Tart up Tartan

This season the Tartan print has come back for an ultra-cosy yet chic look that can easily be worn for that formal and casual basis.  I love tartan coats (or known also as 'checked'); they look very fashionable and can be worn easily making an instant style statement – think chunky oversized coats that can add instant colour and a class whilst keeping you snug.  The tartan print can be safely worn by all ages, a versatile and timeless print that is somewhat evergreen...

1. Checked Coat £129 from Zara | 2. Navy Coat and Red Tartan Check Boyfriend Coat £64.99 from New Look| 3. Black Checked Biker Sleeve 2 in 1 Coat £85 from River Island | 4. Per Una Checked Belted Coat with Wool £99 from Marks and Spencer | 5. Collarless Check Wool Jacket £85 from Topshop | 6. Checked Coat £149 from Zara


...ArA...

Perfect Pinks

"I believe in manicures. I believe in overdressing. I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick. I believe in pink. I believe happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and... I believe in miracles." - Audrey Hepburn

I have mentioned before how pink is a big shade for autumn/winter 2013, from pink coats dominating the high street and the likes of Christian Dior emphasised this oh so feminine colour on their winter/autumn catwalk. Think lady-like-pale-barely-there-pinks rather than hot neon numbers (that dominated the summer 2013 trend). This suits me fine as the homebody inside me loves dusty pastel pinks; I feel it is an easy colour for all to wear for an ultra-chic look and so girly *que girly tehehe's*. There is something about these pale pinks that just embraces the season well with it’s snuggly and vintage feel….I had a look around for my favourite pink pieces…

1. Cardigan £34.99 from H&M | 2. Fluffy Swing Boyfriend Coat £89 from Topshop | 3. Light Pink Chunky Knit Snood £15  from River Island | 4. Jersey Lined Lace Shell now £12 from Warehouse | 5. Jacquard Baggy Trousers £39.99 from Warehouse | 6. Mystery Patent Bow Slippers £24 from Topshop

Stay classy!

...ArA...

Pastel Princess

I have been talking a lot about pastels lately, it is a revival trend that always comes back every spring and summer from far back as I can remember, and it is by far my favourite trend! It is always a safe bet to wear and is guaranteed to make you look uber girly and princess-like. I love the fact that it incorporates all my favourite colours into one season. In terms of pastel colours think about those clique light candy colours (or old-fashioned ice-cream colours) that are so vintage and timeless – from minty greens, creamy beige to light hues of lavender, a touch of dusty pinks and light corals and even lighter powder blues; this very fun and easy to wear colour palette compliments every skin tone and is perfect to wear this time of year. Think of teaming these pastels with acid skinny jeans, perfect to get that sharp colour contrast and looks effortlessly very now.

A very easy and affordable way to get some pastels in your wardrobe is by investing in a good fitted pastel spring blazer, think of the more “safer” pastel colours for this, such as a dusty pink that you can easily work with every spring.  There are various blazer styles around, depending on how you prefer to wear them, or how you like your blazer fitted. Opt for a more fitted cropped style which is very spring or if you prefer to layer your look then opt for the classic boyfriend style blazer that can easily be adapted to fit around the weather changes.

Take a look at my favourite high street pastel pieces...

Bags / Clutches:

1. Boxy Leather Messenger Bag £60 from Topshop | 2. Shell Pink Cut Out Clutch £12.99 from New Look

1. This beautiful very light and faint mint leather bag is absolutely gorgeous, so simple yet so girly – its double gold fastening and zip details makes it perfect to stash away those bits and bobs that always leaves you rummaging around!

 2. A pastel pink clutch that has an intricate cut out detail in the shape of flowers at the top part of the clutch and gold detailing around the edge making it appear more expensive that £12.99, a great clutch for those spring/summer Friday evenings!

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Blazers:

3. Satin Laples Double-Breasted Blazer in Beige £34.99 from Mango | 4. Lace Studded Biker £75 from Warehouse

3.I absolutely LOVE this blazer since seeing it on the Mango Summer 2013 campaign. It looks very vogue-uesque with padded shoulders and gold button detailing on the cuffs and main body, it would go so perfectly with a fitted shirt. It is also available in other colours, but for me my favourite has to be the beige which fits into the pastel colour palette well.

