Its All about the Dress! Transitional Dressing from the High Street

Choosing print dresses for end of Summer and Autumn styling!

Hi everyone! I've noticed that on Instagram that dresses seem to be the most popular go to for effortless style and comfort this Summer! Whether it's a puff sleeve, little black dress, grecian maxi or a flowing floral number, I do think dresses are definitely on many stylish IGers and Fashion bloggers radar this current season!

I really love dresses in Summer although I do tend to gravitate towards jeans and sweaters in Winter! However, I would like to carry on wearing dresses as we leave Summer and go into the next couple of seasons and I've found two dresses that I feel fit this remit very well indeed!

So breaking away from my current Summer habit of buying plain neutrals, I've bought print neutrals which I think are perfect transition choices when heading for the Autumn season! My first buy was in the Marks and Spencer's summer sale earlier this month and with a special offer on my Sparks card too, it was just £4. 

It's a really pretty paisley and floral taupe print dress with tiers and the near maxi length is ideal for wearing with sandals, trainers or boots and also a denim jacket or cardigan whatever the style occasion as the cooler weather approaches:

My second dress was purchased this week- Primark have their new current season instore and I literally picked this up as soon as I walked in! I haven't got a leopard print dress and again, the length and style of this dress make it a perfect transition piece from Summer to Autumn- it's also an ideal Day to Evening dress simply by adding jewellery, a pair of strappy sandals and a statement handbag and I'm good to go! 

Primark do some amazing leopard print clothes every season- I wore a year old leopard print denim skirt not so long ago which is featured on my Instagram feed. If you pick well, you cannot go wrong with Primark clothes and I do enjoy styling and wearing thoughtfully chosen items that I've had year after year!

Also leopard print is such a great print to style with- adding a splash of red or gold or silver carefully curated accessories with it ensures you'll really elevate your chosen leopard print piece with style!

This dress was £15 and I'm delighted to have 2 new High Street purchases that have stood me in at less than £10 each! 

Top Style Tip I do tend to size 1-2 sizes up in Primark- sizing up on certain high street brands ensures the said item looks a lot more stylish and expensive looking and drapes better too!

I do feel that Summer is slowly slipping away- well we've had an amazing one considering it started at the beginning of Lockdown! I doubt I'll be buying anymore items for Summer now unless it's an awesome thrifted one that I will have to have for next Summer!

Will you be wearing dresses this Autumn? Are they your go to for easy styling or will you be back in jeans? I'm a denim lover anyway so whether it's a jacket or skirt or jeans, denim will definitely feature a lot in my Autumn wardrobe- and hopefully dresses will too!!

Summer Linen- choosing preloved Marks and Spencer

Last of my Thrifted Summer Buys! 

Hi everyone! Last Friday was a lovely afternoon spent with the girls, lunching, then charity shopping and then back to the local Wetherspoon's for afternoon dessert and a needed cup of tea!

My Summer thrifted buys this season have been a lot more thought out as to what can be saved for following summers- I really want to have pieces that will transcend trends and that I will enjoy wearing and will keep me cool and looking stylish too!

This first item I found was in a charity shop where they were doing a 3 for 2 offer. I've mentioned in previous Instagram and blogposts that I really do like finding preloved Marks and Spencer linen  it not only keeps you cool but I do feel it's effortlessly stylish and very practical to wear and if you choose neutral colours then separates such as tops, blouses, shorts and trousers can so easily be mixed and matched for lots of different looks within a capsule summer wardrobe. 

I really like the stripe detail and the self belt nicely cinches the waist without feeling too fussy or tight. This will go with some white linen trousers I thrifted in June, plus cut off denim shorts or one of my denim skirts.Whilst thirfting, I try to envisage if an item will go with at least three items in my wardrobe- if it does then there's a good chance I'll buy it!  Also I find linen really doesn't have great hanger appeal, but once tried on it does look and feel nice!

