50 Shades of Blue

If I had a penny for every time my mother moaned at me for having an all-black wardrobe, I could probably afford to pay off my student loan by now. However over the last few weeks I have emigrated away from my LBD's and black ripped jeans and landed on the not-so-distant shores of... navy blue. 

The February Edit.

February is one of those in-between months where we are ready to banish the January blues and put away our chunky knits but unfortunately Spring isn't quite ready to grace us with it's presence. Alas, we must compromise by wrapping up warm whilst attempting to accessorize with a few chic pieces that say "I'm ready for Spring but I'm aware it's too soon to wear florals". 

My wardrobe pretty much consists of three things; monochrome, stripes and ripped jeans... and maybe some more monochrome for good measure. So, imagine my delight when I realised that all the shops are going mad for monochrome stripes right now, and that ripped jeans have managed to avoid being banished to fashion jail for another season (although I'm not looking forward to another few months of  shocked expressions from aghast parents asking me,"did you buy your jeans with those holes in them?!"). 

In amongst all the monochrome-stripes-ripped-jeans madness, rose gold has decided to make a reappearance this season; this time in a subtle, accessory-based form. Oh, and also in the form of these Adidas trainers which I am seriously coveting. Fedora hats, tortoiseshell  sunglasses and tasselled boots give a subtle nod towards spring, as do the AH-MAZING Olivia Burton watches. The H&M turtle-neck largely features because I'm a big fan of adorning my chest with the names of beautiful cities that I've never visited... it makes me look cultured, right?

I hope this gives you a little glimmer of inspiration for the next month; all items are linked below.

Thanks for reading!

KJ.  

1. Backpack - £80: Topshop // 2. Enchanted Garden Watch - £80: Olivia Burton on ASOS // 3. Woodland Watch - £80: Olivia Burton on ASOS // 4. Sheepskin Mittens - £10: Topsop // 5. Fringe Ankle Boots - £35: ASOS // 6. Ripped Hayden Jeans - £42: Topshop // 7. Turtle-neck Sweater - £19.99: H&M // 8. Stripe A-Line Skirt - £17.99: New Look // 9. Adidas Originals Superstar 80's Rose Gold - £90: ASOS // 10. Rose Gold Plated Heart Necklace - £24.99: ASOS // 11.  Ted Baker 'Kiara' Sunglasses - £65: ASOS // 12. Jacquard-Weave Coat - £49.99: H&M // 13. 'Layla' Headphones - £140: Urban Outfitters // 14. Wide-Brim Fedora Hat - £25: Topshop. 

The Festival Edit

 1. T-Shirt with Crossover Back - Zara, £17.99 // 2. Daddy Cool Trainers - ASOS, £45 // 3. Felt Pork Pie Hat - ASOS, £22 // 4. Mesh Bow Scrunchie - ASOS, £8 // 5. Tapestry Bum Bag - Urban Outfitters, £20 // 6. Vintage Pattern Ring - Rings And Tings, £6.50 // 7. Fringed Kimono - H&M, £29.99 // 8. Daisy Chain Watch - ASOS, £18 // 9. Slogan T-Shirt - Zara, £12.99 // 10. Purple Acid Wash Denim Shorts - Miss Selfridge, £25 // 11. Sequin Nails in "White" - Barry M, £3.99

A Pop Of Colour

A couple of days ago, whilst birthday shopping for my mum, I got dragged in to Topman and subsequently ended up in Topshop. The Topshop in Cabot Circus seems to always have a sale section full of little gems at the moment, so I made a beeline for the messy, mismatched rails full of sequins, tartan and glitter. I vowed that I wouldn't buy anything unless it was an absolute bargain... of course, this bright yellow dress stuck out like an irresistible sore thumb and practically begged me to try it on.

 Having featured it in my Prom Edit, I already had a little crush on it, but when I tried it on that crush turned in to a full blown love affair. We didn't mean to hurt anyone, it just sort of happened...

