Oasis have released a new old collection! The new range is vintage inspired with floral tea dresses, neck scarfs and small clutch bags.
This collection is well and truly my cup of tea! I am loving 50s style dresses at the minute, they are very flattering and oh so girly. The floral patterns are bang on trend and make me feel very summery and make me want to go for tea and cake in a quaint summer garden party.
I am choosing to ignore the rain pounding at the window and take an optimistic approach to the summer by showcasing some of my favourite shorts on the high street.
Smart Shorts…
Left to Right:
Zara – Beige tailored shorts, £25.99
Mango – White linen shorts, £39.90
Topshop – Navy belted shorts, £38
French Connection – Macaroon sateen shorts, £52
Oasis – Tie belt turn-up shorts, £38
Colour Block Shorts…
Left to Right:
Zara – Purple turn-up shorts, £19.99
Topshop – Red denim cut off shorts, £26
H&M – Pink box pleat shorts, £12.99
ASOS – Blue chiffon shorts, £22
Topshop – Mint scallop hem shorts, £34
Floral Shorts…
Left to Right:
Warehouse – Floral culottes, £35
Miss Selfridge – Floral tie belt shorts, £30
Boohoo – Ditsy print shorts, £15
Matalan – Floral culottes, £8
Topshop – Floral denim hotpants, £34
Warehouse – Pansy pleated shorts, £32
Lily Allen and Sarah Owen’s ‘Lucy in Disguise’ is taking it one step further by launching their own collection to be sold exclusively in Lucy in Disguise, Covent Garden and Harvey Nichols, London. Later to be available in 70 stores nationwide.
I love what I’ve seen so far, I am a big fan of the 50s style dresses! I seem to have acquired quite a few of this style in recent weeks and will no doubt continue to add to my collection! All the pieces truly look like one off vintage finds and have that individual feel.
A little trip to Harvey Nichols may be on the cards on the 7th June to grab myself a vintage inspired treat! Take a look below at some of the designs…
Take a look at Elle Fashionfor the Lucy in Disguise collection photo shoot.
I am well and truly getting into holiday mode (21days! Not that I’m counting…) until arriba Mexico!
The real countdown begins now to look and feel remotely ok on the beach and by the pool. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t the first I have thought about it, I have been punishing my body with low low calories and excruciating 8 minute abs for a good few months now (not sure why I just used the word ‘good’ as it is far from it, I am craving chocolate more than I ever thought possible!)
Now I am turning my attention to prepping myself to acquire the best tan possible and radiantly glow on the sun lounger!
Tan
No one wants to be the girl that is so pale she deflects the sun! So my suggestion is to exfoliate your skin, then tan tan tan. Here I am extremely biased and only use one product that I swear by, I am so defensive of this product and big it up like a proud parent. It is… (drum roll) Famous Dave’s!!!! 
Famous Dave’s, £21.95
It is a foam tan which makes it extremely easy to apply (please use a tanning mitt to avoid creasote hands!!) and it is quite dark upon application making it easy to see where you’ve been and avoid those dreaded streaks. The only down side I can see to this product is the distinctive ‘biscuity’ smell of fake tan which I find even odourless tans still smell of (see there I am defending it to the ground!)
Hair
It is a fact that no matter how hard you try your hair dries out on holiday, combat this with a pre-holiday conditioning session and trim. Some great products for this are leave-in conditioners and hot oil treatments. Then take sun-protecting products with you, one I stand by is Boots own brand ‘Sun, Swim and Gym’, it always keeps my hair hydrated and glossy.
Sun, Swim & Gym, £3.05
Sun Cream
It goes without saying that you should cover yourself head to toe regularly, if in doubt go for a higher factor, burn is never a good look. I love Piz Buin tan intensifier as it does what it says on the bottle but also comes in a high SPF unlike tanning oils which just leave you burnt, and let’s face it, are not good for you.
