trends | Vanity Claire

ClaireOctober 17, 2013

Outfit of the Day: Winter Pastels & Leather Leggings

Jumper: c/o New Look | Leather-Look Leggings: River Island (old) | Shoes: Converse | Beanie: H&M | Jewellery: Primark

I face many, many challenges as we head into winter, including how to avoid slipping over on the ice when wearing heels and how to go about sneaking my slanket into work with me. The biggest one of all though, is trying to battle my natural instincts to wear nothing but chunky knitwear, leggings and Uggs. My penchant for dark colours also comes out most strongly during the colder months, so if left to my own devices I would most likely be constantly seen solely in big, dark jumpers, as if in mourning for, I dunno, my fashion sense?

I therefore decided that this mint jumper from New Look HAD to be mine if I wanted a fighting chance of keeping some sort of colour in my winter wardrobe. How nice is the colour?! It’s perfect for the winter pastel trend, which I decided to make the most of by also wearing my lilac Converse. The jumper’s an Angora blend, so feels very luxurious, if a tad itchy (it’s the itch of rich people though, so you have to love it). It’s actually quite a slim fitting jumper, so I bought this in a size 16 for a slouchy, oversized feel.

The beanie’s also a new addition to my wardrobe. I can never really decide if I suit hats; I have a weirdly massive head and I think sometimes they emphasize that while making my face look even smaller, like a pea. However, beanies are just too comfy to ignore this winter, and this one cost just £3.99 from H&M so is an absolute bargain. They’re also superb for hiding roots – er, not that that’s why I’m wearing mine… ahem.

I like the mixture of prettiness and grunge in this outfit. Did I just say grunge? Yes, I unfortunately did, let’s just move on with our lives. It’s also ludicrously comfortable and so could perhaps be the sort of outfit to pull me out of my boring routine this autumn/winter.

What do you all think of this outfit? What are your tips for staying stylish in the winter months?

ClaireOctober 4, 2013

Motel Rocks New Arrivals for Autumn/Winter.

Hola amigos!

First up, I would like to say a HUGEY happy birthday to everyone’s favourite white haired bafoon. Claire has turned the ripe old age of 23 and we are now discussing which care home to put her in after a weekend of partying, eating carbs and feasting on cake.

We’ve also made the executive decision to join the Motel Rocks Street Team, partly because we love a project but also because we both are big fans of Motel and love any excuse to persuade our pals into spending their hard earned dollar on threads. We are sorry guys, but everyone knows that new clothes makes you feel like a really fancy lady.

In my most recent Motel browsing, I have genuinely broken out in cold sweats over how beautiful their new arrivals for autumn/winter are. I mean seriously guys. I have been well and truly ready to whip off my pantaloons and run around my house in delight. I didn’t do that, thankfully, partly because I think Claire would disown me and also because my neighbours would probably call the police. But apart from pantaloon whipping, I have felt it necessary to share some of my favourites from Motel’s new collection so you too can feel the overwhelming delight that they bring. Disclaimer: if you fall off your chair with excitement, I take no responsibility for any bruises or embarrassment caused.

These are just a few of my current favourites, but CAN YOU SEE HOW PERFECT FOR AUTUMN/WINTER THEY ARE? I love the way they’ve styled everything and there is such an awesome 90s vibe with all the new arrivals. I don’t know about y’all, but whenever I’ve had a night out that I literally can’t figure out what to wear, Motel has saved the day. I can definitely see this happening a lot this winter. I thoroughly recommend check out what they have on offer, team fbloggers. You will not be disappointed.

If you’re suffering from the shopping bug right this moment (I know I am, LEAVE ME ALONE SHOPPING BUG, you pesky twit), you can get 20% off with the discount code Stylingo. Don’t say we don’t treat you! 😉

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ClaireSeptember 20, 2013

Currently Watching: eBay Wishlist

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: I bloody well love eBay! I always have at least twenty things in my ‘watching’ list, which I look at daily like a creepy Peeping Tom. A lot of stuff gets deleted once I go off it, but other bits lurk around there for weeks until I inevitably lose all willpower and make that transaction. Here are some of the things I’m currently lusting after:

1. Lipstick Storage Box – £2.99
2. Floral Jumper– £8.95
3. Tartan Scarf – £8.99
4. Platform PU Leather Chelsea Boots – £22
5. Lace Turban Headband – £2.00
6. 9 Piece Knuckle Stacker Rings – £1.85

An example of my piss poor willpower: in the few minutes it took me to write those prices down, I’ve just bought the jumper. The mind is willing but the flesh is weak.

