A Look at Rihanna

I don't know about you, but what with her having been hanging around the London underground recently in between jetsetting around the world on tour, Rihanna seems to be everywhere! And not just for her eccentric personality, exceptional talent, or dazzling good looks, but for her fascinating sense in fashion.  Now, granted, not everyone can pull of the things she walks out the door in (for some things, noone can) but some of her combinations are right on the money..:

You could never walk past this girl and not notice her! From double denim, to oversized leather, to rock tees, to edgy headwear, all finishing off neatly in a pair of designer sunglasses.  She just knows how to roll out of bed, throw something on, and pull it off. 

And how to own Rihanna's wardrobe? Well, none other than the girl's personal fave - Topshop.

1. Denim.



(Clockwise from top-left)

1. MOTO Oversized Denim Jacket £45; 2. Dirty Tint Tapered Jean £40; 3. MOTO Bleach High Waist Hotpants £28

From light to dark, baggy to tight, denim is our primary essential.

2. Black Coats

(Clockwise from top-left)

1. Tencil Jersey Panel Biker Jacket £45; 2. Black Leather Biker Jacket by Boutique £165; 3. Fitted Unlined Blazer £55; 4. Belted Batwing Jacket £65

 
From cropped to long, grungey to smart, Rihanna loves keeping warm in that extra layer of black.

And to top it all off?

(Clockwise from top-left)

1. Kite Classic Racerback by Illustrated People £35, Topshop; 2. Jimmy Choo April Leather Thigh Boots £895, Net-a-Porter; 3. Unique Cobra Collar £65, Topshop; 4. Large Cateye Sunglasses £16, Topshop; 5. Razzle Mesh Panel Boots £40, Topshop; 6. Baseball Cap £15, Topshop.

The grungey tee, the heels, the sunglasses, the statement bling, and of course...the leather boots.

There you have it, and baring the boots it can all be found in your local Topshop.  Shop like Rihanna and have heads turn as you pass. 

The Return of Made in Chelsea: A Reminder of the Importance of Leather

Well, I hope one and all rushed to their TV sets on Monday night for the big return of the one and only 'Made in Chelsea'.  If only for the fashion and glamour alone, I was there, 9.59, edge of my seat.  It inspired me afterwards to have a little browse of some of the girls' fashion decisions and choose my favourites. And, well, I have done just that:

Top: Millie Mackintosh, Bottom: Rosie Fortescue

This is based nothing on character preferences (because, have to say, biggest Binky fan all the way!) but on the fact that I quite simply love the way these two girls dress.  However on browsing, do you notice the similarities? Oh, that's right. A twinning between the two of them of leather, both trousers and shorts! And, here it is again..



An edgy yet classy leather dress - what a little number!  I am the biggest leather fan you come across for adding that grungy edge to any outfit.  So I decided, just for you, to do a little research into the best stuff on the market a.t.m. I looked everywhere, but..I came to the conclusion that it would be simpler to just purely show you the wide variety of options Warehouse has on offer:



Metallic Full Skirt £80; Turn Up Shorts £70; Full Skirt £80; Fringe Detail Full Dress £140

It's pricey and a bit of a splash out to buy any one of these items (in my student eyes, anyway) but I have to come clean and admit myself to being a bit of a real-leather snob.  PU = not an option.  It looks tacky and fake against the real thing which looks classy and expensive (rightly so, admittedly).  Therefore, I have chosen only the best of the best, the creme de la creme, if you will.  The full skirts, both plain black and metallic, are the ultimate take on the skater skirt.  The shorts add just that little something over a plain pair of black cotton ones when you're heading out.  And the dress may be a bit of a statement, but hey - only those who dare may win! Personally, I think it's gorgeous.

As we approach summer, this may seem a little inappropriate for a post, unsuitable, irrelevant..so I have, just for you, come up with a bit of leather for spring too!

(Clockwish from top-left)

Shoulder Detail Biker £160, Warehouse; Pleat Panel Dress £140, Warehouse; Fringe Panel Skirt £90, Warehouse; Pleated Mini Skirt £98, Oasis; Skater Dress £130, Oasis.



When thinking about taking the dive into the world of leather, just remember - it doesn't have to be black!  I branched out (ever so slightly) to include not just a little more of the Warehouse collection, but also what Oasis offers, even if only to include the beauty that is that pale blue skater skirt.  I'm in love.  It takes the ordinary pretty pastel floaty skirt of the moment and gives it that little something extra. 

As I've already pointed out, I am the lowliest of lowly students, so..how do I fulfil my leather cravings, I hear you ask? Well, I'll let you in on a little secret........ It's called ebay.  I ebay quite regularly for a variety of things, but leather, it must be said, is what it's best for.  People putting up old items they've never worn that are worth a fortune, well-made and, of course, the real thing.  Keep an eye - I recommend it.  Leather might make a little hole in the pocket, but trust me - it's worth every penny.



Also, you might be thinking about the lack of leather trousers I've put on offer despite including them (twice) in my MIC collage.. I searched on so many websites for any at all, and found very, very few.. It's a shame, because those girls look hot! So please do let me know if you know of anywhere! Sorry to let you down. Won't happen again. You have my word.

Sunshine, Lollipops and...Yellow!

The key colour this Spring/Summer time is indeed, the bright and beautiful, Yellow.  Now I have to say I have actually always been a fan, but it must be said: it is a hell of a colour to wear and a tricky one to pull off. So I decided to try and work it out, pick a few pieces to try out and do some research on how the celebs have been wearing it..

