It’s been a while since I’ve been eyeing up the brooches on Fable England and I finally bit the bullet and bought both the enamel red squirrel and rabbit brooches. Thankfully, despite its name, Fable England is a Barcelona based company so there were no extra Brexit fees to pay to get them delivered here to Belgium.
And while I do like Fable England’s jewellery too as they generally offer both a necklace and earrings in matching sets to the brooches, I stuck with the brooches in the end because they were bigger and more eye-catching than their daintier counterparts.
Perfect for autumn, this little enamel red squirrel matches another one of my most recent purchases; a watch from Victoria Hyde London featuring a squirrel in the exact same pose on the watch face with little floating crystals. An Olivia Burton “snow globe” inspired design if ever I saw one!
The bunny brooch on the other hand is going to be perfect for spring! Plus, I just found a garden-patterned shirt it was made for - even if said shirt is a man’s shirt and has the buttons on the wrong side. But with all my bunny watches from Olivia Burton, it was a must! Now I just need to take the plunge and get their hare brooch too! #hearteyes #wishlist
At €30 a pin I expect quality, and you certainly get it with these purchases. Not only is the packaging exquisite, but the pins are sturdy and managed to go through thick fabric with no problems. Do be warned though, make your purchases directly from their website as after first coming across the brand on Zalando (a general web shop encompassing many brands), I realised Fable England’s prices were actually cheapest on their own website which is not always the case.
There you have it my personal introduction to Fable England, not bad!!! Will definitely be purchasing from them again!
Have you tried Fable England pieces? What do you think of their very whimsical aesthetic?
Are you all for brooches coming back in style? Or are jewellery and bags more your thing?
I would totally be up for them branching out into watches since Olivia Burton seems to have now veered off their innovative cute animal designs…sad times
Happy Birthday to me!!!! As you’ll know if you read my McArthurGlen Designer Outlet in Roermond post, my family and I were able to get to the Netherlands for a brief shopping day trip where I found this cutie patootie from Kate Spade New York.
I think I first came across the Kate Spade brand much like the Olivia Burton one; with their watches on the John Lewis website. Although they don’t seem to sell Kate Spade watches anymore, they do still have plenty of her accessories, jewellery and stationary to choose from.
While I immediately loved Kate’s playful and fun style none of her watches have been in a colourway I’m completely in love with, so I’m still holding out for my perfect Kate Spade watch, but until then, I now have this beautiful necklace to keep me company.
If you’ve followed this blog for a while, then you’ll already know my affinity for bunnies ever since my first cuddly toys. Yes, plural because one got lost in a taxi and the other kept getting decapitated…let’s not relive those traumatic experiences! I kid, I was too little and only vaguely remember the decapitation incidents, until my long-lasting bunny in her little red dress and hat - “Raddit”.
While this bunny necklace doesn’t have a little red dress or hat (what would have been the chances of that find?!) I couldn’t resist! As it was from an outlet it was reduced from the original $68 to $32, paid for in euros obviously (€27 to be exact). Since it still had the American labelling on the packaging you could tell it was a bargain even before the conversion.
Again, as an outlet find I’m assuming it’s a few seasons old hence why I can’t find it on the official Kate Spade website (neither the US nor UK one). However Amazon are still selling this silver-toned version but unfortunately at full price here. They also seem to have a Kate Spade gold-toned and more realistic designed rabbit necklace here.
Paired with my new adorable bunny slippers from New Look (similar here), I’m bound to have a great birthday even if I only have one more year left till I officially hit my thirties…sniff
Hope you enjoyed this post and aren’t sick of all my bunny designed accessories yet (I make no promises that this will be my last one on the subject).
What’s your favourite animal? My land one is pretty obvious but my aquatic one is for sure the dolphin! Before you ask… yes, I do indeed have dolphin jewellery too, a couple of pretty bracelets and the filigree dolphin necklace I got from Malta that featured in my Filigree Jewellery from Malta post.
Any new animal necklaces that are your favourite to wear?
What’s the most ridiculous pair of slippers you own?
I’ve already talked about The Basket Bag trend but for me the straw hat has become my new summer essential (at my age I have to start proactively protecting my face from any further sun damage; even after faithfully using sunscreen for years). I got this one from Asos which still has a wide variety of options here. What I love about this particular accessory is how versatile it is, literally a quick trip to Veritas and a couple of different coloured ribbons later and I’m all set for any outfit.
THE BLACK RIBBON
This black ribbon is the one that came with the hat, so it doesn’t have the same satin finish as all the other ribbons from Veritas, hence why it has no “shine” in the photos. But I paired this ribbon with a very casual outfit, my throw-over-a-bikini “tanning dress” (by which I mean I use this particular dress to cover myself from the hotel room to the pool and don’t mind having sunscreen all over the inside of it afterwards), I’ve had this dress for years and is an H&M basic (similar here). I literally only tan on our family summer holidays (two weeks out of the whole year) and always properly covered in sunscreen so don’t worry I’m not a tanning bed aficionado (don’t want skin cancer thank you!).
The black slip-on shoes were also from H&M (similar here and here) that I managed to snag last year in their amazing summer sale. I scored a lot of items in that sale so much so that I even bought a black handbag on sale too to fit all my goodies in #salewin
THE WHITE RIBBON
I paired the white ribbon with another summer essential; the white linen dress. I got this one last year, again from H&M, but don’t worry they brought it out again this summer here and in a few different patterns including an amazing lemon print that I just had to pick up too!
These cute daisy earrings (similar on eBay here) are yet again making an appearance (can you tell I really love them?). Since you can see my nails here, I’m wearing Essie’s Fiji (the much lighter European one not the baby pink US one) with all these outfits, the perfect summer neutral colour (not quite as stark as white but just as fresh)!
THE LIGHT BLUE RIBBON
I couldn’t not include gingham, it’s a quintessential summer print after all (and might appear again below), it paired beautifully with this light/baby blue ribbon. The shirt was from Monki on Asos years ago but the latter still offers loads in a light blue gingham print like these two dresses here and here or this cute top here.
Since this outfit had such picnic vibes I just had to add these adorable strawberry clip earrings (similar in this set here) because of which I then had to wear my Sephora‘s Cream Lip Stain in 03 Strawberry Kissed of course!
THE MINT RIBBON
You’ve seen this outfit before as it appeared in my Spring Floral Earrings post minus the matching mint ribboned hat. The polka dot dress (another one of my favourite prints and may or may not make a reappearance below too) was from Apricot, again years ago, but I have seen it floating around on eBay here.
Another sneaky repeat offender from that earrings post, you can find a similar pair of mint floral earrings in this set here. On my lips I’m wearing an M&S Collection satin lipstick in Chiffon. They sadly stopped making their own branded lipsticks (which I loved) and as of my recent online search don’t seem to even have a Beauty section anymore…sniff.
THE LIGHT PINK RIBBON
Told you gingham was going to make a reappearance! This pink number to match the ribbon is in fact a dress even if it looks like just a shirt in the photos. I got it from Joanie and although they no longer have it, Asos (coming in strong for all my dupes) has a very similar one here. Mine has more of a fit and flare aspect to it but you could duplicate that by just adding a belt to that Asos one.
THE CHERRY RED RIBBON
This red ribbon has more of a pink tone to it compared to the proper red ribbon which is next. So, I just had to pair it with my cherry pieces. The dress I found on eBay (very much a spring/summer print so best to look for it then). But Asos haven’t let me down and have two different dress styles in a similar but bigger cherry print here and here.
This red dress to go with the true red ribbon is a stunner from Collectif, they still carry two very similar styles here and here. I just had to pair this dress with the cute strawberry earrings again (similar here) and the Sephora Cream Lip Stain in 01 Always Red of course!