What do you all think of these items? What are you watching on eBay at the moment?

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ClaireSeptember 18, 2013

Superbreak Competition | What to Wear on an Autumn City Break

Hey amigos! We’ve got something a bit different for you today in the form of a competition. Superbreak are offering the chance to win a city break for 2 to Paris, with a 4* hotel and travel included. I BEG YOUR PARDON?!

Now, we would absolutely freakin’ LOVE to win this competition. Not only because we’re huge fans of baguettes, garlic, men called Pierre and stereotyping…but also because it’s been over a year since the first and last ~~lesbian getaway~~ weekend city break we took together.

It was a magical day last year when we were bored at our old job and Lauren casually mentioned that she’d heard of someone getting a really cheap flight to Frankfurt and that we should do a trip somewhere sometime. The next thing you know, we had booked a trip to Brussels for five days later (and Drake thinks he invented yolo? Get real Drizzy) and were soon off on our merry way. We spent a few days desperately searching the city for a cup of English breakfast tea, doing tequila shots with vikings (who were actually very nice Norwegian boys, one of whom was a rapper) and ~~sightseeing~~ lurking around laughing at statues of urinating boys. It was a wild old time…we witnessed robbery and managed to use a map. Here are a few snaps from our adventures and as they would say in the old country, plane vodka is excellent vodka.

Now, onto the competition!

What to Wear – Day One

Sightseeing is a very tiring business and all that stained glass can take a toll on your eyeballs. With this in mind, city break daywear needs to be comfortable, practical but also tres stylish. Us Brits have a reputation to uphold as global fashionistas (apparently, although my collection of cow onesies begs to differ), so us homegirls have to be sure to be on the fash ball at all times. I’m thinking comfy flats, oversized coat and a dash of dark lipstick is an ideal way to make the foreign boys shout ‘zut alors’.

I’m a huge fan of these tartan trousers, they’re so wearable and genuinely perf for strolling around a city and looking at boring fountains etc. Pair with a simple white blouse, cut out comfy brogues and MEGA BLING. A hint of winter pastels and you are ready to rock not one but two of this season’s trends. Il en a bavé des ronds de chapeau!!

What to Wear – Evening

If you’re anything like us then your idea of sight-seeing in the evening will involve seeing the sights of the local cocktail bars, and potentially even the discotheque. Now, the most important thing to remember when dressing for a night out in a foreign city is that you’re representing England and Her Majesty the Queen. This means NO DRESSING LIKE A HOOCHIE. You just don’t know what’s acceptable in another country, and don’t want to risk someone shouting “sacre bleu! Have you seen le hussy over there?! She looks like she’s come straight off le Jeremie Kyle!” It’s a good idea, then, to play it safe in something glamorous but sophisticated.

With that being said, there is no reason why you can’t make your shoes and accessories scream “Bonjour, je suis jazzy!” Also, if your hotel or hostel has a curfew then you will definitely need a wristwatch to make sure you don’t get carried away grooving with the funky Europeans.

River Island Midi Dress | Missguided Block Heels | ASOS Hologram Clutch | Limit Chain Watch

What to Wear – Day Two

You might be feeling a bit fragile after your wild night of partying with Vikings (no, just us?) but that is no excuse to let things slip in the fashion stakes. Remember that this season is all about layers and texture, so throw on as much animal skin as you can while strolling around this wild terrain that is Paris. A wide-brimmed hat will also help you hide your bleary eyes.

