Life in Mono

Hello beauties. Appologies for a slight lack in posts lately - I'm currently battling a rather nasty cold/fluey type thing. 

Mucho icky.

Today's post features around Monochrome. Whilst it can undoubtebly be a tricky look at times - get it wrong and you end up feeling like Cruella De'vil, Monochrome can also be incredibly chic - think Chanel, vintage glamour and all that good stuff.

Here are a couple of my favourite budget picks to keep you on the right side of a dalmation this christmas:

 1. Select £12.00

2. Desire Clothing £20.00

3. Oasis £30.00

4.John Lewis £20.00

5. Monsoon £20.00

6. Miss Selfridge £18.00

Here's to class, glamour and being a little bit barking ;)
<3

 

If I were rich I would buy you...

Hello my lovely bloggers! I hope you're all well and good. The frosty air is certainly nipping at my excitement for Christmas - cannot beleive the big day is less than two weeks ago now! Whilst I'm aware I sound like a seven year old (hey, never a bad thing at Christmas right?) I've decided to do a little Christmassy post for you all today.

Now you all (hopefully) know how much I love you - each and every one of you puts a massive smile on my face, unfortunately however, I don't have the budget required to buy you all a present as I would love to.

However, for today's post I've compiled a little list of what I would buy a few certain bloggers (couldn't fit you all in - sorry D=) if I had the dosh :

For the bombshell that is BONNIE I would purchase this suitably bombshell red DRESS for her to rock her amazing bod in. For the rock n roll LOWRI I would send this gorgeous skull encrusted PURSE for a little dark glamour. For the beautiful REBECCA it would, of course be a sparkling RING to add to her amazing collection. For the scandalous KATY it would have to be something cute with a COLLAR. For EMMA (get well soon!) it would be the most beautiful pair of HEELS to add to her shoedrobe. For LAUNA a punky little set of RINGS for a punch with attitude. For JULES a walk on the wild side with a printed SCARF to keep her cosy. And for VANILLA a beautiful statement BAG that would work with anything in her new closet. 

For the beautiful SOPHIE a gorgeous floaty BLOUSE to keep up her summer romance. For the lovely RACHEL a snuggly CARDI to cuddle up to Liam in. For the amazing HARRIET a teired MAXI that would blow everyone away. For MADEMOISELLE LALA the cutest monochrome SHOES. For CAROLINE a gorgeous celeb style BAG and for the ultimate yummy mummy DANI some rock chick FLATS for a quick injection of attitude.

All budget friendly high-st pieces I hasten to add!

Happy Christmas Bloggers!
<3

The Velvet Underground

Hello beauties, how're you all this morning? 

After a beautiful day yesterday consisting of Christmas Shopping (a.k.a buying for ourselves under the guise of hunting for others) with the lovely Laura, who now more than likely despairs of ever beleiving I'd be a good tour guide, followed by lovely outdoor food and stall browsing with my boyfriend - very romantic until your hands freeze solid - I'm feeling full of festive good will and happiness. 

Ah the cheesiness overwhelms.

Today I have for you another little peek into the land of luxury with an insight into one of the most fancy fabrics around:

Velvet

The fabric of long-ago Kings and Queens - Velvet possesses that instant ability to create a look that resonates luxury with the most minimal of efforts.

Thankfully, nowadays the beauty of a velvet frock is no longer restricted to monarchy and word would have it that it's availabilty has now even reached the high-street:

Topshop £46.00
H&M £7.99
Topshop £30.00 

 Aldo £20.00

New Look £27.99
Dorothy Perkins £42.00

 

Enjoy a little regal glamour.
<3

Cinderella Shoes

Hello girlies, currently feeling a very sickly girl indeed (nothing to do with naughty cocktails either -boo!) worried I've come down with a delightful sickness bug that's been doing the rounds - yum!

As a result of this, short and sweet post for you today - A little bit of sparkle injected into your saturdays.

Here's to feeling like a princess on the dancefloor :

All items Missguided

1. 2. 3. 4

Enjoy
<3

Luxury Lives On

Hello beauties. 

