Thrift Inspiration...............Parkas for all budgets!

Hi everyone! Wishing you all a Happy Monday and I hope you are bearing up with all the snow we are having! This month I have been trying to just thrift items that I know I will definitely wear and really like, as opposed to items that I will put in the wardrobe for an 'in case occasion'. I already have so many items that don't get worn regularly so I am trying to fill in the basics and then shop my wardrobe as much as possible.

One item that has been on my style radar for a long while is a khaki green parka. Regarding rainwear, I am very much in the 'parka' camp as opposed to the 'trenchcoat'. As much as I really like them I don't feel 'me' in them and just prefer to admire them on other people!

Here is my pick of parkas available now, both designer and on the high street:

Lot78 Hooded parka coat, £585

J Crew Hooded parka £190

Zara with detachable hood £69.99

I thrifted this Parka raincoat a couple of weeks ago from the Salvation Army charity shop for just £3.99 and its by Marks and Spencer. It is a lightweight one and ideal for those Spring showers which will be inevitable for us in the UK!! What drew me to it was the length too, as it comes to just touching the knee so will keep me well protected from wind and rain. It also has enough room to fit a tailored jacket, chunky cardigan or jumper underneath to keep my dry and cosy:

I like the minimal detailing and the coat will be easy to style with any given outfit, particularly with skinny jeans and boots. I think dark khaki is a very versatile and easy neutral colour to work with in the wardrobe for Spring and makes a fresh change from black and beige.

What is your style choice for rainy weather, do you wear parkas or raincoats and will you be investing in either for Spring?

Thrift Inspiration.........Doing it McQueen style with the humble grey sweatshirt

Hi everyone! The weather is absolutely freezing outside and I would say at the moment its all about layers and keeping warm. This brings me to a wardrobe staple that most us may already have, which is the humble grey sweatshirt. I thrifted a Uniqlo sweatshirt earlier this week for just under £4 and whilst browsing the internet I was inspired by what it can be worn with:

This look featured at the MCQ pre fall collection presentation for 2013 and I love how this sweat top has been layered over a black chiffon dress and paired with black ankle boots to fierce the look up. 

You could adapt this look with a black chiffon pleated skirt or layer it over a black floaty dress, check out what's already in your wardrobe.

This grey sweat top from Topshop has been paired with it's tall crystal stud tube skirt, £40

It's a really inspiring look to wear a statement 'dressy' skirt with a grey sweat top for a more wearable, every day look and it ensures you get extra mileage out of that 'best' skirt.

As a fan of Uniqlo here is a link to their men's grey sweat which is just £19.90- go for a smaller size for a fitted look or a couple sizes up if you like it slouchy. Either look will be great with a black belt over the top, McQueen style.

Uniqlo grey sweatshirt, £19.90

Will you be pairing up a grey sweat with a statement skirt? It really is something that can be worn right now, a great way to wear those thermal tights and tees without feeling like you haven't tried with your outfit choice!!

A Pop of Red for Winter and My Primark Studded Tote Bag For Shopping In Town

Hi everyone! I went into town yesterday purely to get some thermal t-shirts for younger son, but knowing my destination was Primark I had a sneaky suspicion I would be having a browse around the store and possibly even purchasing something for myself too! 

 My main buys in Primark tend to be their scarves-for around £3 to £5 you can get an on trend accessory that can be worn straight away without breaking the bank. But before I reached the vests (menswear is on the top floor!) I passed the shoe section that had some nude patent slipper pumps on sale for £3, so they were held on to. Then I went to the scarves and couldn't resist a navy and white scull scarf for £4-ideal for Spring and Summer. I have had on my radar the 'want' (I won't say need!) of a red tote bag which will bag my buys when I am in town and save me having to carry 2 or 3 random carrier bags.  So I was really pleased when I spied this studded red large tote for just £12. It also comes in black but I wanted red for a pop of colour for winter. It is very roomy and generous in size, with a couple of inner pockets for your phone and keys:

The red of the tote is more of a true red in reality, the picture seems to show it to be more orangey-red.

Here are my favourite picks of other red bags available and which are on sale:

Red Zara mini shopper, now half price £19.99

Stella McCartney faux leather red stud bag, The Outnet, now £247.50

 Michael Kors tote, The Outnet, now £52

Will you be sporting a red bag this season?

Dress MyStyle-Layer up this winter with Uniqlo Heattech

Hi everyone! Well it's definitely winter weather now and our first snow here where I live hit this morning and settled slightly. So style wise it's all about layers and over Christmas I stocked up and bought three of my favourite layering pieces from Uniqlo in Oxford Street, their Heattech scoop neck long sleeve tees:

Brown (more like greige) Uniqlo Heattech tee, £12.90

I bought them in the brown, light grey and off white and they are simply perfect for wearing under short sleeved tees, chunky jumpers and shirts to keep in the warmth. I originally bought Uniqlo's Heattech tops a few years ago and cannot recommend them highly enough, they are comfortable and come in a great range of  different styles and colours as well as accessories. They are available in store and online too.

I am wearing my light grey one with my thrifted H! for Henry Holland for Debenhams tee and thrifted 7 For All Mankind jeans (I have done a review of these on my denim style blog Live To Love Denim):

This is not a sponsered post, just a very satisfied customer who loves Uniqlos range of clothing. What will you be wearing to keep snug this winter and who do you recommend to keep you warm-stylewise, that is-not hubby or the hot water bottle!!

Have a great week ahead and thanks for visiting!

My favourite scarves of 2012

Hi everyone!! I thought I would do a 'show and tell' of my favourite scarves that were either bought, thrifted or given as gifts to me in 2012. As you may already know I am a denim addict-more of that is on my dedicated style blog Live To Love Denim but my other current style addiction is scarves. I love them in all colours, designs and materials and no matter if they are high street or designer they all add that something extra to outfits and stand the test of sizing issues and trends.

This first scarf was a pre Christmas buy by myself from H&M instore. It had been reduced to £4 and I love how it can be worn not only as a scarf but as a shawl/cape too. It is currently still on sale online here for £5:

My second scarf was from early 2012 and is a striped grey, baby pink and brown one by Hobbs, which I thrifted from my local Sue Ryder charity shop for just under £4. I wore it earlier with my brown Per Una down puffa coat and brown Pavers boots and it is the perfect neckwear of choice now the weather has dipped:

My next scarf was a Christmas present from my lovely mum when we spied it in the men's section of Marks & Spencer just before Christmas. It is available in a different colourway on line and what I love about it is that it is red tartan check, pure lambswool and was made in Great Britain. I wore it solidly over Christmas and New Year but am now giving it a little rest! The men's style to me worked out better quality than the ladies alternative-there was an orange and pink check scarf which was also lambswool, made in Great Britain but was actually smaller in length and width and was £25, so dearer than this one which was £19.50.

My next one is a blue leopardprint and star print scarf by Guess and was a present from my lovely son which he received in a goody bag from Guess at their Spring/Summer 2013 press day. I love the mix of the 2 prints  and is a great year round scarf:

This scarf was a present mid 2012 from a lovely friend and is actually by Burberry. It is a wool mix and has a gold thread running through it-it is very long and again is perfect as a year round scarf, definitely one of my firm favourites:

Of course my other favourite scarves from last year are my Mulberry scarf from Liberty's and my Liberty wool wrap scarf that I got in October.

I need to now enjoy wearing all of these and put them on a strict rotation! Have you got any favourite scarves that you purchased or was given as a present? Are scarves a passion for you?

Wishing you all a lovely weekend, apparently we have snow on the way but at least I am ready for it!!