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From designer investments to high street bargains, here is a guide to party wardrobe staples for the festive season.

The Black Strappy Sandal…

Party shoes£££ Jimmy Choo Ivette Black Patent Leather Strappy Sandals, £495 / ££ LK Bennett, Elodie Suede and Patent Leather Strappy Sandal, £195 / £ Dune Hydro Heeled Sandals, £65

The Black Clutch…

Black clutch bags
£££ Valentino Va Va Voom leather shoulder bag, Net-a-Porter £1,140 / ££ L.K. Bennett, Bo Crinkled Patent Leather Shoulder Bag, £245 / £ New Look, Black Stud Metal Plate Clutch £15.99

The Statement Earrings…Party earrings
£££ Anton Heunis, Art Deco Crystal Drop earrings, Monnier Freres, £140 / ££ Muzo Mimesis earrings, Anthropologie, £44 / £ Green Statement earrings, Next, £12.50

What are your wardrobe staples?
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Standardby Laura0 Comments

I seem to have entered into a bit of a rut with my wardrobe. I’m still trying to mix things up and put things together that I haven’t tried before but I do feel like I need an injection of new blood. Something that will liven up my existing palette. I’m just not sure what that is. I also get a little nervous when I think about buying new things because I want to make sure it’s right and will work on all levels – gone are the impulsive, ‘I’m sure I’ll find an occasion to wear it’ days.

So I’ve turned to Pinterest for some inspiration as I know I’ll see a common theme in my ‘pins’ that will hopefully reignite some ideas…and this is what I have come up with…

Pinterest 1Love the camel coat, heels and black statement bag.

Pinterest 2Love the woolly cardigan with narrow belt with long, distressed brown boots.

Pinterest 3Love the grey polo neck with leather leggings and furry gilet.

Pinterest 4Love the sleek black jumper dress and oversize clutch.

Pinterest 5Love the splash of red with the tan bag.

Pinterest 6Love the simplicity of this coat over all black.

Pinterest 7Love the modern heritage look of the chunky knit with distressed denim and huge tartan scarf.

Pintrest 7Love the fitted camel coat contrasting the boyfriend jeans.

See more of my pins or follow me on Pinterest here.

How do you use Pinterest?
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Standardby Laura4 Comments
A Foundation Wardrobe…

Building a successful wardrobe starts with a great foundation, a solid core that you can build around. In these cooler months, I love the feel a soft tee under a cosy jumper or a soft, jersey dress with black opaques.

My wardrobe has to work on so many levels and although I rebel against anything ‘mumsy’, the fact is that sometimes you have to be practical.

I discovered Baukjen just after having my first daughter, as they are the sister company of the great maternity wear company, Isabella Oliver. Baukjen have some of the best key pieces no wardrobe should be without. Excellent quality, great colours and flattering shapes.

Baukjen Long-Sleeve T-shirt

The Essential Long-Sleeve Tee in Berry Melange, £39. This will work perfectly for layering with a leather jacket and scarf or neutral jumper.

Baukjen rouched jersey dress

Ruched Jersey Dress in Dark Grey Melange, £99. This would look great with black opaques and suede boots or add a chunky belt, scarf and biker boots.

Baukjen Pink Coco shirt

The Coco Shirt in Lipstick Pink, £99. Great colour pop to brighten up a dreary Winter day. Looks great dressed down like this or with tailored trousers for a more formal look.

What are your wardrobe essentials?
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Standardby Laura1 Comment

This was a post I used a guest blogger in the Summer for Karen who writes http://365pearlsofwisdom.blogspot.co.uk but as the weather has just changed I thought it would be great to re-post it today for a little ‘Weekend Sort Out’!

“A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success in life”. – Dr. Joyce Brothers

To some, the impact of fashion or simply what you are wearing, on your self-confidence may seem incredibly shallow. But I think the older I get the more I realise actually how important your self-image is on your self-confidence. It doesn’t become about what I’m wearing, it becomes about the confidence it gives me and what this allows me to do.

So where does this start? In your wardrobe.

One of the most therapeutic things you can do is sort through your wardrobe. Now has never been a better time. Think about the style you want to have. There is no reason why you can’t have it, you just need the confidence to put it together.

wardrobe style

Start by categorising your clothes into the following 6 piles:

1. DEFINITE KEEPERS Pieces you know work for you. Fit you well and in good condition.

2. SEASONAL Put away in a box all the high season pieces. We’re going into Autumn now so you could start thinking about putting the high summer pieces away. I always have a box for ‘holiday wear’ too. Bikinis, beach cover-ups, shorts, flip-flops…remember it’s not like you’re never going to see them again, they’re just in a box.