As the nights draw in and the mercury hovers perilously close to freezing, the search for winter warmth reaches pivotal priority.
No more, does a simple cup of cocoa suffice.
Thoughts, musings and dreams all turn to something, anything, that can bring a little light, a little warmth, a little joy into those frozen winter hearts of ours.

A little... Luxury.

 

From Velvet to Lace.Sequins to Stoles. Faux fur to Chauffers. Daisy's to Pearls. Elagance to Grace. Luxury needs a place ... in all of our hearts this Winter.

Here's how you can get your fur-lined-gloved hands on a little luxury this Winter. For a snippet of the price you may expect:

1. Pearl Lowe for Peacocks £80.00
2. Miss Selfridge £55.00
3. River Island £45.00 

And

1. H&M £29.99
2. Topshop £32.00
3. Matalan £25.00
4. Florence and Fred at Tesco £20.00

Then...

To top it all off - well you wouldn't dream on under accessorising, right?

 

1. Miss Selfridge £7.50

2. Miss Selfridge £29.00

3. Peacocks £3.50

4. Peacocks £10.00

5. New Look £7.99
6. Boohoo £25.00

7. Peacocks £5.00

8. New Look £9.09

9. Boohoo £30.00

Head to toe luxury. Curtesy of the Great British High-Street.
Forget bringing sexy back.

This Winter we're bringing stylish back.
Enjoy

<3

Monday Must Have - Chunky Knit Edition

Hi lovelies, how're we all doing today? I know it's moody Monday and all that but I hope you have at least somewhat of a smile on your faces. I'm currently coming up with a 'Must do right the f*ck now' list - because lets face it, everything gets neglected at weekends and I've got a pile of requirements that need to be attended to!

One of which was this little post, requested by the lovely Lisa (check out her blog here) who is mighty keen on getting her hands on a new chunky knit in the near future, but was struggling with ideas for ways to style it.

To sort out Lisa's little problem I first hunted down this utterly gorgeous chunky knit :

 Which is available at Dorothy Perkins £35.00
and utterly perfect for layering over a variety of Autumn/Winter outfits, as shown here:

Outfit One

 Showing that a comfy knit does not have to equal slobby chic, Outfit One embodies the effortless elegance of a layered and textured Autumn/Winter outfit. The divine silky printed dress placed under the warm cardigan lets you rejoice in the fact that your summer frocks do not have to be condemmed to six months of storage and can continue to shine throughout the colder months. The cute shoes add a cosy feel, as of course, does the hat, whilst the pop of colour from the clutch bag and the element of luxury from the divine peacock style cuff round of the outfit and give it a real luxe edge.

Outfit Two

 Outfit Two is perhaps the most 'Typical' in terms of how one would imagine styling a chunky knit cardigan. Casual yet achingly chic this outfit could be thrown together in minutes and yet looks structured, stylish and not at all sloppy. The rich tone of the top teamed with the divine foppy hat warm the outfit up just as much as the knit itself would do literally, and keep the colour pallet from looking bland. The gorgeous boots would work over anything and most importantly allow you to coat your tootsies in many layers of socks underneath and keep that Winter chill at bay.

Outfit Three

 Outfit Three was clearly influenced by the fact I am going through somewhat of a Nirvana renaissance for the second time in my life. Grunge glamour is high on my list of priorities right now and this set truly embodies this. From the rich burgundy toned skirt to the classic yet not so classc take on Dc Marten boots, this set has more than a whiff of Teen Spirit about it. The slouchy beany and loud and proud rock chick top combine to lace the set with attitude and the hardwearing cuff snarls 'Dont mess with me I'm angsty~ and I'm stylish!'

Outfit Four

Lastly, Outfit Four kind of embodies to me the type of clothes I love to lounge around in at home. Comfy, cosy yet not to scruffy. A little bit of structure helps to reassure your mind that yes, whilst you might not acctualllly have done much today - you at least got up, got dressed and appeared semi-presentable for your lazing. The stripey top is definitely what I'd call a 'classic' as I can think of 150 things off the top of my head that it would work with. The scarf is just perfect for nestling down into and the bracelets are the lazy girls way to inject a little bit of glam into her slumberous style.

There we are then loves, as usual if you've spotted any particular item that you're deperate to get your hands on just leave a comment or tweet me and I'll get back to you with a link.

