Denim jacket: Gap (very old, also seen here), floral scarf: Primark, striped top and rolled hem chinos: Topshop, bag: Mulberry, wedges: Bertie, jewellery: gifted (see below).
As I said in my last post, the boyf has been fabulous recently and so supportive of my blogging. I think you will all notice more outdoor pics - all courteousy of him. This is my work outfit from today which also nicely shows off my first "gift" - lucky me! The silver ring was so kindly given to me by the lovely Sarah from LuShae Jewelry. Check out my ring here - I love the texture on it and within no time it has worked its way into my weekly rotation. As you can see from here, I have a thing for rings and also found myself being quite partial to this ring as well. How can you not love a good cocktail ring? Sarah was so lovely - you have to check out her website.
I hope everyone feels suitably rested after their weekend and has had a great Monday. My weekend consisted of chilling with my boyf, running errands and completing various DIY tasks in the apartments - my latest project is finally framing all the photos that I've been collecting on my desktop and hanging them. It sounds simple but has taken weeks!!
We're going to Edinburgh in a couple of weeks for the Fringe festival so we also spent a lot of time laughing our way through various comedian's sketches on YouTube. There are so many acts to see but such a short time in which to see them. In the end we settled on Jason Byrne, Best of the Fest (we went last year and this is a good all rounder), Shappi Khorsandi and Paul Merton's Impro Chums. I am most looking forward to Shappi...check out this YouTube video of her:
How are you all? I hope you have been having a wonderful weekend - mine has been so relaxing. I finally cracked out the sewing machine my boyf got me for Christmas and started on a project that I am really looking forward to showing you all. I am not a very patient person and I know that my mum especially was a bit dubious of me embarking on such a hobby. I tend to be a bit faddy and start things but never finish them, for example I haven't been back to hot yoga since I blogged about it here, oops! But I haven't once got stressed with sewing even when I've had to unpick it all and re-sew it, which is quite unlike me (perhaps the yoga's not needed anyway!). Instead I find it quite cathartic and I'm really enjoying learning via trial and error. I hope I sustain this enthusiasm; I'm going back to sewing classes this week to pick up some new tricks....so watch this space!
As well as sewing, I've also been thoroughly abusing my credit card via online shopping. I wasn't going to show you all the things I've bought since the last time I did that here and here only a handful of my purchases actually looked any good on me and most had to be sent back. But I suppose that it's the tight rope you walk with online shopping and I am not deterred but determined!
As seen in many of the 2010 autumn/winter collections, I am very happy in the knowledge that harem pants are not going anywhere so given the fact that ASOS are still continuing with their amazing clearance sale I just had to scoop up these 3 bargains. I don't imagine that all 3 pairs will look great on me but there is no harm in trying. I'm not planning on keeping them in my wardrobe until the autumn though, I plan on teaming them with cute crop tops and/or floral bustiers and chunky platforms during the spring (see below).
(from left to right, ASOS Wrap Front Tailored Trouser £38.00NOW £15.00, Tailored Peg Trousers in the style of Fearne Cotton £32.00NOW £20.00,Vila Tailored Jersey Trousers £35.00NOW £24.00)
Because of my love for prints and all things beautiful but outlandish, my wardrobe commonly lacks the basic essentials so I also bagged these 4 crop tees from ASOS. I got them in all 4 colours since they were so cheap and basic tees like this never go out of style. I opted for the cropped tee because I am so short in the body that proper tees often drown me and cropped tees actually stop at place just below my waist, which I prefer.
(ASOS Basic Cropped Tee £10.00)
I love playsuits and after blogging about the one on the right here, I finally got up the guts (aka bank balance) to purchase it. It's got a gorgeous low back and I think it's tailored cut looks so chic. I've got a few special occasion coming up soon and it would be perfect for them paired with my House of Holland mock stockings and some supersized chunky platforms - I really hope it looks good on me. As for the one on the left, the same rules apply really, great tailoring gives it an uber chic feel. Plus, this one was massively reduced and a complete steal. I think I'll wear this one to work although it would also look amazing with some skyscraper heels and lashings of jewellery....perfect for cocktails with the girls....mmmmh!
