Beautiful Summer Sunshine

Photo diary for you all. Sorry posting has been minimal but busy times ending Uni. This is the fun that the UK has to offer - doesn't it look beautiful in the sunshine! 

Frozen Yoghurt from Yogberries in Manchester - delicious! 

Birthday cakes for my lovely best friend Nina

The amazing Jurassic 5 at Parklife festival in Manchester - coolest guys ever! 

Went to visit one of my oldest, best friends Emilie in beautiful Cambridge 

Butterflies at The Botanist restaurant in Alderley Edge 

View over Manchester from 'The Edge' in Alderley Edge 

1930s Singer sewing machine that belongs to my family 

I wish - fingers crossed. Best get saving. So much Glastonbury envy 

Belated birthday celebrations for my oldest, best friend Emily 

Weekend trip in London - view from Southbank looking beautiful in this heat wave 

Safety first 

Tried grits for the first time at Outsider Tart in Chiswick - very odd, like cheesy porridge. The staff and the cakes however were fab! Worth a visit for a bit of USA vibes 

Chilling in the garden of Katie's house in Chiswick - LUSH 

Shopper Bag

We've done the tote bag, had a stint with the basket bag and all enjoyed the benefits of free hands with the backpack but fashion is heading back to basic shopper bags and lovvvving it. Us ladies are not people who like to travel unprepared so the shopper is perfect for filling up with all of your essentials. Working days: lunch, water, purse, diary, important documents, phone - all fits. Night out: make-up, extra layer (of course no guarantee that it wont rain for the whole of July and August), hair spray, potential pair of flats, keys - all fits. Beach: suncream, IPod, towel, book, sunglasses, water and refreshing juice drink - all fits. I can assure you that your new shopper bag will be perfect for each and every one of these occasions.  Personally, I think the bigger the better; endless amounts of space if ever a crisis with a plastic or paper bag ripping. I am very jealous of all of you who get to look at and enjoy your shiny new bags.
Examples:

Mango, Buckless Shopper Bag, £27.99 

Zara, Shopper with Combination Handles, £22.99

Pay day? Treat yourself? Living the dream? Wishful thinking?...

Céline, Triple Shopper in Vegetal Calfskin Tan

You can never have too many bags!

(Image source available from hyperlink on shop name on image caption)

Do Not Taper Off With Your Purchases Of Tapered Trousers

I am obsessed with tapered trousers. I am so obsessed that I have already written a post about them around this time last year. Summer necessity. I'm in a cycle of just wearing a different pair each day. In fact, writing this post has made me buy yet another pair. My reasoning and support for these trousers stem from the fact that they are versatile, library/work/drinks/dinner/shopping appropriate and with the up and down weather at the minute, it means that you can still wear them if it is hot but raining.
You can buy a pair which are plain in colour but I think the patterns that are on most of them is what has drawn me to them. Plus, with tapered trousers, there will always be a wide price range avaliable. Most high street stores will sell them so if you are not 100% sure, maybe go for a less expensive pair so it's not a huge regret. Or if you know that you're going to wear them day-in-day-out then those few extra pennies will probably be a good idea.
Here are a few examples of my favourites at the min:

H&M, Trousers, £4.99 (£4.99!!!!!) 

Topshop, Soft Tapered Trousers, £35

Zara, Paisley Print Trousers, £29.99

Images sourced from:
1 - H&M Trousers
2 - Topshop Soft Tapered Trousers
3 - Zara Paisley Print Trousers

Teapot Vintage

This brand is literally my saviour. One of my biggest shopping problems is vintage clothing and sales. There is something in my brain that just cannot get to grips with the process of sifting through shop rails separating the wheat from the chaff. Especially if there is loads and loads of clothes to look at (Topshop sale is my nemesis.) As a student, this is a terrible skill not to possess. My old housemate is the pro charity shopper; the charity shopper Queen. Beyond envious of her skills. However, Teapot Vintage seem to have done it for me! This is a fabbb little website and so reasonably priced! Great clothes and everything on it I just want to buy. There is also definitely something for everyone, stocked for guys and gals. Plus, for those guys that complain about shopping, you need not move from your sofa to enjoy these steals.

