ASOS Summer Wishlist

With the warmer weather finally due to make an appearance, I thought it appropriate to share my summer ASOS wishlist. I don't know about you, but I feel like I've been wearing my puffer jacket and a dark, moody colour scheme for about 50 years and I'm over it. It's time to get some bright colours and fun playsuits in to my wardrobe.

Top Left / Stradivarius Linen Trousers / £19.99
Bottom Left / South Beach Round Straw Cross Body Bag / £25
Middle / Honey Punch High Waist Shorts in Check Co-Ord / £26
Top Right / Levi's Multi Colour Stripe Vintage Look T Shirt / £25
Bottom Right / ASOS DESIGN Washed Cotton Jacket / £30

At the top of my saved list are these Stradivarius linen trousers, which I saw on Kate Lavie's instagram. I've seen quite a few pairs of linen trousers on the high street recently so I'm definitely going to have to get myself a pair soon, because they're so easy to style with a basic tee and leather jacket, or even the pink ASOS DESIGN shacket that I've also got on this list. I'm in the market for a lightweight jacket now it's getting a bit warmer, and this colour is just everything so I might have to spend my birthday money on it in a couple of weeks.

I might also invest in a circular straw bag like this on when I'm not so poor! Last year we were going for larger, beach style straw bags, for quite a bohemian vibe; this year the more compact, circular straw bag is everywhere and I am all for it. It would style perfectly with a mini, summer, wrap dress and a pair of brown leather sandals.

Top Left / ASOS Jumpsuit in Broderie / £35
Bottom Left / Boohoo Polka Dot Flute Sleeve Playsuit / £20
Middle / ASOS DESIGN Jersey Minimal Playsuit With Pockets / £15
Top Right / Miss Selfridge Daisy Print Denim Playsuit / £35
Bottom Right / TOMS Alpargata Peach Mist Heritage Canvas Shoes / £38

This list is less of a saved list and more of a moodboard of my classic summer style. I am definitely a playsuit girl over dresses and I love a pair of TOMS, and also what the brand itself stands for.

Boohoo have only gone and done it with this bright yellow polka dot playsuit, which is also super affordable, and the ASOS DESIGN one is so laid back and great for those days when you don't want to make too much of an effort but you can still look stylish. I also fell in love with both the top items. Both are very girly and I instantly thought of my mum when I saw them because they would definitely get her approval. I've never really worn jumpsuits, but I really want to start wearing them this season because they would suit my playsuit-loving style, but give you a little bit more of a casual cover up.

I have no doubt in my mind that half of these items will never actually end up in my wardrobe with the student budget and all that but it's nice to dream right?! But ass I said, it is my birthday in a couple of weeks so they might be arriving in my postbox sooner than we think!

The Perfect Pair Of Jeans

Over the Christmas break I had to write an essay about Levi's and I did about a months worth of research on the brand to the point where I became obsessed. I had to have a pair, but where I was so used to buying £20 jeans at New Look, they were just so expensive!

I've never been one to fork out on a product. Brands like ASOS or New Look are always my first point of call and that's based on price over quality. I suppose you could say that these are the brands that I'm loyal to, but would I be choosing them first if I wasn't on a student budget? With all that's on offer these days, I wouldn't say that I've ever really been loyal to a brand in terms of what it stands for. This all changed after researching Levi's. It got to the point where my mum had had enough of me banging on about them and dragged me in their Regent Street store the other week. 

And that's how I ended up with my first pair of Levi jeans.

This is the first time where I have brought a product and felt like a genuine customer. I didn't just buy them for the image of the label, I brought them because of the quality and the history behind the brand and I understand what the brand stands for. It's not often that you can say that and this is definitely not the last pair that I will be buying. And I figure that if they're going to last then why not fork out a bit extra, rather than paying £20 4 or 5 times a year.

From walking in to the store, to walking back out again with my brown bag in hand, I loved the whole experience. It was exciting and the visual merchandising is perfect for the brand. And even though it was 7pm and they probably just wanted to close up and go home, the staff were so friendly and helpful. Little things like that are so refreshing, especially after you've been in shops were the staff were pretty much snapping at you. 

If you haven't got a pair already, I promise you it's a bloody good investment. 

An Introvert's Christmas Jumper Guide

With only six days to go, the expectancy to wear a Christmas jumper is increasing by the day, but I am well aware that there is nothing worse than having Rudolph's big red nose flashing on your stomach, or 'elfie' splashed across your chest when you're not the most extroverted of people. So I've come up with a Christmas jumper guide for those of us proud introverts.

