#6 Life as we know it

This week I have been...

• Wearing white lace - this Topshop dress I found in the sales - with Models Own "Champagne" nails and a Forever 21 statement ring

• Eating salmon and prawns from cute little shells

• Treating my sis to cake - yes, this is really a cupcake!

• Back to my favourite cafe for chorizo hash browns on my day off

• Out for the most delicious surf 'n' turf

• Having some lovely - and cider filled - nights out

• Bacon cures everything the morning after

• Today I have been out in the garden in the sun building furniture - a table, two chairs, and a sofa to be exact. Although I can be quite the girly girl at times, I also like to get my hands dirty and make things!

• Tonight we're staying in with cans of Stella Artois cidre and watching episode after episode of Breaking Bad - sounds perfect! :)

What have you been up to lately?

Forgive me, for I have sinned

Somebody please take my card away from me. Save me. The sales are too tempting. I am ever the sales sceptic (they’re usually rubbish) but this time around I have actually been really impressed with what the High Street has to offer.

Here, have a nose of my recent naughtiness:

ASOS bag: This bag caught my eye ages ago as it is so me (I get through a disgusting amount of cake). I was never going to pay £50 for it though so the 50% discount is a nice touch!

River Island men’s sweater: It’s way too big on me and I don’t care. It’s warm. It’s fleecy inside. It has galaxy print AND a dip dye effect. SCORE.

River Island shorts: After seeing Giselle’s post on DIY dip dye shorts, I’ve been keen to do some DIY of my own. However I spotted these shorts in the sale and took the easy way out! They will really spice up some of my black items of clothing.

ASOS shoes: I loved all these when they were full price… but £60 for a pair of shoes?! Honestly! Now these prices have been slashed, I am breaking my flatform virginity and braving these scarily high looking wedges.

Illustrated People blue glass tee: The pattern is dreamy and blue being my favourite colour meant that it was a no brainer!

River Island dress: Drop waist dresses don’t really suit me as I already have quite a long torso so they don’t do me any favours! I couldn’t resist this print though. The dress itself is so light – perfect for hot weather (if we ever see any in the UK!!)

River Island lace blazer: Hands up, I have blazer prejudice. I like them short and well cut. Something about this long line one called out to me. I’m guessing it was the lace… *lace fan girl right here!* Words cannot describe how amazing this looks worn. This will also be perfect for weddings and other formal occasions.

So there you have it. I have sinned. A lot. 

But as Jean-Paul Sartre said:

“If I satiate my desires, I sin but I deliver myself from them; if I refuse to satisfy them, they infect the whole soul”.

Good old Sartre!

What are your sins / guilty pleasures?

ASOS | River Island

The early bird gets the worm

The Topshop sale is now on!

I must admit, I was a little sceptical about their up and coming sale based on yesterday previews. That email promising you exclusivity and to “shop the sale before anyone else” gives you a little wave of excitement. The reality: a very poor selection and any useful sizes had already sold out.

This morning however is a whole other ball game. They have flippy skirted dresses. They have lace. They have pleated skirts. They have knitwear left, right and centre. Here’s a selection of what I picked up:

Have probably ordered more than I should have done...

But I blame morning tiredness and it being so damn early. 

The tiredness can only explain the madness of why I also ordered these:

Everyone needs an obligatory what-the-hell-were-you-thinking purchase in their basket, right?! Whilst I probably wouldn’t brave these as shorts, I’d happily team them with a long tee. I love the foil effect and the I’ve-got-in-a-paintball-fight-whilst-on-acid feel to them!

Sod's law

Remember that ASOS 20% off code that expired a couple of weeks ago? Well, me being the complete sucker than I am, pounced on it like no one’s business. It’s too easy to shop online. Particularly when the website in question is ASOS. I managed to find some beauts but alas, the shoes I’d been stalking coveting for so long had sold out in my size. But life goes on, right? I placed an order regardless and received some absolute gems in the post:

Blue velvet playsuit with relaxed ‘legs’ so when worn, looks more like a dress. 

