Friday, 2 January 2015

Fresh Fashion From December



Throughout December I've been focusing on my winter wardrobe and as per usual, I collected a whole lot of accessories and shoes, but not much in the actual clothing department. 

I was lucky enough to receive some items from Fashion Union and they helped in a big way. I was desperate for a pair of flat Chelsea boots that I could comfortably walk around Manchester in and then these appeared on my doorstep. They are super comfortable and look amazing. They're a shorter style than a lot of Chelsea boots, but as I have beautiful cankles, they are the perfect height.

They also sent me a monochrome mini dress, which I picked out on a whim. It's not the sort of style I usually go for, but it hangs really nicely and is amazing, thick quality, making it the perfect winter day dress. 

One very recent purchase (as in 2 days ago) is this black chunky knit scarf from H&M. I found it in the back room with some of the goth/grunge pieces and it's the softest, warmest scarf I have ever felt. It's pretty freaking chilly in the UK at the moment so this is an absolute life saver. 

Finally it's my pride and glory, my gorgeous Lord of the Rings Evenstar pendant. I saw one of these in a small jewellery shop when I was about 13/14 and I instantly fell in love. Back then, I couldn't afford it and neither could my parents, so I resigned to the fact I may never have one. Then, after a horrendous 2014, I decided I needed to buy something for myself, to remind me that 2015 is a fresh new year and so I 'rewarded' myself with a official Lord of the Rings pendant. It is just as beautiful as I remember and it's made me accept the inner geek that I've been fighting for so long. 

What fashion finds did you collect over December? Did you get anything for Christmas that has become an essential wardrobe staple? 


Friday, 28 November 2014

Where Are All The Inbetweeners?


Fashion bloggers are starting to dominate the internet and it's great to see everyday, normal women showcasing their own personal styles. One thing I have noticed though is that the dress sizes of these successful bloggers seem to be at either end of the size scale. We have the tall, slim bloggers, that make up a large portion of the fashion blogger community, or the plus size bloggers, who seem to predominantly over a size UK 18. 

Recently I had the task of trying to find bloggers that were ideally sizes 14 & 16, it took me a good 2 hours to find only a handful. I'm all for the promotion of plus size bloggers and showing that women really do come in all shapes and sizes. However, it seems like the women who are between the sizes of 12-16 don't exist in the blogging community, or at least aren't as easy to find. 

As the UK average dress size for women is 14, I find it odd that fashion bloggers smaller than a 18 and bigger than a 10 are so hard to find. I personally come in at a size 12-14 and I don't take as many outfit posts simply because I'm not comfortable with my body. I look back at the pictures I've taken and instantly pick out all the things I hate, it just becomes a completely un-enjoyable and a miserable blogging experience.

So, is it a case that the young women between sizes 12-16 are more self-conscious about their body? Or is it because, as a society, we don't have a label for the women between these sizes? I'm not the skinniest person in the world, but I wouldn't class myself as plus size. 

Are you between a UK size 12-16? Would you class yourself as plus size? And why do you think the inbetweenies are so under represented?




Monday, 3 November 2014

October Favourites


October is over and we have stepped into my birthday month, yey! There hasn't been all that much going on over October, mostly working and making awesome Halloween videos for you all (you're welcome ;D). Nearing the end of the month I did manage to land a 3 month internship starting at the end of November, so from now until then, I'm going to be a blog photography machine and get all my posts done and scheduled ready for that time. 

I also went ahead and treated myself to a shiny new Sony A5000 compact camera for vlogging. I'm planning on doing Vlogmas this year (weekly vlogs, not daily ones) and I wanted a good quality compact that could shoot in 1080p. I've done a test vlog, you can watch it here, and I have to say I'm very impressed with the quality. It's a little on the heavy side but you can change the lenses, which as a film graduate is very exciting to me. There's loads of features as it's pretty much a small SLR, which makes it perfect if you're looking for a camera for blogging. 

Other than my shiny new camera there's also been a few makeup bits I've been loving. I finally went and purchased the full size of the YSL Fusion Ink foundation after my sample ran out. I wont blab on about this too much as I've already done a full review raving my backside off about this. It is a beautiful foundation though and if you haven't tried it I would suggest picking up a sample. 

Another new item in the makeup bag is the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet lip lacquer in Nude-ist! I picked this up when it was on offer and I didn't know what to expect of it. I was very surprised when I applied it and fell in love with the formula. It glides on, lasts for hours and the pigmentation is amazing, I'll definitely be getting more shades in these. 

