Tuesday 28 January 2014

The Checked Scarf

"Dress gives one the outward sign from which people in general can, and often do, judge upon the inward state of mind and feelings."
H.M. The Queen

I've said it time and time again, I love wearing green with blue; that's any shade of green with any shade of blue. Today I decided to team up lime with cobalt (my favourite shade of blue) and navy. I finished off the ensemble with simple gold jewellery and a scarf combining all of the colours I'm wearing. 

 Blue Blazer - Forever 21 (alternative here)
Necklace - ASOS (buy here)
V Neck Ribbed Tee - ASOS (buy here)
Watch - Michael Kors (buy here)
Bangle - Michael Kors (buy here)
Navy Jeans - Miss Selfridge (similar here)
Green Bag - Michael Kors (alternative here)
Blue Pointed Courts - Topshop (alternative here)



Photography - Gerrod Charles
Styling - Rita Okpuru
Hair - The Hair Shack


SHARE:

Saturday 25 January 2014

Simplicity and Elegance: The Full Skirt

"Don't be in to trends. Don't make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way you live."
- Gianni Versace

Today I thought I try something a little different, a little more grown up and sophisticated. I'd been eyeing this full skirt from ASOS for a little while and finally got it. I teamed it up with a basic red knit and gold jewellery. What looks great with red and black, my favourite... leopard print. I got the bag and matching shoes a few months ago, I think they put my mark on the ensemble and also add a bit of fierceness. 

Top - H&M
Belt - ASOS
Skirt - ASOS (buy here)
Shoes - Philip Armstrong for Matalan (buy here)
Bag - Philip Armstrong for Matalan (buy here)
Bangle - Michael Kors (buy here)
Watch - Michael Kors (buy here)


Photography - Gerord Charles
Styling - Rita Okpuru
Hair - The Hair Shack








SHARE:

Thursday 23 January 2014

PRODUCT REVIEW: Michael Kors Large Selma Top-Zip Satchel

I'd been eyeing the Black Saffiano Leather Selma bag from Michael Kors for a little while and finally decided to buy it - a treat to myself on securing a new job. That was back in September 2013, quite a few months ago. I'd actually been meaning to do a review but thought I'd use the bag for a few months before sharing my thoughts. 

Selma Bag with matching Jet Set Continental Saffiano Wallet

The bag is an ideal size for everyday wear; not too large or to small. It fits my everyday essential; keys, phone, purse, umbrella and small make-up bag and there's still space to fit more in. In fact the bag fits quite a lot in, much more than I expected it would. From afar the bag looks quite compact (I love this, no one wants a bulky looking over-sized bag... well I don't), quite deceiving as the shape of the bag actually allows the bag to  fit in a lot. 

Measurements - Height 10", Width 13" and Depth 6".

Worn in my Smart Stripes Blog Post

I decided to go for the black Selma as I knew I'd get a lot of wear out of it - when buying stuff  I've adopted the pay per wear logic in deciding whether or not a purchase is justified; if it's expensive but I will wear or use it often then it's worth it. This purchase was definitely justified - there's not a colour I can think of that doesn't go with black. Every lady needs a trusty black bag, whether it's for work, casual wear or for nights out - this bag is suitable for all occasions.

 Worn in my Religious Painting Skirt Blog Post

The bag is available in a variety of colours; tan, navy and white, just to name a few. At the moment I particularly like the forest green shade and the lipstick red, though they are often seen as festive colours I feel they both work throughout the different seasons. 

Matching Purse

The Selma bag is quite simple but very elegant in design, not too much is going on; it's classic. I think the main feature of the bag is its unique shape. The bag has fixtures and fittings in gold (also available in silver), embossed with the brands name. I particularly like its simple design with the gold branding which allows it to be worn on all different types of occasions.
The little details count

It has two tote handles and a removable shoulder strap, so can be worn in a number of ways. The shoulder strap can be adjusted, allowing it to be worn cross body. I prefer using the tote handles as oppose to the shoulder strap.
Worn in my Snow Leopard Blog Post

The exterior of the Selma is made from Saffiano leather, a material also used by Prada, Aspinal of London, Coach, DKNY and other big brands.

Saffiano leather is grained leather  that has been tanned. The rough cross hatch on the leather makes it fairly resistant to scratches and keeps it looking new for a long time. I've also realised that this type of leather copes better with the elements than other types of leather, especially in wet conditions. 

