Flying Solo

Hat: Topshop. Blouse: c/o Scarlett Fashion. Shorts: Vintage Levis. Shoes: Topshop. Satchel: c/o LYDC.

Although it’s quite clear that Autumn has arrived, a coat isn’t necessary at all times. Especially not when you have such a pretty blouseto show off. I think navy is going to play a big part in my winter wardrobe, I’d sort of forgotten about blue and how much I love it! I’ve also wanted to get my hands on a satchel for about a million years, but haven’t really found one that I thought was very ‘me’ – until I spotted this beauty. I’m not a huge fan of solid colour satchels unless they’re really old, distressed leather, so this one sprung out at me straight away. I absolutely love the deep red and chocolate brown detailing, it helps to give the bag a bit of depth instead of looking too blocky.

Now the weather is cooling down I’m starting to get the holiday itch. This time last year I was getting myself excited for Australia and this year will certainly be a case of the winter blues. That’s why I was so excited when Explora Morocco let me know about their latest competition to win a week’s holiday learning to kitesurf in the Atlantic! I’m a bit of a wimp so have never tried anything like this before, but it sounds amazing – like surfing with added wind power. I’m definitely going to be entering to see if I can bag myself a winter trip away and even if you don’t get first prize there’s still a 6 hour course up for grabs as well as 10 runner up prizes. It’s a bit of a no brainer really – if you want to enter to you can do so here! Let me know if you do :)

And if you fancy it, you can shop my look here...

Brought to you in association with Exlpora Morrocco

Autumn Sunshine

Coat: Vintage (similar here). Bag: DSUK c/o LYDC.Ray-Bans: c/o Shade Station. Shoes: Topshop (similar here). 

I’m not one to tell fibs (well, not regularly anyway) and I wasn’t about to sit around and pretend I wasn’t bloomin’ excited that summer might be over.  Don’t get me wrong I do love the sun and that everyone is so much jollier when it’s got it’s hat on, but I don’t really ‘enjoy’ summer clothing. I’m much more interested in my autumn/winter wardrobe and could not WAIT to whip out a coat!

Admittedly this is my mother’s coat - one she picked up at a vintage market for £7 a few years ago (you might say we’re quite the bargain hunters) but I’m blogging it all the same. It was rather nippy yesterday and I was staying at my parents so raided Mute’s wardrobe for something warm to wear before we popped out on a jolly. Needless to say she wasn’t impressed when I pranced out in this little beauty, but there was no chance I was taking it off. Oddly, the sun was still fierce so I was in need of some sunnies and having just received my first ever pair of Ray-Ban’s I whipped them out and off we went. It probably sounds ridiculous but it’s crazy how much difference it makes having higher-end sunglasses. They feel a zillion times sturdier than my £5 Primark pair I’ve been sporting this summer and actually manage to stay put on my little pea head without slipping halfway down my face every second and giving me a roaring headache like most do!

So, oversize coats and sunglasses combined are my way of stating that I rather like being chilly, but the sun must stay put. Agreed?

Looking for your winter coat? You can shop my look here...

Vintage vs. You

Hat: Topshop. Blouse: Urban Outfitters. Necklace: Kirsteen Stewart. Belt: Vintage. Skirt: Cow. Bag: Cow. Brogues: ASOS

There is nothing I enjoy more with fashion than dressing new with old, loved with pristine. It certainly helps to add dimension to the way you dress and there’s a sweet satisfaction with wearing vintage - knowing you’re the only person in the world who owns that piece of clothing. Another thing I always seem to find is that clothes just fit so much better; it’s like the more we’ve evolved with fashion the worse we seem to manufacture and good quality fabric, sewing and structure are so important for pieces you are going to love and cherish for years to come. Let’s face it, you couldn’t exactly hand down a Primark dress to your granddaughter, so my question is, when it can cost the same to shop vintage as it can high street why aren’t we doing it more?!

Teaming my new brogues and last winter’s Urban Outfitters blouse with a vintage belt, bag and skirt I feel like a new-age 80’s chick. Cow, is a vintage shop I first discovered when I lived in Nottingham, their stores are gorgeous and their collection certainly doesn't disappoint. They seem to have every item of clothing you could ever dream of and at the most affordable prices. This bag is in excellent condition and the skirt is the comfiest, softest little number I’ve owned in years - and don't get me started on the print, I'm just too in love.

Do you shop vintage? And if so...do you too enjoy mixing it up with high street picks? 

Fantastically Wonderful Advertisers | August 2013

image source

Every month I have some rather lovely people tucked in my sidebar. And you guessed it, the time has come to have a little chat about how wonderful they are..