Then there are some old favourites, the Seventeen Doll'd Up mascara and the Barry M Liquid Eyeliner. The Doll'd Up mascara is one I always go back to as it's super cheap but gives amazing separation and length. I love the size of the wand as it fits my tiny eyes perfectly, so there's limited eyelid smudges. The Barry M Liquid Eyeliner seems to be lasting me forever and I always keep it in my makeup bag for when my eyeliner pens run out. The brush is easy to use and it doesn't smudge, plus it lasts all day and is super pigmented. 

Finally, there's stripes. I'm obsessed with stripes at the moment and I have so many striped pieces on my 'to buy' list you could be forgiven in thinking I was an old fashioned sailor. There's something so flattering about horizontal stripes on a baggy shirt or dress that I just love. With being extremely un-body confident, if that's even a word, I love anything that will help me to look a little slimmer and more stylish. 

Let me know in the comments what you've been loving this October and if anything particularly exciting has happened that you just want to tell the world about! 


Monday, 27 October 2014

The Winter Wardrobe Wishlist


1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 /

Since my last payday I've been doing a fair amount of online browsing and after looking in my pitiful wardrobe recently, I decided it was time to get it full to the brim with wonderful winter clothes. 

I love to be comfy and cozy but keep a slight edge to my style, I wouldn't go all out grunge but I like to incorporate some elements into my already minimalist style. The two marry really well together and make sure you stay casual but always well put together. Hence why I've got a thing for super chunky boots and clean cut shapes.

Hopefully, with my birthday fast approaching, I'll be able to do a fashion haul with some of these beautiful pieces, so keep your eyes peeled! 




Friday, 17 October 2014

Cozy Autumn Outfit

Cardigan: Weekday
T-Shirt: H&M
Jeans: River Island
Scarf: Primark
Boots: Dr Martens
Necklace: Shop Dixi

This is my first ever, proper outfit post and man was it hard to do on my own. Turns out, those little Canon camera remotes only work at a certain distance which isn't ideal. However, I finally managed to get a few good shots of my go to autumn outfit (despite being the least photogenic person in existence, I have discovered).

This outfit is the one I reach for when I want to be comfy and warm. I'm not so much about trends and more about comfort, so I love a good jeans and tee combo. I am completely in love with Scandinavian street style however and I'm making it my mission to get as many stylish, yet basic pieces in my autumn wardrobe (hence the Weekday cardigan). 

Please give me some honest feedback on my first proper outfit post, I'd love to do more but there's always room for improvement. Also, let me know what your favourite, cozy A/W items are in the comments below. 








Wednesday, 1 October 2014

A/W 14' Fashion Wishlist


A couple of days ago I showed you all the key items my heart is lusting after but my bank account is avoiding. That was just the tip of the A/W wishlist iceberg and I'd now like to present to you the fashion A/W wishlist. My wardrobe is pretty dire and I'm now on a mission to get all my basic pieces down before winter actually comes knocking. So without further adieu, here are the items topping my autumn wardrobe wishlist.  

1. Zara Mixed Knit Snood Scarf - When the weather starts to get colder, there's a little switch inside of me that clicks on and all of a sudden I become a scary, obsessive, scarf lady. I'm a sucker for a good quality, chunky knit scarf and because the majority of my wardrobe is black & white, this multi coloured knit jumped straight onto my 'to buy' Pinterest board. 

2. H&M Wide Coat - I'm always looking for new coats for winter and there's something about the boxy cut of this that really caught my eye. I'm not one for colour or pattern but I do love a good clean cut, whether it's boxy or asymmetrical, I'm always drawn to unusual shapes. This coat looks like a nice length, cut and looks toasty and warm, perfect.  

3. Topshop Ripped Jamie Jeans - I've debated ripping the knees on my Molly River Island jeans as they are the only black pair I have, however I lack confidence in my fashion DIY skills. I do love the Topshop Jamie Jeans and it would be great to get my hands on some pre-ripped, at least then I can have two pairs of black jeans. 

4. H&M Fine-Knit Jumper - I do love a good jumper and I love that this is baggy but doesn't make you look like your trying to hide something (shopping, a pillow, a baby bump...). Sometimes I buy oversized jumpers and they cling to my hips and end up making me look even more chunky then I already am. This one (I tried it on in the store) hangs really nicely, giving you the oversized effect but without making you look bigger than you are.

5. Fiorelli Roxy Bag Grey - The sensible person in me tells me to get the black version of this bag but the grey keeps catching my eye every time I visit ASOS. I do technically need a plain black bag that I can use in the day and that will go with any outfit, but the grey is just so darn pretty! 

