All the leaves are brown, and the sky is grey

Posted in Daily Outfits.

Primark top, River Island jeans, Primark cardigan, Primark brogues, thrifted hat, thrifted belt, thrifted owl face ring

Yeeesh, it’s so drab up North today! I love winter weather but I really hate fog. It’s so dense and all-consuming… somehow it manages to seep inside me and make me feel glum. So, after stocking up at the supermarket (chocolate, soup, December’s InStyle) and sticking a film on (Madagascar 2… background noise, really) I plan to stay on this sofa for the rest of the day.

Last night I went to see New Moon, the second instalment of the Twilight films. Oh em gee! I’ve never had a cinema experience like it. It was opening night and the screen was packed with squealing teenage girls. Every pivotal moment (and the not-so pivotal ones) was punctuated with screams, giggles, aaaahhhs and gasps. People clapped at the end! Someone swooned when Jacob took his shirt off! One of the girls I went with screamed ‘Jasper!!!’ when he came on screen! It was wonderful. The film was okay-ish, but the atmosphere made it great. I went with a big group of girls and I thoroughly recommend it for a girls’ night out.

Hope you’re all having a fantastic weekend so far, despite the weather.

Play it again, Sam

Posted in Daily Outfits.

Primark blazer, H&M t-shirt, Gap jeans, Converse hi-tops, handmade necklace, Primark bangles

Our house is always full of music. My bf is a musician – he can play the guitar, the piano and the drums, amongst many other instruments. He’s the most talented person I’ve ever, ever met and I’ve very proud of everything he can do. He rocks my world!

Anyway, enough of the mush. Today I took a very classic look and gave it a bit of a modern edge. Jeans, a tee and Converse hi-tops – surely the uniform for American teens? It’s definitely a look I rocked throughout my college years. I love the retro feel of this look, but didn’t want to look like I was stuck in the 80s. So the jeans are skinny, the blazer is soft and relaxed with turned up sleeves and I added a long, beaded necklace to pick up the pink of the boots.

I love reworking the classic shapes of decades gone by and making them relevant for today’s style. Here are my tips to do just that:

  • 1940s – Flapper dresses, waved hair and seamed stockings. Try a ribbon headband decorated with a floral corsage. Wear it straight across your forehead and add a matt red lipstick if you’re feeling brave!
  • 1950s – Nipped in waists, flared skirts and poodle prints. This is a silhouette that really suits my shape (hourglass with a slightly too-big bum!). Look for neat dresses that whittle the waist and skim over the hips. Circle skirts are fab, too!
  • 1960s – Prints, colour, loose and unkempt hair. Big, bold floral patterns in mustard yellow and mauve are great for capturing a 60s vibe. Try adding a floppy hat and some huge sunglasses.
  • 1970s – Disco sequins, shimmering fabrics, dark denim. A sequin blazer over jeans and a tee looks disco-tastic.
  • 1980s – Ripped jeans, structured shoulders, graphic prints. The 80s is a decade that won’t die, and structured shoulders are everywhere! I love pop art printed t-shirts with a really sharp shouldered jacket and a pair of killer heels.

Enjoy dressing up!

Merci beaucoup

Posted in Daily Outfits.

ASOS dress (worn as skirt), thrifted jumper, H&M tights, ASOS pixie boots, Primark belt, thrifted ring

Yesterday, one of my work friends was wearing a hot pink floral shirt dress with a sheer black jumper over the top. It looked fab – such a great alternative to my usual dress+cardigan combinations. So today I thought I’d give it a try, and it worked out pretty well!

The dress is a 50s halterneck style from ASOS, bought in the sale last summer. The jumper I picked up at a carboot. I rolled the bottom of the jumper up so it sat on my waist and belted it to emphasise that 50s hourglass shape. I think it would’ve worked better with navy tights and patent pumps (both of which I have), but it was rainy and cold and I needed something more substantial.

I get most of my inspiration from real people, rather than fashion mags or celebrities. A colleague/friend/random person’s style will always be easier to recreate than a celeb’s because they make it work for the everyday. And you can usually ask them where they got a certain piece from and go grab your own in your lunch break – not so easy to do with celebs!

I usually write down the looks I like (along with words/phrases I love that I could sneak into my work) in a little notepad I carry in my handbag. It’s packed full of scribbles, most of which make no sense whatsoever (what did I mean when I wrote ‘red. shoe on leg. bold’ ??) but are there, just waiting to inspire me when I’m feeling less than convinced by my own style prowess.

What inspires you? Do you take note of surrounding style, clip from magazines, collect fabric swatches?

Jen

Sit back and relax

Posted in Writing.


This is my chill out chair. When I get home from work after a stressful hour-long drive up the M1, (people cannot drive in winter – why is this?!) I like to throw on leggings, a cotton t-shirt and a huge knitted cardigan, curl up with a magazine (or a book, if I’m feeling intellectual) and forget the hassles of the day.

I always have the phone close by too – well, anyone could call!

What’s your evening ritual?

Size me up

Posted in Daily Outfits.

Topshop vest, Primark polo neck, Gap jeans, Primark boots, thrifted necklace, Accessorize flower clip

Worst feeling in the world? Finding the most beautiful, beautiful dress – it’s your colour. It’s cheap (ish). There are no queues for the fitting rooms. You don’t usually try stuff on (size 12, let’s go) but you will, just to marvel at its beauty. The fitting rooms are too small, too hot. There are no hooks for your clothes. The curtain doesn’t pull all the way across. But it doesn’t matter, because once you get this dress on, it’ll look amazing. On it goes. Into the mirror you look. Oh…

Sometimes I rip the unflattering wretch off me, pull on my jeans – a minute ago dowdy shrouds of everyday life, now faithful friends – and storm off. Other times I get upset and wonder why I never went back to Street Dance (too tired, glasses got in way) or Pilates (totally unflexible, leggings I bought especially looked hideous). One thing I always do is buy other, reliable items to cheer myself up. Think chunky knits, necklaces and bracelets. I have skinny wrists.

I’ve never been overweight – I’ve hovered around the 10/12 mark for years and years. My problem is tone. By my own admission, I am lazy. I work hard and don’t want to spend my evenings in the gym when I could be watching America’s Next Top Model with a Muller Fruit Corner. I despise organised sports (and unorganised ones), swimming is difficult when you’re worryingly short sighted and allergic to contact lenses and walking to work is impossible when work is 35 miles down the M1. So how does a lazy girl like me stay in shape just enough to look great in a sequin body con dress with structured shoulders?

I’m resigned to the fact that I’ll never be skinny enough to pull off leggings with a crop top (would I really want to?) or anything that requires you to go sans bra. But maybe that’s not such a bad thing. I tend to know what suits me (fitted on the bottom, loose around the stomach, low cut) and 99% of the time, I’m okay with that. It’s just, that dress…

Jen

PS – I also have size 8 feet. For the lovely ladies who commented on my brogues thinking their own feet were way too big – have you seen the size of my hooves?! Go for it!!