dreaming spires // Oxford, UK Fashion and Style Blog

no-cost wardrobe revamp, pt 1

2012-01-25T09:00:00.000Z

Ahem. Sorry about my little outburst the other day - glad people agreed with me about what I was worried about, and offered some great criticism! Thanks for the good responses. I've been inspired to take a look at my wardrobe and look at it more critically in the vein of all those minimalist, Marant-heavy blogs. Afraid I might be going down that track in the near future, given my near-zero budget. (As an aside, I did just put my first big deposit in my savings account for next year's MSc, so you know, at least there's that little nest egg to make me feel better about the whole thing!)

Harriet put me on the track of looking at things in my wardrobe I don't wear enough and making an effort to try and bring them to the fore a little more; great idea. Starting on a freshly washed wardrobe with everything I own laid out in front of me - feel free to play along at home, boys and girls! - here are my five least worn categories. I solemnly swear to include each one in at least one outfit post in the next month. There! How's that for stage one of my rehabilitation?

Red. I own more red than you'd think for someone allergic to colour. As long as it's not too near my face I think it looks okay - but I've gone off wearing red with black a lot in the last month or so of nasty weather! It just feels too harsh, and smacks of Balmainia circa 2009 and wearing stilettos in the daytime. Do you know what I mean? As a result, I'm going to try red with navy, cream, tan - anything but, really. Shame I think I have to wait till it's okay to go without tights!

Shirts. I have no less than EIGHT shirts (all vintage, natch) in various patterns, colours and sizes. And I barely wear them. I love the idea of a large shirt with rolled sleeves and an open neck and I think it's pretty suited to my shape, but the large, loose top with skinny jeans silhouette feels so blah to me. I have new, flattering high waisted jeans, so maybe tucked in is a real possibility now? Under jumpers is something else I am going to have a go at.

Navy. Another colour I didn't think I had much of until I looked. This isn't all of it, obviously. Given my new pink satchel and my attempt to embrace colour above, I really need to wear more navy. I've actually got a couple of ideas for this one, so watch this space!

Patterns. Let's be honest, I am tall and quite broad across the shoulders and waist, and I'm rather shouty. Pretty florals are never going to be my bag, and I've given up on them completely now, probably forever. There are plenty of patterns I'm a little bit more comfortable with, though - spots, stripes, Pendleton-esque prints (seriously if anyone refers to them as Navajo, tribal and/or Aztec, especially in the same piece of magazine copy, they get beaten with my politically correct baseball bat) and they need to be more of a part of my day-to-day outfit instead of a special occasion piece.

Accessories. I've been very lucky to receive some great accessories (not least from my lovely sponsors Sarenza - get on their ambassador application if you're a blogger!) and yet I'm sticking to the same old Docs and satchel combo - something I love very much but is undeniably safe. Heels in the day are OUT these days unless it's super sensible, but there definitely needs to be more of my scarves and different bags in my daily repertoire.

Here goes - wish me luck!

looking for DS critique

2012-01-23T09:00:00.000Z

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You might have noticed that I've been a little bit absent from blogging recently. A part of this is the amount of work I'm doing, but a much larger part of it is that I'm in a rut when it comes to fashion, full stop. Not even blogging, just fashion. I don't know if it's the weather, or the fact that I'm cycling everywhere, or that I've not been doing much fashion-ey, or that I have even less money than normal these days since I'm saving up to pay for my second MSc, but I am BORED.

I know there's a certain amount of nasty 'fast-fashion', novelty addiction to this idea which is why I'm trying to stamp on it, hard, and work with the wardrobe I've spent a lot of time and a lot of thought building up. I want to start afresh, look at the things I have with new eyes, and try some more outgoing and interesting things. Obviously I'll talk through it lots with you guys on the way, but one way or another it's definitely happening. First things first though, I need to know what's wrong with what I'm doing, which is why I'm crying out for a bit of help here.

Be as harsh as you like - what's wrong with my wardrobe? As it comes across on the blog; what do I focus on too much and where would you like to see me branch out? I have some ideas of my own already but I'd really like to see what people who read Dreaming Spires think. Give us a helping hand, please?

P.S. As a result of all the madness, and cross with sporadic posting, I am instead going to commit to posts on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Not as much as I used to, but I simply can't commit to any more with all my work.

take10: zalando

2012-01-18T19:44:00.002Z

Boots: Zign at Zalando / Skirt: ASOS / Jumper: Primark

Hey guys, just a fleeting one today as I disappear under a tidal wave of thesis, seminar reading, yoga and, bizarrely, teaching actors how to speak with my accent (long story, that one). Basically, take10 again and Zalando asked us all to style something from their Zign range - we were happy to oblige! Not much in the women's section appealed to me though, as the collection tends more toward the preppy and girly, so I headed to the men's shoes for these pretty epic biker boots. Much more my style, and as long as you come in at a 6ish or above there should be things for you! Eeeeeexcellent (Mr Burns style.)

Ellie - Sabine - Sarah - Harriet - Paula - Jen - Sherin - Vicki - Susie

pink to make the boys wink

2012-01-12T12:11:00.002Z

1. Jacket: Primark / 2. Jumper: Primark / 3. Playsuit: Henry Holland at Debenhams / 4. Boots: Converse / 5. Jeans: Vintage

Although I massively disapprove of the 'haul' posts that kick around in January (srsly, bloggers?!) I had to share my fashion-related Christmas present from my dad and stepmum, this pink mini-satchel. Pink, you say?! Yes, I actually mentioned on a previous family outing that I'd be really keen to try something in this shade of pink, as a bit of a challenge and something to branch out into. And I love it!

Obviously, I've set myself to thinking about colour schemes to make sure it fits in with my wardrobe as best I can. Pastels are pretty much out, as is anything like cream or tan or denim - I'm just not made to be pretty and girly and frolic in fields and what have you. So, I'm sticking to neutrals and colours to 'toughen it up'. Pink and grey? Pink and monochrome? Navy? Khaki? MORE PINK?! Who knows, the world is my fuschia oyster. Have you guys got any ideas of how to wear it? Planning a more lengthy post once the satchel and I have settled in and got over the honeymoon phase.

tumblrdump: wishing for spring

2012-01-10T09:00:00.000Z

1&2: There's just something about this clear, mild, bright winter we're having that makes me want to wear my big farmer's coat (see this post) (jesus, i've lost weight since then) and a big pair of DMs and just grunge it up. Simple outfits like these are pretty amazing, but probably look best if you're as absolutely drop-dead gorgeous as the girl on the right. Wowsers.

3&4: Pretty sure I'm going to keep on loving midis till my legs fall off, but at the moment I'm leaning towards both brighter colours (obviously guided by my beloved red pleated number) and a more ladylike, 'pretty' aesthetic than my usual black-and-boots combination. Maybe I'm just growing out of my black phase?

5&6: That said, more than half of my wardrobe is still black so here are some all-black looks I'm trying to emulate. I think it's a case of moving away from a more layered, scruffy black to a smarter idea, whether that's simple like on the left or boyish like on the right. Is anyone else wanting to move to a more ladylike look?

7&8: And a couple of details that I really like the idea of. Suspender tights and knee socks with sheer tights are a pretty good way of being interesting without wearing conventional patterned tights, which are feeling a bit dated to me at the moment. And my denim jacket is feeling a bit neglected: love this simple relaxed look!

All images credited on my tumblr - let's be friends!

swear i was born right in the doorway

2012-01-09T09:00:00.000Z

Dress: Zara / Socks: Primark / Boots: Dr Martens at Sarenza

My one sale buy of the year! I haven't had much money recently (hence my absence from these here intarwebs, I've been working to try and save some money for my second Masters') so it was so nice to recieve some money from my auntie for Christmas and be able to pick up this lovely cutout number from Zara. I really like the idea of cutouts, which I think are going to be a big deal on summer dresses, but side or midriff ones are pretty much out of the question given my little pot belly! You'd have to be pretty confident to wear that - are you going to be buying into cutouts?

landscape

2011-12-29T09:00:00.000Z

Jacket: Primark / Scarf: vintage / Jeans: Next / Boots: Dr Martens at Sarenza

Travelling around is the bit of Christmas that's the most hassle - the multi-changing, always full, bus-replaced train journey from Oxford to Hull and back is the absolute bane of my existence! After one ill-fated four hour journey in a leather pencil skirt (NEVER AGAIN, FOLKS) I genuinely plan ahead with what I'm going to wear - this is pretty standard for me now! Sturdy footwear, nice simple clothes, a comfy cardi and some colour so as not to feel totally practical (take a lookie at my 'dressing up when you're dressing down' article for tips), and to help me look like less of a frivolous idiot when I'm lugging my GIANT shoe-filled suitcase around. Perfect! What's your go-to travel outfit?

TATTOO

2011-12-28T09:00:00.000Z

TOLD YOU I WOULD! Yes it hurt, no it didn't hurt very much. Had to change the position because the other one distorted a bit too much when I opened and closed my arm, but yeah. What an awesome Christmas present!

fairytale of new york

2011-12-27T09:00:00.000Z

Skirt: ASOS / Top: Zara / Necklace: Primark / Boots: Dune at Sarenza

I'm not an unnecessarily huge fan of matchy-matchy accessories, but one place I am really anal about matching is metals. I just can't wear a gold necklace with my silver zip biker jacket, for example. I don't know if this is the case for everyone or it's just me that it looks glaringly wrong to - what do you think?

Anyway, the point is that I love my gold collar necklace but all my black shoes have silver fastenings, which is why I jumped on these Dune boots from Sarenza like a fat kid on chips. They're a bit on the teetering side height-wise, though they're perfectly okay to walk in, and a really nice winter alternative to heels for ladylike outfits. And now I'm happy with the whole silly colour-matching thing. Aren't I an idiot.

what packing reveals about your wardrobe

2011-12-20T09:00:00.000Z

Heading home for Christmas is great fun, but it's such a palaver getting it all packed when you're moving around and dressing for all occasions! Here's my wardrobe for the season - had it all laid out when I realised that actually, I kind of have built a capsule wardrobe! When did this happen?! It's mostly since I had a brutal clear out before I moved into my house in Oxford (I sense a string of January posts focusing on budget wardrobe rationalisation) but now I feel like I have proper style rules that are easy to follow. Looking at this, here are mine - how about you?

Pick a neutral and stick to it. A huge proportion of my wardrobe is black or black and white - it may be boring but when you've got a budget as limited as mine it's crucial that you can wear everything together. This is helped along by a certain cavalier attitude to navy and black combinations, but black's still my main base!

Brights that work with a range of neutrals are best. Obviously red's my poison - great with navy, black, camel, cream or white - but cobalt blue, raspberry or even honeysuckle pink are great examples if you're that way inclined! Judging by magazines this colour pop thing isn't going away, so you might as well get involved. I'm looking at bright orange at the moment, as long as it's away from my face! Ah, the curse of the ginger.

Basic shoes for the win - but be braver with colours! Thanks to my work with Sarenza my shoe collection's doing pretty well. I've found that the shoes I wear the most are those in classic shapes (these Melissa courts, my failsafe DMs) but with slightly more adventurous colours. If you've got a good range of basics it's nice to be interesting!

God, I never thought I'd consider myself someone with a fixed set of rules and a coherent style. For awe-inspiring, perfectly put together wardrobes, try a pair & a spare, Dead Fleurette or East Atlanta - nothing like a seamless aesthetic to inspire you to clear out!

driving home for christmas

2011-12-19T09:00:00.000Z

Coat and scarf: vintage / Jeans: Next / Boots: Dr Martens at Sarenza / Top: Zara

It's bloody cold out is what it is. I don't know about you but I'm so tired of wearing jeans - obviously being a student I don't drive and it's a pretty long walk/cycle to uni so I can't really wear skirts! Docs and jeans and a stripey tee has become such a uniform over the last couple of weeks - nice and understated and whatever, but BORING after this long! I tend to try different colours just to spice things up: camel and raspberry is pretty failsafe for winter and this is the cosiest coat I own. What have you been wearing in this icky chilly weather?

my life in instagrams

2011-12-16T09:00:00.000Z

1. My wardrobe at the moment. Do you think I have some kind of problem with wearing too much monochrome? Naaaah... (I do.)

2. Been doodling this symbol on my arm sporadically for a couple months now. You know why? Because come Christmas I'm getting it as a tattoo. Sorry Mum. It's the capital Greek letter delta, used in science to stand for change and I feel like it's the perfect thing to commemorate my time at uni, how I've grown up.

3. Camel and red is a total fave colour combination. It's pretty much just my camel coat with my red skirt or jeans and black accessories, since I have no money for new clothes, but it's pretty classic!

4. Eeeeeeew, fish innards! If you don't know, I'm working on the transition from fish fins to the first limbs of land animals as my project, and this involves a lot of work on the modern lungfish. Since I can't study them in life, this involves trips to the Oxford Natural History Museum basement, which is filled with jars upon jars of pickled fish, frogs and (scariest) monkeys. Not great on a hangover, I'll tell you that!

5. Evolution textbooks are sometimes fun. Here's the cover of one with a robot triceratops on it, for no real reason. Wicked.

6. More of my project - this is a sketch of an early fossil lungfish shoulder. I love palaeontology because of all the drawing!

7. An emergency purchase when the heating broke; this wool cardigan thing from Primark. Loads of them on sale for about £7 and it's toasty warm - the blue/grey Aztec-inspired pattern is an added plus!

8. Printed lots of photos from one of those websites that gives you your first 50 for free. It's making me super nostalgic since I'm a fourth year in undergraduate/postgraduate limbo and most of my undergrad friends have moved onto the world of work! Here's to absent friends.

Follow me on Instagram - username oldcartyres!

take10: house of fraser

2011-12-13T07:00:00.000Z

Dress: Linea at House of Fraser / Clutch: Vintage / Shoes: Vivienne Westwood at Sarenza

First of all, serious apologies for the photo, guys. It's got to the time of year where if you want to get a photo sharpish, it's try your best with the diffuse flash or nowt! Anyway, it's take10 time, and this House of Fraser party dress holds up pretty well under the icky light. The lovely guys there picked us all out a dress to try and fit our style, and I think they did a pretty good job! When it comes to party stuff I tend to stick to waisted things with full skirts, since they're flattering and it's just too easy to wear something 'fashioney' that doesn't hold up to dancing or to numerous drunken Facebook pictures that have been popping up of me. Nice one, MJ. I've resorted to detagging.

