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OOTD: Cool Chic

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T-shirt: Zara | Culottes: Warehouse* | Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs | Sandals: Fit Flop*

As a Brit, I do love to complain about the weather. Summertime is no different. Each year, at the beginning of Summer I find myself staring sadly into my wardrobe. What do you wear when it feels like you’re going to melt as soon as your step outside? It can be quite the challenge trying to look good, and feel comfortable. So when I find a Summer staple, I stick with it.

You may remember my current fashion motto: quality over quantity. That means I’ve changed my buying habits. Now I buy one high quality item, instead of several cheaper items. This new motto has transformed my wardrobe, and the way I style outfits. Not surprisingly it has also made it easier for me to find my Summer staples this year. Like these culottes. These are ridiculously comfortable, and perfect for Summer. Apart from being comfortable, they’re easy to dress up or down (these are perfect for the weekend, work, or an evening dinner). My current favourite is pairing them with a breton stripe top. I feel as though I could easily fit in on the streets of Paris in this outfit. In fact, if I squint hard enough, the streets of London can look a little Parisian.

I styled this outfit as part of a project run by think money.

Thank you to V.A who took the photos of me.

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What’s In My Handbag?

Sally Leather Cross-body Bag – Marc by Marc Jacobs
Work Phone: Apple iPhone 5c | Personal Phone: Apple iPhone 5s | iPhone 5s Case: Cavendish Cases of Bath
Business Cards: Goodprint* | Nikon 35mm f/1.8G Prime Lens  | Case: Wonderound
Earphones: Happy Plugs | Eye Roll-on: Simple | Velvet Matte Lip Pencil: NARS | Pen: WC（ダブルシー）

Remember how I said one of my resolutions for 2015 was to minimise my wardrobe? Well I’ve been doing pretty well, and recently I continued that winning streak by downsizing my handbag. Just last year I couldn’t go anywhere without a bag big enough fit a small dog in – no I’m serious – so this is a big step for me. So a bag of this size is just the incentive I need. Of course this has also meant putting less items in my bag, meaning I have to stick to the essentials. It’s been a tough transition, but a good one.

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My 2014 Style Evolution

 
March – Floral Fancy
 
 

June – I Feel Blue

 
August – Countryside Chic
 
September – Pattern Practise
 
 
November – Autumnal Bliss
 

December – Norfolk Girl

This year saw my style change quite dramatically. Back in April I did a large overhaul of my wardrobe. I got rid of all the items I’d never worn, or only worn once. I focused on creating a collection of quality basics (and the odd rogue dramatic piece) that would be worn again and again. I decided to stop buying lots of cheaper “on-trend” items, and instead focused on higher end timeless pieces. That meant I could finally justify (and afford) my dream coat from Sandro. Gone are the loud, bright outfits from the beginning of the year. Instead they have been replaced with a more minimalistic, monochrome affair…with a dash of colour.
I hope to continue refining my style in 2015 – working with the same mindset.
Will I keep up with it? I guess only time will tell.
bloomzy /

Marc by Marc Jacobs Press Event

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If you know me and my blog, you’ll also know that I am a longtime fan of Marc by Marc Jacobs. So when a small group of us Nuffies (Nuffnang bloggers) were invited along to the A/W ’14 and Resort Collection ’15 press event, I was beyond excited. There’s no way I’d rather spend my evening than with some of my fave blogger ladies, whilst getting a glimpse of the new MBMJ items.

The collection is the brainchild of Luella Bartley and Katie Hillier (who were in attendance at the event). Two fabulous British designers who have taken over the helm of the brand. The collection is a myriad of reds and greens, with references to Japanese street fashion and Samurai legends, emblazoned with the words ‘revolution’ and ‘Bunny Hop’ (which google tells me are motocross terms). Not all of the collection is as in your face though, with a nod to a more minimalistic style showing up in several pieces.

My favourite pieces from the collection had to be the pleated metallic skirts and the Bunny Hop tote bag, both are staple items I could easily add to my wardrobe. From the previews I’d seen I wasn’t too keen on some of the layering, but after seeing Katie wearing one of the skirts at the event I’m coming round to the idea. The tailoring and cuts on the other hand are spectacular, and I desperately wanted to try on several pieces I spotted during the evening. I’d definitely have done so at any given chance.

