Day and Evening Looks with Femme Luxe

Summer Style in wine, black and white

Hello there! It's great to be back after such a long absence- My love of style and fashion has brought me back to blogging and when the Girls at Femme Luxe contacted me to feature some of their pieces, I decided to choose some really great staples that will see me through from day to evening for all and any occasions!

For summer, I really like dresses and also denim and a simple t-shirt or cotton blouse- I think a minimal outfit is a great stylish look at this time of year and a dress or denim and t-shirt are the perfect seasonal uniforms for your Summer wardrobe.

So with this in mind I've opted for my favourite summer daytime look!

 This first outfit choice is a slogan print t-shirt and denim combination, I really think this a great sunny casual style to piece together and the top is essentially oversized too, so it can be styled in lots of different ways!

La Femme Rayna T-Shirt

Next I decided to style this t-shirt with this cute wine colour bodycon dress for a smart casual daytime look, ideal for lunching with the girls or sightseeing in style and comfort:

Then in the evening, a change of sandals, take off the top and it instantly transforms to a stylish evening dress which I can pair with a jacket on cooler evenings!

I really love this black ribbed jumper dress which is a real year round piece- It's ideal for to wear smart casual during the day......

Or can be worn dressed up in heels for the evening or simply relaxing in style curled up on the sofa!

We all need a black slinky dress in the wardrobe too and this one is perfect for any season and any smart occasion and if I do want to go from day to evening, then I would add a t shirt or denim jacket to it and dress it down a bit! 

What colours are you craving this Summer? For me, black, red or white are perfect colours to mix and match and really compliment each other to make a chic and stylish look whatever the season!

Thank you to the Girls at Femme Luxe for letting me pick and style these really fashion forward, stylish pieces! I really loved styling them all together and look forward to wearing them all very soon!!

Operation Summer Clear Out for more Denim Thrift My Style Purchases!!

Hi everyone! I hope you're all having a great month so far-I've been busy working so it's not left a lot of time for regular blogging unfortunately! Like everyone else though, now the weather is getting milder and sunnier I've been wanting to shed some layers and think of wearing some more Spring like items.

 I decided to have a complete sort out of my wardrobe and looked through all my summer and winter items to purge. Funnily enough I didn't find any winter items that I wanted to get rid of, only summer items that I don't envisage wearing again.

So after having a good delve into my wardrobes and big summer chest I managed to clear the following-one jacket, one pair of shorts, one summer blouse, three skirts and four dresses:

Ten items to go to the charity shop and having done 'operation clearout' it's given me a better idea of what items I want to try and get to add to my wardrobe.

It may sound like I'm jumping on the blogger bandwagon, but I really want a denim dress. Choosing the right one is the hard part but I'm going for one that won't date in style and can be worn any time of the year. In my mind I'm thinking of a tunic style, just above the knee. I really like the Topshop dress below:

The reviews say it is quite short so I'm not sure if I'll order this one but I would like something fairly similar. I don't really want a denim shirt dress but if I find a fabulous one thrifting then I would get this style.

Here are what's really ticking the boxes for me from pinterest too:

Love this unique and refreshingly different style,the cut is amazing!

A real summer dress, very cute for a hot hot day

Love this look, I wouldn't mind something like this 

Just adore this last one too, the white embroidery and cut and style overall is a winner for me!

Another item on my wardrobe wishlist is a faded denim Levis jacket. There is one currently in the house which belongs to my older son but it is one of his favourites (out of the zillions he already has- I think he got his jacket obsession from me) and has adamantly refused to hand it over permanently, so the sooner I find my own the better!

Another item I want too is a quality leather red bag- I've been hunting on ebay, in stores and charity shops to no avail. I'm not sure what style I'm after but when I see the right shade and style out there then I'll be snapping it up. It has to be leather though, as again this item will be a long time keeper once it's found.

Have you done a seasonal wardrobe purge yet? What items are you after this coming season, I'd love to know! Wishing you all a lovely weekend whatever you are up to!!

