Fashion thoughts | Sex and the City, Fashion full circle?

In the final episode of Sex and the City’s season four, “I heart NY”, Carrie is wearing a gold, pretzel necklace. Could this look come back, is it back and are we just embarking on an infinite fashion loop?

Re-watching Sex and the City, (the TV series), is an odd show to watch almost twenty years later. Why? Quite simply it may have just stopped aging. Or at least the fourth season has.

Watch the first season perhaps and you’ll see clothes so dated you can understand its no longer 2017, but in season four? The last episode in particular, Carrie is wearing cropped, flared jeans in a mid rise and later a pretzel shaped necklace in gold. My first thought of course was, I have that exact same pendant! The only difference is mine is a bottle opener from Anthropologie, that being said it didn’t stop me considering hanging it on gold thread.

Then I paid attention to the pale pink chiffon top. It has a frilled bottom edge and two horizontal slits up the side, quite frankly its Zara right now and I can’t decide whether fashion has just gone full circle or whether Patricia Field’s vision has just only now become mainstream.

It’s an interesting phenomenon to see how all these things have changed and at the same time not. Fashion has cycled back around to whimsy, to fun, to finding a look through pieces that for once focus on details rather than just simple, clean lines.

Perhaps it is also proof that real, honest style is timeless. Its not necessarily bought from the pages of Vogue but rather our own imaginations of dressing to play a character. If I learnt anything from a Saturday afternoon watching reruns it is this, whenever you purchase something look outside the box, go whimsy, go personal and look for details, because just like the girls timeless stories, details never truly go out of style.

Or at the very least, they might just come back around.

Zara Accessories Haul | Fall 2015

Turban £7.99+ Extra Long Scarf £7.99+ Knit hat £7.99+

Zara Accessories haul.

Those Accessories though . . .

As a child I had a theory. Once or twice a year we would go to the large shopping mall up in Milton Keynes and the first store I would go into would often be Accessorize. Then because of this I came up with my theory for shopping purchases.

If you found great accessories you wouldn’t find clothes and if there was nothing of interest? The opposite would happen. Honestly, I think that’s what has happened this season. No clothes and instead, accessories.

Fall would usually be my most expensive shopping period but as it turns out it’s almost let the team down. In its place however have been out there (for me) accessories. With the rule of not buying anything you already own I pushed the boat out and found three great seasonal pieces from Zara.

The Bear in Training Hat

An inside joke, when I first started dating Josh I said to his friend and mine that I called him Joshey-bear. It was actually the first time I had said this but everyone loved it and the name stuck. Five almost six years later and I have called him the bear, ever since.

So anyway when I saw this hat I knew I had to have it. If you don’t know, next October we are getting married, so just like how back in 2004 girls would buy tracksuits with their future husbands name on I figured I might nickname this my “Mrs Bear in training hat”.

Thankfully it fit (I have a big head) and let me tell you I will be wearing this all the time! I love the idea of wearing this both casually and to work as a bit of quirk with smart knits and pencil skirts.

The skinny tie scarf

This is a complete style departure for me and I believe that it is for that reason that makes it so awesome. I am a big fan of anything which can quickly and simply transform a look and this is one of those pieces.

As a busty lady, pussy bow blouses just aren’t going to work with my figure but a skinny rock and roll scarf, now that might just be a keeper. For more thoughts on the skinny scarf check out www.loveagoodstripe.com.

The coloured turban

A silk turban. Not your most expected purchase for Autumn/Fall but I thought it was actually pretty genius. Firstly as you know from last year I love a great knitted turban and once it gets colder, you can bet me anything that I will be wearing them once it’s colder again. In the meantime however I am also struggling with my short hair; I have no idea what to do with this cut in fact I’m partly waiting for it to grow out a bit more but in the meantime I was looking for something to fancy up my hair.

This was the thing. Its fun, its lively and I think that’s what you need with a great accessory, it needs to add something to your outfits not just blend in and this is one piece that’s not for the faint hearted.

The Bag Sitch.

Before we jump in I just wanted to explain this post, back in May I broke my bag (the one in the back) and in typical Jess fashion I wrote out this post below on my Ipad with the intention of sharing it the next week. As you know that never happened, so I thought I would share it with you guys now, these are my thoughts on bags . . . 

The bag sitch.

Last night was one for the record books – for the first time ever I managed to successfully break a bag and this time without the help of the Victoria lines tube doors trying to trap both me and my left leg outside of its carriage.