How She Wears It
Tasha is a blogger from over the pond in NYC (uber jealous). You can expect posts about beauty and fashion along with the off YouTube video thrown in for good measure. Her make-up is FLAWLESS and I particularly love watching her tutorials. This one being a firm favourite - I mean how amazing do her lips look!! She is definitely an undiscovered talent, so what are you waiting for? GO GO GO!

Hello Freckles
Tasha, you had me at the blog name *swoons*. This girl is such a natural beauty, I look at her skin and lovely little face and think 'I want to steal it'. Yes, you'll find beauty and fashion posts here. But you'll also see a lot of life-y things too, which I bloomin' love. For example her playlist posts where you can discover music you perhaps hadn't before. Gah what can I say...GIRL CRUSH.

Olive and Frank
This beauty of a shop has been with Wonderful You for as long as I can remember. I'm sure if you haven't already hopped on over to this vintage inspired haven that you will be pleasantly surprised at the amazing variety of pieces and affordability. There isn't an item in this shop that I wouldn't wear and to achieve that as a brand is pretty awesome, non? Gimme it all!!

I hope you found some new reads and purchased yourself a pair of these badboys!  I'm off to get stuck in to these scrumptious ladies latest posts and swoon over clothing I really shouldn't (but will be) buying.

Don't forget - if you'd like to advertise your blog or shop with me all packages are available here for your viewing! 

Style Challenge with ASOS & Urban Outfitters | How to Style a Denim Jacket - 5 Ways!

Denim Jacket: c/o Urban Outfitters & ASOS. Bag: Urban Outfitters. Top: Mums undies! Disco Pants: American Apparel. Boots: TK Maxx

I had an email come through a few weeks ago from one of the lovely ladies at ASOS Fashion Finder HQ asking if I’d like to participate in their ‘Ones to Watch’ feature. After picking my jaw up from the floor and doing a celebratory dance around my room I of course replied and said ‘yes please!’

The feature was to style a piece from Urban Outfitters vintage collection in 5 different ways. I chose this beast of a denim jacketand the task was actually much harder than I had first anticipated, but I gave it my best and you can see the results here.

I thought I would share my favourite of the 5 styles in a full outfit post – y’know give that jacket the recognition it deserves. When I picked the jacket off the website I wasn’t aware that the sizes came up big and went for a small. When it arrived and would quite clearly fit a grown 6ft man I panicked – but when I slipped it on I absolutely fell in love. I think it goes to show that you never know with fashion and that’s why it’s so fun to take risks, because sometimes they can pay off (well, I hope it has anyway!)

I hadn’t pulled my disco pants out for a while so teemed with my mum’s old underwear (who would wear this top as undies can I just ask?), my velvet ankle boots and Aztec backpack I’m quite enjoying the grungy, biker girl feel.

I’d really love to know what you think of the 5 different looks and which one is your favourite :)

Do you own a denim jacket? How do you style yours?

Paisley & Pins

Blouse: c/o Beloved. Shorts: Levi Vintage. Necklace: c/o Kirsteen Stewart Bag: Zara. Hat: Topshop. Flip Flops: Primark

Next week I am off to #VintSetFest hosted by the gorgeous girly Charlotte from the Vintage Set. I'm super excited to meet more bloggers and have a sneak peek at some of the vintage goodness Charlotte has coming up for her shop. 
I'm thinking that if the weather is still roasty toasty like it is at the moment then this is what I shall wear. This beaut paisley blouse from Beloved is so lightweight it just hangs beautifully and the print is one of my absolute favourites, can't beat a bit of paisley can you?! I haven't worn my vintage Levi's in forever and to be honest, I think I've popped on a few pounds as they're getting a liiiiiittle bit tight around the tum area! (I'm not complaining). I am head over heels for this necklace from Kirsteen Stewart - it is so beautifully and intricately made and is such a statement piece. I've been wearing it every day since I got it! ALSO why on earth have my arms not seemed to tan at all but my legs have? I look a bit ridiculous really...

On another note - moving in to our house has meant that blogging has had to take a bit of a back seat, so I hope the sporadic posts (or lack of) haven't been too poopy and now we're starting to get settled I'll be able to throw myself back in to it - and YouTube! 
This weekend is my birthday night out and I'm having a bit of a dilemma about what to wear - thinking I may need to hit the shops Saturday morning in a panic buying spree....
How is your week going? Are any of you coming along to #VintSetFest? It would be lovely to meet some of your faces :)

A Roc'n Birthday

Over the weekend, I turned [gasp] 31.  Cough. Cough.