With a price tag of just £15 as opposed to £45, I happily took it over to the cash register and we were on our way. 

The deep-V neckline is a little scary for me as I don't usually wear such revealing cuts, but my wardrobe definitely needed a pop of colour for Summer seeing as I own a grand total of ten black dresses. When styled with patent sandals and a cute hat, I can imagine myself wearing this to many a barbecue over the next few months, or perhaps when out for a cheeky glass of Pimms with the girls.  

Steal Her Style: Miranda Kerr

Miranda Kerr is one of those celebrities who always looks effortlessly chic. All she has to do is throw on a pair of jeans and a black top and she looks like she's ready to grace the cover of Vogue. Whilst she may be in the media for all the wrong reasons lately due to her divorce from Orlando Bloom, at least she's doing so in style!

 This is such an easy look for anyone to pull off whilst running errands or going to school, and is a perfectly casual way to step in to Spring. On-trend sandals and a bold hat help turn this simple jeans-and-a-t-shirt combo in to a chic little number. 

How I Style: Converse Hi Tops

Hi Top Converse are notoriously hard to style, unless you're Tumblr famous and wearing a crisp white pair alongside some Levi cut-offs and a figure hugging crop top. 

For Christmas I received this bright red pair, and it may have taken me a few months, but I've finally figured out all the funkiest ways in which to wear them. When I first unwrapped these bad boys, my inner extrovert who likes to sport holographic flatforms and flamboyant t-shirts was exhilarated by the challenge of working a shoe that's so easy to get wrong. My inner sensible fashionista, however, was not so thrilled at the fact I may unwittingly end up looking like Kristen Stewart on a bad day.

The Prom Edit

I love prom. In fact, I love the run up to prom more than prom itself. There's nothing quite like the rush of trying on hundreds of dresses before the feeling of infatuation when you find the perfect one; choosing the perfect heels and accessories, deciding how to wear your hair and make-up and spending way too much money are all part of becoming a woman and ensuring the perfect prom experience. 

Of course, I don't have a prom to go to this year but I couldn't resist putting together a few looks that I would have considered rocking if I did have one to attend.

To me, a classic prom dress is either a floaty maxi or a short poofy number. Zara has some beautiful maxis at the moment; this blue one can be dressed up for prom and then worn with flats on a Summer's evening, because let's be honest if you can get more than one wear out of your prom dress then everyone's winning. This tfnc London dress is pretty swanky and fit for a masked ball; paired with black and gold accessories it would be a perfectly elegant number for prom.

Perfect Pastels

'Tis the season for pastels and ice cream and all things light and fluffy.

As Spring is slowly approaching, I've decided it's time to stop wearing leggings and oversized jumpers and start looking a little more ladylike. To inspire me, I put together this little mood board of pastel pieces that would be perfect for the upcoming season.

 Jelly shoes are making a bigger comeback than Britney and are definitely this season's number one must have; these coral ones are perfect for the warmer weather! This Zara coat is perfectly chic and makes me want to roam the streets of Paris or take a stroll through Central Park, although I supposed I'd settle for just wearing it to the pub. Coloured denim is great for Spring, and these Topshop shorts are a great alternative to a pear of Levi's for a slightly sweeter look. Of course, no outfit would be complete with a slick of red lipstick so I've included a Barry M Lip Lacquer in the shade "Mandarin" to spice things up a bit. 

1. Jacquard Top - Zara, £25.99 // 2. MOTO Mom Shorts - Topshop, £30 // 3. Patent Block Heel - New Look, £19.99 // 4. Barry M Nail Paint in "Strawberry Ice Cream" - Barry M, £2.99 // 5. Barry M Lip Lacquer Crayon in "Mandarin" - Barry M, £4.99 // 6. Seamed Textured Tunic - Topshop, £46 // 7. Coral Jelly Sandals - New Look, £9.99 // 8. Barry M Nail Paint in "Peach Melba" - Barry M, £2.99 // 8. Structured Coat - Zara, £89.99 // 10. Turnlock Satchel - Topshop, £28.

