Fashion Trends done on the High Street: Purple

As one of the season's hottest colours, purple is a great way to introduce a bold tone into an otherwise monochromatic palette of autumn/winter clothes. For the fashion brave, colour-block purple. For a more subtle nod to the trend, introduce purple in smaller amounts with accessories. Here are my top five high street picks to tackle this trend.x.

H&M £14.99

Lipsy £48

Miss Selfridge £40

ASOS £75

River Island £60

When I Grow Up.

I am about to hit twenty, the end of my teenage years [gasp!]. And yes, I know that is by no means old, in fact I am rather excited to embrace a more 'grown-up' style of dressing. Longer lengths become somehow acceptable and not 'frumpy'... I hear a midi calling my name! Beyond this and looking even further forward, is what I want to look like when I 'grow up'. Mature celebrities such as Michelle Pfieffer, Sarah Jessica Parker and Christie Brinkley (all above the age of 45) effortlessly navigate the red carpets, often outshining their younger counterparts. Whether you put it down to years of experience in expert dressing, or beautifully maintained complexions and hairstyles, you have to hand it to these women: they look hot. So when I grow up (properly) I want to look like that. Best go put on some moisturiser and factor 50. x.

Kate Middleton:Princess of the Far East

 

Style icon Kate Middleton returns to the forefront of the fashion world during the Duke and Duchess' recent tour of Malaysia as part of the celebrations for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Kate wore an array of classic dresses reminiscent of Princess Diana's own tours of the Far East and embraced local culture with traditional Malaysian dress. Jenny Packham and Alexander McQueen dresses abounded, proving once again, a staple in the Duchess' wardrobe, but were mixed with pieces from high street brands such as Zara and Jaeger. I love her timeless, elegant style. What do you think? x.

New Purchases.

It has been a very busy week with my return to the University of Edinburgh for Freshers' Week. I have of course, managed to fit in some time for a spot of shopping though. The high street is finally filling its stores with A/W collections, rather than the sometimes-awkward transitional pieces. Here are some finds I picked up. x.

Lust List.

A girl can dream right? And it is my birthday coming up...so I thought I would use this post as a sort of fantasy birthday wishlist. As you all know I am an avid accessorises fan, so naturally my mind went racing to an endless list of jewellery, purses, bags and some make up that I have my eye on.

I am a massive fan of delicate bracelets and like to wear a few thin chains layered up on each wrist. Hence my number one wish is this stunning ‘Fiji’ bracelet by jewellery designer Monica Vinader featuring shimmering pave diamond embellishment. At £175 it’s not cheap, but the quality and design makes it a ‘wear-forever’ piece.

My second wish is a must-have for every fashion conscious girl: a designer IT bag. Whether it be a treat to yourself, or as a present from someone, a gorgeous designer bag is never going to be a bad addition to your collection. A good handbag will escape the perennial changes of the fashion world; being your staple grab-n-go piece. My choice is this Yves Saint Laurent Leopard Print Tote; classic in shape, chic in design. Made from a mix of printed calf hair and leather, it is ultimate luxury.

Now for some make up... I do love new make-up (purchases are usually followed by a day at home trying out new looks and watching You Tube videos for make-up artists’ top tips). I have been really keen to try out the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Compact since a friend showed me hers. I love the range of brown, pink and cream based colours and how it is a multi-functional product. It can be used as a highlighter for the cheekbones by sweeping a blush brush across the palette or as an eyeshadow by using the colours individually. For £32, the Shimmer Brick Compact gives you a choice of five different colours, is a great handbag-sized addition to your make-up bag and judging by my friend’s one, lasts for a really long time as well. I will definitely be heading out to get one of these beauties soon.

So there is my top three ‘lust items’, all products available online or in store at Harrods. Imagine yourself with a limitless budget (the excuse of a birthday not needed)... what would your dream wishlist consist of? Let me know by commenting below. x.

Money Supermarket Passion for Fashion Blogger Competition

Last week I was contacted by Money Supermarket with regards to their current ‘Passion for Fashion’ Blogger Competition. I had to come up with an entire outfit for under £200 for these five given categories: First Date, Party, Office Wear, Casual and Outdoor. I took inspiration from the A/W 12 catwalks and tried to create similar high-end looks with high-street pieces. 

First Date:

Inspiration: Jil Sander, Dior

Trends: Peplum, Embellishment

Miss Selfridge Peplum BlouseDress £39

Zara  Statement Necklace £29.99

New look Nude Peep Toe Heels£24.99

New Look Embellished BalletPumps £17.99

Accessorize Embellished Clutch£16

ASOS Classic Mac £55

Total: £182.97

Party:

Inspiration: Dolce & Gabana, Valentino 

Trends: Black & Gold Baroque, Lace

Topshop, Motel lace dress £58

Daisystreet.co.uk Jessie  Gold Glitter Heel  £34.99

Miss Selfridge Gold Aztec Collar£14

Miss Selfridge Gold Aztec Cuff£14

NEXT Gold Box Glutch £26

Topshop ‘Mishcief’ Lip stick £8

Total: £154.99

Office Wear:

Inspiration: Prada 

Trend: Printed Trouser Suit, Eastern Opulence 

ASOS Premium geo PrintBlazer  £65

ASOS Premium geo Print Trouser£40

ZARA White Shirt £29.99

Dorothy Perkins Black Court Shoe£35

New Look Black Quilted Tote£24.99

Total: £194.98

Casual:

Inspiration: Chanel,Burberry Prorsum, Chloe

Trend: Bomber Jackets, Graphics

River Island Jaquard BomberJacket £65

Mango distressed jeans £34.99

ASOS Eye test T-Shirt  £14

New Look Wedge Hi-Top £64.99

Topshop Cable Dip Dye Beanie Hat£14

Total: £192.98

Outdoor:

Inspiration: Burberry Prorsum, Ralph Lauren

Trend: Equestrian, Downtown Abbey, Printed Knits

ASOSWool and Tweed Mix Parka Jacket, £80

RiverIsland Suede Wedge Boots £40

ZaraBeaded Sweater £25.99

Forever21 Grey Knit Tights, £5.65

Forever21 Stripe Skirt  £22.75

RiverIsland (MENS) Rucksack from £32 down to £25

Total:£199.39 

Check out the competition details at moneysupermarket.com/passion-for-fashion. x.

Will You Be Rocking The Crop?

I thought I would do a post on how to wear the new season's IT-trouser: the cropped pant (extra fashion points if it's patterned). Studying at Edinburgh means battling hair-ruining winds, heel-defying cobbled streets and most notably, icy cold temperatures. Needless to say, working the latest trends in a sub-zero climate can be tricky. That's why, when wearing my new cropped trousers, I'll be keeping a secret up my sleeve. Or should I say legs. To keep warm I recommend wearing tights under your trousers -nude if you want to keep your secret or go for sheer ones with a pattern for a quirky look. So with this canny trick, will you be rocking the crop? x.