When and why I bought new summer Gap basics …

As we all know I’m rarely short on basics and loungewear. In fact right now I’m also not even close to being short on sportswear either so why purchase two more new basics? Is this a shopping addicts cry for help?

What’s been the most interesting regarding undertaking capsule wardrobes in order to find my own personal style is sometimes not quite believing what you find.

If I get straight down to honesty as much I can talk about needing a great pair of jeans, or a structured dress my true happiness lies in soft cotton pieces that drape around me like the secret hippy I am.

I love soft brushes cotton, I love pieces that cling and fall and never strangle my insides and that’s why this year I picked up two new ‘basics’ because however basic they may be to you, to me they are an essential staple of my own personal style. 2017 is the year of fashion honesty as well it seems.

The culottes jumpsuit

A potentially controversial piece, when I first saw the blue version of this in GAP and my true style desire this uber soft pink one from Saturday/Sunday at Anthropologie I fell in love so quick and deep I knew that this was going to be the look for me this SS.

Before Christmas I actually purchased a similarly shaped number from the Next Sale, a loose blue beach pullover version I couldn’t have been happier with the shape on me. The tied up waist to give me much needed definition, the leg length I could work with flats, sand wedges and heels. I also love the ability to accessorise with a thicker plaited leather belt and a short in the waist structured jacket like this one+

100% Annie hall meets Indian jones but lets be honest I’m totally on board for that.

The casual jersey dress

There was a bit of a toss up when it came to this number in fact. One that I’m sure I’ll rectify with the next money off voucher whether to have this dress with the longer sleeves and v neck or to have it’s tied up sister in an almost navy blue. I ended up choosing this particular one for several reasons.

Firstly I love a good v neck it works perfectly on my body shape breaking up my heaviest area. 

Another plus is this came in tall, ensuring that yes this midi dress will be a midi dress on me! I’m also a massive fan of this baseball shirt hem … I’m looking forward to polishing this up with a jersey blazer and ballet flats and making it more casual with sandals perhaps in a great pair of leather wrap ones … on the weekend I can pop on a baseball cap, tie my chambray shirt around my waist with flat trainers for errands and coffee (tea) runs.

If I’m honest for my first two (besides sandals) purchases for SS I’m so pleased with them both. They add something insanely wearable and realistic to an otherwise daydreaming set of left overs from last year! 

When it comes to your basics be it t shirts and jeans or casual dresses or shorts and shirts what’s your go to basic every year?

Summer 2016 Fashion wrap up

It seems a little odd this year to discuss summer outfits especially since I only gave you guys about one photograph a week.

For the UK as well we didn’t exactly have weather that leant itself to great, inventive outfits, it was either cool-cold (I wore a jacket well into July) or so hot and humid that the idea of clothes became repulsive. On the whole however, I spent the majority of the summer in skirts and then shorts on the weekend.

Last year I was in love with dresses, as you all know I had the same dresses in multiple colours and this year I fell into the same pattern. At the beginning I picked up a couple of sale ones from The Gap but this year they really didn’t get worn. Maybe it was the lack of summery weekends that weren’t hot to the bone but this year for work I have lived in skirts. The blue one above as well as my grey midi wrap skirt and my two corduroy ones on repeat, in rotation. So much so in fact that I realised I don’t own nearly enough tops in comparison to bottoms.

On particularly humid days I also wore my jersey harem trousers on repeat. Again, like last year my wardrobe was pretty predictable, but maybe thats exactly what summer is about spending more time doing things and wearing what allows you to do whatever it is you want to do until the cooler months where you can spend more time  developing interesting outfits instead.

If I have learned anything however its this, whatever your wardrobe size you need a good deal of balance between the items, if you have 100 skirts and two tops you’ll never get the best from your skirts and vice versa. Even more so don’t over purchase one item if you never wear it and don’t purchase too many colours that don’t all merge!

Also for summer in the UK? Buy a fan and yes I bought shorts to work just to wear on the train home! #skills

What were your summer clothes clothes like this year? leave your comments and links below!

Fashion and Feeling Good | The importance of work wear

| The importance of work wear

Work wear can feel boring, drab and restrictive. Whether you work with a strict suit & tie rule or are blessed with a smart-casual office, your work wear can have a huge impact on your working life and your confidence.

With recent events there is nothing more important than giving a boost to your workday and even better the clothes we put on our bodies can have just that effect!

So how can you ensure that your work wear empowers you rather than devalues you? Luckily there are three must have steps to purchasing and wearing a corporate or professional wardrobe.

• It needs to be able to make you both look and feel professional and from that give you confidence in your everyday tasks and meetings.
• It needs to be comfortable & functional
• Whilst also adhering to your firms dress code & culture all whilst reflecting your own personal style.

