Aside from some scrapbooking bits, this velvet jumpsuit from Topshop was about my only January sale purchase. Reduced to £20 from £42 and a combination of everything I love - the colour black, velvet, gold glitter and thing straps - it's also my favourite item that I've purchased in recent months. I'm not sure if these photos really do it justice, but the contrast of the gold glitter line design which mainly forms flowers and leaves, against the richly black velvet is just heaven on the eyes. I have an upcoming weekend away with my uni girls during which I'm planning on debuting this jazzy jumpsuit - I am so excited to wear it! I have no clue what shoes to pair with it yet, or what accessories, but who doesn't like last minute panic packing in preparation of a girls night out?! (Me.)
Let me know how you'd style this,
Jade x
As a child born in the 90s, I cannot overstate just how much I love that the 90s fashion trend has made such a big comeback. Especially that I'm now at an age where I can properly enjoy and, more importantly, appreciate it in all its velvety, scrunchie-based glory.
If it's not clear, I really like velvet. In all colours. On any day of the week. So it's really no surprise many of my upcoming outfits for the Christmas season are centred around this little fashion crush of mine. Feeling the same way? Well here are a few of my favourite finds for all things velvet:
As for me, I have a few parties and Christmassy events coming up over the next two weeks and I'm planning on maximal velvet exposure. But if you only want to dip your toe into the velvety pond, then a half up, half down hair style finished with a velvet scrunchie is an easy way to ease yourself in. Alternatively, opt for some velvet flats; these vary in colour and design across all major high street shops (and some, like the ones above, are currently in the sale too!)
If you're bold and want your velvet emblazoned across your body for the whole world to see, try some crushed velvet leggings. I myself bought a pair from H&M about a few months ago but if you're really feeling adventurous, squeeze yourself into this eye-popping pair of blue velvet leggings from Boohoo. Go on, I dare you. If there was ever a time to live by a quote from one of my favourite ever Gossip Girl episodes, it's now. 'You go, baby vamp!' - the perfect seasonal sentiment!
Jade x
Oh, Grad Ball. It was both exactly what I envisioned and equally nothing like I imagined. One thing that was how I thought it would be, was the tightness of my dress. Believe me, it was tight. But let me back up a little..
So this was the dress I opted to wear, a beautiful blue number bought via Asos from Motel Rocks. I knew I wanted sequins, I knew I wanted long sleeves and I knew I couldn't afford the £54 it originally was. So I waited, and waited, for it to hop into the sale. Which it did. Yay! But alas I waited perhaps a day too long and though I did get it for a bargainous £27, I probably (read: definitely) could have done with the size up! But the die had been cast. I wanted to wear this dress and I wanted to be able to breathe in it. So I gave myself a little helping hand. I'm trying to change my lifestyle at the moment anyway, but having a target like this was great motivation. I started running more regularly, eating a bit healthier and I even purchased the most unflattering control underwear I have ever seen. All in the name of fashion. But it paid off and I'm keeping the running up too, so win-win!
These photos do not quite do the dress justice. In different lights it looked slightly more green, in others a nice, deep blue. In my head it was always blue though, which is why I chose to tailor all my make up to blue hues. I wanted natural looking make up - no lipstick, no blusher - with the exception of one standout application. The dress was so busy that I wanted my make up to be a complementary afterthought, so I opted for just a few dabs of glitter underneath each eye. I only decided to do that two days before my grad ball, after reading Company Magazine! I will recreate my eye make up in a step-by-step post, in case any one is interested in trying something similar themselves.
Jade x
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So it's been a busy two weeks. By my standards anyway (and not just because I'm trying to watch as much of the Commonwealth Games as I physically can. Sports fan? Me? Never..)
No, the real reason I haven't blogged recently is because I travelled back up to my university for the final time to attend my graduation ceremony and my union's Grad Ball, which this year took on the theme of The Great Gatsby. It was a wonderful four days and a great way to close the door on this part of my life. I can't lie and say I enjoyed every part of university because I didn't; it was a hard time for me and though I am proud of myself for getting through it (and getting the certificate to prove it!) I do wonder if I really made the right decision in attending in the first place. But there is no point in trying to change the past, so I might as well concentrate on the future now. I'm trying hard to reinvent my lifestyle at the moment, with healthier eating, more exercise and more positivity (but that's for a whole other blog post!)
Now I am more comfortable in casual clothes. I like jeans and jumpers, shorts and baggy tees, hotpants and vest tops. Dresses? Well, they're a little out my comfort zone. So you can imagine how hard I found these two formal events! For my graduation, I opted for a dress I bought way back in January and had wimped out of wearing for a friend's birthday for fear of SPP. (That's Sweat Patch Potential, fyi).