Top - Left to Right, Bottom - Left to Right

George at Asda - £16 / Zara - £39.99 / River Island - £40 / & Other Stories - £49 / Boohoo - £18

The magpie within me is in love with the Zara jumper! But I do love a bit of a Fairisle pattern at this time of year.

Where have you brought your christmas jumpers from this year?

Georgia.xo

Dear Santa...

Welcome to the first day of my *proper* Blogmas! This week I'll be counting down the days until the big day arrives, and I thought I'd start by sharing my Christmas wishlist with you. These are the items that I am hoping to find under my Christmas tree this year!

Hot Chocolate: If you know me well enough, you'll know that I drink at least one hot chocolate a day, and that's not even over Christmas. So this Cocoa Creations hot chocolate selection from Whittards is the perfect gift for me. The box includes their standard Luxury hot chocolate as well as Rocky Road, Mint, Praline, Salted Caramel, and Orange. Sounds good to me!

Handbag: I've been needing a proper handbag for a while, and not only is this Zara City bag super stylish, but it's practical too! It's the perfect size to fill with rubbish, as well as my laptop and sketchbooks for uni.

Boots: I had these same boots a couple of years ago and I wore them to death. I do own a couple of other pairs of boots, but none that are your standard flat Chelsea boots. I've seen a couple of other pairs on ASOS, but I am a creature of habit, and I know that these ones are so comfortable and go with everything.

Puffa coat: Here we go again, Georgia jumping on to the bandwagon late AGAIN, but when I saw this coat in Zara I had to have it. Being a student who doesn't see one penny of my student loan, the £70 price tag was a bit of a stretch, so I've asked for it for Christmas and I'm hoping and praying that my mum thinks I deserve it enough!

Benefit Brow Pencil: I was brought the Goof Proof brow pencil last Christmas and I've worn it everyday since. Sadly the comb end has gotten a bit gross the pencil nib split so I've had to make do with what's left, so I think it's time for a new one.

Glossier skincare: I am all for this Glossier hype; every review I've read/watched has been a positive one so it's about time I had some of my own to try out, and Christmas seems like the perfect opportunity! I've asked for the Super Bounce and the coconut flavoured Balm Dotcom, because they have/do everything my skin and lips need right now.

So that was my wishlist and I'll be a very happy girl if I get even one of these items. I hope that this doesn't just come as a massive hint for some people, but as some inspiration if you're doing some last minute shopping.

Georgia.xo

Not Skinny Jeans

I brought these trousers a while ago, but I've had so many ideas buzzing around my head that this post got pushed down the pecking order a little bit! But with this being the last post before my proper Blogmas starts on Monday, there's no better time. I'm still loving styling these though. They're definitely the "statement" piece in an outfit and I have been pairing them with my Gazelles, as well as plain tops and jumpers, including my fuzzy black jumper, which I brought from Topshop a couple of seasons ago, but I've linked a similar one here, here and here. 

When I first tried on this pair of trousers, I was shocked for two reasons: 1) They actually suited me and 2) They were only £15.99.

I'm definitely more of a skinny jeans gal, but I've been trying to push myself out of my comfort zone recently, as you might have seen in my post about the Zara striped trousers I brought recently. But these trousers are so comfortable and easy to wear, even if my short self has had to roll them up slightly.

So there we go! I'm going to try really hard to be more adventurous with my wardrobe in 2018, and drift away a bit (and only a little bit) from my skinny jeans. I always love looking at different people's style, Zoe London and Lily Melrose in particular, but I'm going to try and make an effort to really experiment for myself. I am a fashion student anyway!

Georgia.xo

Stressing in Style

Jumper / H&M / similar here
Trousers / Zara
Adidas Gazelles / Soletrader

This coming Friday is presentation day for our creative research outcomes. Agh stress. But if you're going to be stressing about something, you might as well do it in style. Right?

I brought this pair of Zara chino trousers in London a couple of weeks back. It's so exciting wearing them, because compared to my uniform of black skinny jeans, they're kind of outside my comfort zone and I've been struggling with what to style them with. I was originally going to wear them with a white vest top with a pom pom trim, which looked super cute, but this mustard jumper brings a pop of colour to the outfit. A pop of positivity. 

I've had a surge of motivation, and it couldn't come at a better time. I was up last night with my brain whirring around at 10,000 mph with ideas and ways to get out of the indecisive slump I've been in for the last few weeks. I'm still undecided about whether I want to drop out/take a break from uni, but blogging is the one thing that I really enjoy, so I'm going to try and really focus on that, whatever the outcome.