More Advice

Here are a few other tips we have for your autumn city break:

try to learn a little bit of the language. If this fails you when you’re trying to order a sandwich in a cafe, then just start gesticulating wildly at bits of chicken. When you end up with a massively weird sandwich, just smile politely like the English simpleton you are
if anybody starts speaking to you who you don’t want to talk to, then pretend you’re a Sim. As they try to ask you where you’re from, just ramble on “aroose chilta? Picawo mellag! Abomba filu!” until they decide you’re too much of a lunatic to bother with and wander off
try to leave some soom in your bag when packing so you have plenty of room for all the snazzy European souveniers. You have no idea how upset I was to not be able to bring back a four-foot tall recreation of Brussels’ famous ‘Pissing Boy’ statue – it would have looked bloody lovely in our hallway

How to Enter

If you would like to enter this amazing competition with Superbreak then all you have to do is create a blog post around fashion advice for a city break in Autumn, including a link back to Superbreak’s city break page. Once this is done, submit your entry to superbreak.community@gmail.com and keep your fingers, toes and eyes crossed!

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ClaireSeptember 13, 2013

New Look’s A/W 2013 Denim Campaign

If in a few years time you’re asked to recall what major events happened in 2013, what will you say? That our future king was born? That the Pope quit? That Miley Cyrus became a full time hoochie? NO, you won’t say any of these things unless your priorities are completely out of whack. You will instead say that 2013 was the year of the denim revolution.

This summer, we saw denim enter our lives in ways which we might not have expected. I for one had a lifelong hope that denim skirts would NEVER make a comeback after the god-awful denim mini skirts of the early 00s (I think my sister actually had one with some sort of jewels on, though I’m hoping that was just a nightmare I had). But lo and behold, there I was in 2013 handing my money over to the fine people of Topshop in exchange for a denim skater skirt which I absolutely loved. Then when the 90s trend came along, dungarees came with it. Once again, I was left gobsmacked by the fact that people actually looked decent in them and not just like they were performing in a Dexy’s Midnight Runners tribute act, about to burst into a rousing chorus of ‘Come On Eileen’. Certainly, it was an exciting season for denim.

As we head into Autumn/Winter, our legs become chilly and thoughts inevitably start to turn to jeans. There was definitely a worry that the humble jeans could end up losing popularity now that we’ve experienced what life is like with their funkier denim cousins (if you didn’t have this worry then, again, you need to think about your priorities). Thankfully though, new Autumn/Winter denim ranges are starting to be released and BY JOVE, THEY’RE FUN.

New Look are one store who have just launched their new denim campaign. While they still have a range of denim shorts, jackets, dungarees and skirts to swoon over, it’s the jeans that have attracted my attention. In terms of fit and shape, there isn’t really anything revolutionary to report. The skinny jean is still king of all it surveys, with three variations hitting stores: the skinny, the highrise skinny and the super skinny. For those who like the skinny look but also want to feel like they can chow down on as many biscuits as they like (i.e. ME), jeggings are also featured strongly in the new campaign. And for those who just can’t get on with skinny denim, there’s the classic bootcut.

What’s really interesting about the new range, though, is what’s being done with texture and pattern. Coloured jeans seem to have taken a bit of a back seat this season. While there are still burgundy and electric blue hues around, pastels are firmly out (so sorry, lavender jeans, away you go). Instead it’s all about the finish of the jeans. Acid wash remains huge, but the new big cheese on the block (let’s all pretend that’s a real phrase please) is coated jeans. If you’re not quite brave enough for full leather trousers or disco pants, then coated jeans are the much more wearable take on the trend, and can be dressed up or down for effortless style.

As always, I’m SUPER impressed with New Look’s latest denim offerings. With leg lengths ranging from 28″-34″, they cater to all different shapes and sizes – even us teeny tiny hobbit girls. For a full look at their Autumm/Winter denim campaign, have a look at NL Daily.

What do you all think of the latest season’s denim trends?

ClaireSeptember 8, 2013

Outfit of the Day: Leather Sleeved T-Shirt Dress

T-shirt – Primark / Necklace – Primark / Boots – New Look / Socks – eBay

Merry Sunday everybody! So even though it was bloody FWEEZING last night and I actually debated putting the heating on, today has remained quite warm and it seems that summer’s determined to cling on for a while yet. However, we’ve already stated that here at Stylingo we’re feeling pretty over summer now (something which makes our friend Jade very angry, bahaha) and so I’m just not feeling very drawn to any of my summery dresses or denim bits at the moment. This outfit then, is my attempt at dressing weather-appropriate while still refusing to step back into the summery past.

