Thrift Inspiration......Valentino snakeskin style!

One of my favourite trends over the last few years has been snakeskin and particularly coloured snakeskin. It's very much in style for this summer, featuring in blouses, sweaters, scarves, bags and shoes.

 Like leopardprint, it's really a stylish animal print of choice that is most inspiring to wear and also transcends seasons, ensuring it goes with any colour outfit too. I really love this clutch bag available at The Outnet, which has a great selection of different coloured snakeskin pieces this season:

Valentino snakeskin effect leather bag, £626.50

Out of my price range but luckily for me I will be channelling my own coloured snakeskin vintage clutch bag that I found a couple of summers ago at my local boot sale for a bargainous 50p!!

It's an ideal size for all my handbag tat and the colours mean it's an ideal day and evening clutch and goes with virtually any outfit too!

Will you be working the coloured snakeskin trend this season?

The Paisley Park Apron by Rexlondon.com

Hi everyone! For a long while now I've been meaning to get a PVC cotton apron and it's one of those items that never quite gets into the shopping basket to buy.

I was asked by rexlondon.com to review an item and on browsing their really lovely website I decided that I would pick from their fabulous range of printed aprons- from hens, apples and spots to daisies, doilies and roses, they have the ideal patterned apron to choose from:

I decided on the Paisley Park apron which is in a light blue and pink paisley floral design with a pink binding all the way round. Although it is one size the waistband can be folded up on itself for a less longer fit- as it is it comes to just over the knee on me.  Like I said before, it is made from pvc cotton so it can be easily wiped clean and another feature I liked was the patch pocket on the front-handy for the mobile phone whilst busy in the kitchen.

The apron is lightweight and has a high neckline with a thick collar which does not cut in, making it comfortable to wear. As you can see, this is my first wear of it so excuse the creases-it just goes to show I need to get cooking more often and not wait for hubby to get in from work to cook the dinner (still having second thoughts on this though!!). The apron is a great buy for only £8.95 and will make an ideal mothers day gift to yourself or to your own mum or mum in law!

If an apron is not on your agenda, then do check out their website which features gifts by occasion and  interests and also for the home and garden so it's very likely you'll find the ideal mothers day gift or treat for yourself at a very reasonable price too!

Thanks to Rexlondon.com- I am very happy with the apron and definitely feel it is good quality and value for money and so pretty too!

Thrift Inspiration......Doing it Oscar de la Renta style!

Hi everyone! It was announced lat week that Olivia Palermo is doing a collection with Oscar de la Renta for The Outnet. I was particularly excited to see the use of colours and vibrant florals in the collection, a traditional trademark of Oscar de la Renta and an exciting celebration of his sixty year anniversary.

This new collection features a lot of 50s inspired dresses and silk separates encompassing bright bold watercolour patterns and precision detailing with a nod to the Oscar de la Renta timeless signature styling. The collection starts at £245 with a range of 24 different pieces:

 

 

Images: Daily Mail

 

With this collection in mind I knew I had to show my gorgeous thrifted vintage Oscar de la Renta summer kimono jacket that I acquired from the Salvation Army charity shop nearly 4 years ago-note the trademark vibrant florals which is what drew me to it immediately in the first place!

 

I wear this in summer over a cami type top and with denim skinny jeans or cut offs- a perfect lounging piece that adds a touch of style and colour for easy summer dressing.

 

Wishing you all a really good week ahead!

ThriftMyStyle......Doing it Kenneth Cole Style

A couple of weeks ago was New York Fashion Week and one of the collections to catch my eye was by Kenneth Cole whose designs for Autumn/Winter 2013 are not only uber stylish but totally wearable. 

The collection featured charcoal grey, black, metallics, teal, oxblood and olive for the next winter season. 