Georgia.xo

Tommy Hilfiger Ready to Wear Autumn 2017 Show

A couple of years ago, Tommy Hilfiger was pretty irrelevant. But add Gigi Hadid to the mix (a social media powerhouse with 35.7 million followers on Instagram and 6.4 million on Instagram), plus an online streaming see-now-buy-now strategy under the hashtag #TommyNow and you've got the current market down to the T.

On September 19th, the designer showcased his third season of the TommyXGigi collection with a rock and roll circus themed catwalk at the Roundhouse in London. To sum it up simply the collection was 90's rock and roll meets winter (in reference to the see-now-buy-now model) meets America's red, white and blue in true Tommy spirit. Not only was Gigi Hadid walking the show, but also big names including her sister, Bella, Jordan Dunn, and Georgia May and Lizzie Jagger.

The collection follows a general mix of tartan, leather, denim, stripes and metal embellishment. A lot of the looks had quite a preppy vibe, with many of the women's looks including knee high socks and shorts, and many of the men wearing bomber jackets. There was also hints of leisure wear, which millennials are really rocking right now, as well as a rebellious spirit about some of the outfits, which gave the whole show a very 90's/Rolling Stones feel, which has really been making a comeback in recent seasons. You definitely get an idea of merch from the show, in relation to the rock concert at the Roundhouse.

I am really feeling a lot of the looks from this show. I think what I like about it is that you could easily recreate a lot of the looks, whereas some catwalk shows are a bit less realistic for your everyday outfit.

The catwalk finished with a performance from The Chainsmokers.

As part of the Tommy Now set up, you can now save each of the looks from the catwalk as you watch the playback of the show on the Tommy Hilfiger website here.

Georgia.xo

Style Steal

Here's a very student friendly post for you. Take a look at this playsuit. Now guess the price... 

£9.99 

£9.99!!!! 

So on Saturday I was shopping in New Look and came across this floral one-shoulder playsuit. Until I'd tried it on, I hadn't looked at the price tag, but I was pleasantly surprised! This playsuit is absolutely gorgeous on, it's so so comfortable, and it's dead cheap! PLUS, with student discount you can get it that extra bit cheaper 👏

I feel like New Look has really upped their game in the last couple of years with the style and quality of their clothes and I always go there first when I'm in need of a few key items for my wardrobe each season, because the price tags are a lot more friendly than other high street stores. 

Whenever I go shopping actually needing something in particular I can never find anything I like. It's always the way. But when I found this playsuit in the first shop I looked in I just knew it was going to be a successful shopping trip. And it was! 

So get yourself down to New Look NOW and grab yourself that bargain!!

Georgia.xo

Embroidered

Embroidery is the craft of decorating a piece of fabric with needle and thread, and has been dated back to 30,000 BC. Cast ourselves to Spring 2017 and the craft is very much on trend.

From catwalks such as Alexander McQueen's Spring/Summer 17' Ready to Wear and Nguyen Cong Tri's No.10 collection, to high street stores and online sites such as River Island, Topshop and ASOS, delicately woven wild flowers are literally everywhere.

I'm really loving this trend at the moment. I actually recently brought a couple of items from an online store called missyempire.com (see the images below), because even though the weather is typically British right now, there's nothing that welcomes the spring season better than a burst of colour and handful of flowers.

Michelle White Embroidered Ruffle Bell Sleeve Top - £18.00

Iva Black Overlay Floral Embroidered Shift Dress - £24.00

I was also recently introduced to the artist James Merry, who takes vintage sweatshirts from sportswear brands such as Nike, Fila and Adidas and embroiders flowers and fruits and mushrooms, etc around the logos, which I think is super cool. He's also worked with the V&A Museum on an exhibition called 'The Embroidered Gaze' (see video here) and with Bjork on her virtual reality exhibition.

In other flower-related news, florist Herbes Fauves (@herbestfauves on Insta) has just finished setting up a flower pop-up shop in the & Other Stories Bordeaux store!

This is a trend that is definitely not wilting any time soon and I can't wait to hang my rain coat up and throw on my purchases!

If you're looking for any inspiration, have a look on my Pinterest bored dedicated to this beautiful trend → here ←

Georgia.xo

An Ap'peeling' Edit

Over the last couple of weeks I've been noticing a lot more pops of colour around on the highstreet, and I'm particularly loving this orange hue.