Way too big (oh the joys of sale stock…) but it was too beautiful to send back.

The most versatile of dresses. Perfect for dates, nights out in general and 

a day at the office. Elegant and a decent length skirt for once 

(not looking at anyone in particular… *coughs* Topshop *coughs*).

Stockings. Amazingly toasty and look so cute teamed with a short skirt.

But I couldn’t get those damn shoes out of my head. I checked back most days and was all set to give up when yesterday, the miracle of all miracles happened - my size back in stock. Without thinking, those bad boys were in my basket. Officially my smallest (and cheapest!) ASOS order ever.

Hopefully they’ll be the perfect substitute for my black Primark courts which stretched with wear and alas, won’t stay on my feet any more. Being ASOS, I expect the quality to be tons better and fingers crossed, they’ll actually last. Plus they have a wedge rather than a heel – satisfying my love of wedges (both potato and otherwise!)

Eco-Fashion

A recent trip to the Science Museum in London inspired this post. Round about the time my batteries were running low (I was in dire need of some caffeine!), I came across an exhibition about eco fashion, which really got me thinking about what I wear and how it has repercussions on both the environment and the working conditions of those who work within the fashion industry.

This exhibition opened my eyes to alternative materials, colourants and ways of producing clothing that are far more environmentally friendly.

On display:

This dress made from old recycled Metro newspapers.

The skirt layers of this dress are made from ‘bioplastics’ which come from plant sugar(s).

This black dress is composed of nettle fibres (yes, the stinging kind) as they 

are stronger than cotton and apparently just as soft. Nettles grow well in 

the UK (they don’t need much) so they are a good source to use.

This shimmery dress uses a fabric called Morphotex which imitates the

 reflective nature of Morpho butterfly wings. This fabric reflects light and 

creates this  lovely shimmery colour without the need for dyes 

– which is a lot better for the environment.

How eco friendly are you?

Lots of people play their part by recycling, washing their clothes at a lower temperature and so on - but it’s never enough. There is so much more we can do to help. Here are some ideas of what you can do:

• Don’t bin your clothes if they are still in wearable condition. Hand them down to others so the clothes get as much wear as possible.

• And for the very same reason, buy second hand / vintage pieces. I love owning something that I know has a bit of history to it.

• Don’t just throw out your clothes if they are ripped / holey. Transform them into something wearable. Old jeans can be cut into cute little denim shorts and given a new lease of life.

• Buy ethical or organic clothing where you can (if you can afford to do so). Some of you may know about Free People (Emma Watson has done some modelling for them and they feature on sites such as ASOS.com). Here are some of my favourite items:

Trimmed Edges Eyelet Top - £78.32 

Lace Cropped Kaftan - £139.51

Eyelet Scalloped Shorts - £53.85

New Romantics Cala Luna Tunic - £78.32

 Vintage Victorian Long Sleeve Shrug - £200.70

I love the floaty, relaxed nature of the fabrics. I can visualise wearing these on a hot sticky summer’s day, sitting on a beach somewhere, digging my toes into the sand. Accessorized with sunnies and a huge floppy hat, of course.

However caring for the environment needn’t be so expensive. 

There are cheaper alternatives where eco-fashion is a lot more accessible.

This has been demonstrated perfectly by Natalie Portman recently. 

For a pre-Oscar party she wore this incredible dress:

 Source here

Was this a designer’s dress? No. Believe it or not, this is actually a dress from H&M’s eco-fashion range called the Conscious Collection. Expensive? No. At least I find £29.99 for a dress is nothing compared to the £75+ that you may be expected to pay for an eco-friendly top elsewhere. I love their scallop shorts:

 They are recycled polyester and at £12.99, they are more than affordable.

 Eco-fashion can be costly but we have to bear in mind the following:

• Eco / organic materials can cost more

• These materials are meant to be better quality and have a longer life span

• They are usually not mass-produced like most high street clothing

• If they are made locally rather than overseas, the production process costs more

What do you think about eco-fashion? 