THE RUST RIBBON
Finally, for my last ribbon matching outfit, I went with a rust colour (which can vary between dark oranges to browns to dusky reds). New Look have a nice wrap dress style in this rust colour with white polka dots here as well as a cute top here. Asos also have a rust coloured dress but with black polka dots here.
On my lips I’m wearing a new addition to my liquid lipstick collection the Sephora Cream Lip Stain in 118 Wilde Side. On my ears I’m wearing a pair of sparkly starfish (similar here) but come to think of it a classic pair of pearl earrings would have suited this look better. What can I say; “Do as I say, not as I do!” ;)
There you have it a rather photo heavy blog post, but I enjoyed styling all these outfits to match my ribbon extravaganza!
Which was your favourite outfit?
Any new summer essentials making their way into your wardrobe this season?
What’s your favourite summer print? Gingham or polka dots? Or something else entirely?
Soooo…I may or may not have another Olivia Burton watch to regale you with (they really should sponsor me at this point).
The Wonderland design is a classic for Olivia Burton, they still have six variations of this design on their website with the one with the rose gold mesh strap here being the most similar to the one you’re seeing in the photos. I got mine on sale from John Lewis at £72 instead of the usual £99, they also have the rose gold mesh strapped one at £79 instead of £99, so buy it there if you want it!
I knew I had to pick a watch up from the Wonderland collection before they went the way of the chequered-faced design and disappeared altogether. The Wonderland design is distinguishable by its Roman numerals bordering an inner circle. Olivia Burton watches normally only have the Roman numerals, dots or stones/gems indicating the hours without that inner circle essentially.
But I’m going to take issue with their strap colour descriptions again I’m afraid. This watch was described as grey/white on the JL website and is really a very lilac-toned dark grey. A bit darker than seen in the photos as I had to brightened them up quite a bit hence lightening the strap along the way too.
So “grey” could be an off-white colour like my Olivia Burton Daisy Watch strap, or this dark grey lilac-toned number…which is quite a broad spectrum for “one” colour if you ask me. But the Olivia Burton photos are more accurate in their colour depiction, so base your purchases more on the photos that the actual wording I’d say.
On my nails I’m wearing Essie’s Chocolate Cakes my favourite dark brown! It doesn’t really go with the watch but hakuna matata, I got too excited when I got the watch for Christmas of 2018 (yep this blog post has been a long time coming) and wanted to wear the watch pronto! So, I did the photos as quick as possible with the dark nails I had on at the time before creating the ultimate eyesore the dreaded watch strap crease!
So, what do you think of this addition?
Are you going to pick up/do you have a watch from the Olivia Burton Wonderland collection?
What has been your favourite collection from them so far?
You didn’t think I would just stick to floral earrings this spring, did you? Nope…the watch gets the same treatment!!! At this point is it even a surprise if I say I got another Olivia Burton watch for my birthday last year?
If I remember correctly Olivia Burton came out with this gorgeous 3D daisy-faced watch I want to say 2018. I know I waited a bit till they came out with the perfect metal accent and strap combo. First they did the 3D daisy watch face in silver (which I found clashed a bit with the central part of the daisy being in yellow), then gold and rose gold. I loved both the gold and rose gold but didn’t like the black straps they came with (again too harsh a contrast). Hands up for anyone wishing Olivia Burton offered the option to choose different coloured straps on all their watches, wouldn’t that be awesome? Either way, I would have just bought one and changed the strap myself if the worse came to worse but then came out this beauty.
The 3D daisy with the rose gold accents (the central bit also being more rose gold-toned than gold-toned) was perfectly complemented by this light grey vegan strap. From my experience with my second bunny watch that had a “blush” strap which I would have technically called an off-white and from their photos I knew it would be a very, very light grey despite being described as “grey” which was perfect! Still available here but no longer on the official Olivia Burton website I would say jump on it while you still have the chance as this 3D daisy style didn’t seem to make a comeback again this year.
By the way, the Olivia Burton London insignia is not on the face of the watch but on the inside of the glass itself. My Dad thought it was a sticker you could peel off, but it’s not, it’s part of the design.
On my nails I’m wearing Essie’s Stirring Secrets a surprise favourite and my ideal nude from their Spring Collection 2019. The daisy earrings featured in my Spring Floral Earrings post were from Claire’s or Bijou Brigitte but I found a great set on eBay here (although they are magnet earrings but can still be worn with pierced ears). The white basket bag was from New Look last year but Amazon have a similar one here or an even more gorgeous one with lace-like detailing here.
There you have it, my latest addition to my ever-growing Olivia Burton collection. I recently also found one of their old chequered-faced designs on eBay in beautiful condition (had to replace the strap of course but that was expected). Not that I have anything against their floral and animal designs (on the contrary I think it’s obvious I’m a big fan) but I do wish they still made/offered their more vintage inspired designs too.
Do you have a favourite Olivia Burton design? I have my eye on the gorgeous snow globe ones that’s for sure.
If they were to do another flower in 3D what would be your pick?
Imagine if they did a special edition with the Clinique Cheek Pop Blushes (which are also embossed with a daisy family flower the Gerbera), wouldn’t that be amazing?!
The basket bag has been EVERYWHERE for the last couple of summers now, and I thought I’d finally share the one I picked up with you. I got this one from Mango I want to say end of spring 2018, but as this is such a popular and reoccurring trend, they’re an easy find.
Amazon have a few options like these ones here and here as well as different colourways like the white one which will feature in my Olivia Burton Daisy Watch post which was from New Look similar here.
Fun Fact: I’ve woven a basket before. When I was a kid, I would go to a summer day camp, which always had lots of fun activities one of which was basket making (for the older kids). Now while I never developed the skill enough to ever make a bag (baskets were complicated enough thank you very much!), I did come to appreciate the work/craftsmanship behind these items.
This particular basket bag also incorporates a bit of that see-through handbag trend by not having the lining on one side of the bag that has the fancy lattice weave. But don’t worry, if like me you’re not a fan of advertising the contents of your handbag to every potential thief out there, then you can just flip it over and have the more see-through portion against your body instead, problem solved.
On my nails I’m wearing OPI’s You’re Such A Budapest which depending on the light can look lilac or periwinkle (you can also see it on my nails in my Spring Floral Earrings post). It’s a unique colour in my collection and one I wish I could buy in Belgium in their Infinite Shine formula as the polishes I’ve tried from that range don’t seem to chip as fast on me as their regular formula does.
Anyway, have you jumped on the basket bag bandwagon?
Ever made a basket before?
Are you a fan of the see-through bag trend? I think I’ll stick to having plexi designs just for my shoes ;)
Spring is officially here!!! The glorious sunshine we’re currently enjoying is bound to brighten anybody’s mood despite the lockdowns many of us are facing. If you’re lucky enough to have a garden, then go and enjoy it! If you live in a city like me, you can still bring a little bit of spring indoors and into your everyday with some cute floral earrings.
On my nails I’m wearing OPI’s You’re Such A Budapest which depending on the light can look lilac or periwinkle. It’s a unique colour in my collection and one I had to pick up despite the formula chipping quicker on me than my trusted Essie’s.
PINK CAMELLIA EARRINGS
These pink camellia earrings along with the yellow ones below came from New Look about a year and a bit ago now (right around the time it closed its Belgian stores). I found some similar ones but with an integrated hoop here.
I paired these gorgeous earrings with a matching pop of colour on the lips using Revlon’s Colorburst Matte Balm in 220 Showy (the range no longer seems to be available in Boots which is usually the first sign it’s being discontinued which is sad). But their Ultra HD Matte Lipcolor in 605 Obsession is an equally good match and is still available. It gives more of a glossy finish than the former despite the “matte” in the name too. It never fully dries down unless helped by patting it down with a tissue, but if you’re looking for a full on gloss; Revlon have a new Ultra HD Vinyl Lip Polish range (still only US based at the moment) that looks dazzling and I can’t wait to try the formula out!
