Wednesday Wishlist – 06/06

Despite a long weekend of miserable weather, I refuse to give up on the British summer, and hope that the sun will come back out soon! In the meantime, here are the pieces I’ve been lusting after this week…

H&M for Water is a small but noticeable collection that has recently hit the shelves of the Swedish fashion retailer. I love the tropical print and natural textures of the range, and this bikini, £24.99, is my favourite item. Cos you can never have too many bikinis, right?

Staying with this season’s Hawaiian print trend is this gorgeous halter-neck bodice, £42, by London designer Tara Starlet. I’ve admired a few of their pieces before, and this vintage inspired top is one to add to the pile.

New Look has come up trumps this week with these two stunning bags. The mint green bag, £12.99, would be the perfect accessory day or night, and the bow and heart-shaped padlock details on this shell pink bag by Kelly Brook, £19.99, make this the ultimate in pretty feminine purses.

Finally, courtesy of the New Look shoe gallery, are these adorable peep toe jelly wedges, £14.99. Also available in black, and at a bargain price, there’s hardly an excuse not to snap these up.

Hope you all had a great bank holiday weekend…only three days til the next weekend now!

Wednesday Wishlist – 30/05

I spent the best part of today trawling the shops at Westfield – unfortunately, to no avail. A combination of too-hot weather and too many people just made the shopping trip a chore, and I came back empty handed. But there were a few pieces that caught my eye on the rails.

Summer is all about florals for me, and these floral print shorts, £35, Topshop, have a particularly pretty pattern. River Island were also on trend with this mixed print mini-skirt, £30.

Marc B bags have been a favourite of mine for a few years now, and their Lolita bag, £49, Topshop, is the epitome of ladylike style. Also a bag worth a mention is this adorable bow detail bag, £25, Topshop.

Last but not least are these pink patent wedges, £24.99, from the new Kelly Brook collection at New Look. Perfect for summer!

Only two days til the weekend everyone!

Summer Wedding

I’ve been meaning to try out Polyvore for a while, so I thought I’d give it a whirl today, what with it being a lazy Sunday afternoon and all. Once I got my head around the technicalities of it, I found it fun, easy to use and addictive – with so many pretty templates to choose from, I could play around with it all day!

For my first set, I compiled a ‘Summer Wedding’ outfit. This gorgeous lace dress, £80, Warehouse, is an ideal frock for a prom, wedding, or any special occasion. The lilac T-Bar heels go perfectly with the pretty dress, and the mint green clutch bag, £35, Accessorize, completes the pastel-perfect look.

Of course, no wedding outfit would be ready without a hair accessory, be it a hat, fascinator, or, in this case, a pretty comb, £15, Accessorize. Just add some natural make-up, contrive the perfect up-do, and you’re good to go!

Friday Five – 50s Trend Essentials

Fashion is always turning to bygone eras for inspiration, and this season has seen a revival of several decades gone by, from the 90s grunge look to the pretty, retro 50s style. For those among us (myself included) who’ve yet to fully venture into vintage clothes buying, there’s no need to worry – the high street has it covered!

A staple of the 50s look is a full, knee- or midi-length skirt. The apricot pink of this belted skirt, £22.99, New Look, adds a modern twist to the trend. High waisted jeans and shin grazing cut-offs (remember ‘peddle pushers’?) are an alternative, if you’re not into skirts.

Bralets are cropping up all over the shops at the moment, in various colours and fabrics. While I wouldn’t normally bare my belly in one of these, when worn with a high waisted skirt, there’s hardly any skin on show. The adorable print of this denim bralet, £25, at Topshop, is too sweet to miss.

And now, for accessories. Hairbands are an absolute must-have if you’re going for an authentic look. The dark colour of this Hawaiian print headband, £2.99, New Look, pairs perfectly with the black jelly peep toes, £40, River Island, bringing the outfit together nicely. Last but not least, a ladylike, classic handbag to finish: the very girly Lady Bag by Aldo for ASOS, £40.

Will you be rocking the retro 50s look sometime soon?

Friday Five – The Tropical Trend

It’s been practically impossible to escape the tropical print trend this season. Love it or hate it, it’s pretty much exploded in our favourite high street collections. The bright colours, fun, summery patterns and retro feel of the clothes really appeal to me, and although my usual style is probably not as ‘loud’, I’m finding it hard to resist the tropical trend.

Spotting this fabulous Primark playsuit online didn’t help matters much. At the pittance price of £5, it’s a no-brainer really. Definitely something to bum around the beach on. For UK park days, I’d layer a white t-shirt underneath and team with sandals for a more laid-back summer look.

Jeans are a great way to test the trend waters. Hardcore trendsetters might opt for a head-to-toe patterned outfit, but for the fashion faint-of-heart (myself included!) I’d pair these printed jeans with a plain top and shoes for a hint at the look. The pale pink of these cropped skinnies, £48, Motel give a subtle hint. But I really do love these blue skinny jeans, £40, from River Island: the print, featuring parrots and birds, differs from the usual tropical patterns. Definitely my favourite piece of the post.

