S T R E E T S T Y L E: SPRING LAYERS

I don't know about you, but I've been majorly facing that 'what an earth do I wear today?!' conundrum pretty much every day for the past month. With the main culprit for this dilemma being the great British weather. Unfortunately I'm not one of those girls that can step outside in next to nothing and pretend that I don't look ridiculous when caught mid torrential down pour. Being caught in hail stones with bare arms and legs is definitely not cool, however neither is wearing a hooded puffy down jacket in April.

Therefore instead of depressing myself further by pining over all the pretty high summer outfits that are gracing the shops and soon to be Coachella (BIG sigh), I thought I would hunt out some inspiration in the form of some of the best street style looks that are suitable for the milder European climates without compromising on style.

So how are the stylish street urchins warding off the Spring chill right now? It's all about the balance, 'covering up' with loose, light layers and mixing up staple classics for an on trend vibe; a loose trench layered over seventies denim, a shirt paired with dungarees and a silk scarf tied through belt loops.

My personal favourite must have piece for SS15 right now has to be the trench coat. I picked up THIS little beauty (in camel) last month after I came to terms with the fact that it is probably as close as I am going to get to a Burberry trench. It's a pretty good compromise if I do say so myself. I'm also loving THIS little number too, the colour and overall structure is so on point.

So there you have it, inspirational spring updates that are both on trend as well as weather appropiate. What styles for Spring are you loving right now?

Elle.x

All images via tumblr and whowhatwear

MAXED OUT.

Maxi lengths have been one style category that I usually avoid when shopping, however I flirted with the idea a few weeks ago when I walked past a clearance fixture in Zara that screamed '6.99'. Five minutes in the fitting room and one stripey maxi skirt later and I was hooked. I think it was the thigh high slit that sold it to me. I also thought that the light jersey material and navy and white stripes would make this a great transitional piece and the longer length is deal for cooler days.

My favourite way to wear the maxi right now is by throwing on an over sized jumper and slipping into my Stan Smiths for a simple yet super relaxed outfit that's just about warm enough for the spring chill. For high summer styles and holidays I would swap the jumper (obviously) for a loose cropped tee. I found that the jersey material of this particular skirt was too clingy when worn with tights underneath so this is definitely best worn bare legged. Hence Sunday was the perfect opportunity to finally let my legs breath and wear my new ray bans thanks to the sunshine gracing us at the weekend. I love how comfy and wearable this outfit is, I think I may have even found my new off duty equivalent to jeans and a tee. 

What are your favourite off duty pieces at the moment?

Elle.x

Jumper | TOPSHOP (old) similiar HERE

Skirt | ZARA (sale) similiar HERE

Ray Bans | HARVEY NICHOLS

Stan Smiths | FOOT ASYLUM (in store) similiar HERE

Bag | URBAN OUTFITTERS (sale) similiar HERE and HERE

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MARQUES ALMEIDA FRAYED DENIM

Jacket- MANGO (similiar) / stripe top- Zara/ skirt- marques almeida x topshop @ Netaporter

pony hair trainers- ASOS (similiar) / back pack- Urban Outfitters (similiar)

Even before denim took over the high street, I was eyeing up the Marques Almeida x TOPSHOP collection as soon as it dropped online in A/W 2014. So obviously when the entire collection was given a hefty discount during the Christmas sales, it was inevitable that I was going to purchase something and that something had to be the frayed denim skirt. Rewind a good few years ago, during the summer before I started sixth form, I pretty much lived in a denim skirt and white wife beater teamed with gladiator sandals (I thought I was the bees knees). Therefore as soon as I saw the return of the denim skirt, I couldn't help but get all nostalgic. And I sort of still have the legs for it so why not?! 