Inside the Selma

Saffiano leather is a lot harder than other types of leather (often said to remind people of plastic) - given its shape I think that this is the perfect material for the structured Selma bag. Softer leather wouldn't hold the shape of the bag as well. 

The base of the Selma

The inside of the bag has shiny MK monogram lining, 4 small open compartments and 1 zip compartment. Each of the small compartments are big enough to fit most mobile phones, card holders and other similar sized items. 

Worn in my Black and Simple Blog Post

I prefer to wear my bag smart casual, so I tend to wear it to work quite a lot and also on casual days, like out shopping or when meeting up with friends. I've teamed it up with very different looks on my blog.


Overall, I think that the bag is worth every penny, especially if you get it in black, navy or tan; as you'll probably wear it more often than other colours. I'd definitely recommend buying it over other leather bags, as it's of very good quality and will stand up to the elements for years to come. To preserve the bag I'd advise keeping it in the dust bag supplied. I'd also advise, should you opt for a lighten colour asking the sales adviser/assistant for a protector for it, as you wouldn't want to risk any colour transfer from your clothing. 


Check out the Michael Kors website for their new items.


SHARE:

Tuesday 21 January 2014

PRODUCT REVIEW: Primark Green Double Strap T Bar Heels

This is now the second time I’ve been impressed by shoes from Primark in the past few months (first time round I wrote a review about their Monochrome Heels). Ladies we can get bargain priced shoes that are both sexy and elegant at the same time. When I spotted these in their store a few weeks ago I just knew I had to get them, I’m a lover of all things green. I also spotted them on the Look website (Primark Shoes: The Look Edit) I’m so happy that I bought them, I can’t stress how beautiful and comfortable they are. What a steal at a mere £14! With my declaration of love for these shoes, it’s only right that I tell you why I love them so much…
Like I said I love green and prior to buying these shoes didn't own a single pair of green shoes. I had been looking for a nice elegant pair for a while but was unsuccessful in my search, I’d almost given up and then I found these, I was over the moon to say the least. 
The heel is actually not very high at just shy of 4", much lower than my usual 5 inch platforms. The height of the heel allows for the shoe to be worn on different types of occasions, formally if you'd like to wear them to the office and dressed up because they'd definitely complement a LBD and equally a trouser suit. The height of the heel increases the comfort of the shoe, allowing them to be worn for long periods of time.
Usually I have a problem with sizing as I'm a UK 4.5 and only a handful of stores in the UK actually offer shoes in this size. So I always end up buying shoes that are a little too big and stuff them with insoles to make the fit a little more snug and comfortable. These shoes being pointed come up a little big, so I was happy when the size 4 fit me perfectly. I'd advised going for your usual shoe size, but if you're a half size go for the size down.
There are two ankle straps each has 5 holes, so would fit both ladies with slender ankles and thicker ankles. The front of the shoes is not at all narrow, however I would suggest ladies with wider feet try on for sizing before purchasing. 

Though small I love the gold buckles on the shoe.  I love gold, gold accessories gold jewellery and gold buckles on shoes. If a shoes has to have a buckle it must be gold, what metallic colour goes better with green than gold no other I tell you. The buckle not only makes the shoe look better but also more expensive.

I really can't wait to wear these shoes out and think they'd look great with leather look leggings, leather trim blazer and a smart black structured bag. Look out for a outfit post for these shoes coming soon.

PROS
Comfortable
Affordable
On trend
Can be worn for many different occasions

CONS
Difficult to clean
SHARE:

Friday 10 January 2014

I Love Michael Kors

My new Saffiano Leather purse to match my Selma satchel

It was a little over 20 months ago when I went on holiday with the ladies to Miami and Jamaica, we went thinking that the holiday would be all about relaxing at the beaches and partying in the nightclubs, shopping was the last thing on our minds, we could do that back home in London. But hearing so many good reviews about the malls in Miami we decided to go and have a look to ascertain whether all the hype was justified -yes it was. 
The main man, New York based Fashion Designer, Michael David Kors.

I liked my DKNY watch but for the longest time I wanted something new, something bold. Looking around in Macy's I spotted exactly what I needed, it was big, gold and made a statement, very me and I needed it on my wrist. So as I do I followed my heart and bought my first Michael Kors item.
Michael Kors with celebrities Mary J Blige, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Hudson.