Fabrics were also mixed and matched-velvet, tweed, wool, leather and shearling were all featured and layered up to produce different textures within outfits. Double breasted style coats, knits and leather trousers were all covetable separates that will be great style investments and certainly provide solid style inspiration for Winter-I also love how his elbow length leather gloves feature in different colours over different coats and jackets to give individual, layered styling. Here are my favourite picks of his runway collection:

A teal coloured hat brings a chic touch of colour

An easy metallic knit is perfect over grey mannish trousers and those gorgeous peep toe boots

Olive and teal in different textures

Oxblood is a perfect understated colour for layering

Olive military layered with black biker continues to be in trend for next winter

Double breasted grey wool is an inspiring smart look

Colour three ways-tan, teal and olive

Oxblood texturized-silk, wool and leather

Definitely one of my favourite collections from New York Fashion Week-not only inspiring for the use of colours and different textures combined but easy key pieces that can be adapted for trans-seasonal dressing.

A key item that has been lacking in my wardrobe is a classic double breasted style coat, so after looking most of Autumn and Winter I was really pleased to recently find this Kenneth Cole one in black lambswool and cashmere.

I was fortunate to find it in a neighbouring towns Scope charity shop for only £16!! I think you'd be hard pushed to find a winter coat in Primark for that price and that would be man made materials too.

Being in pure lambswool and cashmere has made it such a luxury daytime coat to wear and the cut and fit are just perfect too-it is a USA size 8 which is a UK 12, just right for me:

As I said before I was even looking online and in the shops at full price and sale coats, but everything I saw had a very low-if at all wool content. For me, quality is key, regardless of price and I would rather go without than buy something of an inferior quality that won't last and will just look cheap.

So this was my bargain of the month and I'm sure it will be a firm style staple in my wardrobe plus keeping me cosy in the bargain-what's been your best buy of the month so far?

New Spring boots by Wanted Shoes, Australia

Now Spring seems to be heading our way, if you're in need of some women's boots inspiration then look no further than Australian brand, Wanted Shoes.

If you live there then this is your one stop online shop for some really stylish and up to the minute trend led boots. Here are the pick of my favourite ones, which feature this seasons favourite trends of studs, cut out detailing, bright colour and metal hardware heels:

Kirsty by Urge, $189.95

Adana by Bonbons, $119.95

Isabella by Siren $179.95

Sonia by Urge $179.95

I hope these picks give you some stylish ideas if you are looking for some new boots this season!

Visiting London Fashion Week

Hi everyone! This week is of course London Fashion Week , with over 56 catwalk shows and 20  presentations taking place and over 120 UK and International emerging and established designers showing at The Exhibition-certainly this is a very exciting and innovative time for all concerned!

 

Living only 40 minutes away by car or train, I thought I would go get my exhibition pass on Friday, do some people watching and pop into Oxford Street for some shopping too. Yesterday I had been  invited to attend the Bloody Gray designer showcase of film and installation so myself, eldest son and husband drove down and parked up at the Embankment for the afternoon at Somerset House.

 

 

 

I wore a B-Side satin varsity jacket, River island faux leather panelled leggings, black stud boots from PrettyLittleThing.com, thrifted Marks and Spencer black crepe and satin shirt, Chanel handbag

 

 

 

My invite, blogger exhibition pass and my goody bags

 

 

The Bloody Gray interactive digital AW13 presentation is featuring British and International designers. Martina Spetlova, Jane Bowler, Jayne Pierson, Tom Van Der Borght, Bas Kosters and Barbara Alan are showcasing their collections in an interactive digital environment:

 

 

On the first floor in the Portico Rooms was a perfect pitstop to people watch whilst enjoying a glass of champagne!!!

 

It's always great when you see and meet people too-my eldest son Chris the photographer on the left and his good friend,  freelance stylist Rickardo Mattocks-Maxwell were in attendance yesterday.