(from left to right: French Connection Belted Long Wool Mix Playsuit £100.00NOW £30.00, Warehouse Halter Tailored Playsuit£60.00)
So, they were the things I bought...now onto the things I want....I realise there is a lot of black in those purchases, which if you look back through my outfit posts, is quite unlike me. Hence my love of these beauties...once again Topshop has not let me down and I can see myself wearing outfits just like these two in the not so distance future...
Outfit 1:
I think this polka dot trench is a great twist on the classic trench and will be perfect for spring. It's so pretty and if you click on the link you'll see that at the back it has this super cute bow detailing. This is the item out of the 3 that I definitely almost maybe think I am going to buy - I spotted in Topshop a while ago and liked it then and as time has gone by I've re-visited it many times on the website and think that my liking is growing closer and closer towards loving. I love this floral playsuit, think the cut out detail is fantastic and I would definitely wear a print like that with the spotty trench, but I'm not so sure that this particular cut would suit me so with this fab print in mind, I am going to keep on looking. With these two pieces, the icing on my feet would be these fabulous wedges - nude, ribbon tie gorgeousness! I am a avid wedge-wearer, not least because they often sort out the problem of achieving statue without needing to adminster anesthetic to the balls of my feet. But again, even though I think these shoes are beautiful, I'm not entirely sure how much wear I personally would get out of them and since I am really trying to cut down on wasteful consumerism...for now I am going to keep on window shopping.
Outfit 2:
Just to highlight the versatility of the trench and wedges, here they are again! This time, I think they'd look great with these cropped chinos, which are very in keeping with the neutral pallette that was prevalent in so many of the 2010 spring/summer collections not to mention a closet classic. Just to add a bit of "me" and my penchant for mixing and matching prints (see here and here), I thought I would wear this with something like the leopard corset or the floral bralet. I already own a few similar corset-like items that would go well but what I am actually looking for is this floral studded corset that Grazia's editor at large blogged about here, but that I cannot track down anywhere...
Despite the fuzzy pic I can tell that this will be a very welcome addition to my wardrobe!
Wow, I think this has been one of my longest posts to date - hope you liked it! Let me know what you think will look great for spring or things you can't wait to get your hands on.
I can't believe how much it has snowed here in Bergen in the last three days - there has literally been metres of snow, which means that getting to and from anywhere is a real mission despite how beautiful it looks from the cosiness of my apartment windows. I'm not used to all these over-efficient seasons and in my mind, it's spring already. Hence my outfit that I wore to work yesterday (obviously, the boots were swapped for rubber wellies when dashing about in the knee deep snow!). I donned my trusty fur gilet to stave off the cold (also seen here) but layered it with my 10 yr old faithful Gap denim jacket - a timeless classic, and a chunky scarf. Floral prints, my gorgeous Chloe Heloise bag and a slick of hot pink lipstick gave me the final spring in my step I needed to kick-start the day.
Hope you all had a lovely weekend, even though that seems so far away already. I went to hot yoga and it was intense but brilliant - just what you need to blow the cobwebs away. I've signed myself up for another class this week plus some meditation....Ohm.....am determined to rid myself of any stresses.
Have you all been following London Fashion Week? Some of the shows have just been fabulous. I am spending many a happy hour trawling through the collections and designing my A/W 2010 wardrobe. I can't wait to show you all my favourite pieces.
Have a lovely day, wherever you are, whatever the weather!
I promised I'd show you what I brought back from London and here it is. The top lot is from H&M, the two mid photos are from Primark and the final pic of the tie-dye snood is from American Apparel.
As you can quite clearly see, there is a little bit of a pattern in my purchases with lots of florals and tie-dye prints - definite summer trends! As usual, I sneaked a little leopard print in there as well as some checks and stripes.
Tried to get some basics in there as well and I finally found a black high-waisted full skirt in H&M that didn't break the bank (I was lusting after one in my I am dreaming of.... post). It came with a bronze studded belt, which I don't think I will actually wear with the skirt but it's always nice to get more accessories!