Also as a quick favour I'd love it if you could all check out my first official blog for Boohoo.co.uk! I'm absolutely thrilled and honoured to be guest blogging for them and it would meen the world if you could have a look. You can do so right HERE.

Thankyou! Happy Monday guys!
<3

Celeb Looks For Less - 08/11/11

Heya honeys, hope you're all well. I'm off on a nature walk today with my class at the school so please keep your fingers crossed for me that it doesn't hammer it down whilst I'm looking for frogs ;)

On a much more glamorous note today's post is all about recreating some gorgeous celebrity style for less. Let's have a look who we've got today:

Rachel Bilson.

Bravely mixing prints and bright colour for a look that shows that bold is beautiful. Obsessed with her leopard print shoes!

1. Warehouse £25.00

2. Dorothy Perkins £20.00 

3. Baker Shoes £40.00  

4. Dorothy Perkins £17.00 

Beyonce Knowles

One hot mama-to-be Beyonce rocked this gorgeous fall friendly ensemble in New York this week. From her gorgeous red blazer to those killer booties she shows how to keep chic in the cold.

1. Jane Norman £16.00

2. Dorothy Perkins £30.00 

3. Peacocks £4.80

4. Boohoo £35.00 

5. H&M £20.00

Emmanuelle chriquiLooking absolutely gorgeous in metalics, Emmanuelle shows how to make sure it's not just your christmas decorations that sparkle this winter!

 

1. Dorothy Perkins £30.00

2. Infinity Shoes £44.00

3. New Look £3.99

4. Zara £40.00

5. Debenhams £18.00

There we are my loves - celeb style for a fraction of the price tag!

Have a lovely day 

<3

Monday Must Have 07/11/11

Hello beautts. How're we all doing today? I woke up with the crappiest headache going, tried sleeping it off (with the aid of the cat who decided a long lie-in was purrfect protocol) and it just seems to have got worse - boo! I should probably step away from the laptop screen but I'd get withdrawal within a minute.

Today we return to that Monday staple here on fashionismyh2o - Monday Must Haves. I'm quite interested in seeing your thoughts on this one as it's a little bit controversial. Not to the scale of Xfactor (omg Frankie whaaat?) but enough that it usually gets people talking. In case you're wondering what I'm going on about which is probably a theme on this blog my 'must-have' item of the day today is :

H&M £24.99
Oh yes. It's leather. And here's a few different ways of styling to show you don't have to wait for after dark debauchery to work this.

Outfit One

 Leather is one hundred percent perfect if you have a little bit of a bohemian flair. The luxury of the material makes it so beautiful contrasted with other fabrics such as this chunky suede gillet and floaty floral scarf. A range of tones and textures bring this look together in a subtle warm way and the chunky jewellery just finishes it off to perfection. Team with thick tights in the winter in any wine coloured shade.

Outfit Two

 Outfit Two definitely has the typical Autumnal colour scheme - lots of mustards, browns and plaid tones mixed together. It's also a delicious nod to the Grunge trend which I personally think was maaade for Autumn. The bag compliments the detailing on the boot perfectly and the gloves and scarf pull it all together. Then I can safely say that that plaid jacket is definitely on my Winter Wish List.

Outfit Three

 The complete opposite to the previous outfit, this set is the perfect way to showcase that actually, leather can be incredibly classy, thankyou. I adore the cream fitted jacket here - I'm getting Gossip Girl vibes from this one again. The patent flats are absolutely adorable and help to keep this look day-time friendly. Then we have the classic tote bag and ladylike gloves to top everything off.

Outfit Four

 

Lastly we have this slightly Rock chick outfit which links back to what you'd stereotypically expect from a Leather based outfit. The chunky knit cardigan is both cosy and effortlessly chic (it'd look fabulous over skinny jeans and long boots too). The bag adds just enough colour to prevent a bland appearance. The chunky cuff and keyhole ring are both quirky and add a fun edge to the look. Then those boots and that hat keep the look fresh from top to toe. Perfection.

There we are loves. Four ways to wear leather and no killer heels in sight!
As per usual if you see an item you'd like a link to just tweet me or leave a comment below
Have a lovely Monday
<3

Pink Friday

Heya loves, hope you're all well. Don't worry I haven't gone all Nicki Minaj on you - as amazing as she might be at rapping I'm the exact opposite! However, as you might have guessed by the title today we're looking at all things pink.