4. Another stunning high street gem, (that I again absolutely LOVE) this beautiful biker jacket from Warehouse is so understated yet certainly makes a statement with its lined floral lace detailing; the three quarter length is perfect for spring and oozes elegance and is so feminine - yet it still has a dollop of edge making it very current (with my favourite stud detailing) on the lapel. I cannot make up my mind whether I love this jacket or the Mango Double-Breasted Blazer (no 3) more.

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Jewellery:

5. White Spring Pearl Necklace £8.99 from New Look | 6. Jewel Chandelier Earring £15 from Asos

5. It is in the name, this bib style beaded necklace is delicate with dots of light coral/peach and pretty pearls and shimmers of grey/silver crystals that will look stunning on pastel dress or shirt.

6. These pretty chandelier earrings have the perfect nudey-peachy-coral pastel hint that would look perfect on a summer evening with beach inspired waves in your hair. Being Indian I can tell that these earrings are very Indian inspired as I have  similar pairs in my collection;  Asos’ new jewellery arrivals have a lot of Indian inspired pieces that seem to be making a new trend (see here, here and here).

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Shoes:

7. Studded Sandal £39.99 from Zara | 8. Converse All Star Seasonal Mint Ox Trainers £45 from Asos

7. Another great high street example of a Valentino inspired shoe, these studded nudey/cream sandals are guaranteed to add a bit of edge and glam to any spring outfit.

8. For those relaxed days or mile-high fuelled shopping trips these comfy Converse’s are guaranteed to leave your feet feeling comfortable all day when walking in heels feels like chore. These iconic trainers have a quirky twist with its coloured spring pastel mint green which will leave you still feeling every inch of pretty and girly!  

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Dress / Skirt:

9. Pink Applique Waist Dress £60 from River Island | 10. Claudia Skirt £55 from Oasis

9. A very chick and Victorian style sleeveless dress which has an intricate lace/crochet detailing around the waist that nips in, overall very simple yet elegant, this dress can easily be teamed up with an understated blazer.

10. This powder blue/sky blue midi skirt is perfect to compliment any spring wardrobe  conservative and so sheek it would can easily be styled with nude capped heels or some barely there sandals to give it a bit of seasonal glam. I love anything lace, so for me with that alone I had to feature it!

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I simply cannot get enough of pastels!

Happy St. Georges Day!

...ArA...

A Very British Spring – Essential Accessories

...Imber Ymber...

Well seeing that the slight improvement in the weather was short lived, I thought it would only be fitting to make a suitable spring wardrobe essential post, that tailors around the spring rain showers we seem to be getting quite frequently lately (bo ho…better leave those spring/summer clothes at the back of the wardrobe yet)!

The lack of sun does not mean that you cannot dabble with those cute spring flowers here or there (instead of being on the grass they are the print on your scarf or blouse, I have not seen a single daffodil yet thus far). I have rummaged around and tried to create British-weather proof spring essentials that will still leave you feeling spring(ish) without shivering your knees off in the heavy winds...leave those strappy sandals and spring skirts for a warmer day (unless you are wearing them with thick tights)!

1. 

Always keep an umbrella in your bag, you never know when the temperamental weather turns sour! This beautiful Black Floral Print Umbrella has a frill trim detail all the way round (I love extra details) and looks very pretty and has a very cute black rose handle, the details are so beautiful and make it very feminine. It is currently on sale from River Island for £7!

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2.

Who can go wrong with a classic bowler hat? I am loving this dusty pink number so on trend with the pastel spring palette, it will keep your head covered in those downpours as well as adding a vintage laid-back feel to any daytime outfit. It is also available in black and burgundy  but my favourite for spring has to be this light pink which is again very feminine. It can be brought from H&M for £7.99!

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3.

River Island have created a very good alternative to those rain/overcast days which will leave your Wellies behind, I tend to avoid Wellies simply because unless at Glastonbury for me they are not practical for everyday-wear, instead ankle boots tend to be more favourable to wear in Spring being both comfortable and not leaving you feeling like you are still stuck in autumn/winter.  These Black High Shine Chelsea Boot Wellies are great for dressing up or down (as well as keeping your feet dry and not flooding ruining those beloved pastel ballet pump shoes that you looked forward to wearing all spring). Grab them from River Island for £20!

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4. 

If you have hands like mine they tend to always remain cold (no matter what the weather), the current harsh wind does not help (especially when holding an umbrella, my hand tends to turn into a great numb bloodless piece of flesh). These cream studded leather gloves (I am a sucker for any clothing that is studded..,*cough cough Valentino-inspired cough cough*) are perfect for teaming up in spring. They are a far cry away from those thicker winter wolly numbers that are now firmly tucked away in my bottomless wardrobes. They are at a steal sale price for £14.50 (reduced from £35) from Asos, especially as they are leather and studded! 