I featured this New Look bralet in my first holiday clothes post, and it really is good enough to mention twice! As if I needed any further convincing it is worth buying, it’s now dropped to £7 in the sale. Happy days!

And lastly, these H&M wedges, £24.99, literally made me gasp today. Comfortable and stylish, these wedges are up there with my favourite shoes of S/S12.

Happy Bank Holiday Weekend everyone!

Wednesday Wishlist – 02/05/12

This week is another mish mash of items that have caught my ever-browsing eye. Despite the less than perfect weather, I can’t stop myself from looking at pretty summer clothes, as if by buying them I might somehow coax the sun out from behind its clouds.

Ombre is definitely a trend that has grown on me this season. As it’s been pretty much all over the high street, it’s been a hard one to ignore. Warehouse always boast beautiful, high quality clothes and this striped silk blouse, £50, is no exception. I love the pink and yellow together, and the batwing arms emphasize the feminine appeal.

I practically live in jeans, so I like to have a fair few pairs to choose from. Topshop is my first port of call when I need/want a new pair, and these acid wash skinny jeans, £38, are a welcome departure from my usual style. Teamed with a bright neon top and some high top trainers, they’d complete any 90s look.

River Island also offer some very lovely clothes, although their basic items are usually a little out of my price range. However, this tribal print crop top, £15, seems a worthy purchase. It’d see me through the summer months and would be a keeper for festival season. Ideal for casual day wear.

Denim’s revival continues with this belted shirt dress, £45, from Oasis. Perfect for summer days spent in the park (be careful of pesky grass stains though!) and just in time for barbeque season. I like.

And today’s piece de resistance is this gorgeous tropical print dipped hem dress, £29.99, from New Look. Being quite short, I’ve always been wary of dresses or skirts that fall very far below mid-thigh, but the pattern and style of this dress has won me over. I can already see myself wearing it for evening strolls along the beach, and summer nights garden parties…

Bring on the shopping!

Wednesday Wishlist – 25/04/12

Today was not an ordinary Wednesday for me – at around 10am, I finally handed in my final year dissertation, marking the end of my time at university (pretty much – I still have a short assignment due but for argument’s sake let’s say that’s the end!) So I’m officially no longer a student! In celebration – or commiseration, I’m not quite sure yet – I’ve been lining up some pretty purchases and even treated myself to a few (stay tuned for a ‘recently bought’ post of some sort!) Here are some of pieces I’ve been lusting over recently…

When a friend shared a link of these beauties on Facebook, I knew I had to have them. Outrageous yet oh so fun, these fabulous fuschia jelly wedges, £29, by Head Over Heels at Dune, are my favourite thing at the moment. Size 5 might be sold out online, but I will find a way…

A close second vying for my attention this week has been this amazing Hawaii print playsuit, £60, by Tara Starlet. Available in 3 gorgeous designs and printed in Hawaii, it’s a one of a kind piece which looks well worth the price. If you like something different to the norm, check out their website for lots of vintage inspired, unique designs.

So I’m not sure how I feel about dip-hem skirts/dresses really, but they do look ever so nice on the screen/hanger. This one is a cream drop back skirt, £35, Miss Selfridge. It oozes feminine chic and is the perfect skirt for the summer – weddings, nights out, lunches…a pretty skirt for every occasion.

I do like the whole utility/safari style, and this cropped shirt, £16.99, New Look would look great white a pair of high waisted jeans or shorts, teamed with a pair of low key sandals and a tasseled bag. Think Kate Bosworth cool. Probably a look that’ll have to wait til the sun turns up though…

And finally, a bag to carry me through (awful pun – sorry!) I’ve had my eye on this ASOS zip based bag, £28, for a while now. I have a sort of rule with myself when it comes to bags that you can’t fit on your shoulder…but this lovely tote might see me bend that rule…we’ll see.

Holiday Picks – Part Two

I’ve been getting a little bit (over)excited about my upcoming mini-break to Barcelona, and have been busy scouring the Internet to see what my favourite high street stores have to offer. In Part One of my holiday clothes musings, I went for an edgy, bright and bold look, with statement t-shirts and accessories and bright tropical prints. But on the flip side of that is a love for all things feminine and chic. So here’s where Part Two comes in…

White, regretfully, just isn’t my colour. But I love it anyway. And once I’ve built up a bit of a tan, it shouldn’t be too much of an issue. These pretty white dresses will be perfect for sight-seeing, al fresco lunches and evening beach walks. I love the crochet detail of this sleeveless shirt dress, £40, and the cut-out design of this jersey prom dress, £55, really steals my heart (hehe?) Both from Topshop.

Shorts are an absolute must-have for any holiday look as they’re comfortable, tan-friendly and go with everything. The tribal print of these high waisted denim shorts, £32, Miss Selfridge, set them apart from the rest.