Now I've never been one for pink, aside from my brief obession with the Pink Ladies (gotta looove Grease right?!) I've always firmly placed it in the 'not for me' section of clothing choice. Lately, however I've been more and more impressed and dare I say it... interested in the pretty pink things on offer. Whilst I'm not saying I'm about to become Barbie and deck myself out from head to toe in a pink explosion, a little exploration might be beckoning in the near future...

Watch this space!

Until then here's my favourite pieces that are in stores at the moment:

1. Warehouse £45.00

2. Dorothy Perkins £25.00

3. Oasis £20.00

4. Romwe £32.99

5. Miss Selfridge £26.00

6. Dorothy Perkins £28.00

So there we are loves - get girlie in style!
What's your take on pink?
<3

Designer Looks For Less 01/11/11

Hello loves, how're we all doing? As most of you know by now I've had a pretty awful week and whilst I'm not going to bore you all with doom and gloom what I do want to say is a MASSIVE heartfelt thank you to all of you on twitter who've been so lovely and supportive! 

On to brighter subjects now! Today I have some pretty awesome 'Designer Looks For Less' (if you hadn't guessed already by my subtle title) to share with you. Now, I always love doing these posts but I have to say today's finds have been my faves so far!

Let's have a look:

 First up we have this rather deeelicious fluffy coat! I'm not exaggerating when I say there's nothing clothing wise that actually more appealing to me than one of these right now. For the chilly walks to work in the morning, the late night excursions that should come with a frost-bite warning and for just feeling cosy for a change these babies would do it all. Oh and how utterly ridiculously glamorous are they?
On the left - Splurge - MAJE £990.00

On the right - Steal - Topshop £89.00

 Next up, we have the most exquisite of tops. Both just radiate elegance and opulence. The perfect top for wowing your date in the candlelight or for some delectable after-dark drinks with the girls. Team with anything from a pencil skirt to tapered trousers for a look that is pure haute-couture.
On the left - Splurge - Philip Lim £415.00

On the right - Steal- Miss Selfridge £32.00

 We then have these gorgeous shorts. Perfect for throwing on over a pair of black tights for a heritage-chic look this Autumn/Winter. With their gorgeous Autumnual tones these would look just divine for a country walk and pub dinner with your man. Team with a gorgeous cosy knit and the boots below and you really would be the embodiment of Autumn Style. 

On the left - Splurge - Tibi £550.00

On the right - Steal - Topshop £38.00

 Next up we have these beautties. Now, I'm not sure about you but I actually cannot think of anything that these wouldn't go with? I meen from skinny jeans and a blazer for an off-duty chic ensemble, to toughening up a gorgeous floral dress or keeping your leggings and sweater combo cosy - they're just perfect. Oh and they're pretty damn hot too!
On the left - Splurge - Monamoore £1240.00

On the right - Steal - H&M £24.99

Lastly, what girl doesn't need a bit of arm-candy? Sorry boys, I dont meen you! These lovelies would finish of any outfit to perfection. Classic brown tones work with anything from neutrals to bright pops of colour. Classy and practical - check out those sturdy handles - these would definitely see you through a long working winter.
On the left - Splurge - Mulberry £1150.00

On the right - Steal - Debenhams £40.00

So there we  are loves! Another load of gorgeous looks for a hell of a lot less!
Hope you enjoyed!
<3

Feelin Lacy

Hey honey's! Happy Friday. Feels like this one has been a long time coming that's for sure. After the day from hell yesterday - Finance stress, two busses not turning up in the rain, having to pay for a taxi and pretty horrible family problems - I was not in the best of moods. However onwards and upwards they say and today the sun is shining, I'll be seeing my lovely boyfriend and having a nice long chat with my bestfriend later and I'm sure those two combined will make me a much happier bunny.


Sorry to ramble on anyways :p today I have for you a gorgeous trend that's quite frankly all over the place at the moment - much to my delight:

Lace

For me - the perfect mix of gothic, glamorous and ladylike with a decadent feel and effortless edge. A pretty intoxicating mix no?