My next find was a second black linen jacket the first one you can see here in July's post 

The difference between the two is this one is a slightly longer length and is an unstructured, unlined style so I can wear it with shorts or trousers for a more relaxed, casual style:

My last find was this awesome vintage cream linen vintage St Michaels Marks and Spencer dress- I think it's from the 80s- it has a dropped waist, soft pleats and detailed horn style buttons. I was unsure about it in the shop, but decided to buy it anyway and once I had tried it on I was so pleased I had snapped it up. I may not get a chance to wear it this Summer but this is a keeper dress that I know I'll wear in future Summers. It's a classic style, comfortable and I've hankered after a cream dress for a while, so this fits the bill perfectly!

So the grand total for all three was £9.50- a little over £3 per item which for Marks and Spencer items I think is awesome! I've built up a great variety of items for Summer dressing  and preloved Marks and Spencer linen features a lot in it. I've four linen shirts, a couple of jackets, two pairs of trousers and a dress that are preloved M&S and I can safely say that they are definitely items that will have longevity in my summer capsule wardrobe.

I constantly culled my wardrobe this season and the things I had left and bought this season are items that I can mix well with each other for all and any occasions. I have bought a lot of plain neutral things these last few months and as a lover of prints and floral items for Summer, I feel I now have a good variety of colour and style in my current wardrobe!

Have you finished your Summer wardrobe shopping this season? My next blogpost will feature a couple of new buys that will be perfect for transitioning to Autumn- stay tuned!

Relaxed Vibes with Femme Luxe- Sweatshirt and Cycling Shorts

Summer Loungewear chosen for Comfort and Style!!

Hi everyone!! I'm totally defaulting to loungewear for my current staycation! I won't be flying away anytime soon but if I was I would definitely be choosing these key pieces from Femme Luxe for travelling and relaxing.

The current obsession of cycling shorts has not abated and when I saw these high waisted ribbed cycling shorts I knew I had to go for all the neutral colourways on offer!

To complement the different colours I've chosen this neutral sand sweatshirt to go with the shorts- picking an oversized style means style and comfort come first and I have an easy trend led uniform for Summer days that are that bit cooler!

These sage colour shorts are a trendy pop of neutral colour that give an understated nod to a no fuss, 

minimalistic summer vibe:

I love the camel cycling shorts and can easily see me wearing these with an oversized blazer and simple white tee if I wanted a more stylish daytime look for lunching with the girls or for going on a shopping trip! 

I really love wearing my tie dye t shirt and pairing it with the black ribbed cycling shorts is such a fun fashion forward look for trips to the park or relaxing in the garden.

If cycling shorts aren't your thing- Femme Luxe do a great range of shorts in different colours and styles to suit all tastes and budgets!

I'm really enjoying choosing neutral pieces that are adding to my favourite colour pallettes for Summer- beiges, greens, white and black are so easy to mix and match and are great tonal choices for having a versatile mix and match wardrobe!

Thanks to Femme Luxe- as usual the quality and choice are spot on and I've really enjoyed styling these pieces which I know will have longevity in my loungewear wardrobe!

Choosing Summer Neutrals with Femme Luxe

My Favourite Colour Pallettes for Lounging or Working Out in Style!

Hi everyone! So the heatwave has disappeared for the forseeable future and with this in mind, my choice of loungewear and activewear is geared towards cropped styles and cycling shorts- a perfect combination for those cooler days.

I chose black cycling shorts as a Summer style staple- not only are they stylish and comfortable, they really are ideal for any active or restful activity that I decide to do this season!

Not just that, but they've always been a favourite of mine and are especially on trend this Summer. I've teamed them with a black oversize tee and this is a perfect fashion forward choice of outfit for me- ensuring I keep cool in a casual chic style! 