Teapot Vintage, Vintage Oversized Floral Patchwork Cardigan , £16

Teapot Vintage, Vintage Reworked Mini Dress, £15

Teapot Vintage, Vintage Men's American Hunter Jacket, £35

Teapot Vintage Website - all images sourced from here
Teapot Vintage Twitter 

Custom Vintage Dublin

The festive season is over (sob). The sweet treats and indulgences are a fond distant memory, and its back to the grind of work. However, that means only one thing is on the way...SUMMMMER! You can't help but feel lifted, vitamin D from the sun fills you with great healthy energy. July and August may seem a long way off but I imagine many were forward thinking with their New Years resolutions. To quote a few:
1) Detox
2) Get fit and work out - future beach bod
3) Ditch the chocolates
Sound familiar? I can see those resolutions of mine glaring across the room from me (next to that half eaten box of Christmas chocolates.) Well what better way to stick to those resolutions than a goal. New summer clothes act as great inspiration and give you something to work towards. This could include a beautiful new bikini or a sexy summer dress. Whatever the item, they are likely to help you stick to those dreaded health kick plans.

Last summers most worn item: denim shorts. I can think of numerous high street stores where denim shorts were flying off the shelves last year. Why not shake it up a little bit, and buy the same beloved trend, with a bit of a twist, and have them as your summer inspiration.
Custom Vintage Dublin customises vintage Levi shorts. You can't beat a good trusty pair of Levi either so this brand is great. Founder and designer Ali Delaney only launched Custom Vintage Dublin in June 2012 and already has thousands of girls after her shorts. Each and every pair of shorts are handmade and unique so worth the investment!
You can email them and request your own design if you have something personal in mind, or if you just fancy a pair, then they have a selection of ready made shorts on their website.
Other items include: denim jackets, camo jackets, studded bras and hair feathers. Got my eye on so many of these things. So spend those Christmas pennies wisely. These shorts are great summer motivation, plus the bright and colourful designs will help us all feel less like the rainy weather outside.

Here is just a tiny collection of some of their designs and items:

Custom Vintage Dublin, Dipdyed, Studded and Floral Shorts, £50

Custom Vintage Dublin, Custom Shorts, £56

Custom Vintage Dublin, Levi Jacket 40 Euros 

Custom Vintage Dublin Website
Custom Vintage Dublin Facebook - all images sourced from here.
Custom Vintage Dublin Twitter

Shakuhachi

I am not deliberately meaning to just write about fashion brands at the minute. My exams mean a lot of internet browsing and in turn online shopping. Spreading the love.

Shakuhachi is an Australian brand based in Sydney and has some great stuff in at the minute, and a wonderful sale. 50% off a lot of their summer wear which is perrfect for these horrid rainy days we're having. Makes me want to bronze my skin, put on a dress and go outside into the sunshine. Holiday/Sydney please!

Free worldwide shipping: even better. LOVE

 

Shakuhachi, D-Ring Deluxe Racer Back Cami Dress, AUD $110.00

Shakuhachi, Scarf Print Tee Dress, AUD $115.01

Shakuhachi, Brocade Leather Tee Shirt, AUD $175.00

All images sourced from Shakuhachi website
Shakuhachi Facebook
Shakuhachi Twitter

Lacuna Apparel

Had my eye on this new brand for quite a while and still really love it. Sometimes simple can be effective if matched with the right pieces of clothing and Lacuna Apparel has tapped into this look with a strong brand identity. Making a plain t-shirt stand out is not easy, but their patch pocket idea was sold to me instantly. This has evolved over a few months to include their brand logo as the print on sweaters and t's and also a rib cut cage back on some t-shirts. I love them all, and realised today that during August they were doing a limited edition of patches. Hope that happens again!

Lacuna Apparel, Cage Back Patch T,  Burgundy £35

Lacuna Apparel, Logo Sweatshirt, Black, £40.00 

Lacuna Apparel, Patch Tank, Black, £25

Lacuna Apparel Website  - all images sourced from here
Lacuna Apparel Facebook
Lacuna Apparel Blog

Rat and Boa

There goes another two months of missed blogging. New Years resolution to become more consistent perhaps. 