With this all in mind I would like to re direct you back to the traditional capsule for a while. If you like me feel like you need to hit the re set button on your work-drobes a capsule can be a great way to start a more functional wardrobe moving forward.

What I have created is a small collection of pieces which both make me feel good and which are a step up from my more traditional go too in the aim to make me feel smarter and better dressed at my 9-5.

The key to a great starter capsule is to make it easily mixable and easy on you to get dressed in the morning. My initial work wardrobe (5 days of clothes) is as follows,

• White eyelit Top (Next)
• Khaki Silk effect shirt (Next)
• White T shirt (New Look)
• Blue and white striped shirt dress (Lidl)
• Blue and white flippy Dress (Zara)
• Grey wrap midi skirt (Next)
• Blue pocket with white stitched skirt (Next)
• Blue and white spotted trousers (Next)
• Grey Longline jacket (Anthropologie)

Additional add ons: Grey A-symmetrical sweater (Zara), patterned Zara silk scarf and rose gold circular necklace (Topshop).

Shoe wise: Black and white snakeskin tasseled loafers (Clarks), Taupe suede brogues & tan cowgirl boots (New Look)

Why these pieces?

Choosing pieces for a capsule can be a complicated process. You need versatile pieces, which you both love and find they fit well. For this one in particular I feel in love with this image on Pinterest + a capsule sudoku! Can you dream up anything better?

For me my ultimate go to pieces are ones which are uber comfortable and second they are go to pieces which also fit in well with one another colour wise. I naturally gravitate towards blues so obviously there are lots of those but also a great mix of comfort with structure. For example the Anthropologie blazer is both soft as its jersey but also structured enough to wear to work. I also picked up this great shirtdress, which I love for mixing again structure with cool linen. I’ve also thrown in a white T-shirt, which paired with my smart skirts or even my harem trousers and heels can look that little more dressed up than you might expect.

Stay tuned . . . for how to mix up and style these pieces for a five day wardrobe of outfits & more!

On a more personal note, I wanted to briefly acknowledge the elephant in the room. Brexit.

Since this is a personal style blog I don’t want to talk too much on this but please know that I was deeply saddened and hurt (still am hurt) by the British publics decision to vote out of the EU. It was a reality I had hoped would never come to fruition but now that it has I honestly don’t know what is going to happen next or what any of our futures might shape up to be. It currently feels as if we are going through heartbreak where nothing will feel good again. 

With that being said I wanted to take this moment to say that I, this blog and my thoughts are not those of the Brexit. I was born a child of the world and myself and this blog will continue (I hope) to be a little place of solace for anyone looking for it, regardless of where we live in the world.

I hope that we can continue to support one another through this fresh hardship, to raise each other up to greater things. This comes with hope that soon, Gen Y, whose young, wise eyes can see the importance of a global community can build a new, better and more accepting world for our own children and grandchildren moving forward. 

Fashion | The end of Winter

Jacket: George, ASDA, Plaid Dress: George ASDA, Leggings: H&M, Boots: Clarks, Scarf: Zara

Almost as bad and difficult as changing from warmer months to cooler is the other way around when spring starts creeping in and you find yourself confused by your wardrobe.

Like many, I thoroughly rely on my weather apps to see whether I need full on winter gear or just light layering. This dress was something I longed for in early Autumn as it feels really great for transitioning.

Here on a colder day it can be paired with a thick jacket, scarf, leggings and boots whilst as it gets warmer I can quickly ditch the leggings and jacket and move into spring effortlessly.

I am also a huge fan of plaids and this pretty pink and blue is a nice twist on a classic!

Fashion | Fuzzy Gilet style

Jacket: Primark, Faux Fur Gilet: Long Tall Sally, Grey A-Symmetrical sweater: Zara, Leggings: H&M, Leopard Print flats: Barefoot Tess c/o Long Tall Sally, Sunglasses: Urban Outfitters

Since moving last fall my fashion sense has taken a serious nose dive. Partially because I get up at ridiculous o’clock now but secondly because when you have a wedding on the horizon your brain goes into, freaking out mush.

You might not believe me on this but honestly its officially happened, I’ve lost the will to spend hours creating looks. Instead, I favour getting in a crafty nap, watching a TV show or reading a magazine (I’m still working on the last one). With this in mind my closet has become a stomping ground for simple pieces that have an uber polished edge.

Right now my number one weekend go to’s are these slip on trainers which make the comfort of a trainer look uber funky (who can say no to leopard print). Zara Knitwear! I never paid too much attention to the knitwear basics in Zara but since purchasing this piece on sale (£12.99 from £25.99) I will definitely be purchasing these again! There is something to be said for picking up more quality pieces, I have become way over jumper shaving! Please stop with the bobbles!

