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!

My Playsuit Picks

After being treated to some sun this weekend, I finally managed to dig out some Summer clothes from the back of my overflowing wardrobe, in particular, some playsuits. Personally, I have a bit of an obsession with playsuits mainly because they are so versatile - comfortable for the day time but easily dressed up for night! Below are a couple of my favourite playsuits at the moment...

1. Culture Crush

A key trend in the lead up to Summer shows a global influence focusing on culture - aztec patterns, beaded embellishments, rich embroidery - with a tribal feel coming to the forefront. I love this trend as I feel it's perfect for Summer and it often reappears year after year around this time. This is why I hate throwing out clothes (hence my overflowing wardrobe) as this was actually a purchase made last Summer but I've styled it up with a leather jacket as this year the trend is taking a more modern turn. 

Playsuit - Boohoo
Leather sleeveless jacket - New Look
Boots - Internationale
Choker - Ebay

2. Feminine Florals 

Again this is a purchase made quite a while ago but I love the pattern with florals out in full force leading up to Summer. I've tried to pick up the mix of greys and purples in the playsuit with the metallic shoes, which again is a key trend around at the moment. As always I love a bit of a bargain, picking up these gorgeous heels in the sale!

                                                     

Playsuit - Oh My Love
Necklace - New Look
Shoes - Kurt Geiger

3. Pure & Simple

Playsuit - Missguided
Headpiece - Miss Selfridge
Sandals - Primark

Sometimes keeping it simple is the way to go and I think this is the case with this pretty pink playsuit from missguided. I love the pastel colour (perfect for Summer) but I also love the soft layering effect at the front that gives it a bit of detail and texture. Another obsession right now is headpieces that bring a change from the standard jewellery to something a bit more interesting!

Hope you all enjoyed the sunshine...

Pretty Pink PVC

About three weeks ago I was scrolling through a couple of  clothes websites (again...) and I found this amazing pink PVC skirt on missguided that I couldn't resist buying! After wearing it out at the weekend I realised that I wouldn't really get much use out of it in the day time unless I came up with a more toned down, appropriate look. So that's exactly what I did, hope you like it!

Bomber Jacket - Mango
Shirt - Asos
PVC skirt - Missguided
Socks - Ebay
Shoes - Daisy Street

I've tried to tone down the skirt  by adding a high-neck shirt which kind of balances it up since the skirt is quite short and very shiny and... PVC-ish. Adding the bomber jacket can give it a more casual feel but it's also perfect in the lead up to Summer as it's not too thick but still keeps you quite warm. I saw these beautiful flatforms on Daisy Street and couldn't resist buying them, they are so comfy and still give me some height which is great at only 5ft 3". Sometimes I find that the jelly shoe type material can rub on your feet and make them quite uncomfortable, so I purchased these fish-net socks from ebay - making socks and sandals acceptable! 

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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