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5.

This beautiful oriental print scarf is advertised to be green, although I think it is more of a light minty green/light aqua-ish pastel colour which is so pretty for spring. It again looks very feminine and can be teamed with your outfit to add a bit of spring sensuality and keep you warm at the same time. It can be brought from Acessorize for £12.

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6.

Not strictly an accessory as such although I feel this is an essential handbag item when out and about and had to feature it; it is simply a life saver if you have sensitive hands like mine. I currently have this Sanctuary hand cream in my handbag, it never fails and is a very friendly tiny travel size tube at 30ml for £3.00 available from Boots. It always moisturises my hands without being too heavy and greasy; leaves them smelling divine and soothes away the harsh effects of the coarse wind that dry out my hands, leaving me feeling more like I have dried prunes for hands!

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Lets hope the British rain departs soon, enjoy your lazy Sunday!

...ArA...

POW! Statement Necklaces

...Adversus solem ne loquitor...

The trend that started last year was wearing a lot of statement necklaces, from spikey edgy numbers to more softer pearl shaped ones sprinkled with a few stone encrusted details here and there. There was gold, rose gold, silver and bronze metallic ones that were dominating the outer shell of our statement necklaces, but more textured cloth material ones (a bit like those collar bibs that were around a few years ago) are also making a strong comeback with quirky and bold colours adding a futuristic modern trend. 

H&M have a great collection (my favourite by far) and are a good example of taking a fun colourful twist at statement necklaces, so shiny and so pretty! If you are on a budget New Look offer a wide range that are very affordable yet still look on trend.

I certainly jumped on the bandwagon last year and layered/mixed and matched a few to create a unique and personalised style which can dress up a plain jumper or add a bit of understated glam to that crisp collared shirt. 

Statement Necklaces I am glad to say are hanging around our necks it seems for some time, the likes of the High Street are filled with them and add a custom touch to those everyday outfits! Take a look at 6 of my favourites…

1.

Flower Layered Collar £20 from Topshop

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2.

Acrylic Mixed Shapes Collar £18.50 from Topshop

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3. 

Necklace £12.99 from H&M 

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4. 

Black Short Statement Necklace £12 from River Island

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5. 

Celebration Skull Statement Necklace £24 from Asos

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6. 

Neon Pink and Orange Spike Necklace £7.99 from New Look

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We all love a bit of bling bling, especially on our statement necklaces. Do you have a favourite?

...ArA...

Monochrome Trend Spring/Summer 2013

"Black and white always looks modern, whatever modern means" - Karl Lagerfield

A trend that is dominating a lot of the high street is no other than the Monochrome trend which is chick, simple and classic! Maybe because of the lack of spring weather or sun I have been living in a lot of black and white colours, just as well that it is on trend. A common misconception about this trend is that it is purely just black and white, even though this is partially true the excitement of surviving the Aztec world-doom-prophecy in 2012 (please note the sarcasm) meant that a lot of designers have seemed to regained an interest in Aztec/tribal prints which are fuelling a lot of edge into this Monochrome look; there are a lot of monochrome prints that you can filter into this trend to add that extra definition of style if you want to be more adventurous.

If you are a girl like me who loves to dabble into those wearable investment pieces then this trend is definitely for you (we all love a bit of regeneration from those splurge moments a couple of months later when the account balance is not so happy with you). If you would rather avoid loud neon colours or you are not overly taken by those spring pastels then you can definitely work with this trend to create your own signature Monochrome look by being inspired by different textures and materials.

What I love about the Monochrome trend that it can be very easy to achieve - anyone can master it by using simple black and white colours to incorporate a neat clean and extremely elegant look. Any age or body shape can embrace this trend and wear it out for dinner with friends or for that last minute business meeting…the smart yet understated look of the Monochrome trend oozes style and sophistication without being too *POW* in your face. It is most likely will compliment your existing wardrobe, you will probably have that staple classic white/black blouse/skirt lying around in that bottomless wardrobe (it is time to re-dust that old black skater skirt from 2011 and re-use it)!