Lastly faux fur? Instant glamour in a jacket!

The Capsule Wardrobe | Still Picking Favourites, Shoe Addition

I thought when I started capsuling that having only 9 pairs of shoes would be the worst thing ever.

Perhaps I was over dramatic but it was a serious concern of mine that maybe 9 pairs would not be enough. Funnily, once you get immersed in a capsule after a few months you start realising that it doesn’t matter how many pairs of shoes or how many T-shirts you own, you still pick favourites.

For todays post I wanted to focus primarily on three pairs of shoes that I have worn to death even when I have various other pairs to choose from!

The suede boot from, New Look

I made such a killing on this pair. I bought them for only £8 when they were around £50 full price. Even more surprising is they are only a size eight but over the past autumn and winter I have worn this pair so much that one is now a drastically different colour to the other. They perhaps won’t last long past this winter but they have been my constant, friendly companion and for that I am really thankful.

The fur lined boot from, New Look

As much as I am a magpie, I am a hoarder for all things faux fur. These lined boots are so warm its criminal and even better they have fantastic grip for those icy days!

The Leopard print flats from LTS, barefoot Tess

I was so worried about these because they are really flat with minimal support but these have made an appearance during all our house demo work and I love them for a casual weekend. Now, I’m not even sure if I could live without them, not to mention they are leopard print so really, how could you not?

Fashion |Double Denim

Bobble hat: Accessorize, Shirt: Next, T-shirt: H&M, Jeans: New Look, Boots: New Look

Some get the fear of double denim, instead, I look forward to it. Granted there are certain colour combinations which don’t work but somehow I feel the dark on dark works pretty nicely.

Both Jeans and a chambray are two classic must have in your capsule wardrobe pieces. Both highly versatile a chambray doubles up as a shirt & jacket can be worn with jeans, trousers, dresses and skirts.

What I’m trying to say here? Buy a chambray shirt and be brave, pair it with jeans.

Fashion & The Capsule Wardrobe | Saving your money by shopping ahead

ASOS Orange Sandals+

Why spend your next capsule wardrobe budget on basics? Why not instead make your basics cheap and allow your statements to take centre stage.

Scan your mind back to around this time last year. Back then I shared that I had bought myself three pairs of shoes for (almost) pennies. For example, I bought my tan suede ankle boots for £8 ($11.40) rather than the £69.99 ($99.69) retail! In the end all three pairs became firm favourites this AW. It also allowed me to budget for other pieces that were to be on trend or which would lift my wardrobe overall in 2015/2016.

This year I have once again approached the next season early. This time however, rather than buying AW* in Spring I am buying some spring pieces in winter. Almost all of these purchases are from the Gap sale (which I love) but I believe that these will and have already started setting the tone for SS16.

The Basic Dresses

I am a huge lover of dresses come the warmer months. They are simple to put on and keep you effortlessly cool. Especially when you can’t wear shorts! These two summer dresses cost roughly, £7.99 each with a 20% in store discount on top. They are simple made of a good fabric and lighten my wardrobe in a cool grey and peppy orange. Gap is also my favourite place for dresses and dresses that last with minimal stress.

The casual at home leggings, Snood and Gloves

Lets be honest spring in the UK is not all that warm and fabulous. Instead be prepared for cold snaps aplenty! These gloves only cost £3.99 + 20% discount so even if they get pulled over to next year that’s at least saved me some of next years budget!

Grey leggings meanwhile feel a little controversial. Black leggings are at least uber flattering but grey? Its touch and go. Regardless I love the idea of lifting my colour scheme as we approach the warmer months. I would pair these with long T shirts (maybe in white?) and I have already warn these with the softest grey sweater (also with Gap) for Sundays chilling at home.

Finally the snood? Can I say no to warm things for snuggling? Never. This was a sweet, unexpected gift from Joshey at Christmas and it’s the warmest thing I own. Honestly.

The Kimono come Jacket

Zara’s sale is the ultimate time for bargain hunters. Rather than focus on basics here I always wait it out to the end and focus on statements. In this case this highly patterned green kimono was in my shopping basket at a snap. £12.99 from £45.99 I’m looking forward to cooler Spring and Summer days to throw this over grey tees with Jeans and with thin grey sweaters and black leggings on the weekend.

The full price Orange sandals from ASOS

I admit these were not bought in the sale. However at only £16.99 It feels more like I stole these than purchased them! Orange is playing a big part in my SS thoughts for this year. With my hair now its natural brown I have been focusing more heavily on colours which suit my natural colouring and so warm tones like these I plan on letting play an integral part to my wardrobe designing. More on that to come in another post however!

