Another Side to Topshop

Posted in Daily Outfits, Fashion.

Topshop is often heralded as high fashion on the high street. It has a knack for taking catwalk trends and selling them to the masses and is loved by celebs, editors and bloggers alike. But if you’re not into the high fashion thing, you don’t want to spend £45 on a pair of leggings or you’re over the age of 23, Topshop can be a very scary place…

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Topshop skirt, shirt and cardigan, Arla flats c/o Sarenza, silver collar tips via eBay

When I walk into Topshop, my eyes are assaulted by the array of skull print leggings, floral bralets and dip dye hotpants. At 26 I feel old, my DDs aren’t going anywhere near those bralets and their size 12 jeans don’t fit me which is why I often flee for Zara, a safe haven of gentle pastels and appropriately-sized jeans.

But I think Topshop gets a bad rap. It’s not just a purveyor of the hipster’s uniform – if you root around a bit, there are some lovely pieces to be found. Like… well, this entire outfit. The denim shirt you’ve seen before but the grey jersey skirt and gloriously soft cardigan are recent purchases. All three pieces are simple, well-made and easy to wear – there’s no weird embellishment, no religious imagery, no cutaway panels. They’re basics, but with those Topshop touches that make them feel fresh and modern – cute pockets, draping, a tailored fit.

Without that telltale Topshop styling, these items mix well with my wardrobe and I’ve been wearing the skirt non-stop since I bought it last week. So Topshop is back on my shopping list – I’ll just leave the more directional stuff to my younger, more cutting edge counterparts!

What Jen Did

Posted in Blogging.

I know these posts are a bit overdone by bloggers, especially on a Sunday, but hey. My addiction to Game of Thrones has reached such levels that I can’t bear to be parted from my Kindle for more than 30 minutes. So, just enough time to show you life through my Instagram lens before I rejoin Arya, Robb and Jon Snow.

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Want to follow me on Instagram? I’m @jenholmes85

1. I’ve been in London with work quite a bit recently – I always try to make time between meetings to have a wander round, and Liberty is one of my favourite places to visit. The flower shop is always beautiful to see and I had to get a shot of all the blues and purples as I walked past.

2. Travelling between Leeds and London means a lot of waiting around at Kings Cross, which used to be an extremely dull pastime… but since the ‘new’ Kings Cross opened, it’s been slightly more interesting. There are lots of new shops (and a Leon café, which made me very happy), and the beautiful ceiling, complete with multi-coloured light show, definitely makes waiting for the 19.10 to Leeds more bearable.

3&4. Easter seems a distant memory now, but it’s always been one of my favourite times of year. Granted the religious side of things means nothing to me, but it’s just nice to spend time with my family, eat good food, watch TV and devour chocolate like the calories don’t exist. My mum has hidden our Easter eggs for as long as I can remember, and even though there’s not quite as much chocolate these days, she still sends us on a hunt around the living room to collect our delicious treasure.

5. Benefit’s Porefessional has been a makeup must-have since I first picked it up about a year ago. It’s a smooth and silky primer that really works – I have quite oily skin and have tried a plethora of primers to try stop my makeup from sliding down my face. This one smooths out pores and provides the perfect base for foundation. Plus it’s totally cute. I love it!

6. I spotted these amazing platform sandals at the Exposure press day – they’re a collaboration between shoe designer Terry de Havilland and designer Anya Hindmarch, two stars of British design. The ‘All Singing, All Dancing’ shoe is based on Anya’s FW12 ‘Quality Street’ collection and incorporates those rich Quality Street colours – I love the Big Purple One!

7. My old MacBook had started to slow – not bad after 4 years of perfect performance, but frustrating all the same. I’d also never realised how heavy it was until I started lugging it to my studio and back every day. So I went along to the Apple shop and bought myself a MacBook Air. Best. Decision. Ever. I got the 11in style – it’s so light, so easy to carry and the screen resolution is amazing.

8. Jamie’s Italian Leeds has been open for ages, but I’ve only been once, and was quite drunk at the time. So my friend Clare and I went along for a late lunch and had the Italian Feast (I think?) – a selection of the best starters and mains to get a taste of everything. Delish. And I’m such a sucker for a food gimmick so loved the wooden planks held up by tinned tomatoes!