Anyway, I really love it, it feels great on and I've take to wearing black with this caramel-ey brown - do you think it's close enough to another colour to defeat the black/brown rule? Also - on my arm, that's drawn with pen, it's not a tattoo.

YET.

As always, click around the take10 lovelies, have a look at what House of Fraser picked for them and let me know what you think!

Ellie - Sabine - Sarah - Harriet - Paula - Jen - Sherin - Vicki - Susie

oxford guide to charity shops

2011-12-12T09:00:00.000Z

SEE THE MAP HERE

I know this is a pretty narrow section of readership to appeal to, but for ages I've been meaning to produce Google Maps guides to local charity shops. Here's my first - for my adopted home of Oxford, for residents, students and tourists (though if you are a tourist STOP WALKING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD FFS) alike. There are plenty of words in it so I'll keep them to a minimum out here - just to say for best results combine with my guide to charity shop shopping, and feel free to share it with other Oxford friends because seriously dudes this took me ages!

she's just like the weather

2011-11-30T09:00:00.000Z

Skirt: ASOS / T-shirt: Zara / Jacket: vintage / Shoes: Topshop

Utterly moronic picture for you guys today, but sadly I have neither the time nor the vanity (well, relatively speaking, I am a style blogger after all) to take more than 1 or 2 quick shots of a morning. The point is, here's the red skirt! I was discussing with my uber-stylish bud Moya yesterday about how 'into' (ugh) red I am at the moment - she's 'into' cream, fyi - just because it goes with all neutrals. Black and white, cream, navy, even brown (although I never would) would make a pretty decent outfit, and it's nice and bright in winter too! And there is something about wearing red that makes you feel really bold and out there, right? What colour are you really 'into' at the moment?

the joys of saving up

2011-11-29T09:00:00.000Z

When was the last time you saved up for something?

It's actually an interesting question, because I seriously can't remember the last time I saw something, decided I wanted it enough and would wear it enough to justify the price, put aside money and then finally went to buy it when I'd saved up the funds. Today I picked up from my pigeonhole the first thing for a long time I have planned to buy like this, this red ASOS pleated skirt, and you know what? It actually feels pretty good!

Yes, it only cost £30 with postage, which might not be very much to some people, but it's probably the most I've paid for anything in a long time - my coats all come in under a fiver thanks to some serious charity shopping, and I haven't bought a handbag or jeans in quite a while. Obviously whether you think it's a lot or not hangs on your definition of 'fast fashion' - for me, an impulse buy comes from a charity shop and a serious investment from Topshop, whereas for someone else Topshop might be a lunchtime shopping trip.

Nevertheless, while I'm not normally the kind of person to mope on about conspicuous consumption, capsule wardrobes or the importance of a white shirt (mostly because I don't have the face to pull off simple clothing, lol!), the sense of satisfaction involved in picking up this little guy today is actually pretty hefty and something I think mentioning. Later in the week I'll do a run-down of some of the range of outfits I plan to wear it with, but for now - I worked and saved for this, and here it is, and isn't that nice?

don't you want me baby

2011-11-24T11:30:00.000Z

Jeans: Next / Shirt and necklace: Primark / Blazer: Zara / Creepers: Sarenza

Ah, the age-old problem of not having your blacks match in a photo. I swear they're all really super black IRL, guys! I think you're supposed to dye them to make this go away but really, who has the time?! Not me, fo sho. Apologies for two outfit posts in a week, they're frivolous and boring, but my project is really kicking off, which is both exciting and busy-making. I promise to move away from black now, too, since I just ordered a red skirt from ASOS which was over twenty pounds! My word. I can't remember the last time I spent that much on anything!

what to wear when you don't know what to wear

2011-11-22T09:00:00.000Z

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Given the amount of tweets I see about how everybody hates everything in their wardrobe and wants to start again, I'm not the only one who goes through occasional periods of outfit block. I really don't think this is something that can be blamed on 'fast fashion' or poor clothing choices: any one of us who has a student or student-esque budget and a reasonable interest in fashion is bound to repeat outfits a lot, and that can lose a lot of appeal even if they're great ones. There are ways to get over it, though, both in the short term and the long - here's how I do it, got any tips?

Wardrobe clearouts bring old stuff to light. This is definitely a longer term solution since I know (from experience!) that a clearout begun in haste leaves you with nothing but piles of clothes all over your floor and an even worse mood. However, even if you only cleared out last a matter of months ago, there will still be something you've forgotten about - everyone's style goes in waves! If you find something which feels like new, take the time there and then to plan three or four brand new outfits with your new-for-old love.

A pop of colour makes boring feel different. Check out my post on wearing brights in winter - putting something like a scarf, socks or a bag in a bright shade makes everything feel new, and it's a fail safe way to wear something conventionally 'boring' like a Breton tee and jeans and still feel like you're wearing something interesting.

Stick to classic looks that make you feel good. Ok, so this is pretty dull but if you get up and just hate everything, the best thing to do is put on a tried-and-true outfit. Chances are if you try and create something new first thing in a morning, you'll feel rubbish by lunchtime and will feel even worse about your wardrobe next time it happens.

Update with fast, cheap options like tights. If the problem is further-reaching and you've been bored for over a week, rather than buying a new tee or something (more expensive, and you can only wear it one day before you're back to square one), skip to somewhere like Primark and get a few pairs of inexpensive tights or socks. I'd recommend suspender tights, sheers with spots, and the Topshop socks which are 3 for £7 for the nicest and cheapest new looks. Try layering tights with socks, wearing socks with trousers and mannish shoes, a black outfit with interesting sheer tights... they make you feel more like you're wearing something new for less cost than an impulse buy of a new piece of clothing.

Mix it up! Wearing night-time things in the day is a big deal at the moment, apparently. I'm all for it as long as nothing's actually sparkly - tights, a jumper/cardie or really big Doc Martens are all options for bringing quite a 'party' dress into daytime. I have a spotted playsuit which is one of my favourite 'going out' outfits but also looks great with tights, my cherry red DMs and a denim jacket. Give it a try, you might surprise yourself!

Overdress just a little. If your problem is that you're feeling really blah, being a teeny bit more fabulous than normal is a good way to get over it. It might just be a dress, a pair of heels or lipstick, but people will notice and comment and it'll make you feel a bit fab and happier about your wardrobe!

Wear old things in new ways. If you don't want to buy anything new at all (very sensible of you), try maybe wearing something in a different way? Scarves are the obvious candidate here (obi belt, headscarf, on a bag, folded neatly and a waist belt over the top, shawl... I could go on) but also think about minor outfit additions such as my fur collar tutorial, rolling the hems on trousers, tying shirts at the waist, tucking things in... a little addition can actually go a long way!

you know you make me wanna shout

2011-11-21T09:00:00.000Z

Skirt: H&M / Top: Next / Fur thingy: DIY / Collar necklace: Primark / Shoes: Topshop

Not got that much to say about outfit-ey things today, to be honest. I went on the three most horrific nights out in a row last week, rendering me both pretty broke and without the ability to type anything. I haven't pulled that kind of crap since first year! Anyway, here's one of my hungover outfits - I've ranted before on the impracticality of maxi skirts for winter but since we've staved off the rain so far I think it's ok for now... cycling in it is a whole different kettle of fish though!

brights in winter

2011-11-16T09:00:00.000Z

Yeah, we pretty much all did it this summer. All those beautiful, juicy Jil Sander/Gucci oranges, greens and blues splashed all over Zara and Topshop kind of turned our heads, right? I know I got a bit carried away, and now I'm the proud owner of a pair of red and a pair of pink (me! pink!) jeans. I really don't think all is lost now, though, when wearing the visual equivalent of an ice lolly is as seasonally appropriate as actually eating said ice lolly - there are plenty of ways I've been thinking of to bring summer's brights into a winter palette and delay the onset of that 'fast fashion' hangover a bit. Maybe even make some of them into classics? Here's a few ideas of mine - add some of your own?

Neutral colour palettes with a splash of bright. This seems pretty obvious but the one neutral in particular I'm going for here is camel. For me there's nothing better at the moment for bringing a little interest into a camel coat and basic tee combo than a pair of trousers in cobalt or pink, with simple stilettoes or ballet flats so the trousers really are the focal point. Red and camel is more of a classic combo if you're not feeling up to the alternative - why not give that a go?

Jil Sander toned it down for winter with black ski looks. The ski-bunny bit might be a bit crazy (come on, who looks good in a cocoon coat?) but I'm really sold on the idea of a black poloneck with a pair of bright trousers, or a bright tee with black cigarette pants. I think again this looks pretty sophisticated and would be a really good way to make an office outfit a little more interesting.

You can still get away with colour blocking for night. Although you really could still do a colour clash at night, I'm leaning more towards tone-on-tone looks for something that's still bold but a little less trend-led. Cobalt, royal blue and navy would be a combo I'd love to see as an evening outfit, especially if you could mix some of the light parachute silks a lot of things were sold in for summer with something more wintry and textured like velvet.

Are you still wearing summer colour blocking or has it been relegated to the charity bag?

take10 in company!

2011-11-15T09:00:00.000Z

Hey look! That's us! Yep, you heard my excited high-pitched blathering over on Twitter right - Company, December issue, page 107 has my potatoey old mug plastered in the corner. Cue incomprehensible phone calls to family members and shoving a magazine obnoxiously in people's faces for the last three days...

Anyway, the fashioney point is that Company asked us all to style an LBD for their themed issue, and we were sent this ASOS lovely which is one of the most 'my style' take10 projects we've ever had! I'll let magazine-me tell you about it in a sliiiiightly-paraphrased-but-we'll-let-it-slide way...

Anyway, take a look at the other take10 girlies as always, and let them know what you think!

Ellie - Sabine - Sarah - Harriet - Paula - Jen - Sherin - Vicki - Susie

tumblrdump: yeah it's pretty cold now

2011-11-14T13:05:00.001Z

1&2: Ah, the humble leather skirt. I actually went off my numerous leather minis for a period of about a month, but with the addition of a lot of very thick tights I think I'm back to being converted. They're the perfect base for things like weird tights, thick fluffy jumpers, collared shirts and big clompy boots and creepers. Obviously, I'm still sticking to black although I have seen some people do really well with other colours! Do you think minis are okay for winter if you wrap up warm?

3&4: Biiiig, big coats. My Harrods camel one is smelling a bit weird, kind of wet - does anyone know how to fix this? Anyway both these beauties look like they could be vintage, and the one on the left even looks like it's something I might be able to find! Better get rummaging because its masculine shape is really what I'm into this winter.

5&6: Rediscovered my obsessive love of black from circa winter 2009/2010. This last week I've worn so many all-black outfits I'm starting to bore myself! It's just feeling quite right at the moment though, with gold instead of silver and a lot of textures. What do you think? Dull or seasonally appropriate?

7&8: And of course, the biker jacket. Mine is just starting to get all squishy and I've got a new found love for it - just big enough to wear a hoodie underneath for the nastiest of days, slim enough to wear a big chunky scarf over if I want. Although the orange trousers are a bit bold I'd love to replicate the look on the left with a more winter-appropriate colour like raspberry, or the look on the right with some big thick tights! Brrrrr.

All images are credited on my streetstyle tumblr.

rumour has it

2011-11-10T12:36:00.001Z

Necklace: Primark / Jumper: Next / Skirt: vintage / Creepers: Sarenza

Hi guys, sorry about my epic absence - the lack of a keyboard is really getting me! Anyway, it's been a while since I did an outfit post so here's what I'm wearing today. This gold necklace thing is mad! Picked it up yesterday from Primark and can't wait to wear it with my black formal dress with a really deep neck. Anyway, please ignore my half-finished wall art: it'll be awesome one I've done this whole section of wall but for now it looks a little half-arsed.

DIY: fur collar

2011-11-07T10:46:00.001Z

Just a simple quick DIY for you today! Fur collars are obviously a bit of a big deal at the moment, and since I didn't buy into the aviator collar biker thing trend, I've made one of my own - actually two, but I'll show you the other permutation later. I'm not going to insult your intelligence with a tutorial (make a tube of fabric, cut slits in one side where the red lines are shown and slot the ends of the collar of the jacket in), but I think it's a cheap and nifty way to update your biker jacket!

dressing up when you're dressing down

2011-11-03T07:00:00.000Z

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Further to what I wrote about the other day, I've been thinking about what happens on days where you can't really dress up up for whatever reason - practicality, dress code, or even that old student chestnut 'everything is in the wash!' I'm firmly of the opinion, though, that even though what you're wearing on those days might not sound very exciting if you were to write it down, there are plenty of little styling tricks that can make even the simplest outfit feel a little more like you're putting your own stamp on it. I do think this is something that's very personal and that you develop yourself as you become more aware of your style, but here's a few ideas of what I do, to get you started!

Turn-ups are key. When you're wearing bog standard skinny jeans, I think there's nothing cooler you can do to them than turn them up a couple of rolls until they're at about 7/8s length or maybe a little longer. This is a trick I picked up from my uber stylish pal Moya, and not only does it show off your shoes and slim your ankle, as well as removing icky bunching at the bottom, but it's a great way to add a bit of interest if you're of the socks-and-heels persuasion. My personal fave at the moment is rolled up jeans with sheer polka dot socks and my beloved Underground creepers, but I can think of so many more options!

Basics look best if you keep them classy. Nobody's ever going to get that gorgeous dressed-down chic look with a pair of faded-down-the-middle jeans with a message across the arse in rhinestones. There's a reason dark wash jeans, simple white tees and Bretons in trad colours are considered such classics; they look good! They're no more expensive than the alternatives, and they're as perfect for setting up shop in the library during revision as they are for using as bases for more out-there stuff.

Hair and beauty make a difference. These are never going to be in the wash or impractical, so spend an extra five minutes on a chignon or a great strong lip if you're playing everything else down. It makes the whole thing look more intentionally dressed down, lets you play with more attention grabbing stuff without looking overdone, and makes you feel about a million times less like you're having an 'off' day and more like you meant it...

Yeah, it's a cliche, but accessories. I'm not talking high heels here - they might not suit the outfit or occasion. Instead, things like a plain block colour scarf make you feel less like you threw on whatever was nearest and more like you're thinking about what you wear. In fact, a 'simple' outfit like this is much more likely to be all neutrals and will let you experiment with more colour.

