Claire

S/S 14 Mini Trend: The Ugly Shoe

Ugly Shoes 1We live in a crazy world, ladies and gents, and I would say that the craziest thing in this world – aside from the fact that Kit Harrington has not yet noticed me as his soulmate (fix up Jon Snow!) – is fashion. The fact is that sometimes following fashion means you have to wear things that you think make you look like you belong in some sort of asylum. Oh sure, it would be great if pretty dresses and nice bags were always the height of fashion so we could parade around looking normal, but then how would we confuse elderly relatives?

So one of the oddest trends stealing the show this season is the ugly shoe. Yes, I do believe that is the official fashion name. Characterised by a cleated sole, numerous straps and buckles and preferably a bit of height, these are definitely the ‘it’ shoe of S/S14. Whether you opt for platform, flatform, jelly, canvas, velcro or even holographic versions, make sure you keep it as clunky and cumbersome as possible. You win extra style points the more it looks like you might have raided a Spice Girls dressing up box.

Here are a few of my favourite ugly shoes from around the ‘net:

Ugly Shoes 21. eBay / 2. Topshop / 3. New Look / 4. River Island / 5. eBay / 6. Pretty Little Thing 

And just in case you think I am actually mocking this trend, I want you to know that I am 100% not. Those ones in the top photos are my own little babies – Primark for a superbly purse-friendly £14, in case you were wondering.

What do you all think go this trend, love it or hate it?

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Claire

Outfit of the Day: Neon Skater Skirt at Wireless Festival

Good afternoon one and all. After suffering from a terrible case of bloggers’ block, dithering about what to write about today and Claire threatening to throw her pen at me (SEE WHAT I HAVE TO PUT UP WITH?!), I have finally settled on filling you in on my weekend.

If you follow our Twitter account, you may have noticed a slight lack of activity on my part (I can tell you’re thinking, ‘Ah, this is why I felt a horrible sense of loss over the weekend’). This was because I took the plunge and decided to leave the comforting streets of Coventry to hit the big city with my pal for Wireless Festival. After agonising for MONTHS about what to wear, I ended up spending Thursday night cleaning the house, lying on my bed reading ‘Dancing in my Nuddy Pants’ and generally not choosing what to wear. I’m half on a spending ban at the moment (tell that to WH Smith’s and their half price note pads), so I decided to be frugal and not buy anything new (which was probably sensible as port-a-loos and new outfits don’t mix brilliantly). However, it did mean getting up at 7am on Friday and charging around my room in my pantaloons with a horrible sense of panic. We’re having beautiful scorching weather (WOO), so being too hot was a no-no. Unfortunately, I also burn like Guy Fawkes and Joan of Arc on a hot (paha) date, so I need to be covered too. PROBLEMATIC? Horribly.

I ended up settling for a neon yellow skirt I bought a month or two ago, a black body, a pair of casual sandals and a chunky gold necklace (obviously channeling my inner Waka Flocka Flame). I teamed it with a denim jacket while we were still in Coventry because at that point it was cloudy and I didn’t want to look like a raving lunatic at 9am. Surprisingly, I wasn’t too boiling at Wireless. Which was most likely because of the lovely hydrating pints of cider I was drinking, mmm appley.

I thought I’d give you a little picture tour of my day on Friday; I didn’t take many snaps as I was too busy realising how much I love Ke$ha.

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IMG_1581If you’re interested in recreating this little outfit, here is where you can get the same or similar items (I have to admit, it’s quite a good one for the hot weather when you want to protect your shoulders!).

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| Neon Skater Skirt: Missguided | Black Buckled Sandals: Primark | Black Body: Boohoo| Gold Chain Necklace: Topshop |

I only went for the day on Friday, so me and my lovely friend stayed at a hotel in Shoreditch, did a bit of shopping in the Spitalfields Market on Saturday and then headed back to our respective homes. Claire and I headed out in Birmingham on Saturday night, which we should hopefully have some outfit of the night posts up soon (I wore Claire’s trousers, so no new exciting clothes there either. Sniff.).

My highlights of Wireless were definitely Frank Ocean (still swooning) and of course, Justin Timberlake. Did anyone else head to Olympic Park this weekend?

Claire

Wishlist: The Search For A New Handbag.