So I'm pretty obsessed with the Estelle Boxy Loungewear set-the team at Femme Luxe have got this 2 piece co-ordinate outfit on point for style, comfort and in this gorgeous camel colour, it really ticks all the boxes for the colour pallette I'm aspiring to this Summer! Whether you want a neutral colour or something more bolder or brighter, Femme Luxe have a great range to choose from!

I already have this in black and grey and I recommend it if you're after a loungewear set that will look good for a shopping trip, travelling or relaxing at home. 

There's nothing more cosier on cooler Summer days than a cropped hoodie and this one really fits well and is true to size-that;s what I really like about Femme Luxe pieces, I can order my size and be reassured I'll get the perfect fit!

I opted for the khaki cycling shorts to go with the hoodie- I love the tonal colour combination and this outfit will be ideal for when I'm doing yoga or going for a stroll around the park.

If cycling shorts aren't your thing- Femme Luxe do a great range of shorts in different colours and styles to suit all tastes and budgets!

The cropped hoodie is really stylish and on trend and the sand colour means it will go with so much already in my wardrobe- denim shorts or jeans or  loungewear joggers.

What colours and styles are you opting for this Summer? By choosing a few key items in neutral colours, I'm building a lovely capsule wardrobe in a colour pallette that I can mix and match with effortless styling and ease!

Thanks to the team at Femme Luxe for letting me style these versatile and fashionable pieces that I'm really looking forward to wearing!

Thrift My Style with Summer Linen

My Charity Shop Haul this week including other Summer Items!

Hi everyone! I was so happy to see the opening of the charity shops earlier this week, so with this in mind, I did a declutter and took a few things for donation.

 Now is the ideal time being post lockdown to have a good sort out and to have a trying on session too. I've actually sorted another bag of donations these past couple of days due to not trying stuff on before which now does not fit or is making room for newer pieces I've either thrifted or bought.

I've also put some things on eBay too-check them out if you fancy!!

So on my wishlist has been neutral items for Summer and although I don't need a new bag I really couldn't resist this as it ticks all the boxes- neutral style, linen look inspired and for only £2 it was such a good bargain I couldn't not get it!

It's ideal for shopping trips, beach days or any summer awayday- it's a very versatile size and very lightweight to use- if I go on holiday it will be a perfect travelling companion and can also fit effortlessly into luggage too:

Another couple of bargains from later last week were this pure linen pink Marks and Spencer Blouse for just £3.50 and these white linen Marks and Spencer trousers for £3!!

I always look to size up on linen as it looks so much more classic and chic to be loose fitting- so I was especially happy to find both of these in bigger sizes to oversize my outfit choices:

Linen is a practical and chic option for Summer and if you buy quality items it will last you for summers to come. I do try and thrift good high street pieces for longevity in my wardrobe and you generally can't go wrong with M&S!

Two other finds from earlier in the week were a Laura Ashley linen tee and a pair of tailored linen trousers in traditional linen colours.

The M&S tailored trousers were only £1 from Sense charity shop and again these were a size larger which fit me really well!

I really love this Laura Ashley linen tee- it was £4 and I especially love the embroidery detail too! This will look great dressed up or down with denim for a casual summer chic look.  

Both pieces really launder and iron well- again a good sign of buying quality preloved high street items.

This chambray blouse by TU for Sainsburys was only £1 from Sense and is a piece that will go with shorts, skirts and denim for Summer. Chambray is a perfect Summer option, softer and lighter than traditional denim, it easily goes with anything for an easy Summer outfit choice: 

I do love sportswear pieces and I couldn't leave these Adidas shorts behind from Barnados charity shop for just £4! Ideal for lounging or yoga or walking, these will last for ages and are a timeless piece of sports fashion:

If you check out my Instagram- thriftmystyledotcom then you can also see the cute preloved Topshop black slip dress I found for just £6 too!

It's certainly been a winning week of thrifting and charity shop finds for me! What is on your summer wishlist? I have always tended to gravitate towards floral for Summer but am enjoying looking for different things like plain colours and linen- what is your Summer style?