I just kept telling people I was celebrating the tenth anniversary of my 21st birthday.  Ha!  There is something a little unsettling about officially being IN my thirties...but I have to say, 31 isn't looking so bad after all.  

I had the best day celebrating!

I spent the afternoon at Beau Monde Salon and Spa in Victor.  I got a massage with Sonia and then a blow out with Jordan.  Both of them are fantastic.  I'm a repeat customer.  Love, love, love!  They both come highly recommended. 

Here is what I wore for my birthday dinner at the Erie Grill with the hubs:

Get outfit details here.

Here is a close up of my fab 1940s-inspired 'do by Jordan.  He rocks.

Fast forward to dinner...

Here I am enjoying some complimentary bubbly at the Erie Grill.  See that smile?  That's the face of someone who was just given a pretty spectacular spa-day gift card for the Spa at the Delmonte by her fantastic husband.  Can't wait to use that baby!

It was our first time dining at the Erie Grill and we were really impressed with everything.  The atmosphere was great.  We enjoyed a drink at the bar as we watched the sun set over the canal.  The food was some of the best I've had in Rochester.  Everything I ate was delicious - the beet salad was spectacular, the cioppino to-die-for, and the flour-less chocolate cake was pure heaven.  The Erie Grill is definitely being added to our ever-growing list of favorite restaurants in Rochester.

So, yeah, I might be getting old, but at least I'm doing it with style and discovering all the best that Rochester has to offer!

xoxo

Jenny

PS- This is what my hair looked like the next day:

Not too shabby huh?  You seriously need to schedule a blowout with Jordan.  He's the best.  And his shampoos - well, you'll just have to experience one to know what I mean ;)

Louis Vuitton Wanna-Be

This amazing vintage dress I picked up for $5 is slightly reminiscent of the Louis Vuitton checkered “it” dress of the season, no? For now it’s as close as I can get to actually owning one of those amazingly brilliant dresses that descended down the escalator during the label’s Spring 2013 show, and has since been spotted in every editorial...ever. (Checkers are in. We get it.) Still…a girl can dream, right? But, as I was poring through the pages (ads) of Vogue last night, dreaming about the day when my closet would be filled to the brim with “real deal” Louis (instead of a thrifted wanna-be) and Prada and Marc and McQueen and Wang…I realized that I was actually annoying myself. Because you know what I find frustrating? The fact that advertising and the media seems to have tricked us into thinking we are all just “temporarily broke millionaires”. I mean, aren’t you? Don’t you one day plan on being, well…rich? Sure you do. I did. But I decided to get over myself and stop being a temporarily broke millionaire and just be a person instead; a person who is content with the present. Being happy and head-over- heels in loooove with my wanna-be Louis Vuitton dress is just my way of sticking it to the man, ya know? And also like, I don’t think I can hang with the 1% club…cuz they seem kiiiiiiinda douchey; albeit very well-dressed and LOADS of fun to party with. (My accusation of douche-baggery is based solely on my new Love-To-Hate-It blog: Rich Kids of Instagram.)

Vintage dress. Vintage pumps. Target hat.

Until next time,

Brittany

Daisy Day

Dress: Ever Ours. Sandals: F-Troupe. Bag: Zara. Belt: Vintage

Hallelujah for the amazing weather we had over the weekend. I know every British blogger and his/her dog will be waffling on about how wonderful the weather was and no, I won’t be an exception!

The absolute beaut that is Kim from Ever Ours kindly sent me this little flowery number and her timing couldn’t have been more perfect. I absolutely HATE my legs but I was sweltering in my tights come 12pm yesterday so I had to whip them off and get the pasty pins out. I am head over heels in love with this dress – A. It’s swishy, B. It has daisies on it and C. It is so girly it may as well come with a tiara (that’s a good thing btw). The fabric is just light enough to wear in hotter weather, but thick enough that I’m going to be able to team it with some chunky boots and tights in the winter. But my favourite part has to be the sleeves, it’s cut perfectly and it’s an absolute steal at only £18.

Daniel and I spent our weekend house hunting (we found a rather dreamy cottage, I shall keep you posted), going to the gym (I know, I’m surprised at myself) and taking a little trip to Foxton Locks before visiting some friends for drinks. It was rather lovely to be honest and very chilled – just what I needed as I’ve been feeling a little overwhelmed with life in general as of late.

I couldn’t wait to put on my little sandals – they’re from brand called F-Troupe who have the best shoes, ever. They are an expensive make but I picked these up in their sale last year for £15 WOOHOO so if they have something you like it’s worth doing some hunting to see if you can grab a bargain too!

This week I have made no plans, except to sort life-ness and of course watch the final of Suits.

Do you have anything excited planned? What did you get up to over the long weekend?