STATEMENT SLEEVES

PETITE Trumpet sleeve top, £12, Topshop So, another trend I am absolutely loving at the moment is statement sleeves. I would be the first one to admit that my style can be boring at times, I'm not very adventurous, and I am an absolute worshipper of all things monochrome. So, me wandering around with massive flappy sleeves is kind of a big deal. I think it's such a feminine design, and we need more of that right? I feel like their has been such a focus on boyish fashion that we've all lost sight of what constitutes 'girly', so yep, I'm all for frills, ruffles and flappy sleeves. Of course, Topshop made the perfect combo, making this a bardot crop top design in the process. I actually wore this outfit for an interview, if you were wondering why I am unusually dressed in all black, however this top would work as a perfect combo to an denim skirt or even dress it up for a cocktails mate date. Love them or hate them, statement sleeves are here for the season.

BARDOT

Long Sleeve Jersey Bardot Crop Top White, £8, Missguided Every girl goes through fashion stages of obsession, so far I've had my choker, high waist jeans, suedette, camel coat and knee high boots stages. Now, i'm on to bardot tops. Myself and one of my best friends were talking about this at the weekend, I love how 90's fashion is slowly creeping its way back onto the scene, along with other eras. The 90's being by far my favourite fashion era. Of course, the 90's encompassed the bardot top. I find this off the shoulder design so flattering and I can get enough, not only did I pick up this white top for £8 from Missguided, but also a burgundy ribbed version. Personally I love to wear these with a pair of high waist jeans... so I can actually get away with wearing this top in this awful weather! In the spring, I will definitely be wearing this with a denim skirt, or shorts in the summer. Yay or nay?

OOTD: CHRISTMAS DAY

MINI TULLE SKIRT, £25, TOPSHOP Is this post allowed? I'm not sure. I'm either going to annoy you for still banging on about Christmas, or sadden you that it's over and we are now almost slap bang in the middle of dull January. Anyway, i'm catching up a bit on posts, having been busy preparing for my university deadlines (which have now all been submitted, yeyyyyyyyy!). I feel like 100% of the female populations Christmas day outfits fall into two camps, you're either a onesie/ pyjama girl, or a dress up as much as you can kinda girl. I'm the latter. Although it's pretty pointless unless you're actually leaving the house to visit family or eat out, I think its always lovely to feel pretty on Christmas day. For me, its the one day of the year I can wear as much glitter as I want and nobody can say anything. This year I opted for one of the beautiful Topshop taupe mini tulle skirts, teamed with pink glittery top from Topshop (a couple of years ago). One thing I would say about the fit of the skirt is that size wise, it is super stretchy due to its elasticated waistband. I ordered an 8 but really I would say anybody up to a 10 could fit into a size 6. Comment your links to your Christmas outfit posts!

CHRISTMAS COLLAB: EVERYDAY WINTER OUTFIT

Ok i'm starting to feel like a real blogger, since I went on my first 'shoot' on Tuesday with my friend and fellow blogger Katie, from http://www.ktramshaw.com/ . We decided Durham would be the perfect place for our mini shoot, however the weather was not in our favour, cue freezing cold fingers (serious frost bite if you ask me), wind in eye balls and a whole lot of mud... which my brand new Michael Kors handbag fell face down onto the floor into.... Anyway, when Katie came to me with the idea of doing a Christmas collab post, I thought it would be great to give you guys some inspiration on what to wear over winter as an 'everyday outfit'. I find this so hard. I feel like I always buy pretty clothes, but tend to not want to wear them for just everyday wear, but then never have an occasion to wear them! So, I decided to go for a cosy camel coat, high neck cropped top, cord skirt and ankle boots;

LIVELY Smart Heeled Boot, £88, OFFICE Petite Crop Top with Turtle Neck in Space Dye, £12, ASOS Fur Collar Boyfriend Coat, £65, Topshop Burgundy Zip Front Cord Skirt, WAS £19.99 NOW £9.99, New Look Accessories; EMMALYN Button Pendant Necklace, £39, Ted Baker SELMA Medium Leather Satchel, £310, Michael Kors Scarf- River Island Ring- Pandora

TIS THE SEASON

SCALLOP MIX LACE BODYCON DRESS, £39, TOPSHOP
You got it, it's party season, and for many people out there they sigh at the prospect of having to battle with the hussle and bussle of crazy christmas shoppers on the high street all looking for the perfect party dress. However, as you're reading a fashion blog, i'm guessing you're just as excited as I am!
Today I found the one. That love at first sight moment when you know you've found the perfect party dress to take you through the entire christmas season. We're talking work do's, catch up cocktails, christmas day, boxing day and NYE. I chose the Topshop scallop mix lace bodycon dress as firstly, its £39 + student discount = total bargain. It also has the most beautiful lace detailing and is a perfect fit... cinderella moment and all that.... and it's my absolute favourite colour- but don't worry, if burgundy isn't for you it comes in more than one colour!
Have you found the one? Let me know!

