It's a clash

As expected, England hasn't been treating us with the best weather however that does not stop me from getting my new favourite summer trousers which are also the most comfiest things ever. But once again I've had that issue of buying too much print and not being able to match anything. However, instead of finding it a problem, I choose to clash instead, why not!?

Now it's summer and in the middle of festival season, backpacks have made another comeback from last year. They are just an essential for the season, and lucky enough for me, my mum's dress sense was on point when she was younger, I've got this brown leather backpack for myself this summer. I never usually wear brown leather, but the size and look of this bag seems to go with everything. Never doubt an item. 

Baseball Jersey Blouse - H&M, Black Vest Dress - Primark, Navy Printed Trousers -
Charity Shop (Originally New Look), Canvas Flatforms - Charity Shop
 (Originally New Look), Brown Leather Back Pack - Mum's Old Wardrobe.

Charity Shop Haul

One thing I love about Buckinghamshire, are the bargains you can find in charity shops. I was so happy with the bargains I found the other day in Chesham, that I couldn't resist sharing with everybody. Being a student in a big overdraft, I can't really afford anything over £10 at the moment, so tragic! But I haven't given up because of places like Charity shops and eBay, two favourites. Just cause you can't afford the usual Topshop, River Island etc, doesn't mean you can't still look good, believe in the bargains available to us!

So here is my second haul post of my Charity Shop goodies:

Optical Illusion Top, £2.25 - Sue Ryder Charity Shop
Originally from Topshop, how can I say no to £2.25!?
I fell for the optical illusion print, which I'll simply team
with some black jeans. A top like this is just made for
a cute, simple outfit as this will be the statement piece
of an outfit.

Floral Sheer Dress, £3 - Sue Ryder Charity Shop
This comes in the top 3 of this haul, because it
makes such a nice oversized look due to the fact of
it being size 22. It's a lightweight dress to simply wear
over a black cami dress/top and boots or even on holiday
over a bikini. Also fits nicely in the boho look I'm
trying out this summer, perfect lazy boho dress.

Navy Tribal Print Linen Trousers, £2.50
- Cancer Research Charity Shop
I've been longing to find trousers like this,
and so lucky to find them at a bargain price!
These are a size too big but I will style it with
a belt so it creates that cinched waist look. 

White Embroidered T-shirt, £3 - Shaw Trust Charity Shop
Alike the trousers, I've been longing to find a top
like this because it's a perfect top to go with all the
bootcut trousers I found in my mum's old box of clothes.
It's another oversized buy, being a size 12, the elastic on
the neck isn't too tight therefore I can wear it off the shoulder.
It is just an ideal top in a boho girl's wardrobe which can go
with everything, from flare trousers to maxi skirts etc.

Black and White Sleeveless Blouse, £3.95 - Cancer
Research Charity Shop
Another simple black and white top, originally from
Zara. I chose this for my mum for work but I am
definitely going to steal, again just pair it with
some black jeans, or any colour jeans because black
and white goes with anything! Adds a little smart look
to an outfit.

White Long Sleeved Sheer Blouse, £2 - Cancer Research Charity Shop
One of my top 3 favourites, again oversized but I love that you could wear
this as a top as well as a sheer cardigan. The detailing on the bust and sleeves
won me over, another piece to add to my new boho wardrobe. Also another
that will be joining me on holiday to wear as a cover up. The price of this
blouse is just such a steal, so happy with this find!

Get your flares out!

Fashion has repeated itself once again; Spring/Summer '14 are bringing back the flares and bell bottom trousers. In the last decade, fashion has seen comebacks of trends and this summer, I think all the comebacks have come into one where all you are going to see is retro everywhere. Many retailers have expressed these trends in a modern way therefore, some who are wearing these trends may not even know it, it's an evolution of 20th century trends. 

My outfit today is a combination of boho and grunge (my two favourite styles) - from the fringing of the bag, to the flares and the double cross top. The corduroy trousers were found when me and my mum were sorting through her old clothes, I'm absolutely in love with them and so glad they fit me perfectly. I remember my mum wearing these when I was little, and 3/4 years ago I would've said they were hideous and needed to be thrown up but now I'm broadened my mind to different styles, I see the why my mum loved them so much, plus they comfortable! 

I never thought I'd be able to pull off flares or bell bottom trousers because of my short-ish legs, but turns out they don't have look too bad and make my legs look long, which is always a positive thing. So for those who aren't sure about suiting flares or bell bottoms, I recommend you to try them out first before you make a judgement! I'm only 5'4, so there is hope!

Chain Necklace - Primark, Double Cross Print Crop Top - £5 Shop,
Sunglasses - Primark, Corduroy Flared Trousers - Mum's box of old clothes,
Fringe Detail Boots - Primark, Fringe Handbag - TK Maxx.

Trend of the Month - Choking on Fashion

Yet another childhood fashion has come around and become a part of Spring/Summer 2014. I think it's another love or hate trend but being me, I love it though but really because I love almost everything. So, chokers.. what are you guys thinking? Yay or Nay? It really depends how you think to style it or which ones you choose, there is such a variety available. From the classic, very popular elastic childhood ones, to ribbon chokers and bead ones too. This trend is so retro but it can work with quite a few styles, wearing very mixed styles myself, I have experimented this and my loom bead plus ribbon/chain choker do match different fashion senses. Only got two at the moment but many more are to come into my jewellery box! And yes, there will be blog posts featuring these soon, and probably multiple times as I'm living in them at the moment.