Piz Buin Tan Intensifier, £19.39
Moisturiser
This is a must have from the offset, I’m talking about on the plane before you even get to your destination. Try using a tinted moisturiser, that way you wont need to cover up with heavy foundation yet you won’t feel completely naked. Estee Lauder Day Wear Sheer Tint Release is a great tinted moisturiser and leaves you with a healthy glow whilst still providing much needed hydration.
On the Plane Tips
Try to wear either no make up or a minimal amount (I know the thought is terrifying) as this can clog your pores and leave you with a break out on the plane. If this is too much for you, take your make up off once you are on the plane and reapply before landing.
Moisturise well as the air-con on the plane will leave your skin dry and flaky. Reapply with a good quality moisturiser regularly throughout the flight.
Dry shampoo is a god send, I don’t know what it is about the plane but it always leaves me looking like I need to give my hair a good wash, just before landing pop to the toilet and give your hair a quick spritz and you’ll look much fresher. For me good old Batiste Original is the best, I didn’t find the ones with a hint of colour all that great, still leaves you with that grey look until you brush it through!
Batiste Dry Shampoo, £1.52
Lip balm! Your lips will dry out too and licking them may give temporary relief but will only help to dry them out further. Try to opt for a balm instead of a gloss as they are better for moisturising. Nivea Hyrdro Care is great for long lasting moisturisation meaning you don’t have to keep putting it on obsessively.
Nivea Hydro Care, £2.03
Now all that’s left is to panic buy and purchase way too many shorts, tops and dresses that will no doubt not leave my suitcase, get that dreaded wax and keep punishing my abs into oblivion. Thank god I only do this once a year…
Taking inspiration from the Chelsea Flower Show (and my less impressive lone flower pot on my back garden), I have been on the look out for flowery treats. It wasn’t hard to find any as everyone seems to have gone flower mad!
Release your inner girly side and bloom in all things floral, below are a few of my favourites…
1. Topshop floral print shirt dress, £48
2. Topshop floral skinny jeans, £45
3. H&M floral shorts, £7.99
4. Zara floral dress, £35.99
5. New Look ditsy tip front shirt, £14.99
6. Accessorize gardening earrings, £10
7. ASOS hibiscus espadrilles, £12
8. River Island cross body bag, £29.99
9. Accessorise flower ring, £14
10. Accessorise retro sunglasses, £14
I absolutely adore the gardening earrings from Accessorize, so cute!
I read an article today about women buying half their body weight in clothing and I thought well that doesn’t sound that much, but in reality it is actually quite a lot (around 62lb on average).
Then I thought about my own wardrobe and looked at the hangers with 2 or 3 things hanging on it, and my shelves stuffed full of tops and shorts and knitwear. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if I exceeded this average if I’m totally honest and I would think it’s safe to say that my closest friends are on a par with me.
My friends and I are just entering into the first steps of our careers and are earning a ‘proper wage’ yet we still have the mentality of a student, trying to get things on the cheap. But even now earning enough to comfortably be able to treat myself to the odd more expensive, well made, high-quality garment rather than cheaper high street pieces I still find myself drawn to the high street option.
Why spend more on something you can get a cheaper copy of? If you are anything like me I lose interest in most of my pieces of clothing after a few months and it is banished to the back of my wardrobe never to see the light of day again. Don’t get me wrong I highly appreciate designer pieces but I don’t have the bank balance to dispose of them the same as I can with cheaper clothing. And with sites such as ASOS allowing us to copy cat celebrity and designer looks for a much lower price tag it is easier than ever to ‘accidently’ keep buying new things.
The rise of fast fashion has definitely contributed to this excessive purchasing, being able to buy a pair of shoes for £20 means you can wear them a few times then sling them into your wardrobe and buy another pair for the next night out.
The rise of social networking such as Facebook and the uploading of photos from nights out means no one wants to be caught in the same outfit twice which means you go out and buy a new outfit most weekends. Yet the ‘old’ clothes aren’t thrown out meaning your wardrobe gets fuller and fuller.
There are predictions that suggest the trend will slow and people will begin to focus on less clothing but of higher quality. I personally can’t see this happening while ever you can pick up designer looks for a fraction of the price.