6. Olivia Burton Modern Vintage Watch in Rose Gold & Grey - I first caught wind of Olivia Burton watches thanks to a post I read on A Little Boat Sailing, she wrote about the beautiful new watch she'd bought and it was so unique I had to check out the site she got it from. After much browsing I came across this beauty and fell in love. I rarely wear watches as I don't own any really nice ones that work for both day and night wear, but this looks like it could change my watch wearing habits. 

Have you managed to get your A/W wardrobe ready to go? Or are you still fumbling around trying to decide what you should be sporting this season? Let me know what new A/W purchases you have made and if you have got your eye on any new pieces. 




Friday, 22 August 2014

Autmun/Winter Wardrobe Additions: Bershka


Now that the weather is decidedly chillier than it has been, it's about time I did some major Autumn/Winter shopping. Shopping for the colder months is most definitely my favourite kind of shopping. I love nothing more than layering up and breaking out the ankle boots and fluffy jumpers. 

Not only am I adding some much needed items to my Winter wardrobe, I'm also trying to give it a makeover. Over the last 3 years of Uni I've let my wardrobe go a bit down hill. Now that I'm back at work I want to get my minimalist wardrobe up to scratch. I love anything that is clean cut, plain and simple so Bershka was on the top of my list of stores to check out. 

Bershka is a reasonably priced store that offers some amazing basic pieces. I like to think of it as Zara's younger more urban sibling. I've always been one to browse and lust after things from Bershka, but these are the first things I've ever taken the plunge and bought from them.

I've been trying to find a pair of beige ankle boots for a while now and I couldn't find any that were under £100 or not sold out. Then I saw these BSK Zipper Detail Heeled Ankle Boots online and new they were exactly what I was looking for. One thing I really hate is when ankle boots have that slippy plastic sole (New Look boots tend to be the main culprits) so I was a little nervous about what these were going to be like. I'm happy to report that they have a sturdy rubber sole that isn't going to send me flying in the icy weather. 

The Flap Detail Suede Bag was more of an impulse buy. My beloved Nica Lucy bag is now falling to pieces and I wanted a new winter handbag. This was a lot smaller than I thought it was going to be but actually it's the perfect size to fit the essentials in and not weigh you down. It's real leather and feels like amazing quality, only time will tell if it can withstand the amount of wear I'll be getting out of it though. 

I'm definitely even more of a fan of Bershka now I have these lovely additions to my wardrobe. Hopefully once I've gotten my wardrobe to tip top condition I can do some outfit posts to really show these guys off. Keep your eyes peeled!

What new Autumn/Winter items have you added to your wardrobe lately? Are you ready for summer to be over? 


Wednesday, 13 August 2014

Dr Martens


It wasn't until a friend of mine expressed her love for Dr Martens that these classics even entered my radar. Since then I've bought my very first pair of Docs and I have nothing but love for them. My only problem is that it is a one man battle to try and break these bad boys in. The first time my mum saw them, she said "Oh, they're nice! They'll be broken in by the time you're 40" she may very well be right.

At this very moment they sit on my bedroom floor covered in leather softner and stuffed with rolled up socks. My main problems are the instep cutting into me and a fair few heel blisters. Despite all the problems and hassle with breaking them in, I actually don't mind the effort. Dr Martens have been a classic for many, many years and even though I'm not one for spending a huge amount on shoes, I definitely see these as an investment. 

With the winter fast approaching and the rain making its way over most of the UK, it is nearly time for these guys to really shine. I'll soon be doing my main Autumn/Winter clothing shop and good waterproof shoes are something I greatly lack in. That means that I'm relying heavily on my Docs to keep my feet toasty warm and dry. 

As much as I love my current pair of brand spanking, shiny new Docs, I think in the future, I may look at getting my Dr Martens off of Ebay or other second hand marketplaces. The good thing about getting them slightly used is that someone has already done all the work of breaking them in! 

What do you think of Dr Martens? Absolutely love, or not really your style?


Monday, 30 June 2014

Virgin Holiday Cruises Competition | The Perfect Cruise Day to Night Look

Base Outfit

Day
Eyeliner: NARS Eyeliner Stylo 

Night

Recently I was asked to participate in the Virgin Holiday Cruises competition to create the perfect cruise day to night look. Obviously when you think of cruises you think of boats, and when I think of boats and fashion I think stripes! Oh, how I love stripes and styling stripes. The best thing about this striped crop top from Vera Moda is that the cut is clean and can be worn in a formal or informal way. Paired with a pair of simple and comfortable black shorts from Monki, I created a versatile base look that can be easily changed from day to night. 