Wardrobe Re-organisation and Edit

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a really nice weekend-for me I didn't make the trip to the vintage fair at the SouthBank on Saturday as I'm pretty sure I'm coming down with something and with the weather being so temperamental I decided to just spend the day catching up with house work and a spot of local thrifting. 

Yesterday was a really chilled relaxed day which was just as well as the weather was wet and windy and was just perfect for staying in and browsing the 'net, watching films on TV and eating!! I have been thrifting quite a fair bit lately, but I've been trying to get items that I know will fit in with the rest of my wardrobe and get worn regularly and items that slot into this category include sweaters and more trousers and jeans. Over the weekend I really edited and sorted what I had, what I wanted to keep and get all winter items close to hand. Here is a snapshot of my wardrobes in general and this first one is for jackets only-everyday winter and other seasonal ones:

Next are my chest of drawers which in drawer one (top) are scarves and cardigans; the middle drawer is for tees, shirts and blouses and light sweaters and the bottom drawer is knitwear:

My other wardrobe has my jeans on the top shelf and all my vintage and designer jackets, dresses, skirts, trousers and tops that need to be on hangers:

Here is a picture of my storage for other items- the wicker Fortnum & Mason hamper basket holds my jeans that are on rotation, the green case below it holds knitwear on rotation, the case below has a mix of different items that are trans-seasonal. The 'Tiffin Tin' box holds woollen scarves, the wooden crate holds more scarves and the blue case has my summer tees and blouses.

These are all on a vintage trunk that holds my summer skirts and dresses.

I did do quite a bit of a wardrobe edit a couple of weeks ago with the unwanted items sent to the charity shop. I've only got less than five items sorted from the weekend that I'm going to put on ebay at some point and I'm hoping to put the funds towards a pair of ankle boots that I've seen!

I feel that I'm pretty much up to date with basics for winter but I will be on the look out for a couple of scarves-preferably with a red or pink mix to liven up my winter coats and jackets which are housed in my downstairs cupboard. I've a good selection of parkas, faux fur, black coats and trench coats- they just need a splash of colour I think!!

I really want to make the most of my wardrobe and really start wearing what I have rather than keeping worrying about what I haven't got- a re-organisation really helps you realise what you already have and just need to get on and wear!!

Wishing you all a really good week ahead! Do you have your wardrobe sorted for the winter season? Will you be making do or do you have a few items that you need to get to pull your wardrobe together, I'd love to hear about that!!

Outfit Post: Thrifted Dorothy Perkins Summer Dress

Hi everyone!! I hope you all had a gorgeous weekend- we are currently experiencing a heatwave-YAY!!-the weather is totally wonderful and I will not complain loudly that it's too hot. To remedy this, I invested in a kiddies paddling pool for the back garden-perfect for cooling off the legs and toes!!

Stylewise on Saturday I wore a new purchase from last week which I thrifted-a cute little cotton summer dress from a neighbouring town's Cancer Research charity shop for just £4.50. It's by DorothyPerkins and the detailing is amazing. On the bodice is metal sequins and embroidery detailing and the cute tassel belt ensured I had to snap the dress up!

A close up of the details:

The work on the bodice is so 70s style and is my favourite part of the dress

I am quite short of cotton dresses that are around knee length, so this was a welcome addition to the wardrobe and is so cool and comfortable too:

I am linking this post to NotDeadYetStyle.com for the lovely Patti's Visible Monday.

I hope you all have a wonderful week to come and I hope you are all enjoying the sunshine too!

Doing the List- Make Do Style, Of Course

The lovely Kate at Make Do Style recently composed a 'Quality v Quantity 2009 Top Ten List and with her other post, 'Tinsel & Champagne' which gave same great tips, really got me thinking about what I have on the list and what I don't have.

Here are some of my most covetable pieces, numbered to Kates list:

Ossie Clark for Radley dress, number 8

My Diana Ring, number 5

Chanel Jacket, number 6 (I went for a jacket, as my coats aren't statement enough!!)