What is your verdict however? Do you think you could save money by buying a season(s) ahead? Or are you more happy buying at full price within season? Link your articles on your capsule budgeting and sales thoughts below I’d love to read your thoughts.

*I have picked up a new pair of boots on sale in George @ Asda however which will probably get more wear next year than this but for £10 with great, grippy soles, small heel and faux fur I couldn’t say no.

(Lets also send major thanks to the blogging gods who have also allowed me to share these photos. I am the crazy girl who accidently put her memory card into her CD drive the day before writing this! Thank heavens for Josh also.)

Fashion & Capsule Wardrobes | The transitional wardrobe

Henley T in red, Grey cold shoulder T, Yellow Owl T, Yellow Patterned T, Cobalt lace skirt, Striped Dress

Fashion & Capsule Wardrobes | The transitional wardrobe

Something, which I struggle with, is transitioning wardrobes. I don’t mean straight up summer to autumn or autumn or winter but more particularly the time between December and May. Partially I blame the high amount of celebrations between summer and Christmas but also I lament the lack of colour.

I think the world of high street fashion has truly embraced this idea of a capsule wardrobe and with that embraced the power of classic basics. It feels like we are all searching for those ultimate classics but with that comes the lack of out there fun and colour.

Not only am I missing fun but with the colder parts of winter to come I now feel the need to re introduce some much needed colour to keep the spirits up.

Now as I don’t wish to break the bank with transitional pieces I have done a quick run through of new items at H&M to show how to introduce some transitional colour into a more simplistic wardrobe. Also stay tuned as I am already planning spring colours! Say hello to orange, red and coral!

FASHION EXPERIMENT | MARIE KONDO’S SHIRTS AND SWEATERS STORAGE, WEEK ONE

Week one

Guys, I survived the first week of new clothes storage! Why I say this is because usually a clean closet lasts a week. By friday morning your scooping jeans off of the back of your chair, finding a T-shirt from the clean laundry basket wondering if last Sunday’s smug I cleaned my closet feeling was even real life.

As I’m writing this its been a week and honestly I have seen a small improvement. Granted I still had a pair of leggings and a sweater on the floor but on the whole? I had a pretty tidy looking bedroom, result!

Second week all bets are off though, I can’t tell you if this will continue but keep your fingers crossed for me, ok?

Fashion |Three reasons you should belt your scarf

With a new trend I often find myself debating do I hop on the bandwagon? Or, do I say thats lovely, but no thank you? Both options are good ones but the belted scarf felt like a recycled trend that I couldn’t pass up this round.

For colour/pattern

I regret the populization of the capsule wardrobe for one reason, everyone wants to live in monochrome and by extension the high street is completely void of colour. Over dramatization? No, I just seriously miss the option of colour!

For shape I love a baggy T or dress no matter how unflattering they are but sometimes you want something flattering without a big neon sign saying, hey, I’m chunky. Belt a scarf in front and you have both killer shape and coverage.

To be ‘different’

If this becomes a trend, I’m sorry this probably won’t be so different after all but I love any excuse to switch up my wardrobe so at the moment this is a full on go!

And if you want to stand out a little more may I suggest a faux fur Gilet? This particular one is from Long Tall Sally and it is quite frankly the most cozy and cute gilet I have ever and will ever own.

2015 | therealjlow

Holy heavens guys! 2015! What a year! I wrote a quick insta, but heres the thing, a lot of emphasis is put on the fact that what you’re doing when the clock strikes 12 is uber important the next year.

Reality is . . . it means so little. Our lives don’t happen because we got kissed or spent the time alone in our bedrooms, our lives come from us, from our actions and most importantly the decisions that we make every second of the day.

This time last year Josh was getting over food poisoning, and I was so busy spending my time cleaning the flat from top to bottom that by 12am? We were depleted, exhausted, certainly not out celebrating! So what did that mean for our year? Was it doomed? No, in fact this year we flourished!

Personally I flourished on a personal development level, in my work, my direction and in my home life. This time last year we didn’t have a wedding date or anything of that sorted but now we have a date, a venue, a photographer, food, entertainment and we have our own house! One we bought!

We have been through so much this year both huge highs and honestly huge lows! We spent six months feeling run into the ground and its only really been the last month that we have felt like the tunnel was clearing that the light was here, it was upon us! Today we took a walk, we took blog photos and silly photos and talked about the new year, about wanting a rescue dog just normal chill happy things! and honestly we have come full circle we’ve gone through a lot but nothing that happened at the strike of midnight meant a damn thing.

Make 2016 a year of change for yourself. Don’t put your fears and issues on anything/anyone else, take the bull by the horns, make the life you want! Only you have the power to be happy and have everything you want so go get it girl! The time is now!