For the day time you want to be as minimalistic as possible. There is nothing worse than being out in the sun and carrying a huge bag whilst wearing so much jewellery you sound like a one man band. I've kept it simple with the bare essentials, a pair of classic Ray Ban Wayfarers, a beachy straw bag to keep your suncream in, a pair of simple and comfy white lace up Vans and topped off with a dash of NARS liquid liner. 

To transition into the night I've paired our base look with some gorgeous red sandals from Missguided, a black ASOS clutch bag, a cute seagull necklace and finally a matte red lip courtesy of MAC Viva Glam Rihanna. 

As you can see I've gone for a pretty nautical look, but also kept the cuts clean and simple. There is no room for fussy fashion on holidays, it's a time for relaxing and taking things easy, that includes your wardrobe. 

Please go over to the Virgin Holiday Cruises competition page and vote for my outfit under the name Catherine Crawford (if you like it that is) and let's get this outfit to number one! 


Friday, 27 June 2014

#FF | The Best Of Fashion


This weeks #ff post is focusing on those fashion forward bloggers, those that showcase their personal style through amazing photography and awesome lookbooks. The one thing I love about fashion bloggers is that they know hot to take a good picture. They always think of the concept, the setting and the lighting and usually they give beautiful looking images with excellent style. 



Sara always has beautiful photography and her style is so simple yet bold. Her rocker edge really appeals to me and I'd love to be confident wearing the clothes that she does. She always has one piece of unusual and unique clothing and rocks it every time. 





Charissa has an amazing, clean cut style that really plays with basic pieces. Her style is exactly what I look for and there has been a few times where I've googled the pieces featured in her outfit posts. Charissa Rae is mostly a fashion blog, but she also posts really interesting life posts, with the odd beauty post thrown in. 





Oh how I wish I had Dawns legs! She always has a really laid back, but chic look and not to mention she makes shorts look absolutely amazing. Her blog is all fashion and she showcases her looks with such amazing clear and big photography, definitely one to check out if you're a pure fashion lover. 





Megan's photography is one of the best I've ever seen on any blog, her backgrounds are always bright and colourful and her angles are always on point. She has a simple and feminine style but also keeps her cuts clean and really knows how to work the basics. Wonderful You may be my all time favourite fashion blog! 

Let me know in the comments if you are already subscribed to these ladies or if I've helped you discover a new read


Thursday, 26 June 2014

The Summer Kimono


Summer is always a tricky time for me, fashion wise. I like to cover my arms (an area I'm not too confident about) and in the summer this can be a little difficult when the sun is blaring away. Every year I say I'll have to invest in some light jackets and cardigans and I never get round to actually doing it. 

Recently, whilst browsing around my local H&M sale, I found this mottled grey kimono. It's knitted but very light and flowy so it is perfect as a summer cover up. I've been wearing it to death since I bought it and because of its light grey colour, it goes with most pieces in my wardrobe. I will admit that I may have bought it in a size too big, I am usually a medium, but I could only find this one and it's in a large. It's not too bad as it just hangs a little baggier, which also means it can be easily wrapped around for added chill protection. 

Kimonos are a great summer accessory, but they come in so many different arm lengths, hem lengths and materials it can be hard to find one that suits you. For me, a long arm is what I look for and I prefer sturdier materials like a light knit or cotton rather than the sheer or silk kimonos. 

Let me know in the comments below if you are loving the kimono for summer and whether you have added one to your wardrobe already, or if you have your eye on one. 




Friday, 6 June 2014

Key Pieces For Your Minimalist Wardrobe


I've been searching high and low for the style of fashion that I always gravitate towards, whenever I'm looking at outfit posts on Tumblr or We Heart It. Then a few days ago during a Twitter chat it suddenly dawned on me, minimalist! Since discovering this I've been obsessed with finding minimalist fashion blogs and images to inspire me. I thought I'd throw together a little collection of pieces that could be the beginnings of a succesful minimalist wardrobe. 

These pieces are so diverse and can be mixed and matched to suit any occasion. I already have a fair few of these items so I'm on my way. This is a sort of shopping list for me now, I'm going to use this as inspiration to re vamp my wardrobe. I'm one of those people who collect clothes that don't really go together but look very pretty on their own. Now I can finally get a wardrobe I can be happy with (if that's even possible) and one that I can wear and feel completely comfortable in. 

What's your style? Do you prefer the less is more or are you more of a more is more person? (there's a lot of 'mores' in that sentence, I apologise) 




Friday, 30 May 2014

Fashion Friday: Pastel Paradise



Considering I'm not much of a girly girl, I do love a good bit of pastel in my wardrobe. I love how pastels are a subtle way to inject colour into your style without being too bold. Sometimes bright colours can make you feel a little self conscious, especially if you're not used to being overly daring with your outfit picks. By adding a touch of mint or coral you can really brighten up your look and if you pick he right pieces, you can even keep an edgier look. 