Cacherel Scarf, number 3

Jasper Conran Wedge Courts, number 7

Black Pencil skirt, nearly on the list!


Chanel Bag, number 2

Here is her list in full:


1. A watch
2. A bag
3. A scarf
4. Pearl necklace
5. Beautiful jewellery
6. A beautiful or timeless coat
7. Great pair of shoes
8. A gorgeous dress
9. White shirt
10. Great pair of jeans

And the nearly there... a pair of black trousers, a pencil skirt, a Chanel suit and a cashmere sweater.

So armed with such useful information, I see that I am devoid of.........

1. A watch

I do have numbers 4, 9 and 10, but not pictured. So, my wishlist for 2010 is this so far........

1. A watch (maybe a Birthday present)
2. For Summer 2010-A pair of skinny cropped jeans
3. For Winter 2010- A black cashmere jumper (or merino wool will suffice)

After sorting out my wardrobe earlier, I have plenty dresses, jackets, blazers, blouses, tops, tees, cardigans and jumpers-well lucky me, not much to have to scour for next year-I may have a real chance of following Kates advice of trying to save, but with a teenage son who is beginning to acquire his style, I think my pounds and pennies could well be going in his direction, LOL!!

How about you doing the list-Make Do Style of course-it really helps to fill in the blanks of what is or isn't in the wardrobe!!

Chloe Find & My Wardrobe Philosophy-How I View It

I've been really inspired by two of my favourite bloggers latest posts-the lovely Make Do Style posted here about 'Thought of the Week-Clothing Allowance or Budget' and the gorgeous Wendy B posted a link to her fab post about 'Why Does Buyers Guilt Focus on Fashion'. They were both such interesting reads and although I don't really budget as such, I've finally learnt my Wardrobe Philosophy, which is to buy quality items that are either wardrobe basics or have the 'Wow factor'.

The reason I don't have a clothing budget is that I generally do 95% of my shopping in the Charity shops or Boot sales and as I am so selective in my purchases, its usual for me to spend from £1 to £5 on an item and its rare that one piece will be £10 to £20.

I'm always looking in my very local charity shop, if not once a day on the way to or from work, then every other day.

The first picture is a gorgeous Chloe blouse from Matches Fashion for £701. Its lovely, but I certainly couldn't spend that sort of money-even if I could afford to-on a blouse.

So you can imagine how please I was to snap up this lovely one earlier this week from my local Sue Ryder Care for only £4.95!! Pricewise, its on par with a new blouse from Primark, but I know which I would rather!!

Its the perfect summer blouse-I'll team it with jeans most probably and its certainly an investment piece in my wardrobe. Its a typical Chloe style, with the ruffles and pintucking, a quintessential summer blouse that is timeless in style.

I culled some of my wardrobe last week and next to wardrobe basics, have these plus items which to me have the 'wow factor'. To me quality beats quantity every time.

Funnily enough, I don't have a 'Signature Style' but I tend to buy what I like-preferably vintage pieces and designer if I can find it. Its good to open your wardrobe and have stylish timeless, good quality pieces that will work for you year after year and season after season. We are all guilty of buying on impulse or ending up with items that are on trend but just don't suit us-note to self, no more shiny snakeskin leggings, LOL! I've learnt that I can actually like pieces but appreciate that its not necessarily right for me.

Having items in my wardrobe that are from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and noughties give such a variation in style and moods and as long as you care properly for your items, even a small wardrobe can last years and pay dividends.

There you go, thats my Wardrobe Philosophy, hope it inspires you too, in looking for quality over quantity wherever you shop-be it in the charity shops, boot sales, Ebay, T K Maxx, The Outnet or Net-A-Porter.
Happy Shopping and don't forget 'Shop Your Own Wardrobe' before you step out the house or browse the 'net, you may well save yourself some money or re evaluate what you actually need or want!!