Anything cotton-based is a prime SPP contender but given that my university colour is purple, it seemed the most appropriate dress to wear. And it is a lovely dress, it fits well and there's a lovely little teardrop cut out at the nape of the neck. I needed the cut outs on the side of the dress because boy, is it hot underneath a graduation gown. I'm talking sweltering heat, which of course heightened my SPP fear! Not to mention how anxious I was walking across the stage in wedges. But thankfully, no falling occurred from anyone in the ceremony (but more than a few sweaty, shiny faces!)
It was all a little bit formal for me, but it was a nice way to end university. It's funny how proud you can feel from receiving what is essentially a piece of paper! Next post: The Great Grad Ball (aka, how I felt like a mermaid in a very blue, very sequined, very tight dress!)
Jade x
I went to watch Maleficent a little while ago and I've been a bit obsessed with the soundtrack ever since. While most people tend to liken themselves to Disney princesses, I am weirdly proud to say I share more similarities with Maleficent! It's a running joke with my friends that I prefer puppies to children so Jolie's indifference towards the young Aurora definitely fed into that! The film got me thinking about my other favourite villains and since it's been ages since I drew or painted anything, I decided to embrace my inner villainy with some watercolour paintings. Then it struck me - I could take this one step further and create an OOTD and NOTD to match! First up is my polar opposite, the devilish dog-hating Cruella De Vil!
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White shirt - Primark
Leather look leggings - Dorothy Perkins
Dalmatian Print Creepers - Fashion Union |
Whilst I admire her commitment to monochrome, I'd never ever wear fur so I went for a slightly more modern take on the De Vil classic! I bought these Dalmatian Creepers probably over a year ago now but I've hardly worn them; I've been too scared to get the Dalmatian print dirty! I love them though, creepers are perfect for adding a subtle bit of height but are still comfortable and casual. My leather look leggings are probably one of my staple items, so easy to style and great with all types of top, from smart shirts to baggy tees!
For my nails I used Barry M's Matt White for the base and then Maybelline's Onyx for the paw print and the Dalmatian print spots. I had a bit of help from a wooden skewer to write the 'woof' but overall, I'm pretty proud of this nail art attempt!
In Part 2, I take on the Evil Queen from Snow White. Deliciously devilish!
Jade x
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Playsuit - Asos
Nails - Barry M
Socks - Primark
Shoes - New Look |
I have a somewhat troubled past with playsuits (in the sense that the last time I worn one - a strapless denim thing - I was innocently bopping along to a Nero performance at our students union when to my horror, said playsuit fell down BRINGING MY BRA DOWN WITH IT. Cue insurmountable levels of horror and embarrassment.) Unsurprisingly I've resisted buying playsuits since then, that altogether rather mortifying memory brandishing all playsuits as the work of the devil. That was until I came across this little number on Asos. I know what you're thinking: it has untie-able straps Jade, who's to say you won't accidentally bare your chest again? (God forbid). I'll admit, the thought did cross my mind but the loose fit, the floral-but-not-too-feminine pattern and the versatility all outweighed the fear. I love how flattering it is despite not being fitted. I'm quite self conscious about my legs but the dress-like hem gives the illusion that my thighs are far more toned than they actually are! The only pitfall is that I bought a size 8 to fit my chest and waist but in terms of length I probably should have gone for the 10. It's not so short that it's indecent but my personal preference is to have just a tad more material covering the old quads. (Oh and I went for the sock combo and I actually think it kind of worked! Props to J Law for the inspiration.)
The event I wore this for was my last Summer Ball as part of the Dance Club at my university. It was such a lovely (and slightly emotional) way to round off my time at uni, as dance has definitely been a big part of it. I'm pretty sure there have been weeks where I've spent far more time rehearsing than reading for my course! To top it off, I was lucky enough to win an award for the Best Dancer in my ballet class although I think everyone in the class was just as, if not more deserving of it. I've blogged a lot about my love for ballet before though so it was a special moment for me and it really will be treasured. And even better, my opinion of playsuits has definitely improved! I'm so glad I opted for this and not a dress, with no SPP, no flashing unwanted flesh and so easy to dress up and down this was definitely a winner! A perfect outfit for what was a pretty perfect night.
Jade x
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Dungarees - Boohoo
Top - Primark (Menswear)
Necklace - New Look |
There's something about wearing dungarees that makes me feel incredibly young again. I bought this pair from Boohoo about 4 years ago and like to kid myself that they still fit. (They really don't.) I don't usually wear denim this light but I actually like how versatile this shade is - it works just as well with a black top underneath as it does with a white one. I am after some darker denim dungarees however (not to mention ones that don't feel as small!) I tried (and very obviously failed) to roll my sleeves here which is ironic really because I used to ridicule my brother for doing this about a year ago and now it's all the rage!