Orange is a colour that I think suits just about everyone. It might seem a bit overwhelming in large doses, but by pairing it with a black crop top or a pair of black cigarette trousers, for example, it can really add that pop of colour that completely makes an outfit. Even if you're not too confident on going for a larger item, such as a skirt, you could just add a couple of accessories or a pair of shoes.

With the idea of summer starting to kick in, adding colour to an outfit is almost critical. I've seen a few bits and pieces that I want to add to my wardrobe from a variety of places, whilst shopping both online and in-store. In the above picture I've selected some of my favourites for under £35, so it's a trend you can definitely afford, even on a student budget!

Georgia.xo

Moschino // Candy Crush

Earlier this week amongst the lead up to the biggest, aesthetically focused music festivals out there -  Coachella - it was announced that Moschino and Candy Crush would be launching a collection at the annual music festival. The capsule collection consists of a swimsuit, a pair of swimming trunks, a backpack and also an iPhone cover. 

“We’ve got swimsuits, because, everyone’s going to be in a pool at one point or another at Coachella, or it’s going to be so hot you wish you were in a pool.” - Jeremy Scott

This is so completely Jeremy Scott that it's almost predictable. Since his very first collection for the brand in 2013, the overall aesthetic has been incredibly in tune with pop/trash culture. For example, he's taken inspiration from the likes of McDonalds, Snickers and Spongebob Squarepants, dressed stars such as Nicki Minaj and Miley Cyrus, and collaborated with Barbie, Cartoon Network and Nintendo. This latest collab is wacky and an unconventional approach to your typical fashion-brand-X-collaborating-with-fashion-brand-Y, however, should we really be that amazed?

This makes me want to throw up in my mouth a little bit...
(@moschino)

Although the mobile app couldn't be more spot on for the brand, I'm personally not that big a fan. It's crossed the line just that little bit too much. It's a little bit too naff. And definitely not worth the £106 - £403 price tags. Although the game still seems to be growing strong, and currently celebrating it's 5th birthday, I definitely stopped playing a long time ago. It's definitely not as relevant as it used to be. Saying this, would the collab have been a bit too sickly sweet when it was riding in the number 1 spot in the App Store? Or is this just an attempt to make it relevant again?

Who knows. I'm sure there are thousands of people who will be loving this one; I'm just not giving it the heart-eyed emoji.

#sorrynotsorry

Georgia.xo

Blousin' Around The High Street

Left-Right-Top-Bottom

Zara Poplin Blouse with Belt - £39.99

Topshop Choker Blouse - £29

Urban Outfitters Pin Tuck Floral Black Blouse - £39

Topshop Gingham Mutton Sleeve Blouse - £29

Lipsy Wrap Front Ruffle Blouse With Cold Shoulder - £30

Bershka Strapless Poplin Blouse - £12.99

Noisy May White 3/4 Sleeve Pleated Blouse - £26

Vera Moda Off The Shoulder Blouse - £28

TREND ALERT: Over the last few weeks I've definitely seen a surge in blouses coming through on to the high street. And many versions of the blouse at that. Above, I've picked my top favourites, all under £40, which I think is great value for money and I'm sure you will too. 

When I think of a blouse, school uniforms come to mind. The whole idea gives me nightmares of how my boobs were too big for the chest but a bigger size would drown my arms and just looked so unproportioned I might as well have just worn a bin bag. But as I've seen by just walking down the high street, I no longer need to worry about my chest bursting the buttons open! 

Most of these blouses combine current trends, so you are sure to nail the perfect spring look. For example, the Topshop choker blouse meets the choker trend and the bell-sleeve trend all in one, whilst the gingham blouse, also from Topshop, obviously meets the gingham trend. Then you've also got a couple of off-the-shoulder blouses, which is always a popular concept during the spring. Blouses in general are great for this time of year, because they provide a transition between the colder months when you still need to cover up a bit and the warmer months when you want something that's not too heavy and doesn't cling to you.

What do you think about the blouse trend?

Georgia.xo

In The Style Lucky Dip

On Valentines day, inthestyle.com did another of their 'Lucky Dip' promotions. If you're not aware of these promotions, they basically send you an email and you click on the link, choose your size and pay £8.99 (£5 + £3.99 delivery) for a surprise item. Then you just wait and see what you receive!

