Latest Purchases #54 – Summer Sandals

I have a fancy-pants new camera! It’s only on loan at the moment from my Dad but I have been looking for a new camera for a while and wanted to see what difference it would make to my blog photos. I have fallen in to the habit of relying on my iPhone for photos when I am out and about but the photography is one of the first things I notice on other blogs so felt I needed to up my game a bit!

I’m still having a play around with the different settings but here’s a little comparison of the same picture taken with my iPhone:

And my camera:

I kind of prefer the warmer light picked up with the iPhone but the clarity from the camera is miles better and I know I can edit and adjust the light and colour so it’s Camera 1, iPhone nil.

Anyway, today’s post has gone someway to helping me answer a long-standing question – how do you know when you have too many pairs of shoes? The answer: when you buy two new pairs and completely forget about them until you accidentally find them 10 months later!

I bought these two gorgeous pairs of leather sandals from Steve Madden last year when we were in Las Vegas and only found them again in our spare room a few weeks ago. While it was a lovely surprise, it did make me feel very guilty for buying then neglecting them like that!

First up are my favourite pair- these gold and tan leather sandals. They are quite practical but the colours make them feel a bit special. I wore these on a long walk recently and can report no rubbing or blisters so they may become my go-to pair of shoes for days out this summer.

Next, are these tan sandals with gold studs. These are a bit chunkier and have a nice ankle strap which make them unlike any other shoes I own. I have to admit these are taking a little longer to wear in but hopefully my determination will pay off!

Finally, my obsession with all things anchors continues! I LOVE these sandals which I found on ebay. They are really different and I have had lots of compliments when wearing them. They are really comfortable but I am aware they may result in some interesting tan lines on my feet if I’m not careful!

Along with my faithful Havaianas and a weekly pedicure, these three pairs of sandals will be keeping my feet looking good this summer…let’s just hope this rain stops and I get a chance to wear them! x

Latest Purchases #27 – Forever 21 Haul

Well, we are starting this weekend with a very grey, cloudy sky which makes it hard to believe that we were outside in the garden in t-shirts this time last week! It is funny how much the weather affects your moods. Last week, I felt I could do anything and wanted to start new projects, cook new recipes and visit new places whereas today I feel much less energetic and am craving comfort food and a good box set with my boy tonight!

Today’s post is sharing some summery pieces I bought online from Forever 21 earlier this week.

I have only ever bought sandals and jewellery at the Forever 21 store in Birmingham, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from the clothes. I bought a mixture of sale and new season items and I have to admit that I had my summer holiday to the States in mind!

First up, my favourite piece of clothing, from the new season collection, is this pair of black and taupe polka-dot trousers. I wrote last summer about my love for printed trousers and they seem to be everywhere this season! There is a fine line between on-trend prints and looking like you have stepped out in your pyjamas so you have to think carefully about what you pair with these trousers! I absolutely love the silky-soft material and they have a slightly elasticated waist meaning they will be accommodating at those Las Vegas all-you-can-eat buffets! Hehe

  

Next up, bought to wear with the spotty trousers, is this beautiful, sheer blouse. I love the folds, the buttons down the back and the bow detail this has and although it is very sheer, it is chic and will keep you cool in the sun. This was a real bargain at just £7.99 too!

   

I recently had a good clear-out of my sandals and threw away a gold pair of gladiators that I loved but which quite frankly had seen better days. Therefore I was on the hunt for some new gold footwear because the colour goes with everything, especially a tan in warmer months! I love the cut-out design of this pair and I know Forever 21 footwear is comfortable too so I can see myself wearing these daily on holiday.

  

Some slightly more boring things now…cropped leggings for Pilates and a few basic vest tops which I popped into my basket.

I love Forever 21’s jewellery collection. In their store at the Bullring, it takes up over half a floor and I have often found myself popping in there to have a mooch and coming out with handfuls of necklaces and earrings! I saw this cool gold lightning bolt necklace and at just £1.65 couldn’t resist it.

 

Next, some dangly earrings, both at less than £2 a pair. I love the Great Gatsy/ art-deco look of these teardrop earrings and they are just big enough to make a statement without being too heavy to wear all day.

 

I also got these pretty beaded earrings which are quite big but delicate too. I can see myself wearing these a lot over the summer.

  

Finally, I decided to have a little look at the Men’s sections on the website to see if there was anything I could treat Ian to. It definitely wasn’t his style but they had some cool printed t-shirts so I picked up this blue one covered in little diamonds.

 

And that’s your lot – a nice little payday treat for this month! All of these items are available on Forever 21’s website but their sale items are changing daily. There is free shipping on any order over £50 and I have to admit that I hunted through for some additional items to take me up to the £50 mark so my purchases were more ‘worth it’!!! Does anyone else use this warped logic when shopping online?! Oh well, I ended up with a few extra pieces so I’m happy!