Floral Peplum

So it's come back around to that time of year again, the dreaded words: Back. To. School. I've just survived my first week of A Levels at college, and I actually love it! I've already met so many lovely people! Here's another post on something else which I wore one evening whilst on holiday in Majorca. It's more of a summer outfit, but I think you could get away with it in these early Autumn stages.

When shops first started hanging peplums all over the clothes racks last year, I have to admit that I wasn't too overly keen on them. 'Why would you want to wear something that makes your hips look wider than they are?' I would always ask myself. But then more and more people started to wear the peplum style garments and they became a major AW12 trend, before continuing to popularly grace the trends of SS13. Spying more people wearing the craze made me realise that there was more to these peplums than making your hips appear wider. Their clinging, waist cinching nature defines a sophisticated silhouette which screams femininity.

After spending a good while in New Look, umming and arging over my favourite creation out of oodles of different peplums of all colours and patterns, I finally fell for this lightly coloured floral one. I absolutely love the SS13 floral trend, so it was no wonder why I chose to purchase this one! The pastel colours work together really well, appearing subtly, meaning that you can team it with a variety of other designs.

I decided to team this peplum with this bodycon skirt to ensure that I attempted to achieve that feminine silhouette, as well as the fact the that the bold stripes contrast harshly against the dainty pastel floral print. Being in Majorca, I didn't actually wear the jacket, but I thought that it went so well with this outfit, that I just had to include it. It's cropped design means that the hem of the jacket just grazes across the seam where the top meets the peplum, giving the peplum a more structured attire. I brought this purple biker jacket in the USC sale  for £3, and I cannot fault it! Finally, I love this rucksack; it's size makes it perfect for a day at the beach!

What are your thoughts on peplums? What do you team them with?

VMA's 2013 Red Carpet Fashion

So the MTV VMA's happened over the weekend in Brooklyn, New York, and as per usual with any event alike, I found myself swooning over the variety of celebrity looks gracing the red carpet. Design choices ranging from elegant floor length numbers to daring thigh-high slits presented me with a huge difficulty in finding my favourite celebrity's look. Keep reading here to see what these glam people wore and determine your favourite VMA 2013 style.

                            Rita Ora

It's not often that I dislike Rita Ora's style choices, and this is definitely not one of those times! This charismatic beaded bodice appeals to the eye as it sparkles in the gleaming light creating a magical and enchanting vibe. The lengthy head-turning feathered train adds to the magical affair as every female recalls their childhood days when they dressed up in a fairy costume with the feathers and plastic healed shoes with the fluff on. Rita's choice of traditional black heels adds classiness to her look, furthermore contrasting with the more forward move of the elongated slit.

                             Lady Gaga

Pleasantly, I was surprised by Lady Gaga's refined choice of styling this time around - you could almost call it 'Hollywood glamour'-like. The wet leather appearance of this dress forms a grunge style feel whilst the over sized bow contrasts in a soft and ever-so-slightly innocent way. The polka dot train contradicts the grunge leather look by appearing fantasy-like. Adding a chic and over all dignified presentation, the long style and simple structure of the dress is really what surprised me the most with Lady Gaga's outfit choice.

                                       Ariana Grande 

Once again, Ariana Grande went for her traditional trademark style of chic and girly, following the trends of the particular season, and I love it! The fitted bodice cinches in at the waist, showing off her figure, whilst the skater style skirt flares outwards in a 50's fashion to create volume and to slightly dramatise the look, (although not in a too OTT way).

                                   Alison Williams

American actress Alison Williams looked extremely dignified in this cream shift dress covered in oodles of sequins and beads. This crisp number portrays a fantasy-like attire as we picture a snowy winter landscape.. in August. Classically, the sleeve cuffs add a professional finish to this dress as they add detail in a smart manner. Against these subtle black courts, this frothy contrivance looks purely stunning.

                             Crystal Reed

Teen Wolf star Crystal Reed graced the red carpet in this gorgeous fishtail design. Emphasising her curves, the layered peplums modernises the traditional floor length gown. I love how the flounce of the fishtail is also split into two, making a slight consistency of the layered effect/theme going on. This factor, along with the sweetheart neckline prevents the dress from being too plain, by giving it some simple details. I also love how the shade if red is that of similarity to the red or the carpet, suggesting pure glamour and class. The leopard print clutch definitely spices up the outfit.

