LUSTING OVER MAWI

Wedge Envy

I don’t normally like New Look’s style clothes-wise, but I have to say, their shoes lately have been phenom! Especially for their high street prices. It’s not a store I normally shop in, but since I found my Tortoise Heeled Courts in there on an off-chance visit a while ago, I’ve found myself perusing their online shoe gallery more and more often.  

I love a good wedge, especially for the Summer months, and they’re much easier to walk in than stilettos. But my general rule remains the same: go high or go home. The higher the better as far I’m concerned. 

Tentative Decisions

A girl can never have too many accessories as far as I’m concerned..I say with my whole toolbox, yes toolbox full of jewellery. So I’m always on the lookout for something new (or two). Handmade raw crystal jewellery company, Tentative Decisions are my latest fascination. God knows I love a bit of unique jewellery, and the pieces on here really hit the fashion spot! Each piece is handmade and unique, and as the crystals are naturally sourced, no item is ever identical. 

Here are some of my faves from their website.. 

Selenite Bar Necklace £26.51

Quartz Crystal Overgrowth Knuckle Ring £49.71

Geometric Brass Triangle Necklace £14.58

Sodalite Nugget & Tassel Necklace £11.93

Geometric Triangle Brass Hand Harness £17.23

Gold Dipped Quartz Crystal Point Necklace £19.88

Move over Spencer Pratt, there’s a new crystal clepto in town!

Images courtesy of www.etsy.com/shop/TentativeDecisions

Chloé x

Essex's answer to vintage - Bella Sorella

As unlikely as it first seemed that a TOWIE star would become one of my style icons, Lydia Rose Bright has proven the Essex Girl stereotype wrong, and is now firmly on my list. Being from Essex myself, it’s refreshing to see someone going against the grain with their fashion choices. 

Anyone that knows me well, will know I love vintage-inspired pieces, and am more than a little obsessed with vintage fashion. So Lydia’s vintage boutique Bella Sorella, provides the perfect antidote to aid my obsession, without having to traipse to London to search out hip markets and the like. 

Here are a couple of my favourite pieces from Bella Sorella’s online store..let me know what you think? 

 

Plate Print Scalloped Shorts £28

Green Apple Print Dress £40

Pigeon Print Playsuit £38

Cream Frill Blouse £55

Coffee & Cream Lace Dress £57

Grey Heart Jumper £55

Pictures courtesy of bellasorella.co.uk

Chloé x

See-through Fashion

This duller than dull weather is seriously depressor to say the least, especially after what seemed like a sneak preview to a scorching Summer not so long ago. So on a day like this, online shopping for cheer-me-up items is a necessity in my books! 

On my browse, I came across a pair of absolute lust-have frosted perspex clutches from ASOS, in Spring-bright ice-cream shades. Quite frankly I need both, yes both of these in my life, and at only £18.00 each, they’re a Springtime steal! 

I heart the perspex look, and noticed ASOS has quite a few transparent pieces that are season-fresh, and already on my ever-growing wish list.

Brighten up your wardrobe and your mood with this chiffon colour-block number. The asymmetric design and candy colours put it bang on trend, and the wide cropped sleeves and relaxed fit give this shirt a casual feel, perfect for lounging in the sunshine layered over a bikini. Or it could be dressed up with skinnies and heels, and a statement clutch for a cool summer’s evening look. 

Vero Moda Chiffon T-Shirt In Colour Block, £16.00

Want to work the see-through fashion trend without being so colourful? Try this cream chiffon shirt, with statement spot pattern double layered longline back, and contrasting cropped hem front. 

Dahlia Chiffon Spot Shirt With Contrast Front, £58.00

Now, these aren’t really my cup of tea, but metal-tipped courts are an ‘It’ item this season, so I thought some of you might appreciate this addition to the list of see-through fashion pieces. And I’m guessing most of you would prefer Asos’s high-street pricetag over Louis Vuitton’s, who’s SS12 shoe collection tip the scales in the wrong direction for me, at over £600 a pair. Rock the trend like Abbey Crouch and Kristen Stewart at Paris Fashion Week, in this Asos Sidney pair of white courts with metal toe cap. The sheer middle section of the shoe complete with polka dot pattern, gives these a ladylike edge. Who would’ve thought classy and see-through would be two fashion concepts that would ever meet? 

Asos Sidney Point Court Shoes With Metal Toe Cap, £45.00
(all images courtesy of asos.com)

So what do you think, is see-through fashion something that’s going to make it into your wardrobe this Spring?

Chloé x

Hot under the COLLAR!

Hailed the “accessory du jour” by Grazia, detachable collars are the perfect accessory to transform an outfit in an instant. The ‘Peter Pan collar’ has been on the fashion map for quite a while now, and is still as popular now. But with these clever add-ons, you can kiss goodbye to forking out for statement collared tops and blouses, and say hello to the wardrobe staple that will update a last-season item or add to a new one. 

Established in December 2010, coveted detachable fashion accessories brand, Nauticoco, has seen a surge in popularity since their collars debuted on ITV’s This Morning, and featured in Grazia, Vogue, and Red magazine, to name a few. The British brand’s Director, Alison Williams explains that she wanted to create a range of “versatile, feminine accessories that will be the hardest working items in any wardrobe”. 

“‘Add-on’ collars are a must-have accessory. You only have to look at the catwalk [Autumn 2011] to see that collar adornments were a strong trend with many high-end designers including them in their collections.”

Layer these little beauties under tees, blouses and dresses, for the perfect finishing touch. They start at £39.95, for a Silk Portman Collar, that will add an understated edge, and range up to a totally-worth-it £69.95, for the lust-after Silk and Pearl Hepburn Collar. Although this might seem a bit pricey for an accessory, think how many different looks you could create with this little fashion extra..and who’s to know it’s not an original part of the outfit? Why oh why has no one thought of this before?! 

Detachable Silk Portman Collar in White, £39.95

Detachable Silk & Lace Watson Collar, £39.95

Detachable Silk Portman Collar in Coral, £39.95

Detachable Silk & Pearl Hepburn Collar, £69.95
(all Nauticoco)

The accessory innovation has now unsurprisingly started popping up across the high street too. My favourites include Gemma Lister’s Black PP, and Black Leather Collars, and the cute-as-a-button Cream Faux Pearl Collar from Miss Selfridge. Or you could steer more to the jewellery side of collar-dom, with something like Accessorize’s FF Peter Pan Metal Collar. 

Left: Black PP Collar, £50; Right: Black Leather Collar, £125 (both Gemma Lister)

Cream Faux Pearl Collar, £18 Miss Selfridge

Left: FF Peter Pan Metal Collar, £10 Accessorize; Right: Last Season Topshop necklace, my own

Alas, I’ll have to stick to my last season Topshop number for now until I’ve saved enough pennies to build up my collars collection - once I’ve mastered the art of leaving a store without feeling like mother-magpie! 


Chloé x