Semester 1 has finished and instead of moving myself away from the bright lights of my computer screen (good for my health and eyes) I have instead spent hours scrolling through blogs and I'm just so content. Reignited my love for pinterest and building up quite a nice collection of clothes and styles I want to recreate. 
Newest obsession (and I mean obsession) Rat and Boa Clothing. I cant stop looking through their website, tumblr, blog, facebook; you name it, I've stalked it. Now following them on twitter, instagram, facebook - it's actually going a little to far. So clearly I thought a good way to place me in a better, less creepy light, would be to blog about them...I can only hope they take this as a compliment.

Creating and selling individual pieces, their clothing and jewellery appealed to me immediately because it looks wearable yet has an edge that makes it so much more interesting then a generic high street piece. Fashion should be about wearing something you love and enjoying trying out new style, not just wearing clothes for the sake of it. I think Rat and Boa provide a good opportunity to be more experimental and individual.  

Narrowed these down to my three favourites I think:

Rat and Boa Clothing, Colourful Feather Print 2 Piece, £60 for both, £28 Shorts, £32 Shirt 

Rat and Boa Clothing, Patterned Denim Dungarees - £30

Rat and Boa Clothing 

All three of the above are on my wishlist, especially the first one which I cannot stop looking at!
They state their inspiration comes from: 'the Oslen twins, Keith Richards, Native Americans,  Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, magazines, blogs, models, photographers alike and any other person that sees fashion as a form of expression and freedom'

Well it is definitely working for you!

Rat and Boa tumblr

Rat and Boa website

All images sourced from: Rat and Boa facebook

I Eat My Words

The wounding of my pride that this blog post has caused is something I'm sure will come back to haunt me later in life.
When studying A/W12 collections a few months back I firmly decided; military style = yes, equestrian style = NO. For those of you who know me better, this will not be a surprise, since my somewhat irrational dislike for horses and anything that can be associated with them, is getting worse by the day. However, as titled, I have to eat my words because October 2012, I cannot get enough of some aspects of the equestrian style. Top number one on my shopping list, the item that has caused me to write this post and rant and rave to anyone that will listen; the riding pant. 

Oh gawd they're so nice. American Apparels version in particular (village green). I have high hopes for them being as simply fantastic as their disco pant, but if anything, that little bit comfier. As winter draws in, I am all for hitting the shops to improve SAD moods. If that means spending obscene amounts of money, I'm sure I will find some vaguely relevant reason to justify my actions. For the riding pant, I already have two. Forward thinking:
1. Jeans are like a sponge when it comes to water. Manchester being the rains favourite place to fall, you don't want to have soaking wet jeans all days. That will only cause you to get a chill and develop cold and flu like symptoms. This in turn will hinder my ability to concentrate on my uni work and thus cause me to fail. (use this approach when introducing new clothes to my dad.)
2. As stated in my post below, the trouser is a winter staple. The riding pant look fairly tight yet stretchy. Leggings or tights underneath would work like a charm I reckon. 

Need I say more, must factor a shopping trip into my day tomorrow! Comes in a variety of colours so one for every mood. £64 is rather steep but my house mate claims everytime you wear something it reduces by half....investment. 
I fear for the day I say I've bought some 'simply delightful knee high boots to wear with them'...equestrian will get to us all, even those most opposed. Strong fashion trend. 

American Apparel, Riding Pant, Village Green,  £64

Five Reasons to 'Heart' the Change in Weather

Some people may say I'm crazy. I'd rather say I am positive. No matter how hard we wish or try, September signals the end of summer. So instead of hating, start embracing. Having a huff won't make the sun come out, so hit the shops and dress for the occasion. 

1) The Boot.

Put those sandals and flip flops away and your little tootsies back inside some big cosy socks and get your ankle boot on. Love love love. Plus military and equestrian are all the rage this seasons. These trends would be going nowhere without their boots. 

Office, Neptune Stud Black Boot, £70.00 

2) The Knit Wear - especially jumpers.

Oh lord, I have to be restrained. My sister recently banned me from buying my dream jumper. I haven't forgiven her but my bank balance has. The chunkier the knit the  better. Add a slight splash of colour and go for burgundy/maroon. Lush! 