I think this is the first outfit that I have ever put together for my blog where I can honestly say I'm in love with every single piece. Not every piece is exactly affordable for us poorer folk, but they're also not completely unreachable money wise. This could be worn by the most feminine of females or even the slightly more street smart femme fatales. The only down side for me is the white jeans, don't get me wrong I love them and I love the way they look, but if you're on the larger side like me, you have to find the right pair or disaster will strike. Some white jeans have a nasty habit of showing every cake, cookie and muffin you have ever eaten, all sitting comfortably on your hips. It is possible to find a flattering pair I promise, it just takes a little longer. Oh! and don't forget the all important white underwear, nobody wants the pattern of their Cookie Monster knickers to be on show.   

How do you feel about pastels? Are you as cautious about white jeans as I am? 

Friday, 23 May 2014

Fashion Friday: Cannes Fashion For All Budgets

Show Me The Money
  
Cash to Splash

Tighten Those Purse Strings

You've probably all seen the endless stream of gorgeous dress after gorgeous dress at this years Cannes Film Festival. There have been some truly stunning dresses this year (can we all bow down to the beauty that is Blake Lively for just one moment?) but it got me thinking, what would I wear to Cannes? 

Of course the majority, if not all of these glimmering starlet's outfits cost more than my house, and there is no way I'd be able to afford a Zac Posen or McQueen gown for the occasion. Instead I thought I would throw together three different outfits, all Cannes red carpet worthy, but all different budgets. You never know, I might suddenly become a world famous actress and get an invite for next year. 

My favourite of the three is the most expensive, that McQueen dress makes me want to weep a little. I do also love the other two, the soft yellow drape dress and periwinkle blue Grecian style dress are vibrant yet soft and feminine, something I don't usually go for but seems perfect for Cannes. I was initially going to throw some jewellery into the mix, but the embellishment on the dresses and clutches take care of any bling that might be needed.  It was fun seeing what I could get for how much and it just proves that you can give those stars a run for their money without making yourself bankrupt!

Give this a go over on polyvore and tell me what your dream Cannes outfit would be!



Friday, 9 May 2014

Fashion Friday: Red Hot Mono Mama


Another night out look, I'm very tempted to go out and buy this entire outfit for my next night out. It's not too revealing as the high waist of the pencil skirt meets the hem of the short top. Plus because the skirt is body con and the top is loose, it gives the illusion of a smaller, tighter lower half and we all want that right? 

I never used to be a big fan of stripes due to my curvier shape, but I have found that with careful decisions stripes can look very flattering and stylish on any body shape. And let's just stop and stare at those Jeffery Campbells shall we. I want a pair so badly, I love chunky heels because they are super comfy to wear but still make your legs look long and lean. The high platform on these mean that the heel isn't really that big, perfect for a night out! 

What do you think of this outfit? Loving the stripes? or a big thumbs down?


Friday, 2 May 2014

Fashion Friday: Plain White Tee


Jacket: Wallis Black Stripe Blazer (SOLD OUT)

Another causal/smart night outfit from me. I do love to dress up plain t-shirts, like I say over and over, you need a mix of comfort AND style. The white tee and black skinny jeans combo is always a winner, pair with a few fancy looking accessories and you've fooled everyone into thinking you spent hours styling your chic look. Unbeknownst to them, these are all items you may very well already have lingering in the back of your wardrobe. It is time to embrace the plain white tee, find a good quality one and it will be your wardrobes best friend till the end of days. 

Have utilised the power of the tee yet?


Wednesday, 30 April 2014

Summer Sunglasses



The sun is here (occasionally) and soon festival season will be in full swing, do you have your perfect pair of sunnies yet? Well if you don't, take a look at my top picks for this year. You may notice a slight trend in the styles that I've picked; I've got a bit of a thing for cat eye styles at the moment. 

When it comes to my accessories I like bold bright colours, my clothing choices usually consist of black, black, grey and black so I like to inject colour through the little pieces I wear. I have to say that out of all of these styles I love the Motel Rocks mint sunglasses the best. I'm going through a pastel phase at the moment so these are calling to me. 

I do find it a little difficult when it comes to sunglasses, being a regular glasses wearer means you have to either get prescription sunglasses, which are pretty limited when it comes to style choices, or go for contacts and some high-street brands. In the past I've always gone for the prescription option because I never used to wear contacts, this year however I have joined the occasional contact wearer posse and can be a bit more experimental with my sunglasses decisions. 

Do you like to wear a more unusual style when it comes to sunglasses or do you like to keep it classic?