Handbags. Even girls (who arguably should be sectioned) that claim they don’t like shopping and ‘girly things’ love a good handbag. Where else are you supposed to keep essential items like phones, keys and snacks for later? POCKETS? ARE YOU MAD? HAM SANDWICHES DON’T SURVIVE IN POCKETS.

Ahem. Anyway. I’ve been on the hunt for a new handbag for a while now and I’m in two minds whether to invest in something fancy or just go with my usual standard of buying a cheap handbag that only lasts a couple of months. At the moment I’m using a horrible combination of a little black box bag for the days I don’t have a lot of stuff (it’s a really old Primark one that’s not worth getting into too much detail about) and a big floral one for when I’m going to the gym (or have a big lunch…). They’re doing me fine for now, but I really feel like I need a nice grown up handbag in a sophisticated shade of black or tan to make my life a bit better.

So, with all of this pointless information in mind, I’ve decided to put together a handbag wishlist to try and streamline my ideas and also share with y’all the best of the handbags on the highstreet.

Contrast effect bags:

Screen Shot 2013-06-25 at 12.44.31As you may notice, I’m after a bit of a classic bag that’s going to last me over the next couple of years (fingers crossed), so I’m a bit wary of getting involved in anything too neon or rucksack-y. On the topic of rucksacks, me and Claire were discussing what perils you could encounter while wearing one. Don’t get us wrong, we are both big fans of rucksacks but there are things that need to be addressed. What if someone stole my lunch on the way to work (don’t pretend like you didn’t unzip people’s backpacks at school and hide their things)? What if I fell over backwards and squashed my belongings? What if I was mistaken for a five year old and told to go back to pre-school? Will I actually just look like a giant douchebag? For these legitimate/worrying reasons, rucksacks have not been featured on this bag wishlist. Sorry gals.

Tan bags:

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Printed bags:

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I’m painfully aware that the tan bags and contrast bags I picked are all a bit boring, so I’ve decided to do a ‘printed’ category to take me out of my comfort zone a bit. I’m not sure how classic these are but the I do enjoy a good bit of leopard and geometric print so one of them might be the one!

What do you guys think? Any particular favourites or recommendations?

 *Note – Claire just pointed out I wrote about lunch on three occasions in this post. IT’S MY FAVOURITE MEAL OF THE DAY, I’M SORRY I ENJOY A FREAKIN’ SANDWICH.

Claire

Primark @ Asos – Favourite Pieces

It was only a couple of weeks ago that I wrote a post on Primark’s S/S collection and cried to the gods about Primark not offering an online shopping option. Well, sacrificing all those little lambs must have worked, because just a few days later the news started spreading on Twitter that my beloved Asos were now stocking Primark.

The items at the moment seem to be going live a couple at a time: on the first day there were only about 8 things to browse, a couple of days later there were 20 and so on. There’s now around 30 I think, and they’ve introduced some men’s pieces too (though I don’t think Primark has ever really got our male counterparts quite as giddy as it gets us, has it?)

Here are a few of my fave Primark pieces that are currently available to buy on Asos:

AsosMiamiPrimark ‘Miami’ Hockey T-Shirt – £6

I’ve banged on in great detail about my love for the current varsity trend, and this cheap and cheerful Primark jersey is a really easy way to incorporate it into your wardrobe. I love the slouchy fit and light colours of this top, and would wear it as the model does here with light denim.

 

AsosPrimarkGrafittiPrimark Grafitti Print Midi Skirt – £8

I wasn’t entirely sure about the graffiti print trend when it first appeared (why would you WANT to look like a wall..?) but I think this monochrome version really works. I am also a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge fan of the midi length, though I usually have to buy petite versions so whether this one would actually suit me remains to be seen (shall I maybe start sacrificing more small animals in the hope of Primark bringing out a Petite range?)

PrimarkDenimShirtPrimark Denim Shirt – £10

This, for me, is a classic example of what Primark do best: a simple basic, which is indistinguishable from other brands but so much cheaper.

AsosNudeMeshPrimark Mesh Sweetheart Dress – £15

They do this dress in black too, but I think the nude version is the perfect option for summer. Though that’s not to say I probably wouldn’t pick up the black one too, just in case…
What do you all think of Asos now selling Primark? What are your favourite pieces?

Claire

What to Wear: My Night Out Wishlist.