YELLOW CAMELLIA EARRINGS
Same as with the earrings above (again similar on Amazon here and a stud version here) they provide a beautiful pop of colour especially paired with a blue gingham print (I’m wearing a dress from Joanie I bought years ago but it’s back in stock now), it’s an easy pattern to find come spring/summer and it gives the ultimate country vibes.
Keeping with the warmer tones and country chic I paired this look with a brown lip and despite really being in a brown lip phase last summer (when I took these pics) and testing out many options my favourite remains the Sephora Collection Lip Liner To Go in 17 Light Brown. My only issue with it is that as a “to go” lip liner it’s already small to begin with and you run it down to a tiny nub very quickly if it’s one of your favourites.
Now the only thing missing with this look is freckles! If you’re naturally blessed with them then you’re lucky, if you have to fake them then I know Alix from I Covet Thee highly rates Freck and Lottie London Freckle Tint. Seeing as I was convinced she was just using a new camera that was picking up her freckles better before she let us in on the secret gem, it’s a true testament to how natural they can look.
WHITE DAISY EARRINGS
Ah…the classic white daisy pair that started off my floral earrings collection. I think they either came from Claire’s or Bijou Brigitte but again I found a great set on eBay here (that also includes a mint pair similar to below).
Smaller and more delicate in appearance these go great with any sort of white summer lace or broderie anglaise. Personally, I paired mine with this amazing batwinged embroidered top from Apricot which is still available on their website here(they also have it in pink and in mint which are equally tempting).
Next we have the mint daisy (similar here or in this eBay set) which I paired with another Apricot find, unfortunately no longer available but I have found this stunning mint polka dot dress floating around on eBay too, so keep an eye out.
BLUE FROSTED BEADED HIMALAYAN POPPY
This giant pair of blue frosted beaded earrings that my Dad (the gardener in our midst) has identified as a “Frankenstein” Himalayan Poppy, were bought during our holiday in Italy (back when travelling was still a thing) in a Stellazeta store in the Le Befane Shopping Centre in Rimini.
The only drawback of these beauties (similar but in a darker blue here and a tad lighter here) is that because of their weight (not uncomfortable or pulling on my earlobe) and the central placement of the bit that goes through the ear they tend to fall slightly. So, in all these pics I’m discreetly propping them up to show off their full potential but shhhhh. It’s easily fixable with new piercing ends and a glue gun but it doesn’t bother me enough to make the alterations.
SEQUINED CHERRY BLOSSOM
Finally this sequined pair of cherry blossom earrings were also bought in Stellazeta. I love that these reflect from blue to pink to lilac and sometimes white.
While Lovisa has a cute white sequined pair here, if you’re looking for more fun colours, Asos and Amazon both have sequined dangle sets here and herealthough much more imposing, granted.
The blue lace top I’m wearing here and above was also from Apricot years ago (what can I say? They make lovely lace pieces), similar here.
If you haven’t had your fill of flowers you can also check out my Summer Flower Crowns post for which I’ve updated all the links. I know I’ve already found another pair of gorgeous red camellia earrings that would make for a great second “red floral look” much like the first one featured over there (not sure I would pair statement floral earrings with flower crowns though as that might be a bit much).
What are you looking forward to the most this spring once these lockdowns are over?
I know I’m excited for the new The Secret Garden movie scheduled for summer (fingers crossed we’ll be back to normal then). The original 1993 one was already a thing of beauty and now with all the special effects that are possible these days I know it’s going to be a feast for the eyes!
Modern Jewellery as you’ll know from my previous post on the matter often takes on a geometric shape whether abstract or not, the hoop (aka a circle) is a prime example.
It’s had a makeover since it was last in the spotlight back in the early 2000s. No more the oversized wire thin silver or gold hoops that could easily be interchanged to a bangle and got constantly tangled in your hair. Now the small, sometimes wide brimmed hoops are in style. Some examples have already made a sneaky appearance in my Clear, Gold & Shell Earrings post, but I’m more than happy to show you more.
Also, I paired all of my earrings with a gold or rose gold snakechain necklace that I bought in Di but saw that Claire’s has some in gold or silver and Asos has some that come in layered/stacked necklace sets in either long or short (looking at the clasps I’m sure you can remove the other chains if you want to with tweezers).
SMALL GOLD HOOP EARRINGS
I bought a set of modern looking hoops from the Action store branded Trendz but couldn’t find them online (nor had heard of them till now) so instead I’ve searched for the best dupes I could find for each pair.
Starting from left to right; we have the simple thin small gold hoop (H&M always have multiple sets with hoop earrings to choose from for this style, like this one here), simple and elegant this one is sure to carry you through any occasion.
GOLD MEDALLION EARRINGS
Next we have the delicate hoop earring with a small medallion hanging from it. I found the exact pair I’m wearing in another Trendz set here, but Accessorize have a cute pair in this trio set here.
Marks and Spencer have also embraced this latest trend with this pair here (larger hoop though) and River Island has a gorgeous rose gold version here. Finally, if you want to forgo the hoop altogether then Mango have a dangle chain variation of the medallion earring here.
GOLD HOOP EARRINGS
Next we have the pair that encapsulates this hoop trend revival; the chunky mid-sized gold hoop earring. Refined by Lucy Williams in her 1987 Collection with Missoma, you don’t need to break the bank to get your very own pair since they are now everywhere.
Starting with Asos, they have five different pairs of the mid-sized gold hoop earrings.
Most similar to the twisted patterned ones I’m wearing are these, without any indentation are these, thinner but still indented are these, all-round chunky are these and finally thinner but hammered metal looking hoops are these ones here.
Mango equally have a huge amount of options when it comes to the gold hoop earring; including these double-twisted ringed ones here, these triple-ringed ones here and finally these simple chunky gold hoops here.
So now you too can be the ultimate cool-girl this spring/summer, I mean if Vogue said it, it must be true! :)
GREY HOOP EARRINGS
Now for the grey hoop earrings, I found a near identical pair here but Claire’s have some interesting grey tortoiseshell looking earrings that aren’t quite hoops as the hoop is the pendant part, see for yourself here.
However, I did find more beigy looking tortoiseshell hoops here and here. And if I’m honest the grey pair I’m wearing from this Trendz set are my least favourite (there’s always one!). I would have much preferred the more beige-toned ones linked above, as they would have gone perfectly with my leopard/tortoiseshell pieces I bought last year and featured in The Leopard Trend post.
BROWN HOOP EARRINGS
I love these brown thin resin tortoiseshell hoops (near identical ones here). I already linked these smaller and thicker brown resin tortoiseshell hoops in The Tortoiseshell Trend blog post. I also found some more yellow-toned ones, if that’s more your thing here.
Finally, I found some fun wooden brown hoops here which look equally as modern but just have a slightly different vibe to them and some half beige/half red brown resin tortoiseshell ones here.
ORANGE HOOP EARRINGS
These hoops, also made of resin, look like carnelians (semi-precious red/brown gemstones). I found these orange resin hoops here which also have that particular smoky effect, as well as these front-facing statement oval studs here. I also found a pair of plain orange resin earrings here which have that modern quality to them too.
ROSE GOLD HEXAGON EARRINGS
With its geometric quality the hexagon is also part of this updated modern “hoop” age. I found a rose gold snakechain with different length options here and similar small hexagon rose gold hoops at Accessorize here.
GOLD AND PEARL EARRINGS
Finally, to finish this modern jewellery post I wanted to move away from the hoop for a moment and show two more pairs of earrings (that can also be paired with the snakechain necklace) that also have the abstract/geometric/modern art quality to them which is central to modern jewellery.
