Living in the ’80s!

July 12, 2013July 12, 20132 Comments

If there’s one thing I’m famous for amongst my friends, it’s wanting to dress up at the drop of a hat, and planning elaborate parties in order to justify some ridiculous outfit I’ve dreamed up. So I thought I’d share these photos from our ’80s party last year, which we organised as part of the joint 30th birthday celebration between me and my friends, who were all born within a couple of months of each other. What better way to celebrate a landmark birthday than with a throwback party to the decade when you were born?!

Of course, Ray-bans were the big thing during the ’80s (have they ever really gone out of fashion since?!), so the first job was grabbing a pair of replicas from eBay.

Next, comes the big hair…

Polka dots and bright accessories:

I was channeling a pre-blonde Madonna here, of course…

I actually had two outfits for the weekend, but first was the small matter of hair and makeup:

I thought I’d go subtle for the first day, so as not to scare people too badly…

This is an authentic ’80s jumpsuit, complete with amazing power shoulder pads. The honest truth is I loved wearing this – it was comfy as heck and I thought it looked fantastic. Sadly, I don’t think the world is ready for a real ’80s revival just yet… I also bought these great electric blue snakeskin heels from New Look to complete the outfit. Unfortunately, at times, there was something slightly Michael Jackson-ish about my appearance:

Day two was when I unleashed the full force of Madonna:

The Material Girl was in full swing!

My husband wore a tracksuit – he loves it so much he’s worn it multiple times since then, because as all children of the ’80s, he feels the lure of the tracksuit like a Siren’s call.

I had on a tutu, but you can only really see it in this incredibly unflattering side view of me singing along to Blondie:

But wait! What about the catering? Well, of course, that was a major aspect of the fun! Where would an ’80s party be without a trifle?

And a pineapple and cheese hedgehog?

And potato waffles!:

And a really awful photo of a Viennetta?!

(When I was a kid, you knew it was a serious and important landmark event if there was Viennetta on the table!)

There also had to be quiche and vol au vents:

And pink wafers, savoury mini eggs, and party rings!

And, because why not, jello shots in the shape of lemon wedges!

Sunday morning could only be cartoons and Pop Tarts time!

It was great fun to relive our childhood days from a slightly different perspective, but I have to say my Pop Tart sugar rush was pretty intense…! I still can’t decide which ’80s outfit I liked the best, but it was definitely fun to research them and put them together. The first time round for me, the ’80s were all knee high socks, flowery skirts, and matching cardigans!

Birthday sundae outfit

July 9, 2013July 8, 2013Leave a comment

On Monday last week my husband’s lovely co-workers organised a surprise trip for him to go to a local ice-cream parlour. I, of course, was a major co-conspirator, so I had to pop along as well! Here’s my outfit!

Sunglasses, French Connection / orange, blue, white and silver textured jacket, Next / orange geo top, Next / jeans, Gap / red satchel, Accessorize / cat shoes, eBay

If I’ve only learnt one thing recently fashion-wise, it’s the importance of a range of cute blazers when it comes to pepping up an outfit. I love the colours in this, and multi-coloured items make it so easy to match accessories, etc. I got this in the sale at Next, after having stalked it at full price for some time – and it was the last one left at half price. Bargain!

They also match these orange-red cat flats I bought from eBay, which are sadly starting to show their wear, but I still love them. When I bought them, I had no idea they were copies of the Charlotte Olympia Kitty flats, but in all honesty I prefer the heel height on mine – which is to say, completely flat. Of course, if I win the lottery I will purchase the originals immediately! Also, please excuse the scratches on my foot – I was attacked by a bush on my parents’ driveway recently! At least it’s not as noticeable as what’s happened to my hand…

Nope, no idea why I have cuts all over it, other than I was doing *a lot* of party prep and being incredibly careless. Good job I’m not a hand model! But ignore the cuts, check out the cute Dog Zodiac bracelet my husband bought me from Mulberry in the sale!

Dogs are my favourite animal, and I was born in the year of the dog, so of course, I had to have this… It was fate! And, it came in its own dustbag, gift box and lovely Mulberry bag, too – all for the bargain price of £20!

I’ve been wearing it every day since – I usually hate bracelets and watches because of the constant feeling of something being on my wrist, or slipping around, but this is so delicate you hardly know it’s there.

Petworth House

July 8, 2013July 8, 2013Leave a comment

In April, we visited Petworth House as part of a special offer with the National Trust. It was a lovely place with some great artwork, but pretty expensive if you’re not getting a special offer. And, unfortunately, you’re not allowed to access the top part of the house during the weekends… Considering you still have to pay full price for this and it’s not mentioned anywhere, I found this to be pretty irritating in all honesty. But if you like art there’s still a lot to see during the weekends, including a spectacular gallery full of statues and paintings. I didn’t take photos inside because I was worried about being told off!