3. CHARITY/SELL Pieces that are too big/small but in good condition. Wash and either pass onto charity or car boot sales are a great place to sell unwanted clothes. I remember once I made a couple of hundred pounds in an hour and half just selling old clothes, bags and shoes (there was ALOT of it!)

4. ALTERATIONS Those trousers that you have never had taken up or that dress that just needs a dry clean? Pop it  that pile and take it all at the same time to get sorted. Instant additions to your wardrobe!

5. ARCHIVE Pieces that you can’t bear to be parted with but no longer wear.

6. MAYBE The worst pile of all and will probably end up being the largest. You have to be really strong and really honest when dealing with this one. When judging each item, take the time to think about how it really looks on you. Does it fit properly? Is it faded? Is it in good condition? Even if this feels ruthless, it will be more rewarding to have ‘gaps’ to fill in your wardrobe than have something filling space. It’s these gaps that make shopping and dressing so much easier.

wardrobe style

Once you’ve dealt with all of that you should have a great selection of clothes that you can proudly hang/fold. You’ll probably also see different outfits that go together that you would never have thought of before. Now you can dress in the style you want and identify gaps where you can add to your selection – making shopping alot easier.

What does your wardrobe look like?

(image sources: Nu-Yu Beauty & Wellbeing. glenhomecountryhome.co.uk. room envy.com. homemadesimple.co.uk. redbookmag.com. tarahlowry.blogpot.co.uk)

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Standardby Laura0 Comments

I am all about investment and getting the most from your wardrobe. Recently, I’ve been trying (fairly successfully so far) to combine different areas of my wardrobe to try and increase it’s ‘breadth’. I’ve looked at items in isolation and tried to see how I could I dress them up for the evening or down for the day. There is one combination though that I keep coming back to time and time again. The white shirt under jumper combo. The versatility of this seems to just go on and on. Shirt from Topshop, jumper from Zara.

Here is how I wear mine.

White shirt and Joseph trousers

The Joseph cigarette trouser and leopard heels for smart occasions.

White shirt brogues

For effortless school run style Paige denim ripped jeans with chunky brogues are easy casual.

White shirt and long bootsFor cooler days long boots and skinnies are safe and stylish.

What’s your most versatile item?

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Are you a slave to your shopping habit? 

It can sometimes feel like a relentless task trying to keep up with ever-changing trends, not to mention the amount of will-power it can take not to buy every item that we like. And can you really beat that cathartic feeling of handing over the credit card for that item that is going to change your life? The one that you can wear everywhere, for every occasion. The one that you tell yourself is really a bargain despite the outrageous price tag.

But does it really solve all our problems? Or are we shopping for other reasons?…Fear of not fitting in?…Filling a void?

Shopping is my Cardio

More, More, More…

For me, it’s a simple cream jumper; of which I have more than my fair share. In the past I have always been drawn to them hanging so innocently on the rail in the shop. I love the clean look of a cream jumper with denim, but actually I could get away with just one or two as they all serve the same purpose. Waste of money, waste of space and waste of time.

Carrie Bradshaw shopping

Usually it is our perception of whether we want it or actually need it that forces us to make unnecessary purchases. maybe it’s worth considering these questions…

[styled_box title=”Shop Savvy…” color=”black”] What would happen if you didn’t buy it?
What do you already have that could serve the same purpose?
Do I need this or just want it?
Am I being a slave to a trend?[/styled_box]
I know I risk sounding like a terrible bore and sometimes it’s the best feeling to just indulge. But in my experience, having more doesn’t necessarily solve any problems. Whereas having more carefully selected pieces has made life simpler.

Have you ever wondered whether it’s not a case of “I have nothing to wear!”  but actually that you have too much…?

(images sourced from Pinterest)

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Standardby Laura0 Comments

This week I have been inspired by Nina Garcia after reading her book ‘The Style Strategy’ about staying chic and saving money. Since boxing up and putting away all my Summer clothes I feel like my wardrobe needs a boost, an injection of new life. The plan – to mix things up a bit. Re-energise and re-invent my wardrobe.