What do you do to make 'dressed down' more you?

cherwell: nail art

2011-11-01T07:00:00.000Z

The resurgence of nails as a key part of a look was one of the most tangible reactions of high-end fashion to the recession. The desire to buy into a trend was infinitely more achievable when a luxury investment was a £20 Chanel nail varnish in Particulere, the 'it' shade of the lacquer revival, rather than a £2000 handbag. Thanks to Tumblrs such as fuckyeahprettynails and celebrated YouTube stars like luxuriousnails, the nail revolution has blossomed into an impressive network of original designs, using cheap and readily available materials to produce creative and inspiring results.

beeeee careful!

2011-10-31T07:00:00.000Z

Trousers: Zara / Creepers: Underground at Sarenza / Breton: H&M / Jacket: vintage

Hi all! I did have a lengthy returning post but Blogger just deleted it all, so here's my grumpy 1am version from when I could bear to rewrite it all. Sorry for being missing last week; both coffee/laptop drama and a variety of SUPER MEGA BUSY TIMES. Anyway, it's better now, so I'm back, and a lovely Aussie party at the weekend has reminded me of the reasons I need to re-engage a bit in the blog community. So watch out for me fillin' up your comment boxes instead of just creeping! And on another creeper related note, here's a bit of a take on androgyny from me. I just think that anything more classic and tux-related just looks a bit cabaret singer when you're a little bit top-heavy, no?

take10: next coat

2011-10-20T23:27:00.000+01:00

Coat: take10 c/o Next / Top: Zara / Jeans: Primark / Creepers: Underground

Hi guys! Updating from the ol' iPad today since I wisely spilled coffee on my laptop yesterday... many swearwords were uttered. The whole thing still works, it's just the keyboard that's shot, so the tech-savvy housemate and I are going to have a go at it tomorrow, and if not I have a spare monitor and USB keyboard so I can just make it into a desktop. Anyway, the point is, sorry if the formatting is crap today!

It's take10 time again, and as winter is approaching Next sent us this bright red peacoat to have a go at! I didn't find it the easiest to style since I'm not naturally attracted to either such a statement colour or indeed making a statement of any sort with coats. My usual preference is dark or neutral dor layering lots of scarves on top, so red was a bit of a deviation. I found that the easiest and most comfortable way to wear such a bright colour was to wear it with all monochrome to avoid getting lost in it or looking like a bit of a cariacature. What do you think? How do you wear red, and in what colour schemes?

As always, don't forget to click through to all the take10 team and see how they've done the same item.

Ellie - Sabine - Sarah - Harriet - Paula - Jen - Sherin - Vicki - Susie

10 reasons i dress up every day

2011-10-19T07:00:00.000+01:00

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Those who say image doesn't matter are liars. True, it should matter for you and your own benefit, but saying it doesn't matter at all is just fooling yourself. The whole reason I write this blog is to prove that caring about your image isn't vacuous, unintelligent and isn't undermining your other qualities. Every time someone asks me 'what's the occasion?' I just run through this list in my head!

Dressing the way I do is an expression of who I am, my tastes and personality. You can tell by my bright lipstick and occasionally odd clothes that I'm outgoing and a bit silly. Why would I want to pretend to be anyone else? And why would I want anyone to expect me to be anything else? Like it or not, people will make assumptions about you from the way you look. Use it to your advantage and present yourself how you want to be seen!

Things are too good to be kept 'for best'. Cost per wear is a huge control on how I buy things, and there's no point in buying things and then storing them in the wardrobe for a day that might never come - I want to put them on and feel awesome now! There are plenty of sob stories about people keeping something 'for best' and then dropping dead - taking the idea to extremes, I know, but every day should be a 'best' day.

You never know what might happen. Bump into the love of your life, new best friend or dream employer? You never know when it's going to happen, and do you want that to happen when you're wearing gross baggy jogging bottoms and a dirty t-shirt? Will it even happen if you don't present your best front to the world?

Looking awesome makes me more confident. Why the hell should I put on boring clothes when for the same amount of effort I could feel like I really stand out? When I wear something that makes me feel amazing, I stand up taller, smile brighter, behave more politely and good things come my way. Yes, I'm thinking about how I look, but I'm doing it for ME.

Wearing interesting things is a talking point! Maybe someone will ask you where you got it, why you like it or what the fuck that thing is on your head. Whatever they're saying, they're saying something to you that wouldn't happen otherwise, and you never know where that might take you.

What's the point in blending in? Nobody's ever going to comment, positively or negatively, on a pair of jeans and a tee. Sure, you're not taking risks, but where's the fun in safe? Nobody ever changed the world by being safe, and what you do on the outside affects how you feel on the inside.

Trying new things and dressing outside my comfort zone helps improve my style and make me feel better in the future. If you're saying that you don't have the style or confidence to make this stuff happen, it happens like everything else - practice! While I might not be the most stylish person now, my past style fuckups (trust me, there have been plenty, and my no-delete policy on old posts means they're still there for all to see) have made it possible to wear things like my caramel leather trousers that I would never have DARED before.

It's a creative challenge. I haven't got the most money, and it's a great feeling when you know you look really good but you spent next to nothing on your outfit. Charity shop shopping is fun, putting together outfits is fun - who doesn't like a bit of a challenge?

Style and trends are a part of the way society thinks and feels, and having your finger on that pulse feels good. Sure, the 80s or hammer pants look ridiculous now, but there are reasons trends fall the way they do. Try tying the minimalism of Celine et al a few years back to the recession, or the grunge trends of the 90s back to music trends, and you'll see what I mean. The famous Chanel quote 'Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening' sums it up for me. Why pass up following the heartbeat of your world? Fashion is just one of the ways to do that.

Because it's bloody good fun, because I want to, and because there's no reason I can't do what makes me happy. What other reason does there need to be?

cherwell: lady is a tramp

2011-10-17T07:00:00.000+01:00

So, guys, what do you think? This is my first ever shoot for Cherwell, and I've got to say I'm pretty damn chuffed with it! My photos of the spread are obviously terrible (turns out newsprint doesn't really photograph well) but all in all I think it looked good. I styled the shoot, bought the clothes, etc etc, but the photographer did an amazing job of it and the model was absolutely stunning! Big love from me. Can't remember if I told you but I've been promoted to Fashion Editor since the girl who was supposed to be doing it isn't, so I'm running the show now, har har! Stay tuned for lots more online content there from me.

Would you like to see scans/shots of every week's fashion spread? They're not all styled by me but the deputies who do the other 2/3 are both much more stylish - I've just seen the one for next Friday and it looks so much better than this! Excited to see it go to print!

transitional dressing, british style

2011-10-12T07:00:00.000+01:00

Doesn't it seem to you like every 'guide' on transitional dressing around this time of year assumes you've been floating around in ethereal dresses since March? Er, haha, I'm already at jumper-and-jacket stage and not far off two-coat stage from the look of things. I have been thinking about 'transitional' dressing, British-weather-style, though, and here's how I'm doing it...

Multiple everythings!
Well, duh, layering, but I'm talking about wearing multiples of the same thing. Multiple hosiery! I love how ankle socks look over tights, especially while it's still warm enough to get away with sheer spotted styles. Multiple scarves! I really like the idea of different textures, like a man's wool tartan or plain scarf with a big pashmina. Definitely a bit more interesting than just one, and you could even try wearing them folded sharply and under a belt. It's something I haven't tried for a while but I kind of like!

Slightly more ladylike
Dressing a bit more demurely always looks wintry. I'm not talking prudish, but things like midi skirts and cable knits look like you're starting to take this practical winter thing seriously, even if they're teamed with bare legs. There's plenty of this kind of ladylike trend on the high street right now, but charity shops are a no-brainer here. And they're pretty warm anyway! Maxis are kind of out for me though, since we're getting into risky weather and you don't want to get the bottom soaked...

Grunging it up
Taking a summery look (like a midi dress or coloured jeans) and pairing it with typically grunge accessories is a more British-weather-friendly way of doing the whole 'throw a denim jacket over your dress and you're done!' airy-fairy magazine articles. Big boots, a woolly hat and a big denim jacket or peacoat make loads of room for layers underneath and still look cool and sensible.

Practical accessories
Biiig bags and rucksacks always look very autumnal and cute to me in a back-to-school kind of way, but they're also mega useful for carrying around extra layers for when the weather inevitably turns one way or another. A cardi or jumper is obviously a great idea, but big scarves are a cool alternative. River Island has a great version of my vintage poncho scarf wrap thing in at the moment (they totally copied me, just saying) which would be perfect for this.

Ditch the ballet flats!
Honestly, there are so many great closed-toe shoe options at the moment (creepers, brogues, slipper styles) that if you're still schlepping around in pretty fabric ballet flats that almost show your toes, you're a crazy woman! They're going to get soaked eventually, and they're going to be ruined. Also, you'll get chilblains (as my mum might say) and they're horrible.

How are you looking to autumn and transitional dressing with your wardrobe?

back in the bubble

2011-10-11T07:00:00.000+01:00

Skirt, jacket and scarf: vintage / Hat: H&M / Socks: Primark / Creepers: Underground c/o Sarenza

Ohhhhh my goodness dudes. I've been umming and ahhing about creepers for a while, and when Underground popped up on Sarenza I had to give it a go. Turns out, I'm a big fan! Cooler than brogues, grungier than loafers, more practical for winter than flats... ultimate shoe? For me they are right now, though I don't know how influenced I am both by the fact that I saw so many of them in amazing ensembles at LFW, and that one of the fashion deputies has a pair that she looks just awesome in.

Anyway, it suddenly got horribly cold yesterday or something (maybe it's Hurricane Ophelia following me around, haha!) so bundling up is the name of the game. Brrrrr.

Creepers: yes or no?

where've you been then?

2011-10-10T07:00:00.000+01:00

1. Sunrise on board the RV Atlantic Explorer after a total mare of a night shift taking samples and stuff. Getting four hours of sleep is fine for one night, but I feel sorry for real oceanographers who will do that every night for a couple of weeks because the ship is so expensive to run. It was all worth it for the most incredible Bermudan sunrise, though!

2. This is a CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) sensor, which is sent down a couple of kilometres into the ocean to measure salinity, temperature and so on. From this we can tell where the currents in the ocean come from. The bottles around the edge close at pre-programmed depths so you can take a sample of the water and look at all the little plankton things in it. It's pretty cool, actually.

3. A view of BIOS (Bermuda Institue of Ocean Sciences) where I was staying and studying, with the Atlantic Explorer in the front. What they always say about ships looking big but feeling small after a while is definitely true!

4. Beautiful place, Bermuda. We went out on a smaller boat a few times to study reef environments and the like, and saw the most incredible places. I'm not exactly in my element in the water, so snorkelling was tough to start with, but it's pretty hard not to love it - as long as nobody comes near you with a sea cucumber. Those things are disgusting.

5. Stormy weather on the last day coming up ahead of Hurricane Ophelia, a Category 3 hurricane that passed just to the east of Bermuda at the exact same time our plane left. All we saw of it was an epically windy and rainy dash from the airport terminal to the plane, and some turbulence on the way out that was pretty bloody scary, to be honest. Props to the pilots!

6. Heading into one of the many caves there to sample rainwater from the stalagmites as well as just to have a good old look was fascinating, but really, really freaky. Those places are very dark, and it's easy to let your imagination run a bit wild!

signature style: how it works

2011-09-30T07:00:00.000+01:00

Carrie and her heels, Dita and her makeup, Anna Wintour and her sunglasses... so many great women of style have a signature. It's an element I've always been very jealous of, since it's both a way to define the way you dress, and a fail-safe to make you feel 'done' with very little effort. Over the last year or so, I've tried to cultivate a signature for myself with my lippy - you wouldn't believe how chuffed I was the first time I heard someone describe me as 'the girl with the hair and the lipstick'! For me, it's something that I rarely leave the house without, that makes me feel better and more confident at the drop of a hat, and that works to play up my best features (my lips) while disguising my worst (the rest of my mug). It is something that takes a bit of planning, so here's my things to think about while developing a style signature...

What do you want?
A signature is something that defines the way you dress straight away - a shortcut to your style, and something you can integrate into most if not all of your outfits. It'll be a quality that will come to encompass the way you dress and that you can use as a guideline in picking out new stuff or putting together a look in a hurry. Is it a hairstyle or -colour? Things like the recent vogue for ombre hair would fall into this category, or maybe always wearing some kind of braid. How about a makeup look, for example smokey eyes, cat-eye liner or strong lipstick? The other type of signature would be a common feature to a lot of your clothes, for example a shape or a colour. Pencil skirts? Polka dots? Always wearing a splash of red? If you can't think of something, ask a friend to define your style in one item - it might surprise you!

Can you wear it all the time?
It's important to think about how the accent will transfer to the different style situations you might find yourself in. How would you style it for work? Nights out? Weekend? If it's a hairstyle, think about more polished and more relaxed variations of it (try it with rock n' roll bed-hair, beautiful shiny date-worthy hair, scrape it up and go hair and everything in between). With make-up, can you do it in different 'intensities'? With my lipstick, I might wear a dark plum for a night out, deep red for dressed-down day time and lighter spicy red for a date, but it's still the defining feature of my look. Think about summer and winter variants too - does it go with both bright and breezy summer looks and warm and cosy winter stuff?

Is it classic?
Trends change - are you going to look back at your photos in one year, or ten, and realise that in EVERY photo you have, you've got something stupid on your face? If you're a really out-there person and just don't care about that kind of thing, then fair enough, but otherwise I'd steer clear of face painting or ridiculous hair styles, even if they are very of-the-moment. Trends are there to be nodded to and then moved on from, where a signature should be something you can carry over season after season, and could still be wearing in 20 years time. Stick to the classics here!

Is it practical?
Heels probably ain't the best idea for a style signature, since the first time you have to run for a train or take an impromptu walk down a country road you're going to look like a total airhead. I deal with the problem of leaving lipstick marks on EVERYTHING I touch by investing in a lot of Lipcote and a compact mirror. You have to be aware that if it's something you're going to be doing every day, it's going to need to be able to handle every kind of situation.

