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ClaireDecember 17, 2013

The Baroque Trend: Best of the Highstreet

Good day to ~~Baroque Obama~~ friends,

I am a big fan of the baroque trend. Anything that means over the top, luxurious and grand is most definitely up my street. You might have noticed this in my outfit of the day from a while ago, where I basically wore a cathedral ceiling (have a nosey at my ootd here). This winter, the baroque trend has been quite gothic and dark (big surprise, are winter trends ever not gothic and dark?), but there are some seriously beautiful things on the high street at the moment.

If you’re looking to foray into Baroque territory, there are a few key things to remember. Firstly, the more textures you can get on your body the better and you get top marks if these include lace, fur and velvet. Gold is also your bessie mate: anything with any form of jazzy gold will make sure that you look tip top and brilliant. If you try and imagine yourself as a mixture of a highly decorated church and a 16th Century vampire, you’re kind of on the right track.

Anyway, as a firm believer that more is more in every aspect of my life, I love the Baroque look. And the high street has some amazing pieces that tick the Baroque boxes perfectly. Whether you are a poor tramp or want to splash out a bit more cashola, there is definitely something for everyone out there.

Wowsers, this all looks a little bit mad in one collage! I personally wouldn’t recommend wearing the Missguided Alter Tshirt with the River Island Jewel Baroque Leggings for example…although I’m sure there’s some brilliant gal in the blogging world that could pull that off! I personally love the green sequin playsuit and the chain print sweatshirt. As a consistent lover of a good gold chain necklace, I’m also hugely keen for that River Island chain necklace – it is huuuuuge and fabulous.

What do you think of the Baroque trend? Are you keen for the over the top glamour or is this not really your thing?

Let us know your favourite picks! 🙂

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ClaireNovember 30, 2013

Outfit of the Day: The Big Massive Fedora

So I recently decided to branch out a bit and buy myself a fedora. I’d seen them gracing the heads of many a fashionista and thought, yeah, let’s give that a go. However because I am an IDIOT I failed to buy one of the reasonably sized fedoras that the likes of Lily Melrose have been sporting,and instead accidentally ordered this massive hat from eBay. Honestly, it looks like a frickin’ sombrero.

Hat: eBay / Dress: Topshop / Sleeveless Leather Jacket: H&M

Boots: New Look /Rings: Primark and eBay / Nails: Barry M ‘Lychee’

While I do enjoy the drama that the big massive hat brings to an outfit – imagine, for example, how emotional my train station goodbyes would look if I wore this – I’m unconvinced of the ultimate wearability of the big massive hat. I mean, will my head even fit in my car?

What do you all think of the fedora trend? Do you have any tips on how to wear them?

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ClaireNovember 17, 2013

Outfit of the Day: H&M Galaxy Print Leggings & Oversized Tee

Hello earthlings,

After singing ‘I’m a space man, look at my space trousers’ for the past couple of days, I thought I’d share with y’all my new favourite space leggings. Looking like a planet (but hopefully not the size of one) is my new fave hobby, probably because there’s nothing more satisfying than saying things like ‘Oh no, I have just Saturn my lunch, I don’t know how I am going to get these sandwiches stains off of my space leggings’.

I bought these bad boys when I had a half day off work a few weeks ago. My day of fun was brilliant and if you were in Birmingham that day, you would have seen me running around like a shopping-crazed fool. I spent ages looking for these leggings and finally found them in H&M (anybody else finding everything in there brilliant lately? Nevermind Isabel Marant!). If I recall they were around £6, which is absolutely a-mah-zing and cheap.

I teamed my galaxy print leggings with an oversized black tshirt/dress type thing that has some excellent beaded embellishment on the shoulders, my trusty F&F boots and my beloved Topshop fur coat. Jewellery-wise, I kept it pretty simple with a silver chain that I’m pretty sure I robbed from my mum and a silver leaf ring from Topshop. I’m wearing Rimmel’s Lasting Finish in Your Majesty (sounds about right, AM I RIGHT?! Probs not).

