This week’s outfits – 25/05/2012

What a glorious day to finish off the week! I am just so happy it is warmer and the sun is out!

I started the week still trying to transition into my spring wardrobe, wearing tights and mixing some lighter pieces with black. I really love the print on Monday’s skirt, it has that watercolour/old china plate feel to it!

Thinking I was over neon was a big mistake, as Tuesday’s skirt proves (ok, it is not the neon lime high waist shorts and crop top combo I wore in the 90’s, but still). I am really into blouses, and this bow print one is a new acquisition!

And then there was Wednesday, when I officially broke my annual “psychological tights barrier” and put the legs out. I absolutely love this cream lace top dress; it is so feminine!

I am finding H&M is full of goodies for amazing prices lately; thumbs up for the collection. Thursday’s outfit is entirely from there, and comes to under a £10, yeah, you heard me, under a tenner!!!

To close the week, I wore a pretty Venice print dress, from last summer ( I have been in love with this dress since I bought it!) and decided to try something different with my hair: knotted plaits at the back.

So, enough talking, here are the goods:

Monday

Black top (H&M), blue flower print skirt (H&M), black patent court shoes (River Island), tiger ring (H&M), believe ring (Disney Couture), spike bracelet (New Look), MAC lipstick in Captive.

Tuesday

Bow print blouse (Primark), neon pink skirt (H&M), resin ring (Sobral), Nyx lipstick in Chloe.

Wednesday

Cream lace top dress (Primark), prince frog ring (New Look), taupe gold toe cap court shoes (Viviana), Nyx lipstick in Peach Bellini.

Thursday

Print sleeveless top (H&M), teal skirt (H&M), mint green silver toe cap shoes (Topshop), tiger ring (H&M), teardrops earrings (New Look), Nyx lipstick in Peach Bellini.

Friday

Venice print dress (New Look), nude peep-toe sling back shoes (Topshop), flower ring (a shop in Brazil), round rings (H&M), bracelets (a mix from H&M, New Look and Primark), MAC lipstick in Captive.

Have a lovely, fashionable weekend!

Outfits of the week 18/05/2012

I did very well – another week has finished, and five new work outfits have been documented…

I started the week quite into my monochromes plus red! Black, white and red – love this combination, at any time; it just makes me feel good, it might just be the red shoes!

The blouse I wore on Tuesday was bought so long ago and never worn – decided to give it a chance and really loved it!

Mid-week I decided  to step up (as much as I could) into the spring mood, so I threw in some pastels and plenty of flowers.

The feather blouse is one of my favourites, it was bought in the early autumn 2011, but it is so pretty and wearable I can’t get enough of it!

Another attempt to break into my spring wardrobe to close the work week: this pencil lace skirt is gorgeous, fits so well and it is from H&M Conscious Collection.

Monday

Striped sleeveless shirt (Primark), mini-skirt (H&M), zebra ring (New Look) and red patent court shoes (New Look)

Tuesday

Black ruffle blouse (Primark), black pencil skirt (H&M),  tiger ring (New Look), red patent shoes (New Look). Lancome lipstick Hot Stuff.

Wednesday

Black turtle neck top (New Look), nude lace culottes (Primark) , layered necklace (Accessorize), pink-ish butterfly ring (New Look), black patent courts (River Island).

Thursday

Feather pussybow blouse (Primark), black mini-skirt (H&M), frog ring (New Look), gold leaf earrings (shop in Paris), taupe and gold toe cap shoes (Viviana). MAC lipstick in Odyssey.

Friday

Black top (H&M), nude lace skirt (H&M), nude court shoes (M&S), nude hexagonal ring (New Look), black and gold ring (Sobral).

Outfits of the week – 11/05/2012

This week I did something I’ve meaning to do for a long time:: photograph details my daily outfits and post them once a week. I managed to do three this week. Here they are:

Dalmatian top (Primark), black shorts (H&M), taupe gold toe cap stilettos (Viviana), white cardigan (Primark), black resin ring with gold flakes (Sobral).

Vegetable print dress (Primark), black patent courts (River Island), black cardigan (H&M), crystal apple ring (New Look).

Mint green top (H&M), black trousers (Zara), boucle crop jacket (Topshop), mint green silver toe cap shoes (Topshop),  crystal leopard ring (H&M) and “believe” ring (Disney Couture).

So what do you think? I am sure that, just like me, you cannot wait to break into your spring wardrobe…I have bought so many lovely items, and still haven’t had the chance to wear them… Today is a bit brighter, so I decided to add a bit of pastel, as seen above!

Come on weather! London is beautiful with a blue sky!

Where is spring? I have all these clothes…

Like most people living in the UK, I am eagerly awaiting for the weather to improve.