Is it you?
Most importantly, it has to suit both your shape and your style. This kind of falls under the 'classic' category, but you need to make sure that you are 100% comfortable with it. It's cheesy, but it's true that confidence is the best look you can have! It's a bold statement to make - this is how I dress and I'm not afraid to shout it - but if you can head out there and wear a signature with pride, it's one of the most confidence-inspiring things you can do!

Do you have a signature element? If you do, what is it, and if you don't, what would it be? I'd love to know!

firefly

2011-09-29T07:00:00.000+01:00

Trousers and scarf: vintage / Silk tee: GAP / Converse: c/o Sarenza

This photo is actually an outtake, but it made me lol. Got caught giving my hair a bit of oooomph, I think!

Anyway, I'm quite glad of these Cons because of how they add quite a lot of styling potential to some of the more far-out bits of my wardrobe. I have so many random bits of leather clothing now (rude), mostly trousers and skirts, that the shoe problem is becoming quite evident. When you've got leather on your bottom half, any kind of leather shoes are a total no-go, especially if they're shiny. I've seen some people manage with suede, but for me even that's a step into cowboy territory. I think canvas shoes are kind of essential with a leather bottom half. They also give it a much more underdressed, preppy edge that I think goes well with the relaxed shape. Do you own leather trousers or leggings, and what shoes do you wear with them?

guys don't make passes...

2011-09-28T07:00:00.000+01:00

Glasses c/o London Retro (top) and a free pair via Glasses Direct (bottom)

Glasses are funny things, aren't they? Classically the fall-back of the ugly library girl, they've come so far that I wouldn't for a second consider them that any more. In fact, at the moment I feel more confident wearing them than not wearing them, since they really offset the potential for my crazy curls to be 'pretty' and take them back to art-student wildness. They make the average outfit look classier and more grown up, and can take a boring everyday outfit into slightly more 'done' territory. What do you think, though? Are they still the less attractive option, or are glasses finally, completely cool?

lfw: my one and only day

2011-09-27T07:00:00.000+01:00

Skirt: vintage / Blazer: Zara / Shoes: Swedish Hasbeens c/o Sarenza / Harness: AudraJean at Etsy / Satchel: eBay

Well, I had great plans for LFW, but to be honest they didn't amount to much except a mooch round the exhibition and a growing feeling that I didn't need to be there. I don't mean to sound negative since I'm not a very moaney person (angry, yes, but not moaney!) but I felt very disillusioned with the whole thing. I think it was partially getting my amazing news on the way there (I've been offered my dream job, conditional on doing a second sponsored masters' degree in Petroleum Geophysics when I graduate from Oxford, which is even more of a dream) throwing the whole thing into perspective, and partly just a sense that the fashion industry is 'over' bloggers and that designer fashion is not what I blog about anyway. I do love to watch it and take outfit inspiration from it, but with live streaming and style.com there's no real need for me to be there, and the whole circus of it just ...isn't my thing.

What I mainly went to do (apart from take my mind off the impending phone call from graduate recruitment) was stand around the courtyard and people-watch, like a kind of concentrated real-life Tumblr. Inspiration for future outfits abounded - creepers and ankle length chiffon skirts, dudes - but I was just very cynical about the people hanging around dressed in ridiculous outfits who were blatantly there to cause a street-style frenzy. Obviously, I put a bit of effort into what I was wearing, but I tried very hard to find a corner where it wouldn't look like I was trying to be street-styled! Ah well, I had fun watching, but all in all, I think that'll be my last fashion week...

the woes of work wear...

2011-09-26T07:00:00.000+01:00

One of the things I’ve learnt most about over my internship is the way you can – and can’t – implement your personal style in an office environment. It’s a risky business, since you’re trying to make an impression that you can do your job competently, but at the same time there’s nothing that can boost your morale like heading off to work looking amazing and staying true to your personal style. There’s a few questions you have to ask yourself before you can have a go at mixing business with pleasure...

What’s the dress code?
This can be partly determined by the industry you’re working in. For example, in a creative industry, anything goes, whereas anything in very serious business will probably expect you to dress like it’s serious business. Where I was interning, I was lucky because it was a business environment but in a science industry, where things tend to be a bit more relaxed. I could get away with a more dressed-up version of my own style. The easiest way to figure out what you can get away with is to have a nosy at what the most out-there person is wearing – whether it’s dressed-down or just dressed-a-bit-mental, if the boss is ok with them wearing that, you can assume that’s your limit.

What defines your personal style?
Think about the key items that make up your style in terms of shapes and fabrics, and how you can get them into a work outfit. Midi skirts kind of your thing? Full ones are perfect with a tee and heels, Grease-style, and narrower or pleated ones look great with a slim-knit jumper for a very put together look. Pretty tea dresses look perfect with a blazer and flats, just watch out for very short hemlines on high-street versions. Opaques are your friends here. If you’re more of a Kate Lanphear rock n’ roll type, swap out the skinny black jeans for black cigarette pants, and tone down the heels a touch or two to stop the HSSE people having a mare! To be honest, there’s a lot more to go into here, but in short a good blazer is essential for any style. You can get away with a lot more with it!

What are your favourite colours?
Take a look at your wardrobe and see what colours stand out (except for black and navy!). Everyone’s got one – I wear a lot of cranberry and blue. First thing is to pick your neutrals accordingly; if you’re a big fan of tan, pink or orange, steer very clear of black and instead look for navy or oatmealey kind of colours. I’d go for black with my colours every time because I think cranberry or cobalt with monochrome looks AWESOME, no? The other thing to think about colours is how you can incorporate them into your style with accents, like scarves and bags, as well as smaller details like nails. This way you can show off your personal style every day. At work I swore by a couple of wool scarves in cranberry and cobalt, which looked awesome tucked under the lapels of a blazer or coat on a chilly morning as well as chucked over a Breton top and short-ish circle skirt. I’d have loved to have had a bright bag with me, though – that would have been perfect with monochrome looks. Nails are one place you can afford to be mental, though, so get practicing that nail art!

What do you wear to work, and how do you make sure it stays true to your personal style?

take10: butler & wilson

2011-09-23T13:32:00.002+01:00

Bracelets: vintage / Rings: Butler & Wilson for QVC and Topshop

I wrote before on my Cherwell piece on bracelet stacking, about how the jury was still out on clashing gold and silver. I really can't decide if it's interesting or just a step too far! Well, the take10 piece this month let me think about that a bit, since it has both colours in it. Do you (or would you) clash jewellery colours?

I think the key to styling it right if you do is both to get a piece which combines both, to tie the whole thing together, and use quite a few pieces of each colour - make your jewellery a focal point, if you know what I mean. Wearing quite a few pieces, especially if they're close together like a bundle of necklaces or a stack of rings, makes it clear it's an intentional statement rather than sloppy dressing. What do you think?

As always, clicky around the take10 girls, see what they've done, and let them know what you think!

Ellie - Sabine - Sarah - Harriet - Paula - Jen - Sherin - Vicki - Susie

PS: And with that, I'm off to Bermuda on fieldwork! I've got stuff scheduled for all next week, but I'll be off the radar as far as comments, emails and so on go - I'm going to be on a research ship and things like that, so way out of the loop. Will be back with many a photo for you the Monday after!

meet harald hardrada

2011-09-22T07:00:00.000+01:00

This is Harald Hardrada, and isn't he gorgeous? There's just something about pretty step-through bikes (especially when they're named after marauding Vikings) that I can't get over, even if they don't really go with my DMs-and-denim-jacket aesthetic. I did feel pretty swish zooming around Oxford city centre this morning in Converse and my chiffon midi, though - I guess black really does go with everything!

Now is pretty much the perfect time to get a bike if you live in any kind of university city - the bike shops (especially independents) are falling all over themselves with student deals and it's just before most freshers' weeks (I think) so there's still plenty of stock to be had. I certainly got Harald for little more than a song (actually, that's a lie, it was cheap but tight old me still had to force myself to hand over the card) and got a couple of freebies like a lock and helmet along with the deal. Helmets are very cool, boys and girls.

And yeah, I do have a habit of naming things stupidly long names - my last bike was called Freddie Mercury, my moped is The Fonz, my sewing machine is Archimedes... you get the idea.

tk maxx: shopping experience

2011-09-21T07:00:00.000+01:00

So in the last couple of weeks of my internship TK Maxx got in touch and asked me to come down and have a look at their Gold Label stuff (unpaid/unincentived, fyi) at the High Street Kensington store. And, er, wow! I think most of us write TK Maxx off as somewhere it's not worth the time to rummage in, but visiting it again has really made me reassess how you can shop there and what's on offer. Colour me impressed!

Basically, I think what's changed since I last went in is not only the Gold Label stuff (more on that in a second) but the way I view the jumble-esque way the shop is laid out. Now, I see it as a cleaner, nicer, better quality charity shop, but without the grotty old lady clothes and misshapen Primark jersey. The rummage is half the fun!

Now, the Gold Label. Wowsers. Basically, it's loads of stunning brands at hugely knocked-down prices; think big-name blazers for £200 or so, and mid-level designer trousers in the £50 range. It's definitely somewhere I would look at again if I was looking for somewhere to treat myself, since you'd get so much more bang for your buck. What I was pleasantly surprised by was the amount of stuff that was really current - I was expecting a lot of things that could only be termed designer because of the tag, but instead spotted a few pieces seen on catwalks from as recently as last season, as well as classics from amazing brands, and absolute standout pieces (ball dresses and the like) which I actually got a bit starstruck holding!

There are, then, a few tips from the way I look at charity shop clothes that transfer quite well to shopping there. The experience is altogether nicer, obviously, and everything's cleaner and more trendy, but the amount of different items can be a bit disorienting!

Oh, PS, do you like my 70s-inspired casual look, chilling in the changing rooms? I was allowed to go a bit mad and try, like EVERYTHING on - amazing!

Go in with a rough idea of what you want
It would be so easy to get completely lost in there for hours, given what a large range of stuff there is. Either head for the Gold Label with a plan to treat yourself to, say, a blazer, and try them ALL on, or go to the normal range with an idea of 'a hat' or 'something tartan' or whatever. That way you don't get overwhelmed!

Stay in your size range
This especially holds true for the Gold Label stuff. It's utterly heartbreaking to find something you want, only to discover you've wandered a size down the rail and there's not a chance in hell it's going to fit you. It's also important to note that designer stuff invariably comes up a little small, so maybe sticking in your size range +1 might be a better idea!

Be decisive
There's no way anything here is going to still be here when you come back for it. As far as I know, there are literally no stock rooms and everything is out on the floor, so pick it straight up and put it in your basket, make sure you try it on and have a good ol' think, and get it if you like it - you can always return it!

What are your opinions on TK Maxx, since it seems to divide opinions amongst people I know? I would seriously recommend giving it another chance, though!

today i stole an outfit

2011-09-20T07:00:00.000+01:00

Skirt and jacket: vintage / Cons: c/o Sarenza / Tee: Topshop / Glasses: Bench c/o London Retro / Lipstick: Sleek in Mulberry

I've got a confession to make - this outfit is, head to toe, completely stolen. Not literally, I'm afraid, but certainly as an idea. I saw the most amazing girl wandering through St Pancras station when going to visit my buds Moya and Hannah, and she was wearing exactly this, down to the lipstick. My first thought was 'wow, I love the Converse with the midi skirt', then the second was 'OMG I'm totally wearing this exact outfit soon!'. I think it looks weirdly sort of all-American, with the denim and the white Cons, and at the same time really my style (if on the preppy end). Have you ever stolen a look top-to-toe from someone like this?

a room with a view

2011-09-19T14:00:00.000+01:00

I'm back! Again. The whole internship experience has been so fulfilling and exciting, and it's definitely my dream job, but it doesn't half tire you out. I've always said that when my education/career is being particularly crucial, I'll put the blog to one side and concentrate on that, Nevertheless, I've got time now since I'm back at uni and in my new house! What do you think of my decoratin' skillz?

It's weird, since you'll barely find any brown in my wardrobe, but my taste in furnishings and things really runs to warm oranges and reds and browns - and a lot of patterns - rather than the more minimal style you might expect. It's probably more to do with how much I am an autumn/winter girl: I love my soft furnishings and my big squishy cushions as much as I do my scarves and gigantic layers! The one common element I do have between my personal style and my taste in decor, though, is being tight as a duck's you-know-what. DIY and quick fixes abound in my room, especially since it's likely to get lost/have beer spilled on it/used as a party hat. Here's my tips for student-budget design:

Scarves and more scarves!
Vintage scarves make great pattern accents. Cover unsightly plastic boxes (come on, you so have them, you're a student!), hang from the edge of shelves, use as tie-backs on grotty patterned curtains, impromptu rugs - the possibilities are endless. You'll be able to find them by the bundle at charity shops or car boots, and if you pay more than a pound for one you're being robbed!

Impromptu tables
Stacks of books (or like me, a big back collection of Vogues and Elles) make for great side tables, as well as being bedtime reading material. They look very erudite/fashionable/both, depending on what you go for - just watch the bedtime drinks!

DIY decor
Nothing you have is going to last, so don't buy anything pricey! Instead comb the web for quick and easy DIYs, like this no-sew bunting. Just punch holes in the top corners of pieces of triangular card and thread them on string. Alternatively, try hanging 'washing lines' of string along a wall, and use minature pegs to hold postcards or photos on them for a chic and quirky touch.

Fashion as art
Don't forget to use what you have! If you've got a gorgeous dress or a sparkly jacket you think is too pretty to leave in the wardrobe, pick up some 3M removable hooks to stick on the wall and use it instead of a poster. Or hang an outfit on a 'mood board' of magazine looks that take your fancy. Sheer fabrics look great hanging in a window, too!

Photo walls
Photo collages in the normal sense are so freshers' week. Add a bit of personality and memory by mixing photos of friends and family with arty postcards, but instead of a random jumble try laying them out in a grid for a neater look, and use to fill in an area, for example an empty vertical space or the area above your bed. If you don't have enough photos, try registering for one of a million photo sites like Snapfish, where you get your first set of photos printed and delivered to your house for the price of postage, which is about £1.

Giant posters
Befriend a fine artist - or, for that matter, a geologist - and get them to use that big A1 printer they have in their department to get you some biiiiig posters of your own design. I plan to do this soon, maybe with a print of a galaxy or an abstract pattern. Or how about scanning in and blowing up one of those gorgeous A4 images of prints that come in Elle Collections?

