Considering that it is still August, the weather recently has started to turn more autumnal. The mornings and evenings are both starting to feel more chilly and I’m starting to think about my Autumn wardrobe.
Dressing in Autumn can be a bit hit or miss, some days it can still get really warm and others may be cooler and rainy and in order to feel comfortable in what I am wearing I need to dress for all sorts of weather. This is where layers come in really handy!
I like to layer long-sleeved tops under my summer dresses and add a thin cardigan over the top, and should the day warm up I can remove the long top or cardigan and still feel comfortable.
Another thing I like to do is utilise my leggings, wearing them under long skirts or dresses, or beneath thin trousers, or I will don a pair of tights under more summery clothing.
Footwear can be an awkward thing to figure out, it can still be warm enough for sandals but too wet to actually wear them. I really love lace-up canvas shoes in this transitional period as they are comfy to wear, can be bought in a ton of different colours, are light enough that feet don’t get overly hot but offer some protection from the weather. Another thing I am a huge fan of is wearing boots with summer dresses and bare legs though this is something that I end up doing when the rain is tipping down or it is particularly chilly.
I pack a small umbrella in my bag that then comes everywhere with me for those times when the rain appears from nowhere. I have a light mac that I wear over an outfit if the weather is set to be rainy much of the day or I pack a poncho if the day is set to be warm and wet.
How do you dress for the transition between seasons? I’d love to hear about your outfit choices in the comments!
I am a big fan of fashion but an even bigger fan of creating my own style using fashion pieces mixed with tried and tested favorites that I already own, for me, it is more about how I curate my look rather than where I buy it. In this post, I will be discussing ways to develop your own fashion style and give you some ideas on how to create your own look.
Developing your own fashion style is a bit like creating your own brand, choosing a color palette, patterns, accessories and a host of other things, that when bought together, create a look that is uniquely yours.
Firstly, I like to think about color and decide on a primary color – red, yellow or blue. Don’t worry about the tone of the color, you could choose rose, mustard or turquoise as they are still part of the “primary color” family. This color will be used for the basics of your style – the t-shirts, vest tops, jumpers, all those items that can be thrown together with anything you own.
Next, I like to think about patterns. The pattern you pick, whether stripes, floral, gingham, zigzag, will be used to create a set of separates – dresses, tops, trousers, skirts, etc. Choose patterns in colorways that will complement the color you chose in the first step as this will guarantee that you have a series of things that go together from the off. I am really into black and white stripes at the moment which goes with any color.
Thirdly, choose a color opposite the primary color you chose in the first step.
Red = yellow-green, green, blue-green.
Yellow = red-violet, violet, blue-violet.
Blue = red-orange, orange, yellow-orange.
These are called complementary colors and work well together, acting as an enhancer of the other color. These colors will be used for accessories such as jewelry, bags, shoes and, belts.
From this, you can assess what style you are most comfortable in or what style you wear on a regular basis. Is this style formal, smart casual, casual, laid back, sporty or something else? I am most comfortable and reach for items that are loose fit, boho, hippy and that have a beach/festival vibe.
Before buying anything go and see what you have in your wardrobe and think about things you can already wear. Sometimes, by just re-thinking what you would wear with which item can give your style a new lease of life. Note down any gaps in your attire and decide whether you are going to get that item in your primary or complementary color or in your chosen pattern.
Remember things such as jeans and jackets can be re-vamped and styled with ease, and you will probably have lots of items that can help to form the basis of your style, or help you to transition into your new look! Try pairing black jeans, trousers or leggings with a bright t-shirt, blazer, and bright handbag and shoes!
I have found, since developing my own fashion style I always have something to wear to any occasion, I spend less time thinking about what I am going to wear, love all items in my wardrobe, they all get worn and I spend less time making terrible shopping choices! In fact, I spend less on clothes now that I am happy with my style rather than buying off the peg outfits in a hurry.
It’s that time of year again, the one where we pack away our winter clothes and make way for all of our lighter summer clothes. We get to retire the thick sweaters and long sleeve tops in favour of thinner knitted cardigans and vest tops, switch out tights and leggings for bare legs, and darker clothing for brighter coloured garments. Summer clothing is by far my favourite kind of clothing and today I am sharing my favourite summer outfit!
If you have been reading my blog for any length of time it will come as no secret that I love all things bright and colourful and this outfit totally embodies my love of colour. I own an immense amount of harem pants (don’t ask, I counted once and really couldn’t believe how many pairs there were!), they are really comfy and can work for so many different occasions. This pair I have teamed up with a deep orange ribbed vest top though black, pink, blue, yellow and white work really well too, a pair of flat thong sandals with an ankle strap and a pair of bright sunglasses. As there is so much pattern on the pants you don’t really need any accessories although a simple bag in a neutral tone works really well.
I like that harem pants are an alternative to dresses and skirts, they still give you freedom of movement and are not restrictive like trousers can be, they look fantastic with flat sandals, barefoot, boots or heeled sandals.
What is your favourite summer outfit? I’d love to see what you wear for the summer!
Today’s post questions are from A Guy Called Bloke‘s blog series called “Question Fun“. Rory runs lots of interesting little series that I have been meaning to take part in but somehow I always end up missing out. Rory has posted a series of questions around the theme of “The Fashionistas” and I decided that these were the ones I’d like to take a shot at answering!
Could you cope with buying no clothes for a full year?