Instead I was thankfully sitting down when my once cute, floral handle pulled away not from its stitching but tearing clean through the PU coating and reinforcement patch beneath. In terms of success this did successfully kill any chance of it being mended and allowed me to trial the not going to happen trend for oversized, satchel clutches. (Highly impractical) needless to say upon arriving home it was time to get to work. Find the replacement bag to take its place until I could raid Oliver Bonas the following day for its grey and gold hardweared replacement. I came up with three options overall,

A faux patent leather beach bag in blue which I bought on a flat hunting trip with bestie Becky back when funds were limited to £100 monthly instalments and my fashion taste, questionable. Cute yes but practical? All kinds of no. It’s almost too short sticky plastic handles had a painful habit of grabbing at hair and upon removal would yank precious strands from their routes, forcibly. Not to mention its patent coating would adhere itself to any uncovered skin, stick rub and need to be peeled for hot skin.

The next? Another accessorise success story, or maybe not. Navy faux leather lined with a sue d’être which had definitely seen better days, it’s lining laid, now puckered where it once laid flat and glued to allow for its faux leather appearance. It’s missing its internal pocket bag making it a sure thing for any pick pockets looking for easy practice and finally the bowling bag.

This survivor from pre university boasted a well done hide effect and stood out against its fellows by being a deep yellow neighbouring upon mustard. Clearly stamped with the three love hearts synonymous with marks and Spencer’s once hip alternative to its ailing sister brand “classic” it was the only good option of a pretty bad bunch.

Not to be truly scoffed at however it was made of sturdy stuff and clearly successful in lasting longer than the five seconds it’s cheaper cohorts had. So I took a deep breathe decanting all my stuff over and coming up with all the outdated jokes I could in order to save its feelings for the undoubted teasing that would come from the other more fashion forward bags in the office.

After all the best defence is a good offence right?

“No, I don’t belong to the Mary Kate and Ashley Walmart collection, 1999”

“Lizzy McGuires costume department called? No they didn’t. I would have remembered.”

“Want a plastic choker with that look?”

“Few. . .. Is that. Charlie’s body spray I smell? Impulse right?”

Needless to say I was armed with a few pretty, witty retorts and a whole bag full of the every girl essentials. Two year old cough sweets anyone? Oh no wait, that one actually. Has mould on it (could this be the problem? No didn’t think so)

Anyway it’s a throwback beaut and it’s not even Thursday. Not only that but there were some updates to its first outing in half a decade. See Jess 5+ years ago was being kind to me, see she must have known I’d need perking up in the face of having to fork out for a new bag I had had no intentions of buying until next month see she knew and sweetly left me a nice £10 in the side pocket, not only that but jackpot a ucas letter, to remind me that yes university was an awful long time ago and similarly you really should have worked harder, girl.

Heedless of that however once lunchtime hit my shopping fingers did and I was once again the proud owner of a bag I didn’t have to hide under a paper bag or make laughs at its expense but it’s also taught me a bigger lesson a girl should always invest in a classic black leather bag once leaving education don’t instead do a me and find yourself on an endless string on polyuthain bags that don’t stop breaking enough to allow you enough time to save for one!

Save, Spend, Splurge: Summer 2015

Zara T-Shirt, Oliver Bonas Bag, Miu Miu Sunglasses

Save

Re buying white T-shirts can sometimes be a drag but in all honesty they are so cheap nowadays why not re buy? These T-shirts are ace, my orange one in the capsule is this shape and look at that price! Can you say get in my shopper!

Spend

This bucket bag. I take lunch time trips just to see it. I wish I could tell you I was joking. I’m not.

It’s colour is just as fantastic in real life as you see here the only thing holding me back, is it too fashion for that price? Your right, something so beautiful . . . is never a no.

Splurge.

Some people might tell you that pink sparkle sunglasses are not a must, but I am telling you that they quite obviously are! Why? Well because look at these beauties! They are quite obviously a piece of art and one that needs to be worn!

Furthermore spending £225 on a pair of sunglasses should make the best of us bulk but here’s the thing I have found with sunglasses is you buy quality you get quality, although I love a good freebie sunglasses as much as the next person these rarely have adequate protection from the sun which you would get from a better pair of shades. Also they just feel better. . . I don’t know about you guys but for a summer splurge these are the things!

Sunglasses | Traditional or funky?

Sunglasses: Accessorize, Dress: Monsoon, Cardigan: Next, Boots: Clarks

Josh doesn’t like my more fun sunglasses. Whereas I saw mirrored, clear frames with pink dipped ends that just screamed yes please wear me, Josh saw odd, crazy reflective lenses that didn’t flatter as much as my many tortoiseshell numbers that I own already. That however is the difference between last years sunglasses and this years; they are all designed to be a little bit more whimsical than flattering and for that I am incredibly grateful.

