Simplicity ft Topshop

A catch up

 

Simple Summer Layers

Pale and Spotty

  

Thrifty Easter

A simple Easter outfit with a splash of colour. The jumper I am wearing is from a charity shop, but the fit was a little off, so I decided to cut it into a crop. I do love finding bargains especially in thrift stores, I sort of feel like I have achieved a little more than when I am just looking through a high-street shop sales. I think its probably because you are never guaranteed to find anything on trend, and for me, because it has been previously loved, I don't seem to mind so much taking a pair of scissors to it! New clothes however, are a different story and I cannot quite bring myself to hack at them, whether in the sale or not. I know this is probably because I liked the item enough to buy it as it was. There is however, one downside to buying charity shop clothes... The smell. I think I had to hand wash this jumper about five times before it stopped smelling of roast dinners and bingo halls. 
I hope you have enjoyed you Easter
Hollie x

Jumper- Charity Shop

Skirt- Zara

Leather Jacket- H&M

Boots- Garage

Repeat

  

Being a fashion/personal style blogger, it is easy to think that you can not be pictured in the same outfit or even the same item twice. This of course is stupid, and unsustainable, apart from the money, think of the space. My poor boyfriend already has to keep all of his clothes in the spare room as I have taken all the room in the wardrobes (yes, plural). Its for a greater good, he understands... I think. However, until I started my blog this was a thought I was often guilty of, and the main reason for this... Facebook. Yes, I was one of those people who hated to be pictured in the same outfit twice and rather sadly, I would delete old pictures if I was pictured wearing the item again (how fun my life must have been). Strangely however, when I deleted my personal Facebook and started my blog showing my personal style, I began to realize how silly I was. Not only was I wasting money, but I was effectively collecting a vast amount of clothes that I loved, but felt I couldn't wear again. Is there a point to this ramble? Yes, last week I posted a blog of myself wearing a gingham shirt here and here I am wearing it again. Today in fact, my whole outfit is made up of pieces I have worn in previous posts, 'dun dun dunnnn' if only my 2009 self could see me now!
Hollie x 
P.s Sorry about the pictures. The wind was crazy, so it was hard to get one with out it looking like I was eating my hair. 

Shirt- Charity Shop

Skirt-  Charity Shop

Leather Jacket- Topshop

Heels- Primark

Gingham

 

Fashion month feels like a million years ago, but that still hasn't stopped me indulging in all things aesthetically pleasing and bankruptcy inflicting. I am so glad I have the sense not to have a credit card, even if it is just for an emergency, because I would deem the Saint Laurent glitter boots as a life saving purchase!
With my purchase itchy fingers firmly locked onto my keyboard I have spent more than a couple of hours scrolling through websites, twitter and instagram to get my fix! The internet never disappoints my fashion needs! So, after a month of feasting my eyes on next season's trends you can imagine I became quite fixated on updating my wardrobe with a few key pieces. However, after what only can be described as divine intervention I decided to look through my trusty wardrobe and see what I could pull through to this season. While having a rummage I came across a gingham shirt that I had worn in a previous post here and decided to try style it a little differently. 
What do you think? Are there any key trends you might be buying into this season?
Hollie x

Shirt- Charity shop

Skirts- Zara

Shoes- Matalan

Tartan

 

As you can probably tell from these pictures I am still not over tartan and my new dress from Ark is definitley extending this obsession with the print. To add some much needed warmth to this outfit I added an embellished jumper I bought from a charity shop. 
Hollie x

Dress- Ark clothing

Jumper-Charity Shop

Boots- Topshop

Casual Friday

 

 

A simple casual outfit for a laid back Friday. Enjoy your weekend. 

