#FashionFebruary: Tartan

It's week 3 of #FashionFebruary, and this week the theme is tartan. First thing: I don't actually own anything tartan in my wardrobe. It is having a renaissance, but before that it reminded me of schools and Scotland. However, I think it can work really well in a work day wardrobe and adds a touch of chic to an outfit.

Here is what I teamed the Blackwatch Check Leggings from Topshop, £25 with:

 

1. Sasha metal arm cateye sunglasses, £16, Topshop / 2. Knit crop top, £29.99, Zara / 3. Pink woven chunky chain necklace, £9.99, Newlook / 4. Nike free bionic, £80, Nike.

 

I wear a lot of dark colours and the first two items I chose for this collage were dark, (leggings and knit crop top) naturally. They needed sprucing up with bright trainers and a necklace - in hues of pink of course. Nike trainers are my favourite pair of shoes to wear with an outfit at the moment because they are just so comfy. Even with dresses or tartan, they are now regularly seen outside of the gym.
Cateye sunglasses were popularised by the likes of Dior, Stella McCartney and Alexa Chung, and have since been a staple to summer wardrobes (there's not been much occasion to wear sunglasses recently.) This week, cateye sunglasses were the bonus accessory to try and add to our look. I liked this weeks theme and enjoyed experimenting putting tartan with woollen textures and bright colours.

 

Do you own any tartan?

My Nostalgic Thing

 

I haven't done a 'nostalgic thing' post in a little while! Oops, perhaps that's because I've been boring and hibernating from the rain. This weekend I travelled back to Devon (which took me 4hrs rather than the normal 1hr30 due to flooding) and grabbed the chance of a walk in the park whilst it was sunny. I love this picture of my boyfriend and my little dog and it's moments like these that make me smile.

 

What is your nostalgic thing?

#FashionFebruary: Harem Pants

The second instalment of Fashion February is all about harem pants.
Okay, not everyone is keen on the look and you either love them or loathe them. Sometimes they can be a little unflattering, or too youthful for others. But, I do own two pairs of harem pants which I bought last year. One pair is a green, military style and the other boasts a bold print and I have to say, they are very comfortable to lounge around in or take a walk to the park.

Often, they are associated with the tall, hippy kind but there has been a shift and they are now a slightly more sophisticated and stylish option. I have chosen global traveller-look harem pants because I like this kind of style. I would wear the outfit to a festival or beach party. As an extra challenge we can try and include the bonus accessory, and this week it is the ear cuff.

1. Folk Legend Harem Pant,$19.80, Forever 21 / 2. Fine-knit waistcoat, £12.99, H&M / 3. Geo drop necklace, £7.50, Miss Selfridge / 4. Rope detail ear cuff, £8, Urban Outfitters / 5. Parisian Black Tie Dye Stripe crop top, £12.99, H&M.

 

 

A waistcoat has festival written all over it, and this plain black one from H&M does just the trick. With so much print going on on the leg, a simple block colour for the waistcoat works best here. Although you may not at first think of pairing these folky trousers with tie-dye, mixing up prints isn't always a bad thing. A slither of skin above the trouser line adds a modern twist to a casual look. To keep to the hipp-ish vibe, the accessories are gold with a rope pattern on the ear cuff and a geometrical necklace. I lurveeee geometric shapes at the moment, and I don't actually know why. I guess it adds sharp lines to a soft silhouette. Ear cuffs are a recent addition in my jewellery box and I love the peek of metal sitting at the top of my ear. This look is cool but I'm not sure how suitable it would be in the recent weather we've been having...

 

Do you like harem pants? How would you style them?

 

Soap&Glory pamper time

 

Okay, so I will admit I'm not overly familiar with Soap and Glory. I feel bad because I should be! The bright, girly packaging can feel a bit too kitsch for my liking but it certainly brightens up the beauty shelf a bit.

After a four hour journey back to Devon on Friday (due to flooding and delays), a hangover yesterday and a stressful week at university, I figured it's time for some pampering. I was given a Soap and Glory gift set for Christmas and have collected a few bits since.  

 

Here is what I have:

 

Scrub of you Life: The clear scrub with pink beads in (who would've known) to exfoliate made me feel fresh and smooth. I don't normally use a body scrub but because of the cold weather my skin's been feeling a little dryer. It made shaving easier too.