I featured this t-shirt in my August haul post where I stated that I’d bought it a few sizes too big to wear it as a dress. I’m pleased to say that I think this kind of works, which means I’m wearing a dress that cost just £4. The boots are my beloved New Look babies (which keep getting lots of lovely compliments when I wear them, huzzah) paired with the cheapy little lace socks I included in my eBay haul.

This is also the first time that my new white(ish) locks have been featured in an OOTD – what do you all think?

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ClaireAugust 15, 2013

Autumn/Winter Trends: Wishlist.

Claire and I are definitely being those girls at the moment. We have decided that summer is officially on it’s way out (even though I tried to wear I chunky knit to work today and may have somewhat melted) and it is now time to get properly excited about autumn/winter. Even though we live together, work together and generally see far too much of each other, we’ve somehow not run out of things to say to each other. This has been especially true this week, where we have spent approximately 100000000* hours discussing how we’re going to work the autumn/winter trends and what things we’re going to look at buying.

I must admit, I have been quite worried about the autumn/winter trends. So worried in fact, that I had a nightmare I dressed head to toe in tartan last night and Kate Moss told me I looked like a genuine fool (which is probably something that would actually happen if I ever met K Mossy). After some hyperventilating, a few cups of tea and some soothing head patting by Claire, I’m feeling a bit more positive NAY EVEN EXCITED about things to come. So excited that I’ve put together my wishlists for each trend, even though most high street stores haven’t revealed their autumn/winter collections yet. WHOOPS, I’m keen. Call this a autumn/winter trend sneak peak if you will (you probably wont), but here’s what I’m thinking of investing in this autumn/winter.

Does anyone else have that problem of not really loving a trend but then coming round to it as soon as it’s going out of fashion? SNORE. This happens to me constantly. For example, I have finally decided that I like creepers approximately 2 years late. With this in mind, I have started convincing myself that I like the tartan trend months in advance so I’m prepared for the new season. I think I might have become as obsessed with it as I am with neon at the moment, so I’m going to be seriously investing in some key tartan pieces when the time comes! Oh to own that Cambridge satchel…anyone want to lend a homegirl £140?

I’m a bit dubious of the autumn/winter PVC trend but I’m willing to embrace it with rubbery arms, provided things don’t get too prostitutey.

My theory is that winter pastels are going to be more on the ‘dusty’ side – with more grey tones in them that the bright summery pastels. This is definitely an autumn/winter trend that I’m looking forward to! Apparently I’m really excited to wear lilac.

WELL. These are just the top three autumn/winter trends that I’m looking forward to! I’m also really keen for oversized coats, metallics (sorry Claire) and wearing dark plum lipstick again.

What do you all think? Have you got any trends you’re excited about?

ClaireJuly 4, 2013

Primark Autumn/Winter 2013 Collection: Best and Worst

Lauren and I make no secret of the fact that we love Primark. It was therefore with great fervour that I rushed to Look’s website to have the first peek at the new Autumn/Winter 2013 collection. The items aren’t due to launch in stores til August, but going into Primark is like going into battle (hands up who’s had a pushchair try to plough over them like a tank?) and so strategic planning is necessary.

Primark seems to have gone up a lot in people’s estimations recently, with many saying that their S/S 2013 collection and the pieces available on ASOS were all indicative of them really upping their game. So what do we make of the A/W collection?

To put it bluntly, I’m not hugely impressed. I don’t think this is anything personal against Primark, rather I just don’t think this winter is going to be very ‘me’ in general. I was a big fan of last year’s gothic-inspired stuff, but I think this winter I was hoping to see something a bit more cheerful. Alas, no. It’s all doom and bloody gloom again.

Dominatrixes, rejoice! Leather looks set to hang around. I do normally like leather, but a lot of the pieces this season have a crackled, patent finish that I’m not a fan of. I do like the mixing of textures on the leather, varsity-esque jumper though, so hopefully there’ll be some more bits like that that I can scoop up.