When you say New do you mean new new or new to me new? New new are clothes that are brand spanking new, the kind that is mass produced and then sold in stores, new to me clothes would be anything pre-loved, whether from a charity shop, vintage store or a jumble sale…. I would like to think I could live without new new clothes for a whole year but if I needed to replace something (new new clothes don’t last as well as older clothes as they don’t seem to be made as well…) I’d like to be able to replace it with a pre-loved item. And, I’m not sure I could ever give up buying pre-loved items. By buying pre-loved you are not only saving something from landfill, a lot of the time you are buying something that not many others have, something that is unique and has a history, but you are also building your own style and buying something that could last longer than brand new items.
How many pairs of coloured/patterned socks do you possess?
I think all of my socks are coloured or patterned! Even my black socks have coloured toe and heel pieces to them!
What is YOUR number one fashion rule?
So many times in the past I have liked something and then been dissuaded from wearing it because it’s not in “fashion” and I got pretty fed up with fashion and how quickly things can be in fashion one minute and then not the next. It’s exhausting and can cost a lot to keep up with all the trends. My number one rule is…
If you like it, wear it!
What is the quirkiest customised outfit you have ever worn and where and what for did you wear it?
If you could see most of my wardrobe…a lot of it is quirky and I customise things to fit, change hemlines and mix and match most clothing I own! I do own some very bright patchwork hareem trousers which I love! They are made from tiny offcuts of material with tons of different prints on, they were made and sold at a festival I went to a few years ago! I wear them to work sometimes!
In your opinion what are 5 basic but important items of clothing?
Vest tops – brilliant for summer wear, work as a transitional item between seasons, can be worn under dresses that show a bit too much boob and when they are starting to get a bit faded you can wear them as loungewear or as a PJ top!
Long sleeve t-shirts. These are fab for layering in the cooler months or for wearing under dresses to take them from one season to the next. I like to wear long sleeve tops under shorter sleeve t-shirt, under dungarees dresses and under hoodies as a base layer!
Leggings. I have like, a million pairs of leggings! They are fab to wear with tunic tops, long baggy jumpers, dressing up with heels and something sparkly, wearing around the house, wearing under clothes in the snow and sleeping in! And while it may be tempting to pick up a load of cheap pairs it really is worth investing in something that is better quality and is less likely to be see-through and show off your pants.
Jeans. What can go wrong with a pair of jeans? You can dress them up, dress them down, and they work with so many other items of clothing.
Plain t-shirts. For the same reasons given above for vest tops and long sleeve tops!
Ok, so Flares? Once popular for the 70’s sure …. but where are they now?
In my wardrobe! Lol! I still love a flare or wide leg trousers! They can look really good if styled properly!
Which are your best three quotes that mean the most to you with regards fashion/clothing/lifestyle?
You obviously have favourite colours you enjoy wearing, we all do – but if you were asked to wear the opposite colours to what you normally wear what would those colours be?
Brown or navy…. not that I don’t have any brown or navy clothes, I do, but brown and navy are not colours I wear much of or really know what to pair them with.
What are the wrong trousers to wear like ever?
I don’t think there is any style that is the wrong trousers but for me, anything that is too short, too long, falls down, is too tight, doesn’t sit right, doesn’t have belt loops (though some styles are ok for no belt loops…) weird zips that never stay shut…anything that makes you feel uncomfortable really…
What is your favourite style of nightwear from the following options?
Baggy T-Shirt, boxers/long Johns
Especially for the spring and autumn months!
Ridiculous looking Pyjamas
A deffo for winter days spent snuggling on the sofa and watching films
Nothing as in bare all over
Sexy attire – you know the naughty stuff
Other
Shorts and vest top, t-shirt and cropped leggings, 80’s style cycle shorts and tops, long sleeve tops…
For you what one single musical track just speaks fashion to you?
The Dandy Warhols – Bohemian Like You
The celebrity whose style you most identify with from the following?
Melissa McCarthy
Jack Nicholsan
Clarke Gable
Halle Berry
Meryl Streep
Lady Gaga
She does what she wants, doesn’t follow any typical rules and she doesn’t seem to care what anyone else thinks.
Charlie Chaplain
Gene Kelly
Other
Would you wear stripes with squares?
Yes! I think if done in the right way you can mix any prints that you want!
Which out of the following line up are you most likely to wear?
All of the above with the exception of loafers and boat shoes! I think I have had most styles of shoe on my shoe rack at some point or other!
Are hats your thing? If so which styles?
I wish hats were my thing but, I always seem to look silly in a hat. the only hats I own are either dress up hats (I have a pirate hat…) or winter bobble hats!
For women; last time you wore a scarf and for men; last time you wore a tie?
I don’t really remember the last time I wore a scarf. I have a few silk neck scarf things that I have worn with dress and jacket ensembles in the past…maybe a year ago?
Have you ever physically suffered for the sake of a fashion trend?
Yes. So, so many times. I have worn shoes that have given me blisters, shoes that are too high for me to walk in properly and badly fitting shoes and I never seem to learn. I have worn a steel boned corset that rubbed my rib cage raw and has scars there now…long skirts and trousers that have caused me to trip up and dresses that, once on I could barely breathe! I tend to go for clothes that are comfortable now and that I can move and inhale in easily! I think when I was younger I suffered more for a fashion trend as I was not as confident in my own style as I am now. Shoes though, they will forever be my downfall!
