Burgundy

(As a bonus, here is a horse that I saw while taking these photos! Cute!)

Top: Zara

Jeans: Topshop

Shoes: New Look

Necklace: Topshop

I'm sure everyone has noticed by now that burgundy has been the biggest colour trend of the season. I love it because it is rich but dark - it is a statement but not overpowering. I also think it's perfect for autumn and winter because it's evocative of seasonal things like autumn leaves and wine! I didn't want to jump right in there and buy the first burgundy thing I found, because I often find that when I buy trend based items I only end up wanting to wear it for a few weeks and then loosing interest. So I had to find the perfect piece, and this Zara t-shirt was the one! The fact that it is a jersey t-shirt means that it can look very casual, but the leather-look sleeves, drop back, and side splits mean that it can also be dressed up for more of an evening look (like I'm wearing it here). This transitional quality is one of the most important factors for me when buying clothes, so I'm very happy!

These New Look shoes were a recent purchase that I got on a really good offer. I love how the shape is very simple, but they have tiny spots of glitter on them! They go perfectly with the feel of the top.

Pretty, Simple

Jumper: River Island

Jeans: Topshop

Bag: Asos

Shoes: Topshop

Necklace: Topshop

I love, love, love wearing really simple outfits and adding plenty of metallic accents, especially when it involves a big cosy jumper. I wear this outfit a lot as it is so comfy and simple - it's perfect for uni!

I'm absolutely in love with this new bag that I got from Asos. I'm picky with bags and I've been looking for a new one for ages - I was so happy when I found this one! For a handbag I think it was quite cheap, but it's totally perfect (great size, a short handle and long handle, gold hardware) and is great quality.

I'm also crazy about this type of shoe! They have a few different designs in Topshop every year. they are basically just real ballet slippers with a bit of decoration which means they are quite delicate, but they are so pretty that I think it's really worth it!

Autumn Florals

This is probably my favorite day dress. To most people Jack Wills just brings to mind their branded hoodies, but I'm a massive fan of their dresses and tops. the quality and comfort is amazing, and I like it that (while they do pay attention to trends) they don't just sell whatever is currently in fashion like most high street shops - they have their own brand style. Whenever you go in you are guaranteed to find something with their beautiful, timeless floral prints, which I absolutely love!

I used to think of this as only a summer dress, but I have recently found that because of its autumnal, russet colour scheme, it looks lovely styled for autumn as I'm wearing it here: with a flared trench coat, chelsea boots, and thick tights.

Dress: Jack Wills

Coat: River Island

Boots: Daisy Street

Monochrome Texture

I'm always really interested in the different textures of fabrics and how they come together to contrast or harmonise in an outfit. going monochrome is the perfect way to show this off, as there is nothing to distract from the textures! I really like how the wooly jumper, tweed-like jacket, lace top, and smooth denim jeans work together in this outfit to look very snuggly but pretty, with a hint of heritage.

Jacket: Topshop

Jumper: Topshop

Top: New Look

Jeans: Topshop

Shoes: Daisy Street

Bracelet: Topshop

I'm loving... baroque

(Left, Lanvin. Right, Dolce and Gabanna)

Baroque is one of the most striking yet workable trends around at the moment. It is inspired by the art, design, fashion, and architecture of 15th century Europe, and is the very height of opulence. The trend showcases a crush of jewels; rich, royal colours; brights metallics, and religious imagery.

The designers leading the trend for A/W 12 were Lanvin and Dolce and Gabanna. Lanvin's pieces featured heavy fabrics in deep colours, encrusted with jewels. Dolce and Gabanna on the other hand concentrated on a filigree garden of golden curls shining brightly against delicate black fabrics. I absolutely love embellishment, historical references, and gold details, so I'm crazy about this trend!

 

Dress   Bag   Headband   Necklace   Shoes   Shirt   Trousers

River Island is the clear winner when it comes to baroque on the high street. They had so many beautiful items that I struggled to choose which to use in this feature! I just love the detail on the head band, and the way that the gold belt stands out against the all black dress. The handbag has beautiful detail, but the colours are subtle enough to go with almost any outfit.

I think that the Lavish Alice shirt and New Look trousers would go perfectly together with a pair of heels for a sophisticated, stand-out evening look. The golden slippers from topshop give me such a fairy-tale feeling! I think that they would look perfect with a pair of black skinny jeans. The golden cross necklace from Regal Rose is just beautiful, and would add gothic drama to any outfit!

Fantasy Fur

I love it when it starts to get cold because it means that it's time to bring out the fur (faux of course)! This pink coat is one of my favorite items in my wardrobe. It reminds me of sixties icons (one of my favorite fashion decades) like Nancy Sinatra and Marianne Faithful. It's surprisingly versatile - it can be very glamorous for a night out with a dress and heels, or cute and casual with flats like I'm wearing it here.

I'm really into studded everything at the moment - jewellery, clothes, anything! I was after the perfect studded shoes for ages and finally found them in Zara. I really like it that they are a classic girly ballerina shape because it contrasts nicely with the studs. I'm a sucker for detail so I also love how there are studs on the back as well as the toe!

Coat: Topshop

T-shirt: Gap

Jeans: Topshop

Shoes: Zara

Necklace: Tiffany
Bag: New Look

Instanails

Instagram is a great way to share nail ideas. I like to post all of my manicures so that when I'm stuck for ideas I can scroll back and remember about a polish I'd forgotten or a design that worked really well. I also like to browse tags like #nails or #nailart if I need inspiration - there are loads of beautiful colours and designs being posted every second!

Here are my Instagrammed nails from the last few months:

1. This has to be one of the simplest and cutest minicures! From afar it looks like a basic french manicure but up close you can see the tiny panda faces. It's only a matter of painting a few black and white dots.  
2. This is 'Dahling' by Butter London. Butter London are one of my favorite polish brands as their formulas are amazing, but are also free of nasty chemicals and are cruelty free, which is very important to me when buying cosmetics.  
3. Another Butter London polish - this one is 'La Moss'. A perfect dark, blood red colour.  
4. For this I used Eyeko Lilac (discontinued) polish and Nail Rock snake wraps. Alternating nail wraps and polish is a really quick way to achieve a striking manicure.  
5. This is another featuring BL 'Dahling' but this time with triangles of gold polish on the tips (I used strips of sticky tape as a stencil). My friend said this one reminded her of Gryffindor! 
6. Another Butter London polish (I really love them!) - 'Tart with a Heart'. Like any glitter polish it's hell to remove, but it's so pretty that I don't mind!

Turning Leaves

Welcome to my first post on this blog!

I've been wearing this outfit a lot lately - it's perfect for this changeable autumn weather.

Jacket: Topshop

Top: River Island

Jeans: River Island

Boots: Daisystreet

Faux Fur collar: Pieces via ASOS

Snake ring: Miss Selfridge

Band ring: gift from a friend

Bangle: Miss Selfridge

Necklace: Topshop