Got any tips of your own? How do you like to decorate, and how do you think it matches your personal style - do they clash or match?

'looks illustrated' by buckets and spades

2011-09-07T06:20:00.000+01:00

Dudes!

AWESOME.

I honestly don't know what to say about this, except that I'm really flattered and honoured. Mat's a great illustrator and a lovely person, and I'm so happy he did this for me!

Image (c) Mat Buckets.

FYI everyone, I am still alive and with lots of wordy content in this ol' noggin of mine for you! I have a list of bullet-pointed pieces a mile long. However, this is where they're going to have to stay for a week or two, since my internship is wrapping up and I have to get my final reports together, as well as a real life (day long) job interview on Monday. I love blogging, but career comes first!

10 core items

2011-08-30T10:51:00.000+01:00

Living out of a suitcase based around my capsule wardrobe (although with so many additions I'm going to have to make two trips to Oxford to move all my stuff in my suitcase, bah) has taught me a lot about what's essential to my style, both given the things I've taken with me and the things I've missed most while I've been here. Because we all love lists (just me, maybe?) I've deconstructed it into the ten things I literally couldn't get dressed without...

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1. Cambridge-esque satchel, eBay: A 21st present, this is the ultimate bag both for work (take a look what goes inside it here) and weekends. Obviously it's black, my neutral of choice, so I get endless wear from it. I am considering buying a bright version (in red or blue, maybe?) at the end of my internship to give outfits that most tedious of fashion phrases (actually, 'recessionista/bargainista' might be worse), a 'pop of colour'. But that's what it does! How else can you say it?!

2. Boss watch: Boss the brand, rather than actually being boss, since I think saying 'boss' in a Northern accent may be a little too much... It is awesome though, and since I got it for my 21st I haven't stopped wearing it - although I never wore a watch before. It's definitely a grown-up-person thing, right?

3. Cherry red DMs, Sarenza: Probably my ultimate shoes, I think I could put them with anything and the outfit would instantly be more 'me'. Jeans, midi skirts, tights and socks, pretty dresses... anything. God love 'em. Does everyone have an item of clothing/accessories that does this?

4. Breton tee, H&M: Stripey tees are the perfect basic for me - I only wish I'd bought three of these when I saw it since H&M don't sell them any more! Bah. Little aside, but I seriously can't believe Primark's never got on the long-sleeve-boat-neck-stripes bandwagon with their basics. Surely they'd be selling like hot cakes? Anyway, stripes are awesome. What haven't you seen me wearing this with?

5. Poncho scarf shawl blanket thing, vintage: Buying this got me bitten with the charity shop bug. First goodie I ever bought from one! And it's done me so well over the last couple of years - I know I'm taking oversized scarves to the ridiculous maximum but it's perfect for autumn.

6. YSL shirt, vintage: Probably the biggest mark-down (bar perhaps the Harrods coat) I've ever found - these shirts retail for triple figures (just) and I got it for £3. Love Oxford charity shops because unlike the majority in London, they're so un-brand-savvy! You really have to get in there and rummage, but you can find some total gems. This shirt is really slouchy and soft, so it's perfect for dressing up and down (oh, horrible fashion phrase again)...

7. Carnaby glasses in red, London Retro: A new goodie, and one I'm a huge fan of. More about these later in the week - the styling potential of glasses and the way they can change the look of an outfit is something that's interested me lately. I rank getting new glasses in the same league as getting a new phone, changing your diary or (for me and my boringly nomadic student life) moving into a new room; it doesn't change anything about the way you live your life, but for a period of weeks it's something that you notice as being different and novel. Do you know what I mean?

8. Lipstick in Mulberry, Sleek: This lippie hasn't got the best staying power, but it is the best colour! My lipstick thing is actually getting ridiculous now - I realised the only time I've been outside in months without it is to go swimming. It's basically because I like my lips: the rest of my face looks a bit like a potato, so having a massive glaring focal point (and then covering up the rest with a fringe!) is my way of feeling confident.

9. Denim jacket, vintage: Aw, come on. I don't even need to tell you about this one. I reckon it's in more than 50% of my outfit posts since I got it (sorry about that...)

10. Blazer, Zara: The perfect black blazer. Obviously I wear it to death at work, but I'm starting to think about how to style it for AW11 uni stuff. I'm quite looking forward to teaming it with my AudraJean at Etsy black harness belt, as well as dark jeans, ankle boots and a Breton tee. Now that Balmainia has finally and completely subsided, I'm happy wearing it as smart-casual again.

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I'd love to see other people's versions of this, or you could write bits below in the comments? It's probably also a great way to qualify your style if you're getting down to a total wardrobe clearout - something I'm hoping to write about in the near future. What defines your personal style in this way?

cherwell: stack it!

2011-08-29T07:12:00.004+01:00

So here's the first I have to show of my most recent project thing; my writing for the fashion section of Cherwell, Oxford's student paper (there's another one too but by working for one I have now irrevocably picked sides and can only refer to it as The Other Paper). Those lengthy commutes have turned out to be worth something, since I've got a pretty impressive backlog of these bite-sized articles, which I'll be linking here as and when they go up so you guys can keep track of them too. I'll also be styling proper shoots when I get back to Oxford and taking lots of lovely erudite street style - scans and whatnot to follow! Let me know what you think, and don't forget to click through for the whole thing - figure I should be directing the traffic through to the official Cherwell site rather than robbing all your attention.

Also! I'm writing for a paper! HOW WEIRD.

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Photo: The Man Repeller

Are you one of those people who hoards ball and festival wristbands until they fall off of their own accord? Never fear, the micro-trend of the moment is perfect for a high-end version of this look; wrist stacking. Street style bloggers at the fashion weeks, primarily Tommy Ton of JAK&JIL, have been going mad for detail shots of well-dressed wrists. Luckily, it's an easily replicable look on a much lower budget, and can really give even a simple outfit a bit of weekend pizazz.

Click through to Cherwell to continue reading...

take10 - challenge 13, the anniversary!

2011-08-25T07:07:00.000+01:00

Dress: Zara / Scarf and jacket: vintage / Camera: Lomography

1 year on! Project Take10 first came about when I was on fieldwork in Mallorca, and I never thought it'd be so successful and enjoyable! We've had a few lineup changes over the year and I've made some great friends - you wouldn't believe what we chat about behind the scenes. Big hugs to all members past and present, and here's to great things for take10!

Our anniversary challenge was a special one for us, so Lomography sent us a special treat in the shape of one of their super-cute Diana clones to style an outfit around. I'm a sleek black gadget freak so naturally I picked the all-black 'Black Jack' version, and styled it with an eye-wrenchingly bright outfit (apologies for dress repeat but I took this photo a while back and forgot the anniversary date!), for me at least. Looking forward to getting some arty photos developed...

What's been your fave take10 post so far? We've had some right ol' challenges! Don't forget to take a lookie at the other girls' posts - I think there's been some great styling this time around and they've really outdone themselves.

Ellie - Sabine - Sarah - Harriet - Paula - Jen - Sherin - Vicki - Susie

tumblrdump: looking ahead to winter

2011-08-23T07:08:00.000+01:00

1&2: It's no longer too sweaty to wear one, and you know what that means? My thoughts turn immediately to biker jackets, the one piece of clothing with which I have such a passionate love/hate relationship. Can I wear one? Is mine squishy enough, and will it ever stop being physically painful to bend tightly at the elbow? Will it ever stop squeaking? Will my mum ever admit that she has the other leather jacket? GOD MUM (love you really xxx) Anyway, they're pretty much a winter staple, and given the AW11 'fetish' trend - although my god do I hate calling it that! - they're still a cracking investment piece.

3&4: I think wearing work clothes every day has given me a bit more of an appreciation for the pared down. I could totally see myself wearing one of these all-black minimal outfits for work tomorrow! Looking forward to incorporating this more into my everyday wardrobe when I finish.

5&6: Midi skirts are going NOWHERE this winter, thank god! They seem like the perfect autumn skirt: maxis fall in puddles, minis are impractical and chilly... I am going to man up and actually buy one from a high street store - I can never get the perfect pleats from a charity shop and I know exactly what I'm looking for. Red would be great, I think, maybe for wearing with a slim-fit long sleeve top in a neutral colour and a matching bag?

7&8: It looks like biiiig shawl scarf poncho things are staying too. Thankfully I already have my gap-yah-print one; now to look for styling tricks so I don't look like a crazy cat lady. Given that I'm not exactly model-skinny and the scarf isn't fine-knit, this isn't so easy!

What are you looking forward to wearing this winter? As always, photos are all credited on my tumblr.

redheads wearing red and other travesties

2011-08-22T06:27:00.000+01:00

Can you tell which one is me you guys? *hyuk hyuk hyuk*/ Dress: Zara / Belt: Vintage / Bag and watch: gifts / Lipstick: Sleek at Superdrug / Other images: Mr Newton, Tommy Ton for style.com

NON FASHION THINGS

Missed me, you guys? I know I've been gone quite a lot recently but it's because I've had such an episode of blog blah and lack of inspiration that I haven't felt like posting at all. Luckily, I bumped into a lovely reader of my blog, Yasmin, on Saturday and that really made me think about why I actually write this and what I want to do with it. I think the conclusion was basically that I wanted it to be less mindless and more a place for discussion; god knows there are endless personal style blogs out there, but my personal aim was always to be an 'intelligent fashion' blog where we could discuss things without just being all 'Ooooh, pretty dress!' or the monumental circle-jerk that is 'nice shoes follow me and i'll follow you too *blogname* *blogname* *blogname*'.

Combined with the fact that I'm now publishing more talk-ey, fashion-ey pieces on Cherwell Fashion (links as they come out!), my uni's student paper, what I want is to elicit more discussion here, and more topics rather than just endless pics of my outfits. I know that's what most people come here to see, given the responses to various polls as well as the volume of traffic for different kinds of posts, but I'm sticking to the much-touted phrase 'blog for you' here.

TL;DR version: I'm going to stop being so mindless. Also more words from me on different websites.

FASHION THINGS

So I saw this dress (or a variation on it) in Zara aaaaages ago and loved it. I have literally NEVER worn red before though. My mum's always banging on about how much she wears red (although I swear I've never seen it) and it looks fine on her, and since we are adorable/creepy little peas in a pod I should do it too. I've never really listened though - my wardrobe is mainly monochrome and there's not much scope for red unless I was planning on attending a mime convention. Couldn't face the Westfield queue for the Zara changing rooms, so resolved to just buy it and try it on in a less rammed shop. Took it to the till, though, and it had gone down from a should-I-or-shouldn't-I £30 to an I-bloody-well-better £10! Not bad, ey?

Anyway, I was initially unconvinced, but while the red plays down my gingerness (normally something I avoid, since I'm a proud ginge!) it doesn't wash out my skin or make me look dead so I'm a fan! Being 'the girl in the red dress' does have a certain ring to it, too, doesn't it? This brings my DO NOT WEAR colour list down to just nasty nudes, which I think is pretty sensible really.

What are the 'style rules' for your hair colour, and do you follow them and dress to suit your colouring, or ignore them and dress to suit your mood?

'it's just all clothes!'

2011-08-15T07:28:00.000+01:00

Skirts: both vintage / Tee: Topshop / Scarf: vintage / Shoes: Swedish Hasbeens c/o Sarenza

Bit of an unexplained absence last week, sorry about that. Basically I had one of those episodes that normally attaches itself to my geology degree, where I'll get an overwhelming urge to shout 'don't you get it?! THEY'RE ALL JUST ROCKS!' and run away laughing maniacally to live in a hippy commune and not wash or do geology any more. You know, those episodes? Just me then. Anyway, I think it had to do with having horrible icky-quality photos as well as a dearth of anything but outfit posts given my lack of time. I'm going to have a pop at fixing this in the near future, as my written pieces start to go up on the fashion section of Cherwell Online.

Anyway, boring stuff over, I've been thinking about what makes 'expensive' outfits look un-high-street, and if we're not talking quality of cut we're talking structural and design elements that you just can't make cheap, let alone expect to sell well. I've been scouring my charity shops and whatnot for stuff like that, and although I haven't found anything to my taste I did have this go at DIYing my own little structural skirt, cutting off the white pleated skirt I got a couple of weeks back and just belting it over the top of my trusty black pleats. It's a bit more design-ey than most of my stuff and I actually quite like it - shades of the Topshop Unique 'Cruella de Vil' AW11 show, maybe?

3 ways to wear: clumpy shoes

2011-08-08T07:09:00.000+01:00

1. Everything : vintage

2. Trousers: vintage / Blazer: Zara

3. Top: H&M / Jeans: Primark / Lips: Revlon in Black Cherry

Shoes in all: Swedish Hasbeens c/o Sarenza

So I have always had an obsession with big army boots, Docs and whatnot, but now I can add Mary-Jane type shoes to my repertoire of man-repellers. Thought I'd do a quick run down of the different ways I wear them; they're actually surprisingly versatile if you aren't on the hunt for a boyfriend (actually, maybe I should, them bloggers with photographer boyfriends seem to do pretty well!) and have perfected your eye-roll for when people look askance at your less-than-delicate feet. Most people just don't understand, you know?

1. Obviously, my fave way to wear anything tough is a midi skirt and a denim jacket - a look that borrows a lot from bloggers like Elisabeth and Miss Woo. They look pretty cool with all-black and a frown, too, and it's dead easy to wear. Wore basically this outfit around a wartime festival and looked a bit out of place surrounded by all the women in amazing 40s vintage; kicking myself for not packing my camera when I went home!

2. I do love these shoes for work because although they're high, they're not hard to walk in (compare this to my brown clogs, which on a memorable occasion caused a male friend to ask 'have you got something wrong with your legs?!'). Platform soles are perfect with palazzo pants for not falling over, too!

3. I do like very simple outfits too. This feels like something my friends Moya and Hannah might wear, but with my own little clompy twist. I'm well into little headscarves to hold back all the curls at the mo as well; what do you think?

