New Term, New Wardrobe - My Recent Fashion Buys

So the new term's just begun (3rd year = panic!), which can only mean one thing - time for a whole new wardrobe. I tried to get all of my key autumn / winter pieces, like my aviator jacket, in the last few weeks of the holidays, but since my loan came through last week I've gone a bit splurge crazy! It's also my birthday on Sunday so I'm hoping for a nice wad of cash to fritter away. Here are the best picks out of my most recent purchases. Let me know what you think!

Topshop:

Red is literally red hot this season, and I'm trying to buy one of each of the key clothing items in this sexy hue. I've got my dress and tee from H&M (see earlier post), but I wanted some knitwear too. I chose this Knitted Pointelle Stitch Top, £35, as it hangs casually to counteract the vividness of the colour. Perfect with jeans and my patent red M&S skinny belt.

French Connection:

I'm always desperate to keep my neck warm in winter as it seems to 'keep the heat in' as my mum would say. I've been wanting a snood for while but wasn't too sure about not being able to wind it tight. One wear of this FCUK Chunky Snood, £18, in cream (the pic is a black & cream mix), and I'm hooked. The waffle knit texture is extra snuggly and it's easy to just throw on and go. Perfect!

Miss Selfridge:

Being what my mum calls 'nesh' (yes, she has a saying for every occassion), in other words like someone from the Carribean being plonked down in an arctic blizzard in a bikini, I wanted to get my winter coat selection just right. I needed the perfect balance of snug and warm, plus stylish. So I though camel was the best shade, and a fur addition would round it off nicely. That's why I plumped for this Miss Selfridge Stone Fur Hood Duffle Jacket, £55. It's casual enough for the demands of student life, yet packed to the brim with a/w style details. Can't wait to wear!



Also from Miss Selfridge, I found the answer to my leather / suede shorts dilemma. I didn't want to pay a fortune for a leather skirt, but wanted to buy into the textured trend, so these Tan Suedette Shorts were a must grab. The caramel, super soft fabric and flattering paper bag waist are gorgeous, and will really stand out against black tights and creamy knits. Not bad at £32 with 20% NUS Student Discount!

So, that's the creme de la creme of my latest purchases (though unfortunately for my bank balance, nowhere near half the true amount!) Stay tuned for more of the high street's hottest.

Lou x

The LOOK Show Part 2

Sorry for the delay! I've been busy with Uni starting...oh, and spending the vouchers that came in my LOOK Show goody bag! Will post my bargain buys another time. I'm also using the bag itself, designed by Sarah Berman, as my Uni book bag in an attempt to make everyone jealous!

So here are the next two best outfits from the show, one from each retailer. Check out LOOK's feature on their website for the other outfits - they're all fab!

Marks & Spencer:

* I chose this outfit mainly because I rushed out to buy the blouse yesterday! It totally confirms what I've been constantly preaching about how M&S, especially their Limited Collection range and their footwear emporium, are now bang on trend and will provide you with stunning items that your mates aren't likely to have even considered (maybe they will now though, thanks to LOOK!)

* You can't beat dark indigo denim for a flattering silhouette, and the a-line cut of this skirt skims hips whilst meeting the current longer hem length trend.

* The blouse (now my blouse!) has a gorgeous autumn-appropriate smudgy print in muted colours, whilst a see through finish makes it sleeker. It fits into the ladylike trend that's usually the domain of 50s style pieces. Pairing it with the heavy fabric of the skirt is genious.

* Faux fur is massive this season. I'm proud to say I got ahead of the trend last year with my Monsoon 'Sienna' version (see earlier post), but would definitely be snapping up this version otherwise. An alternative to a jacket before coats are called for, this adds another texture into the mix and allows a good glimpse of whatever's worn underneath.

* If I was a heels lover, the purple hue on this pair, combined with the sexy secretary laces, would certainly prise open my purse.

Oasis:

* A simple yet utterly stylish outfit. Red is so hot this season, I've filled my wardrobe with scarlet pieces - but I could always find room for this dress! The all over hue is fiery, yet completely tamed and feminised by the fluted sleeves and princess collar. 60's lady with a 2010 twist.

* Again, clog boots wouldn't be my choice, but LOOK have again paired a super feminine outfit with them for a tougher, modern woman edge - very successfully. I'll have to find a shoe alternative that creates the same effect!

Stay tuned for a couple more outfits a day. Please comment and follow if you like what I do!

Lou x

The LOOK Show @ London Fashion Week!

Well, I am absolutely exhausted. Yesterday was The LOOK Magazine Show at the Saatchi Gallery in London, showcasing looks from 11 High Street retailers and the only show at London Fashion Week open to the public. I went with my mum and we had an amazing day, mingling with other fashionistas and watching an super professional show, full of delectable fashion pieces, before being wowed by Diana Vickers demonstrating her stunning vocals.