My chokers:

Loom bead choker handmade by my little sister.

Rose charm ribbon/chain choker - £5, eBay.

This trend has been around since last year and the year before etc, however, the more retro versions have made a comeback this year, and the youth of today are really making the most of this comeback trend. Feeling nostalgic about our childhood.

Where can we find them? Well, now they are becoming more and more popular, they are starting to become available in so many stores but if you want to bag the bargain ones, check out markets and my favourite, eBay. However, if you want to find them easy, I recommend Urban Outfitters, Topshop, ASOS or make your own! Chokers are so easy to make, so why not make your perfect ones from the comfort of your own home!?

Below, I put together a collage to show that there is such a variety available, and these 6 chokers are only from two retailers. If you have a search around, I'm sure the right choker will be found for your style. The styles I'd match with the chokers below, starting from top left: Sun & Moon - Boho Chic, Portrait - Vintage, Tattoo Elastic and Daisy - Any style, Tribal Print - Urban or Retro. But as I said, it depends how you work these different chokers, as I always say, experiment and have fun with all these nostalgic trends!

Top 2 images - ASOS, Bottom 2 images - Topshop

In the night garden..

So I've finished my first year at Uni and now back at home for summer! The plan is to really stay on top of my blog, talking about all sorts. To start off my summer of blogging, I thought I'd do something different.. an outfit post shot in the evening. I never usually see outfit posts shot in the evening and thought I'd give it a shot.

The results of these photographs are obviously not vibrant and good quality, as my camera isn't exactly too good or fancy the quality isn't fab but I really do like the edginess of these shots. I wore this outfit last night to a family friend's birthday meal, once again it was a last minute outfit. I only just came back from London, and wanted to be comfortable. 

Creepers will always be a fave shoe of mine. Even though the creeper phase has passed, I will always be wearing them because any chunky shoe is good for me. Being 5'4, I watch what I wear with flats/flatforms as my legs aren't long. So I teamed these shoes with my asymmetrical maxi skirt, then kept it casual with a white baggy vest and black and white floral shirt. There was no particular inspiration for this outfit, just wanted to be comfy and look suitable for a dinner meal. It's just a fun little outfit I put together quickly, not much to it.

So here is my first 'Outfit of the Night' post with the cheesiest title but hey ho,
let's begin my summer of blogging:

Leather Jacket - River Island, Floral Shirt - New Look, White Vest Top - River Island,
Grey Metallic Maxi Skirt - River Island, White Creepers - eBay, Cross Necklace - Primark.

That 70's Show

That 70's Show by natikistyling featuring a brass cuff bracelet

Loose fitting top
$34 - salsit.com

J Brand flared leg jeans
stylebop.com

Topshop black velvet boots
topshop.com

Brass cuff bracelet
vanessamooney.com

Plus size jewelry
simplybe.com

CONGRATULATIONS RIHANNA

Couldn't be happier with the winner of the Style Icon Award at the CFDA's.

Big congrats to Rihanna, and how amazing did she look that night? Only her would pull an outfit off like that. It is definitely one of those love or hate dresses, I am definitely one of those who love it. Is there another way to make a statement accepting a Fashion Style Icon award!? Looking like a crystalised flapper girl, Rihanna stunningly wears Adam Selman with a sparkling turban and fluffy boa. 

As well as that, her acceptance speech was perfect:

Growing up I didn't have a lot of access to fashion. But as far as I could remember, fashion has always been my defense mechanism. Even as a child I remember thinking, "She can beat me, but she cannot beat my outfit."  And to this day I mean, that is how I think about it. I can compensate for all my weaknesses with my fashion. And so really, you really can ... I enjoy the most that you can tell so much about who someone is just by their style — the way they put fashion together. And I think fashion has been an outlet for me to express myself, to speak up, to say who I am and to be very loud about it at times, and I just like to have fun with it. Fashion is just a world of thrills, it's exciting, there's no rules, there's just ... I mean, SHE has tons of rules ... Scratch that! Scratch that! There are RULES! But rules are meant to be broken. 

I want to thank MAC for being so supportive and for keeping my face so cute. I want to thank all of the stylists who I've worked with because it's steps, it's stages to get here, and now I can't believe that we're here at the CFDA Awards. Mel Ottenberg, thank you! You GET ME. You honestly get me, and you understand what I'm trying to say. I can send you two pictures, and you bring back the rack full of exactly what I wanted. There's nothing better than that because fashion should never be frustrating. It should be fun! Make it easy to me. I want to thank everybody here tonight, my friends, my family for being supportive, thank you, guys! Good night.

'Growing up I didn't have a lot of access to fashion. But as far as I could remember, fashion has always been my defense mechanism. Even as a child I remember thinking, "She can beat me, but she cannot beat my outfit.' - love this line the best, because it reminds me of myself, fashion is definitely my defense mechanism and fashion is the way of hiding my insecurities and being loud without having to act it. (so cheesy but true).

So Rihanna, well done and you go girl!