Back to basics

I will always wonder if dresses will go back to basics. When I see a dress I love I get cold chills, I see the way I will wear my hair and my makeup with that dress. Where I will wear it and the places that It will go. Sort of like the sister hood of the travelling pants..but with a dress. Yes that magic dress. There you are It's just in reach. You pick it up, the material silky and playful. The front Is beautiful and you hold It up against yourself and maybe do a graceful twirl. Then you turn It around (maybe before that you check the price tag If there Is not too much visual excitement) and whats that? Here we go again. A massive huge ugly hole on the back. Nooo your dreams are shattered..that dress! That print! That shape. It would have been perfect.  But now you have to go buy a stick on bra thats going to fall down the front of your dress half way through mid dance. Ughh. Or maybe think well I could just not wear a bra at all but then you have to wear these little nipple stickers and there is not a whole lot else going on. ohh and that spot on my back well thats a whole other kettle of fish. Never mind the fake tan streaks from where your hands can't quite reach. I am not against a nice slit or backless dress don't get me wrong! I have many a halter neck! However I just feel that any tom dick or harry dress is getting the backless treatment these days. And I just think It's plain lazy. When I buy that dress of my dreams with that oh so hefty price tag I would like It to be a whole dress. Just back to basics, pardon the pun.

That's bogus

Do you ever click on that coat online that you see and just love and have to have. Then It comes up 'Buy this coatigan' ?? You think to yourself - nope, I definitely clicked coat. I would remember because It was two seconds ago I saw it, I liked it, I clicked it. And also coatigan Isn't a word. But no - there you are, a lovely 'coatigan' only £69.99. Well then you think It has the word coat In the name. It looks like a coat and says It Is 69% wool and everything. Where can I go wrong. Send to basket. 

OH you can go Way wrong. Your coatigan arrives In the post probably around 7 working days later which Is really cool (since when does next day delivery mean anything anyway). And you feel the parcel, hmm It must be that small strappy top I bought from Ebay or that pack of paper clips from Amazon but just In a really big oversized bag. Nope, It's your coat which Is literally two bits of thin paper sewn together with a lovely shiny lining and pretend pockets that when you fasten up looks like It could be a dress. Also comes with bonus free stickers and a spring catalogue. Oh and your coatigan Is featured In the spring catalogue with the wording 'stay warm In spring!'. Oh a coatigan! Meaning like a cardigan but looks like a coat. How useful apart from the fact that I have much warmer and cheaper cardigans already. Maybe It's just me, but there Is something fishy going on here. The more you look around Internet shopping the more totally bogus words you see. Beware. Gloves and mittens become 'Glittens'. A cropped jumper Is now a 'crump'. 'Trouges' a cross between trainers and brogues. 'Jorts' are shorts with the some of the qualities of jeans (Soo denim shorts then). These are all very real fashion lingo words that I have come across while online shopping In the past week. I have seen everything. Genius way of cutting down on your fashion chat (who has the time to say denim shorts anyway?). No It's a scam so you end up with a paper coat and goosebumps. But I mean I have to give to 'jeggings' - they did make the Oxford dictionary.       

Catching my eye

I love to look at what my favourite celebrities are wearing each week..these are just a quick few that have caught my eye! 

Emma Roberts wearing a simple but cute Barbara Bui dress with barley there white strap heals and clutch. With her new cropped hair...which makes me want to cut my tuggy locks off. The colours really suit her skin tone and It looks like the dress was made for her. Very pretty.

Kate Bosworth In a light blue spring dress with amazing chunky tassel boots. I love Kate's style, she always looks polished but not like she has tried too hard. And her style Is changed up a lot which I like! Even though you can clearly see It has been raining all morning her newly dyed red hair Is definitely frizz free.Yup, Unfair. 

Chloe Sevigny wearing a Kenzo spring 2014 leather boxy shift dress and white sandals from the same collection. Matched with a statement necklace and clutch. Her fresh makeup brightens It up, and her glowing skin gives me endless envy. I wish.

Jamie King wearing tailored grey high waisted trousers and cream chunky crop jumper. Very neutral toned outfit but her bright red accessories make up for It! And I love the platform 60's inspired heels. The colours suit her pale skin tone. I would say that the chunky knit Is good for the cold spring we are having, however you are going to have a very cold torso. Brrrrrrrrrrrr. Although could be layered over a dress until It gets a little tad warmer! 

What Is your mood?

Are you like me and you let your glossy magazines and also not so glossy (Heat) pile up In your bedroom until there Is a big paper avalanche? Guilty! I love magazine Tuesday but my recycling bin really does pay for It! There are always a few I keep like Vogue, Instyle and Look because I like to go back to them and see all the clothes and pictures I loved. Lying In my magazine holder makes them organised and sure everyone likes seeing the spines of their Vogues neatly arranged, but If they are not really doing more than sitting looking pretty you should use them! Turn your favourite pictures In to a mood board! Take anything you already have handy In your house from a shabby chic mirror to an old photo frame to use as your board. If It Is a mirror you are using the glass can be easily removed. The same go's for an old photo frame, the glass can be removed and you are left with the nice frame. You can then use the base or pretty cut thick paper to the size of the frame to use as your backround.