The hammered gold and pearl earrings I’m wearing here are a nice subtle twist on the classic. The hammered texture of the gold and slightly uneven shape of the pearl make these earrings a modern delicate piece to have. A natural progression from the Clear, Gold and Shell Earrings trend, you can find some identical ones here and here.
GOLD DISK EARRINGS
Finally, the last eye-catching piece of modern jewellery I’m featuring are these hammered gold double-disk earrings. Like a piece of modern art for your ears I can’t imagine anyone these wouldn’t suite.
Veritas have some here and here, but I found Amazon had the best choice with a similar but not hammered version here, hammered ones here and finally triple-disk hammered ones here.
There you have it my favourite modern jewellery pieces to wear at the moment, if you were curious as to what’s on my nails it’s Essie’s Stirring Secrets (from their spring 2019 collection) but Essie’s Spin The Bottle from their permanent collection is very similar.
The ring I’m wearing is the same double-stranded fake marble centrepiece one feautured in my first Modern Jewellery piece and similar to one in this set here.
Which was your favourite pair of earrings out of this lot?
Did you wear the big hoops back in the early 2000s? Don’t tell me you weren’t born yet because that will make me feel very old lol!
What’s the most abstract pair of earrings you have come across that instantly makes you think of modern art?
So, the festive season is over…sniff. But don’t put away all your pretty jewels just yet, I know winter weddings and parties are still on the horizon for some of you and here are a few accessory ideas for starting off the new decade in style!
This time of year, big and bright dangly earrings are a must! It’s such a simple accessory to find (especially during the January sales) and add an instant touch of glam to any plain outfit. Here I paired said statement pieces with a plain roll neck jumper from Marks and Spencer (similar here).
The only precaution I would throw out there, before you buy, is to try and judge the weight of these pieces by hand (not a possibility online I know). You don’t want to end up weighing your ear down, no one likes that feeling and I’ve had to put back many beauties for that very reason.
T.K. MAXX DANGLE EARRINGS
What better way to start the 2020s than with a throwback to the 1920s? These earrings have the symmetry and decadence of the art deco style but also the softness of the art nouveau style (i.e. it looks like a leaf or flower). A perfect blend, for a gorgeous result! And although they might look heavy, they are as light as a feather. I can’t link the originals from T.K. Maxx but I found some almost identical pairs by Claire’s here and here and some alternative one-stranded pairs here and here.
PRIMARK DANGLE EARRINGS
This second pair of dangle earrings from Primark (identical here and similar here and here) have more of a minimalistic elegance to them. The crystal fringing and differentiated lengths give just enough interest to the eye without being overwhelming. Plus, with any slight movement these crystals will catch the light and sparkle, what’s not to love?
YOURS DANGLE EARRINGS
Again, another pair of dangly earrings that wouldn’t look amiss in the 1920s. From Yours here, the darker more pewter tone of the metal gives the crystals a slight smoky glass effect. Just putting them on makes you feel like you’ve just walked into a speakeasy to enjoy some jazz and a cocktail.
ZARA ORGANZA BOW CLIP
Moving on to hair accessories, you may have noticed I was sporting a ponytail in all the photos above, making sure the statement earrings were the centre piece of the look. But those statement earrings aren’t as noticeable from the back of the head, so that ponytail you’re wearing can easily be decorated with a mahusive organza bow like the one I bought from Zara (similar here)!
I’ve also shown an alternative clipped back hairstyle below still using the big organza bow. I did a small twist of the hair before clipping it in, which gave the very simple hairstyle a little something extra, because why not?
Although with this looser hairstyle, statement earrings would work, they might get a bit hidden/tangled in the loose strands. So, with this look I would personally stick to smaller sparkly earrings, like the short silver chainmail ones seen below. I bought these in Six which I can’t link (still patiently waiting for an online store which you can browse) but Claire’s has some with diamantes and Mango has a pretty pair too, although I’m not sure how big they are. Either way, chainmail is a very popular earring style and you’re bound to come across some at some point in an accessories store, just keep an eye out!
ZARA LEATHER BOW CLIP
Again, I just did a simple clipped back hairstyle without a twist this time, and used a smaller leather bow to secure it (also from Zara but no longer available). Leather trousers have always been a fashionista’s go-to come autumn/winter, but this year the leather trend has extended to shirts too! This hair clip is an easy way to dip your toes into this trend or even a great complimentary piece if you have already fully dived in!
As you can see my nails in these photos I thought I’d mention I was wearing Essie’s Getting Groovy from their Winter Collection 2016, it’s a very silvered out gold which matched my sequined skirt (see below), perfectly!
ZARA PEARL HEADBAND
As if Zara wasn’t already knocking it out of the park with their hair clips they also have gorgeous headbands to boot, including this elegant pearl one (identical one from H&M here) which I had to of course pair with matching pearl earrings.
These pearl earrings where from Six too and they put a twist on the classic pearl earring by having the pendant bit coming/being attached at the back of the ear. Apparently, it’s called a through & through earring (you learn something new every day!). I know Dior started this craze not too long ago of the through & through pearl earring. But don’t worry, if like me, you don’t have the budget for those I found some near identical ones (the pearls are a tiny bit smaller), to my much cheaper ones on Asos here.
The pearl headband was the perfect finishing touch to my flipped ponytail hairstyle. Again, a very easy hairstyle; you basically put your hair into a ponytail, loosen it a bit, divide the hair above the elastic into two and grab the rest of the ponytail and flip it through the divided part. I found a tutorial video to help you, in case you’re like me and find a visual aid easier to understand than a written one.
Looking for pearl hair clips instead? Check out my Pearl Clips blog post for more ideas about those.
SIX STAR HEADBAND
Both the star headband and star earrings are from Six. Again, it’s getting frustrating that I can’t give you specific links for this store (you can’t browse their selection online). The best accessory dupes I could find for this very art deco looking star (with more than five points) were from Asos in this earrings set here, ring set here or Bijou Brigitte’s earrings and necklace set here or star drop earrings here. Finally, this stunning star hair chain or star hair clip from Accessorize would have worked equally as well in the hairstyle I’m sporting below.
I did find a gorgeous but slightly more statement star headband here or more minimalistic floral headbands from Claire’s here and here which have a similar effect albeit not celestial themed.
The hairstyle for this headband is working off of the flipped ponytail stage described above. I did an additional flip with all the rest of my hair and Kirby gripped (Bobby pinned) the Hell out of it!
While I have a good photo of my makeup up above, I thought I would mention quickly what I’m wearing. I kept it pretty simple because I didn’t want to detract from the already eye-catching accessories.
And finally on my lips I’m wearing my go-to lip liner N°7 Precision Lips Pencil in Nude with M&S Limited Collection satin lipstick in Chiffon (which they don’t seem to sell anymore which is a shame).
ELEGANTPARK SHOE CLIPS
Finally, to finish off this accessory post, you didn’t think I would let you get away without mentioning shoes, did you? I think Carrie Bradshaw “The Original Influencer” from Sex and the City can be credited with starting the Manolo Blahnik shoe obsession and somehow it has seeped into my subconscious.
If I was a gazillionaire then you bet my first pair of luxury shoes would be the black velvet pumps from Manolo Blahnik. But I’m not, and I hardly see myself ever spending that amount of money (€950…gasp!) on one single pair of shoes and I’m a shoeaholic! But I already owned a pair of black velvet pumps that cost me a whooping €10 (now that I can get behind!) and although they didn’t feature in my Velvet Shoes post they where bought at the same Belgian Outlet Center Shoes & Fashion (The Outlet Center at Mont-Saint-Guibert).