Just a reminder that as of tomorrow afternoon, I will be changing my URL to "www.agirlbloggingabout.blogspot.com", but it'll still just be little old me writing all the same posts!

KJ xo

SheInside Haul // My SheInside Experience

About two and a half weeks ago, I made my first SheInside purchases. I was pretty nervous about ordering from them as I had read a lot of negative reviews citing poor quality products, orders not arriving and their customer service team being unresponsive. However, seeing as I managed to pick up a t-shirt, dress and coat for around £40 I decided to risk it. I'll leave a full review of my experience with SheInside at the end of this post, for those of you who are considering ordering from them. 

The first thing I added to my cart was this (fake, obviously) Acne Studios t-shirt. I'm a bit snobby when it comes to fake designer shoes or watches, but one teensy tiny fake t-shirt is acceptable, isn't it? Apart from being terribly creased when it arrived, the quality of this t-shirt isn't too shabby. The cotton is quite thin, and not the soft sort that you get with Topshop or H&M t-shirts, but the sizing is nice and the stitching looks fine. 

Steal Her Style: Kylie Jenner

Over the past year, Kylie Jenner has been everywhere; you can't pick up a magazine without seeing her face, or more importantly, her latest outfit. She has steadily been branching out from the rest of the Kardashian clan's style and has now really come in to her own. From tailored jumpsuits and heels to denim cut-off's and Dr. Martens, she can go from sleek and sophisticated to grunge queen in the blink of an eye. Whilst her statement Céline bag and Fendi key-chain might be a little pricey for us commoners, she can style a plain white t-shirt in a million different ways, which is something we can all afford to do!

If there's one thing Kylie does well, it's denim. More often than not she's papped sporting one of her many pairs of denim shorts and biker boots; teamed with a white crop top and a chic handbag, she looks as if she's walked right off of every teenage girl's Tumblr dashboard. 

Florals for Spring? Groundbreaking.

After doing a post on Primark's Spring/Summer 2014 collection, I couldn't resist popping in to my local store the other day for a very quick look around. I barely got to investigate any of their new collection properly, but this daisy print swing dress caught my eye and so I had to purchase it. Not having had time to try it on, I was delighted to get home and find that it fitted perfectly and was nice and comfy. We've had two or three sunny days over the past few weeks, and even though the golden rays were accompanied by fierce winds, it was the perfect time to début my new frock. 

Primark Spring/Summer 2014 Collection

I've never been a huge advocate of Primark; I pick up a few of my basics there, and I am a fan of their bags, but it's not a shop that I tend to visit regularly. I'm not being a snob when I say that, it just seems that I'll spot something nice in the window which then takes me about an hour to find in the store, as you have to navigate your way around a multitude of t-shirts with trashy slogans on and tacky push up bras. More often than not, I then discover that it's actually made out of a really uncomfortable material or is a lot less flattering on my body than the hanger.

I was therefore surprised when my friend sent me a link to Primark's Spring/Summer 2014 collection and I found myself lusting after the vast majority of it. Whilst their notoriously cheap prices have increased slightly so that they are now almost on par with high street brands such as H&M and New Look, their increase in the style stakes is much bigger, making their new collection worth the few extra pennies.

Tailored jumpsuits and fitted asymmetrical skirts alongside chic dresses and classic heels make up one half of the collection, whilst summery shorts, floral prints and funky accessories make up the other half. A subtle nod towards Burberry's "The Petal" bag and seemingly taking inspiration from Matthew Williamson's LFW show make this collection a step above all those previous to it. 

 I've chosen my favourite pieces for you to browse (unfortunately Primark does not yet have online shopping so I can't include links but you can view the collection here). I intend to pop in to my local store soon so that I can try some of these pieces on, so you can expect a haul post soon!