Sunglasses, Jeepers Peepers / Boyfriend jacket, Primark / T-shirt, Warehouse / Pave button pendant, Cristalina Jewellery / Lanesley bag, Hobbs / skirt, Louche / Maddox wedge, L.K. Bennett

This was my first outing for my Maddox wedges, and I was worried whether they’d rub or be uncomfortable – but I’m happy to say they were excellent! However, I wore them with sheer tights, which I am slowly learning is one of the most effective ways of preventing blisters on your feet… Pro-tip there! These shoes also give you a lot of height without losing stability – I went through a phase of hating wedges, but now I’m back in love with them again…

Do you blame me? LOVE these shoes!

Pride Parade and Mulberry

July 4, 2013Leave a comment

At the weekend, my husband and I went to London to see the finale of Viva Forever. So sad the show is closing because I thought it was a decent musical with some great highlights, but… I guess the press just wasn’t behind it. Bof.

Here’s my outfit for the day:

Zipper jacket, Zara / scarf, eBay / sunglasses, French Connection / mouse earrings, Hobbs / red satchel, Accessorize / jeans, Gap / leopard Indias with red trim, French Sole (via ASOS)

These shoes were a massive bargain, actually – somehow they ended up in the sale at ASOS for £67. They’d been in my saved list for ages so when I saw the price drop I ordered them right off. They’re ponyhair and I adore them – and they are surprisingly versatile even though at first glance they seem very outrageous. They’re also not at all my usual style – and in fact, a year ago I would have balked at anything animal print as being incredibly tacky – but hey… Things change!

Coincidentally, our trip was on the same day as the Pride Parade, so we stopped to watch it on Regents Street. It was awesome to be part of such an amazing demonstration, underneath the banners for the 60th anniversary of QEII’s coronation. How things have changed!

I also met this handsome chap, who totally knew he was hot stuff…

I LOVE Chihuahuas – my nan and mum used to breed them when I was little, so I spent my childhood surrounded by the critters. I’ll always have a soft spot for them.

By the end of the parade – which took about an hour and a half to filter past – I was plastered in stickers. It was great to be there to support the event, and I’m really glad we stopped to soak in the atmosphere.

Afterwards, I dragged my husband to Mulberry’s new flagship store on New Bond Street, to check out the sales.

I’m sure I’m not the only girl who lusts after a Mulberry to hang on my arm…

There were certainly plenty of goodies to choose from!

The design of the store was beautiful – of course, that was my official reason for visiting… Harumph…

When I came out, I was sure to send a photo to my fellow Mulberry-loving friend…

What was inside the bag, I hear you ask… It was leather protecting spray! Yes, those sweet shop assistants wrapped it up in one of their gorgeous bags for me. So, wrapped up in the giddy thrill and excitement, I forced my poor husband to purchase me a ‘gift’ from the sale – a Dog Zodiac bracelet, reduced from £40 to £20. I love it, I’ll post a picture later…

Next post will be all about our visit to Hawksmoor Air Street.

Outfit for Greek night

July 1, 20135 Comments

I thought I’d share my outfit for last Saturday when we popped into The Fat Fig!

Navy texture peplum jacket, Next – Red Geo print sleeveless top, Next – Jeans, Gap – Navy Myra wedges, Hobbs – Charlie clutch in raw navy silk, Wilbur & Gussie

I really wanted an excuse to wear my wedges and use my clutch, so the outfit was just built around these two items…

Ever since I saw this clutch on Wilbur & Gussie’s site I’d been lusting after it, so when it went on sale I just had to snap it up. I love their range, there are some truly adorable bags there (for example, the awesome Ruby Brown envelope clutch and the Coco cream silk clutch – although I already have that style in black velvet so shouldn’t be greedy!). I also wore by CZs by the Yard bracelet from Heavenly Necklaces.

Definitely going to be looking for some more excuses to get the bag/clutch combo out again soon, even though the heels are sky high! I used to be scared of wearing heels but I can safely say I’ve overcome my phobia…

Whiteley Hats

June 22, 20136 Comments

My visit to Ascot Ladies’ Day has renewed my love of hats – even though, quite blasphemously, I wasn’t wearing one on the day! (It was actually a floral headpiece, so there!). So when I spied a bunch of Whiteley hats on sale at John Lewis, I of course had to model a few in the interests of science. Whiteley has been made famous by the Duchess of Cambridge, of course, she of the many hats, and I have to say some of my favourite items of hers are either by Whiteley or Lock & Lock. Sadly, the latter is somewhat out of my price range – but trying on hats is free no matter where they’re from, right?