As a self-confessed mild (!!!) shopaholic, I have already built a base of lovely spring items for my wardrobe. The problem is, this weather is preventing me from realising my full new season potential.

Still, after a few pre-holidays purchases, I came back hungry for new items, and ended up buying a few.

Since the SS12 shows, I was dying to buy a vegetable print dress… I wanted aubergines, but D&G is a bit above my budget, so I found solace in a lovely tomato print skater dress from New Look. Topshop also had a dress with the very same print, which I bought and returned as I found the NL one nicer!!!

I also got some pastels from H&M: a nude lace pencil skirt, a mint green and a nude top and shorts; most are from their Conscious collection, which makes them extra nice, and I am sure (weather permitting) I will wear a lot!!!!

Amongst the purchases are also a couple crop tops from New Look, one with ethnic inspired print, to wear with pencil or long skirts.

However, the star buy here, for me, were the spike bracelets, also from New Look; at £3.99, I couldn’t help but purchase the silver and the gold!!!!

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Nails of the week – multicoloured French manicure

Well, I have spring on my mind so this week I decided to go all out. YES, all out.

Not only I painted one nail a different colour but I also added French manicure on them, in contrasting colours.

And you know what? I really like it. It is a bit different, it is a bit out there, and a bit brave. I wasn’t sure to start with, but they grew on me and managed to stay for a whole week.

To achieve the look, I painted each nail using a H&M nail polish kit; for a mere £2.99 you get four summer proof shades – bright pink, yellow, mint green and purple. As I have five fingers (!) I added a pastel blue, the gorgeous Nails Inc in Oxford Street.

I mentioned the Nails Inc one before, so if you want to know more about it, check here. I was very surprised with the H&M ones – quality was good and 2 coats gave a great coverage, even for the lighter shade, the mint green – I encountered bad quality creamy coloured polish that offers an awful coverage, full of streaks, so this was a very pleasant surprise.

I then waited two hours and applied French manicure stickers which I bought from eBay, but had never used before. I applied a contrasting colour in the same order a applied them on my nails – and voilá!

Durability was ok. French is not the most durable type of manicure, as the attention – and all the rubbing – is at the tip. However, it lasted well for five days. On the sixth day, I re-touched the tips… and it was actually passable, until my next manicure.

I am very pleased I took the plunge and ventured into something different!

Rating:

Spring mood

The fact that sun has been out (although temperatures are not that high) has put me into a spring mood.

I have hit the shops hard and bought lots of lovely pastels…Got lovely cream shorts and jacket, flowery shorts, a mint green lace  top and a cream lace top, all from H&M. From the spring/summer12 trends, the ones I am into the most are definitely girlie, with the lovely pastels and monochromes – to be honest, I have been a big fan of black and white for a long time! I am also loving shorts at the moment!

These are a few of the items I have bought recently…What about you? What is your favourite spring trend?

p.s – I have been really rubbish lately, have 2 lovely Nails of the week posts to add, and time has been so short… will post them when I get to Brazil, as I have 2 weeks of holidays!

Nails of the week – blue/pink duochrome

This week I am a bit rushed off my feet – my office moved to  a brand new building and I am still a bit lost and until I get used to it, I think I will have this feeling of putting some extra effort into going to work – although, that can be easily explained by the fact I have probably paid a record number of visits to various high street shops in one day; office is near Oxford Street, in London, and the temptation is just too much!

I am  also going to Paris for a long weekend (yay), so that has also contributed to my lack of time…

However, I finally found a few minutes to show you my talons: this week I am wearing Andrea Fulerton’s Smile in a storm. Having used two or her duos in the past, and being very excited about those, I almost forgot I had this one; I bought it ages ago, so decided it was time to try it.

It consists of two polishes on a double ended brush; one is gunmetal grey, super sparkly and the other one is an iridescent topcoat. Together, they become a very pretty, although subtle, duochrome which varies from a light, grey-ish blue to darker blue and then to lilac and pink. Sometimes, depending on the light, you can get a glimpse of the grey, but maybe because I just used one coat of each. The reason for that is because the polish builds up quite thick. I had some problems with bubbles, when adding a third coat (second of topcoat), so removed it all and applied again, this time settling for less.

Apart from the bubbles, and the fact that the double ended brush makes it a bit clunky when applying, I am happy with it. Even with an extra shine topcoat, I noticed the finish is not too shiny, and someone even asked me if I had my matte topcoat on! Colour is fab and durability great!

Really like my new H&M ring, so decided to add it here too!

Rating:

Aldo Rise shoe collection

A JW Anderson, my favourite so far

The designer/high street collaboration is something that excites me in concept: designer goods at affordable prices, blah blah blah. However, from all the amazing H&M collaborations, I only managed to get hold of a pair of Jimmy Choos (and from eBay). It’s so maniac that no matter how much I love an item, I just don’t have the disposition to queue the whole night to get my hands on it.