Combined with my recent discovery that shoe clips were a thing and a term I could now search for, I knew I could make my very own Manolo Blahniks. Having exhausted all my usual accessories haunts I turned to the great big world of Amazon (right?! Surprised me too) and found exactly what I was looking for; a simple embellished rectangle buckle in these ElegantPark Shoe Clips.
Voilà like magic it worked out a treat! I wore my new dupes for our family Christmas lunch paired with this gorgeous sequined H&M skirt (see more than just the hem here) that I saw Erika from Retro Flame wear in one of her videos and rushed out the next day to go find (what can I say…I was influenced!).
Hope you’re having a great start to the 20s!
What’s been your favourite accessory so far?
Have you ever recreated designer shoes? I’m very tempted to paint some red soles with nail polish (or maybe just paint) à la Louboutin, who’s with me?
The pearl beaded clip has been the “it” accessory of the season…why? Because anyone can wear it no matter the hair colour, style or cut, plus it’s super affordable!
So when I spotted this set in Stradivarius whilst on holiday (identical one here), I just knew I had to pick up two pairs (because I wanted two of the rectangular ones to recreate the double clipped look as seen below).
All three hairstyles were based on curly hair created by foam rollers (granted you look like Medusa when you go to bed that night). It’s the only way I find curls last longer than 2 hours in my hair when I set them wet to dry (as opposed to starting with already dry hair).
TRIANGULAR PEARL CLIP
This hairstyle was just done by sliding the triangular clip (similar here) above and behind my ear, on the side of my hair parting with the least amount of hair.
DOUBLE RECTANGULAR PEARL CLIPS
This is the double rectangular clip look I was talking about. Super easy, you just clip back both sides of your hair behind and above your ear (you can but it is not necessary to have a middle parting for this look). Then do a quick check with the double mirror method (looking in a mirror whilst one is placed behind your head) to make sure both clips sit parallel to each other and aren’t wonky, and you’re done!
SINGLE RECTANGULAR PEARL CLIP
For this hairstyle I just took a section of hair where my parting usually lies, I combed it back and fixed it at the crown of my head with just one of the rectangular clips. All three of these looks can be created with straight hair, I just fancied curly hair for the photos!
Even though the clips are a minor accessory they still manage to make quite a statement, therefore I left the rest of my jewellery really minimal with some basic silver hoop earrings from Hema similar here (yes you may have spotted their gold siblings in my Clear, Gold & Shell Earrings post).
This shell dish is a thrift find from Soleil Pieces and although the glass is a deep blue in real life, I photoshopped it to be brown in the photos (ideally that’s the colour of the glass that I would have wanted). The other shell ornament in the first photo is from Maison du Monde (in turquoise here).
There you have it, an easy “it” piece to accommodate in your everyday style.
Have you tried the pearl clips trend yet?
Am I missing an easy way to style them? Leave in the comments below how you’re wearing them.
Modern jewellery seems to follow three simple rules; they are often delicate in appearance, geometric in shape and use crystal look-a-like stones. I’ve mentioned this before in my Modern Jewellery post, but there is a whole different option to modern jewellery in the form of the statement acrylic/resin pieces.
As with everything else in fashion, it’s a trend that has come full circle from the 70s and 80s, but instead of pairing these statement pieces with equally flashy outfits (I mean you do you!), the modern way to wear them is to pair them with chic, classic, minimal and often monochrome outfits. Letting the earrings (more often than not), do all the talking! Any standard white work shirt works for this look.
CLEAR & GOLD EARRINGS
While coloured acrylic can be a fun pop of colour, I’ve seen a big rise in the clear acrylic paired with gold accents. Like this gorgeous pair from Veritas which I could not find a dupe for (at this point this shop is an easy guess when it comes to where my jewellery is from).
CLEAR & GOLD HOOP EARRINGS
Hoops have made a big comeback in recent years (check out my Modern Jewellery: Hoops Galore blog post for more info on the topic), I remember wearing the big thin silver metallic ones as a teenager in the early 2000s (anyone else have Gretchen Wieners’ speech in Mean Girls come to mind?). But these days the small thicker hoops are on trend. I personally don’t mind, as this modern style doesn’t get twisted up in your hair and threaten to pull you ear lobe off in a tangled mess, so win win!
These clear acrylic ones again came from Veritas but I found some similar pairs on Amazon here, here and here with a bigger hoop. I paired them with some small thick gold hoops in my second piercings (see below) to keep with the clear acrylic and gold accents trend, but you can totally wear them on their own.
GOLD HOOP EARRINGS
Small thick gold hoops are everywhere and super easy to find, mine personally came from Hema (I also picked up a silver version, because I like to wear both metals depending on my mood and outfit choice), but I found a similar pair in this gorgeous H&M earring pack here or at Mango here.
HEXAGON EARRINGS
These earrings from New Look (similar here and here), prove that geometric shapes are equally as popular in delicate jewellery as in statement ones. I especially like the hammered gold effect these ones have, plus it’s a slightly different play on the hoop earring, which is always fun.
SHELL EARRINGS
This shell jewellery trend might look familiar since it was everywhere last summer and it’s certainly here to stay. With epic beachy vibes, these can be rocked on holiday or in the summer heat (lol still waiting on that here in Belgium). Combined with a pearl detail which is very popular with hairclip accessories at the moment (keep an eye out for my next fashion post; Pearl Clips), these earrings also from New Look (similar here), tick all the trend boxes.
By the way, the silver coloured shell ornament you see in the photos is from Maison du Monde (in turquoise here)and the white shell is a thrifted piece from Soleil Pieces, but Maison du Monde have some similar ones too.
Asos have a plethora of gold shell earrings here, so you can start collecting seashells too, granted in this way more expensive way!
So I’ve talked about The Tortoiseshell Trend in a previous blog post, but now let’s talk about a more recent one, the leopard print trend. I’ve personally never been much of a fan of leopard print (you won’t catch me in a full faux fur leopard print coat any time soon), but this recent more beige edition, I can get on board with. Certainly, in small accessory doses you can follow this trend without making too much of a statement.
All the following accessories came from Veritas (an accessories and haberdashery shop here in Belgium), which you’ve heard me talk about many times now. They’re always very up to date on the latest trends, and this one is no exception! The jumper I’m sporting is from New Look (similar here and here and in plus size here) but I swapped out the black buttons for some brown ones (again from Veritas) which I preferred the look of.
THE EARRINGS
Starting off with a very discreet touch of the leopard print with some square resin earrings for which I’ve found some exact dupes on Amazon here. Mango also have a more statement pair here.
THE KIRBY GRIPS
Kirby grip (bobby pin) designs in one’s hairstyles has also been very popular as of late, so why not combine trends and get some leopard print Kirby grips?! I’ve given you two simple examples of how you could wear them, with a crisscross design as shown here:
Or simply putting some of your hair back with a few Kirby grips, like this:
Sadly I couldn’t find any alternative place to get these leopard print Kirby grips, so if you know of a place let me know and I’ll link it straight away (I know Boots always have a massive variety of Kirby grips, so you could try there? I personally had no luck online).
THE HAIR CLIP
This gorgeous leopard hair clip was again from Veritas but I found another dupe on Amazon in this set here. I did a very basic clipping back of my hair, but this clip also worked on a ponytail. However, I do have very fine hair, so this clip might not encompass thicker hair ponytails because the clip would not be wide enough.
THE SCARF SCRUNCHY
Once again combining trends with the scarf scrunchy. I found a near identical leopard scrunchy again on Amazon (clearly a gold mine when it comes to the leopard/tortoiseshell trend) here. But if you just fancied a normal head scarf instead then Asos do a pretty one too here. A little tip for this hairstyle is to tie your hair first with a normal elastic before placing the scrunchy over it. This way you can get the scarf portion positioned exactly where you want it to be without twisting your ponytail out of place.
