Camel is the New Black | Wishlist
AW14 Mini-Trend: The Duster Coat
Buckets full of soz for everyone still clinging onto the dream of summer, but we must face facts that autumn is nearly upon us. Thankfully though, this means we can start getting prepared with autumn/winter shopping and some of next season’s trends are so exciting that we’re sure even the most stubborn sun-worshipping winter hater will look forward to them. Enter mini-trend of the season number 1: the duster coat.
Duster coats are apparently so called because back in the day people wore these long coats when they were riding either on horseback or in carriages, where they would get all dusty from the road. As an olden-days woman I would have been FUMING if my nicely chosen winter outfit had been ruined by dust, so I can understand why dusters were such a biggie. Nowadays, we’re lucky enough to have things like tarmac and car doors to keep us relatively dust-free on our journeys, but that hasn’t stopped duster coats coming back into fashion. Due to their lightweight material, they’ve been spotted out and about during the summer evenings already – but this A/W they’re going to be very big news.
We haven’t actually tried any on yet so we can’t vouch for how the oversized, longer-length jackets are going to look on petite girls. We kind of predict they’re not going to be the most flattering things, but before we see this for ourselves and ruin the dream, we thought we’d share with you some of our fave dusters from the high street. Some of these are already available NOW (so err, what are you waiting for?!) whereas others are due to drop in the next couple of weeks. 
Topshop Checked Duster / River Island Red Duster Jacket / New Look Mint Green Duster Coat
I always used to hate coats because I saw them as total outfit-ruiners, but these fresh, contemporary dusters from Topshop, River Island and New Look respectively show that they can be as much a part of your outfit as what you wear underneath. Both the Topshop check and the River Island bright are statement pieces that are sure to brighten up any outfit, while it’s nice to see pastels sticking around for another winter. The New Look one, which is available in 2 weeks, is also a polyester/wool mix and so will be much warmer than the lightweight dusters we’ve seen so far this S/S.
Miss Selfridge Jacquard Duster / New Look Crepe Duster Coat / Topshop Khaki Duster
These three jackets are from the more classic end of the spectrum and so perfect for people who like their coats a bit more neutral. Jacquard is always a popular texture in the winter and the monochrome of this Miss Selfridge coat will mean it goes with everything. New Look and Topshop provide another two corkers; the pale pink New Look coat proves the oversized shape doesn’t need to make the duster masculine, while the Toppers one looks very authentic – I imagine it’d take a dusty road very well indeed.
ASOS also stock a few nice ones and I’ve seen on Instagram that people are snapping up some BEAUTIES from Primark too, so we would definitely recommend checking those out as well. Come payday I plan to launch my own duster coat mission, so I’ll report back on whether it makes us short girls look chic and androgynous, or like a massive sack of potatoes…
What do you all think of the duster coat trend?
How To Dress For Your Body Shape: The Real Person Version
I’m pretty sure most girls have tried on clothes while out shopping, taken a peek in the mirror and thought ‘good heavens, these leather trousers make me look like a raging hippopotamus lunatic’. (no…just me?)
I am very passionate about people wearing clothes that suit them (i.e. if you are over a certain age and insist on wearing disco hot pants, you need to go home). And that’s not just me being horrified at seeing elderly bottom in the streets, I think people generally feel better in clothes that fit them and suit them. I know I definitely do, which is why I refuse (on grounds that I don’t want to alarm anybody with my trunk-like arms) to wear things that don’t have sleeves.
But how on this good green earth how do you dress for your body shape in this day and age without looking like a lunatic?
Triangle:
If you’re a triangle shape, you tend to be bigger on top and smaller on the bottom – basically an inverted pear. Skater skirts help to put you more into proportion.
Leather Skater Skirt | Cropped Ribbed Tshirt | Cut Out Boots | Statement Necklace
Pear:
Aside from being delicious and good for you, pears tend to be bigger on the bottom and smaller on top. Patterns and sleeves balance y’all out.
Floral Skater Dress | Platform Sandals | Pale Pink Bag
Hourglass:
If you’re an hourglass, you’re a lucky thang. Hourglasses are the same proportions on top and on the bottom. Huzzah. Make the most most of your hot bod.
Black Midi Skirt | Crop Vest Drop | Cascade Necklace | Strap Heels
Apple:
Apple shapes are usually bigger around the middle bit, with slimmer legs and arms. Shift dresses are excellent because they don’t draw attention to the bigger areas. And transparent clutch bags are great.
White Flatforms | Daisy Print Shift Dress | Transparent Clutch Bag
Rectangle:
The model shape, you lucky thangs! Clothes look brilliant on you and you can pretty much wear anything. Thanks to the queen and merry England.
Metallic Boots | Lace Jumpsuit | Pink Satchel
I know there have been a zillion programmes on the telly about wearing the right clothes for your body shape, but lets be honest. Gok doesn’t really cater for us gals who are a bit on the younger side. And his tips don’t always correlate to what’s in the shops right at this moment in time. The whole “ooooo-er wear a waist belt to draw the eye to who knows what” is frankly nonsense. It’s not 2004 anymore and I don’t even know where you buy a coloured waist belt anymore. And this horizontal versus vertical stripe situation baffles me. If I wear a vertical stripe, I can pretty much guarantee that I will not look like a size 6 Kate Moss.
My ultimate top tip for you all is: the bigger the bag, the smaller the waist. While dressing for your shape is a good idea…sometimes you just want to wear disco hotpants. If that’s the case, just buy lots of giant handbags and wear what you want. Goodnight.
