Latest Purchases #91 – Handbags

Handbags have never really been my thing – shoes yes, stationary yes and nail varnishes oh yes! However, I decided that for my 30^th birthday I would treat myself to a designer handbag to remember my birthday holiday to America and also to have a beautiful item to use on a daily basis.

Not content with one handbag, I actually ended up buying two bags, one statement and one classic, but I have quite different uses for them.

First of all, I bought this bright blue leather bag from Nine West. I love this colour and think it will work all year round. It has a lovely slouchy style and a folded over front which I think adds a cool twist. The inner lining is also really pretty. I have been using this as my everyday handbag and find it is quite roomy.

Secondly, I wanted a ‘timeless classic’ that I could use for years to come and I decided that a black handbag would always be in style. I had a serious shopping dilemma between a Michael Kors and a DKNY bag but the latter won and I have worn this beauty a couple of times now.

I tend to save it for nights out or the weekend just to keep it feeling special. I think the black snakeskin leather with the gold hardware is just stunning and I love the fact is a very simple, classic shape that won’t go out of style.

Latest Purchases #76 – A Summery ASOS Haul

I may have been a tiny bit excited at being able to be outside without a coat on so I made a little ASOS order for some summery items. I am holding off buying too much for our holiday this summer as a) I have loads b) I am trying to lose a few pounds before we go and c) I plan on doing a lot of shopping when we are in the States too!

ASOS had a mini sale on their dresses and playsuits so I decided it would be a good time to invest.

First up a dress

Pretty standard for me – I wear a dress to work every day and I like the light material and the print of this although Ian told me it is bordering on slightly gangsta/ bandana material but I think I can pull it off?!

It is smock-style so not quite as flattering as my usual skater-style dresses but it is so light and floaty that I think it works.

Next, a bit of a daring buy for me…my first ever playsuit!

Now I have never even tried on a playsuit yet I am now a convert. I thought these would only suit super skinny girls but it turns out that certain styles are really flattering on hourglass shapes i.e. those of us with boobs, a bum and a waist! I love the print on this playsuit and it is made from a really light, floaty, silky material. There are lots of nice details such as capped sleeves, pockets, a tie-waist and pretty wooden buttons. It is really flattering on and will be a perfect summer outfit…the only thing I’m slightly worried about is having to unbutton everything when I need the loo but I’m sure it’ll be fine!

The final items are footwear. I had been after some of the Chanel-style espadrilles (plain white with a navy leather ‘cap’ on the toes) but whilst perusing ASOS I saw this double pack and thought I would get so much wear out of them.

This two-pack of espadrilles come in a pale denim and anchor print and a dark denim bleached-effect. It goes without saying that they are super comfortable and you know I can’t resist an anchor-print item.

An easy way to rock the double-denim look too!

So there you have it – a nice mini haul with a nod towards sunnier days. I am off into Bath today to get my hair cut and coloured then have coffee and cake with my bro in the sunshine x

Latest Purchases #45 – Festive Jumper

Hello weekend! We walked up to our local pub for some Friday drinks last night and it was lovely to see it looking all cosy and festive.

It was my school’s Christmas Bazaar today so I roped Ian in and we were in charge of the alcohol tombola. It is also our village’s mince pie and mulled wine event this afternoon so I’m feeling festive!

Christmas jumpers seem to be EVERYWHERE this year. We had a ‘bad jumpers’ party last New Year’s Eve where we modelled our best festive jumpers but I knew I wanted to buy one this year that was kind of vintage and cool but still fun. I saw online that Primark had a huge range of jumpers, from knitted Fair Isle designs to comedy ones, so we popped in a few weeks ago and I bought a few things.

First up, the jumper…

To me, Christmas is truly here when I have seen the Coca Cola ‘Holidays are Coming’ advert so when I saw this jumper I knew it was the one for me! It’s navy with a cosy fleecy lining and I wore it today with thick tights and a pale denim skater-style skirt.

Despite only going in for a Christmas jumper, it goes without saying that a few more items found their way into my basket!

I bought this lacy top in black a few weeks ago and love how it looks on so I was glad I found it in cream too. These tops look great with skinny jeans and can be dressed up for a night out.

Continuing with the lace-theme, I also bought this black lace jumper. This has quite a casual sweater shape to it but the beautiful thick lace material gives it a bit of an edge.

This top was actually reduced to £3 and I bought it purely for the leather-look sleeves.  I like combining different textures and materials in an item of clothing and I like the purple and black together.

Despite vowing not to buy any more dresses (I came home from America with 16 new ones!), I fell in love with this William Morris-esque design. I usually favour polka dots and floral designs so this is unlike anything I already have in my wardrobe.

This next top was a bit of a last minute buy and I’m still not too sure about it. It’s fairly standard from the front but has an interesting split/ gap along the back. Ian thinks it looks ridiculous (he’s not one to mince his words!) but I kind of like the fact it is a bit different!

I always find it a bit cringey when trendy places on the high street sell band tshirts as I think people often buy them because they think the band is cool rather than being a real fan of their music. Well, I now look like one of those people BUT…I bloody love the Ramones (I made Ian trek with me across New York so we could visit CBGBs and I could have a fan girl moment!) so I think I’m allowed to. Feel free to roll your eyes though!

In the home section, I got this white wicker candle holder. It is big enough to hold a chunky church candle but I have been using tea lights. In fact, I am kicking myself for only buying one as a pair would look great either side of my fireplace!

Finally, Ian bought a few new suits recently and I saw this cute moustache pocket handkerchief which would look great with them.

I’m report writing this weekend but plan to find some time for a good roast dinner and maybe even some homemade mince pies and a Christmas film – perfect x

Fashion: My Summer Staple

Today, I wanted to share an item of clothing that has fast become one of my summer staples…patterned trousers.

All over the Spring/ Summer catwalks this year and in my opinion the perfect solution for this dreadful weather we have had – they are loose and light so keep you cool in the sun, but they are still trousers so good for when it turns a bit chillier.

I have liked these trousers for ages, even more so after seeing Cherry Healey wear various pairs during her recent ‘How to Get a Life’ series, but as with any new trend it is all about finding the right cut for your body shape.

These patterned trousers have moved on from the big ‘n’ baggy style favoured at festivals and I think the perfect pair are not too tight, not too loose and should finish on the ankle. Get the cut right for your figure and these trousers are very flattering. Many styles also come with an elasticated waist which is perfect when you have pigged out at a BBQ! Asos currently have a great range of patterned trousers on their website.

After being on the hunt for a little while, I found and bought three pairs in one week, all in the sale!

I went for three different patterns so it didn’t feel like I was wearing the same thing every day, just in different colours:

A snakeskin pair (similar to the ones in Reiss which have appeared in lots of fashion magazines)

A bright, silky tropical print pair

And a simple blue patterned pair

Now, there is a fine line between ‘summer chic’ and looking like you have left the house wearing your pyjamas so I think you need to be careful what you pair with these trousers. I know some people are all about clashing colours and patterns but I prefer to let the trousers be more of a statement piece and go for a neutral top.

For me, this means I don’t have to go through that continual questioning of whether two things go well together and, to keep it really simple, I usually go for a black or white top, sometimes with a denim shirt thrown over the top.

You can get away with these at the office, by pairing the trousers with a crisp white shirt and ballet pumps, or wear them on a night out with a strappy top and wedges…fun, playful and very stylish.