My Wardrobe-part 2

Hi everyone!! Following on from my 'Whats in your wardrobe?' post back in June, I was inspired by the lovely Kate of Make Do Style when she wrote this excellent post -'Size matters(2)' regarding an overstacked wardrobe and the concept of 'Slow Fashion'-this is a must read, after you've finished here of course, LOL!!

Basically, because of the summer holidays, I've had time to re-evaluate my wardrobe with autumn looming and also to sell more items, including ones that I had acquired during my 'Buy on Ebay when I'm bored' habit. I've also passed on some more unwanted pieces to the charity shop to make way for recent thrifting purchases that will provide longevity in my wardrobe.

This is my wardrobe after my main sort out, the top wardrobe houses my favourite tops, jackets, dresses, jeans and handbags at the bottom.

This wardrobe has my winter and summer jackets and coats and remains mainly unchanged from last time.

These are the remaining drawers of clothes, which have summer dresses, tops and tees, woollies (cardi's and jumpers), summer skirts and blouses.

So, with reference to my first wardrobe post, I'd mentioned a summer wishlist and also a lack of costume jewellery. I have a lovely little collection of necklaces and bracelets now and regarding the wishlist, here is what I did get from it:

Dark indigo bootcut style jeans

Navy and white striped Breton tee

Leopardprint shoes

Denim waistcoat

I still haven't found red shoes I like enough to get yet.

My autumn wishlist consists of 2 items:

Black heeled ankle boots

Denim shirt

I've acquired a few black pieces in my wardrobe these past couple of months, notably a black pencil skirt, my black vintage Thierry Mugler jacket, black bodycon woollen Benetton dress and some gorgeous black heeled knee high leather boots.

I've learnt 'for me', that less is more-I like to look at a glance to see what I've got and be appreciative of the gorgeous pieces I've acquired over time. Some do not get worn for a while, but will have a long term place in my wardrobe.

What is your wardrobe philosophy?

Whats in your wardrobe?

Hi everyone!!

Its always fun to have a nose in other peoples wardrobes, so I thought I'd give you a snapshot of whats in mine!!

After a sort out of the unwanted items in my wardrobe, now bound for the charity shop, this is how my wardrobe and drawers look:

Bags are at the bottom of the wardrobe above

Closed drawers are our underwear drawers!!

I no longer have anything in storage, its all in my 2 wardrobes (1 wardrobe of coats and jackets and 1 wardrobe of dresses, jeans, bags and tops) and I have 2 drawers of woollies, 1 drawer of dresses, 1 drawer of tees and tunics, 1 drawer of blouses and 1 drawer of skirts.

As I wear a uniform for work, I really don't get to maximise my wardrobe, so unless I see a 'must have', I'll be buying less and wearing what I have already a lot more. My philosophy in my wardrobe is 'quality over quantity', I'd rather have less and appreciate the pieces I have, rather than a lot of items that I'm just not keen on.

So, to date this month, I've not bought any clothes! Not because of finances really, more because I've bought so many pieces over the last year that:

1. I've not worn a lot of them

2. I've felt a wardrobe overload

3. I've realised I don't have a lot of costume jewellery to compliment my existing clothes


So, to rectify this, I've decided to:

1. Try and buy only costume jewellery this month or items from my wishlist

2. Send the now sorted, unwanted items to the charity shop that are currently overloading the wardrobe, no longer fit in with 'my style' so I'm now only left with the 'truly loved items', which can be seen above!!

I'm aiming to up my accessories though, so I'm on the hunt for costume jewellery such as necklaces, earrings and bracelets.

I do have a 'wishlist' though!!

1. Dark skinny jeans

2. Navy and white striped oversized tee

3. Red patent shoes

4. Leopardprint shoes

5. Denim waistcoat

So, I'm aiming for these items first before I buy anything else!!

Whats on your wishlist for this summer?

And more importantly-because I'm so nosey, how does my wardrobe compare in size to yours??