I’m currently having a terrible panic that my entire wardrobe is terrible and that if I don’t invest in some new clothes quickly my whole life will become meaningless. Some might say this is slightly over-reactive but to them I say, NAY YOU SIMPLY DON’T UNDERSTAND.

Backing up ever so slightly, I haven’t bought many new clothes of late because I was saving up for my big move from Cheshire to Coventry. Now that I have my lovely new job, a wonderful (if a bit broken and untidy) house with Claire and have finally got my life together, I have a bit of extra cash to play with. I say a bit, I don’t really have any but I feel like a baller and what is a baller without a good wardrobe?

Next week, we are having some of our university pals to stay. The story is quite tragic, mostly because my old housemate is having to move back to Dubai and we may never see her again, sob. So we’re having a bit of a hoorah at our house to say farewell and also to catch up after the long and upsetting months we have been apart. As you can tell, it is an important occasion that will definitely be fuelled by wine, tequila and a lot of cry hugging. Partly because my wardrobe is in such a pathetic state and also because it’s an excuse to buy something new, I’ve been all organised and decided to plan a few options of what to wear. I’m loving the UK fashion trends at the moment, so it’s going to be an excellent time to invest in a few key staples.

I’ve been inspired by a lot of fashion and beauty blogs that have been featuring neon pieces recently, so I think this is the main trend I’m going for when I eventually go shopping. Unfortunately, I’m having to coordinate with Claire who’s going for a neon crop top and denim skater skirt so I’m a bit limited (she’s a selfish one, isn’t she). As you might know (if you’d read my fashion tragedy post), I bought these New Look platform sandals last week and managed to break them within an hour of wearing. I’m hoping to replace them this weekend so they are my shoes of choice while I’m looking for outfits!

Screen Shot 2013-06-06 at 13.58.31Floral Midi Skirt: Missguided.  White Cropped Tshirt: Topshop.  Gold Chain: Topshop.  Yellow Nail Varnish: Barry M.  Platform Sandals: New Look.

Screen Shot 2013-06-06 at 14.28.27Printed Shorts: Boohoo.  Gold Earrings: Topshop.  Pink Lipstick: Topshop.  Shoulder Cutout Body: Missguided.  Platform Sandals: New Look.

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Monochrome Skater Dress: Missguided.  Neon Satchel: H&M.  Geometric Earrings: Topshop.  Platform Sandals: New Look.  Black Lipstick: Barry M.

So, what do you all think? Any favourites? I’ve officially got a week before the girls come over so it’s definitely time to start planning and buying!

 

Claire

2013 Bikinis: Best on the UK High Street

It is with a slightly heavy heart that I sit down to write this post, and I want you all to know that it’s only because of my dedication to this here fashion blog that I am even bothering to write it. For today I am writing a post on the best bikinis for holidays this summer – AND I AM NOT EVEN GOING ON HOLIDAY MYSELF.

I’ve been on girls’ holidays every summer for around the last five years, but saving to move into my new house this year has meant that a holiday is firmly off the cards. Especially seeing as I’m now 22 so would have had to go somewhere respectable that doesn’t do a fishbowl, two cocktails and a round of shots for a fiver (oh Magalluf you will always have a special, though tacky, place in my heart).

So, no hot holiday this year means no bikini shopping. But, like the trooper I am, I’ve scoured the web to track down some of the best swimwear available on the high street right now. THE THINGS I DO FOR LOVE, EH?

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Asos Bikini / Topshop Bikini / River Island Bikini @ Asos

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Topshop Bikini / New Look Bikini / Missguided Bikini

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New Look Bikini / Boohoo Bikini / Forever 21 Bikini

Well, this has thoroughly depressed me.

Claire

Neons and Brights

Up until approximately two weeks ago, I was a staunch hater of neon. I pretty much thought it looked horrible on everyone, I vowed never to buy anything flourescent ever and I strongly believed that it was the worst trend to come from the fashion wizards since they allowed corduroy to happen. In fact, it almost got to the point of shouting ‘GO HOME NEON, YOU ARE DRUNK’ every time I saw a bit of bright clothing on the high street. View Full Post

Claire

The Varsity Trend

Howdy y’all. That’s my brilliant way of introducing this distinctly American-themed fashion trend; hope you all loved it (if you didn’t, then take it up with me on Jerry Springer where we can both wrestle dwarves, or whatever else it is that happens on that programme). View Full Post