I also love wearing this necklace, I'm on a real geometric jewellery obsession at the moment. I've been browsing online for triangular shaped earrings and even purchased some geometrically shape temporary tattoos which I'll be featuring in another post! This necklace is great because it's not too chunky or too long so can be worn easily during the day. It's like a statement necklace with a hint of subtlety. Just my cup of tea.
Jade x
It's official: I am in love with my Urban Outfitters skeleton print leggings. I'm loving muted outfits in general at the moment - anything grey, blue or washed out in particular. Probably in part as a reflection of the chilly weather in the Midlands!
Jade x
Here's my problem: I love looking at other blogger's OOTD posts but I always feel like a massive plank doing my own. I'm much more of a behind-the-camera than in front of the camera kinda girl but I'm working (or should I say werking hehehe) on trying to build my confidence up bit by bit. Step one is doing more outfit posts because at the end of the day, it's about the fashion, not the face (thank goodness!)
So back to the OOTD, I've finally accepted that England's summer is probably over. The sun was lovely while it lasted - and it lasted a lot longer than usual! - but I am kind of excited to get back into my black boots, my knee high socks and my woolly jumpers. I'm not ready to go full out for fall yet though, so I'm trying to bridge the gap between summer and autumn with a mix of lightweight shorts, sturdy shoes and my ever faithful Urban Outfitters jumper. I'm pretty sure it's been featured in my blog more than any other item! I really wanted to do this OOTD outside but by the time I'd done everything else I had planned for today, the heavens had opened and it was absolutely chucking it down! Autumn has definitely arrived!
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Jumper - Urban Outfitters
Shorts - Topshop
Necklace - New Look
Socks - Urban Outfitters
Shoes - Timberland (over 7 years ago now!) |
None of these items, the necklace excluded, are relatively new: the jumper is getting on for two/three years old now but it's probably one of my favourite pieces of clothing I own. I love recycling and rehashing old items into new outfits and this OOTD is certainly a mish-mash of several generations of clothing! The collar is actually thanks to a £4 shirt I bought from Asda purely for work-related reasons, but I find this jumper tends to work better with a collar underneath it. I love how the bright white contrasts against the pretty neutral necklace and jumper combo (though I wasn't sure at first that my work shirt would actually work! Would have a been a bit ironic if it hadn't!)
So there is my first fall outfit of 2013. Summer, was nice knowing you!
Jade :)
Last Thursday was my university's annual dance ball and in typical dance girl behaviour, everyone got fully dressed up. With one exception (no guesses who!)
That's kind of half a lie. I did get dressed up, I just didn't wear a dress. Pretty good compromise I thought. I wore my faithful golden sequin shorts, my favourite long-sleeved blouse and a blazer (which, three hours later, I would sweatily regret.)
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Blazer - Primark
Blouse - Republic
Shorts - River Island |
I love, love, love my blazer. It has 3/4 sleeves which is perfect for me as I always roll long sleeves up and the colour is, whilst a bit more girly than I usually dress, brilliant for summer. Having said all this, it is NOT good for getting a little bit tipsy and dancing like Beyonce. And to make matters even worse, Binky from Made In Chelsea came to the club we were all at and I had a photo with her looking horrendously sweaty!
Nevertheless the night was probably one of my favourite nights out this year at uni - everyone was on top form and to put the cherry on top, I was lucky enough to win three awards during the presentation at the ball! I've been feeling a bit disillusioned with my degree and with life in general recently so winning those really did cheer me up - I feel like a very lucky girl!
So even though I did feel a bit out of place being the only one not wearing a dress, the dance ball was - as it always is - a top night and I am so glad dance is such a big part of my university life. Especially since I'm currently in midst of a ton of coursework deadlines and exam prep - right now anything is a welcome distraction and dance is definitely top of that list!
Good luck to anyone else with deadlines and exams coming up - not long till summer now!
Jade :)
I'm a little bit in love with my new found combo.
The fact that it's been warm enough to forgo my leather jacket this week means that my denim jacket has been in high demand. It is a little on the large side so I tend to roll the sleeves up in the hope of preventing myself from looking like a big blob of blue.
My favourite part of today's outfit though is my white halterneck 'disorder' top from Urban Outfitters. I can't even remember how many years ago I bought it now but it's one of those items that seems to always get lost in amongst my other tops and tshirts but every time I re-find it, I remember how much I like it.
I love tying anything I can get my hands on around my head, especially on days where my hair just won't behave: bandannas, old necklaces, bits of ribbon - anything goes. Which is good, because my hair is a mare a
lot of the time.
But I can deal with my hair as long as this sun keeps on shining - everything seems so much better with a little bit of sun!