This looks to be a pink version of Kate’s famous swirl hat, which she has in brown, although this one is actually a slightly different shape. I LOVED this hat, and I plan to get the brown version as soon as it’s available (stalking it here).

A lot of people (including myself) get nervous about wearing hats with elastic, but if you match the elastic to your hair colour, it’s perfectly acceptable to have the band showing:

Or, if you want to wear your hair down, you can still do so with these hats – what I did was just put my hair up, place the hat, and then remove the band from my ponytail:

This side-view shows what’s happening with the band:

This hat I thought was rather unsuccessful…:

This one is very good for those that want to wear something a bit more subtle:

It’s a pretty versatile shape and colour, and I think was only about £40-45. Also, it sits on a comb, which some people are more comfortable with, although I really prefer headbands for my hats!

However, this one was my out-and-out favourite:

It looks very similar to the black one the Duchess of Cambridge has worn on a few occasions, but has a rounded top rather than a straight edge like hers (but I fully intend to make that one mine as well, so of course it wouldn’t do to have two the same style, would it?!).

As the hat was £42 in the sale (reduced from £85), I decided it would be rude not to buy it, and so I now have yet another hat to add to my collection of hats I have nowhere to wear. I am thinking of starting a hat club just to give people a reason to wear them… Who is in?!

Whiteley hats available in store and online from John Lewis and other retailers: see http://www.whiteley-hat.co.uk/ for more.

Duchess Style: jewellery

March 20, 20131 Comment

Another post in my continuing saga of replicating outfits by the Duchess of Cambridge! This time, it’s about her jewellery. To be honest, I’m not massive jewellery girl – I love studs and long pendants, but other than that, I’m fairly neutral about sparkly things. I wear glasses most of the time, and I just don’t think dangly earrings suit my face with them on, which vastly reduces my opportunity to wear them. But, like I always do, I’ve been sucked down the rabbit hole and have started lusting over some of Kate’s amazing pieces. I swear I am going to pick up the gorgeous Links of London Effervescence Bubble Stiletto earrings someday, but there are some other items that I like that I simply couldn’t afford. Step in, the replikate! Tatiana of Tatiana’s Delights (another great Facebook group for Kate fashion fans!) tipped me off about the amazing Kate collection from Cristalina Jewellery, and I emailed the company right away (sales@crystaline.co.uk) to see if they had the items I was after in stock. They did! So, with a £5.99 postage fee on the top, I got my items the day after I paid for them, on a Saturday, no less!

Kate Crystal Pear Drop Earrings, £9.99

Kate’s Button Pendant, £16.99.

I have to say, I love them both. I’m a massive fan of Kate’s Asprey pendant, but I’d never blow three grand on anything… literally, I cannot think of anything I’ve ever bought or would intend to buy that’s near that price. But this is a pretty similar item. The only bugbear I have is that there’s an engraving of the word ‘princess’ around the edge. As someone who, even as a child, never styled herself as a princess, nor actually wants to be one, having it around my neck is a little bit annoying – but hey, I guess I can live with that!

I also quite like Kate’s Hope Egg earrings, but again, the price is too high for me to spend on something that I merely ‘like’. The crystal pear drop earrings really are very similar, and of course, a much better price!

I’m not usually a fan of silver jewellery, but I do like these!

What do you think – any items Kate wears that take your fancy?

Duchess Style: Peter Pan Collar Dress

March 19, 2013March 20, 20136 Comments

Today, the Duchess of Cambridge was spotted wearing a black dress with a white Peter Pan collar, which was said to come from Topshop. As always, the community at What Kate Wore were quick off the mark to identify the dress, and came out with a possible match: the contrast collar shift dress (now out of stock).

All of this went down while I was having new (faster) broadband installed. Yes, Kate decided to pop up literally at the exact moment I was disconnected! This left me frantically looking on my phone for updates and trying to load Topshop in order to check stock levels. Of course, my size was the only one unavailable when I initally checked, so I called my local Topshop, and managed to get through on the second attempt. Right when I finally got someone on the phone from the right department, I hear: “excuse me?” The engineer had finally finished and was waiting to show off his handiwork… Reluctantly, I say to the sales assistant “I’ll have to phone you back” and she replies “but this is TOPSHOP, it’s very hard to get hold of us!”. With my saddest little voice, I say “I’m sorry, I have to phone you back…” RAAAAAAH! (That bit was internal, don’t worry.)

After testing the broadband (exactly the same as far as I can tell), I managed to get someone on the phone from Topshop again (actually not as hard as the sales assistant would have you believe!) and asked them to reserve the dress in a 10. Then, I actually managed to get into town before they closed today (usually impossible for me as I don’t have a car!) to nab the last one. THE LAST ONE IN THE SHOP. Unfortunately, it has a bit of a makeup mark on the back of the collar, but I hope I can clean it off.

