Tuesday 30 October 2012

Khaki

Crew Clothing shirt, Topshop jumper, disco pants and boots

One of the perks of working in retail is seeing the clothes first hand on a daily basis - although, sometimes, this can also be classified as a bad thing, pining for things ALL the time that you just can't afford. I spend many an hour creating fantasy wishlists in my head, combining all the pieces I want to create spectacular outfits; I'd be a lot better dressed if I could afford to be, you know! 

Yesterday, I indulged in a little 'retail therapy' - not that I needed to - and invested in this amazing khaki jumper and these even more amazing black studded ankle booties. Autumn never seems to last more than a month here and the bitterly cold of winter seems to be well on its way, meaning it was high time for me to invest in a few key pieces. All I seem to own, shoes wise, at the moment, is flimsy ballet flats that don't last two seconds in the rain so I'm looking forward to fully embracing all these booties have to offer. Winter is-a-coming and now I'm ready to head straight into the coming season with both warmth and style. Until next time catch me on Twitter and Pinterest




Sunday 28 October 2012

Fishtail Plait


Hair and Beauty isn't a topic I often venture to write about on HSW (it isn't exactly my forte in life) however, I thought it about time I wrote about the fishtail plait as it's always an excellent way to stylishly disguise a bad hair day. It's a surprisingly easy look to achieve but has maximum impact; whenever I wear one I always get comments about how great it looks. It's also the perfect way to control mad, unruly hair just like mine! There are so many ways you can wear this plait and, usually, I choose a side plait which is a great way to expose any back details of your outfit - see mine here. Watch the video below to see how you can get this great look and be sure to stay updated with me on Twitter and Pinterest

How they wore it:



How you can get it:

Thursday 25 October 2012

The Classic Tee

Topshop tee and studded slippers, Asos belt, Vintage shorts

Having a simple tee (or ten) is must for any girl's wardrobe. It's the classic go to item on those "OMG I have absolutely nothing to wear in my jam packed wardrobe" days. Combined with denim bottoms and pumps or boots and you've got yourself a winning look every time. I'd recommend investing in the tee in a variety of colours and Topshop have a great selection, all available here. Happy shopping and be sure to follow HSW on Twitter and Pinterest



How they wore it:



How you can wear it:

Wednesday 24 October 2012

Peter Pan Collar

 Topshop dress, top and studded slippers

Sometimes it's nice to dress up and pretend like you're a six year old going to a birthday party, no? Possibly not, but we need to get our inspiration somewhere, right! I adore my Llama dungaree dress from Topshop (first showcased here) and am forever thinking of new ways to wear it; this time with my lace peter pan collared top. Be sure to follow HSW on Twitter and Pinterest



Saturday 20 October 2012

Dinosaur Disco


Topshop tee, disco pants and studded slippers

For a very long time I have been pining after the American Apparel Disco Pants; I must confess that I do have them in denim, but have never fully justified spending all that money on the original pair. So I was utterly delighted when Topshop brought out a version for over half the price, here. The look is exactly the same and Topshop even have the meticulously placed pockets on the back. The quality of the fabric isn't quite of the  same standard as the American Apparel pair, but this is to be expected for the price you're paying. 

Earlier in the week I teamed mine with my favourite dinosaur tee for a rather jazzy looking outfit. Every now and then I do try to wear something a little more whimsical to inject some fun into my wardrobe and give it a lighter lift. Until next time be sure to follow me on Twitter and Pinterest

Tuesday 16 October 2012

Always Dreaming Of...


New York! It has been my biggest wish to go there ever since I can remember. I have always dreamed that it is fashion fabulous and being there would mean your existence would be something like Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City, Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's and Olivia Palermo in her very stylish real life all rolled into one fashion heaven. As Michael Bloomberg said "no  matter who you are, if you believe in yourself and your dream, New York will always be the place for you". Until next time catch up with me on Twitter and Pinterest

Sunday 14 October 2012

Hallowe'en Feelin'

River Island jumper, Zara leather skirt and heels, Jack Wills hair bow, Asos flower ring, Vintage Dior earrings

I do enjoy a little festive dressing and I'm getting into the spirit of things fairly early this year. Halloween may still be nearly three weeks away but I'm already using it as outfit inspiration with this orange and black ensemble. I love the natural sixties feel to the whole look as it was quite unintended and seemed to happen quite organically but, hopefully, with successful results. 