I’m not sure why I look so simple facially, but unfortunately it was one of those days where my brain most likely fell out. It is happening a lot these days and I seem to have developed a stutter. I think I must be blocking out some kind of trauma. Potentially when Claire decided to sing me her ‘Bye Bye Bye’ *Nsync remix.

ANYWHOO. What do you all think of these galaxy print leggings? For £6 it’s genuinely rude not to. And also, think of all the space related talk you can have with people (although try and avoid things about the milky way, it just sounds creepy).

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ClaireNovember 16, 2013

Outfit of the Day: Mirror Edition #2

Merry Saturday, one and all! So, anyone who gives a tiny poo (i.e. probably nobody) may have noticed that I’ve been somewhat absent from the OOTD hype as of late. This is partly due to some technical problems at Stylingo HQ in the form of our camera finally biting the dust, and what can only be described as personality problems on my part as I’m too lazy to take photos at work.

But, just in case anybody is really curious about what I’ve been wearing recently, here are a few mirror snaps that I’ve uploaded to our Instagram account:
Black Dress – H&M / Kimono – Missguided / Rose Gold Cross – Primark / Brogues – New Look / Bag – Marc B

Remember when I said that I have a tendency to overload on black during the autumn and winter months? Well here is a prime example of me doing so. The lace kimono from Missguided is still one of my favourite items after I first wore it to the Bullring Ten event, and teamed with a simple black dress (which you can’t see at all, but is fitted and has a high mesh neckline) it’s the perfect way to pretty up an outfit. The Marc B bag that I got for my birthday this year is also still a firm fave of mine and rarely leaves the nook of my arm.

Leotard – Primark / Jeggings – Topshop

I’ve had this leotard for probably around two years now but have just brought it out of hibernation again after realising I still love it quite a lot. Worn with my Topshop jeggings it created quite a fun casual outfit – though I still wore this for work, God help me if I ever work in a strict office.

Dress – Topshop / Blazer – eBay / Silver Cross – Primark

This is definitely one of my more work-appropriate outfits, even with the paint-splattered effect of the dress. This dress is a really loose fitting swing dress that is a bit swampy on its own, so the addition of the cropped waterfall blazer (which I also have in mint, so keen I am for it) makes it a bit more fitted. I accessorised with my trusty silver cross, and seemingly some trampy hair bobbles on my wrist, which I always accidentally leave on (but I think they may become super fashionable soon, so it’s fine).

Crop Jumper – Topshop (old) / Skater Dress – Topshop / Necklace – eBay / Nails – Barry M ‘Duchess’

I actually tried to get proper OOTD pictures in this outfit the other day, but the winds were somewhat… shall we say whirlwind-esque? .. so I looked a state in all of them. Layering jumpers over dresses and playsuits is something I definitely plan to do more of this winter, and this cropped Topshop jumper that I’ve had for a couple of years is perfect for it. I’m still loving the Barry M nail polish from the Royal Glitter collection (I reviewed it in full here if you fancy a read) and tend to keep my jewellery quite minimal where I’m wearing it.

What do you think of these outfits? Do you have a favourite?

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ClaireNovember 5, 2013

Outfit of the Day | Fluffy Jumper & Acid Wash Jeans

Good afternoon huns,

We had a very exciting morning: Claire bought a car last night and we drove to work (if by we, I mean she did) for the first time. WHOA WHOA WHOA. Her car is a beautiful Fiat 500 in pale pale blue and I think I may have become one of those strange humans that fancies automobiles.

In my role as supportive housemate, I chose my outfit very carefully this morning. It had to be something that said “hey, I’m here for you. If you need a mid-journey hug, I am a viable option”. Obviously, the only thing that would say this successfully was my new fluffy jumper from Forever 21. Which I did not just wear because it’s new and I love it. I wore it purely because my pal might need some fluffy delight during horrifying rush hour in Cov. Wink wink, nudgey nudge.