 

I was beyond pleased to finally meet the wonderful Pearl Westwood  and her lovely friend Lawrence. Pearl is in full attendance at London Fashion Week for TK Maxx and Style etc magazine- you must check out her style blog for the best up to date LFW news, street style shots, shows and 'what Pearl wore'-she continually looks dynamite in her Vivienne Westwood outfits!! 

 

 

For me, London Fashion Week attendance was a lovely experience to people watch, watch the presentation that I'd been invited to, have a leisurely browse and refreshments at Somerset House and generally breath in the fantastic atmosphere of everything going on! I so admire the press, buyers and bloggers who attend all the shows, you certainly need endurance and stamina and it is of course a truly amazing experience to be part of it- I had my little slice which was  more than good enough for me!!

 

I am linking my LFW outfit post to the lovely Patti at Not Dead Yet Style. I hope you all had a great weekend and have a lovely week ahead!

Thrift Inspiration..........Doing it Asprey style

A structured handbag should be a must have for any woman's wardrobe-they add a chic look to any outfit, giving it a more formal air without looking like you've tried too hard.

Asprey's of London was founded in 1781 and they opened their flagship New Bond Street store in 1847. In 1862 it received it's first Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria, swiftly followed by its second one from King Edward VII in 1889.Since then they have produced fine jewellery, leather goods and silver ware to Royalty around the world.

 Asprey received the Queens Award to industry in 1975, celebrating 200 years

In 2006 Asprey celebrated it's 225th Anniversary by receiving it's own Coat of Arms

In May 2012, the company collaborated with Katie Hillier to design a collection exclusively to Asprey and she continues to consult on their current collection for Spring/Summer 2013.

 Featured here is the Morgan Day Handbag in Sapphire Crocodile, a truly stunning bag which is available online for £15,800:

 As you can imagine, completely out of my price range-so was I pleased then to find this lovely vintage Asprey handbag last month for £15,795 less than the one above in a neighbouring town's Sense charity shop:

This one is in a midnight blue and has quite a few compartments too. It's style is fairly similar to the Hermes Kelly bag, another iconic brand which I unfortunately can't afford either!!

Still I do now have a structured vintage handbag to add to my collection and it's style will inevitably stand the trends of time and be wearable for decades to come.

What style of handbag are you hoping to add to your handbag collection this season- will you be wearing a vintage number on your arm or are you looking for something more modern?

Images:Asprey

New Summer Shoe Boots from Topshop!!

Hi everyone! After ordering a pair of Zara beige suede ankle boots online last month that proved to be no good, I was still on the look out for some light coloured boots or shoes that would be perfect for Spring/Summer. Browsing Topshop online a couple of weeks ago, I saw these Grits slingback Western shoes and really wanted to order them, but held back.

When I think of an item on and off following seeing it, I know this is a good sign that I do really want it, so I succumbed and ordered these on Sunday.

They arrived yesterday and they are a perfect hybrid shoe/boot, with the on trend cut out/strap detailing at the back PLUS they are leather PLUS they have studs and PLUS the colour is perfectly Summer!!

I will wear these with all my different style jeans and I've been wanting an off white pair of shoes to go with my Chanel jacket to enable me to wear it more often.

So here are the shoes which I absolutely love:

 Oh did I not mention the cute gold toe cap too? 

I was wary about the heel height as they are 4 inches, but they feel really sturdy and solid on so I have high hopes they will be fine.

What type of shoes or boots are on your radar for this coming Summer season?

ThriftMyStyle Outfit Post....Khaki and red style

 Hi everyone! I hope you all had a lovely weekend-the weather is still so cold but we have been lucky where I live in that there has been no snow-as yet!! Out and about this weekend I thought I would wear my latest purchase, my khaki camo leopardprint and rose print scarf- mixing my two favourite winter colours of khaki and red. It was only £4 from Primark and is my current favourite scarf-I've worn it a few times already.

I am also wearing my khaki cap by Nobis which was a Christmas present from eldest son, my khaki H&M fur lined parka jacket and my trusty Pavers boots.