Everything was soooo cheap and that's why I couldn't help myself - those studded boots were only £19! What a bargain - studs are going to be the detailing trend to invest in this spring/summer.
The sun is shining here in Bergen and I have got my best friend Heidi coming to visit me from London this weekend. We've been friends since we were 11 and even though I have lived in Norway for about 5 years now this is the first time she is visiting me. Heidi is doing a MA in Photo Journalism so hopefully she can teach me some camera tricks this weekend. She's using me as a model for one of her projects - I can't tell you what it is about but hopefully she'll let me post the pics afterwards. We're also working on a non-MA related project which I am very excited about and can't wait to show you the results of that! Despite being friends for so long we've mostly had different focuses through school, uni and work and this is the first time we're able to collaborate on something. I really can't wait!
How cute is this panda bear hat? I just love it!Yes it is still freezing in Norway although we haven't had any fresh snow for a few days now which means that the pavements are now just compacted sheer ice and absolute death traps. The boots I am wearing here are saved just for indoor use for the most part and normally I have sturdy wellies strapped to my feet to save me from ice skating my way to the emergency room with fractures and broken bones.
The sub-zero temps mean that warm clothing is a must hence my fur coat and gloves. Am still experimenting with trousers and found these three-quarter lovelies in my wardrobe the other day. Considering, they came from Matalan a couple of years ago and were less than £20, I think they make a good staple for my wardrobe. Tweed print - how very English of me! Well I've got to fly the flag whilst I am here eh?! Sorry for the bad lighting in the pics but I wanted to brave an outdoor post and despite rushing from work, it was dark by the time we got home. Really the best thing to do would be invest in an SLR instead of using my compact one, but I keep spending all my money on clothes instead - whoops! I included a couple of indoor posts so you can see the detail on the pants and on the neckline of the top I had underneath all those millions of layers! Oh, and the reason there is so many pics is because I actually got some with me smiling which my mum says I never do in these pics - so these are for you mum!
I've just come back from a weekend in London which was fab! Caught up with old friends, ate amazing food, drank absolutely delicious cocktails and shopped until my suitcase was fit to burst. Also managed to finally lug back to Norway my favourite Xmas present - my sewing machine that my lovely boyf got me. Cannot wait to crack it open and get sewing - even though I am a complete novice I already have a stack of projects waiting to be tackled...so watch these space!
I am going to post the goodies I bought in London later - I went a little crazy but in a good way. It had to be done though esp as my Ashish dress didn't fit at all (was like a sack) - massive sad face :( I was going to wear it for my 21st: The Sequel birthday later this year. It's not for ages but I like to plan ahead but back to the drawing board. My ASOS stash was also slightly disappointing with only 3 of the items looking decent...but some is better than none! :)
Yay! I got Look of the Day again on FabSugar. Thanks guys - really appreciate all your support! Wore this outfit for work on Wednesday and haven't had a chance to post it here yet. Check out the Look of the Day: post here. You can check out my original post here. I entitled it "Florals and leather...they go together like Karl Lagerfeld and Chanel", a quote which I saw and loved on Vanessa Jackman's blog because that is so true!
I've posted the original pics below as well though. The FabSugar pic tells you where all my clothes etc are from. So glad this look was chosen because mixing florals with unusual pieces in my wardrobe is one of my fave way to style myself. That dress is over a year old but I still think its so cute and really flattering. When I first bought it I went through a stage of wearing it with a small black cardigan and patent Mary-Janes but now that I've had in my wardrobe for a while now I thought I'd bring it up to date by adding my military-style leather jacket (nod to Balmain!) and fierce platform ankle boots. You can't see it on these pics but there is a gold zipper that runs up the back of the heels which is the kind of detailing I adore!
If you look back you'll see this isn't the first time I have declared my love for florals (see my Fierce Florals and As the leaves fall... posts). The only problem is I really hate my hair here...I really need a haircut! Any suggestions for new hairstyles greatly appreciated!
Anyway, I'd better be off - all my ASOS stuff arrived and I've got to plan my outfit for tonight - another Girl's Night Out - I love them! Thanks once again guys and have a great weekend!