Another key look seems to be tartan. Again, I’m not a fan. Unless tartan is coming at me in the form of James McAvoy in a kilt ready to cart me off for a traditional Scottish wedding then I’ll leave it, ta. Lauren and I have discussed it at length (I do wonder how we still have jobs) and she thinks a pair of tartan trousers could work, while I’m willing to maybe try a tartan scarf if I absolutely have to. In the name of blogging, of course.

As we move onto the accessories in the collection, my sense of bewilderment begins to border on anguish. What are these cheap, be-jeweled pieces? I love statement jewellery, but the only things these seem to state is ‘hiya, I’m crap’.

Next, the shoes. Someone please explain to me when it suddenly became okay for heels to be this height? And slingback? And pointy-toed? Oh Yahweh, please take me from this world because I do not want to exist anymore.

FINALLY, there are some things that I do actually like. And what I do like, I like a lot. All of these are simply delightful:

And I’m sure once it all actually arrives there will be plenty of other pieces that I love in store. If not, then I’ll still be sporting neon and mesh and refusing to accept that S/S has ended, so please just bear with me through this difficult time.

What do you all think of the Primark’s A/W 2013 collection? Which pieces do you like?

ClaireJune 21, 2013

Outfit of the Day: Neon Yellow and Acid Wash.

Hello all you spiffing gals and potential alien fashionistas (we’re big on Jupiter according to Google Analytics).

This is just a tiny little OOTD post to give you all a look at some of my favourite bits of clothing at the moment as well as what I wore out for dinner earlier in the week. Because clearly while squeezing myself into Topshop’s acid wash jeans, a small voice said “yeah this is ok Lauren, have a MASSIVE pizza from Pizza Express. You won’t regret it”. SCREW YOU SMALL VOICE. There is no need for you. Go home. You are drunk.

Moving on, these jeans are my all time favourite. I find the super soft jeans by Toppers simply marvy, they fit really well and don’t feel bulky at all (which is something I hate from regular jeans). The only downside is that they don’t last brilliantly long because the material is so thin. Forking out £40 for a new pair every few months is a bit of a kick in the boob. They’re also not the most forgiving in lighter colours, but who the hell cares?! Embrace your shape, wear what you want and say YOU’RE LAME to the haters

I also recently bought this top from Primark and it has been a firm favourite in my wardrobe since then. It’s nothing particularly special but it fits nicely (kind of a baggy boyfriend fit) and the roll sleeves add a bit of interest. The colour is BRILLIANT and on trend, so I feel super snazzy and bright. There’s something about yellow that just makes you feel sunshiney and happy so it ticks the perky boxes for me. It’s also £3.50, so I’m going to invest in a load more next time I’m in town. It would be rude not to right?!

I paired my jeans and tshirt with a pair of cream heels from Forever 21, which are eons old but SO comfortable. I wanted to jazz up the outfit a bit since it was all looking a bit too casual. A leopard clutch and a gold chain and I was ready to go and drink mid-priced cava and munch on polenta chips.

Here is my face too, it was a bit of a nightmare hair situation because I’d put on some raw coconut oil as a mask before showering and didn’t wash it out properly, so my hair was a bit flat and mad. Other than that, this is a pretty standard face/hair situation for me!

ClaireJune 19, 2013

The Best Sites to Find A Fashion Bargain.

I feel like I may be giving everyone the wrong (or right) impression of me here on Stylingo. With posts like my guide to the best cheap makeup products out there at the moment and various other references to being a bargain hunter, I do think you might all see me as some kind of homeless penny pincher. This is kind of true to an extent (apart from the homeless bit). I’m still looking forward to the day that I can shop in Topshop without feeling horribly guilty and I have discovered that being a grown up means you have to buy boring things like food instead of a new pair of shoes, SNORE.

For this reason (and making sure we can afford tequila, vodka and other important things), Claire and I tend to always be on the hunt for a bargain. Claire is officially the queen of eBay and impresses me daily with her bidding action and I physically can’t say no to something that is on offer. We tend to do a fair bit of shopping, I mean client research, online at work because it’s convenient, so we have actually become quite the experts at where to find cheap clothes and products, how to obtain a fashion bargain and what the best way to save money online is. And because I’m such a kind and giving person, I’m sharing this list with y’all.

eBay

It’s not a huge surprise that this is at the top of my fashion bargain list! You can buy pretty much everything from eBay and it’s a great place to check for second hand gems. Over the years, I have accumulated quite a lot from eBay but probably the best buy I got was a pair of baby pink Hunter wellies for £20. The eBay shops are also brilliant and they often do things that are on sites like boohoo.com or missguided.com. Claire and I have come to the conclusion that eBay shops and some online fashion retailers have the same supplier, but often the eBay version is cheaper. It’s worth having a look what’s available; we have our eyes on the platform block heeled boots that are everywhere at the moment.