Steal Her Style: Blake Lively

Having being cursed with writers block lately, I was delighted to open my emails yesterday to find that Paul Fredrick had contacted me suggesting I put together a "Steal Their Style" post. Before I had even read the email in full, the words "Leonardo" and "DiCaprio" practically jumped off the screen at me, leading me to their own "Steal His Style" post. Whilst he may have lost out again at the Oscars this week, their post proves he's certainly winning in the style stakes (Warning: Click on the link at your own risk, it contains serious eye candy). 

If you know me in the slightest then you'll be aware that I have a totally normal and healthy interest in the TV show Gossip Girl. It therefore only took me a split second to decide that I would be doing my post on Blake Lively (Or Serena Van Der Woodsen, as you may know her). I spent a good few hours choosing my favourite Blake/Serena looks, and trawling through the entire British high street to find affordable alternatives. Unfortunately it seems Topshop doesn't yet stock Blake's hottest accessory; Ryan Reynolds, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time. 

The first look I chose to recreate is quite a dressy one. A bold skirt and cropped statement jacket paired with a nude heel is the perfect combination for drinks with the girls, or a big work or social event. This is the kind of look I'd like to imagine I'm brave enough to pull off, even if I don't have anywhere to wear it!

Putting a Spring in my Step

What with Spring just around the corner and the sun making a few more appearances, I've slowly been transitioning from my cosy (sloppy) Winter outfits to my much more feminine Spring wardrobe. Whilst doing so, I realised that I basically don't have any Spring shoes; I own a lot of Converse and flatform trainers, and whilst there's nothing wrong with rocking the Lily Allen look once in a while, I decided I need to invest in something more... Spring-y. 

So, I hit up all my favourite shops and put together a little list of Spring appropriate footwear that I would like to purchase. I've always been a fan of loafers, but am yet to actually bite the bullet and invest in a pair. These Topshop ones are adorable, and I wouldn't mind the challenge of trying to figure out how to style such a bold colour. The H&M sandals are a great staple shoe, as they can be worn with dresses and skirts, or with boyfriend jeans for a more casual look. Whilst they're a bit pricey for a less than practical shoe, I couldn't help adding these Urban Outfitters roller-blades to the list. I think we can all agree that they are very cute and we wouldn't mind having a go on them, sort of like the Chace Crawford of shoes. I also added some ASOS plimsolls and jelly shoes to the list, as they were both nice and summery and are more casual than the others. Let's be honest; I can dream about wearing chic, sophisticated shoes, but at the end of the day comfort always comes first!

1. KIKI Suede Tassel Loafers - Topshop, £42 // 2. Sandals - H&M, £24.99 // 3. Rookie Bella Rollerskates - Urban Outfitters, £70 // 4. Dockland Plimsolls - ASOS, £18 // 5. Jelly Sandals - Topshop, £20.

Have you started experimenting with your Spring wardrobe yet?
KJ xo

H&M Sportswear: Review

 Since I joined the gym about six or seven weeks ago, I've been working out in an old, loose pair of jersey shorts, an M&S sports bra and an oversized Bristol Half Marathon t-shirt that I got given for free at a DofE tent-putting-up competition a few years back. Seeing as I've been exercising four to five days a week, it's not really ideal for me to only have one outfit to get all hot and sweaty in (Honestly, at the end of a session I look like a tomato that's been put through it's paces). So, I finally got round to hitting up H&M and purchasing a whole new set of workout gear; I put together this sassy little combo which came to just under £30 all together, not too shabby if you ask me! 

January Sales Purchases

 It's that time of year again; the magic of Christmas and New Year's has died down, and the only way to avoid succumbing to the January Blues is to spend an indecent amount of money on reckless purchases that you certainly don't need. 

"It might be two sizes too small and a rather offensive shade but it was 70% off, so how could I resist?!" The fact that I say things like this to myself is probably the reason why I have never had a successful January sales shopping experience. I always find myself buying a semi-cute t-shirt or an ill-fitting dress, purely because they're so cheap, and then never get round to wearing them. 