Here are my favourite budget friendly lace pieces:

1. Warehouse £30.00 

(breastcancer awareness too <3)

2. Dorothy Perkins £22.00

3. Miss Selfridge £29.00 

4. Miss Selfridge £29.00 

5. Monsoon £45.00 

6. AX Paris £28.00 

So there we are my loves. Hope you like!
Happy Friday
<3

10 for under £10 - Autumn/Winter Essentials

Heya loves, how're we doing this fureeezing night? My central heating has decided to pack up and die this week - perfect timing I'm sure you'll all agree ha-ha. So I'm currently bundled up in a mix of boyfriend clothes trying to bribe the cat to come and act as a furry waterbottle ;) oh how glamorous :p

Ahhh well, got some gorgeous high-street fashion to cheer me/you up and the best thing about it is ... it's all for under £10! Talk about bargain spending huh?

Let's have a look what we've got:

1.Peacocks £10.00

2.H&M £9.99

3.Forever 21 £4.75

4.H&M £6.99

5.H&M £7.99

6.Peacocks £10.00

7.H&M £7.49

8.H&M £3.99 

9.Peacocks £4.80

10.Peacocks £9.00

So there we are my loves 10 quick bargains for you!
Hope you like <3

Monday Must Have 24/10/11

Hey lovelies, another Monday morning is upon us - yuck! I hope you're all well and not too maudalin ha-ha. My plans today include spending some much needed time with my best friend, lots of blog catching up and braving my wasp infested garden (yikes) not sure what order the above tasks shall be done but that's my 'list' ha-ha. What're you all up to?

Todays 'Monday Must Have' is quite an unusual pick for me. I tend to be all about leather and lace (I say this like it isn't painfully obvious) in the winter and leave items like this top for my Summer wardrobe, but something about it really caught my eye.

Let's have a look :

Miss Selfridge £29.00

I think the combination of a gorgeous vintage style print, a slightly asymetric hem and a gorgeous rich background make this such a winner to me?

Here's some ways I've styled it:
Outfit One

 Slightly Rachel Zoe Inspired - that cream fur vest is to dieee for, right? This outfit mixes gorgeous bohemian patterning with substancial winter warmth. Once the chill really kicks in I'd just add a rust coloured long sleeve top (Primark £3.99) underneath to keep combatting the chill. Any of these pieces could carry you through to Spring and beyond - how gorgeous would that bag look with a maxi and sandles in the Summer?

Outfit Two

 Firstly, I feel the need to lamment to you all the fact that I'm absolutely desperate for a pair of moccassins (thanks for that Miss Richie) but can't seem to find the perfect pair when I actually go shopping anywhere - major boo! Moving on to the actual outfit I love the idea of teaming this top with a skirt - the fabric is just perfect for tucking into a chic bandage style skirt. The coat adds completely effortlessly chic to the outfit whilst the beautiful rich shade of the bag adds a delicious pop of colour.

Outfit Three

 See, you knew it wouldn't be long before some leather snuck it's way into one of my outfit builds ;). I adore this build, I think the leather and the velvet fabric and tone of the bag give this look a real luxurious edge. The boots look both comfy and chic - the Holy Grail for shoes right? Lastly the cardigan manages to look like it would be incredibly cosy without being bulky. Throw on a couple of glam cocktail rings and you're good to go.

Outfit Four

Outfit Four is probably my favourite. I adore the mash-up of textures - the fur, the sheer and then the tough boots and the suede rich toned bag. They all combine to make this an outfit that I would absolutely love to be rocking right now. As with Outfit One once the chill factor drops yet further, merely slip a long sleeved top underneath the cosy fur for doubled up warmth. I could imagine the gorgeous Harriet rocking this look - and if that's not style inspiration, I'm not sure what is!

As per usual - if you love any particular item in these sets just leave a comment or tweet me and I'll hunt you down a link.

Happy Monday
<3

Clutch Me Close

Hello babes! Happy Weekend! Hope you're all having a lovely time / got a lovely time planned. Bloody fureeezing at the moment seriously thinking of investing in a faux fur coat, what do you lovelies think?