9&10. Rob and I drove over to York last weekend – I’ve said this many times before, but York is one of my favourite cities in the world. I grew up just outside and we go back often, to see friends and family or just to wander the cobbled streets. York’s charity shops are great but a bit expensive for my liking – the first image is from the vintage section of Sue Ryder on Goodram Gate, which has rails of vintage dresses, piles of fabric and patterns and lots of interesting nick nacks.

The second image is of the vintage rocking horse I very, very nearly bought – my auntie had one just like it and my brother, sister and I adored it when we were younger. I remember my sister and I plaiting its tail over and over! This one was in the window of the BHF shop (also on Goodram Gate) but at £100, it was just a bit too much for me. Plus I don’t have children, or any space to store it. But what a beauty!

11. The perfect Sunday afternoon – my Kindle (loaded with Game of Thrones, obviously) and cheese on toast with balsamic vinegar.

12. My photos of Travis get more Instagram ‘likes’ than any others I post – here he is wrapped up in a blanket, doing a great impression of a fishwife. Cute.

13. My new favourite shoes! I got these Hummel hi-tops with my Sarenza ambassador code and have worn them almost every day since. They’re so comfy – see how I wore them here.

14. An outtake from a recent outfit post – the cardigan and jeans are Topshop and the t-shirt is from Zara.

15,16,17&18. I’ve already written about my trip to Paris with Cointreau, but here are a few Instagram snaps of my journey to and from the city. We travelled in Standard Premier on the Eurostar which was brilliant – the seats are bigger and more comfortable, the carriages are smaller and the food is delicious! The view from my hotel window was a bit sodden but inspiring none the less. And even though we were heading home, the Gard du Nor was no less beautiful. I have a real thing for train stations!

What have you been up to recently?

PS – I usually make my Instagram collages in Photoshop or just post the images straight into Blogger, but this time I followed Lily’s tutorial and used Mosaic Maker, which was so much easier! Then I added the numbers in Photoshop just to make the descriptions clearer.

In Rainy Paris with Cointreau UK

Posted in Fashion, Travel.

This week I went to Paris. It rained, but that didn’t matter. I love Paris.  

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I went as a guest of Cointreau UK – you may remember I wrote about an amazing event at the Cointreau Privé pop-up lounge in London last year, where I met Dita von Teese (and freaked out about it). Now the lounge has moved to Paris and I was invited to experience Cointreau Privé Parisian style, along with Alicja from We Heart, Sharn from LDNFashion and Jess from Catwalk Queen.

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We stayed at the Elysées Regencia Hotel which was beautiful and very French. The buildings in France never fail to amaze me – I love the ornate stone carvings and wrought iron railings. And yes, I did take the L’occitane products with me! Don’t judge!

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After a wander round rainy Paris and bit of beautifying, we headed off to the Cointreau Privé lounge for a cocktail making masterclass. Our bartender (wish I could remember his name – blame the cocktails) was brilliant and made sure we always had a drink in our hands. We made a range of amazing and sometimes surprising cocktails, like a Margarita with Cointreau, a CointreauPolitan and my absolute favourite, the Mademoiselle Sophie – I am obsessed with cucumber-based drinks (try it in water! OMG!) and I love gin and tonics so this mix of Cointreau, fresh basil, cucumber, lemon juice and tonic water was right up my street. I did actually sneak off with a large slice of cucumber to eat, too. Yum.

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After our class we settled in one of the cosy nooks in the main part of the lounge for tapas, more drinks and a chat. I was a bit nervous about this part of the evening as we were scheduled to interview Alexis Mabille, French fashion designer and creative director of Cointreau Privé Paris. I am rubbish at interviews, so while the other girls pulled out notebooks and dictaphones I sipped my drink for courage and prepared my one and only question, which I blurted out as soon as Alexis sat down – ‘what’s your favourite cocktail?’. So original, Jen! Luckily it worked out well as Alexis ordered us all a delicious strawberry, Cointreau and champagne cocktail, which of course was my plan all along…

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We chatted to Alexis about the style for Cointreau Privé Paris and his inspiration. The overall design of the lounge is a reinterpretation of 1920s style but Alexis talked about junk shops and reclaimed furniture – the mix of fabrics and patterns, mismatched lampshades and beaded chandeliers created a kind of faded glamour that was so comfortable and homely. I loved it and could’ve stayed there all night.

