Clashing Textures

Whoever said you appreciate the weekends more when working full time - yes, you were right. I try to make the most of every weekend I have in London since I'm only here for three months and this weekend was no different. After a trip to Choccywoccydoodah, and an embarrassing fall down the stairs landing in one of their cakes (don't ask), we stopped for some quick photos in this cute cobbled street.

Dungarees//Missguided
Shirt//New Look
Bomber Jacket//Mango
Boots//Primark
Necklace//New Look

Cords may remind you of an old-fashioned fabric mainly worn by the older generation - sorry Grandad - but I love how these cord dungarees from Missguided take a fresh spin on the fabric, paired with a floral quilted bomber jacket to create the perfect clash of textures and balanced by a crisp white shirt. 

Denim Delight

You're scrolling through Asos; something catches your eye; you're about to add it to your basket, and boom, it's sold out. I know that feeling of disappointment oh too well (speaking like a true online shopping addict). 

This time, I was in luck, as this denim dress came back into stock and better yet it was in the sale - bonus! 

It may seem a bit obvious but denim is a key trend for Spring, from Burberry to Stella McCartney, designers were determined to put their own spin on our most-loved fabric. Work the trend in a simple, denim tunic teamed with a nautical polo neck for modern seventies vibes. 

Contrasting striped socks add a touch of character with a silky bomber jacket for those chilly London mornings. Complete the seventies revival with a floppy hat and suede tassel shoes, and of course, a bargain bag from the M&S sale! 

Denim Dress//Asos
Striped Polo Neck//Asos
Navy Bomber Jacket//Monki
Socks//Topshop
Shoes//Primark
Hat//H&M
Bag//M&S

LFW: Street Style

During my internship here in  London, I was given the opportunity to visit Somerset House during London Fashion Week and take some street style photos. At first this was very daunting as I'm not the most experienced photographer and after years of catching up with London Fashion Week through online sources, it was surreal actually being able to be there in real life. 

However, I managed, even with my camera playing up, to capture some of my favourite moments straight from the cobbles of Somerset House. And so, I would encourage anyone who is wary about capturing street style to go for it, as I had no experience whatsoever and even when my camera couldn't achieve the classic blurred background effect, with a little bit of Photoshop tutorials I think I might have just pulled it off! 

Culottes are back with a vengeance and have quickly become a must-have silhouette! Accessorise classic black culottes with studded accessories and fringing details to keep the look on trend for this season. 

Teaming less structured culottes with heels helps to elongate the legs while adding a tailored blazer balances out the look. The casual graphic print sweatshirt paired with a crisp white shirt creates a chic day to night look!

Forget '50 Shades of Grey', we're talking multiple shades of blue! On the streets of London Fashion Week we saw the classic black and white couple being replaced by a younger, fresher look - blue and white. 

I love the combination of colours and textures worn by Phoebe Lettice (former Made In Chelsea character) with harsh metallic balanced by soft, faux fur. 

This bold combination of primary hues reflects the colour trends for Spring, with colour-blocking and brave clashing combo's taking over this season. 

Model Charlotte De Carle, goes for an adrogynous look contrasting a feminine blouse with a boxy dress and tailored blazer. The striped monochrome socks and casual snapback achieve that on-trend sporty feel. 

Tailored layers and minimalist grey hues complete with a structured hat creates a cool, edgy look. This is one of my favourite looks - I've developed a love for minimalism and a classic black, white and grey colour palette! 

Seventies vibes were lingering at LFW, with bold patterns and a touch of suede creating the perfect retro look!

As a major Made In Chelsea fan (not even embarrassed to admit it), I was excited to capture Rosie in a beautiful Ralph Lauren embroidered dress. I love how she's paired it with knee-high boots and a clashing textured bag!

Trend Alert: Stripes

So what's my favourite trend at the moment? The stripe. I am absolutely obsessed with the stripe trend, particularly the vertical stripe - they're simple, slimming and perfect for making your legs look longer (which I desperately need).  

With the focus now on Spring, the stripe is set to define the approaching season. From the traditional nautical stripe to bright and bold rainbow stripes, this pattern is truly taking over the catwalks. 

(Taken from Marni.com)

Taken from Emilio Pucci)

(Taken from 3.1 Phillip Lim)

As always, the high street has not disappointed with an array of streamlined stripes to choose from. One of my favourite items are these vertically striped trousers from Topshop - I instantly fell in love. I feel these subtly striped trousers are a perfect way to ease into the trend if the bold rainbow colours are a bit too scary at first. I also managed to pick up this beautiful silky bomber jacket from Monki which went perfectly with the navy and white stripes. 

In terms of colour trends, the classic black and white/monochrome combo is being overshadowed by its younger, trendier sister - blue and white. So why not hit two birds (or two trends) with one stone? 

Trend Alert: The Shirt Dress

And breathe....... It's been a very busy, stress-filled few months and I've finally managed to get back to the blogging. It's a new year which means new trends, and if like me, you are bored of the sales and just want the best of the new season goodies - keep on reading! 

With my placement coming up in London I've been looking for some practical, but still fashionable, clothes that I can pack in my suitcase (or suitcases...) and the shirt dress definitely fits the bill. 

With appearances in the likes of Altuzarra and Charlotte Ronson's Spring 2015 collections (see below), it's set to be a style staple for Spring.

(Taken from charlotteronson.com)

(Taken from altuzarra.com)

So what does the high street have to offer? 

One of my favourite picks is from Missguided, with the paisley-type pattern being a perfect transition into Spring/Summer and can be easily worn with tights or leather look trousers/leggings then bare legs when it gets a bit warmer. You can also see some more of my high street highlights below!

Shirt Dress//Missguided
Leather jacket//River Island
Boots//Primark
Bowler Hat//Forever 21

Left to right: River Island, Boohoo, New Look, Monki and Daisy Street.

p.s. Take a look at my pinterest for more inspiration on this trend!

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!