You could also put the scarf scrunchy on the handle of your handbag to give it a je ne sais quoi, if you didn’t particularly fancy wearing it in your hair that day.
There you have it, all my little leopard print touches.
Do you have a favourite?
What do you think of the Kirby grip and scarf scrunchy trends?
Have you adopted leopard print too? Or are you staying clear? What do you think of this more beige version?
We’ve all heard of the LBD (little black dress), that perfect black dress that is your go-to for any special occasion, but what about the shoes? Everyone needs the perfect LBS (little black shoes) too! So here are my top picks from my shoe collection and the perfect moments to wear them.
P.S. In case you were wondering, Essie’s Fiji is on my toes throughout this post. The perfect neutral canvas to complement any classic black shoes.
THE STRAPPY EVENING SHOES
You’ve already seen these shoes featured in my Marbella Evening Outfits post, these are the perfect strappy pair to elevate any evening look (originally from New Look similar hereand here and a leather version as opposed to suedette here).
THE “OLD HOLLYWOOD” MARABOU FEATHER SHOES
Taking inspiration from the glamour of the 1950s marabou mule, these shoes are the perfect touch of flirty and fun. Reminiscent of the boudoir era, you’re bound to look like a Hollywood icon wearing these! Be careful with any New York subway grates though or you might get your very own Marilyn Monroe moment. Again, originally from New Look but I found some dupes on Amazon here, although a lot of reviews do complain about their peculiar buckle, so fair warning.
THE GIANVITO ROSSI PLEXI DUPE SHOES
I think it was back in 2016 when the Gianvito Rossi plexi shoes hit the designer market and became the “IT” shoes to have. Personally, I can’t afford the £560.00 and above price tag, so I patiently waited for the high street to get the message. Couple of years later, and I got these beauties in Mango. Unfortunately, because I have wide feet, I had to go with the larger of two sizes (had they made half sizes it would have been perfect) which fit the front part of my foot but was also a bit too long, so my heel tends to slip out when I walk. Any helpful tips for that problem would be most welcome! Zara are having a real moment with plexi in their shoes this season hence I found a few similar pairs here, here and from Asos here.
THE CLASSIC PATENT COURT SHOES
These would be even more of a classic paired with a red sole, but again I can’t afford the designer price that is Louboutin, so I’ll stick with these dupes from Dorothy Perkins (similar here) instead. Now no one “needs” a pair of shoes but if you were to go for any pair featured in this post then I would highly recommend this style. Purely because the patent black heel is a true classic, you’ll never have to worry about it going out of style and be able to keep them for years to come.
THE ANKLE STRAP SHOES
These were my University graduation shoes, so they will always hold a special place in my heart! From Zara (very similar here), these have a reasonable heel height of 3” and a sturdy strap, so I was sure not to lose a shoe “à la Cinderella” or trip over my own two feet on my way up to the podium to get my diploma. They didn’t fail me then and whenever I need an elegant shoe I could potentially run in, these are my go-to, and if you’re wearing long enough trousers the ankle strap gets completely hidden and the shoe looks even more elegant and dainty (no one will know that those babies aren’t coming off any time soon).
THE ELEGANT KITTEN HEELS
Just as elegant as the ankle strap shoes above, these would complete a great workwear outfit. I got these in a sale at H&M a couple of years ago (Mango have an almost identical pair here and Asos one with a thicker heel here). The kitten heels make these shoes super comfortable to stand in for long periods of time. The slim slingback does however make these a tad less secure on your feet (with the potential of losing one if you ran in them).
THE SLINGBACKS
Speaking of H&M sales, these cost me a whopping €5! The last of this style and in my size, what can I say people, it was fate! These follow a bit of the 90s mule trend (see below), with a large portion of the shoe located on the front part of the foot and the peep-toe effect but it has a bit of a twist… literally! There is a twist design in the satin fabric on the front part of the foot plus it’s a slingback hence it has more hold on the foot than your typical mule (these shoes were really hard to find dupes for but I found these alternatives here, here and here). I don’t know what it is about these shoes, but they are surprisingly comfortable to wear (maybe the softness of the fabric that moulds perfectly to my slightly wider feet with zero rubbing or my perfect heel height of 3”…who knows?). Either way love these babies!
THE 90s MULES
Again, from an H&M sale (what can I say? I was on a roll when it came to finding cute shoes in their sale), I really wanted a pair of black mules as a throwback to the 90s trend. As I grew up in the 90s I never really got to try out this particular trend, I was a kid, so I stuck to more practical shoes (per parental wisdom) and less the fashionable ones. Now in my late (sniff) twenties I get to make all the fashionable and less practical decisions!!! Although to be fair, with their chunky heels and minimalist style (H&M have another equally as cute pair here) these shoes are pretty handy to slip on and off at lightning speed when you’re trying to catch the mailman deliveries! Also I’ve been on a little bit of a Buffy The Vampire Slayer binge recently (never watched it originally on TV so playing catch-up), and with these I could fit right in with the cast! #goals
THE ASYMMETRIC BOOTS
These I would personally consider to be boots although they could be interpreted as mule slingbacks I guess? Depends on how much of the foot has to be covered for you to consider shoes to be boots. I love the asymmetric design theses ones have plus with their thin high heels they really do feel more modern while still maintaining a slight hint to the 90s mule (with the covered front part of the foot and the peep-toe). I couldn’t find any exact copies of these New Look beauties but found four pairs that I thought were similarly modern/geometric in their designs here, here, here and here.
So there you have it; my top fail-safe black shoe designs that are part of my essential LBS (little black shoes) list.
Any designs you think I missed out? I know I’m still missing the plain one strap ones, but I have yet to find my perfect pair! Hey that means I have room to grow, right…right? I know my wardrobe would highly disagree (I have a shoe problem what can I say?!).
After my Modern Hairstyles post, I obviously had to follow up with a modern jewellery one.
When looking at modern jewellery, I find what distinguishes them from the rest are three simple rules; they are usually rather delicate in appearance, they often take geometrical shapes and can feature marble or crystal look-a-like stones.
Before we get started I just wanted to add, as a side note, that the colour on my nails is Essie’s Licorice.
GOLD SQUARE DROP EARRINGS
Let’s start outside in; my third lobe piercing (see photo below) is a plain cubic zirconia stud from Claire’s when I had my second and third holes done (the tragus was done in a professional tattoo/piercing place in Edinburgh called Studio XIII). The star stud earrings came from a Marks and Spencer set, which I sadly can’t find anymore but I found some similar studs (here and from this gold set here or silver set here). The long square drop earrings came from Veritas (a shop here in Belgium that’s a bit like Accessorize but which also carries haberdashery). Sadly, I can’t find a link on their website to these specific earrings but I did find some similar ones here and plain bar drop earrings with a bit of cubic zirconia from M&S here or these beauties here.
The hexagon ring was my first foray into this modern jewellery trend and at the time the only shop I could find these types of rings was from Six (before the trend took off that is, now you can pretty much find this shape anywhere). The bar ring on my other hand was also from there, the rest are just some stackable rings I got from a random set (probably from Accessorize as it’s my go-to jewellery store in the UK), but H&M do some really awesome stackable ring sets here and Asos have one with multiple star rings here.
SILVER SQUARE DROP EARRINGS
Again, the plain cubic zirconia stud, in my second lobe hole this time, was from Claire’s piercing process. And the long square silver drop earring was… you guessed it, also from Veritas (I picked up both the gold and the silver version at the same time). Luckily Amazon have them in silver too here or M&S do some alternatives in silver here and these are cute too.
I know people often say that they suit silver or gold jewellery more, I say pish posh wear what you want! While I tend to prefer silver coloured jewellery, that doesn’t mean I don’t or can’t wear gold, and so if I really like a pair of earrings (which I did in this case), and it’s available in both colours, then I will pick up both!