                              

                             Ellie Goulding 

Ellie Goulding is in fact, one of my biggest style icons. I just love her chic, modern and slightly edgy fashion. I love how the designer of this dress has taken a long classic, soft grey number and adapted it so simply by embellishing it in edgy silver studs to portray a slightly grunge look. Contemplating the great thigh-high slash, the high neckline also adds to the slightly edgy effect.

                                    Jennifer Hudson

I love the whole gothic, monochrome theme that Jennifer Hudsun has going on here. Along with the wet leather look, monochrome is dead on trend ready for AW13, and I love how Jennifer works them together! Unlike the majority of others walking the red carpet, she has gone for a more street style and somewhat casual appearance compared to the glamorous gowns screeching stardom. I also love the asymmetric side peplum trend which also a dominating featire of the cat walks for AW13.

                            Katy Perry

I still haven't really decided whether I like Katy Perry's look here or not. The dress' long sleeve and high neck nature smothered in a feline animal print does portray this number as a mere fancy dress costume or a winter coat, yet for some wild reason, it still works! In attempt to jazz things up a bit, feather butterflies have been added, although I think that they do make this frock appear too overloaded on top of the already busy leopard print. However, I do like how the daring slash up her thigh does break up the busyness and how her simple heeled sandles complement the dress in a colour coordinating way.

                             Miley Cyrus

I can't really say that I did think much about Miley's outfit, other than 'did she really wear leggings to a red carpet event?!' Although the colourful hanging beads do add an element of charisma, this isn't something I would wear myself! All I can really say, is that, Miley, I'm disappointed this time.

                             Selena Gomez

Being another one of my style icons, it's not wonder that I fell in love with Selena's red carpet dress. I do think that it was a very bold move, having the bralet on show, but I definitely think it works as it provides detail and is different to the usual full length gown. I love how the material folds over, a though it is revealing the bralet as it adds a daring feel. I love how the way that the left sleeve still continues by snaking around the back as it is slightly unexpected, as well as the way that the seams are lined with glistening beads, adding detail and edginess to the dress.

                             Taylor Swift

 Yet again, here is another one of my great style icons, so of course I love how she opted for a 1920's Hollywood glamour look for this event. I particularly like how the dipped neckline is slightly forward, yet still manages to appear classic. The area of glitter covering the bust stands out, screaming 'stardom', whilst the bandage characteristic of the bodycon style creates a foxy feel. I also love how she's accessorized with glittering bangles which complement the sparkles on the dress.

What are your thoughts of these red carpet appearances? Can you determine a favourite?

Three Ways To Style - Missguided Bodycon Skirt

For this post I thought I would try something else which is a bit different to the usually expected outfit post. Lately, I've realised how there are so many garments which can be worn for really any occasion; you can dress them either up or down by simply changing what you team them with. Whilst searching the Missguided website, I instantly fell in love with this opulent blur mini skirt, before finding myself imagining all of things I would pair it with for different occasions.

                           Way To Style- No. 1

1) Opulent Blur Mini Skirt - Missguided

2) Tropical Sunset Crop Top - Missguided

3) White Stud Strappy Sandles - New Look

4) Neon Rucksack - Missguided

5) Drop Lens Round Sunglasses - Topshop

Whilst spending a day at the beach, I would chose to team this skirt with this tropical sunset crop top to create a boho style look. I think that the colours compromise each other well in the way that the shades of the sunset on the tee appear to be of a duller shade in comparison to those on the skirt, preventing a colour clash. As beach style seems to be all about striking colours, I like the way that the silhouette of the palm trees creates a block between the huge volume of different colours splashed onto the skirt and the more soothing nature of the sunset colours to perform together.

 I would chose these sandles as the pure shade of white adds subtlety to the already loud look drawing from the opulent colours of the tee and skirt. I think that the studs lining the straps add a slight touch of edginess to the look which contrasts fittingly with the dreaminess of the tee. Recently, I've been finding that rucksacks are the ideal bag for the beach. They're spacious nature allows plenty of room for a towel and more, yet they're not too big and bulky either; I also find the front pockets the perfect size to place my phone and iPod in too. I would chose this plain neon number as I think the shade of pink complements the colours in the both the skirt and the top, as well as the fact that the brightness of the colour screams summer. 