So, here you go – this dress hasn’t been identified as the exact one that Kate was wearing today, to be honest, the collar looks very slightly different to me, and the sleeves look a bit shorter on mine. But, what do you think? Same dress?

That’s the back view – the zipper does go all the way up, but I unzipped it slightly for some reason…

See the dress Kate was wearing today at The Daily Mail and What Kate Wore.

EDIT!

Okay, so when I first heard about this dress, I typed ‘contrast collar’ into the Topshop search engine, and found two dresses, one in their regular range, and one ‘tall’. There was a tall left in size 10, so I ordered that immediately, and then tracked down the ‘regular’ in the shop itself. To be honest, I did wonder whether Kate would have ordered the tall, because, well, she is tall – but it did seem in photos that her dress was pretty short – hitting well above the knee. However, after seeing a couple of mentions of people saying that she was wearing the tall version, I decided to see whether I could find any proof one way or another – and I think I have!

Here is the length of the hem of the Goat Redgrave coat, from their site:

Here is the length of the regular contrast collar dress from Topshop’s site:

I just measured my own, and it comes to around 84cm from shoulder to hem, so that seems accurate. So if the Redgrave coat is a minimum of 127.5cm in length, that means that the dress would need to be approximately the same for it to appear the way it does in photos – if you click the links above you’ll see that the dress and coat seem to be the same length. But the regular version is just 85cm long, so we need to check the tall version…

Darn! No length listed! I’ll have to measure when it arrives… but, I think it’s safe to say the regular version of this dress is just too short to have the right effect under the Redgrave coat…

Kate Middleton Wears A Topshop ‘Contrast Collar Dress’ And Crepe Goat ‘Redgrave’ Coat For A Charity Visit To Child Bereavement UK (graziadaily.co.uk)

Duchess Style: Great Plains Cezanne dress

March 15, 2013Leave a comment

I have a bit of a thing for the Duchess of Cambridge’s wardrobe. Who wouldn’t want to dress like a future queen, after all? I love finding out what she’s wearing and then tracking down the item myself! When Kate appeared in Grimsby wearing a new dress last week, I logged onto the amazing Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/WhatKateWore, where the community had located the dress within minutes of her appearance. So, I had to bag one for myself (on sale at www.greatplains.co.uk). Here’s the result!

I decided to pair it with a couple of other Kate-related items, my L.K. Bennett Sliver sandals in taupe (bought from the outlet store in Portsmouth, now renamed as the Sandy) and my L.K. Bennett Natalie clutch (still available from the site).

I love these shoes – had them resoled as the leather soles are pretty delicate. It’s sooo cold here at the moment though that it’s impossible to wear them out anywhere, so for once I’m actually looking forward to the warmer months!

The Natalie clutch is an item I’ve been lusting after for a long time, so I decided to break down and treat myself last month. I’m glad I did, because it goes perfectly with my sandals, and my nude heels that I bought from M&S. I did try on a pair of Kate’s beloved Sledges, but sadly they are too dark a shade to really be ‘nude’ on me, so I bought the much cheaper pair from the Autograph range – practically identical in every way, expect a better match for me! (And comfy too!)

Do you follow Kate’s fashions? Ever bought anything she was seen wearing? Ever replicated one of her looks? I’d love to hear from you in the comments if so!

William Chambers for Coast

February 20, 2013February 19, 2013Leave a comment

You know I love hats! So when I got a newsletter from Coast about their new collaboration with milliner William Chambers, I had to head on over to check out the collection right away…

This is probably the most impressive offering, a delicate cascade of feathers balanced against a woven base – called the double disc floral hat, this retails for £160.

In a similar colour is the floral veiled hat, for £130.

A bit edgier, the buntal teardrop hat retails for £100, and features an animal print pattern, great with a black or white dress.

Providing a pop of colour is the ostrich pom hat in pink, for £150. This is the only offering in the collection that doesn’t feature a neutral palette, although it’s also available in black.

By far my favourite, though, is this gorgeous side bow hat, in black!

This structured, straw hat is priced £100 and has a very Kate Middleton vibe to it…

At the moment, you have to either order these from a store, or reserve and collect them in person. Which one is your favourite?

Food, Fashion and Fitness

Style, beauty, health and recipes

Category: Fashion

Living in the ’80s!

Birthday sundae outfit

Petworth House

Pride Parade and Mulberry

Outfit for Greek night

Whiteley Hats

Duchess Style: jewellery

Duchess Style: Peter Pan Collar Dress

Duchess Style: Great Plains Cezanne dress

William Chambers for Coast

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Related articles

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: