Posts Tagged ‘style’
Style snipping!
Style snipping!
Going back a few years, my wardrobe was higher on my list of priorities. Obviously my hair was always at the top of my list. I have a theory that every girl is either mainly a make up fiend, a hair one, a potions/lotion manic or a clothes horse. There is no doubt that I’m the hair one. However when it comes to fashion and cosmetics, they have sort of changed places back and forth as my life and circumstances have changed.
For example, when I was at uni with a whole lot of free time and a student loan (!) then fashion was more of a priority. I have never ever pounded any card like that Top Shop one. My style was never particularly sophisticated (always high street) but I would be in there every other day to grab what was new. Students can wear whatever they like whenever they like. Consequently it felt as if I never had anything to wear. Of course, I did. Tens more then I have now but I was young and knew no better.
Then I graduated, uni finished and it was out in to the real world where I was swamped by a new reality ie. a whole lot of bills, no money, little free ( ahem, shopping) time and a job where I was no longer free to wear what I want. Consequently I stopped thinking so much about clothes and my interest/pride in my wardrobe fell.
Interestingly this was a time when I became obsessed with growing my own nails. I wasn’t too worried about painting them but I desperately wanted long talons. They seemed so ladylike. I might not have been able to afford the clothes of a grown up but at least, I could have the nails of one. Honestly I got so obsessed, I would wear a plaster over a nail if it broke and it would remain under the cover of plaster until it was long again. Nice!!
Anyway this year and blog has been all about making more of myself and I was kind of drawn to the beauty side of this resolution particularly make up.
Beauty shopping tends to be more tranquil. Unless a new MAC collection is being released then quite often there is space to shop and usually an assistant to hand (ok I concede, sometimes they are more in the way then to hand) but at least, you can normally find somebody to pay without queueing for half an hour when you’ve selected your purchases. I also got in to beauty because transformations (especially some of those showcased on blogs and in videos) can be amazing and well to be honest, it is nice not have to stress about sizing (Sidenote: this is just another reason why I absolutely adore perfume!).
However over the last few months, I have built quite a make up collection and now I’m starting to realise that although cosmetic items avoid the sizing issue, one product still does not fit all. For example as lovely as Gosh Darling might be for you, it doesn’t matter how I work it, it will never become a go to for me. On the other hand, as little as I hear about Creme de la Femme in the cyber beauty world, I still know that I am more then likely to reach for it at least once a week until I hit pan (Nooooo, not pan! Not this lippie!).
I guess what I am saying is that now I have learnt a little more about what suits me and what does not. I am making more sensible choices and spending a little less (just a tiny bit less time though as it still takes up a large percentage of my brain space) time thinking about eyeshadows and lipsticks and I can’t help thinking that this is why I have suddenly become more interested in my wardrobe again.
I now have the brain space and time for such curioisity and pretty daydreams.
However, unfortaunately my budget does not quite match my interest so I have had to reach a compromise and consequently have spent a little time this last week, shopping virtually through magazines and things. If I want to basket something then I cut it out and add it to this pile. I will soon be purchasing a corkboard and will pink all my little beauties up.
I am quite excited about my new super duper style board (super duper because obviously I can not abandon beauty completely and a few beauty items have been cut out too).
The idea is remniscent of a style folder, polyvore or collage but putting it on a noticeboard means I can update it or change bits easily as and when I want. I saw something similar in one of Carolyn Baxters recent videos and thought it was such a positive and inspiring idea.
I think I have already realised that a lot of the colours I choose are neutral. Khakis, blacks, Camel. I also seem to like items which only have one or two colours in. Oh and I seem to find long hair inspiring!
Here is a peek at some of the items that have made the cut so far!
Who knows?
Just maybe, one day, some of these things will make it in to my life for real. In the meantime, not only can I see what I’m drawn to and what my own personal style might actually encompass, but I also have inspiration to seek similar items and even if I fail at all this and realise I have no conducive or attainable style then at the very least, I will have lots of pretty pictures to look at.
Are you a make up fiend, a hair one, a potions/lotions maniac or a clothes horse?
Do you scrap your style? How do you do it?
Blog for Look Magazine!
