[OUTFIT] The Mini Edition

I’m utterly besotted with my new leather jacket that I got for Christmas. To the point that it has barely left my back since I was given it. The only problem, I didn’t have a bag that went with my new jacket. I’ve become obsessed with mini bags recently – the smaller, the better – as they mean I carry less with me and end up less tired and achy. But all of my mini bags were brown and tan which didn’t really go with my black leather jacket. So, I hit the sales to find a suitable new bag. Accessorize has fast become one of my favourite stores in the past year, so I headed there. And I was in luck. The Accessorize sale came up with a few options – so I bought two!

The first is this three section bag, above. It’s actually three bags in one. It pops together to create a three section bag and pops apart to create a one section bag and a two section bag. All three bags can either have a strap to be used across-body or as handheld clutches.

The second bag is a real leather, leopard print bag which, again, had a detachable cross-body strap:

It seems I’m not alone in my desire for a mini bag this season as the stores are full of them:

1. This zip around leather mini bag by Warehouse comes in three colours (including my favourite – black!). It’s a steal at less than £40!
2. I’ve featured this Gap leather saddle bag in another post already – totally lusting over this (maybe putting it on my birthday list – for a few months time!).
3. Finally, Accessorize have released their leather collection and this mini black bag is a hit with fashion bloggers already – spotted here over on The Frugality.

Are you down sizing your hand luggage this season?

[OUTFIT] Casual LBD

I do love a little black dress and a good oversized silhouette, as well as pockets. This Gap t-shirt dress ticks all three boxes in one go! The minute I spotted it, I knew I had to have it. It comes in blue, black and grey but the other two shades didn’t stand a chance – if something comes in black, I’ll buy it in black. It goes with everything in my wardrobe – particularly all the black I have!

Above, I’ve teamed it with ankle boots for a daytime look and simply swapped for a pair of colour pop orange heels (these are via Clarks) for evening. This is what I wore for dinner out in Cardiff with my girlfriends on Friday night. Chic and oh-so easy to wear.

I was wearing: Gap t-shirt dress, Next statement necklace, Next leggings, Betty London ankle boots and Clarks heels.

Gap has such a lot of lovely things in store for Spring right now – if I wasn’t saving for our wedding, I’d be snatching up the leather cross-body bag and slip on trainers to team with my new dress!

What is your go-to colour when buying new clothes?

[OUTFIT] What I Wore at London Fashion Week

My London Fashion Week this season was cut unexpectedly short by a rather unpleasant bout of food poisoning which meant a delayed start to the week. I should have been at Somerset House on Friday morning to see the AW13 collection for Bora Aksu – instead I was laid up feeling mighty sorry for myself. I did however make it to Somerset House for a few shows on Saturday – more on those soon. First up, my outfit:

As I was still feeling a little fragile I chose to keep things simple and comfortable, teaming my favourite Baukjen striped dress with a pair of plain black flat shoes and my Gap trench coat.

I’m carrying my hold all suede Pieces bucket bag which I have been using constantly for months now. The shape is casual enough for weekends but the suede and colour mean I can use it for the office too.

The trench coat is the ultimate go-to fashion piece and a wardrobe essential that works whatever the season, never goes out of style and always goes with everything. If you’ve yet to add one to your wardrobe, whatever your budget we’ve got a trench for you:

[INTRODUCING] Diane von Furstenberg for Gap Kids

If only I wear 10… or 11, or 12, or… you get the idea!! Why? Well, because one of my favourite designers, Diane von Furstenberg has today launched a collection for Gap Kids: DVF ♥ GapKids.

From wrap dresses to t-shirts and espadrille to capri pants the collection is sure to make many a women wish she could squeeze herself into kids’ sizes!

However if you do want in on the action, why not snatch up the fun printed tote which comes in at under £15? And for mums, the uber cool diaper bag?

If you could choose one of the pieces to have in adult size, which would it be? For me, it would the green heart-print espadrille.

[OUTFIT] The Sports Trend for SS12

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This is my interpretation of the sportswear trend for SS12:

I’m not a particularly sporty person and I certainly am not the most casual dresser, but I do like to mix it up a little. The Kurt Geiger statement necklace helps to dress the American Apparel sweat up a bit. I teamed with a pair of my favourite Gap skinny jeans and finished off the look with a pair of coral Converse trainers.

If you fancy trying out the sporty trend without looking like you’re on your way to the gym:

• Pair your skinny-fit sweatpants with sky high heels;
• Choose a muscle-back vest in a neon shade – to tick two trends for SS12 – and team with black to let it stand out;
• Swap your ballet flat shoes for a pair of sporty trainers, like my Converse or a pair of Alexa Chung’s favourites, Superga;
• Add a sports bomber jacket over a dress for a little athletic chic.

How will you be wearing the sports trend for Spring Summer 2012?

[OUTFIT] Red is for Valentine's Day

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Red is not a colour that features too much in my wardrobe but when I spotted this jumper for £7.99 in the Zara sale, I knew I had to have it – and wear it for Valentine’s Day:

And for some reason, I felt the need to jump around whilst taking photos tonight – and then share them with you:

I’m wearing: Kurt Geiger necklace; Zara jumper; Gap skinny jeans; and Converse trainers.