For me, Halloween is all about extravagance and is the one time of year where I would wear things that I never normally would. I think this has come through in my Halloween inspired outfit - who says you can't wear a winter jumper with a leather mini skirt and heels in the middle of the British autumn?! 
Until next time catch up with me on Twitter and Pinterest







Saturday 13 October 2012

Aztec

 Topshop Aztec dress and studded slippers, Asos belt

It's official; I have become a Topshop fiend! Whilst I personally think that working there is a lot of fun I'm not entirely sure my bank account has the same state of mind. It's so difficult to resist when you're surrounded by so many lovely clothes that you want nearly every day. So I've decided it's really much less fun to resist and have gone full throttle into buying everything that I want, including this Aztec dress which I bought online here. It is yet another berry shaded dress to add to my ever growing collection and the Aztec print is right on trend. I also love to triangle cut-out at the back, a little detail I was surprised to see when it dropped through my letterbox but one that, I think, makes it even more perfect. Until next time catch up with me on Twitter and Pinterest




Friday 12 October 2012

Accessories

Earrings from Manchester Vintage Fair

I'm a big proponent of accessories; often they can bring your outfit to life and really make or break it. For me, I'm always interested in the small details that really make an outfit interesting. It's easy to put on a nice dress but it's much more impressive to use accessories to really make it your own. Here is a little collection of a few things I'm enjoying from my accessories collection at the moment. These shoes are a recent purchase and, although I wasn't too sure at first, I think they're quickly becoming my new favourite. Hope everyone has a lovely weekend, until next time catch up with me on Twitter and Pinterest

 Topshop Studded Pumps
Jack Wills Hair Bow

Tuesday 9 October 2012

Fedora

All Topshop

Yesterday was my first working day in quite some time; it's good to be back in the working world and have some sort of real challenge again. I'm working at Topshop - hence my entire outfit being from there - and really, it's quite fun! 

Sometimes an outfit made up of simple separates may seem boring on paper but, actually, if worn with a few key statement pieces it can be a real winner. I adore this hat and it's a really great addition to my accessories wardrobe. It doesn't come out often as I like to save it for the brief autumnal period as the style and colour is just perfect for now. Until next time stay updated with me on Twitter and Pinterest


Saturday 6 October 2012

Llama

Topshop dungaree dress, Asos tee, Carvela Kurt Geiger booties

In lieu of my two previous posts, I thought it appropriate to show some autumnal colour in my outfits. I also thought it was about time I showcased my amazing new llama print dungaree dress I bought last week! It's like a grown up version of a little girls birthday dress and is such a fun addition to my wardrobe. 
Until next time catch up with me on Twitter and Pinterest




Friday 5 October 2012

Colours of Autumn: Berry

Jack Wills cable knit jumper
Reiss hat
Topshop dungaree dress
Carvela Kurt Geiger brogues 
H&M tailored shorts

Berry may seem like an obvious choice for autumn but, for me, it always seems so current at this time of year and always so appropriate against the crisp, autumn leaves. There's always a huge choice available come autumn and this is the perfect way to incorporate some subtle colour into your wardrobe without going too overboard for all those colourphobes, like me! I have already invested in this Topshop llama print dress and not only is it super fun, it's also super flattering. I love to give my wardrobe a whimsical twist sometimes and this is the perfect piece to do it with. I've also been longing for these Carvela sequined brogues since summer and seeing as they're currently on sale, they may be making their way into my closet very, very soon. Until next time catch up with me on Twitter and Pinterest

Monday 1 October 2012

Colours of Autumn: Blue

Topshop playsuit
H&M jeans
Asos ring
T by Alexander Wang tailored shorts
French Sole ballet pumps
Asos earrings
Reiss bag
Marc by Marc Jacobs peplum top

Once again the seasons are changing and it's important to adapt your wardrobes to the world outside to keep your attire feeling current. There are a few key rules I tend to follow each season and my main focus for this time of year is colour. It's so easy to get buried deep into a black rut and this is something that happens to me every year (I never learn my lesson) so I have to constantly remind myself that now is the time to bring life into my wardrobe. Autumn is perfect for colour because the colours of the season are so rich and vivid and the crisp autumnal leaves are the perfect offset to a vast array of blue and berry shades. 

This week I'm putting together a series of colour collections that I think will work best this season; blue is the perfect offset to the orange hues of autumn and I love the vibrant cobalt shades that are huge this season. Darker blues are also a softer alternative to black for those who need a little more easing into autumnal colour. Tailoring works well with this trend as the deep, rich hues combine perfectly with sharp silhouettes. Add a little whimsy into your outfit with some bold costume jewellery for a more fun look and seek heavier fabrics such as velvet to ensure the trend is winter appropriate. 
Until next time catch up with me on twitter and pinterest