Blog for Look Magazine!
Ok, so it is official. I want Nadine Coyle’s wardrobe (throw in the hair too please, Nad). I love this look that I spied in the latest Look magazine.
Now I don’t stand anywhere on the whole Nadine v Girls Aloud thing but plainly this look just works, doesn’t it?! Very classic and simple and if you’ve got the money in the first place, easy to wear.
I absolutely adore that bag (even through we can only see half ot it) and I love the way she has balanced the look with the gorgeous trinkets on her opposite wrist. Even the nail varnish, which I suspect could look a bit dull and flat elsewhere, complements this look perfectly.
However, today’s post is not about my wardrobe envy (well,not much) but about the Blogging competition for Look. I keep meaning to blog about this and er, forgetting (oops!) but now the closing date is almost here I’m going sit here and type before I forget. Again!
Look magazine are currently running a competition to blog for them from the front row of the Look Show in September. You will also get to stay overnight in a luxury London hotel.
You can find details of how to enter here but be warned, the closing date is next Friday at 5pm.
I read some of your blogs everyday and think you should ALL enter asap.
So, good luck!
X
My kind of floral!
I know that florals have been all the rage recently but after trying a few on, I came to the conclusion that unless I was on holiday ( or needed a nice pretty background for my blog pics) then they were not for me.
Well after trying this little gem on, I have changed my mind. It is from George at Asda and costs £10. I know the nights are getting darker and autumn already seems to be kicking in so I’m a bit late on this but this floral top looks really pretty with a pair of skinny jeans and flats. I love the two vertical strips at the front, very flattering.
And hurrah, it doesn’t cling!
It is also quite low cut so I did buy a size bigger then usual. Huh, a size bigger you might be asking, surely then it will be even more low cut?! Er yep but I can layer it and layering always makes me feel a little more confident.
Oh and I watched a great video http://www.youtube.com/user/dawndelrusso#p/u/82/tYVmXyzW5aU on wearing florals after purchasing this top. Dawn advises to avoid big flowers, busy patterns or loud colours. I think my top passes on the colour and although my flowers are quite big, there are actually not too many of them and they are well spaced. So they are not exactly in your face. All in all, a top that seems to redeem what I find a ‘difficult to wear’ trend.
Do you like florals? Are there certain trends you love or hate?
X
TopShop shoppitdy shop!
TopShop shoppitdy shop!
TopShop!
When I was a student, I was the TopShop girl. Head to toe. I spent far too much in there.
Evantually with the store card paid off, I realised I should probably cut my TopShop spending down and somehow I actually more or less cut it out completely. I had moved away from student towns and cities with big TopShops. Consequently my local TopShop seemed pretty poor in comparison. Occasionally I will buy an item in there but not like I used to and the card, that has gone!
However a new, bigger TopShop has opened where I was haulling yesterday and when I went in for a little peek, well to be honest, I was quite impressed.
First because they are winking at me, let’s go to the bling.
A beautiful light gold leaf cuff. Now bling may be quite a new obsession but I’ve always been a fan of bracelets, bangles, cuffs and such wrist-like ornaments. So this is going to be one well-loved addition to my collection. I think that it will be especially nice in the autumn, add a little class as the leaves start to fall and the nights get darker.
Carrying on with my green fingers theme. I also got this long flowery ring. You will all remember my Tanya Burr big gold dancing ring (http://essjay23x.blogspot.com/2010/06/my-dancing-ring.html). Well I wanted big in the opposite way this time and when I saw it, I knew that this was what I had been looking for.
This ring may not be the showiest in the world but it is delicate, pretty and comfortable. My dancing ring can get a bit heavy for my poor fingers sometimes.
Oh and the TopShop ring was only £1 when I got to the till. Happy, happy, happy . . !
I’m very impressed with my TopShop jewellery. In fact, I picked up many more items before cutting it down to these two. Now I want to go to an even bigger TopShop and see the Gogo Jewellery that Holly http://www.ymbeautyblog.com/2010/07/gaga-for-gogo.html has gone Gaga about.