                             Way To Style- No.2

1) Opulent Blur Mini Skirt - Missguided

2) Bandeau Peplum Top In Burgundy - Missguided

3) Shell Pink Croc Envelope Clutch - New Look

4) Arrow Necklace - Missguided

5) Cutout Peep Toe Wedges - Missguided

Designed for a party, I would pair the skirt with this peplum top to form a defined look. It generates a fun, yet flattering look as the polished skinny gold belt pulls in the waist to structure a sophisticated silhouette. This burgundy shade harmonizes well with the colours visible on the skirt as the darker shade creates a more suave style. Also, the fact that this top is one of a bandeau design, gives it a subtle appearance, therefore causing all attention to centre upon the skirt.

My reason for including this clutch is that it has adds a professional appearance in the design of the envelope style. The refined arrangement of the croc pattern allows it to appear detailed, yet not too OTT. With the plainess of the bandeau style top, I would definitely team this outfit with a statement necklace. This one particularly adds a tribal feel to the outfit. Finally, I think that heals are a must have for a party, so I would add this pair of peep toe wedges. Cut outs are right on trend right now, and I love how they can make a such a difference to an outfit by adding a slightly daring tone. The colour choice of black finishes off the outfit with a defined and confident look.

                               Way To Style- No. 3

1) Opulent Blur Mini Skirt - Missguided

2) Candy Pink Crop Strappy Cami - Topshop

3) Snake Print Colour Block Satchel - New Look

4) Aztec Triangle Necklace - Missguided

5) Blue Lace Trim Ankle Socks - Topshop

6) Purple Authentic Vans - Office

For a casual day out, I would team the skirt with a topshop cami for a more toned down affair. The solid pink blush nicely contradicts the rather full on pattern of the skirt, offering a more laid back attire. I think that  this colour is perfect for the upcoming season as fashion reports have been showing pink as one of the dominating AW13 colour trends.

Accessory wise, I am a huge fan of the satchel bag and this one suits perfectly for a day out. Its push lock fastening shows off it's practicality, and I like how satchels like these are generous in space, yet hold their shape firmly. Strips of snake print cleverly break up the dramatic effect of the color block, creating a more subtle and chic effect. Again, I've chosen to add a statement necklace to create a slight tone of the tribal trend by picking one decorated with geometric shapes which contrasts rather harshly with the softness of the cami. Lace trim socks and vans are my favourite footwear combination at the moment, and I think that these colours combine distinctively together.

Would you wear this Missguided skirt? How would you style it?

Neon Pink, Black and Zigzags

Apologies for the lack of blogging recently, just as I got into the habit of posting once a week I went on holiday to Majorca and haven't posted for two weeks - typical! Of course though, with the beautiful scenic beach location, I did take the opportunity to snap some pictures for a couple of outfit posts. So here's a post on one of my favourite dresses which I wore one evening for a stroll around the town after the delicious dinner at the hotel.

I brought this dress a week or two prior to our holiday, so this was in fact, its first outing. Being one of my favourite trends this season, I absolutely love this aztec zigzag print. I think the factor that shaped my decision to buy this dress was how the brightness of the neon zigzags intervenes with the otherwise monochrome effect, creating a more modern twist. I like how the cap sleeves add more of a casual tone, yet the bodycon style fashions a dress for more occasional wear of a smart casual social event.

I decided to team this dress with my polka-dot monochrome cross body bag which is the perfect size when all you need to take is your phone and purse! I also thought that it brought out the monochrome side to the dress, therefore creating more rivalry against the bursting colour of the neon pink. I chose to wear my salmon pink wedges in order to give me more height as well as the fact that I thought the colour complemented the pink in the dress. I also wore my daisy hair chain in order to soften the look from the harsh effect of the aztec print pattern.