How would you guys style something like this? It is a bit of a challenge, but a good one, I think!

take10 - challenge 12

2011-08-04T07:20:00.001+01:00

Skirt: vintage / Tee: Primark / Clutch: DIY / Wedges: Debenhams

Morning all! It's take10 time again, and a bit of a challenge this go around - well, I say this go. As you can see from the pic, these photos were taken a LONG LONG time ago; we've had so many problems getting this sorted out! Nevertheless, they're here now, and while they were fun to style with all black, these Faith at Debenhams wedges weren't really my cup of tea. They look fine from the front, but the heel is a taupe colour I'm not too comfortable with and they are very very high; can't imagine wearing them out for very long without broken ankles! Still, I love that pony-hair-type material and if they weren't such a 'lot of look' (thank you, Tim Gunn!) I'd be really happy to wear them about more often.

Make sure to check out Faith at Debenhams, and click around to see how the other girlies worked an unquestionably tricky piece!

suffragette city

2011-08-03T11:01:00.000+01:00

Dress: Primark / Jacket: belongs to mum / Shoes: Swedish Hasbeens c/o Sarenza

Yep! Sarenza again! Honestly though, they keep coming up trumps with the quality and range of their stuff. These Swedish Hasbeens are the perfect amount of clompy and ridiculously tall for me - inarguably unattractive but in a really fashioney way? Do you wear things that are man repellers on purpose?

Love these in terms of comfort (as always) and the variety of ways you can style it - I've got a '3 ways to wear' post coming soon but in all the shots I took my head looks like a misshapen potato so I'm going to try again after work tonight. Have a lookie at these babies on Sarenza too - they've got a load of these that are reduced.

PS I'll get up on the comments tonight! Busy busy!

this is the way you left me

2011-08-01T06:55:00.001+01:00

Dress: very old Primark / Shoes: Topshop / Shirt: vintage

Clashing patterns. How do you feel about them? The shirt was an impromptu add-on to this outfit after I remembered how much I hate my arms and needed to cover up, but I kind of like it. Maybe it's cos one of the prints is black and white... What do you think? And what's the boldest pattern clash you've ever worn?

'likes this'

2011-07-28T06:37:00.000+01:00

Dress: car boot / Jacket: Zara / Satchel: gift / Shoes: Topshop

Much better photo of the midi dress, even if the shot does have a huge ISO. Well, if you want daily posts, you'll make do with daily posts taken at 7.30pm when I get in! I really like the length of it, although with such a dangerous colour I think it's important to wear heels so as not to look far too granny. Also, do you think I need my fringe cutting a bit?! Lol.

the problematic white skirt

2011-07-27T07:26:00.001+01:00

1: Scarf, skirt and tee: vintage / Boots: DMs c/o Sarenza

2. Jumper: vintage / Satchel: gift / Shoes: Clarks c/o Sarenza

3: Jumper: vintage / Shoes: DIY via Faith / Belt: Primark

For me, a cream/white skirt is one of my stupidest purchases ever. If you know anything about me in real life you'll know I'm a complete bumbling idiot, and that includes dropping stuff on myself a lot. White skirt? Genius, right?

I'm also super-aware of looking twee in light colours, given my baby face and the curls. Doesn't really suit my personality AT ALL. So here's my ideas for colour combos that might toughen up my ultimate style nemesis. Burgundy, navy and cream seems easiest, but the tone-on-tone look seems most 'fashioney'. What do you think?

no good deed goes unpunished

2011-07-26T07:34:00.001+01:00

Palazzo pants and clutch: vintage / Sandals: Topshop / T-shirt: very old Primark

Seriously, I love these trousers! Since I've got over my thing with pairing black and navy, I have quite a few navy bits and bobs. These will go great with my MaxMara tee for work, but I've always liked navy/grey/tan as a colour combo. What do you think?

ultimate boot sale finds

2011-07-25T07:09:00.000+01:00

WOW did I have a good car boot session with my friend Hannah on Sunday. We went down to Battersea again, just for an hour, and before we passed out from the heat I managed this awesome lot! It's such a great place to draw out £20 and just walk around until you're done - and look at all the work-appropriate stuff I got!

The vintage palazzo pants (which are navy blue, not purple like the sun makes them look here) were an amazing find, mostly because they were in a huge pile of utter rubbish. I think I'll be able to make them work for the office with a smart tee like my navy MaxMara one, flats and a blazer if necessary. They'll be awesome with a white tee and nautical-type accessories for the weekend too!

This cream skirt was more of a 'aaah, for £2 let's see what I can do with it' than a massive I LOVE IT moment, but it's growing on me! The only problem is the colour combos I can do with it - you know I tend more toward the dark side so I'm pondering how I can make it work. More on this later this week!

The jumper is HUGE, but I'd never turn my nose up at COS for £3. It's basically a jumper dress, and if I can make it work for winter with eyeliner flicks, bedhead straight hair and a pair of biker boots I'll be happy. The wool feels great, too - this is my first COS thing so I'll see how it lasts.

I couldn't believe my luck when I came across these Jones Bootmaker boots in my size for 8 English pounds! They're in perfect condition and I'm looking forward to wearing them through the winter with cream, dark red and very blue jeans. Seriously, though, these'd be an investment piece if they hadn't been so cheap - going by the Jones website they're pushing £200 new!

This Filippa K jumper was another crazy buy, at £2 or something. My much-loved vintage cable knit is coming apart at the seams so I needed another heavy jumper, and I love the fisherman's knit shape as well as the super-heavy wool. Great with anything from a suede mini to smart navy trousers?

I'm disappointed with how this midi dress has photographed, because in real life I really love it. The tan colour is spot on to go with black and I'm a sucker for a chiffon midi! I love it but I'm going to have to wear it with a blazer all the time because it's very open across the chest and arms and I HATE my upper arms...

What do you think of my super-haul? Any style tips for anything you like?

a work wrist stack

2011-07-22T07:01:00.000+01:00

Scarf and bracelet: vintage / Watch: 21st present

So you all know by now how I'm a massive convert, if a bit of a latecomer, to the wrist stack party. I think it's got something to do with my watch, and wearing it every day, that has made me aware of the fact I don't really wear much jewellery. Anyway, a massive pile of friendship bracelets and rings isn't exactly conducive to looking good for work, right? Here's my fave alternative. Silk square scarves are EVERYWHERE in charity shops and car boots (this one is from Capital Car Boot in Pimlico and cost me 50p) and the small ones look great under a watch, I think. And when they're this cheap, you can do one to match every outfit!

whats in my work bag?

2011-07-21T07:04:00.000+01:00

Sunglasses: Cheap H&M ones are all I bother with, given the amount of times I drop, break, scratch or otherwise destroy my sunnies. The round frame on these is pretty adventurous for me, given that I look a bit of an idiot in anything remotely directional that goes on my head.

HTC HD2: My poor phone has completely gone to shit in the last 6 months, and I've got more than 6 months more left on my contract. Booooooo. Don't get a Windows phone you guys, they're poo. Nice big screen though.

Paperchase Oyster card holder: Look at me with my Oyster card, like a real London person! The price of a weekly zone 1-6 card makes me weep, but it is so cool to just be able to jump on the tube and go on a huge adventure whenever I fancy. I have a massive irrational fear of really close crowds, though, so I'm dreading the day I have to get on one and the people around me are standing so close we touch...

Amazon Kindle: My god. Seriously, if you don't have one and you read books like EVER, get one. I use it for reading scientific papers for my masters' on the tube as well as stopping me bringing my enormous library down here. It's mostly filled with 'low' (non-swords-and-sorcery) fantasy, classic sci-fi and fairy tales! The only high fantasy I read is the huge, epic Wheel Of Time series, which I'm just embarking on another re-read of before the final book comes out next year.

Vintage wallet: Finally got a new one, for £2 no less! I'm quite chuffed with this so far, and it's a nice pop of colour when everything else in my bag is basically black.

Valensi flats c/o Sarenza: For if I'm wearing heels. It's only 10 minutes from the tube station to my room but that's long enough at the end of a long day...

Lipstick: Revlon in Black Cherry, my darkest lipstick. Since I've been here I've been wearing lippie every day. It kind of makes me feel really professional, is that weird? This is almost too dark for work but since I've been perfectly conservative in everything else, it seems OK to me...

Apple iPad 2: This was my prize for winning theSite.org's Fiver Challenge comp! Needless to say it's amazing - still getting used to all the bits but one of the most useful apps has been the Sketchbook Express tablet painting thing. Just getting into how to use it, then maybe I'll have some illustrations to show you!

Oh and a key. It opens my door.

ch-ch-ch-changes

2011-07-20T07:07:00.000+01:00

Shoes: c/o Sarenza / Everything else: vintage

Hey look! It's me again. I'm on fire with the posts this week, particularly since I am writing this on LAST SUNDAY in a scheduling frenzy. It's time for my latest Sarenza review and outfit, and since I got these almost entirely as work appropriate shoes, here's a standard work outfit for me. Midi skirt (because otherwise I'd probably go to the other extreme and it'd be rude), smart tee, belt, watch, lipstick, flats. It's kind of fail-safe, but I still feel a little on-trend because of the whole midi skirt, tight waist thing.

The shoes are AMAZING. I've never had anything bad quality from Sarenza (great job, Sarenza buyer people!) but these Valensi nude patent leather flats are so far and away from my usual Primark ballet flat fodder that I think I'm a convert to 'good quality, investment' shoes. How do you feel about buying flats? Do you go for pricier ones or are you a Primark £5 special all the way?

P.S. These particular shoes are 20% off in the sale now as well!

because i knew you

2011-07-19T07:39:00.000+01:00

Jumper: vintage / Jeans: Primark / Shoes: c/o Sarenza / Bag and watch: birthday presents

This jumper IS THE BEST! Seriously. I picked it up from Jazmine's fave charity shop in Battersea for £1 (yes, the shop really is as good as she always raves on about!) and it is the perfect colour, shape, size, feel... just awesome. And there's always space for a geologist's jumper in my wardrobe! Looking forward to wearing exactly this outfit but with my navy Zara work trousers for dress-down Friday.

thrifty fifty

2011-07-18T07:15:00.000+01:00

Top: Topshop sale, £10

Shorts: Dove House Hospice, Beverley, £3

Belt: Red Cross, Hedon, £2

Hat: Dove House Hospice, Beverley, £3

Shoes: Topshop sale (old), £10

Pierre Cardin clutch: BHF, Beverley, £5

Rings: Topshop sale, £5 each (leaf and red stone) / Primark, £2 (tiger)

Bracelet thing: Topshop, £4

OUTFIT TOTAL: £49

Quite an interesting post today! Sofeminine.co.uk got in contact to ask if I'd hunt down and style a thrify outfit for them, top to toe, for £50 (which in the interests of disclosure, they sent me - thanks!). I set out pre-internship for a day out with my mummy, in which I trawled the incredible charity shops of Beverley and the delights of the city centre sales to dig it all out, and here's what I came up with! I'm terrible at dressing for summer; case in point, my ensemble this weekend in which I emerged hungover to a glorious July day wearing a jumper and jeans. Sweat city!

Anyway, here's my attempt at a genuine summery outfit. The first thing I found was the gorgeous clutch, and so decided to build a light coloured outfit with tan accessories around it. The shorts and hat were great finds - the Dove House Hospice in Beverley always has the best selection of hats I've ever seen, and this very old (going by the label design) Warehouse hat even fit on my massive melon head for a change!

The rings and bracelets are my attempt at wearing more jewellery, as well as perfecting the stacked-ring thing done so well by the always-cool Claire from the red hiney. I don't normally wear gold, especially since my beloved watch is silver, but it makes a nice change sometimes! What do you think of my lighter-than-usual style?

P.S. Sofeminine will also be linking this and other bloggers' attempts on their site. Click here for a lookie!

take10 - challenge 11

2011-07-14T07:41:00.001+01:00

Necklace: Stolen Thunder / Bracelets: Topshop and vintage / Watch: gift from my dad and stepmum

Phew! Busy busy busy! Hoping for a change of pace this weekend - having every second Friday off is the most amazing thing to look forward to, and the next one is my birthday! It's take10 time again, and for something a bit different Stolen Thunder asked us all to style one of their I <3 TEA necklaces. Afraid I have a confession to make, though; I really, really don't <3 tea! Sssssssh! The necklace is cute though, and since the only necklace I normally wear is my beloved jade bead given to me by my dad, I thought I'd style it as part of a wrist stack instead. They're something I have a massive thing for at the mo - they would probably be festival-ey if I'd ever been to a festival!

I've combined it with my watch (my 21st present from my dad and stepmum - it's so beautiful!), a couple of tattered silver bracelets and a cloth thing from Topshop that's ripe for DIY copies as a bit of wire inside holds it straight. I'd really like to gather some friendship bracelets as well to top it off - what else do you think it could use?

As usual, check out the rest of the take10 lovelies for alternate stylings - also the Stolen Thunder site where the code TAKETEN will get you 15% off!

someone like you

2011-07-12T08:07:00.001+01:00

Dress: car boot / Shoes: Topshop / Watch and necklace: gifts from my dad and stepmum

All right, all right - no more moody window-staring shots. To tell you the truth, I took three photos at 6am yesterday, two normal and one 'safety' (it's hard to look like a potato, as I usually do, in profile!), and my puffy morning face was so apparent in the other two that they weren't really an option. I know this is a personal style blog and as such vanity shouldn't really come into it. Pretty sure people only actually care about the neck down. Nevertheless, I have been known to detag particularly horrific FB pictures so I guess I am a bit shallow after all!

In fact DEFINITELY no more moody window-staring shots. I have moved out of the shoebox from hell and into another room in these Imperial College halls, which is like three times the size and spacey enough to swing a bloody tiger as well as take decent outfit shots. Success! Complaining sometimes works!

Oh yeah, Erdem-inspired dress from Battersea car boot. AMAZE, no? Felt like a million dollars swanning around in this all day while the (mostly male) geologists and engineers stumped about in black suits. It must suck to be a boy (unless you're super stylish like Mat Buckets) and just have to wear black or navy blue suits to work every day. Work dressing is FUN!

P.S. I WILL get back up to speed with comments tonight. Apologies to all the bloggers who are still with me!

charity shop adventures in london

2011-07-11T08:16:00.000+01:00

Guys! The charity shops here are AWESOME. I spent the weekend wandering around London (frequently in the company of lovely Jazmine) and finding some great places to get my super cheap fix. And look what I found! I think these came to about £12 in total from both a charity shop in Battersea and a very successful trip to Battersea car boot on Sunday - what a place that is!