If you have nothing In your home that suits then have a look round your local charity shops! I found this gold shabby chic mirror for £3 In Cancer Research. Bargain! Could keep It gold or could easily paint It to suit the colours of the room! Or Sometimes you find paintings/prints very cheaply that lets be honest..have been thrown away for a reason ewww yup no Mona Lisa, And you might find the frame Is beautiful! Take out the picture and away you go! Or If you keep the glass In then simply use blue tack to stick your pics!

Or Ebay Is a great a cheap site to buy a board such as these ones! And who doesn't like cheap. Found In pink or white for £7.99 each! Buy your pins and you are ready to go!

It also doesn't have to be any old corky pin board! While traipsing through Ebay I also found many of these floral memo boards with lace criss cross so you can slide your pics In! I thought this blue one was pretty and only £6.99! No pins or blue tac needed. Just pretty pics!

Now you are ready! Use all kinds of magazines, glossys to free ones like The Stylist! Even old fashion books that you have maybe had for years and you maybe wouldn't flick through again. Like my Fashion Now 2 book and Facehunter. You can still keep the books after! Just neatly cut out all your favourite and inspiring pictures. If It's that summer dress you can imagine wearing In the park or that floaty dress you can imagine wearing as a guest to the next wedding you go to (hoping you won't end up looking like one of the bridesmaids) add them to your board! It's a reminder to yourself what styles you love at that current moment because If you are anything like me your style could change weekly. The beauty Is you can change It whenever you want! Maybe you look up to the board one day to scream "ewww really? A mustard corduroy trouser suit? what was I thinking?" ..not that I have that on my board.  

My mood board at the moment a cream love heart by Sass and Belle for £15 and I love It. The wee individual love hearts allow you to slide In pics. It doesn't only have to be for clothes pics, also add In your own photos! Add In outfits you loved and made you feel great, photos of you and your friends and family! Past fashion looks on your favourite singers such as David Bowie and Debbie Harry always make mine, or your fav super models. Anything you wish and anything that Inspires you. It Is after all for you, and It's fun! Chop and change It whenever you get board If you pardon the pun. Mine has been cleared ready for a fresh look after magazine Tuesday! Maybe you already have one In your room? Or maybe you just use the corner of your mirror! Either way, what Is your mood?

Spring to it!

So spring Is looming! Well we had two days of sun so It must be around the corner! And It's time to shout bye to beige and black! See you later yucky khaki! Ok It's maybe a wee bit premature. But for when we eventually do have some sun and that beautiful pink blossom starts to come out we should definitely have some colour on. And what better colours are there for spring than pastels. Pastel pink..pastel powder blue, And of course fruit pastel ice lollies In hand. 

I love this powder blue shirt dress from Lavish Alice, and I also just won It cheaply on Ebay today. Exciting! Can't wait to wear It. Perfect for spring days or colder nights out. Yes, I might be a Lavish Alice addict. Whoops.

The colours, sharp cuts and collars have been all over the Burberry and Gucci catwalks for S/S/14. And If Cara Delevingne and Alexa Chung are doing It I am springing to It! High street stores are doing very well to keep up with the trend and you can find many pretty things Burberry inspired In stores such as River Island and Zara. Online Stores are keeping up much the same, and I have found that Daisy Street have a lot to offer and the prices are so low. Throw on your oversized sunnies and you're are spring ready! Spring to It!

Classic guilt

So It's true, I am a guilty shopper. Guilty of buying too much. The next big trend comes out and It's neon lace floral with zips. So of course I have everything thats neon and lacey with all these zips - that I'm going to wear once. Then In few months time I will find these guilty garments In my wardrobe. What was I thinking? So for a while I have been thinking, what about introducing some classic guilt? Some classic clothes that will stay In your wardrobe forever. Thats money well spent I would say? 

I found these two classic cardigans and my new favourite black and gold chained bag on Ebay. All Chanel Inspired. Blue cardigan and bag are vintage, red cardigan Is Topshop. 

I got this lovely biography from my mum at christmas, Inspiring and full of classic clothes inspiration.

I will keep adding to my classic collection. Don't get me wrong, I still love a bit of neon. And I'm never just going to have classic everything. But It's lovely to have some staple pieces In your wardrobe that will never die. 

In the red

Having just been Valentines day the colour red Is definitely In the air. SWOON. Well clearly In the air I'm breathing In anyway, Inspiring me to buy all things red. This Lavish Alice cropped top and trouser two piece from Asos was first. As It's apparent to me now I clearly never got over Britney In her music video 'Oops I did it again'. A brave 90's inspired outfit, which If Cher from Clueless saw would even shout 'AS IF!'. Worn together or separately..we'll see. Lavish Alice Is fast becoming one of my favourite brands. The clothes are fun with classic cuts and shapes and are also affordable. 

Hopefully all this red purchasing Is just a valentines phase as soon I will literally be IN the red. Those two scarlet dresses coming from Ebay are my last...I mean It.