Hollie x

Coat- Reiss

Jumper-Vintage

Jeans- Vintage Levis 501

Boots- Topshop

Staples Pieces

 

   

So often I hear the phrase 'its an investment' or 'its a staple piece', more often than not the phrase is coming out my mouth and I am often justifying to myself another piece of clothing that I don't really need. So, with these phrases in mind I started to think what actually makes a piece of clothing a 'staple item'? I started thinking about this today when I was deciding what to wear and I came across a black tweed blazer I bought using the exact two phrases above. The truth is I have probably worn the blazer three times, which for the price I paid, does not justify it! After getting over the slight pang of guilt I feel every time I don't wear an expensive item, I started to quandary why I thought the piece would be a 'staple item' what makes any item a 'staple' and with the rate fashion changes, is any item no matter how timeless really a 'staple'? (Could I say staple any more in the last sentence?). You may admire the cut of a piece, or the designer, but there will probably be a point were it sits in your wardrobe and you admire it, but don't wear it. I think I probably do this with a lot of my clothing and honestly I don't know why they sit there waiting to be worn especially as there supposedly 'staples' and I should be wearing them weekly. Really though, what I am waiting for? I am not a child, I wont spill my dinner on them or play in the mud (I promise). I know exactly why I bought the blazer, because I thought it would make any outfit more put together, but more specifically it's what I had heard/read or saw and finally I caved and thought I 'should' have it. I know, I know shame on me for buckling under the pressure of a well placed magazine article, but I started thinking 'why don't I have a blazer?', instead of 'will I ever wear the blazer?' With me, there is always the fear that I will think of the perfect outfit and not have the item in my wardrobe, I think that's why I don't throw items away, maybe the phrase 'staple' is also just another way of me justifying my hoarding habit.
I sometimes think maybe its the colour that makes an item a 'staple'. For example, I seem to wear a lot of black, but then my blazer is black and I hardly ever wear it, perhaps if you have to justify an item to buy it you sort of deem it practical, which is fine, but shouldn't you love each piece of clothing you own? And if you don't, why is it still hanging in your wardrobe? Maybe that's why I don't wear the blazer a lot, my heart just wasn't in it when I bought it, I thought I needed a blazer in my wardrobe, not, 'I love this item I need to have it'. After reading this back I think I am being a bit harsh on my poor blazer, maybe it is just the items time to wait it out until I forget it was bought for practical reasons and fall back in love with it. So, what other items would I truly deem as a staple in my wardrobe... It varies, give me a couple of months and it well might be my black blazer.
Do you have a staple item in your wardrobe? Or like me do you go through different phases?
On a totally unrelated matter here is what I wore today all black but still not 'staples'... well not yet!
Hollie x

Dress-Charity Shop

Shoes-River Island

Jumper- http://www.culture-vulture.co.uk/

Does size matter?

  

  

Does size matter? I am talking about my micro clutch in case your mind drifted to... lets not go there. In the case of the micro clutch, I love it and I loath it, which is sort of like my feelings on tights and shorts but I will save that rant for another post. The whole concept of the micro clutch is a total contradiction, because when I argue my points against it they are often the reasons why I love it. For example; I can only fit my phone, keys and credit card in it. But on the other hand, that's all I need. Its small enough to get lost easily, however, it has a wrist strap so will never not be on my persons. It is too small to add any drama to my outfit, however, it is small enough to make a statement. I could go on and talk myself in and out of love with this item. One thing is for sure, it is more of an occasional bag for me... as in the odd occasion I don't need my diary or car keys or lipstick or any other secrets I keep in my bag, it really is like Mary Poppins' canvas bag sometimes. Saying this, I have noticed a few micro clutches making appearances at this seasons fashion weeks. Maybe I am missing a trick and most people have a bigger bag waiting off camera and a chauffeur driven car to take them to their next destination. One thing I will say about the Micro clutch is, it is sort of like a hat, great with some outfits, but not something you would wear with everything.
So today was an occasion I decided to go minimalistic on the bag front. To add a juxtaposition to my clutch I worked the oversized trend. What do you think about the micro-clutch? Or is it an impractical trend too far?
Hollie x

Skirt-Charity Shop

T-shirt-Charity Shop

Shirt-Charity shop

Boots- Topshop

Micro Clutch-Mischa Barton