Don’t get me wrong I love great flattering shades. If I was going to a wedding or a fancy event I would wear more flattering shades in an instant. but going to the beach? Spending Saturday in town or going out for coffee? Then please hand me my funky shades instead!

Initially I really wanted pink frames but once I saw these barbie princess style shades? I was sold. Accessories really are a girls best friend and I love how they have the ability to completely transform an outfit with a simple piece of plastic.

Party wear without Sequins

Buy the look: Tea Dress: H&M, Pink jersey blazer: H&M, Faux Fur Stole: Dorothy Perkins, Faux fur bag: Zara, Carousel Red Heels: Clarks (2014 sale)

Partywear is currently, everywhere. In every store and on most of our minds if you haven’t found yourself wondering the racks of sequins and velvet than firstly I applaud you but secondly have you left your house?

I love the glitz and glamour of this time of year and in many a daydream I have imagined the perfect sequinned outfit, dresses or those amazing pencil skirts but the moment I am put in front of those gorgeous items they either don’t fit (tis the season for shorter tops!) or they just don’t feel like me (a gold sequinned dress from Asda which was gorgeous but just didn’t feel like me).

So instead of going for the obvious I decided to instead buck the trend and make this either my work do outfit or even my christmas day outfit! In order to be seasonally appropriate of course you need some form of indulgent texture in this case, fur.

I love how simple you can make dressing up just by adding a few great textures. I am pretty addicted to the faux fur trend something which I have wanted to take part in for years and have only just recently found those dream pieces! Add a pair of glamorous sunglasses and you’ve got yourself an outfit!

You can’t see it but I am also wearing a gold plated chain from the new Z for Accessorize collection and I am completely in love! They have always had a silver line but this gold one is it for me! I am completely smitten! Check out the pieces here+

Why you should buy faux fur and other impractical accessories

Have you ever heard of the expression “So and so makes the man?” If so then I have to tell you, accessories make an outfit.

As I have discussed before I have repeatedly tried the route of simplicity but the reality is, on me an outfit never looks as good as when it has an array of accessories. There is something that just makes adding something unexpected or jewelled that is able to take something simple to the next level and beyond.

Even with the recent trend for minimalism there is still space for carefully chosen accessories. That delicate stack of bracelets or layered chains all add up to great accessory choices that build more than just a simple outfit.

So Faux Fur? Its just been a need folks. Sure I wasn’t entirely sure where I could wear these items at first but now I’m not sure that there is ever an occasion where I wouldn’t need to wear a faux fur bag or stole!

This outfit is a great example and was my original idea for Christmas Eve. A pair of skinny jeans and a large comfy jumper seems like the dream to me. I could have just left it at that since this coat offers enough style on its own but adding one fur item? So not enough! So here we have it, bag, stole and some small gold jewellery!

Now I do also want to add that after only about two months use this coat is bobbling and malting like mad so I have to say if you are still looking to buy it from Next that this is more of a wear occasionally or just for the one fall/winter season as I am not sure its going to be in the greatest condition to continue into our next winter! Which is such a shame as I was hoping this would be a keeper for longer!

Accessories: Colour Study

Scandal, Faux Fur Scarf: Accessorize, Leather Gloves, M&S, Purple Bag: Accessorize

One colour that I appear to love at the moment is purple. I want to mix it in with my cobalt blue shirt, with faux fur, my purple skirt and my new gloves and silver spaceboots (hello next weeks outfit post). I also love mixing it in with leopard print, with greys and silvers and warmed up with camel and denim.

Purple it seems is my colour of the season, Capsule wise it takes up most of my colours with small hints of bright blue and red, plenty of black and a few bits of camel! Along with excessive accessories buying I think it may just have to be one of the things I stop buying! At least for a little while! I wonder what my next favourite colour may be, mmm .  .  .

More Purple below!!

First week blues.

My new blue Elephant dressing gown from india . . .

The first week back is always the hardest right? It doesn’t matter that you love your job or you’re majorly excited to sleep in your own bed, eat your favourite foods and not worry about ensuring that you have antibacterial hand gel in your purse constantly the first week back? But the first week back? Forget about it.

Unfortunately life won’t wait for me to go on vacay indefinitely but it will let me make the everyday that bit more special and I thought why not share a few of my favourite things along the way, so here goes here are some of the things that I will be wearing and using to make the first week less blue and a little more colourful.

My smaller make-up bag (again from India)

Accessorize, Leopard print scarf, Burgundy Hat, Marks and Spencer, Beaded Necklace (India)

Snuggling down with our new quilt . . .