Since changing my mindset and buying fewer items over the past few years, I have a great collection of some classic pieces that won’t date and go out of fashion – mostly because they were never in fashion in the first place! This does, however, leave things a little bland. What I feel I need is something to give a boost, that will change the way I see what I already have before I go and buy anything new.

There is a great quote from from the book…[quote]Being chic isn’t about the most expensive dress or the latest trend. It’s about being you.[/quote]With this in mind, I’m going to critically evaluate what I already have and have the confidence to mix things up. It’s easy to fall into the trap of always putting the same outfits together. So I’m going to change my wardrobe around a little and hang things next to each other that I don’t normally wear together. [new_line][new_line][quote]Make the most of what you have. Be creative, be innovative, be confident. Nina Garcia[/quote] Do you need to reinvent your wardrobe?

(featured image from ninagarcia.com)

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An Investment…

I have to admit, I live in jeans. Since giving up my career to have my children and live a life of domestic bliss (*coughs*), jeans have been my most reliable wardrobe friend. Never has an item been so important. They see my through the school run, walks in the woods, dinner out and most formal occasions too. (Featured in the Perfect ‘Going Out’ top post). But is there such a thing as the perfect pair?

7FAM with scarf and pumps

I believe they deserve investment and a lot of love and care once you have them. Since discovering luxury American denim I have never gone back. You can usually get them one size smaller because they are so soft with that perfect amount of stretch, giving a really flattering fit. Jennifer Aniston pulls off a great pair of jeans, always in my opinion, managing to make them look smart.

Jeans

If they really are an important part of your wardrobe I would invest as much as you can afford into a really great pair of jeans. There are lots of other things to think about too, such as pocket size and position and washes and waist height but that’s for another day.

Paige and brogues

My favourite brands are jbrand, 7 for all Mankind, Paige and Goldsign. Of all the styles, jeggings are at the core of my collection (which is not that vast – quality not quantity!). They’re the perfect jean for this season to wear with boots. They are also super, super comfortable…am I allowed to say that?!

My Collection…
  • One ‘everyday’ pair – casual & comfortable.
  • One ‘distressed’ pair – contrast with floaty silk tops or cashmere. Great for evenings.
  • One ‘cropped’ pair – elegant, timeless and perfect with pumps for smart/casual.
  • One ‘coloured’ pair – mix it up, why not?!

Pile of jeans

Taking a trip to a denim boutique will take the stress out of endless hours of trying on. The staff are dedicated to denim so will be able to find you your perfect pair. My favourite boutiques are Mimi Noor, Trilogy and Donna Ida.

Have you found the perfect pair?

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This post may well end up asking more questions than it answers. But they are questions that as my life and identity have changed over the past few years, that I have asked myself time after time. Do my clothes and my style reflect how I am feeling on the inside? If I look really deeply into my wardrobe what do my clothes really represent?

I have mentioned before (Read the How does your wardrobe define You post) that sometimes these sort of questions can be frivolous but it also never fails to amaze me how by wearing something that I know suits me, makes me feel confident and change the way that I go about my daily routine.

You can have anything

Who can identify with this? – That familiar feeling of going shopping and trying on what feels like every dress in the shop to only feel that none of them are any good. None of them make you feel the way you want to feel. But have you ever thought that it’s because the dress doesn’t match your identity? That actually it’s not that the dress doesn’t look good on you, it’s that it doesn’t represent who you feel you really are.

Looking through your current wardrobe can expose and reflect all these feelings. Perhaps it’s hanging on to a place in the past where you felt powerful, youthful and in control. Or maybe you’ve lost weight but still feel like you need to cover up. Perhaps there is a section of clothes that represent a traumatic or emotional time but it’s difficult to let go of that time so the clothes stay.


 IMG_5172

Your clothes can be a physical representation of what is really going on on the inside. The colour, shape and style choices can identify current unease that you may have and put together the need for growth and future goals. Conversely, if you’re feeling great and confident, your clothes will reflect this too.

So look closely at your wardrobe. Throw away the things from a life that you no longer want or can’t identify with. Items that don’t represent the best you. Keep the things that are special and archive them. [quote]Don’t let your past cloud the person you want to be and the goals you want to achieve.[/quote]

Your perception of yourself is embodied through your style choices. Make it positive. Create the wardrobe you aspire to have, to reflect the life you desire. Get positive life goals and change your wardrobe to match.

Do your clothes really reflect you?

 

(Featured image: projectshops.com. Sonia Ricotti quote image: Pinterest)

 

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