H&M have some great stuff in at the moment, including this turquoise jacquard-weave top, £19.99, which will jazz up the shorts and add a sexy edge to any day look. The simplicity of this stylish, zip detail bikini set, £17.98 altogether, is also a winner.

I love anything woven at the moment – picnic baskets, straw bags…count me in! This woven satchel, £37, River Island is comfortable and casual, and will feed my addiction nicely!

I’ll be wearing wedges like these floral patterned tie-up ones, £24.99, H&M, for romantic evening dinners. But for exploring the city and hitting the beach, I’ll stick to flats. These very pretty sandals by Grendha for New Look, £39.99, really caught my eye…I might just have to treat myself come pay day.

And finally, eye wear. You can never go far wrong with a classic style, and these light pink shades from Warehouse, £18, are just right.

What will your holiday look be?

Wednesday Wishlist – 18/04

Today’s wishlist is a bit of a mash-up of various pieces I’ve scoured from the high street stores’ online offerings. There’s not much continuity or common ground between these items – I guess that’s a reflection of my current state of mind!

Hailstones aside, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking ahead, and am almost exclusively just shopping for summer clothes now. I love the feather print of this tie-front cropped shirt, £29 by Oh My Love at Topshop. It perfectly channels the 50′s fashion vibes that paraded down the catwalks for the S/S season.

I’ve been on the search for a nice denim shirt for some time now. This light blue denim shirt, £32, Topshop, is one of the best that I’ve seen online. Being a little higher than my normal price range for such an item, I’d hope it was of a staying quality and would see me through a good few seasons.

There’s never a good or bad time to buy a party dress! This Urban Bliss dress, with dip-hem skirt and PU top, £29.99, New Look, incorporates the new season trends and is a perfect mix of classy, sexy and stylish.

I love anything cropped when it comes to summer trousers – jeans, chinos, etc. and these pink cropped trousers, £25, Miso at Republic, are fun and summery and will go with just about any casual outfit.

Lastly, with the thought of summer handbags in mind, this purple and beige contrast bag, £30, Accessorize, caught my eye. It’s just the right size for sunny park days, and is chic enough for evening wear too. I do love a multifunctional bag!

What’s on your wishlists this week?

Holiday Picks – Part One

With the final installation of my student loan about to drop, I really should be thinking about rent, bills and being able to eat something other than jacket potato every day for lunch. But in reality, all I can think about is splashing out on fabulous holiday wear for my upcoming long weekend in Barcelona this July.

When it comes to summer style, I have to admit, I am a total chameleon. I chop and change between girly and sophisticated, and urban cool, and just plain summery fun. This collection of pieces hints more towards the latter styles on that list, but most importantly, they jumped out at me as fun, wearable and sexy pieces that I can’t wait to work into my holiday look!

Bikinis are tricky territory for me. The fit, style and colour all have to be just right. This pink and white striped set, £22 altogether, from Accessorize, is pretty much perfect on all those fronts. As far as one-pieces go, I adore this sexy floral one, £28, Accessorize. And if you’re one for splashing out (excuse the pun) then this scenic-print bikini, £128 by We Are Handsome at Net-a-Porter, really is just the ticket.

Eccentric eye wear is all the rage right now. Unfortunately, seeing as I’m severely shortsighted, my choice when it comes to sunglasses is pretty limited. If it wasn’t, though, I’d definitely be going for these sexy Mango sunnies, £23, from ASOS.

Cover-up on the beach in style in this printed sleeveless tee, £20, Miss Selfridge. The bold L.A. print adds a fun, urban slant to your sexy beach look. I’d wear it with washed-out denim short shorts and tie it up at the midriff. And I’d buy into the tropical trend with this bright bralet, £14.99, New Look – too cheap to miss!

Beach accessories – also a very important part of any holiday look. As far as bags go, I’ll be resisting the urge to go all-out for the 90s with a fannypack…instead, I’ll be opting for this practical but totally cool ice-cream printed rucksack, £35, ASOS. There really is nothing NOT to love. And when it comes to keeping cool while I’m sunbathing on the seafront, this flamingo print, heart shaped fan, Accessorize, is a steal at £2.50.

Headbands are a great way to keep beach hair at bay whilst incorporating a totally stylish accessory into your look. Baroque prints do scare me a little when they’re printed all over a garment of clothing, but on this pretty headband, £8, Topshop, they’re a style match made in heaven!

Jelly shoes were your friend as a kid, and now they’re back for the reunion. These purple jelly sandals, £6, Boohoo, are cute and fun, and ideal for the beach. For evenings, I’ll be stepping out in something a little more grown up, but just as friendly to heat-stricken feet: the ever-dependable wedge. I’ve had my eye on these floral print wedges, £27.99, New Look, for a while now, so I might just treat myself.

So there you have it – the first part of my dream holiday style. Rent, food and bills money aside, I might just be able to make some of it a reality!