No sooner have I blogged that I got picked again for FabSugar's looks of the week than I go and get the look I blogged about in my "As the leaves fall" post picked for today's Look of the Day. Lucky me! Thanks again FabSugar - this is so encouraging!
I recently enrolled in a sewing course and am busy attacking thrifted clothes with my scissors and a sewing machine....hopefully my new creations will go down as well. I'm really looking forward to posting them as soon they are finished.
I've been away on holiday in Miami for two weeks without a computer so I've just been checking through all my favourite sites and seeing what's been going on while I was lying in the sun - seems that another look of mine got picked up by FabSugar, this time for one of their looks of the week! Thanks FabSugar - I love that website esp as they say that my outfit is the the most fab!
That look is kind of based around the same principles that I showed in my "As the leaves fall" post - getting the last few wears out of my summer dresses before the leaves are gone and the snow falls.
V. excited! My look got selected as FabSugar's Look of the Day! Thanks FabSugar. A lovely and very happy surprise! They kept the name I chose for the outfit as well: Wild Rose. Congrats to me!
Jugding by the comments, it is a bit controversial and that just makes me like it even more.
Ironic that yesterday I was writing about getting ready for autumn and now I am planning my spring 2010 wardrobe - but I am a planner and I like to be prepared! I spent a glorious day today drooling over the 2010 spring collections from Milan, Paris, New York and London (again!). As always though, one collection has really stayed with me - Dolce and Gabbana (see the collection here). I've always loved the opulence and feminity of their designs, which this collection has in abundance. These guys know how to dress women and make us feel sexy! The fabrics, shapes and prints really caught my eye. Leopard print and florals with lace trims constructed into beautiful corsets and lantern skirts are simply works of art! These guys know how to create masterpieces season after season (I can also highly recommend the D&G spring 2010 collection - divine!).
The stinger for me though is that, as yet (I’m working on it!), I can't afford those pieces sashaying down the runway so I'm all about the improv! After a short while rooting around in my wardrobe I came up with this Dolce and Gabbana inspired look…I layered a lace body from Topshop under a red leopard print body that I actually stole from my boyfriend’s mum – an 80’s original! I haven’t worn it yet despite owning it for a year but now I have the perfect reason. My skirt is also from Topshop, I tried looking for it online but couldn’t find it but I know it is still in store. The finishing touches are my fabulous bargain Matalan gladiator heels and a slick of red lipstick. I think next time I’ll add my favourite Butler and Wilson pearls as well for a little extra gilt and glamour!
I think I did pretty well, in fact this outfit is too good to save for the spring...don’t you agree?
Even as the days getting shorter and the amount of rain increases, I find it hard admit that summer is over and find it even harder to let go of my summer wardrobe with all its brightness and frivolity. I don't want to move towards the darker, warmer and generally more practical part of my wardrobe to protect myself from the elements. I don't want to be practical, I want to look and feel great!! So I have discovered the art of transitioning and this outfit is one example of this. Admittedly it's not a particularly colourful outfit but it shows how simple it is to take a simple summer dress and make it wearable as the days get colder by just adding a pair of leggings and boots topped off by a boyfriend blazer. Boyfriend blazers are so on trend right now, the shops are full of them - by adding one to your outfit you'll provide a much needed extra layer as the hours of sunlight decrease and you'll bring the look bang up to date. They are also a blessing in disguise as they can be used to hide a multitude of lumps and bumps. This blazer is actually one that I have had for about 7 years - I bought it when I thought I was going to work in an office that required such attire but that never happened. The jacket was so nice though that I couldn't throw it away. I've tried a few times over the years to incorporate it into my wardrobe but with no success - it has shoulder pads and up until recently they have been a big no-no, relegated to the 80's. But as Balmania dominates the catwalks and the high street, it seems that "the bigger the better" when it comes to shoulders right now, so I can safely bring my jacket back. I just rolled up the cuffs to make it more "now" and voila! I kept the accessories simple - just some chunky pearls and my beloved mock croc Mulberry Bayswater. This outfit puts a little sunshine into my increasingly darker days!