As you can see I've added some pops of red to my outfit-my red cross body saddle style bag and my red leather and leopardprint gloves from Marks and Spencer which were bought last Autumn.

As much as I love black I am drawn to adding some colour into my outfits for winter and it's hard to beat red. Khaki is one of my favourite trans-seasonal colours, it is so versatile and stylish in my opinion.

What are your favourite colours for winter?

I am linking this post to the lovely Patti at Not Dead Yet Style for inclusion to her wonderful Visible Monday  posts.

Wishing you all a lovely week ahead!

Swimwear from Sweetpea Swimwear

Hi everyone! I wanted to introduce you to the gorgeous swimwear collection by Sweetpeaswimwear.com, a relatively new company which offers the finest vintage inspired swimwear.

The range aims to capture the essence of elegant bathing on the European Riviera's in the mid 20th century and all the pieces are designed using fabrics sourced directly from France and Spain.

They are the deluxe choice for anyone wanting to project some unique glamour into their bathing this Summer and each piece is made with the finest attention to detail and to the highest quality possible.

With prices starting from £145, these suits are not only unique but offer designer styling that are all made in England too:

Posy swimsuit, £160

Dahlia bikini, £145

Sweetpea swimsuit, £170

Tulip swimsuit, £160

Wishing you a great weekend, keep warm and cosy!!

ThriftMyStyle...Mixing modern and vintage + navy and white

Hi everyone! I am very much looking at trans-seasonal pieces that will be versatile and stylish to be part of my wardrobe. After my wardrobe revamp at the weekend I wanted to ensure the jackets, blouses, tees and jeans that I have will mix well and work for any season.

In Autumn last year I found this pure wool tux blazer in a neighbouring town's Sue Ryder charity shop for £4.99. It's nearly vintage-from the early 90s and in excellent condition. What drew me to it was the single breasted styling, the tux style collar and the pinstripe-dot detailing:

The finer details which add extra dimension to this tux blazer:

On Monday I thrifted this J Crew tee for £4.99 in another neighbouring town's Scope charity shop. I've not bought any J Crew pieces before and the quality of the cotton is so lovely, the tee is made in Macau and is more of a fine knit rather than a traditional 100% cotton tee:

I thought this tee would again be an ideal item under jackets and go with any denim piece and colour wise navy and white goes with virtually anything. Here they are together and I would also add a summer scarf in a contrasting print and colour to make this work in Spring and Autumn. Being in pure wool it's also ideal for all seasons and can be taken into evening wear with a silk cami underneath. 

This jacket will be ideal with skinny jeans, boyfriend jeans and also white jeans, as well as any colour tee underneath too.

What style of jacket will you wearing this coming season?

ThriftMyStyle.....Outfit post and wardrobe revamping

Hi everyone!! I hope you all had a great weekend-it's nice that we are experiencing more milder weather as layering in upto half a dozen pieces is not totally necessary at the moment!

I thought I would do an outfit post featuring a couple of new additions to my wardrobe. I thrifted this black long line jacket/coat in December at my local Sue Ryder charity shop for £6.99 and I've been waiting for some milder weather to wear it. I've teamed it with a Primark skull scarf, River Island black skinny jeans and my new Caitlin black studded clutch/cross body bag from PrettyLittleThing.com:

I'm also wearing the Megan suedette boots they sent me-thanks so much!!

Silver studs are a great way to add something extra to an all black outfit

I spent this weekend doing a wardrobe revamp and there are quite a few things destined for the charity shop-mainly basics such as sweaters and tees that are too tight and not shapes or cuts that I want to wear anymore. I am fortunate that I have a good variety of jackets and jeans already and just need to top up with everyday blouses and sweaters as I see them.

I've linked up this outfit post to the lovely Patti's Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style

What items are lacking in your wardrobe this season, will you be needing to have a wardrobe rehaul?