Right now I'm loving denim mixed with suede and leather, not only does it work well together, it's a good way to give your outfit a subtle nod to the seventies that is trending massively right now. Therefore my suede and leather mixed bomber jacket that I picked up last year, seemed like the most obvious outerwear option. I also enjoy pairing more than one staple piece together, as I think it makes for a good laid back casual vibe, therefore I reacquainted myself with the breton stripe top which sits nicely under the bomber. Once summer is officially here I would trade the bomber for a cotton boyfriend shirt half tucked in and teamed with lace up sandals.

I finished off today's look with my super comfy pony hair sneakers and a leather back pack to add to the super casual vibe. Both items have been hidden in my wardrobe as of late. Rain and pony hair are a recipe for disaster so I've been patiently biding my time until British summer time gets its act together and finally it looks like it has hurrah.The back pack was picked up way back in the January sales, however the lack of compartments inside compared to my other bags had put me off using it. I've gotten over that now as sometimes beauty outweighs practicality.It's super similar to the KARA bags that I have been lusting over and happened to be genuine leather so that purchase was a no brainer really. I love how minimal it is and the lack of compartments has actually forced me to pack only the bare essentials.

What staple/denim pieces have you been enjoying recently?

Elle.x

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THE HIGH STREET SS15: DENIM EDIT.

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9

Yeah so you might have heard that denim is set to be one of the biggies for SS15 (old news I know). Which is fine by me as I've been after a frayed denim top for absolutely ages and now the hunt is not so difficult anymore, seeing as denim everything is absolutely everywhere at present. So I thought I'd make it a little easier for you and narrow down the selection to a few of my fave pieces right now.

I am seriously in love with the Whistles denim jacket and back pack with frayed edging, they would definitely be my go to pieces right now as I think these items have got a bit more individuality in comparison to some of the offerings from fast fashion retailers at the moment.Which isn't always a bad thing I guess, because today I found an exact copy of the Miss Selfridge denim dress that was a dead ringer for Alexa Chung's ACxAG popper dress and obviously sold out instantly. However never fear, Topshop are here with their own take on the denim shirt dress and it happens to be an absolute steal at £40.

I thought I'd also bring your attention to some super cool denim coordinates for those of you who are wondering how the heck to pull off double denim- well Zara and Urban outfitters have made it easy.

What denim pieces have you got your eye on at the moment?

Elle.x

ZEBRA.

Feminin sweatshirt- WHISTLES / white blouse- H&M / Ashby jeans- old season ALL SAINTS

Adidas zebra Stan Smith trainers- FOOT ASYLUM (in store)

Firstly huge apologies for the lack of posts of late- as if it's been just over a month since I last posted?! I put it down to the January blues catching up with me, catching flu for the THIRD time in 5 month period and just general lack of inspiration regarding anything fashion. Sometimes I get stuck in that transitional period of wanting to buy new things that are no way near appropriate for the current weather, so can't as I hate buying clothes hat I can't get use out of straight away. Anyone else get what I mean...?!

However never fear, with fashion week in full swing and Zara finally dropping their full stock package online (seriously lusting after everythang right now) I am starting to feel majorly inspired again by all things fashion. Hurrah,

For the time being though my most recent purchases have either been on super sale finds or shoes, like these amazinggg Stan Smiths that I am wearing above, which feature a zebra print on the back of the heel. It was love at first sight. I got them the other week when I went birthday shopping with the Madre. A  couple of days later (last Wednesday) me and the boy ventured up to Scotland for a few days and knew they would be perfect for the 4 hour car journey a head. Although it was super windy in Manchester that day as you can probably tell by the photos (and lack of), I was just happy that I was able to venture outside for a couple of minutes without having to wear a coat while we stopped off at the Trafford Centre en route.

I teamed my zebra stans with a Whistles sweatshirt which was a complete steal in the boxing day sales; pairing a cute peter pan collar underneath and throwing on fave comfy jeans for a super casual vibe. Btw how cute are these dino socks??! Whilst shopping with the Madre, my apparent lack of socks was pointed out (I didn't wear any that day, my bad) therefore these were a necessity and I got them on a 3 for £8 promotion so not too shabby.