Jazmine talked me into the apple green leather mini, which is much greener than it looks here. While it's a bit mental I was thinking of wearing it with a battered band tee and white Converse, with a denim jacket on top. What do you think?

Obviously the coral dress is super gorgeous for work, and another woman was clearly considering breaking out the elbows to get at it since I got there about five seconds before she did, which was pretty funny to watch. The other two bits are great too - I know I already have a black leather mini but this is a black SUEDE mini, which is loooads different. Right? Right? The 'geologist's jumper' is a pretty safe bet too, and one I'm considering pairing with smart black work trousers and my Clarks heels for dress-down Fridays.

Don't bother with Pimlico though. The stuff is gorgeous there, but the charity shops are so expensive! The designer vintage is all picked out there - no chance of a surprise bargain. Such a shame, because there are so many and they are so beautiful!

got to keep on movin

2011-07-07T20:03:00.000+01:00

Skirt: vintage / jacket: Zara / Top: H&M / Satchel: 21st present via eBay / Shoes: Sarenza

Hello everyone! That was quite the unexplained leave of absence for me, but I'm well settled in my (teeny tiny) room in South Kensington, as well as in my internship. I'm having a great time at work, the job is academically stimulating as well as being doable, everyone is so nice and there's free lunch! I've been having loads of fun with my work outfits too, even though this one is kind of crap - just shot it about ten minutes ago with a totally frazzled face. Posting will be pretty damn sporadic from now on, though I'll try and shoot things over the weekends and the every other Friday I get off. I'll write a bit more about what I'm getting up to in the next few posts - some bits from a couple of companies arrived so I'm going to style those up.

i feel prettyyyyy

2011-06-29T11:09:00.000+01:00

Skirt: vintage shortened by my stepmum (thanks!) / Top: H&M / DMs: c/o Sarenza / Jacket: vintage / Satchel: 21st present from my mum and stepdad!

I feel like a very lucky girl today - my present for my 21st birthday from my mum and stepdad arrived! This gorgeous Cambridge satchel is going to be so perfect for taking all my stuff to work and back, and like any good 21st present it is going to last me pretty much forever. I absolutely love it!

This is an outfit I'm pretty chuffed with, too, namely because it is the best way I can find to turn a work-appropriate outfit (Breton, skirt, satchel, some heels) into a more relaxed outfit with a minimum of extra stuff. This denim jacket is pretty much a dead cert for additions to my capsule wardrobe type business.

Oh! PS I got the fashion section job for the student paper (Cherwell) last week! Well pleased, and I've got tons of ideas! Don't worry, I'll be sharing all the shoots with you guys.

not really the capsule type...

2011-06-27T13:43:00.000+01:00

One week till I head off to the big smoke on my internship! Since I just got back home and I've got loads of stuff to get ready before I set off, I have to start planning what wardrobe I can get in one suitcase already. I might be there for three weeks before I come home to pick up more clothes, which means only one thing - freaky military wardrobe planning!

Borrowing lots of inspiration from impossibly chic bloggers like Dead Fleurette, I've narrowed my wardrobe down to the bare essentials of what I need and decided what I need to pick up when I raid the Zara and Toppers sales this week (in red). The colour palette is basically black, white, grey, camel and blue, although I may pack some little bits of colour when I get it all in the suitcase, along with everything else I need. Very classy, very chic, very, er, not me. Oh well, if it gets me a job, right?

Tops
Vintage YSL men's shirt
Peacocks cream cotton tee
Grey marl oversized tee
Vintage sheer white tee
Vintage silk MaxMara navy tee
White and black H&M Breton tees
Light coloured cotton shirts

Bottoms
Vintage full Jigsaw wool midi (possibly DIY to knee-length)
Vintage black chiffon midi
Topshop chinos
Black and camel/navy cigarette pants

Jackets
H&M black blazer
Vintage Harrods camel coat

Shoes
Sarenza suede ankle boots
DIY/Faith ankle boots
Heeled Topshop loafers
Flat black loafers

Bags
DIY clutch bag
Cambridge style black satchel (21st present from my Mum, yay!)

Jewellery
Silver chain with jade bead (present from my Dad)
Small silver rings

I also need to think about how to work in weekend and evening clothes into this without packing too much more. That's probably something I'll cover in a post later this week - any ideas or tips? And if you have an office job, what am I missing or packing unnecessarily? How would you pack a capsule wardrobe?

ka-BOOM

2011-06-22T13:01:00.000+01:00

Skirt: vintage / Shoes and tee: Topshop / Shirt: DIY

So today I've got an interview for the fashion section of the student newspaper! Mega excited, even though it's only a 10 minute quick one - and of course I had to figure out what to wear! I think I'm going for this (although I might change into my trusty denim jacket, it looks nippy out) - what do you think?

As you can probably see, this shirt is a Dries-inspired DIY, a la Geneva - although the ombre thing didn't really work as well as I would have liked. Still, I'm pretty chuffed with it! Oh, and you'll have to excuse my hair - I really need a cut! Might go for a low ponytail instead...

patriarchy!

2011-06-20T07:43:00.001+01:00

Shirt and jacket: vintage / Jeans: Primark, woo / Flats: very old Next / Glasses: H&M

Hungover outfit! This is from Sunday morning, and behind the sunglasses (which I actually only wore outside, don't worry) I am in a world of self-inflicted pain. I have a whole section of my wardrobe which I swear is only trotted out on the morning after, and it mostly consists of flats, jeans and oversized shirts, always with sunnies and red lippy. This shirt is a vintage YSL wonder I picked up in the Cowley Road charity shops with Moya on Saturday for about £3 and I swear it's the best shirt I have ever owned. Fits perfectly and feels like I should be wearing it with chinos and a very expensive man's watch or something...

What's your go-to hangover outfit?

friday friday gotta get down on friday

2011-06-17T14:05:00.000+01:00

Jacket, skirt and belt: vintage / Boots: c/o Sarenza / Body: Topshop

Today was an epically bad face day, dudes, if my camera is anything to go by, so this shoddy emotastic outtake is all you're getting. It probably wouldn't be such a problem if I was one of those bloggers who takes like a million photos to find three for an outfit shot, but I am a) too lazy and b) too unphotogenic for that to work. Hence why I usually give up and post one of my outstanding potato/moon face photos...

Anyway. Still concerned about this jacket. It's my super-stylish mum's, but I worry that since it's a real motorbike jacket it's both too stiff and too shouldery for it to actually work on me. I've tried everything to soften it: any tips?

take10 - challenge 10

2011-06-16T14:19:00.000+01:00

Dress: c/o Max C / Blazer: H&M / Loafers: Topshop

Aaaaand it's take10 time again! Bet you all saw this one and assumed I'd be wearing it with army boots and a scowl, right? Well, that was my first thought too, but I decided that since I need to learn to dress smart for the office this summer, and that I don't want to be too predictable, here's a slightly different interpretation. I love the dress, it's a great colour and has the pleated thing that's been everywhere without being YET ANOTHER pleated skirt, so I am a fan! Let me know what you think, and don't forget to click around the other take10 girlies...

crimes of fashion

2011-06-15T13:23:00.000+01:00

1. Shirt, jumper and scarf: vintage / Boots: c/o Sarenza

2. Breton top: H&M / Satchel: vintage / Clogs: Topshop

3. All: vintage

Hello all! So I've been thinking about what I like to wear in terms of colour, which is a change given that a year ago I'm pretty sure these layouts would have been mostly black. And my conclusion was that I wear a lot of combos that sound terrible or wrong on paper - I like green shirts with my red DMs, black and tan and clashing tartans... I wouldn't think they look TOO weird in person, though, right?

It just got me thinking - how do you feel about wearing navy and black, or some other colour combo that the magazines (and your nan) tell you is a bad idea? Would you do it for the clashing value, or do you actually just think they look OK? And if so, what's your favourite 'wrong' combination?

look in the hall!

2011-06-13T07:40:00.000+01:00

Jacket and belt: vintage / Playsuit: H! by Henry Holland / Boots: Doc Martens c/o Sarenza

Hey all! Hope you had a nice weekend - I had a brilliant time while my friend Natalie and then my bestie Moya's sister Hannah were down. I always forget how good Oxford can be for showing people around. We went to a play, went punting, to museums, watched an infamous 'trashing'... all good fun!

Anyway, here are my new Sarenza goodies! They sent me an email talking about colour blocking, containing pics of some gorgeous shoes, so I thought I'd go with the theme but with a more me kind of spin - red DMs! Anyone who was watching me make flirty eyes with them in the bar on Friday night will know how much I love these shoes.

Had a pretty good experience so far breaking them in as well: moaned a bit on Twitter until I realised that it was actually the two pairs of ski socks that were squashing my feet! After that they were actually great. Have you had DMs, and if so how did you find breaking them in?

yaaaaaaaaaay

2011-06-09T08:12:00.001+01:00

Jacket, jumper and trousers: vintage / Flats: Next

This is a scheduled post as my friend Natalie from home is here to stay! Hopefully we're having great fun at the moment.

In general, though, after only a week boredom is beginning to set in. Going to have to take on a wee project - it might have something to do with this blog! I'll keep you posted on it.

oopsie

2011-06-08T12:11:00.000+01:00

Dress: Vintage / Shoes: Primark

Hi everyone! Promised photos of my vintage dress yesterday, so here they are. What do you think? I am pretty damn hungover right now so it's probably best I keep this short and sweet.

shiny!

2011-06-07T10:24:00.000+01:00

Jumper, bag and belt: vintage / Shorts: DIY / Flats: Next

Hello everyone! Thanks for all the lovely welcome back wishes - it's great to be back! Currently trying to amass a backlog of posts, as well as acquire some bleach for a DIY. And it's the Geolsoc Summer Dinner tonight! I've got an amazing vintage dress to wear, as long as I have the balls... it's very, er, not black. I'll take some photos and put them up tomorrow!

These shorts have presented a bit of a problem ever since I realised that they're actually super dark brown instead of the black I thought they were in the charity shop. Trying to wear them with various shades of brown works a bit better than my usual 'stick a grey tee on and hope nobody notices' approach, I think!

the other side is awesome

2011-06-06T08:19:00.000+01:00

Skirt: DIY / Top: vintage MaxMara / Scarf: vintage / Shoes: Clarks c/o Sarenza

I'M BACK!

Did you miss me? I missed you and the blog SO goddamn much. Super glad to be back, and sleeping off what was probably the most strenuous week of my life mentally and physically (you try writing essays at top speed for six hours!) while watching a lot of back episodes of Glee.

I've got lots of plans for the next three weeks: that's how long I've got left here in Oxford before I head home to start getting ready for my 11-week internship in the big smoke. I want to do lots of DIY and get some more wordy/thoughtful posts down: I'm going to be applying to be an assistant fashion editor at our uni's paper for next year during my masters and want to use the blog as a bit of a portfolio until then! I'm also going to try and do some exercise as a way to keep off all the weight I've lost (mostly off my bosoms, sob) and finally tone up my wee bingo wings!

Apart from that, I'm going to be... no wait, that's it. SWEET.

see you on the other side

2011-05-14T15:26:00.001+01:00

Shoes: Sarenza / Shorts: DIY / Top and blazer: H&M

This post was meant to go up yesterday but if you've got a Twitter account at all you'll have seen the blogging world go up in flames about the Great Blogger Fail of 2011, when nobody could blog for about 24 hours and the whole world went into meltdown. Seriously.

Anyway, this is very likely going to be my last post before exams, given that I'm so stressed I had a toilet breakdown (EDIT: as in a breakdown in the toilet, not, you know, a breakdown in toilet habits! GOD) that caused my friend Jack to claim he thought those kinds of things only happened in movies. Oh dear. Well, unless anything monumental occurs I'll be back on or about the 6th of June, drunk off my face with relief and, well, drunkenness, and with endless time (at least until my internship starts) to write blogs.

And now we come to what I actually wanted to talk about: THE SHOES. Yes, Sarenza have asked me to do some brand ambassador work for them, which basically means they'll be letting me choose a pair of shoes each month to review and style up. It's a tough decision, given they stock some great brands like Jeffery Campbell and Dr Martens and oh, look at those, and those and those and ooooh, those....

Anyway, I picked some Clarks heeled ankle desert boot things and they are incredible. The comfiest shoes I've ever walked in, no lie. Looks-wise they can speak for themselves (the day I wore them into Oxford city centre two people asked me where I got them) but I can tell you they are easily the most comfortable, flattering shoes ever. Now, I'm off to give them a hug, so I'll see you on the other side!

and the songbirds are singing

2011-05-10T07:24:00.001+01:00

Skirt: vintage/DIY / Top: H&M / Boots: Topshop / Lips: MAC in Dubonnet

Outfit poooost! This is what I wore earlier in the week: although I SWEAR when I packed those tights they were those spotty ones... maybe the spots fell off? :)

PS I love this lippy, but the MAC concession in Debs in Oxford was awful! They only had the samples out on display, so I asked the assistant 'can I get one of these lipsticks please?' and she laughed in my face and said 'er, NO!' Then there was an awkward pause and she went '...oh, to buy?' WELL OF COURSE to buy, what else do you do with lipsticks in a shop?! I assume she thought I wanted to take one of the samples or something, but honestly, why would that be your first assumption, and why would you respond to a customer like that no matter what they asked? Anyway, after that she got it, didn't say please or thankyou, and when it came to paying she just held out her hand for my card without saying 'that's XXX please' or anything.

GRUMP. Why do a job if you're not going to at least try to be happy about it? I was always smiley when I was on a till... except for the day I broke up with my boyfriend the night before - and he was working on the till next to me... yeah, that was pretty awkward.

week in photos: 09/05/11

2011-05-09T07:46:00.000+01:00

It's been a quiet week (revision!) but here's what I've been up to over the last little while.

1: A photo I took from our old abandoned geology department (we moved over to an awesome new building this year). Isn't it eerie? I went in there to revise but got too freaked out...

2: My new shoes, courtesy of Sarenza! They'll be sending me some lovely new shoes to review and style up, so keep an eye out. I'll be styling these later in the week on the blog, but I've been wearing them all weekend and my WORD are they comfy. They're Clarks as well so it's great quality! More about the site and the shoes themselves later in the week, so this is just a little taster...

3. Another photo of the old department. This is the title of a novel, and it wasn't there when we left the department at the end of last year, so I wonder how it got there? And I didn't know it was a novel at the time, so it's a pretty creepy thing to see on the board.

