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OOTD: Monochrome Madness

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Top* – New Look | Jeans – Topshop | Sneakers* – New Look | Bag* – Oasap
 
I could so easily fall into the crowd in London whilst wearing this outfit. I’d disappear and all that would be left is the tale of a girl with too many striped shirts. Thankfully in Chamonix there is a distinct lack of monochrome (oh hey super bright sports gear), and stereotypes aside, I’ve not spotted anyone wearing Breton stripes…unless I count my own reflection. Truth be told though, I’m not one to care if someone is wearing the same outfit as me. There are far more important things in life to worry about, such as if I have any Camembert left in the fridge.
I have begun to worry though that once A/W hits I’ll be left with no striped tops to wear (as they’re all short sleeved), which I can only imagine would drive me to madness. Note to self: go shopping for more long sleeved striped tops when you return home.
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OOTD: I Don’t Do OTT

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Blouse – Primark | Jeans – Topshop | Flats – Primark | Sunglasses* – Playn | Ring – Tatty Devine x Rob Ryan

Minimal make-up (or none at all) has become a daily occurrence when I’m on holiday, as I opt for a more natural look. Of course it helps that pretty much all of the women in the South of France are sans make-up…or just know how to cleverly disguise it to look as if they aren’t wearing any. This time I took it a step further and let my hair keep it’s natural curls and frizz. It’s odd to think that only a few years ago I would never have left the house without styling my hair and throwing on some make-up. It’s empowering and kind of wonderful to feel so comfortable in my own skin.

Of course my clothing follows the same path lately. Minimalistic with clean colours. The old white blouse and jeans combo can never fail, take my word for it. Pair it with some ballet flats (a French favourite), an oversized bag (for all the cheese and grenadine you’re going to buy later) and some subtle shades (very mysterious, darling), and you’ve got yourself the perfect holiday look.

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OOTD: Countryside Chic

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Mac* – Red or Dead | Top – Topshop | Jeans – Topshop | Boots – Topshop | Bag – Primark

How do you dress for a rainy, cold weekend in Wales? Well! Thankfully, after visiting Wales more than a handful of times, I have honed my skills in this department. First off I make sure I’m wearing a decent coat that will keep me dry and warm, but not too big as I don’t want to be travelling with anything too heavy. Next up, a pair of decent boots and trainers because the Welsh countryside is certainly not the place for stilettos (when you walk as much as I do anyway). A good pair of jeans always comes in handy because they can easily be dressed up in the evening. Finally, a selection of cute tops that allow me to show off my personality, without losing any comfort or warmth.

Yes, it may not be very glamorous but sometimes you really do have to combine fashion and function.
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Travel Diary: Countryside Escape

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I love London, but sometimes travelling outside of the big smoke is just what the doctor ordered. This time we headed off into the Welsh countryside for a long weekend. I only discovered Wales about 5 years ago when I met my fiancé, yet it has quickly become a second (third?) home for me. The scenery is beautiful and the people are welcoming, what more could you ask for?

Whilst I’m in Wales I enjoy taking long walks in the hills, making friends with sheep as I go by. Sampling the amazing local food at home (and in restaurants) is always a must, as is having a good catch-up over a glass of wine. Unfortunately the rain may have got in the way a little this past weekend, but we still managed to fit in: a 15 mile bike ride, a trip to a manor house and a stroll around the local castle ruins. Relaxation success!

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Wish List: Joules

Joules is a brand I associate with countryside chic. A lot of my friends who live in the country wear it and so by osmosis I have slowly become a fan of the brand myself, even though I’m a city girl. After donning one of their waterproof jackets this weekend (thanks for the rain Wales) I decided to browse their online store. Consequently I ended up falling for several of their new arrivals I decided to pick out a few of the items from their latest collections that caught my eye, and share them with you all.

Stripes! Did you expect anything else from me? In fact I scaled back on here and have even more striped goodies from Joules in my own personal wish list (in my head). Their selection of lovely Summer dresses this year really caught my eye too, and have left me quite sad that I don’t have any weddings to attend. Unfortunately the British weather also seems to have other ideas and I think my selection of items reflects my eagerness to plan ahead. Still, with gorgeous items like these on offer you can’t really be too upset about Autumn coming sooner than planned. My plan for A/W this year? Colourful jumpers, comfy brogues, warm dresses and accessories galore.

Create your own wish list at Joules.

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This post is in collaboration with Joules but all views and words are my own.

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Designer Spotlight: Elena Saraceni

I really feel like up-and-coming designers aren’t given enough love, so when I happened upon Elena Saraceni at the Red Vatican press launch I knew I had to dedicate a post to her work. Elena’s designs called out to me personally as I loved the intricacy that had gone into her pieces. Not only are her designs painstakingly hand-embroided but they call out to the woman who prefers something with a bit more attitude. The woman who grew up being called a ‘tomboy’ when really she just felt sexier in an oversized leather vest. Biker jackets, skirts with skulls on, studs and one effortlessly chic clutch bag. Need I say more?

I contacted her and asked if she wouldn’t mind telling me a bit about herself and her designs.

DESIGNER NAME: Elena Saraceni

ORIGIN: Born in Argentina, raised in Venezuela with Italian, French, Argentinian and Venezuelan heritage.

DESIGN BACKGROUND: Graduated from Central Saint Martins, London College of Fashion and Instituto Brivil. Holds a BA, Graduate Diploma and an Masters in Fashion design. She has worked between Paris, London and Caracas with Oscar Carvallo, Consuelo Zoelly, Maria Grachvogel, Alexander McQueen and her own brand and projects.

DESIGN SIGNATURES: It would be more a language than a stamp. Balance between contradictory elements, making sense out of a paradox.

BRAND PHILOSOPHY: Find potential in the ordinary, find beauty in the unexpected.

CULTURAL INFLUENCES:  Music, art, travel, everything. And there’s also cinema, a movie has art, photography, style, philosophy, attitude, music and video all in one.

LATEST COLLECTION: The Amish Outlaw Collection ’14

“An Amish girl gets shunned by her family after she falls in love with a biker that was passing by and runs away with him. Now, she’s trying to figure out how to belong to her new family without letting go of her religious beliefs.”

Inspired by Amish country and outlaw motorcycle clubs, the collection features hand-embroidered themes taken from the artisanal Amish quilts and Biker visual identification and adornment, to create quilting for textured leather and workwear cotton. Mixing textured and flat fabrics, handwork and machine work, leather and quilting and melting them with a concept that joins antagonistic elements together. The magic happened in the in-between as always. Making sense out of the senseless. Looking for similarities in apparently different ideas. Making sense out of a paradox through the alchemy of concepts diluting them in a bricolage of styles and materials.

Browse and shop The Amish Outlaw Collection at Elena Saraceni, and in-store at Red Vatican.