GLITTER BOOTS

BLACK GLITTER WESTERN ANKLE BOOTS, £40, NEXT
I don't think I have ever been as excited over a pair of shoes in my life. As we are now on the way to Christmas it is now 100% acceptable to wear as many sequin items and as much glitter as you want, wherever you want and whenever you want. So when I spotted these beautiful black glitter western boots in the Next directory I had to have them. I have seen a few stores, including River Island and Topshop introducing glitter boots, which usually I would be quite wary of wearing, but since i'm going to New York next week I thought why not?!  At £40 I think these are a total bargain, because the sheer quality of the boots is fantastic, they are super comfy, and have a beautiful quality design. I always find Next are always big on quality, despite not being the cheapest store on the high street- which I didn't mind as I still have lots of birthday vouchers left to spend! Next are also offering £10 off your first online purchase, which is amazing, so don't miss out! What do you think? Too OTT? Let me know!

YDESIGN

Snowhite crop, £24.99, YDesign Can we please just take a moment to appreciate the beautiful detailing on this handmade crop from YDesign. I came across YDesign on Instagram as I have quite a few friends who have bought products from there and I have wanted one of my own pieces for so long, believe me, it took a lot of decision making to choose which design I wanted! Although many people where these tops as part of an outfit, I would personally feel a bit more comfortable wearing it as lingerie. All designs are handmade and unique which makes the price quite costly in my opinion, however at £24.99, the crop is incredibly good quality. They come as a one-size-fits-all, however, so if you're interested in bagging one of these yourself be sure to check the size recommendations. The general idea is that these are a little bit better suited to those of us with boobs on the smaller end of the scale, although anything up to a D cup will probably be okay! Be sure to check out their array of other designs over at http://www.ydesignsuk.com/. P.S, I am also  a huge fan of "The blossom crop" and "Whisper"...

SILK

Ok I have played this game with my friends and family all week, have a guess where I bought these silky pjs, do you think they were expensive? Most of them guessed Victoria Secret. Nope, in fact they were a Primark creation, what's more, they cost me a massive £8. EIGHT POUNDS. 
These pj's caught my eye as soon as I went into store last weekend, with their beautiful purple silk material and eyelash lace detailing, you would be forgiven for thinking these were quite expensive. But hey, what a total bargain! Primark also have a similar style of pj's which again are a silver silk with white cotton detailing, which are priced at £10- believe me if they had my size I would have snapped both sets up there and then!
What do you think? Surprised? Let me know!

ITS A BOOTS KINDA DAY

BLACK HEELED BOOTS- £22- GEORGE @ ASDA With absolutely no disrespect to George at ASDA, but can you believe this is where I found these gorgeous LBB's?! A couple of days before I had been searching all over for a new pair of black boots, and could literally find nothing, then Sunday afternoon I had been doing the food shop when hey presto, look what I found! For £22 these were a total bargain, considering I had been looking at an incredibly similar pair in Office for around £80! I would also say that the price is absolutely no reflection on the quality of these boots, they have beautiful suedette detailing, gold buckles, straps and are 100% comfy. The only thing that I would say, is that because they are not real leather, they are slightly more tight fitting, so you may need a bigger size than usual. I am usually a size 4 but I needed a 5! In future ladies, don't judge a book by its cover, George has some amazing on-trend pieces this season... and always be sure to check out their shoe department!

CAMEL COATS

FUR COLLAR BOYFRIEND COAT- £65- TOPSHOP
Remember that moaning post I did yesterday about not having anything to wear now its autumn? Well thank goodness my mam took me shopping today! We went to The Metro Centre in Gateshead, for the North East people you will know how fab it is for shopping! After a near breakdown in River Island- (all thanks to a highly inappropriate and over priced grey suede coat) I spotted this gorgeous boyfriend coat in Topshop.
I'm going to New York in November (as if you didn't know), and lets be honest, a leather jacket isn't going to cut it. I have been torn between buying a proper puffy jacket, or a boyfriend coat, but came to the conclusion that a coat like that is never going to go with my outfits. Admittedly I still might freeze to death in this coat, but teamed with a jumper and big cosy scarf, i'm hoping it will do! No pain no gain right?
Of course the camel coat has been an on going trend, and will always be a style staple in your wardrobe. I would much rather spend my money on an investment piece... well thats how I justified myself...

KATE SPADE NEW YORK

CEDAR STREET SMALL HAYDN, £268, KATE SPADE

I feel as though Kate Spade is a bit less well known in the UK than it is in the US, which is a huge shame, as Kate Spade is such a wonderful, unique brand. I received my beautiful Haydn bag for my 21st Birthday, I should really have included more pictures as not only does the bag have a lovely unique shape, but it also has a beautiful golden spotty silk interior, and is the perfect size for a "day time handbag", the picture simply does not do it justice.

Of course £268 is a lot to pay, but I can honestly vouch that this bag feels like incredibly high quality, and has the most beautiful detailing! My obsession doesn't stop there, my boss bought me a beautiful Kate Spade stationary set when I finished my one year placement at Barbour, designer stationary is a must!

I also realised this week that Kate Spade watches actually exist, and they are super girly. With scallop detailing, rose gold and crystals they are simply beautiful, so be sure to check them out! I would also  suggest you have a peek at the unique jewellery and accessories collections... http://www.katespade.co.uk/ .

RIPPED HEM JEANS

MOTO Raw Hem Indigo Jamie Jeans- £40- Topshop This trend is literally here, there, and everywhere at the moment. Whether it's a raw hem, let hem, or step hem, jeans are having a shabby chic makeover. Being only 5"3 AND 1/2, i'm not a fan of anything thats going to add extra length to my jeans- they only just fit my leg length as it is. However I do absolutely love step and let hems, which I am sure would look really flattering on somebody with longer legs! Just a heads up, these jeans are not only bang on trend, but they are also super comfy. Topshop jeans tend to be stretchy, but this pair even more so. The only thing i'm not happy with is the price, and if I didn't get student discount, I wouldn't bother paying £40 for jeans. Actually what am I saying... with a Topshop addiction like mine of course I would splash out.
What do you think?

TOPSHOP BODIES

Crotchet body suit, £24, Topshop I am in loveeee with bodies right now.... ok that sounded a bit creepy, but you know what I mean. I find they are so versatile, I tend to wear this one underneath high waisted jeans for a summery day time look, but I would also wear a fancier lace body for a night out. The only thing is, they are extremely restrictive when you need the loo, they make you feel like a baby preparing to get their nappy changed whenever you undo those press studs, and your boyfriend will at some point have questioned why you are wearing a "swim suit".  I particularly love this one, as although it is simple, the crotchet sides add a little extra detail and it is super comfy as it's material is a combination of cotton and latex. Also remember girlies, this will 100% enhance your figure, imagine it as an on trend pair of fat pants.

OOTD: CHRISTENING

Cross back slip dress, £29, Topshop Just a quick OOTD post to feature the absolutely lovely and versatile slip dress I wore for my nephews christening on Saturday. Ok so I didn't actually get a full length shot of this dress on the day, which is helpful, but hey ho i recycled this outfit from my boyfriends graduation back in July so there you go! I don't know about you, but as soon as I was invited to the christening panic set in, what on earth are you supposed to wear? It was a family occasion, so nothing too revealing, its a special occasion yet nothing too fancy would be appropriate, and also a religious celebration so nothing OTT. great.  I don't think Topshop still sell the dress in this colour, but they do have ones similar. I like to think of it as a long cami... it didn't really look right on me with it having such a straight up and down shape, i tend to prefer something a bit more fitted. So, i found an old chiffon belt from a playsuit i wore 9534594754 years ago and used it to sinch in the waist of my dress, sorted! Bad news, i clicked the dress in 3 places, HELP?!

ROSE GOLD DREAM

OFFICE Angel Tubular Strap Sandals, £60

  

Man who doesn't just love rose gold? I must admit I can be a bit of an addict when it comes to rose gold, whether it be shoes, hangers, jewellery or paper clips I'm there. When I came across these OFFICE shoes I had to have them!

 

First thoughts, the price. £60 is a lot to spend on shoes you may only wear a handful of times, I am not one to usually waste money on shoes but on this occasion, 10% student discount and pay day stood in my favour!