 

Sugar Crush: Well, it definitely smells sugary sweet. It lathers up nicely in the shower and feels really nice on the skin due to its crème formula. The lime and kiwi scent is quite powerful but freshens me up.

 

Clean on Me: This is a hydrating crème that smells good enough to eat!

The Righteous Butter: After showering (if I have time) I like to moisturise before bed. I haven't tried this body butter before but it left my skin hydrated and glowing. Again, it smells amazing.

Spritz Girligo: Body mist is a product I tend to only use over Summer to make my legs shimmer. But as I was testing out my new products and my legs were on show I'd thought I'd spray them with a little shimmer mist! The texture felt too wet and watery

for my liking but it did make my legs have a hint of shine.



 

What are your favourite Soap and Glory products?

Chairty Shop Clutch

The weather is dire which always puts me in a rubbishy mood. But a spot of retail therapy in Bath always makes me feel a little better, even if my student loan is slowly running out. Thought I'd do a quick post to show you my charity shop purchase. I picked up this Clark's bag for £2. Quite a bargain, huh? I love the dark green colour and the simplicity of the design. What's your most recent charity shop find?

Bath Vintage & Antiques Market

Under Green Park Station’s roof every first and last Sunday of the month is the Vintage and Antiques market. The old platform becomes a hub for dealers, shoppers and vintage-lovers, with many stalls boasting quirky items and soul music filling the station. As it's not far from my house I go pretty much every time it is on to snoop at interesting items I want to fill my imaginary house with (a student abode doesn't really count.) Stalls flaunted vintage clothes and jewels, scavenged furniture, iconic prints, art and little nik-naks. Thought it would be good to share my outing with you. Here are some snaps:

 

Particularly like the old school chairs and the 'Quirk' picture.

 

Not sure I would ever invest in taxidermy, but this tigers head would definitely catch your guests eye.

 

Scarves, hats and gloves.

 

 

A talented lady makes bracelets/watches using lots of different watch faces which I think is a brilliant idea. 

 

A nostalgic display of tea caddies and tins.

 

Bargains could be found.

I loved the suitcase full of shiny brooches. I am a magpie when it comes to anything glittery and sparkly.

Dresses from various era's were on show at a selection of stalls.

 

 

Lamps have a magical feel to them and these four lined up in a row caught my eye.

And lastly, the rare mustache mug, at £15. Wish I bought it, they look so cool...

Do you go to any local vintage markets?

#FashionFebruary: Numari

#FashionFebruary is here! Ali from thecutelittlebeautyblog has arranged for bloggers to blog a post each week in Febraury detailing how we would style a certain piece of clothing.  

The item setting off this month is a stylish 'Diagonal Colour Block Sheath Dress' from Numari. I have chosen the blue dress with heather grey accents. The sleek and minimalist look of the design allows it to easily go from a day to night dress. It suits most body shapes and can be accessorised in many different ways - which is why it took me ages to choose my look!

 

 

Here is my look:

 

 

 

1. Black and White Jacquard blazer, £50, River Island

2. Hinge bracelets, £18, Asos

3. Downing Tote, £168, J Crew

4. Flowers and Leaves headband, £15.99, Zara

5. Thaya Heel, £110, Ted Baker

 

1. Black and white are classic combination colours, so to jazz up the dress, I chose this smart blazer from River Island. The cut nips in at the waist making it very flattering for most figures. It adds a modern twist for the urbanites about town without losing the dress's chic style.

 

2. Gold is the perfect accessory colour, so I opted for simple hinge bracelets from Asos to add glam to the dress.

 

3. Next, I paired the outfit with a simple but classic bag. It works well here because I didn't want to over-dress the staple item with too many patterns, and this J Crew bag can easily accommodate a day or night-time style. 'Dusty cobblestone' is the description colour so stepping into spring will feel fresh with this on your arm.

 

4. Jewelled headbands: the new necklace in the fashion world. As much as I'd love the Dolce & Gabbana crown, I don't think my student budget could afford £2, 060. I found the perfect headband at Zara to give something extra special to this look. It's delicate, floral and is an interesting piece to wear. Best worn with textured, loose hair, a glint of glamour and couture will top-off the dress.

 

5. Finally, I would wear these Thaya heels because they compliment the blue colour of the dress as well as the gold Asos bangles. They polish off the clean, modern look of my chosen style.



 

 

What would you style the Numari dress with?