Yesterday I came across the Aldo Rise line with its motto “Fashion is no longer a commandment, it’s a collaboration”, and was very impressed by the designers taking part. Of course this would grab my attention immediately, as they are shoes, but seeing names like JW Anderson, Preen, Mark Fast, Christian Cota, Cushnie et Ochs and Libertine really excites me, not only for the designs themselves but also for the prices of around £135. You can see some at this Vogue picture gallery.

Now, I absolutely loved Cushnie et Ochs Spring/Summer 2012 collection, it was among my picks at NY Fashion week, and I am very much looking forward to seeing the shoes they will come up with for Aldo!

My pre-A/W 11-12 wishlist

midi River Island skirt

To midi or not to midi? Regardless of length, the colours are spot on!

As the shops tease poor souls like myself with brand new shop windows in anticipation to the new season, I have been making a wish list of items I think will be key in my wardrobe for the Autumn.

I have quickly warmed to the colours I have seen around and I am looking out for mustard, navy, cobalt and petrol blues, grey, rich golden beige, tan, burgundy, and jewel tones. Very pleased that colours will seep into the new season, and I look forward to explore palettes I haven’t before (like navy blue, weirdly). It also makes a great change from the usual mostly dark wear for the colder months.

From the wish list below, I have already bought a few but most are yet to be purchased, I am keeping an eye out for them – watch this space!

1. Midi length skirts – still not sure how I will fare on one, as I am quite short and the midi has always been a no-no (as far as my mirror tells me), but it really looks like midi will be the only length for the coming season, I may have to embrace.  Almost bought this cutie one from River Island, fell in love with the pattern, but sadly, after all the garments on my size were defective, I’ve gone off it a bit.  I am officially on midi skirts watch.

Primark mustard lace dress

Bargain!

2. A navy blue blazer – I am a big blazer fan (even though in the office they always ask me why I look so smart), and I have put an order in for a lovely one from H&M (have to say, their A/W collections is very nice!)

3. A checked jacket – it’s cute, exhales some countryside Englishness and can have a mix of all the colours I am into at the moment. H&M, once again, has a cute one for a unmissable £19.99!

4. A tailored coat  that has feminine details –  this one from H&M is pretty much what I want, as design goes, but doesn’t really seem that warm. I suppose I have to touch it, try it on and see, so I placed an order (not due until mid August).

5. Dresses – a mustard lace one, bought for a steal in Primark (£17), a burgundy, a cobalt blue and a purple-ish, still to be found!

6. Tan loafer heels – I bought some cheap ones from New Look, 10cm chunky heels, very Maggie Thatcher! Turned out to be a good fit, sizing is spot on and they are quite comfortable, as they are very square, so no squashed toes!

7. Flat tan leather boots – for the daily grind. Have my eyes on one from very.co.uk, the Love Label Dustin riding boots, a true staple. At the moment, site says it ships in five weeks, so might wait a bit to order.

8. Statement earrings – yes, they are back. I remember when I was about 16 and these massive, heavy American Indian heads, dangling with all sorts – metal feathers, beads, the kitchen sink, you name it – were all the rage. I love big earrings.

9. Statement rings – in the new season colours – don’t think I need to elaborate on this one, this post says it all.

10. A choker – I haven’t been big on necklaces lately, but want to jump on the choker bandwagon, my mum has always been a big fan. Not sure if I want a very flamboyant or a more demure one. Might love it so much and end up buying several.

Topshop Glam suede shoes in green

11. Emerald green heels – tried to bag a super bargain from Zara, but that proved to be a fiasco. Instead, went for the highly affordable Topshop Glam court shoes, in green suede, for £46.

12. Mustard and navy blue tights – tights tights tights, I really love tights. I remember when I arrived in England, I felt so cold, but so cold that I couldn’t even bear the thought of wearing tights in the winter (I used to wear four layers: 2 tights, leggings and jeans, 2 socks!). Nine years on, I don’t think I’ve worn trousers for the past two winters!

As we say goodbye to short sleeves and bare legs, I am sure more tendencies will catch my eye – I will be posting them avidly – but I think these are certainly a great flavour of what is yet to come, and will help me step into the new season in style!

Nails of the week (25/07/2011)

nails of the weekThis week I have reverted back to a nail polish I was obsessed with a couple months ago, I wore it for at least 3 weeks in a row! It is close enough to coral, slightly more orange, like a very ripe peach.

Aptly called Juicy Peach, this shade is from H&M and it comes in a tiny bottle, it was the very first time I used up a bottle of nail polish in my life – and I liked it so much, a replacement has been bought already!

For £0.99, it is a steal, the consistency is good to apply, it lasts and the colour is truly great!