Accessories: It's all in the details- Scarves Galore!

Hi everyone! With the weather being so temperamental lately, for me style wise it's all about channeling accessories. My previous post was about a recent thrifty purchase of my Peruvian tote bag in vibrant colours for summer. Following this theme I thought I would a post on my favourite accessory passion of the moment- scarves.

 As regular readers may well know, I adore scarves-whether it's a designer purchase such as my Mulberry wool and cashmere scarf which was heavily discounted in the Christmas sales, a designer gift of a Burberry check pashmina which has proved to be a year round style staple to my latest purchases from Primark and my local shopping mall, to me, if it catches the eye and I know will be a versatile piece, then wearing a scarf during any season  is the perfect way to channel colour and keep cosy in the bargain.

As well as purchasing scarves in local shops, boutiques, charity shops and boot sales, browsing online is definitely the way forward to picking a really good trend led and up to date bargain. To me, picking the right scarf is a real style investment as they can be worn anytime, anywhere and if looked after properly will last for years to come. The great thing with browsing online is when you're looking for something in particular, then when you're on the right site, other choices pop up to confuse and covet in all different price ranges too!! I am like a magpie and they are definitely my weakness- I could easily buy a new one every day if funds permitted and when I saw the collection available via Uniprice, I was so spoilt for choice! Looking at a website that compares all brands and budgets really indulges you to seek out the perfect find and until my next purchase I've shared my favourites which are ideal for all budgets and tastes-hope these inspire you for your next scarf purchase!!

Diane Von Furstenberg silk Valencia scarf, £144

Maya scarf (Zalando) £12

Lily & Lionel animal print watermarked scarf, £135

Etro silk scarf, £195

Warehouse English Garden scarf, £22

Wishing you all a great weekend ahead and happy shopping too!!

Accessories: It's all in the details-From Machu Picchu to Me

Hi everyone! As the weather has been pretty awful lately, I've been focusing on how the little details such as accessories and colours can make a difference to an outfit.

Last month I found an awesome tote bag at the boot sale, all the way from Peru- Macchu Picchu to be precise. I do love authentically made pieces from South America and what drew me to this particular bag was the colours- fuchsia pink and orange, perfect for Spring and Summer:

I just love the style too- a tote is the perfect bag for this season and it's barely been used- it would have been rude not to have bought it for a bargainous £2, no?

I paired it with my current favourite scarf of the moment, a Primark buy a couple of months ago which is a watercolour floral style which I'm really loving for now- it's quietly vibrant and understated in a mix of colours and it seems to go with practically all of my outfits- I've worn it here with my thrifted black leather biker jacket by Primark too:

What are your favourite bags and accessories of the moment- are you all about colours, or are you sticking to neutrals?

Sourcing MyStyle of Inspiration for a Gorgeous Vintage Dress

Style Inspiration comes in lots of different guises and forms- be it via magazines, online retailers, vintage sites and of course bloggers and stylists.

I've always loved vintage dresses and coming up to Summer I really wanted something different and that would be totally wearable too- so sourcing first, my inspiration came from the British designer Thea Porter. She produced stunning bohemian creations back in the 60s and early 70s from French, Italian and Turkish fabrics that were adorned with beading and embroidery and her designs are surely the inspiration for the current boho hippy chic that has been so popular for this last decade. Here are dresses which were on sale at the exclusive vintage couturier, Decades, Inc

Following on from there my inspirational path led me to the gorgeous Tiffany Wendel, whose blog is a definite must see for anyone who needs inspiring on the vintage, denim and designer path- as a professional stylist she sure knows how to put an outfit together in such a unique and stylish way that will leave you waiting to see what she creates next- here is her vintage dress that captivated me:

So finally I had an idea of what I wanted- something for casual chic, daytime dressing, not too floaty so it can be more trans-seasonal and worn with or without a jacket. Sure enough, after much hunting I found the perfect dress for me, a vintage 70s bohemian style dress by Phool which has a quilted and embroidered bodice with beading detail and the dress has a paisley pattern in general:

I'm still experimenting with it regarding jackets and footwear- I can't decide between sandals or boots, so an outfit post will follow once I've decided!!

What and who is currently inspiring you for your next purchase?

MyStyle outfit post: Featuring my River Island quilted floral Summer jacket

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a lovely weekend- I managed to get to a couple of boot sales on Saturday and Sunday but didn't come away with an awful lot but I enjoy going even for the walk and the atmosphere. 

This outfit was one I wore a few weeks ago but I decided to do a post on it to show you all the jacket, which I thrifted from a neighbouring town's Barnados charity shop for just under £5.

It's by River Island and is an ideal lightweight jacket for Spring and Summer and is very Liberty print-esque in style too- the patchwork of different prints is what attracted me to it straightaway:

It is a cropped style, so ideal for wearing with jeans and I'm hoping to purchase a plain colour or striped jersey maxi dress soon so it would go well with that too:

A close up of the ditsy floral prints on the front and back of the jacket

It is a perfect daytime jacket whether I'm going for a trip into town, to the park or even as a cover up when I go to the coast- I will wear it in the heart of Summer with a cami top underneath and some denim cut offs:

I am linking this post to the lovely Patti at NotDeadYetStyle for Visible Monday.