Zara, Ribbed Front Cardigan, £45.99

3) The Coat

Staple for the winter. Unavoidable so don't resist and leave it until January to think maybe you should buy a new coat. Go now and reap the benefit, no doubt you'll be needing it from October. Reiss have some beauty's in at the minute but if in doubt, French Connection always have a cracking range of coats. 

French Connection, Lucky Wishes Double Breasted Coat, £230.00

4) The Scarf

Biased as I live and breathe scarves but we don't want our chests getting a chill and keep those soar throats cosy with a big hug of woollen love. Pulled up over your ears on those bitterly cold days. 

Topshop, Two Tone Zigzag Snood, £16.00 

5) The Trouser

Skinny trousers may still look hot but if you buy a pair with a slight bit of leeway then you can always pop a pair of leggings on underneath on those chilly days and people will be none the wiser. One of my house mates is considering wearing her wetsuit all winter under clothes to keep warm. Maybe a bit extreme...plus hassle when you need the loo. We've all been there with a play suit. 

All Saints, Roseport Ashby, £75.00

Magpie Eye

Sparkly, shiny, diamonte clothes tends to go against everything I agree with however, I can't currently get enough of the stuff. It may be the simple 'diamonds are a girls best friend' attitude which is surely embedded in a part of our chromosomes or I am developing expensive taste. Good job my attention is currently on the cheaper side of the style.

Bertina Multi Coloured Sequin Hotpants, Miss Guided , £22.99

Bam Bam Black Square Stud Boot, Miss Selfridge, £60

Printed Sequinned Cardigan, Zara, £119

No judgement if you hate these all, I probably would have a few months ago. 

Rita Ora

Hawwwwwt damn. Shiny jealousy! 

Style Steal

Gillian Zinser aka Ivy Sullivan from 90210 is a great summer style steal. I don't know if its the sunny weather, my revived addiction to internet shopping or my housemates mild but 100% understandable obsession with Gillian but her style is suddenly at the forefront of my mind. And what one hell of a beach goddess she is. 
If you're a southerner, I hope you are enjoying the sunny hot weather, if you're a northerner, you may be as confused as I am with this grey humidity and occasional storms so here is a number of options for a style steal.

1) The Red Carpet Alternative 

This is perfect if you're in the mood for a night out this summer but don't fancy the cocktail dress and killer heels. The bodice looks like its an American Apparel number, teamed with sheer bottoms and a top as causal as a denim shirt. If its good enough for an A-list event, its good enough for us.

2) Summer Simplicity 

Low buttoned, tied at the bottom checked shirt is a great way to make a long sleeved top work for the summer. Roll the sleeves up for an even more effortless causal look. To finish, a swept up messy bun and some pink lipstick will suffice. 

3) Bohemian  Babe

All Images sourced from: IMDb.com

I urge anyone who can pull off hats like this to just wear them all the time. Trilby ones, bowlers, boaters, I'm not bothered, just add them to an outfit for the rest of this summer. Gillian's dress is gorgeous and embraces the maxi trend but with a more original edge.  

Now recreate. 

Tapered Trousers

Love, love, LOVE!

If you find the right style and the perfect fit, you'll never want to take them off. I've been monitoring the classic high street stores in hope of stumbling across my ideal pair and havn't had much luck.Until today. Having avoided Topshop for a few months due to limited funds, I was reminded of why I always chose to just be poor when it comes to shopping. Spotting a gorgeous pair of tapered trousers on a manikin I made a beeline across the shop floor. Got my size, tried them on and was very very happy. I'd love to now write how I purchased these and made my happy way home however, this was not to be. Due to my new attempts to budget I left them on the rails, to go home and dream about these beauties and somehow 'save'. (I don't know what's worse, avoiding the shops or knowing what I'm missing.)

These trousers will see you through this crazy monsoon us Brits are having and nicely into the autumn. Dressed down for daytime with a jumper and flats or dressed up for the evening with a pair of heels and a sheer shirt. Some may disagree but personally I'd say, the more pyjama like the better!

Topshop, Tile Print Skinny Trouser, £40.00

River Island, Green Paisley Print Crop Trouser, £30.00

Zara, Printed Trouser With Contrasting Waist, £39.99