Asos Marketplace

This has a similar vibe to eBay, but is run through Asos and is a bit more upmarket. There isn’t a bidding system but it is a place that many people sell second hand items. Asos impose strict quality control, not only on the clothes themselves, but also on how people sell them (you have to post pictures that have been taken outside etc!). You do have to have a bit of a root around, but you can really find a great bargain for really high quality and fashion forward stuff!

Blog Sales

If you’re a frequent reader of blogs (which chances are you are, if you’re reading this!), you may have noticed that a lot of bloggers do personal blog sales. This is usually to get rid of any unwanted products or clothes and it’s a brilliant way to get a bargain from one of your favourite bloggers. They sell anything from high end products to cheap clothes, so it really is worth having a look at what bloggers are selling.

Cheaper online options:

I’m definitely not knocking missguided.co.uk, boohoo.com or any other online retailer. I’m actually a massive Missguided fan and I tend to check there before anything where I’m looking for an outfit. HOWEVER, it is worth saying that there are other alternatives online that sell exactly the same thing for a cheaper price. Similar to the eBay shop situation, a lot of these online shops appear to have the same wholesaler and you can usually pick up a bargain if you’re prepared to have a good root around. Some examples of cheaper alternatives include:

OMG Fashion
Fashion Union
Mary Jane Fashion
Karma Clothing
Daisy Street
Desire Clothing

It just goes to show what a difference a quality model, good styling and a good marketing strategy can make!

Online shopping tips:

It is amazing to find a bargain on the internet, but buying cheap clothes online can also be a bit disappointing. You do have to be a bit more shrewd when it comes to choosing what you buy, because you can’t check out the quality, fit and real life colours for yourself. Over my internet shopping years, I’ve picked up quite a few handy tips so I thought I’d do a little addition to this post to share them and make your online shopping experience that much more magical.

1. Check the sizing! Claire did a really good post a few weeks ago on vanity sizing and what high street size you really are, which really highlighted the size differences between shops. Also, a lot of the cheaper shops do basic sizes like ‘S/M’ or ‘M/L’. This is slightly bizarre, because I am most definitely a ‘M’, whereas Claire is definitely a ‘S’. There is no way I’d fit into her teeny tiny jeans for example, just as she wouldn’t fit into one of my bodycon dresses. It’s worth really thinking about the garment you’re planning on buying and deciding whether basic sizing is going to have an impact. For an oversized jumper, basic sizing wouldn’t really matter but for tighter fitting clothes, you may want to try and check the measurements. Of course, you can always return something if it doesn’t fit properly, but that’s a faff and aint nobody got time fo’ dat.

2. Check the country! If you’re buying on eBay or other auction sites, it’s really important to check where the item you’re buying is being delivered from. Sometimes, the really cheap stuff is from the US, China or other international places, which can mean that delivery costs will be high. In the end, you might not actually save that much money. International items also take a lot longer to ship, so you might need to think about whether you can wait a few weeks for that must-have to arrive.It can be worth it though, I bought 60 pairs of eyelashes from Hong Kong for about £7. They took a while to arrive but really were a bargain!

3. Research voucher codes! Most online shoppers will be aware that brands often put out codes that offer money off, free delivery or other special offers. These can be amazing and are really worth taking advantage of when you can find them. I often find these on Twitter or Facebook, but you can use great sites like Fashion Vouchers. These let you search through various categories and find what offers are on at the moment. If you’re shopping from a regular high street store, there really is no reason not to find what voucher codes are out there.

SO. That is my rather long winded post on what good websites for cheap fashion are available out there in the big scary mystery that is the internet, as well as a few online shopping tips because I am just feeling pretty generous today ;). What do you all think? Have you got any other tips to add?