Today seeing as it's Saturday a.k.a partayday time I've got a post based around the perfect Saturday night accessory - The Clutch bag. Now I'm slightly obsessed with these bad boys as I think they're such an easy and effortless way to inject a little style,colour or both into any evening look. 

Here are my faves from the high-st:

 1. ASOS £20.00

2. River Island £30.00

3. Dorothy Perkins £12.00

4. River Island £30.00

5. H&M £14.99

6. ASOS £20.00

 

What I Wore Wednesday 19/10/11

Hey lovelies! How're we all doing? Mid-week blues or happy that the weekend is finally approaching? Is it just me or has today been absolutely furrreeezing? I've had two pairs of tights on under my work trousers and still been shivering-brrr! 

Winter is truly upon us it seems.

Appologies for slacking on the outfit posts again lately - finding someone to take the pics is quite tricky and I have a >terrible< track record of self photographing - including the time I dropped the camera on my toe, down the stairs... the list goes on.

Today though I managed to bribe my little sister (big love to her-woo) and here's a couple of snaps of one of my fave cold weather combos:

 

1. Jumper - Republic - My absolute >favourite< this Autumn/Winter
2. Skirt - H&M Leather is my thing we all know this ;)
3. Boots - Internacionale (baargain £12.00)
4. Beret - Accessorise (does anyone know if I can stick in the washing machine?)
5. Rings - Assorted

Have a good night sweeties <3

Blaze of glory

Hiya chicks! How're you all doing? Can't beleive it's Thursday already the weeks seem to be whizzing by like they're on some kind of drug (or maybe that's just me - certainly feels like it!) Friday tomorrow then it'll be Halloween before we know it, bonfire night, Christmas, Summer 2012 - YIKES.

Anyway, before I get carried away with the future I wanted to explore a trend that I'm sure we all know is very 'Now':

Blazers
Blazers are quite simply everywhere and seem to be the go-to piece these days for chucking on over anything. I personally love them as I love a nicely tailored piece and anything that will make my last minute leggings + Long top combination look more chic is great with me!

Aside from the classic black + grey blazers around at the moment I've been inspired lately by the Autumnal shaded ones - perfect for a cosy A/W outfit. Here's my faves from the high st:

1. Peacocks £28.00

2. Warehouse £25.00
3. Dorothy Perkins £28.00
4. Miss Selfridge £40.00
5. H&M £39.99
6. H&M £29.99

So there we are my loves - what's your take on Blazers?
<3

Monday must have - With a twist

Hello beauties, hope you're all well this rather depressingly cloudy Monday! Another week begins and with less than a month till bonfire night I'm officially getting scared of how fast this year is going!

Todays 'Monday must have' has a little twist. A couple of weeks ago I was overwhelmed with how many of you complimented my little black H&M dress that can be seen here .  As a lot of you commented this dress is so amazingly versatile I thought it was only right to feature it here on the 'Must Have' spot and show you a couple of ways that it could be worn.

Here's the dress : 

 It's on sale for an absolute bargain price of
H&M £12.99

And now here we have a few different ways I thought this dress could be styled :
Outfit 1

 Classic, cute and undenisably chic this outfit is the perfect embodiment of the Monochrome trend that's gracing the high-street at the moment. Spiced up with a gorgeous printed scarf to add a little colour and flair this set could take you anywhere from desk to drinks.
Outfit Two

To me this is exactly the kind of outfit I'd love to be rocking his fall. A little bohemian style with some luxurious Autumnal colours and topped off with the cosiest looking fur gillet I've seen for a long while. Brrrilliant.
Outfit Three

 As well as casual looks this dress is the perfect base point for a fierce rock n roll chic outfit build. The Leopard print booties are ridiculously on trend and that gorgeous red clutch would hold your party essentials in style. Top off with a bright red pout to finish off that party look with pizazz.

Outfit Four

 Look four is an incredibly laid back look which'd be perfect for running errands. The pretty scarf adds a little flair to the otherwise basic colour palett whilst the two toned bag adds a little luxury. Comfort and style - who said the two can't go together?

So there we are my loves - four ways in which you could dress this LBD up or down. How would you wear it?

  Also - if there's an item in particular for any of the sets you're interested in drop me a comment and I'll find you a link!

Have  a good Monday
<3