Clockwise from top-left: Taylor Swift, Kylie Minogue, Fearne Cotton, Leighton Meester, Kirsten Dunst, Blake Lively

It doesn't have to be brights and daring all over (ie. Kirsten Dunst..not too much of a fan of the trousers, plain black would still have looked good but..good on her for going for it I suppose..)  Just a little pop of it with some navy like Blake or Taylor, or grunging it down with some black a la Fearne.  Kylie takes it summery pairing it with white and pastelly lilac, whereas Leighton goes all out in matching yellow.  However you want to play it, it's up to you, but it's a dare worth making. Thought I'd share a few of my faves..:

(Clockwise from top-left)

1. Buttercup Dress £25, Dorothy Perkins; 2. Dress £24.99, H&M; 3. Lace Dress £58, Warehouse; 4. Lace Skater Skirt £16, River Island; 5. Natia Box Pleat Skirt £14.99, Missguided. 

A wide selections of lemons and fluorescents, printed and plain, pleated and lace - please, ladies, take your pick.
1. A pretty floral number
2. A classy shirt-dress (double on trend!)
3. Hate to mention it two posts in a row, but...
4. More lace, more flattering shapes, in a subtle light yellow
5. A brighter version in sunshine yellow

Satisfied? Pfft, not even half! Round 2:

(Clockwise from top-left)

1. Draped Blazer £25, New Look; 2. 3D Flower Embellished Tank Top £25, River Island; 3. Embellished Tank Top £40, River Island; 4. Spray Floral Skirt £38, Warehouse; 5. Chiffon Pleated Midi Skirt £20, New Look; 6. Trousers £14.99, H&M; 7. Lemon Cropped Denim Jacket £19.99, New Look

1. A smart blazer in a nice light-yet-bright shade
2. Love this. Stop-traffic colour with 3D flowers taken straight from the catwalk (apologies for the little River Island marks on the corner...)
3. Am a fan of these translucent beaded vest tops, and in yellow too! What's not to love
4. Very elegant in more of a mustard but with a girly floral print
5. Now this is a bargain! £20 for a pleated midi chiffon skirt? On that. In several colours.
6. A lovely pair of stylish chinos, again - various shades all for just £14.99
7. A more edgy way to wear the trend, perhaps, but with a sugary sweet finish.

Got your wardrobe sorted? But what about your feet! Don't worry, Topshop has it sussed:

1. STARE2 Platform Pointed Courts £50; 2. KITCH Patent Lace up Shoes £60; 3. TOWER Chunky Lace up Trainers £22

Whether it's a cheeky pair of heels you're after, a stylish pair of brogues, or a comfy day pair of trainers, you can still get the yellow trend in there somewhere.  Definitely the little accessory here n there is the way to approach it if you're not quite ready to go all out in that matching bright combo Blair Waldorf-style. Remember - confidence is beauty. Fidgeting and mirror-gazing is not sexy and you will never be able to pull this off. 

No problem, you'll get there, one baby step at a time.

Back with a Vengeance: Lace.

It's been a while since I last wrote on here, you know the story - went to university, had no time for such things..but it's ok, I've come to my senses now, and I'm back with a vengeance and the new season's trends! Despite the fact we're all due snow here tomorrow, I've been recklessly spending to prepare my new spring wardrobe. On the agenda? Number 1, Lace.  Don't know if you've noticed, but the shops are going nuts for it!  Been all over the catwalk and now it's all up our high street, and so, a gift from me to you to celebrate my return, I've picked out all my favourite budget buys:

1. Crochet Midi Skirt £45, Asos; 2. Guipure Lace Mini £40, Zara; 3. Crochet Pencil Skirt £40, Asos; 4. Lace Jacket £45, Mango.  

First, the white. A very simple, yet gorgeously elegant addition to any outfit.
(From left to right)
1. A midi option, conservative but still cute and classy for the sun
2. The next two are the straighter versions, this beautiful number also coming in a beautiful lemon colour but..if you ask me, lemon yellow's a lot harder to work with than white.. Afraid I'm not daring enough with my money for it! But either way, it's a lovely skirt.
3. The ulitmate piece for work. A pencil skirt compulsory? No problem, but with a girly twist.
4. And a jacket to go with it all! Biker-style for a little edge, but essentially a pretty jacket to throw over the top.

1. Lace Dress in Floral Print £30, Asos; 2. Broderie Dress £55, Oasis; 3. Lace Skater Skirt £42, Oasis; 4. Lace Dress £58, Warehouse.

And for the colour! Now we're talking..
(Again, from left to right)
1.  Quite a cute little floral-style piece in orange and lace with a skater skirt - always a flattering shape!
2. A very sweet little floaty skirted royal blue (soft spot for this deep colour)
3. Do quite love this one. Bright coral to be paired with a white tshirt perhaps, but (again) skater skirt = flattering shape.
4. Favourite of them all. Quite a smart piece, but simply gorgeous. Breaks budget a little more but such a lovely shade of lemon and elegant lace.. Totally worth every penny. Next on my list. (Apologies for the poor-quality picture.. Apparently it was just too good to even put on a model)

So there you have it. My collection of lace pieces for the spring. Snow? What snow? I'm in my pretty laces regardless! Join me all, please.

ps. Sorry for the pictures being quite small.. I'm still learning. I'll suss it out soon enough I promise.