I also got this lovely leather purse. I thought that it was about time that I got myself a proper purse. I’ve never really being one for purses with lots of pockets and card holders before. My last few purses were just little coin-like ones and I would just ram whatever I could in there. They were also all black. Time to change it up and get a little colour. There were lots of colours to choose from and I nearly picked a classic brown but the little girl in me picked up the pale mint colour. It is really cute. Hopefully now, I will finally be able to find my slightly larger purse in my massive bag without emptying everything out at the tillpoint!
I also got one of these boyfriend type blazer things and a cream tunic dress. I spotted the dress and remembered seeing it in a post from Laura (http://www.lollipop26writes.com/2010/07/little-outfit-of-day-type-thing.html). She suggests combining the very girly dress with a more masculine blazer to balance the look. I want to learn to think like that! At the moment, when I am trying to put an outfit together, all I normally do is throw a couple of things I don’t hate on and hope for the best. However, Laura’s explanation made sense. Balance sounds good so on spotting the dress, I decided to experiment a little.
Now I was only going to try the combination on but it really did look good and much better then a lot of the other things I’d picked out myself to try so yes, I have invested!
If you get a chance, try this dress on. Honestly it made me feel so light and there is something about the way it falls. I just want to skip around and I think it is just about long enough to twirl around and around in!
As for the blazer. . ! Well to be honest, these boyfriend blazers have never appealed to me. They look great on everybody else but on a hanger, they just look so masculine and mundane. And since I know that I can barely pull anything off from outside my comfort zone, I have never even tried one on (or even wanted to). However, it worked with the dress (I think it helped that it was from the Petite session. I had a quick look at some in the normal section and the arms looked way too long) and now I’m inspired to see what else I can pair it with. Rumour is, these blazers are quite versatile if you’re daring enough.
Funnily enough one of my favourite tops which I’m sure I’ve shown you on this blog before, is a TopShop one from about three years ago. It, too, is cream and conceals the tummy area well. This top is like an old friend but it is a chore to iron. Yep, it looks great creased but only in the right places. I do cherish this top though and it has had a lot of wear. I hope that I can say the same about my more recent TopShop purchases in three years.
So do you like TopShop? Brought anything interesting lately? Are you in to a certain look at the moment? How do you work the Boyfriend blazer?
X
My new necklace + a very pretty ring!
My new necklace+ a very pretty ring!
Look, I got my very own Sideways Cross necklace. Yeah, yeah Lollipop26 http://www.lollipop26writes.com/ style. You all know what I am like, so orginal!!!
I’m really pleased with it though. I’ve never had a necklace which makes me feel so grown up.
I’m not sure how easy it is going to be to keep it sitting straight – it took a bit of a play to get the shot above- but I quite like the slightly tilted thing in real life. It gives it that mismatched ‘cool’ effortlessly Kate Moss/Sienna Miller edge. Makes the classic a bit more bohemium! In the same way, the cross been sideways does in the first place.
Usually I am more of a bracelet person. I have got away without many necklaces for so long by wearing tops with interesting necklines.
When I have worn necklaces they tend to be the run of mill heart or initial pendant type ones, a little longer then this one or very occasionally, shorter ones full of beads since my family have a bead shop but until today, necklaces have been a special occasion thing for me.
However, I feel that this one is delicate and discreet enough (yet still contemporary) to wear everyday. Well, I don’t think that I will be taking it off for a week or two anyway. Ha, this bling bling obsession does not seem to be subsiding.
I ordered my necklace from this seller on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/classicdesigns?ref=seller_info . I made the order on the Sunday before last (27th of June) and it arrived this morning all the way from Texas so I can’t fault the service. There are several variations of the Sideways Cross on her website. I brought the Sideways Cross Necklace – The Original 14K Gold Filled Horizontal Cross – Handcrafted by Theresa Mink.
Theresa has some other Etsy stores and I do like (but must be good and not buy) A Summer Place, a beautiful cocktail ring inspired by the sea. I’ve borrowed this pic from her listing http://www.etsy.com/listing/50400292/a-summer-place-aqua-chalcedony-and
So is jewellery key in your own personal style? How do you work the bling? Ooh and have you ever made any of your own pieces, where can I check them out?
essjay23x 