The circle ring was from Six, and the hammered band ring was again from a random stack of silver rings.
MARBLE HEXAGON EARRINGS
These half marble half gold hexagon earrings were also from Veritas (I think you might be able to sense a theme here). And I found some similar ones here or circular ones fron this set here and a fun hoop version here. And while I was on my search for all these jewellery dupes I found a matching hairclip here.
The rose quartz necklace I’m pretty sure was from H&M years ago, but don’t quote me on that one. But I found another rose quartz one here. Plus, I know the American Museum of Natural History do some (as well as the British Natural History Museum) since I picked up a clear quartz from there when I recently visited New York.
MARBLE TRIANGLE DROP EARRINGS
Last but not least we have this combination of the stud star earring (similar here and here), with some marble triangle drop earrings which were also from Veritas and for which I found these alternatives here or these non-drop earrings i.e. studs here and here.
I think the marble ring was from Six (similar here), but I can’t quite remember for sure. Either way H&M do some nice marble rings here, or bigger stone ones here. The hexagon ring (from Six) and the heart diamanté one are the same from the first look. Finally, if you got the first set of marble rings from H&M that I mentioned at the beginning of this paragraph, it would also include a couple of bauble band ones (not sure how else to describe that specific effect), like the ones I’m wearing.
There you have it, my interpretation of the modern jewellery trend and a few key examples from my collection. I know plexi and gold are a big earring trend right now as well as seashell shapes (but I have a whole separate post coming up dedicated to that specific trend).
Oh, and in case you were curious, the mirror I’m using as a display tray of sorts was from Casa (a homeware store here in Belgium where they currently do a more floral version here). Maisons Du Monde have a trio of similar mirrors here or you could actually use a tray like this mirrored one here.
Are you a silver or gold jewellery wearer? Or are you like me and embrace both?
What do you predict will be the next big trend to go from homeware to jewellery like marble did?
Now I’m usually pretty lazy when it comes to styling my hair. Since it’s naturally straight, I just brush and go (my makeup is where I like to spend my time). But recently I’ve seen these types of hairstyles for bob and lob haircuts (whether straight or curly) which looked pretty easy to emulate, granted you have to own the right hair accessories first.
GOLD STAR CLIP
This gold star clip was from Veritas (a haberdashery/accessories store here in Belgium). Now while I can’t find the exact same one anymore, they do have a thin gold geometric patterned one here. It’s that geometric pattern that gives the hairstyle its modern twist but I also found an alternative star clip here or part of a clip set here (and just for funsies a matching double finger ring design here).
For the hairstyle itself; you are going to have to part your hair into three equal sections at the top of your head.
The two peripheral sections you can put into ponytails, so they don’t get in the way of the middle section and you don’t lose your partings.
With the middle section you are going to do a Dutch braid (where the braid is visible as opposed to the tucked in with the French braid). Because the section of hair you’re working with is so small you might have to skip a couple of grabs of adding hair to the braid, but don’t worry your braid will still be secured to your head. Once you’ve reached the crown of your head just continue to braid a normal braid, then tie up with a clear elastic or hair coloured one.
Take out the ponytails of the peripheral sections and comb them backwards (careful not to snag your middle part braid with the comb). At the crown of your head put all three section in the clip, and voilà the hairstyle is done!
I can’t remember where I got the matching star necklace from, but Asos currently do a cute one here.
SILVER CLIP: STYLE 1
Again with a clip from Veritas, which they currently still do have here in gold or here rounded and gold. Instead of parting your hair in three sections you’re just going to take that chunk of hair and clip it at the crown. This couldn’t be easier! And again, what makes it modern is the geometric shape of the clip.
SILVER CLIP: STYLE 2
With the same clip and section of hair (you might want to grab a bit more at the crown depending on how thick your hair is. You’re going to take that section and twist it to make a sort of bun (the rougher the better) and tie it in place with a clear or hair coloured elastic (it shouldn’t be visibly sticking out of the bun).
With the end lose bit of hair and lower part of the bun you are going to clip them at the crown of the head. It may take a few tries for you to be satisfied with how it looks both at the front and back, and for the clip to be securely in place on your head (otherwise it’s going to untwist with the bun), but I believe in you!
There you have it, three pretty easy modern hairstyles. Remember it’s all about that geometric clip!
What are your go-to hairstyles?
Are you more of a brush and go girl like me?
What’s one hairstyle you would love to be able to do on yourself but no matter how many times you’ve tried it, it doesn’t work out? For me, it’s the waterfall braid…my hair nemesis!
As it’s still the middle of winter here, and the temperatures have yet to rise, I thought I would show you the earrings bringing a pop of colour into my life during the dry fashion spell that is “sweater weather” post festivities.
All three pairs were from Hema (a bit of a miscellaneous shop here in Belgium), from a couple of months ago which I paired with matching nail polish each time (see below). Hema also had some tassel earrings in bright red, burgundy or navy, if I remember correctly. But I personally went for the mustard, pink and green.
However two alternative colours I can think of are Essie’s Fall For NYC, from last year’s Essie Autumn/Fall Collection 2018 (although it applies a lot more yellow on the nails than the mustard colour it appears in the bottle), and L’Oréal’s Color Riche in 114 So Chic Fox.
PINK TASSEL EARRINGS
These pink ones (similar but with an extra flower piece here), I paired with Essie’s Go Go Geisha which, in my local Di at least, has become part of Essie’s permanent collection. Although originally released in the Autumn/Fall Collection 2016.
In all the pics I wearing a simple black ribbed jumper from Mango similar here. And on my lips I’m wearing Sephora Collection Lip Liner To Go in 17 Light Brown. So, this was more of a photo-heavy blog post than usual, but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless!
What’s your go-to fashion pick-me-up during these post festivities winter months?
Any specific colour catching your eye right now?
What are you most looking forward to this spring? (Okay I know, I know. All those chocolate Easter eggs) ;)
HAPPY NEW YEAR’S EVE!!! What better way to celebrate the new year than by wearing glittery shoes?! As I’ve been collecting this type of shoe for many years now (what can I say I’m a magpie, I see shiny shoes and I have to have them!). I thought now would be the perfect time to show you my collection so far, so if you’re in need of a bit of inspiration and don’t know where to look, just keep reading.
LIGHT GOLD
This is the perfect nude sparkly shoe for my skin tone. From New Look (similar here), this is the ideal pair to elongate your legs while giving off a little sparkle when they catch the light. The sparkle is caused by sparkly string/fabric woven in the fabric of the shoe. So you won’t be leaving a trail of glitter everywhere you go, nor do you get specks on your fingers as you put them on.
DARK GOLD
Again, from New Look, slightly lighter version here but New Look tends to bring out very similar shoes each festive season so keep an eye out then. This pair is also a type of woven sparkle, and I love the gold detail at the top of the heel below the counter (term for the heel of the shoe, who knew?!).
ROSE GOLD
One of my favourites, this pair was from Marks and Spencer last year (no longer on their websitebut similar here with woven sparkle though) and they came out with a turquoise colour this year (yes I had to pick them up too, see below). These have different sizes of glitter chunks glued on the shoes, so you might lose a bit of sparkle if you scuff your shoe but otherwise they seem pretty solidly glued on! Also, despite the super pointy look of the shoes, they are really comfortable to wear - and that’s coming from someone with wide feet.
MULTICOLOURED
A new purchase from New Look this year (they still have them hereand a light pink version here), I love the multidimensionality of the colours provided by the glitter which is glued on the shoes (borderline holographic), sadly photos don’t do them justice as they really are stunning in person!