This year, I took a different approach; I tip-toed around Topshop and Urban Outfitters, careful not to be sucked in by the "amazing" deals. I tried everything on before looking at the price tag so that I could purchase items based on whether I actually liked them, as opposed to how much it was discounted by. I have to say, I am very pleased with all my purchases this year, and I have already worn each one at least once! 

Let The Magic Begin

After months of wistfully perusing the Hogwarts collection on the Black Milk website, I finally purchased the First Year Swimsuit in their Cyber Monday sale.

Festive Party Outfit

I'm sorry for my lack of posts lately, this is the first year that I have experienced real Christmas stress; between working, Christmas shopping, seeing friends who have returned from university, a couple of birthdays, making a thousand Christmas decorations and trying to organise a girls Christmas dinner, things have been a bit hectic this month.

I have taken multiple trips to town these past few weeks in order to try and find gifts for everyone, and every trip has ultimately ended with me lusting after various items that I'd quite like to add to my own Christmas list. This embellished dress from Topshop has caught my eye on a number of occasions; it's elegant and sparkly and perfect, and something that I would never wear because I don't go to the kind of parties that require an elegant, sparkly and perfect dress. Boo hoo. But a girl can dream, right? I put together this 'Festive Party Outfit' whilst wishing that maybe one day I'll have a chic event to go to, that requires a pair of Kurt Geiger heels or a Karen Millen clutch. If not, then I guess I'll have to buy it all anyway because really, who can resist all those sparkles?!

Cross Embellished Skater Dress - Topshop, £55 // MOTO Bleach Western Jacket - Topshop, £45 // Glacier - Kurt Geiger, £100 // Crystal Encrusted Box Clutch Bag - ASOS, £140 // Nail Varnish in 'Blizzard' - Models Own, £5 // Rouge Allure Velvet Lipstick in "La Somptueuse" - Chanel, £25.

KJ xo

How I Style: Bodycon Dresses

About a year ago this Lazy Oaf Batman dress was everywhere, thanks to Cheryl Cole being papped in it. I love graphic pieces, especially those depicting movie characters, and so I knew I needed it in my wardrobe. However, I definitely could not bring myself to spend £60 on it so I bought some kind of label-less rip-off from Amazon. (I'm pretty sure I'm breaking a million fashion blogging rules there by admitting to owning a rip-off, oops!)

The main reason I didn't want to drop 60 big ones on it is because I never wear body-con clothes. They're so restricting and cling to my belly, making me feel guilty for not looking like the size 4 model that was wearing them on the website. As I clicked the "confirm purchase" button, I knew deep in my heart that I would never wear it, but alas I bought it anyway. 

For a year it has sat in my wardrobe, moping about the fact that all its friend's get worn everyday of the week, leaving it feeling lonely and useless. A few days ago I pulled it out and decided that I was going to have to wear it one day, and so I searched through my closet to find things I could wear with it. I pulled out my go-to red velvet skater skirt, and navy chunky knit sweater and a light bulb went on in my brain; I could wear it as a top with the skirt, and as a skirt with the jumper! Ingenious, right?

So now I have two ways to wear this dress, and maybe I will finally be able to get the £10 I spent on it, worth out of it.

"All Shopping Eventually Leads To Shoe Shopping."

Excuse the Gossip Girl quote, I couldn't resist.

After recently purchasing a new pair of boots, I apparently decided that I was on some sort of shoe-shopping roll and found myself scouring the internet for a new pair of flats to add to my collection. Somehow that ended with me buying some 2" high, T-bar shoes from Topshop, after being lured in by the sweet scent of a student discount and free postage. One look at these and I knew they'd be mine, I'd figure out what I could actually wear them with later...

When they arrived, I instantly started trying them on with every item of clothing I own. To my surprise they actually go with quite a lot; oversized t-shirts, dresses, and my beloved skater skirts and dungarees. Now all I need is some frilly ankle socks to wear with them and I'll be good to go!