When I received the package I was secretly hoping that it was going to be one of those choker/v-neck t-shirts because I'm loving those at the moment (and too tight to buy one), but it wasn't, and instead I received this cream, off the shoulder jumper with the slogan "cute but crazy" from the Billie Faires Dreamwear collection. I'm still unsure about this, it's not really "me". I personally don't get on with anything off the shoulder for one, because the sleeves always pop up off of my shoulders, and secondly I find the whole "cute but crazy/psycho" trend a bit cringe, it really needs to die a death now.

HOWEVER, when trying it on it was actually quite comfortable and would be perfect for chilling out/sleeping in even if I wouldn't wear it out. It's not going to stop me from shopping with on the website, because I love most of the clothes on there and it's such great value for money. I never really fell in love with the Billie Faires stuff anyway, so this just confirms my point of view towards it.

I think that the lucky dip idea overall is a great idea, because not only does it promote the brand and encourage you to shop more with them, but it's also a great way to try out clothes that you probably wouldn't purchase normally.

Georgia.xo

The End of an Era For British Vogue

Today is the beginning of the end of an era for British Vogue, as today I woke up to the news that Alexandra Shulman will step down as editor-in-chief for British Vogue in June, after 25 years. Ever since I've read Vogue, or even been alive for that matter, Alexandra has been in charge, so it's hard to imagine the whole situation changing.

This year, the magazine celebrated 100 years, which included an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, a special centenary issue featuring the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, and a BBC documentary 'Absolute Fashion: Inside British Vogue'. That means that Alexandra has been editor-in-chief for a quarter of Vogue's life and I think that's pretty impressive and something that she should be incredibly proud of.

“It has been very hard to find a rational reason to leave what is unquestionably a fascinating and rewarding role but last autumn I realised that I very much wanted to experience a different life and look forward to a future separate to Vogue." 

 - Alexandra Shulman. 

Although it will be hard to see change within the magazine, change is already set to happen for the Conde Nast company overall, and I'm sure it's all for the best, but whoever's next will have some big shoes to fill!

Georgia.xo

Native Nomads | Context

For the first part of my FCP summative project, I've had to research the emerging trend 'Native Nomads'. The trend has emerged from influences such as the Wild West, Clint Eastwood, western films and Pendleton. I actually really quite enjoy researching into trends and finding out where they've developed from. I've never focused on menswear either, which made it even more interesting.

In general, the trend is quite folky and includes neutral tones, layered styling and aztec-style patterns, which include geometric shapes and are consistent in colour with pops of reds, greens and yellows. The tones are quite saturated "with hues that appear burnt out, as if faded by spending miles under the sun", for example, the yellow shade 'Apple Cinnamon'. The materials appear to be strong and long lasting, such as the Krammer & Stoudt spotted jacket and are quite rug like, such as the Gyspy Sport striped shirt.

When styling the trend, you can accessories through boots, bags and hats, which are all very typical of the Wild West due to the fact that they are made out of brown leather and the hats can be seen as an extension of the cowboy hat.

I then looked beyond my general trend and began to look at influences. These included the actor and director Clint Eastwood, the film Django Unchained (directed by Quentin Tarantino), the artist Georgia O'Keeffe and the family owned business Pendleton Woollen Mills. Each of these has clearly influenced the trend in some way or another. For example, Clint Eastwood is practically the face of the Western film genre, Georgia O'Keeffe's famous skulls have been replicated in motifs within the Dolce & Gabbana A/W 16 catwalk and street style, and Pendleton directly studied the colour and design preferences of local Native Americans.

Once I had gathered enough research to see a steady link between the trend and historical and cultural references, I started to see how the trend had been communicated within the media and through street style. I can definitely see that the trend has been noticed, due to the fact that Vogue.com, GQ magazine and Fortitude magazine have all reported on it, as well as various blogs. However, in terms of street style, I don't think that it's particularly popular. When I asked people what they thought of the trend, many said that they couldn't see themselves buying into the trend, and some said that they'd probably wear elements of it, e.g. just a patterned shirt or a scarf, rather than going all out. After also having a look on street style websites such as lookbook.nu, I found that it was most popular in A/W 15 rather than this current year. This could possibly be because the trend is a bubble-up one ('essential' on WGSN), meaning that men on the street were wearing it before it hit the catwalk.

Overall, I've really enjoyed researching into the trend and being menswear it was a new challenge for me. I can confirm that the trend definitely exists, however it isn't as prominent as other menswear trends, such as a roll neck with a long line coat or skinny jeans with shearling jackets. It's quite a bold trend to wear and buy into, with only the most confident dresses choosing to style their clothes this particular way.

Georgia.xo

* Top photo is from WGSN, the rest of the photos are my own.