 

I will admit, although I am rarely spotted wearing anything other than heels, I have never actually worn stiletto's due to the sheer fact I cannot walk in them- nor can I trust myself to walk in them without breaking my neck. I was also concerned by the fact these shoes have plastic multi straps, which again does not fill me with hope that these shoes will provide me with any comfort whatsoever. However, I bought these to wear at my 21st Birthday Party, which thankfully is in a carpeted room, of course this limits the damage I can do! I must admit that the straps are actually quite comfortable, they keep your foot secure without digging in, and are quite stretchy and flexible to avoid rubbing.

 

Although these are absolutely beautiful  shoes, I wouldn't recommend them for a night out...however if you're looking for a pretty pair of heels to wear for a special occasion or a short period of time then they are definitely worth a try! I will let you know how I get on... 

STATEMENT COLLARS

 

It's been a while since my last post, despite me hoping to post on a more regular basis, I'm actually in the process of moving house so unfortunately blogging has taken a bit of a back seat.

 

Any hoo, I wanted to share with you my favourite accessory at the moment; jewelled collars. I will admit that these past few months I have not been so fashion focussed, I didn't even participate in fashion week this season... I really should be sacked as a fashion blogger. So, I'm not totally up to speed on 'trends'... although who actually follows conventional trends now? The shirt featured in this post was bought around 6 months ago in the Miss Selfridge sale, and I have only just gotten round to wearing it- I was invited to a shopping event at the Fenwick Newcastle store with work this week so thought it was the perfect chance to test out the theory of dressing for both work and evening style.

 

This was the perfect piece, I wore it with my trusty black Joni jeans, and heeled boots. Although you can't see from the picture, this was a short sleeved shirt with beaded and jewel embellishment on the collar. Being the girly minimalist I am, I just love it and think the collar embellishment completed the look perfectly. Whether you buy an already embellished shirt or customize it with gems, jewels, sequins or broaches you can find your own way of jazzing up  a plain shirt. Top tip, why not experiment further and add your own earrings to your collar... 20 seconds will take you from daytime straight into evening.

  Anyone else think I might of been a magpie in a former life....  

Dip Dye Vibes.

 

                                                   Dip dye rib jumper, £39, Topshop

 

As soon as I spotted this on Topshop's Facebook and Instagram pages I knew I had to snap this one up! This is definitely not something I would usually go for, however this jumper makes the perfect cosy winter jumper.

 

Of course sticking with my usual monochrome tones, the dip dye effect also introduces purple hues as the jumper fades from cream to black. The oversized effect and longer back design makes this a tricky one to fit, I had to buy a size 6 and it was still too big and long on the sleeves for my liking, although it is super cosy! So if you are thinking of buying this jumper, definitely try the size below first.

 

Due to the nature of the material, the jumper can also carry static, however this goes away after the first wear. I absolutely love the dip dye effect, although my boyfriend actually referred to it as a 'PowerPoint presentation gradient effect, mixed with a Newcastle supporter'... yup.

 

I originally didn't buy this jumper when I first tried it in store, and is now out of stock online, however if you do want to find one, it is my understanding that these jumpers are now in the 'last chance to buy' section, or you can check the in store stock levels as I did through their website.

 

For £39, this is definitely an investment piece you need to add to your winter wardrobe. What do you think? Leave me a comment below! :)

 

LONG WEEKEND IN PICTURES

Just a quick little post I thought I would share....my weekend in pictures, thankfully I also had Friday and Monday off work too! Although now I have no more holidays to take till Christmas, boooo.

 

Anyway, I spent my Thursday evening at the fireworks in Hyde Park- Leeds, I don't know about you but I love firework displays, there was no way I was missing out this bonfire night! I then made the most of my Friday and headed to York. York is one of my most favourite places, so beautiful and unique. Following a day shopping- in particular 'The Cat Gallery', 'Christmas angels' and 'The Disney Store'... starting to get an idea of the type of person I am?!... me and my boyfriend took a stroll in the park before heading home- I just loved how autumnal it looked!

 

Saturday was a bad day for my bank balance- while back in Leeds I managed to bag myself some  River Island winter boots, the most perfect Topshop Christmas pyjamas , some new New Look basic tops, jeans... and not to mention my binge in Victoria's Secret...