Do you have a floral jacket that you are wearing this season and if so, what type of style is it?

Have a great week ahead and here's hoping that the sun decides to come out and stay out so we can start wearing all our lovely new Summer clothes and sandals!!

Thrift Inspiration.......Doing it Chloe at Net-A-Porter Style!!

Now Spring is finally here, it's great to add a pop of colour to your outfit and what better way to do this than through accessories. I particularly love this Marcie bag by Chloe available from Net-A-Porter for £435.

A gorgeous bag that ticks all the boxes-cross body style which is so in trend and versatile, trans-seasonal and a perfect daytime choice especially if teamed up with this other seasons style trend, monochrome:

Chloe Marcie bag, £435

A little while back I was fortunate to be gifted this cute red bag from PrettylittleThing.com which is £22. I chose it for the satchel styling, the vibrant colour and the cross body strap plus it's very reminiscent of the Chloe Marcie but without the three figure price tag:

It's roomy enough to use on day trips to town and for the coast or city and it's a good shade of red too which will be ideal with denim and my other summer favourites, florals and stripes.

What style and colour bag will be your go-to for easy Summer wearing this season?

MyStyle of Camo and also Khaki Jackets as seen at Grazia magazine

Hi everyone! With the weather still so in between at the moment, the perfect kind of jacket to keep you covered and in style is a camo or khaki jacket.

Over at GraziaDaily, ladies such as Diane Kruger, Gywneth Paltrow and Naomi Watts have chosen this kind of jacket as their cover up of choice for this coming Spring/Summer season and while their designer choices are from Rag & Bone and Current/Elliott, there are options on the high street ranging from Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and ASOS to tap into this trend if you're on a budget:

Rag & Bone M15 Moto Jacket, 795$

River Island at ASOS skull embroidered camo jacket, £75

Topshop gold studded camo jacket, £30

This style is so versatile for wearing over flippy floral summer dresses, printed and plain maxi dresses, boyfriend and skinny jeans- it's the ideal choice for a casual chic daytime look whether you're in town shopping, walking around the park or forest or going to a festival.

I decided to wear my eldest son's jacket which is from Copenhagen based Le-Fix, a street style art and clothing company. I wore skinny jeans, ankle boots and a floral scarf  with it and I was pleased with the oversized, slouchy look the jacket gave:

The weather was so windy and rainy yesterday a hat was also required with my outfit and I popped on my neon hoop earrings to finish the whole look off:

For me this is an ideal style of outfit to cover up in whilst the weather is so temperamental and as it's not officially mine I can wear it as often or as little as I please!!

Will you be wearing camo print or khaki this season?

Outfit Post- River Island Jacket & Jeans

Hi everyone- I hope you all had a lovely weekend, I haven't been up to much except little doses of housework, watching TV, surfing the net and generally relaxing- my idea of a chilled, restful weekend. One of my outfits late last week was my recently bought cream melton wool biker jacket from River Island, which is proving to be a really handy jacket for temperamental weather as it's not too bulky and still keeps the warmth in. I paired it with a grey and white skull scarf from Primark-another accessory which is proving to be most essential with gusty winds cutting through and making you feel chillier:

My jeans are newly thrifted, I bought these at my local Sue Ryder charity shop a little while ago for just £4.99. They are a skinny bleached tie-dye jean which for me are a perfect style for this season. The marbled effect is quite unusual and I'm really pleased I found these-not that I really need another pair of jeans, but being a self confessed denim addict I couldn't say no!!

It was just warm enough for me to sneak on my Alberta Ferretti sandals which I've had for quite a few years now and are my go to for a pair of stylish, neutral coloured comfortable pair of sandals:

I am linking this post to the lovely Patti for Visible Monday at NotDeadYetStyle

What is your favourite style of jeans to wear this coming summer- are you wearing them already?

Outfit Post-MyStyle of Midi Dress

Hi everyone!! It's great when you get style inspiration from other bloggers and when I saw how great Avril at SchoolGateStyle and Fiona at Avenue57 looked in their midi dresses I knew I definitely wanted to work this look for the coming summer season. Do check out Fiona's blogpost on Can anyone wear a midi dress? and see how fabulous her and Avril look-my answer to this question is a most definite yes!

I found this cute grey marl and denim blue rose print midi dress whilst on a shopping trip to town last week and immediately snapped it up-my two favourite colours mixed in and my favourite look too- midi dresses are so reminiscent of the 90s and I always loved wearing these style dresses back in the day. This time round  these dresses are perfect daytime pieces which work well with cropped jackets and casual sandals during the day and a smart jacket and dressy shoes for an evening out:

For me personally I find the dress not only so comfortable but it's stylish too and will be a favourite style to wear for all seasons-by adding a sweater or cardigan and opaque tights this outfit will work in Autumn too so there is a longevity to this fashion trend and if I see anymore I'll be snapping them up!! The only thing for me is I can't wear long sleeved styles as the elastane seems to play havoc with the circulation in my arms, so anything with stretch needs to be short sleeved.