Jade :)
It's the first day of lectures for our second semester and I'm am - hold the front page - genuinely looking forward to getting back into a proper routine. I'm lucky because I only have one lecture on a Monday and top it off, the sun's finally shining. (I am actually happier about this than this post perhaps suggests)
It's still a bit chilly though (hence the jumper) and I also have dance rehearsals straight after my lecture so in an attempt to save time, I tried to wear something suitable for both activities.
I got the jumper a couple of years ago from Jack & Jones and I love it. It's a bit short to wear with leggings though and I don't really like pairing it with most of my jeans because I look just a little too blue.
Like the jumper, I bought this nail varnish a couple of years ago and though I usually only wear it sparingly in the summer, I got bored of all the reds and blues I've been wearing on my nails and fancied something a little bit brighter (and this certainly ticks that box).
Aptly named 'Yellow', this Barry M nail varnish is one I only break out occasionally: yellow is a difficult colour for me to work with but I do love a challenge..
Hello all :)
So today, I was planning on doing a quick OOTD as I haven't done one in a while and then the funniest thing happened. I got half way through writing this post before I had to leave for my lectures, then on the way there the Style Team from our university magazine stopped to ask if they could photograph my outfit! I'm sure I did a terribly awkward pose (I haven't seen the photo yet!) but it felt nice to know people were noticing what I was wearing.
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| This is the little cut out they gave me with their info (and yes, I'm keeping it as a memento!) |
To be honest, I have really been trying to look half decent for my lectures this year and so far, so good. I've been living in jumpers and jeans almost all the time and today is no different. I like to wear something comfy for lectures but not so comfy that I fall asleep!
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| Blouse - Topshop | Jumper - Urban Outfitters | Necklace - Primark |
This jumper is one of my favourite purchases from Urban Outfitters - I think I bought it two years ago for £20 and it's such an easy item to style. I almost always wear it with a collared shirt or blouse but because the jumper has 3/4 length sleeves, some shirts are easier to wear underneath it than others. For example, the one I'm wearing today is almost like a vest, so was perfect for this jumper.
I very nearly wore my new favourite pair of socks with this outfit but after seeing the sun come out, I decided to opt for plimsolls instead so the socks were a no-go. But have a photo of them anyway, just because I love them.
I think the idea of having Style Spotters on campus is really good and I love that more and more people are opening up about being interested in fashion. It's amazing that we can see what people are doing fashion-wise all over the world with the help of the internet and blogs but it's just as nice to share ideas on your home turf too!
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| Jumper: Primark £10 |
Blue Tuesday is the name of this post in relation to the colour of today's outfit rather than a reflection of my mood! In fact I'm actually pretty happy today, even though I have realised I am already behind on my reading for university - ooops! I love what the internet has deemed 'Sweater Weather' and I've already bought a couple of jumpers ready to wrap myself up in.
The jumper photographed here was a cheeky little find from Primark. When it gets bitterly cold (which I know in England it will do!) I will definitely be using this for layering - I'll probably put a collared shirt on underneath, with a leather jacket over the top if I'm heading out. I immediately loved the colour of this jumper because I wear blue quite a lot and the pockets are so cute too. If money was no object, I'd be buying jumper upon jumper right now but I'm picking and choosing my sweater splurges as university is imminent and Christmas isn't that far away either!
So are any of you ready for sweater weather?
If you ever get the chance to go to an adult playground night out - do it! On Thursday night, I went out with a few friends to a club which was essentially appealing to the big kid in everyone - they had a bouncy castle, a bouncy bungee cord game and on the website, there was supposed to be a ball pit too, but sadly we didn't find it. It was still such a good night but I woke up Friday morning with the sorest neck ever. I've managed to pull the muscles in my neck from playing on the bungee cord and I can hardly lift or move my head - woops! Still worth it though.
So I was really in my element on Thursday - I got to wear shorts and flats on a night out which is always good news plus my baby face and refusal to grow up meant I spent a lot of time in the playground as well as on the dance floor!
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Shorts - New Look
Bandeau - New Look
Glittery vest top - Urban Outfitters |
I finally got to wear my pink denim shorts which was fun but they became almost luminescent in the club (and the pictures) which I found pretty funny. The vest top is quite big so the bandeau was perfect underneath and I figured with the shorts being so pink, I might as well go all out with the colour scheme. I even had pink lipstick to boot!
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| The outfit on |
I also wore my Luscious Lashes on Thursday but sadly the photos I took before I went out haven't come up that well so at the moment I can't show what they look like (but FYI they were really good to wear. They stayed on the whole night which I thought was impressive given the amount of bouncing I was doing! They were also quite easy to apply and looked long enough to give the impression of false eyelashes without looking too over the top.)
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| The pink lippy and my new false eyelashes |
So with this on Thursday and the Olympic Ceremony yesterday, it's been a pretty good end of the week for me but I'm definitely resting my neck for the next couple of days!
Anyone been to a similar themed night out before? Or have any advice on how to soothe my neck haha!