TURQUOISE
Exactly the same as the pointy Marks and Spencer ones above, I had to pick these up too (no longer on their website but similar here). I already knew they were super comfortable to wear, plus they were in my favourite colour and they were on sale…I mean how could I refuse?!
GREY
These are of the brand Marco Tozzi and I found them in the same Belgian Outlet Center Shoes & Fashion store from which I got my velvet shoes that appeared in my Velvet Shoes post (alternatives here). They also have that special woven fabric with sparkle, which is really nice.
BLACK
The final pair, again from New Look (similar here), are a gorgeous black with subtle sparkle when caught in the light (super fine glitter). I mean if you’re stuck for options New Look is really your best bet as they rock the evening and stylish shoe world, and don’t break the bank either!
There you have it, all my glitter shoes so far! Yes, I know I’m missing the obvious red glittery pair, but I have yet to find some to my liking! I think Dorothy stole the best pair out there!
Which was your favourite of the bunch?
What do you like to wear on New Year’s Eve? I’m opting for slippers this year as I have zero parties to go to. #jomo (Joy of Missing Out) :P
If you’re on the contrary going to a party, then have a great time, be safe and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Before the Arctic blast that seemed to plummet our temperatures here in Belgium a good 10°C over a weekend, it was perfect sweater weather. These are three outfits worn then, when there was still no major need for any coats. As I know the world consists of many varying temperatures during the autumn and winter, I thought some of you might still enjoy these outfits, nonetheless.
OUTFIT 1: THE TARTAN
Because I love tartan (my inner half-Scottishness has to come out somewhere), this has got to be my favourite outfit. The ribbed berry/burgundy top is from M&S last year (similar here) and Asos have similar long sleeved versions (here and here) which will keep you much warmer.
The boots are true vintage as they come from my mum, and with the help of some shoe polish they look as good as new! Now if you aren’t as lucky to get such gorgeous hand-me-downs then Asos has a similar pair (here).
Although my skirt was from Asda George last year too, New Look have a variation with a more simplistic check (here), and Asos with a more green tartan colourway (here) and Dorothy Perkins has one with the same cut but in a grey colourway (here).
When I spotted Zoë Sugg wear this jumper in one of her vlogs for her Halloween photo section of her upcoming book, I just knew I had to have it! It’s from Joanie and while they don’t have it anymore Asos have the same colorway here, a cute Halloween colourway here (i.e. orange and black stripe), and a candy corn colourway (here). The skirt is just a plain black A-line corduroy skirt bought again from Asda George last year, very similar (here and here). The ankle boots are some simple western style ones from New Look last year (very similar here).
OUTFIT 3: THE STRIPES & DUNGAREES
The final outfit is for those who might not be as comfortable wearing skirts this time of year (thermal tights are a thing so don’t let it be the cold that stops you). The jumper was originally from Wallis but bought on eBay and Asos have a similar one (here). And the dungarees were from New Look a couple of years back (similar here and here).
The black boots were also from New Look last year, and here you have two options: either going for the slouched boot look in leather with a thicker and taller heel (here), or going for the same suede but higher almost to the knee structured boot (here), as the perfect combination of both doesn’t seem to be at New Look anymore.
There you have it my three autumn/sweater weather outfits. Which one is your favourite?
How is the weather at the moment where you live? Sweater weather appropriate or full on puff jackets and mittens?
What about your shoes of choice? Has practicality outweighed fashion yet? I know snow does that to my choice of footwear, don’t want any broken ankles for the sake of “Fashun”! ;P
One of my favourite times of year a.k.a. the “candy holiday”! I usually go all out with my decorations. Top tip: wait till November and get them all half priced (after a few years you can build up quite the collection!). This year I’ve added to my collection a dancing pumpkin, which gives me endless amusement!
But I’m getting sidetracked, in this post I’ll be showing you four pairs of Halloween earrings you can wear throughout October.
THE PUMPKIN N°1
A recent addition to my small collection (similar here), I got these a couple of weeks ago from Hema. Which is a party/decorations/stationary/jewellery/makeup/baby clothes/snacks shop here in Belgium (yap I can’t work out the weird combination either). They are a bit weighty but nothing uncomfortable otherwise I wouldn’t have bought them (I can’t be the only one that estimates the weight of earrings before buying them…anyone? Nope okay).
THE PUMPKIN N°2
This is the first pair of Halloween earrings I ever bought but it was at least five years ago now. They are super light since they are made from essentially just some felt and glitter. I’m going to assume they were either from Claire’s or Accessorize because that’s where I get most of my accessories/earrings from. But I found a stone studded pair here with just as much sparkle!
THE BAT
These are super cute and dainty (similar in this set here or in silver here), and you could easily get away with wearing these without drawing too much attention. Also recently bought from Hema. These bat earrings would also be perfect for a second or third piercing (if you have them), because of how small and light they are. Plus, you could always layer these with another pair of more extravagant ones (either pumpkins above), in your first/primary piercing.
Only avid readers will recognise this fluffy little guy from my 3 Easy Halloween Makeup Looks post of last year when I dressed up as Countess Dracula :P
THE SPIDER
Apart from the diamantes these spider earrings are creepily realistic. Although they are a bit too big for me to comfortably wear them with my secondary earrings (my piercings are rather closely spaced). But I don’t mind, I think they are pretty statement enough to be worn on their own. Bought last year from Asda’s George but found a dangly pair here. Top tip: check out the girls’ accessories as they often have fun seasonal hairclips and earrings there (no age limit to being ridiculously festive imo!).
If you’ve been keeping an eye out on the latest fashion trends in stores lately, then you’ll know that animal print is very much IN at the moment.
Now while I can’t see myself rocking a full leopard or snakeskin dress just yet, I have been dipping my toes in with small touches here and there of tortoiseshell. Even a small change in accessories can make a big difference in one’s look. Now while I know it’s technically a “fashion rule” not to mix black with brown or navy…I say forget that! There can be some truly beautiful combinations with a bit of experimentation and that’s what fashion is all about after all, fun and experimentation!
THE EARRINGS
I found this pair of tortoiseshell hoop earrings from an accessories and haberdashery store we have here in Belgium called Veritas. I also found a similar pair on Asos (here) for just as cheap!
I love the rich brown colour of these earrings with some complementary brown nail polish with Essie’s Chocolate Cakes (the best brown nail polish I’ve ever found and is in Belgium’s permanent Essie Collection in Di anyway), and some rose gold rings. I also just wore my everyday silver studs (that my ears were pierced with in Edinburgh’s Studio XIII).
In this particular instance I didn’t really mind mixing the metals of my jewellery since the rose gold of the rings were quite silvery to begin with (some can be more pink and some more yellow). I tend to not particularly like mixing gold and silver but to each their own! With tortoiseshell I think both can work. I finished everything off with my brown metallic watch from DKNY that has already been featured in My Watch Collection post.
THE SUNGLASSES
This September, I was lucky enough to tag along on my brother’s thirtieth birthday present, from my parents, to New York. So, these sunglasses (similar here) came from a small kiosk on Liberty Island because it was super sunny that day (I had the sunburn to prove it!).
As I’m a contact-lens wearer, my eyes were watering very badly in the bright sunshine without any sunglasses, so I had to get them. I particularly love this pair not only because they’re tortoiseshell but also because the lenses are slightly tinted yellow, so when you wear them it’s like being in constant golden hour…beautiful! New Look have a plethora of tortoiseshell sunglasses at the moment (here, here and here) so you’re bound to find your match!
THE SHOES
I spotted these tortoiseshell beauties at the beginning of September in New Look and just had to get them! Plus, they are still available on their website here and I found a boots version here. Paired with a sheer pair of black tights, an all black outfit and black handbag (previously featured in my Winter Crossbody Bags post) they look stunning and give a little somethin’ somethin’ to an otherwise plain outfit.