Well you can see I am a fan of the midi dress-will you be wearing this style dress this coming season?

Wishlist Outfit for a Night Out

Hi everyone!! Like most mums and ladies I tend to base my wardrobe around daytime dressing and in winter that tends to be jeans and sweaters and in summer I like to wear vintage and designer dresses, all thrifted of course! I don't get the chance to go out often in the evening, occasionally I may go out for a meal with friends or with hubby so of course I will try and dress up when the situation arises.

One place on my wishlist is to visit a casino. I've only ever seen them on films and the ladies and gents who frequent them always look so chic and classy and this is when a little black dress and a pair of statement shoes and bag would be the order of the day. Here is a pick of my favourite outfit that would be on my wishlist for a night out there:

This dress is by Alexander Wang and I love the sheen and the cut of this dress, clinging in all the right places and short enough to show off the legs and keeping the cleavage under wraps! Dressing for a casino night out should be an opportunity to dress elegantly and stylish and if you can be on trend too it shows how modern and forward thinking you really are, plus giving you the chance to show how seriously you intend on winning some big money, fingers crossed!! 

A shorter chic black dress means a pair of statement shoes or sandals would be prominently on show and I love these stunning sandals by Charlotte Olympia- they are funky yet chic and a perfect accompaniment to a little black dress:

 I also adore these Jimmy Choo sandals, they really would be a perfect style investment that would never date and be forever classic for that perfect evening out:

Of course a statement clutch would have to considered and this one by Alexander McQueen ticks all the boxes-the ring details mean instant jewellery glamour and the patent black lace effect just oozes style and overall this is a stunning evening bag that would be also big enough to keep all those chips in that I'll be winning!!

All of these I would happily indulge in if of course I had the means to buy them and I know they would be perfect picks for that special occasion. Like many of us though, I do have a little black dress already in the wardrobe- my Christopher Kane for Topshop lace and rivet dress was a charity shop find a couple of years ago from the British Heart Foundation for just £14.99 and has already been worn for those rare nights out. The style of the dress is just above the knee and the modern twist of rivets and lace ensure it is a future classic that will always be one of my 'go to' dresses for when I want to dress up:

I bought these silver faux snakeskin effect caged sandals from Tesco a few years back and they were half price in the sale- I'm sure they were around £9. They are the perfect partner for my dress above and this would be my reality choice of outfit if I do get the chance to go to the casino anytime soon!

Have you ever been to a casino, what would be your outfit of choice and more importantly-did you win??

Street Style Inspiration with Key Accessories and Statement Pieces

For outfit inspiration I love looking at street style fashion for different ways of wearing items that can create an outfit that looks not only unique and stylish but also shows off a statement piece. For example this classic jacket and shorts combination is kept minimal and chic to show off those rather amazing boots this young lady is wearing:

With this next outfit the lace sweater and skirt makes the statement but her chosen choice of accessories of clutch, necklace and shoes elevate this outfit into something rather special for a chic day time look:

Lots of statement going on here-the mini Hermes bag, compliments rather than clashes with her cocoon shaped dress, highlighted with a classic collar and plain opaque tights:

Having a pop of red with the lipstick and handbag immediately sets the tone for this stylish day look of houndstooth checkered blazer and the must have leather trousers-as usual, the sunglasses really make the look too and is a main common denominator with all of these looks to keep them street style fresh and chic:

This outfit screams minimalistic and is made all the more unique and stylish with the addition of the black fedora, grey sweater and white shoes, a really modern take on a classic look:

Images:Harpersbazaar.com

How do you enjoy turning a run of the mill outfit into something special- do you update with accessories, a statement piece or mix up all your favourite items to create a really stylish outfit unique to you?

MyStyle Thrift Find of the Week

Having sorted out my summer wardrobe last month I noticed that I didn't have any plain coloured tops. Plenty of florals, neutrals and stripes but no bold or pastel colours.

I picked up this hot pink cotton blouse by Monsoon earlier this week- what drew me to it was not only the colour but also the pretty embroidery and pintucking on the bodice. I picked it up from a local charity shop DEBRA for just £3.25. I'm hoping it will go perfectly with my Marks & Spencer pastel floral skinny jeans that I thrifted last year and I wanted a summer top to go with them:

The style is quite boho and is an ideal top to keep fresh and vibrant this season. If it goes well with the jeans then that will be a future outfit post to come. It will also wear well with denim cut offs and a ditsy floral summer Ralph Lauren skirt that I will also try with it:

I'll be keeping my eye out now for some more plain coloured tops- yellow is my next choice hopefully in a blouse type top rather than a tee. Will you be wearing brights this Summer or sticking to neutrals and what type of pieces are on your summer list to still buy yet?

Wishing you all a really lovely bank holiday weekend, the weather is due to be glorious so I'm hoping to bust out some different summer outfits, hope you get the chance to wear something summery too!