Roses are red, violets are blue...

... I don’t want to give into commercialism

And neither should you.

The above sums up my thoughts about Valentine’s Day quite well. It’s a day where the card companies and the alike try to manipulate you into spending a fortune in the name of love. And make you feel damn guilty and a terrible boyfriend / girlfriend if you don’t. But let’s face it, you don’t need to spend a lot to show someone that you love them. Handmade cards are much cheaper than the soppy, heart infested ones you get in the shops. And they show a lot more time, effort and care - it wasn’t purely an impulse buy at the till whilst you were out food shopping.

I found some mugs on Cafe Press which I feel are a true representation of Valentine’s Day:

("Express your love when you want to, not when you're told to.

Down with Valentine's Day!")

("Chocolate makes me fat. Roses make me sneeze. I hate Valentine's Day")

 ("Happy commercialized holiday!")

Brilliant. But also slightly ironic. Many of us moan about the commercialism of Valentine’s Day but now there is a new market (the anti-Valentine’s Day squad and the singletons) which the companies can then make money from too. Terrible, huh?

I am loved up and have been for the last 5 years. We never make a big deal out of Valentine’s Day because if you love someone, you should love them all 365 days of the year – you don’t need one day a year to say / show it. We never go out or have a master plan. Firstly because restaurants are a total rip off at this time and secondly because the one year we did make a plan, I was insanely ill which ruined everything. And we don’t do gifts. But there have been exceptions to this rule. Last year, my boyfriend surprised me a gift and this weekend, we’re going away.

And the question lots of us face: what should I wear on a date? 
I feel like Valentine’s Day adds extra pressure on us to look good (another reason why I semi dislike the day). I have come up with some ideas for looks based on the sorts of things I would wear for each occasion. I hope these are useful / inspiring:

Staying in

If it’s just you and boyfriend home alone, dress comfortably but also add a little sexy twist if you can (he’ll thank you for it!). Try wearing matching lingerie or nightwear with a floaty cover up:

Tesco - babydoll

Topshop - teddy in "Berry"

Topshop - dip dye water colour kimono

Cinema / day time

Because of this seemingly “special” day of the year, you can get away with being a little bit smarter than usual. If you’re making a day of it, wear what’s comfortable - avoid tight fitting garments and high heels. Wedges are a good alternative as they give you a little bit more support and won’t kill your feet after an hour. Floaty sheer shirts, lace detailing and flowing skirts can all look very romantic.

New Look - beaded mesh top

New Look - chiffon gypsy top

River Island - 3D petal tunic

River Island - cream lace skirt

River Island - Peter pan shift dress

River Island - peep toe wedge boots

Topshop - abeline boots

Topshop - crochet lace vest

Topshop - silk shorts

Nice restaurant / night out

It’s up to the individual, but I would choose a dress for an occasion like this. If you are going for a many course meal avoid tight body con dresses and waist belts. Been there, got the t-shirt. You will feel mighty uncomfortable afterwards and in a body con number, your food baby will be quite clear. Try flowing dresses that skim over your stomach and team with a nice pair of heels:

Miss Selfridge - black lace V dress

Miss Selfridge - tan canvas heel

H&M - dress 

… and finally, a clichéd look

If you really love Valentine’s Day, you may want to wear your heart on your sleeve (literally). The High Street has so many options right now so you can wear head to toe hearts if you wish. Show The Love with this cute ASOS hearts cardigan which would look lovely slung over a black dress. Or alternatively team a sweatshirt like this with these gorgeous Topshop scallop shorts and patent shoes. You can even include your legs in the heart fest with these ASOS tights.

ASOS - heart cardigan

ASOS - heart sweatshirt

Topshop - scallop shorts

Topshop - "Kitty" black patent shoes

ASOS - heart tights

  

Hope all you have a lovely Valentine’s regardless of whether you’re single or loved up!