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Wishlist: Beauty Base Perfumes

I’ve always been a sucker for a good perfume. It wasn’t until I moved away to university though that I realised just how big my problem was. I placed each beautifully bottled scent on my shelf, until there was no more space. It was then that I decided I would slim my collection down, only buying a select few perfumes, the kind that I would want to wear everyday. In recent years I’ve done pretty well at keeping that promise to myself. Instead I buy one or two perfumes during the year, whilst trying out mini sample size scents to determine my next purchase. Once a perfume has run out I buy my favourite of the samples. However that doesn’t mean I can’t dream a little, so I’ve put together a wishlist of some old and new favourites from Beauty Base. 
Vivienne Westwood has some great perfumes, but Boudoir has to be my favourite. Marc Jacobs is another sensible choice, and if the beautifully adorned bottle doesn’t sell it to you, maybe the fruity, floral fragrance will. Speaking of beautiful bottles, I do like my perfumes to look as good as they smell. That’s why Salvatore Ferragamo’s Signorina Eleganza is on the list. Two samples that I’ve almost used up completely in recent months are Dolce by Dolce & Gabanna, and Prada Candy Florale. Both scents are perfectly suited to me and my perfume collection. I may have resigned myself to only buying a couple of bottles of perfume a year, but that doesn’t mean I can’t ask for the others as gifts. 
Source: 1
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This post is in collaboration with Beauty Base, however all views and words are my own.

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OOTD: I’m Torn

Top – Topshop | Jeans* – Oasap | Sandals – Primark | Sunglasses* – Oasap | Necklace – Marc by Marc Jacobs | Bracelets – Zara

Sometimes I just need a few days to chill out, and when I do, my clothing choices tend to reflect that. However I’m not about to do an outfit post consisting purely of loungewear…although it’s tempting. Instead I donned my new torn mum jeans, some chunky sandals, a loose tee and a ton of accessories. The perfect attire for a day wandering around Shoreditch. 
Unfortunately the jeans are ridiculously large, and by “ridiculously large” I mean about 2 sizes too big. This is my main reason for disliking online shopping, especially when the item is coming from across the other side of the world. Luckily I had a few belts on hand which helped with the problem…slightly. My only other complaint would be that this package took around a month to arrive, because my full address wasn’t on the package. This seems a bit odd after Oasap have been sending packages to the same address for over a year, and they’ve usually arrived within a week or two. Now that they’re charging for postage, this is a bit odd, and a little unsatisfying. I’m hoping that this was just a one-off human error. I don’t like to be a downer, and the only reason I mentioned it is because I have been working with Oasap and mentioning them on the blog for a long time.
bloomzy /

OOTD: A Whole New World

Dress: Topshop | Boots – Topshop | Necklace – Tatty Devine | Watch – Marc by Marc Jacobs
What do you do when you’re wandering
around London (Marylebone to be precise) and you find yourself on a
street with little to few cars, and no one around? You take outfit
photos of course! Every fashion blogger will know the joys of trying
to find the perfect location for those crucial outfit shots. So when
you come upon a little gem like V.A and I did, you know you have to
grasp the opportunity, or should I say DSLR, with both hands.
The weather has taken a turn for the
worse over the last few days, so I’ve brought out my trusty boots and
black tights combo again (I always get a little nostalgic for tights
during the Summer). I paired them with my Topshop map print shift
dress because I knew V.A and I would be doing a lot of eating (that’s
how we roll) and I needed something comfortable (read: to hide my
food baby in). This dress is the perfect amount of baggy, one size up
and I’d be looking like a potato in a sack. The print is simple yet
intriguing. Basically, I love this dress. I paired it with my Tatty
Devine tiger necklace, because it just seemed to go with the whole
vibe.
We later headed to the South Beach
Summer Event, which I can’t wait to share with you all in an upcoming
post. Suffice to say the dress did it’s job well, because after a hot
dog and 2 milkshake cocktails, I was still feeling pretty classy.
Photos taken by V.A of
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