I paired my beautiful new fluffy jumper with my Topshop acid wash jeans (big surprise there), a Primark peach blouse, a Primark gold necklace and my tan brouges from New Look. My lipstick is Collection Mango Tango, which I reviewed here. This was the result:

Needless to say, I’m cosier than a cosy thing at work today. I’m not usually a big fan of Forever 21, but there are SO many nice things in the Birmingham store at the moment. If you’re based in the West Midlands, I thoroughly recommend popping in and checking out what they have in. I feel like a wooly mammoth, in a good way.

What do you think of my Tuesday outfit? I really want to start planning my day outfits a bit better and this is the start of looking a bit more put together (I hope…)

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ClaireOctober 15, 2013

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

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

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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ClaireOctober 5, 2013

Outfit of the Day: Birthday Marc B Bag!

Hey loves! As you may know from Lauren’s very kind Twitter proclamations, yesterday was my 23rd birthday. I’ll have a full birthday post including all the lovely goodies I’ve received coming soon, but for now I thought I would quickly share my OOTD, including one new very special piece of arm candy… MY NEW MARC B BABY.

Cardigan – Primark / Cami – Primark / Jeggings – Topshop / Frilly Socks – Primark / Ankle Boots – New Look / Necklace – Tiffanys / Bag – Marc B

I just had a very casual day for my birthday yesterday, which involved popping into town for some lunch and – of course – a bit of shopping, hence my very casual outfit. I don’t know about all of y’all, but making an effort to dress nice-ish for work each day (which we don’t have to, but ever since I accidentally ended up getting VIP tickets to Rihanna and had to go dressed like a tramp, I like to make more of an effort in case anything else is sprung on me) means that when I get a day off I just enjoy slouching around.

A huge thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday on Twitter! I’ve had a brilliant one so far, and the fun is continuing over into the weekend – HUZZAH. Maybe being 23 won’t be so boring after all.

ClaireSeptember 19, 2013

Outfit of the Day: Primark Printed Trousers & Fur Coat

Good day scoundrels,

I’ve been woefully absent on the blog over the last week as I have been suffering from the stupid flu, which like a stalker will not leave me alone. I finally allowed myself to have a proper day off work today (after having an emotional/physical breakdown yesterday and one of my lovely colleagues having to drive me home) and it’s doing me miles of good! So much so that I actually feel like eating AND leaving the house (pardon?!), so I decided to slather my troll face in makeup to make the short journey to the corner shop. For biccies.

I’ve been dressing in attractive array of big tshirts and leggings for the past 4 days, so today felt like the day I should look like a normal human being and wear real clothes. This was my outfit!

Primark Printed Trousers : Topshop Peacock Print Baggy Tshirt : Dorothy Perkins Boots : Primark Gold Chain Necklace : Topshop Ring

I bought these delightful trousers a few weeks ago in Birmingham and I genuinely love them. They’re really comfortable and easy to wear, meaning if you get the urge to do some street lunges – YOU CAN. I think they have the capacity to be dressed up or down and they are a fabulous addition to my wardrobe. I can’t exactly remember the price, but they were around the £10 mark.

The tshirt is an old one, I bought it from Topshop a couple of years ago but it’s still a firm favourite. The picture doesn’t pick it up, but there are actually velvet peacock feather prints on the shoulders (I’m a gal that likes alliteration but that sentence was a bit much pahaha).

I don’t know about you guys, but it is fereeeeezing here in Cov and because I’m still in the throes of illness, I figured my adventure to the shop needed to be super warm and cosy. CUE GIANT BEAR COAT. This Topshop fur coat is my child, I love it so dearly. It’s also quite old now but it’s still in amazing condition (even after I couldn’t be bothered to take it to the dry cleaners and did it in the washing machine…). I hope it will stay with me for many years to come and if any of you lovely lot are thinking of investing in a fur coat from Toppers…I recommend it. I can’t believe how well this has lasted!