Neon Pink and White Zigzag Print Cap Sleeve Bodycon Dress - Newlook

Salmon Pink Wedges - Newlook

Daisy Hair Chain - Claires Accessories

Polka-dot Cross Boddy Bag - New Look

Chunky Bead Bracelet - New Look

Topshop Top Picks

After all of this beautiful weather we've been having, you can picture my disappointment when I drew back the curtains this morning to a sky impregnated with clouds, suppressing the glorious sun. Of course, my summer wardrobe doesn't know what's hit it recently, I can't even remember the last time I wore a pair or jeans or long sleeves; I just hope the presence of the lurking storm clouds won't home themselves here! So since the sun doesn't look like it will be making an appearance anytime soon today, I thought, what a perfect blogging occasion!

After roaming the Topshop website, I instantly fell for many a pieces of clothing as per usual, so I decided to choose a couple of my favourites for my first Top Picks post.

1) Blue Lace Block Dress By WAL G

I love how the top and skirt of this dress are partitioned by the blue band belt to create a softer contrast between the elegance of the lace and the harsher toning of the colour block pleated skirt. As the colours of this garment are both heavier and darker, I would be more likely to wear this dress during winter with a pair of black heeled wedge ankle boots and a black biker jacket. However, if I were to wear this throughout the summer months, I would team it with a pair of nude heels whilst accessorizing with a coordinating nude hair bow.

2) Purple Pom Pom Ankle Socks

Being a huge lover of the popular Topshop lace trim ankle socks, I wasn't too surprised that these adorable pom pom socks would feature in this post. By acting as a companion to how I style lace trim socks, I would wear these with Vans and Converse for a casual, everyday look. I would love to try out these socks with an otherwise unconditional monochrome outfit, as the nature of the black and white would adapt socks, converting them into appearing as subtle, despite the heavy tone of black, allowing the tiny amount of colour of the pom poms to attract all attention.

3) Blue Strappy Cami

I am yet to own one of these cami's, they are simply wonderful! Similarly to a fair lot of Topshop's clothing, these camis range in many-a-colours, my favourite being this pastel blue, as the pale colouring would comply with any pattern and the majority of much brighter colours. During the day, for a more casual, toned down look, I'd team this cami with a pair of patterned denim shorts or skinny jeans. A pair printed with bold green stripes springs to mind! However, for a smarter look, I would team with a patterned maxi or tube skirt, perhaps one of a floral attire, to create a more dignified look. I would also add a flower crown to construct a more fantasy-like look.

4) MOTO Pink Crochet Hotpants

I've been absolutely loving these moto shorts for a while now, they just appear so beauteous and fairy-like. I'm a big fan of tie dye, and lace effect is my absolute favourite above all trends this season, as it adds so much daintiness and femininity to the garment. I would definitely team this with the above blue strappy cami, some lace trim Topshop socks and a flower crown to result in adding to the fairy-like look, in addition to a pair Vans in order to harden up the look without doing so too much.

5) Pale Pink Scallop Lace Vest

Funnily enough, I'm currently sat typing this in the pale blue version of this top, exactly the same in fact, and I love it! This pale pink identic is absolutely adorable and I'm still loving the timeless lace theme going on this summer. I would team this top in the equivalent way to my blue one which includes either skinny Jeans or a plain tube skirt. To construct a more casual tone, I would style with Converse or Vans, yet for a more sophisticated appearance, I would style with coloured wedges.

6) Mini Tube Skirt by Annie Greenabelle

This floral print tube skirt appears to be absolutely spot on for a summer night's party, especially in this weather! I love how the almost random bursts of pink and blue creates an almost hectic scene to depict the perfect party piece. To portray the party look, I would definitely team this skirt with a plain, loose fitting crop top, most likely in black, to comply with the black splashes of colour representing the floral side to this number. I would then team this with either pink or blue wedges to correspond with the outbursts of colour in the piece.

What do you like these items of clothing? How would you style them?

Style Crush: Jade Thirlwall (Little Mix)

Since starting my blog, I've been pondering over other ways in which I can make it less repetitive and more interesting to you, as readers, instead of just constantly blogging outfit posts. After an extensive think through and some research, I listed a few ideas including style crushes, monthly favourites and top picks, which will feature in future posts. I particularly love exploring celebrity's style, so I thought I'd begin with one of my biggest celebrity style crushes.