Hope you're all having a good week and I promise that my next post will be here before the month is up!

Elle.x

PINSTRIPES & PONY HAIR.

coat- MANGO // polo top- HM // duster- ZARA // pinstripe trousers- MANGO // bag- ZARA // trainers- asos white x le coq sportif @ ASOS

I don't know about you, but I have definitely noticed a sudden drop in temperature in the last ten days, a weather situation that I am never prepared for. My wardrobe has always consisted of a higher ratio of summer and transitional wear in comparison to wintery garms. I think this is usually because in the dead of winter I tend to hibernate more and just want to cover up in the same items, because let's face it; in winter it's too dark and too cold for people to even notice that you're wearing the same cosy jumper and hooded coat for the fourth time that week. If there was a choice between being super stylish whilst freezing my arse off, as opposed to being unfashionably warm, I would choose the latter. Which thinking about it,seems ironic, as my 17 year old self would have rather frozen herself to a fashionable death. Anyway today bearing the current temperature in mind, I decided to layer up in items that I have gradually accumulated in the last four months including my beautiful duster/cardigan that I picked up from Zara at the beginning of Autumn, however have barely worn it due to how it looks better as an outer piece. I decided to try it under my fuzzy cocoon coat and to my suprise, the mixed proportions actually didn't look half bad. I'm loving the layers on layers look atm, so I'm going to continue to experiment with the pairing of items in my wardrobe that I don't usually wear together.

As well as trying out new ways to layer up, today was the first time that I let my new pony haired beauties outside. If you follow me on instagram, you will have noticed my sheer excitement of being able to get my hands on a pair of the beautiful asos white x le coq sportif trainers. Not only is this a unique collaboration between the two brands, there were only 100 pairs to get hold of. Hence why they literally sold out within 48 hours. I am still pretty smitten with my new sneaks, especially since I failed to get hold of the sweatshirt I wanted/needed from the wang x collection. The only down side right now is the fact that Manchester is well known for sudden and heavy down falls and learning from experience pony hair/rain do not bode well together.

Hope you've all had a lovely weekend & happy new year btw!

Elle.x

W E E K L Y I N S P O: OFF DUTY STYLE

All images via TUMBLR

Trying to make my 'weekly inspo' post an actual weekly feature is at the moment proving to be alot harder than I originally thought, due to being so busy and caught up with work during this particularly tiresome festive season! Finally have a few hours to myself this eve though (I'm working all weekend- boo hoo), so get the chance to share my latest inspirational theme with you. This week my thoughts turned to 'off duty' style. 

If like me you have to conform to some type of work related attire 5 out of 7 days a week, on those rare days you actually get to wear all your latest purchases, sometimes deciding what to wear first as well as what with, can actually pose as a real head scratching moment. As all our favourite brands and stores get ready to go into sale and new season collections are slowly trickling onto shop floors in preparation for spring/summer 15, sometimes it can be so easy to automatically convince yourself that you must buy something because it's either in the sale or because you are fed up of sale/stock that you've seen around for the past 2 months and 'need' some newness. Sound familiar? This is definitely a thought process I have found myself giving into during the twice yearly transitional period. Most of the time though I already have a great outfit in my wardrobe, I just haven't got as far as working out how to actually piece it together. 

So I have collated some of my 'off duty' style inspiration, which I'm sure will be food for thought for some of you lucky people that have some time off work during Christmas and need some help deciding what to pack for your visit home. I have covered all the style staples that have been street style favourite's for a while now and I'm sure that most of you have somewhere in the depths of your wardrobes : over sized coat, check. slogan sweatshirt, check. pinstripes, check. old school trainers, check. And of course, grey, navy and camel, check. The last image is more of a directional thought towards the upcoming season. I am seriously in love with the military details of the skirt and also an avid fan of getting my pins out- yes I am already getting fed up of having to wear tights. Anyway hope you enjoy and happy holidays!