4-6: Finally got round to putting up my wee inspiration board. Here are some of the bits: my ultimate makeup look (actually, that Givenchy show was probably my ultimate LOOK since I think (cba to check right now) it was the one with all the drapey chiffoney black and oh-my-gosh awesome), a Vogue editorial on the 'best of British' that has stuck with me a bit and a photobooth shot of Jazmine, Harriet and myself, and a print-out of a Dave McKean piece, one of my favourite artists.

nothing to report

2011-05-04T08:27:00.001+01:00

Jeans: Primark / Boots: Topshop / Satchel: Zara / Top: H&M / Jacket and scarf: vintage

WOW is my life dull at the mo. Basically revision morning till night... sigh. Well, The Fear hasn't hit me yet so I'm still OK to bash out a quick blog post, aided by the lovely long evenings - this was taken at half 7 last night! Madness. Anyway, this is pretty much a revision uniform for me - I am quite honestly attached to this jacket, it goes with everything!

tumblrdump: aspirational streetstyle

2011-05-03T08:44:00.003+01:00

1&2: Love the teeny tiny waists on these shots, emphasised by a full black midi skirt - something I've tried to emulate in my own outfits...

3&4: A scarf over a biker jacket looks really cool. I've got a really oversized vintage biker like the one on one of the Anywho girls on the left. Shame I'm really too broad across the shoulders to make it work.

5&6: Really good layering and vintagey palettes on both of these. Would love a button-through skirt like the girl on the left, and the shot on the right is a great example of tone-on-tone dressing, something I've never managed.

7&8: just. awesome. gothiness. Would really like to take inspiration from either of these but I'm afraid I'm just not cool enough - still showing the midi love, though!

Just a few outfits taken from the street style archive I'm building up on my tumblr (here). All images are credited there. It's quite interesting, I think, because I can see how all of these have influenced my style in one way or another, shots 2 and 7 in particular. My tumblr's also quite good for spotting what it is I like about an outfit in order to figure out what I'd like to try myself. What do you think - can you see how I've tried to use these images in my own style or am I fooling myself a bit?

wow

2011-05-02T11:14:00.000+01:00

Shorts: DIY / Top: Topshop / Sheer thing: vintage / Sandals: Dorothy Perkins / Satchel: Zara / Nails: Barry M in Red Black / Lips: MAC in Dubonnet

Just wow. Bad face doesn't even cover it today. HURR. Oh well, this blog is self-absorbed enough as it is without not posting pictures because I hate my face - it's an outfit diary, after all. Anyway, it's super sunny outside so of COURSE everything I'm wearing is black. And I haven't had time to do my usual inspiration board now I'm back at Anne's yet either...

quick message

2011-04-27T15:40:00.000+01:00

Just a quick note to let everyone know that I probably won't be posting at all this week - it's very busy! In fact, between now and my final exams in about six weeks' time, I can't commit to a daily posting schedule at all. I'll blog when I can, and will be back in full force post-finals-hell. Enjoy your short week and long weekend, everyone!

feels like a real website now!

2011-04-21T11:00:00.001+01:00

Skirt: vintage / Boots: DIY / Top: H&M

Feeling very girly today. Not sure why - I'm anything but girly - but this skirt just generally makes me want to swissssssh everywhere. Not much else to say about this.

However, take a look at your address bar... yep! I've finally got a dot com. My old blog address will still redirect here, so no need to change links and bookmarks, but I think it looks a lot more professional - maybe time to get some business cards?

EDIT: PS it might not actually be transferred over for everyone yet! If not, my new address is www.dreamingspiresfashion.com...

does this even count?

2011-04-20T13:41:00.000+01:00

Another quick little DIY for you today. As I've had a massive wardrobe clearout I've been thinking about what I'm missing - got a few bits and bobs to look out for, especially an army of breton tops. I also was thinking about how a pair of low heeled ankle boots would be nice before I remembered I bought some from Faith years ago and couldn't bear to throw them out, even though they were a colour that can best be described as 'sludge'. So off I pop to the cobblers, spend £4 on shoe dye, spend 20 minutes painting it on, and put black polish over the top and voila! Infinitely more wearable and perfect for midi skirts in the office this summer.

boob tube

2011-04-18T11:30:00.000+01:00

Skirt and jacket: vintage / Top: Peacocks / Shoes: Topshop / Bag: Zara

Yep, I'm wearing a boob tube. All jokes aside, I think it's actually a great way to do the whole cropped top thing without actually showing your belly, as long as it's worn with a high waist - you don't have to have a toned anything to be able to show that little bit of your ribcage. I think it'll go with a whole load of stuff for springtime - especially want to try it on with the black chiffon high-waisted midi skirt I showed you the other day. Don't think I'd wear it without some kind of coverup though, the amount of flesh it shows at the top is a little freaky...

take10 - challenge 9

2011-04-14T14:17:00.001+01:00

Dress worn as skirt: Peacocks By Design / Shirt: old / Boots: vintage

It's take10 time again, and this one was a right old toughie! I like the dress a lot on the model, but on me... I'm afraid the colour and the cut just didn't suit me, being a high-necked dress wide across the shoulders; not great for boobs. There are some pretty nice dresses in the Peacocks By Design range though - looking particularly at this one - so don't rule it out! Anyway, decided wearing it as a midi skirt would do a lot for damage limitation, so here's me trying to tough it up a bit...

Have a look at the other take10 girlies, including our last-minute sub, Susie (Adele's having internet problems!)

Ellie

tronnnnnnn

2011-04-12T14:16:00.000+01:00

Skirt and jacket: vintage / Top and shoes: Topshop

Apologies for both the denim jacket two days on the trot, AND the deathstare going on here! Promise I don't hate you all really.

Not much to say in terms of outfits today, but a little personal rant: if you saw Cameron yesterday calling Oxford 'appalling' or something for only letting in one black student in 2009, do a bit of reading. Not only is that statistic utter bull (one black Caribbean student was admitted in 2009, not counting students who identified as black African, black British, mixed race or 'prefer not to say') but the fault does not lie with Oxford: the interviewed : admitted ratio is similar to that of white Brits (although there is a slight bias based on black students applying mostly for oversubscribed subjects like economics) so the problem starts with a lack of encouragement at sixth form level.

I know this isn't the place for it, but you can understand how I feel when our own PM implies that I attend a racist institution. Media portrayals of Oxford as some upper class private school playground mean some able students are put off even applying. Seriously. If you think you might get AAA, APPLY no matter what. It changed my life completely. And if you are thinking about applying to uni and want to talk about it, email me.

watching legally blonde AGAIN

2011-04-11T10:45:00.001+01:00

Jacket and t-shirt: vintage / Shorts and clutch: DIY / Shoes: very old Next, I think?

The fringe has returned! I got it cut at this amazing place called Alexander Hair and Beauty in Anlaby - best haircut I've ever had, though I'm not sure if I can afford to go back, I had a voucher this time. Thought the hairdresser was going to scream when I said I last had it cut in September, though! She had to cut a fair bit off the layers because it was pretty fried - not too sad because it's in really good nick now and it's going to grow fast over the summer anyway!

Anyway, I was swishing around Staples (glam) yesterday wearing something like this but with a different top, and saw some popular girl I was at school with (I don't even think it needs to be said that I was everything BUT a popular girl at school...) She was looking a bit blah while I felt pretty great with my fresh-from-the-hairdresser-hair, so I was wandering around nonchalantly pretending not to recognise her, which was great until I walked into a pole.

FML.

colour and things

2011-04-07T13:43:00.000+01:00

Jeans and top: vintage / Bag: Zara / Shoes: Primark / Nails: Barry M in Coral

Yep - more colour blocking. I'm going to get my hair cut tomorrow (finally!) so the fringe will be back next week. I normally trim it myself but I let it get really out of hand this time.

Anyway, I'm definitely a fan of just one colour with monochrome - it's the only way I was ever going to be able to stomach anything pink! It also made me think that I've not really been in town and seen how the high street is handling all this colour because of exams: is it going to be like aviator jackets and we're all going to be sick of them by the time the actual season rolls round? In which case, it's probably best that I've invested a grand total of about a fiver on brightly coloured things. Pretty sure all this colour is basically the antithesis of the 'classic' stuff that's been going around over the last couple of seasons and it's going to be completely unwearable come November. What do you think?

P.S. Nancy Magoo wrote this excellent article for her course, in which she asked me among others a few questions. Take a look, I thought it was quite interesting!

little vintage haul

2011-04-06T12:23:00.000+01:00

There's only a certain amount of time I can go without a charity shop - it's a function of how busy and how broke I am, but I always get to a point where I snap and go 'GODAMMIT I NEED AN OXFAM!' So I wasn't at all surprised when I popped into the village centre yesterday to get some milk and everything went black.... next thing I knew I was in the Dove House Hospice shop, no idea how I got there. You believe me, right? Right?

Anyway, as you can see I went a bit Jil Sander block colour mad (as mad as you can go on a tenner, anyway). The top is some kind of silk thing and looks pretty awesome (if hugely oversized in a good way) on, the long shirt is basically just for layering since I'm not sure I can work a short-sleeved shirt (you know who can? Spencer Reid. Yep, still obsessed) and I'm planning on taking the two layers of the maxi dress apart and using them as semi-sheer summer dresses. The shorts are a DIY too, from a pair of yucky peg-leg old lady trousers. One of my fave DIYs: take a pair of trousers that are high-waisted and roomy on the thigh, cut them off, fold them up twice and run straighteners over the hem, then slot some wonderweb in and run the straighteners again. Simples!

week in photos: 04/04/11

2011-04-04T12:57:00.001+01:00

1-5. Some photos of my time in Cornwall on fieldwork. The weather was great every day except the one in the picture of my friend about to get taken out by a huge wave: and even then it didn't rain! We have been so lucky with weather on field trips. And there's a picture of me how I look in the field; no makeup, curly hair, rocking the old-man-jumper-and-rucksack look... sexy!

6. The reason I've been so AWOL with comments, emails and whatnot - there's all the textbooks I need for finals revision. And of course they're in rainbow order.

7. Rediscovered my old Minolta film SLR. There's an old half-used film in there I finished up yesterday - can't wait to see what's on it because I have no idea!

8, 9. Bit of light reading - forgot how much I love the artwork in Neil Gaiman's The Sandman series. Anybody else out there a bit of a graphic novel/comic nerd? My favourite is probably either The Sandman or the spin-off Lucifer series.

10. For everyone who had queries about my DIY clutch, it's machine stitched (although leather glue might work too, as well as hand sewing) with a leather needle - you can buy them from any haberdashers' and they're just a bit stronger than normal machine needles. And if you like it, Y U NO VOTE? Seriously though, if you like it, give it a facebook 'like' here and we will be best friends forever, I promise.

give us a back hander, jil sander

2011-03-31T13:24:00.000+01:00

Jacket and shirt: vintage / Jeans and shoes: Topshop

Yeah, I totally look like a massive HURRRR in this picture, but oh well. Trying my best to get into the whole Jil Sander colour blocking thing, but it doesn't exactly come naturally to me! I'm sure I have some red and some purple jeans from way back when somewhere, but I'm not sure where they've gone: praying they're at my mum's and that I didn't put them in the charity bag!

Have you tried the colour blocking thing? What colours do you like, and did it suit you?

P.S. If you haven't already, and you want me to love you a lot, vote for my DIY in the TheSite.org competition here?

kapow

2011-03-30T13:14:00.001+01:00

Trousers and shoes: Topshop

Trying to take a photo of one of my fave evening outfits ended in a bit of hilarity. I mean, yeah, these are my favourite wide leg trousers, what do you think, etc etc, but WHAT IN THE NAME of all that is good and holy is going on with my boobs? It's like a ridiculous boobocalypse.

Anyway, big important thing. If you've ever enjoyed any of my DIYs, or even my blog, to say thanks could you please 'like' my entry for the Fiver Challenge here? It'll only take a second, and I swear if I win I will do you so many more DIYs that your heads will pop off. That's a promise.

cheeky little DIY

2011-03-29T13:30:00.000+01:00

Jeans: vintage / Top: H&M / Clutch: DIY / Red string: my notebook bookmark, don't worry I'm not going Madonna on you or anything!

Yet another way American Apparel can be a bit of a ripoff at times. This clutch, clearly inspired by the Celine basic clutch, sets you back about $50 - but the one in the photo is one of mine, made for under £5 for the Fiver Challenge Chain from a leather skirt from the charity shop. What do you think?

take10 - challenge 9

2011-03-18T12:57:00.000Z

Trousers: vintage / Shoes: Primark / Jumper: Spoiled Brat

Take10 time again! Just in time, since I'm popping off to sunny (I hope) Cornwall this afternoon for fieldwork and won't be back till next Tuesday. For this challenge, we all got to pick our own item from the Spoiled Brat jumpers collection: what do you think of my choice? I really like it, it's clearly Alexander Wang-inspired, so obviously I had to style it with tan leather in a nod to the collection. It's another of my favourite take10 items and has had a lot of wear already: how would you style it?

Couple of other bits of news today, as well: I've been featured on the Guardian website! Take a look here for a list of my favourite vintage shopping haunts in both Oxford and Hull - hope there's something there for you. I've also been featured on the Style Clone site, click through for a feature on one of my outfit posts.

Just to add to all the clicky goodness, check out the other take10 girls' items and how they styled them!

roflcopter

2011-03-17T13:28:00.000Z

Jacket and scarf: vintage / Top and shoes: Topshop

Yeah, it's the scarf and the jacket again. What can I say? I've got no money for new clothes and I'm sticking with the old scarf for now... Anyway, spending the day packing and watching even more Criminal Minds (come on, I can't be the only one who finds Spencer really hot? Right?) since I'm off for a field trip tomorrow afternoon (so will be absent from the ol' blog for a week).

Got a couple of nice bits and bobs in the post yesterday: I was involved in some publicity for thesite.org's Fiver Challenge, a charity campaign which young people can enter to win an iPad for showing what you can do with a fiver. DIY geniuses, unite! I recieved some yummy homemade brownies and some crocheted flowers (keep an eye out for a DIY) from the company, to start off a chain: I sent my own under-a-fiver DIY on to Kavita of iheartvintagex, though I'll wait till she's got it before I do a tutorial!