                                (1)                   (2)                      (3)                        (4)

Ever since their arrival to The X Factor in 2011, I instantly fell in love with all four of Little Mix's Style. Although it's not just what Jade chooses to wear which I love about her style personally, but it's the way that she's more adventurous with the clothes she wears, yet she still manages to pull off every look, by styling each outfit impeccably. I absolutely adore how she accessorizes with different hair bows, contributing towards a more innocent, youthful look.

(1) I love how Jade's kept the accessories to a minimum here, letting the striking polka dot pattern of the dress with the correspondingly prominent bow do all the talking for her. I also love how both the lace up boots and the bow are white, therefore harmonizing in colour with the white spots overlaying the blue dress.

(2) With the SS13 trends supplying plenty of monochrome, this outfit look is completely in this season.I love how the soft shapes of the heart contrast against the harsh colour of the black, creating, again, a more innocent, humble look. To add to this, she has contradicted the subtlety of the hearts with her imperious choice of footwear.

(3) Here, Jade's elected another monochrome dress which I yet again adore. The cap sleeve style dress emits a less sophisticated look, as well as the monochrome frilly socks which mind a more childlike look, making this outfit perfect for day wear. I do have to say that I am not the biggest fan of creepers, but I do like how Jade's choice in the baby pink colour correlates with the shade of the bow and how they contrast with the defiant shapes of the zigzag/aztec print dress.

(4) I would say that this outfit is the most blasé of all four shown above, perhaps because the lengthy midi skirt adds sophistication to the urban street style effect if the crop top. I love the two piece trend at the moment and Jade really pulls it off here with this Mickey Mouse inspired look.

Love Her Look? ...Steal Her Style! - Jade Thirlwall

Blue Polka Dot Dress - Missguided

Rihanna White Mesh Perspex Heel Boots - Boohoo

Lace Trim Ankle Socks - Topshop

Abigail 3/4 Sleeve Heart Printed Playsuit - Boohoo

Studded Pink Bow Hair Clip - Claire's Accessories

Aztec Monochrome T-Shirt Dress - River Island

Red Polka Dot Crop Top - Topshop

Red Polka Dot Midi Skirt - Topshop

Black Suede Peep Toe Wedge Platform Boots - Spy Love Buy

White Lace

For this post, I thought I'd share with you what I wore to my school's presentation evening. As I opened the invitation and read over the words "smart dress code - no jeans", you can probably imagine my rush of enthusiasm to replace my usual casual wear to a 'smarter outfit' for the evening. Though my next thoughts were of course "what am I going to wear?"

Being a huge fan of this years crop top trend, when I caught sight of this classic feminine lace tee, I just had to buy it! The majority of crop tops on the highstreet, I find to be for more of a casual-beach wear kind of occasion, but this timeless full lace effect pivots this number into a more classy, elegant affair. I love how the back of the tee lacks in lining, allowing the pattern of the vintage style lace to dominate attention as the white contrasts against the skin, declaring the design of the lace to be identified from a distance. As for my choice of colour, after reading and identifying white as an ample SS13 colour trend, I declared that my wardrobe could not miss out on homing a garment of a colour so pure, yet brave.

Typically, as soon as I tried on this top, I knew exactly what I would match it with to create an elegant chick feel. I wasn't quite feeling courageous enough to aim for the full 'pure white' trend, so I decided to elect for a skirt with a splash more colour and pattern to add a segment of excitement to the outfit. 

I've had this skater skirt in my possession for a year or so now and usually team it with a plain, yet coloured vest for casual day wear, so I liked the idea of a change from it's usual appearance. It's highwaisted nature meant that the top of the skirt grazed against the bottom of the tee, ensuring that no skin was shown, for a classy, appropriate and opulent effect. I opted for pink wedges to give me some more height as well as to add a factor of sophistication to the outfit. Accessory wise, I chose to wear a dainty chain necklace, as I didn't want anything too chunky as I did not want to exaggerate the outfit anymore. I chose to overlook any bracelets, as the ones I had put on earlier had caught in the lace, so I decided to play it safe and not cause any hitches.