We’re having a lovely chilled night in with take-away and chocolates, what could be better?

What are you wearing for Valentine’s Day?

[OUTFIT] the deep freeze

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With the new year came the promise of spring and the hope that maybe this year we had escaped any really really cold weather in the UK. Well, it might not be quite as cold as Eastern Europe where temperatures have dropped to -20C but February has certainly brought winter with it!

In an attempt to keep warm and stylish and work-appropriate – three things which are harder to get right all at once than one might imagine – I turned to Uniqlo for inspiration. I now have two of these cashmere blend jumpers. I love the preppy, jumper and shirt look but rarely rock it myself but decided to take one of the shirts that my sister picked up at the Charles Tyrwhitt sample sale and try the two together. I think it works. What do you reckon? How are you keeping snug and stylish in the cold weather?

I was wearing: Charles Tyrwhitt shirt (similar here); Uniqlo cashmere blend jumper; and Gap black skinny jeans.

[OUTFIT] On the edge

Firetrap isn’t a brand that has been on my radar for very long but, as I always seem to find, the minute I was made aware of it, I keep seeing it everywhere now!

Born in the brit-pop era of the early 1990s, Firetrap is a denim and lifestyle brand which championed a slightly edgier way of dressing and the maverick spirit of British culture. At the end of the last decade, Firetrap took the time to re-evaluate the brand’s direction in a new era and chose the channel the spirit of the city in which it was founded: Designed in London by British designers Firetrap is a mirror of London style, culture and attitude taking inspiration from the diverse sights, sounds and flavours that define London life. Stores and DNA refelected this shift in brand identity showcasing Firetrap’s experimental, progressive and gritty attitude infused with London’s legendary subversive wit and rebellious rock ‘n’ roll spirit.

So when I was asked to choose a t-shirt from the current collection, I jumped at the chance to try out the brand. I chose this t-shirt which I then wore for dinner last night with the boyf:

I love the stud and beading detail on the front which adds a little more interest to the tee and lets it sparkle a little in the light.

With a long baggy t-shirt, like this, I am always tempted to simply throw it on over a pair of leggings, add a boyfriend cardigan, EMU boots and I’m good to go, but I decided to try to style it a little more imaginatively than my “usual” look – still keeping the leggings!!

I was wearing: Firetrap tee; black leggings (similar here); Butterfly by Matthew Williamson leather studded wrap bracelet (currently reduced: £15 £4.50); and my new New Look pistol boots:

If you’d like to try out Firetrap for yourself, why not check out their amazing sale which is on right now. Here are my top picks:

Have you bought from Firetrap before? What do you think of the brand and their ethos? And the way I’ve styled my tee?

And for your viewing please, here are a couple of out takes from the “shoot”:

[OUTFIT] Friday 13th

Finally, an outfit post! My apologies for my severe lack of any outfit posts for weeks. The boyf isn’t always the most willing of photographers and taking photos in the hallway with a remote often feels unimaginative, do you like them or are they boring? Let me know, if you’re only interested in the clothes and how I’ve styled them, then I’ll go back to that and you can see more of me!

It’s dress-down-Friday and so jeans and my new New Look boots were the first things I picked out this morning. And then last year’s Christmas jumper. Which I love. It is so soft and hasn’t lost any of that through many, many washes.

Do you like my new coat? I say new, it’s about three weeks old. And it was bought when I found myself at my dad’s for Christmas with no coat packed. So stupid! So I made a dash for H&M, knowing that I’d be able to pick something up without breaking the bank. I’d been after a navy coat for ages and spotted this one almost immediately. They also happened to have 50% off all coats at the time too, so this one was under £20!! Bonus! At least I remembered everything else, I had a boss once who went to New York in the winter with his wife – and they forgot their entire suitcases! Only realised when they got to the airport and there was nothing they could do.

And my new New Look boots?

I asked you all earlier in the week which I should keep. Well, I couldn’t let either go, so they are both staying. Before I seem a little too frivolous, I did have a voucher for New Look that I used to buy the boots, so when they boyf* asked, when I returned from town with two pairs of new boots, “Have you got the money to be spending on new boots?” I could answer, yes! For once!

Do you believe in the curse of Friday the 13th? Or is it all rubbish? I’m of the latter opinion. Although I might not take any chances and won’t be walking under any ladders today! Hope you all have fun plans for the weekend – it’s going to be cold, so wrap up!

I was wearing: H&M coat, H&M snood, Dorothy Perkins jumper, Gap jeans, New Look boots and Longchamp bag.

*Note: this is the boyf who just spent more than 5x what the boots cost on a new guitar – might I add!

[CHRISTMAS] The Christmas Jumper

Every year, for as long as I can remember, my mum has bought me a jumper for Christmas. This year was no different:

This navy and white nautical-themed jumper with a button-down asymmetric neckline is from Gap.

Do you have any presents that you get each year? How about the Christmas jumper tradition?

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