Alexis also told us the meaning behind the tiny bow ties that sit atop the glasses – in France, the bow tie is considered quite dated and traditional, worn by teachers and professionals but not used much in fashion. Alexis wanted to change that and so started using the bow tie in his designs. It soon became his signature and is used throughout the Cointreau Privé lounge.

cointreau cocktail recipes

We left Cointreau for dinner – which was out of this world – and then returned just in time for a private show from the entertainment – an amazing 6ft drag act in a blonde wig and a thong, who sang songs from Mary Poppins to demonstrate his British accent. Loved. Him.

To finish off an amazing evening, Alexis invited us to join his party of family and friends where we had a little dance, drank more cocktails and slopped red wine down our white tops (well, that was just me). I realised I’d probably had a bit too much when I got into bed at 1am to read Game of Thrones and couldn’t see the words.

It was a truly brilliant trip, and not just because of the free food and booze (although that’s always a plus) – I really enjoyed chatting to Alexis about his interior inspiration and love of junk shops, and I learnt plenty of new cocktail recipes that I can’t wait to try. Even just driving through Paris was amazing, as our guide from Cointreau France pointed out historic buildings and told us the meanings behind street names. I had a blast and now wish I was a proper Parisian. Merci, Cointreau!

Who Are You?

Posted in Daily Outfits, Fashion.

When it comes to clothing, who are you? Do you know what you like (and what suits you) and stick to it, or are you open to experimentation? Are you a Kate Middleton or a Susie Bubble?

I think I’m somewhere in the middle. I like classic pieces (denim, stripes, ballet flats) but I’m also partial to the slightly odd (perspex necklaces, polka dot jeans, cat tapestry bags). Fashion would be boring if we didn’t have fun with it, but it’s easy to find your sartorial personality and stick to it. So what happens when you forget who you are and try on someone else for a bit?

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Hummel hi-tops c/o Sarenza, Topshop ‘Kristen’ jeans, Zara tee, Gap blazer and bag, F21 necklace

I’d been looking for some comfortable-but-cool footwear for walking round New York next month, so when I spotted these hot pink hi-tops on Sarenza.co.uk I snapped them up with my ambassador code. I love them – they are insanely comfortable and the pop of pink gives them a girly edge – but they are so not me. I’m not that cool girl who can pull off sportswear as a legitimate fashion choice or shave one side of her head and totally work it. At my core, I’m a jeans-and-t-shirt girl with a northern accent and a hipster hair do. And I’m okay with that.

But it’s nice to have a break from who you are every now and then. Wearing things that push you out of your comfort zone is a great way to experiment with style, and you might even find something that sticks. I’ll definitely be wearing these babies again!

Do you venture out of your clothing comfort zone every now and then?

Adventures in Manual Focus

Posted in Daily Outfits, Fashion, Second Hand Shopping.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a bit about fashion blog photography. Since becoming owners of a DSLR camera Rob and I have been slowly learning how to use it properly, and we’ve been practicing our photo skills whenever we can. Even on lazy Sundays…

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Vintage men’s jumper (worn as dress) via car boot sale, Topshop tights, Ara ballet flats c/o Sarenza, Day Birger et Mikkelsen necklace, Zara scarf, Zatchels bag

I don’t usually take outfit shots at the weekend as my outfits mostly consist of jeans, flats and if the weather permits, a woolly jumper. But we wanted to have a go with the new 50mm lens we bought (thanks to everyone who recommended it after my post!) and so I decided to show off my new (old) jumper (dress).

I bought this vintage men’s jumper for £1 at this morning’s car boot sale. No, I haven’t washed it. It smells freshly laundered and to be honest, I couldn’t wait to wrap myself up in it so just threw it on with thick tights and monochrome flats. It’s bright and sunny up north but quite cold too, so an oversized knit was perfect. Not that I’m going anywhere… I plan to see out the day from the sofa, reading the first Game of Thrones book with feverish urgency. I am hooked.

How is Sunday treating you?