 

I kept the outfit black from head-to-toe with a black faux fur jacket and heels, adding a gold necklace to make it look like a collar. To finish it off I added a tail, although it was a little on the short side so you can't really see this in the photos. 

Hope you are all enjoying Halloween, feel free to comment with all your costume ideas!

Julia

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Pretty Little Playsuit

“Reinvent new combinations of what you already own. Improvise. Become more creative. Not because you have to, but because you want to. Evolution is the secret for the next step.” 

- Karl Lagerfeld



Recently I came across this interesting quote from designer, artist and photographer Karl Lagerfeld. This has been my inspiration for my latest blog post as I think it almost provides a solution for a problem faced by all women (or men) - constantly feeling we need to buy a new outfit instead of making the most of what we already have. Before you splash your cash on a brand new outfit why not work with an item you already have, mixing different items for different day/nightime looks?

To illustrate this I have created different looks with a new playsuit which I purchased from Oh My Love, (a brand previously mentioned in my blog) available from Topshop and their own independent website (click here).

Faux Fur Jacket - H&M
Floral Playsuit - Oh My Love
Belt - New Look
Necklace - New Look
Shoes - Oh My Love
 



Firstly, what I love about playsuits is that they are so versatile. They can be worn as a comfy outfit through the day but also dressed up to wear for a night out!

This first outfit I would wear as a night look as the faux fur jacket and heels allow it to look more sophisticated and dressed up for a night out.

Leather Jacket - River Island
Gold Chain Necklace - River Island
Belt - Asos
Shoes - Fashion Union
Frilly Socks - Topshop

This alternative has more of an edgy/punk feel with a leather jacket rather than the more sophisticated faux fur. By adding different accessories such as a gold chain and a cross belt, it creates a completely different look along with the chunkier boots and frilly socks - but using the exact same playsuit. 

Boyfriend Blazer - New Look
Necklace - Primark
Boots - Primark
Belt - New Look
Bag - New Look 

This third option is more of a daytime look - adding a boyfriend blazer allows the outfit to appear more causal, along with the boots which are more comfortable for wearing through the day. A satchel bag is more relaxed for through the day as opposed to a clutch bag which could be worn with one of the previous looks. 

So that's three different looks all based on one playsuit but styled differently! Maybe before you consider buying something new you can mix and match items you already have...

Julia 

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Winter Warm-Ups

In relation to my previous post, I had initially planned to talk a lot more about London Fashion Week but due to being so busy this idea has kind of gone out the window! 

After attending my induction today I am now officially a second year and very excited to finally get back into a routine. However, standing freezing cold waiting for a bus and battling the blustery wind and showers is not something I am looking forward to (I need to move abroad!). So, in preparation I have been looking at my favourite jackets/coats to keep cosy for the chilly months ahead. 

Outerwear 

With Autumn/Winter 2013 in full flourish, it brings with it an abundance of trends ready to influence your perfect Winter jacket/coat purchase. 

Oversized 

This is a huge trend (literally...) for outerwear, dominating the catwalks as seen from the likes of Stella McCartney. This has obviously trickled down to the high street - my picks from the high street stores feature below. 

Stella McCartney Autumn/Winter 2013-14

Asos - £395

Mango £119.99

Topshop £125

Pink

As mentioned in a previous post, pink is a huge colour trend for Autumn/Winter 2013-14, especially when it comes to outerwear. 

John Rocha Autumn/Winter 2013-14

Marks & Spencer - £99

Zara £79.99

Topshop £98

Topshop £89

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The duffle coat is back, spotted on the catwalks with both a feminine and darkly edgy twist. 

Saint Laurent Autumn/Winter 2013-14

Christopher Raeburn Autumn/Winter 2013-14

Topshop - £89

Burberry - £895

Asos - £85

Parka 

Again the parka has returned with fur-trimmed hoods and belts to allow for cinching at the waist. I love parka's because they are both fashionable but very functional - keeping you dry and warm!

Prabal Gurung Autumn/Winter 2013-14

Pull & Bear - £79.99

River Island - £100

Boohoo - £45

Quilted/Padded

Back with a vengeance, the padded jacket has been reinvented on the catwalks by designers such as Peter Pilotto and DKNY. 

DKNY Autumn/Winter 2013-14

Peter Pilotto Autumn/Winter 2013-14

I recently purchased a padded/quilted jacket from Zara and I love it! The furry hood and belt allows the jacket to be fitted and still warm. I also love the zip details on the sleeves and the sand colour which makes it a bit different and stand out!

Zara £79.99

That's just a few of the different outerwear trends which may help you with your winter purchases. I would also recommend a faux fur coat or a classic trench coat to bring your outerwear up-to-date! 

Julia

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