Topshop Fur Coat : New Look Bag

What do you all think? I for one am proud that my hair doesn’t resemble Hagrid’s beard.

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ClaireSeptember 16, 2013

Outfit of the Day: Quilted Leather Skirt

Top: Topshop Petite (old) / Quilted Leather-Look Skirt – Primark / Tights – Primark / Boots – New Look / Necklace – Tiffanys / Bag – Topshop

You know when you buy something and then don’t wear it for weeks and weeks because you just can’t work out whether you like it or not? That is the situation I’ve found myself in lately with this skirt, which I featured in my August haul post last month. I knew it was a good Autumn piece, I knew it should theoretically go with a lot, but could I just put it on and be happy? No, I could not.

Eventually though, I manned the eff up and wore it to work one day last week. It wasn’t until I actually arrived in the office that it occurred to me that wearing a leather mini skirt to work might not be a toooootally normal thing to do, but hey ho. I decided to keep it simple and monochrome by teaming it with this lace-ish scoop-back Topshop top that I’ve had for yonks, thick black tights (winter is coming, as the Starks would say) and of course my cut-out boots, which might have to be surgically removed from my feet soon.

After months of wearing thick gold chains and heavy spikes, I’ve started to prefer more delicate pieces of jewellery again. In steps my Tiffanys necklace that my sister got me for my 21st. It’s basically the only nice piece of jewellery I own and I love it very very dearly – potentially as much as I love flapjacks, and that’s mega loads.

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ClaireSeptember 15, 2013

If I Was A Rich Girl | September Wishlist.

Hello lovely ladies,

Claire and I are currently on a horrible spending ban, which means life is terribly tragic and boring at the moment. BUT IT DOESN’T MEAN WE CAN’T DREAM. I’ve got lots of things I’m hugely lusting over at the moment, so I’m quietly making a list of stuff to go wild over when I finally allow myself to spend some hard earned dollah.

1. Missguided leather panel midi skirt. 2. Topshop lipstick in Hazard 3. Seventeen animal bronzer. 4. Topshop geometric print trousers 5. Boohoo brocade cape. 6. Urban Outfitters lattice shoulder blouse 7. Asos coat with leather sleeves. 8. Too Faced Natural at Night Palette.

1. GOOD LORD, I love this skirt. It’s Claire’s birthday soon so obviously I need something new to wear. We’re going for a faaaaaaaayncy dinner, so I need something a little sophisticated to keep up appearances. I’m loving the leather panels and I’m thinking it’s a good way to incorporate the leather autumn/wintertrend into my ‘drobe.

2. Let’s all face it, deep red lippy is an absolute necessity for colder weather. I need this more than life, isn’t it gorgeous?

3. I don’t really need a new bronzer BUT HAVE YOU SEEN THE ANIMAL PRINT? HAVE YOU?!

4. These trousers are incredible, I love the print with all my heart. I feel like I need more trousers in my wardrobe and these are definitely on my trouser list.

5. This Boohoo cape is amazing – bring me the capes…that’s right China. All the capes.

6. Those who know me will know I have about 10000 white blouses but this is one that I would love to add to my collection! I can’t wait to give everyone flashes of my shoulders, ooer.

7. I am in need of a winter coat as all of mine of boring and uncool. This Asos one makes me want to cry with love and admiration.

8. I love a natural eye palette and how fabulous does this one look? SO FABULOUS, THAT’S HOW.

So, home girls, this is my September wishlist – what do you all think? Any things you’re lusting over but can’t get quite yet?

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|| Don’t forget that you can follow us on Instagram, Bloglovin’ and Twitter! ||

Clothes & Shooooooes

Beauty & Makeup

|| Also, don’t forget that you can follow us on Instagram, Bloglovin’ and Twitter! ||

|| Don’t forget that you can follow us on Bloglovin’ and Twitter! || and we also have a giveaway on at the moment!

|| Don’t forget that you can follow us on Bloglovin’ and Twitter! ||
and we also have a giveaway on at the moment!