I'd heard of Michael Kors before, though I didn't know much about the designer. it wasn't until I got back to London that I had realised just how many people owned Michael Kors bags and watches. I decided to check out the website and couldn't believe my eyes, what had taken me so long. Bags, Footwear, Jewellery, the list went on - Michael Kors didn't just make watches but a whole load of other head turning items. The very first day I looked at the website was the start of my blossoming love for the brand.
A little bit of MK in a recent blog post of mine; 'Religious Painting Skirt'.

Today, I own two Michael Kors bags, a purse, a bangle and a watch. I have to say that from not knowing much about the rand 20 months ago it is now one of my most favourite brands. Its luxury items are not cheap but in actual fact it's not extremely expensive, the quality of the products are fantastic and of course the designs - especially of the bags, to die for. I've always said that my two favourite MK bags have to be the Selma and  the Hamilton, I'm so happy to own them both. However, I do quite like Miranda Tote, though it's almost 3 times the price of the Hamilton and Selma bags. 
I adore the S/S 2014 pieces MK has on the catwalk.. the palette is so earthy and pure.

I thought since I've declared my love for all things MK, why not explain why; so I've decided to write product reviews for each of my bags, which you can have a read of within the next fortnight... don't say I don't do anything for you.  
Unravelling my bright green Hamilton Tote.

Possibly my next MK bag.
SHARE:

Wednesday 1 January 2014

A Look Back At 2013

2013 was a good year for me, the year in which I started my blog. I decided to share my love for fashion with everyone and anyone, taking photos during my lunch breaks, on weekends and any time I had the chance, just to show you my personal style… what I’m wearing on a daily basis. 

Outfits of 2013 in Pictures
Best Outfits Of 2013

I love wearing black and leather a lot and I think I’ve shown that in my post this year, but I also love colour and bold colour at that. My style is always changing, it really depends on how I’m feeling at that moment in time, I don’t wear things just because they’re in trend I wear things because I think they complement my body shape and they make me look and feel good. Last year for me it was all about being comfortable whilst looking good, I didn’t care whether I was on trend or not.


It’s kind of hard to narrow it down but I think my three favourite outfits of 2013 have to be Monochrome Aztec Trousers (see here), Powder Pink (see here) and Black and Simple (see here). Ok… well I also have to include Religious Painting Skirt (see here), the photo shoot for the outfit was fun regardless of the fact it was freezing.
 

Best Purchase Of 2013
I’m always shopping, there’s always something I see that I say I need to purchase because my life wouldn’t be complete without it (hilarious I know)! But without a doubt, my best purchase of 2013 has to be my black Michael Kors Selma Bag. It neatened up so many of my outfits, in fact I don’t think the outfits would have looked as good with any other bag. Although it’s so simple it’s lush and so elegant, it actually inspired me to get the matching purse and a few other MK purses on Boxing Day… I’ll probably do a Brand Review for Michael Kors since I now own 2 bags, a watch, a purse and a bangle from the lush brand, just keep an eye out.

Product Reviews
I also decided to do product reviews of items I had purchased both online and on the high street. I thought it would be beneficial to provide detailed reviews, as most of the reviews you tend to find on retail websites are quite short and not many bloggers actually provide reviews. My most successful review has been on the Leigh Skinny Jeans from Topshop (see review here); it has been the most viewed blog post on my blog since it was published in May. In fact it’s one of the first results that pops up when you type in Leigh jeans review in Google, which is fantastic.


Best Events Of 2013
2013 was such an enjoyable year, I went to so many events; fashion events and amongst others. I particularly enjoyed going to London Fashion Weekend with my sister earlier in the year, it was my first time and I can definitely say I will be attending the next one. I managed to pick up a few bargain and got some great fashion tips.

Aside from fashion I love football being a big fan of Manchester United. I went to watch the Real Madrid vs. Man Utd legend game in early June, though we lost I can honestly say I had a great time watching still very talented players like Scholes, Yorke, Cole and Figo kicking the ball around.

I also went to a couple of concerts; watching the gifted Bruno Mars in London’s o2 and watching So Solid last ever concert in London’s Indigo2.


New Year Resolution
I don’t really make New Year resolutions because I never really stick to them, I usually forget about them after a couple of weeks. I think the only one I have stuck to I made a few years ago to join the gym and I’ve been going ever since. This year I’ve decided to keep them mainly Fashion and blog related; Wear more colours (I have a habit of including black in every outfit I wear) and worry less about what people think about what I’m wearing.  The later shouldn’t be a problem, but let’s see how long the former lasts. 


SHARE:
Blogger Template Created by pipdig