First thing's first, here's what I eventually, after much umming and ahhing, decided to wear:

* Topshop Fleece Collar PU Biker Jacket, £58 - a casual yet totally on trend cover-up that kept me warm without being heavy. I spotted loads of other guests wearing aviator jackets.

* Topshop Camel and Cream Striped Vest - again, quite casual yet the camel tones are so in, and by tucking it into my trousers I got a more streamlined silhouette.

* New Look Twill Chino Trouser, £21.99, in Mink - trousers , as opposed to the jeans-mania that used to reign supreme, are very now, and the peg leg cut is especially on trend. The fabric is so soft and the colour ties in with my vest.

* I wore Faith cone court heels in black, which I needed to balance out the tight trouser legs.

* I wish I'd added a necklace now for extra oomph, as everyone was so dressed up! I think this Accessorize Elizabeth Pearl Flower Statement Necklace, £20 would have looked amazing!

The LOOK Show:

The show itself featured around 7/8 looks each from 11 different High Street retailers - Dorothy Perkins, Marks and Spencer (told you they were hot now!), Oasis, Warehouse, Next (a surprise!), Mango, New Look, River Island, French Connection, HandM, and Monsoon.

The stunning Crystal Renn opened the show, proving that plus sized models look just as fabulous on the catwalk. She's a real inspiration for rejecting extreme dieting in favour of a healthy figure.

Also showcased was the Look Shoe, a high heeled party shoe designed by Look for Office, modelled stylishly by the Lady Grey's dance troupe. Available in bronze, red, and black suede, grab a pair sharpish if you think you can handle the heel height!

* Unfortunately, I wasn't in the best seat for photo taking, so here are my first two best picks from the selections showcased, followed by some of my blurred photography! Look out for the next 9 retailers in my next posts. Click on the links to head straight to the retailer's item page:

DOROTHY PERKINS:

* The layering of the beaded chiffon and the shorter fluffy knit looks so chic, and the blush and cream tones really complement each other. Definitely 21stC romance. Black opaques make any hem length respectable, and despite a personal aversion to clogs, I have to admit this pair add a certain edge!

Jumper - Dress (in store only)- Boots 

FRENCH CONNECTION:

This look utterly encapsulates masculine tailoring with a feminine touch. The silky shirt is so versatile and the trousers introduce velvet in a neutral way. Loving the midnight blue hue. Perfect! However, it would take more fashion guts than I possess to wear that hat on the streets of Nottingham!

Hat, Trousers & Shoes (In Store Only) - Shirt

My Pics:

* Apparently, there were loads of celebs there on the front row, such as Danielle Linekar, Martine McCutcheon, Callum Best, Shane Ward and Joe McElderry, but we only spotted Ali Bastian, looking casual yet stylish on a black & white stripped top, and Zaraah Abrams (aka Corrie, Waterloo Road, Dancing On Ice) rocking red lippie.

Finally, here's my best snap of Diana Vickers, working a vintage style Tata Naka dress that I would have killed for!

Thanks LOOK!

More to follow soon...

Lou x

Apologies! + Outfit 15/09/2010

Hello again! Long time no post! I've actually been in hospital for a while so I'm sorry for my lack of updates. I'm on the mend now though, so look out for regular new posts. I'm also extremely excited about attending the LOOK Show at the Saatchi Gallery in London tomorrow. I was one of the lucky few to get 2 tickets to the only show at London Fashion Week open to the public. It's run  by LOOK magazine, my absoloute favourite fashion mag, and is a fantastic idea as it showcases clothes from the highstreet that we can actually afford to buy! I can't wait - will be writing all about it, hopefully with plenty of pictures, when I get back. Just what I need to cheer me up after a pretty rough few weeks.

So, obviously I've been pondering what to wear ever since I found out. How do I achieve that 'I look effortlessly stylish yet I didn't try hard at all' look, whilst being comfy for travelling? Hmm. The only piece I've definitely settled on so far is my TOPSHOP Fleece Collar PU Biker Jacket, £58, which I previously blogged about buying. And here it is in action:

I wore it for the first time yesterday to celebrate my first trip out of the house in two weeks (hospital doesn't count!), and was delighted with how snug yet fashionable it was. Perfect for train travel.

I'm also wearing some super slouchy Mink Hareem Trousers, £25 from TOPSHOP, because sometimes you just need to be comfy. They'll go perfectly with this season's camel tones. Now I've lost weight, I felt more confident abut tucking them in, which definitely gives a sleeker silhouette.

I'm also wearing what was a summer season cardi from TOPSHOP, a lilac knitted piece that's quite short, with pastel flowers sewn on. I wanted to show that past season pieces can easily be worked into the colder weather by layering up. My ACCESSORIZE gold long chain with pastel beads and delicate butterflies finishes it off nicely.

I'm going to my wardrobe now to plan tomorrow's outfit, hopefully without covering every inch of my bedroom carpet in discarded items. Keep your eyes peeled for the inside scoop!

Lou x