And finally? A fancy Lipbalm, Facial Moisturiser and a bright lip to perk up the other day and then a great candle for an end of week bath*, can’t get better than that right?  

*I will of course bathe daily as well as on Friday – I just wanted to clear that one up for you!

Pattern Study: Leopard Print

I had a couple of years off of the old Leopard print but this Autumn I see it making a firm comback in my wardrobe. Through in a little camel, white and red lips and leopard print? you’ve got me!

Sweater: H&M last years basics, Scarf: Accessorize, Belt: H&M Mens 2011, Leopard print glasses, Freebies! from Tatler Magazine July 2014, Bag: Vintage.

Spring Updates (Did someone say shopping?)

Accessorize, Accessorize! Mint Bag, Scarf

I have been on a bit of a bag/scarf kick recently. Literally a new one every month! I mean firstly thats crazy and I obviously don’t recommend od’ing on accessories but when they are this cute? Honestly hows a girl to say no? Also they weren’t too badly priced this bag is only £17 which wasn’t bad! (I don’t think) Shockingly though it doesn’t feel as sturdy as my trusty go to Primarni bag so if you get this one wedged in the tube doors you’re probably not going to win but its mint and was only £17 so that outweighs it for me! (Although I know, I know I am meant to be saving for investment pieces! whatcha gonna do?)

The scarf also wasn’t too pricy at £15 which isn’t bad for a transitional piece, its not always warm enough yet but its got more warmth than a silk number! I also liked it because there was more fabric as alot of their new spring stuff doesn’t have enough for this time of year so you’d literally have to wear another into work and then change when you get there! how annoying right? but this was a nice best of both worlds piece!

Now I am hoping next month not to go so accessories crazy! As I’d like to buy some basic sandals (India ruined last years ones – lots of sand = very discoloured white shoes! – but oh so worth it!) and maybe a summer dress! But in my window shopping I have fallen in love with this dress from Dorothy Perkins . . .

 

I love that skirting pattern! Its not in tall unfortunantely but so what if I show a little ankle this summer right? After my failed Boden denim shop (too tight around the middle a tad too short (in tall) and to baggy around the legs!) I am also trialing these jeans from Next this weekend, fingers crossed cause I could do with some comfy (coloured) jeans!

What are you guys shopping for this month and next? Do you have any spring essentials that you feel are worth investing in this year?

A Little Sunday Extra (outtakes from the end of 2013)

Ok Ladies, From the left! (1) Dorothy Perkins Stacking rings (Summer 2013) (2) Square Stacking rings Tiger (3) Third Eye Bracelet, Accessorize (Summer 2013) (4,5) Primarni stacking rings (pack of four, Summer 2013) (6) Gold and unknown stone family heirloom.

The Statement Necklace (1), Accessorize Autumn 2013

Autumn, Statement Necklace 2, Accessorize. Primarni crossbody bag (this was the original, it bit the dust when a tube door decided to close on me one night – it also left a rather joyous bruise on my hip)

Trying not to let the winter in, My orange Samsung s4 case from Amazon, Orange and silver bracelet, Jules in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, Pink and silver ring, Jules 2013, Neon Pink, beige and white infinity scarf, Accessorize.

This Gold Necklace is the ultimate in funky statement necklaces. I adore its beaten up appearance, the only problem is it has sort of fallen apart (a lot)- I spend most of my time fixing it!

You know when you get that great outfit where it looks great in person but crap in pictures? yeah, this is one of those! It also includes a lot of old clothes that you can’t buy now! . . . Primarni Coat 2012, H&M Top 2011, Leopard Print satchel 2012 River Island, Grey Jeans Dorothy Perkins Tall, Eden Jeans 2013 December, Grey wedge trainers New Look 2013.

 

While Josh snoozes Sunday morning away I’m watching Sex and the City wondering, why did I ever stop watching this show on the regular? Then I remembered, I live with a boy. The obvious solution would be to watch it in another room in the evening, but its one of my great fears that I might one day not want to sit in the same room as him every night, even if it means watching star trek, ps3 games or whichever boy programme is the latest hit, although that being said it is me that loves lizard lick towing so were pretty nicely matched!

Anyway I digress, I love Sex and The City it makes me wanna quit my life just to shop, wear incredible clothes, play dress up and go to lunch/drinks with friends, I mean thats the dream right? So to celebrate I went through my pictures (with a predominant grimace, I may add) and found the top gems that in October where going to be a post called all that glitters (props for anyone who can tell me what show that name comes from . . .). Then I found this grey outfit and figured what the hell! Sometimes an outfit doesn’t work out in images but as one that I wear in person I thought you guys should see it anyway, after all even carrie Bradshaw got it wrong occasionally!