Elle.x

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD.

coat- WAREHOUSE, polo neck- H&M, biker trousers- ZARA, clutch- Micheal Kors A/W'13 @ SELRIDGES, boots- TOPSHOP, ring- MOTHSTYLE

After spending most of this morning cleaning our apartment, the boy and me decided to get some fresh air this afternoon so we went for a little wander around our West Didsbury surroundings. 

Now that I have come to terms with the fact that this cold British weather is here to stay for another couple of months, I found myself dressing a little more appropriately this weekend, with special thanks to my new favourite coat which I picked up yesterday after work. How fab is the colour of this quilted sleeve parka from Warehouse?! Available in three colour options, I was instantly drawn to this burgundy number, which contrasts nicely with the black faux fur detailing and compliments my dark features. I was also in favour of the huge fur lined hood which provides the perfect amount of shelter against gusts of wind and sudden down pours, which I am often subjected to living in Manchester. It also happened to be a mere £40 in the sale- not too shabby. Ultimately it is the perfect all year round 'go to' as it is light weight enough to wear during summer rain, but still provides enough insulation when teamed with layers, for the colder months. 

Today I decided to wear my new purchase over a simple all black ensemble, which I think makes the burgundy shade 'pop' and the sleek layers were ideal for partnering underneath the slightly voluminous silhouette of the coat. I packed light today and opted for my checkered clutch bag which I have been in love with ever since it was gifted to me last Christmas. I think a striking clutch is a great way to add interest to mono heavy and pared down outfits; they make a great conversational piece and also make the ideal gift! And of course I wore my trusty Margot boots, which I will be watching like a hawk on the Topshop website this boxing day as I really want to snap them up in patent as well, but only if they end up in the sale. Hope you all managed to brave the winter chill in style and warmth this weekend!

Elle.x

S H A D E S O F B L U E.

Coat- MANGO, Jumper- Topshop (old), Skirt- Zara similiar HERE, Boots- TOPSHOP, Bag- Zara similiar HERE.

Every year when autumn/winter creeps upon us, I subconsciously go into auto pilot in the bid of finding the perfect winter coat and boots. This time round I got pretty lucky to come across both items so early on in the season. Usually I am that critical as to what deems as the 'ideal' compromise of quality and the right price; that by the time I make my mind up I have either run out of funds or the wanted item has sold out. Which is basically what happened to me during the Alexander Wang/H&M frenzy that was yesterday- a topic that we will just try to forget about for now.

The coat in question has pretty much been swaddling me ever since I purchased it a few weeks back when MANGO had a 30% off coats and knitwear promotion and since I had already lusted after it when the Market Street store had just reopened I immediately had to snap it up! I will of course be featuring it again in upcoming posts in more detail. As for the boots, they were a very recent pay day purchase that I spotted online the day before and mainly bought them on impulse. However they are literally so comfy, have the ideal heel height for all day wear and feature the right amount of point that i had been looking for, so I am super happy with my purchase. So much so I now want them in the patent black option now as well!

So on Wednesday, armed with my new coat and boots and faced with a super sunny winter's day, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to test drive my new babies. I'm really enjoying blue hues as an alternative to black at the moment and as my coat is the most gorgeous shade of blue-grey, I opted for my jacquard Zara skirt and impulsively teamed it with a super old Topshop jumper that I wore back to front as an experiment and love the combination so much so, that I am no longer going to sell this forgotten gem on depop- well for now anyway. To finish the look off I grabbed my trusted Zara leather chain bag and popped on some black tights last minute as I know how deceiving winter sun can be especially in Manchester- it was bladdy freezing btw! I had so much fun on our little walk around a nearby park though, even more so when the sunshine was beaming down on me. It has to be said that the new booties were probably not the most sensible choice of footwear, especially when it came to walking over planks of wood covered in nails; in spite of this minor error in judgement, they did shelter my feet from the chill and they do look ahhh-mazing on.
Anyone else managed to find the perfect coat and boots for A/W'14 yet?!

Elle.x