 

Sunday was more chilled and I went to the cinema to see Hotel Transylvania 2... as cheesy as it sounds I just love kids films, so good. Monday was not a good day with just a dentist visit on my day off :(

 

 

What did you all get up too? Leave me a comment below! :)

 

OOTD- A WEEKEND IN THE CITY

Ankle shoe boots, New Look (last year)/ MOTO Jamie ripped jeans, Topshop (Last year), Cross over cotton floaty cami, Topshop/ Michael Kors rose gold chronograph watch/ Teya enamel button necklace, Ted Baker at Fenwicks, £28/ Cardigan, Topshop (years ago). 

 

Okay it's not actually my outfit of today but it was my favourite outfit of this weekend...

 

I wore this outfit for Notting hill carnival, shopping on Oxford Street, and strolling through London's St James' park. Firstly... don't wear heels around London- even if you do claim that they are 'the comfiest shoes you own' because after walking miles to and around Notting Hill, and from bond street, down Oxford Street to the South bank, my feet were crippled! Even days later after I got home, my ankle feels so weak, but I guess it is a case of 'no pain, no gain'!

 

As for my jeans, I took a risk- I hadn't worn these before and also struggled to get them on last year, so yes they were a little snug... not fab for walking around all day! As we are coming out of the summer season now- since when did we even get a summer?... I felt it time to start transitioning my outfits into more of an Autumnal vibe, hence the very warm looking cardi...

 

As always, accessories are key. I tend to always wear two rings and my Michael Kors watch, and I also chose to wear my new Ted Baker necklace!

 

By writing this post I've actually noticed how old my clothes are... they were nearly all bought last year... I definitely need a shopping spree! 

 

What do you think? How are you transitioning your outfits from Summer to Autumn? Let me know below! :) 

 

Basics clothing haul

Okay when I said this post was a basics haul, I really did mean basics! For some reason there is literally nothing on the high street right now which is catching my eye, perhaps because we are right in the middle of the limbo between winter and spring fashion, you know when you just don't know what you should be wearing? But if there is something I need to stock up on, it's basics. You can never have enough plain tops to mix and match with a pair of jeans, and you certainly can't be without some simple accessories to help dress up your outfit! The best thing about buying basics is that they are usually so affordable, so this lot didn't really cost much at all, here's what I got! :)

OFF THE SHOULDER RIBBED TOP, £18, RIVER ISLAND

A bit pricey, but super comfy and the off the shoulder style is so on trend! The ribbed material is also so perfect for this time of year when it's still a bit chilly.

MOTO BLACK SUPER SKINNY HIGH WAISTED JONI JEANS, £36, TOPSHOP

You can never have enough pairs of black skinnys, although the colour of Joni jeans tends to fade quite a bit, they are super comfy and I always tend to find that even after several washes they always stay the same tight fitting and don't go out of shape or baggy, they always fit me perfectly too which is always difficult to find when shopping for jeans! I just love the high waisted style so I can pop on a crop top without having too much on show.

GOLD NECKLACE, £1.50, PRIMARK

Accessorising is my favourite thing about an outfit, even the most simplistic of jewellery can instantly dress up your outfit! Primark is the best place to go to find cheaper alternatives of other high street jewellery, and for this gold necklace at £1.50 you can't be robbed, pop on with a basic tee and you're good to go!

LAYERED NECKLACE, £5.99, H&M

Again this is a trend I'm loving right now, layering your necklaces is so fun and this necklace is practically 4 in 1! With different charms on each level this accessory is such a bargain which you can wear over and over with almost anything!

'I LIVE FOR NEW YORK STYLE' TEE, £16, RIVER ISLAND

I never go for slogan tees but I thought this one was so cute, and who doesn't love New York style?! Let's hope the metallic writing survives a good few washes....

HALTERNECK CROP TOP, £8, MISS SELFRIDGE

£8?! I couldn't resist, I can't wait to wear this with some high waisted jeans in the summer!

SHORT SLEEVED RIBBED TOP, £3, PRIMARK

one of the only things I have bought recently from PRIMARK, as I am not usually a fan, but for £3 this is the perfect basic to wear with your jeans day to day, although it is a tad see through...

LONG SLEEVED RIBBED TEE, £8.99, NEW LOOK

New Look is always my one stop destination for basics, their products are such fab quality for such affordable prices. I love wearing thesebasic long sleeve crop tops at the moment with a skirt, so simple and comfy!

What have you all been buying recently? You can find out more about the products I bought by watching my new YouTube video! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXsdrHzta5c don't forget to leave me a comment below, :).