There are a lot of good pieces out on the high street, I have tried to create an edgier take on the Monochrome trend, take a look at the night-time to daytime look to give you all some inspiration…

Night-time Monochrome

Black and White Stripe Panel Midi Dress - £28 from River Island | Silver Tone Gem Stone Skull Drop Earrings - £8.00 from River Island | Strappy Sandals - £49.99 from Zara

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Daytime Monochrome

Black Vertical Stripe Longline Vest - £10 from River Island | Necklace – £9.99 from H&M |

Black Sheer Mesh Biker Jacket - £30 from River Island | Wet Look Leggings - £18 from Topshop | Attack Leather Gladiator Ankle Boots - £65 from Asos | Black Metal Plate Geometric Black Pack - £40 from River Island

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Any monochrome-ers out there?

...ArA...

#1 Spring Essential: The Tweed Biker Jacket

...Tempus Vernum...

Spring is in the air! (despite the current lack of sunny spells...where art thou spring weather)?!  With the run up to Easter I thought I would make a mini-series of my essential spring-wardrobe-must-haves, all in time to embrace the warmer weather (I hope, despite it currently raining outside)!

A spring jacket is a key investment piece that should be the basic in any girls’ wardrobe; especially at the moment with this transitional weather all in the run up to summer (not to mention the constant worry of English rain).

There are lots of different prints dominating spring jackets at the moment, from tweed to tribal prints. The tweed print has made a comeback with a modern twist (think edgy biker meets Coco Channel) and is still running strong in 2013. Neon colours are dominating the high street and so are tribal/Aztec style prints, although I feel the Tweed Biker Jacket is an investable trend that can take you into autumn 2013 (always thinking ahead); therefore will be more friendlier (*ahem* justifiable) to your purses.

The key things that I look for in a good jacket are the finer things like detail rather than where I purchase the jacket from, look for vintage button embellishments to golden/silvery stylish fastenings…look for pieces that can be styled up or down whatever the occasion. I have rummaged through the high street and have selected five of my favourite spring jackets that I feel are very now! Take a look and be inspired...

1.

This funky lime/neon-ish number (oh so on trend with sports luxe craze) can be picked up from River Island for £70 – it is oversized too so can be ideal for layering on those colder spring mornings, bright and cheerful just like spring!

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2.

Even though this is not tweed I found this tribal biker piece a safe buy, with its leather lining collars and arms it is still very wearable and quite understated yet still edgy, a transitional piece that can be used for those overcast weather moments, it can be obtained from Zara for £99 

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3.

I LOVE this beige tweed, you can see the classic Chanel inspiration oozing through it, its gold zip detailing at the front and cuffs will just glisten under the spring sun! Team it up with big black sunglasses whatever you outfit to add instant glamour. Grab it from Warehouse for £65 

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 4.

This classic cut black biker jacket is right on trend with its zip detailing and tweed print, team it up effortlessly with the monochrome look, buy it from H&M for £34.99 

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5.

This collarless tweed jacket is perfect for that high neck lace top which will elongate your neck or team it up with a silk scarf  to instantly look sheek in spring (very Grace Kelly). This is currently reduced by 50% in Mango for £29.99 (bargain)!

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Have you got your perfect Spring Jacket ready?

..ArA…

Rihanna for River Island

...Talk That Talk...

Rihanna has been known to be a big game changer in the world of fashion, in recent years incorporating an edgy vintage street style which you either love or hate (a bit like Marmite). She launched her own clothing line at River Island a few days ago which was launched at London Fashion Week.

Taking a peek at the online collection I immediately saw the 90’s themed inspiration running through the pieces, consisting of cropped sweatshirts and long maxi style skirts as well as typical 90’s s jersey style tank tops. There is a general monochrome style (another influential summer 2013 trend) running through the collection, with a hint of edge and neon yellow pop colour.  Most pieces have been designed with that undertone of Rihanna’s edginess in mind (take for example the long split maxi skirt, a slit here and there is typical Rihanna). Here are some pieces from  RiverIsland.com:

My favourite piece out of the collection has to be the Black Pendant Backpack, which features a golden eagle motif similar to Rihanna’s midriff tattoo:

Overall I am not totally blown away by the collection, although River Island will be allegedly launching the second part of it sometime later on in May (perhaps we can then expect more summery and brighter neon prints in May)?

I have tried to create my own version of Rihanna’s edgy style and made my own wearable version. I have just teamed up a simple black jersey maxi dress with my statement handcuff necklace, a similar one can be found on Asos. Added to this I have my Zara strappy black sandals. I have teamed this up with my biker Topshop jacket to complete the look. This can be a great evening or daytime look, simply add a studded leather clutch to take it into the night.

What is your favourite piece in the collection?

...ArA...