Maybe one day I will have the bank balance to be able to afford designer clothing and also to dispose of it the way I do with my high street clothes, I’ll keep dreaming…
Prada’s Creepers are definitely a love or hate kinda thing but I have to confess to loving them. They’re unusual, they’re interesting and they’re well and truly on everyone’s wish list as they are completely sold out. In order to aquire a pair of these babies you have to order direct from Milan and stick out a torturous 6-8 week waiting time!
The very bottom part of the sole is reminiscent of a pair of reebok classics I had as a kid and would never take off, perhaps its a case of nostalgia as to why I love these shoes…
Everything about them tells me I should hate them, they look to be a hybrid of a brogue, an espadrille and an old-school trainer. But put them all together and it results in the Creeper, stylish and unique.
I am definitely lusting after a pair but with the hefty price tag of £510 for something I would probably only have the guts to wear around my bedroom I think I will have to hunt down a cheaper copy cat.
Holly Shoes Lace-up Wedge Oxfords- Around £56
I have a new obsession taking over my every waking minute… find a copy of the saffron Chloe dress Kirsten Dunst wore to Cannes that doesn’t cost more than I earn a month!
She looks beautiful and elegant in the chiffon dress, teamed with simple shoes and bold red lips. Simple and classic yet also showcasing this summer’s bold colour statement.
I WANT IT!
After hours and hours of trawling the web I found the closest I could get to the dress, albeit in a more muted tone, yet beautiful nonetheless.
Dress: Oasis, £70
Shoes: Schuh, £55
Hair slide: Accessorize, £8
Lipstick: YSL, £22.50
Phew, I can relax, until another thing catches my eye…
Who knew fashion could be so good for your health? Sink your teeth into the fruity offerings that are everywhere from t-shirts to bracelets this summer.
Here are my favourite five-a-day, plus one more for good measure…
1. Strawberry plimsoles, Vans £35
2. Fruit tote, Juicy Couture $49.99
3. Banana Crop Vest, Topshop £16
4. Fruity charm bracelet,Accessorize £12
5. Melon t-shirt, are you a melon or a lemon £40
6. Lemon t-shirt, are you a melon or a lemon £40
I fell in love with this cherry treat from Topshop so much I snapped it up for myself…
Firstly… Hello!
With the amazing weather we’ve been having I’m sure you got as excited as I did at the prospect of us actually having a summer in good ol’ Blighty. However, the rain is back. I blame the experts that warn of droughts the minute we have a week minus the famous British precipitation! Tempting fate I say…
Anyway, I am ever optimistic this is a temporary glitch on the part of Mother Nature, and she simply got her months muddled and we’re just having a few pesky April showers a little late. With this in mind I am in full Summer mindset and what better way to celebrate this than with bright clothes and accessories to spur on my forecast?!
The high street is simply full of bold statement colours, giving us no choice but to embrace Summer and leave the greys and blacks of Winter behind, and rightfully so!
Topshop’s window scheme is brimming with clashes of bright tones, this season’s key colour – coral – is there in abundance along with electric blue, flurescent pink, turquoise, green and magenta to name a few. If you’re brave, team together clashing statement colours, if you’re a little more reserved dress down a bold colour with a more muted palette.
Zara has a great selection of bright colours along with stunning colour blocking pieces with their ever easy tailoring, providing that look of luxury at a price we don’t have to sell our neccessities to afford.
River Island has an extremely vibrant selection of block colours in beautiful silks connoting that care free feeling of being somewhere relaxing and exotic.
See below for some of my favourites, I’m off to swoon over far away shores….
1. Yellow wide heel sandal, Zara £69.99
2. Turquoise stone ring, River Island £12.99
3. Purple and pink playsuit, River Island £29.99
4. Green one shoulder dress, River Island £59.99
5. Pink oversized sunglasses, Topshop £16
6. Blue plaited handle bag, Topshop £38
7. Turquoise tights, Topshop £6
8. Floral scarf, Zara £29.99
9. Orange ankle-cropped trousers, Zara £19.99
10. Green boat-neck blouse, Zara £29.99