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Outfit of the Day: Rare London Shift Dress
Hey ladies,
Anyone who knows me at all will know that I love a white dress. In fact, there was a time in my life when that was pretty much all I wore. If it wasn’t a white dress, it was a white sheer shirt (saucy). It may be because I secretly thought I was an angel, I’m not really 100% sure.
The wonderful people at Rare London thankfully indulged my angelic idiotic tendencies and sent me a beautiful shift dress for me to pop on my body and loon around. I absolutely love it with a fiery passion and I literally cannot take it off at the moment (I’ve worn it to work twice, help). For those who haven’t shopped at Rare London yet, get a grip and head over there right now. They have some absolutely fabulous party dresses and I’m seriously considering getting a really fancy one just to wear around the house. If you can’t hoover in an evening gown, I don’t want to live in this world anymore.
I paired this lovely shift dress with my Primark boots and a necklace I fashioned from things I found in my “e’rrrything box”.On my falsies I have my favourite white nail varnish by Seventeen and on my lips I have the forever raved about Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm crayon in Standout (read our review here, you scoundrels). When I went out of the house, I donned my Miss Selfridge leather jacket and my new bargain Primark bag. HUZZAH.
What do y’all think?
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If I Was A Rich Girl | October Wishlist
Good morning chums,
I am still in a horrific pit of poverty and haven’t bought much in the last few weeks, snore. Spending bans make me want to cry softly to myself. Nevertheless, I am still perving on a huge number of things at the moment that I simply must share with you all. That way, you can buy it and I can live through you all like a crazy mum on Toddler’s and Tiaras (although I probably wont be forcing you to do dance routines…).
Clothes & Shooooooes
Motel Rocks Printed Jeans | Missguided Heeled Wedges | Missguided Velvet Shift Dress |Asos Tweed Coat | River Island Lace Insert Playsuit | Topshop Knitted Lace Croptop | Topshop Lace Sleeve Swing Dress | Miss Selfridge Armour Trim Sandals
Clothes, glorious clothes. My wardrobe is looking increasingly more pathetic as I keep selling everything on eBay. Claire and I are becoming quite the social butterflies (instead of sitting in and watching Downton Abbey, which has become our lives). Events are coming and obviously new clothes are necessary. I love this little Topshop pastel crop top and I am a keen bean to incorporate a few more pastels into my autumn/winter wardrobe. It’s knitted, so I think I should be able to keep the frostbite at bay.
I need more heels in my life and LETS ALL SAY HELLO TO THESE MISS SELFRIDGE HEELS. Phwoar, corr and good lord. They are stunning. I’m pretty positive I can’t afford to purchase them on my meagre bank account, so lets all start the hashtag #PrayForLauren to get these into my possession.
Beauty & Makeup
Collection The Smokey Eye Palette | Seventeen Stay Time Primer | Sleek Face Contour Kit | Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum | Barry M Pale Nude Lipstick | Real Techniques Expert Face Brush | Topshop Lips in Called Up | Barry M Burgundy Crush Matte Nail Paint | Barry M Gelly Effect Plum | Barry M Gelly Effect Blackberry | Smashbox Brow Tech To Go | Benefit Stay Flawless Primer | Topshop Golden Aura Palette |
Excuse the horrifically long list of items in my beauty wishlist, but you know how it is…when you start browsing it is simply impossible to even think of stopping. I need to go to beauty bloggers anonymous. Particular favourites in this hugey list of beautiful things includes the Sleek Face Contour Kit. I love the look of this (much like I love the look of cake every second of the day) and the range of colours looks perfect for sculpting my face to look like someone who has bones rather than marshmellows for a face. I reviewed the Bourjois Bronzing Primer as a contour product here, but this will be my next facial experiment. Fingers crossed, I’m hoping to look like Scarlett Johansson.
I’ve also heard everyone rave about the Smashbox Brow Tech To Go kit, which is a little brush/pencil set. I’m keen to try it out as I am also on an eyebrow quest for the perfect brows. Too many quests, so little time.
I have a lot of primers in my life at the moment. I’m using Seventeen’s Flawless Poreless Primer, which is excellent beyond belief and I recommend it to anyone looking to get rid of those pesky holes in your face. Nevertheless, a gal can never have too many primers, so I want to try this Benefit one and see how it compares to the cheaper ones I own. I already use the Pore-fessional Primer, but this long-wearing intrigues me like a mysterious woman.
I saw this Collection Smokey Eye Palette recently on a beauty blog (I wish I could remember which!) and I was hugely impressed with the swatches. While I am definitely not a Collection snob, this palette looked a bit cheap to me. After seeing the range of colours and the pigmentation, I MUST OWN IT. NOW.
WELL FRIENDS. What do you think of my October picks? Do you guys have any reviews/hauls/ootds with some of these bits and bobs in? If so, PWEESE share them with me so I can have a gander before I launch myself at the Bullring.
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Outfits of the Day: Saturday Casual.
Dress: H&M
Jacket: Miss Selfridge
Boots: Dorothy Perkins
Necklace: New Look
Top: Ebay
Shoes: Converse
Watch: Casio
Necklace: Primark
This is a super quick post because Claire and I are off for lunch with our friend who has come to visit from London. We’re nipping into town to get some essentials for tonight (fake eyelashes, tan, wine) before hitting Bella Italia hard with a carb loaded hammer. For your viewing pleasure, these are our outfits today. I’m mixing pastels and leather because that’s just how I roll and Claire is going for the “just a moment, I’m just going to play a game of baseball” look. We spent longer than necessary trying to get our OOTD faces right, Claire just about managed it whereas I look like I hate everyone and life. FYI, I am actually a happy person.