Clog On!

Yes, it seems the clog has made it's way into the top summer shoe trend's for 2010, and as reluctant as I am to say this - I kinda want a pair. Now the clogs I'm talking about are the high heeled, chunky sandals - not the  i-live-in-a-windmill-in-Holland style clogs.

Chanel and Miu Miu were rocking their clogs down the runways and it wasn;t long before they were selling like hot cakes! Fashion bloggers and celebrities were rocking the clogs and it seems we're dying to hop on the bandwagon too. They are a fresh take on a familiar style of summer sandal -  think back to last year when Pierre Hardy joined GAP to design their summer sandals that proved to be a huge sell out hit; appearing in practically every fashion magazine of the year!
Photo credits: Above: Flikr, Right: fashion tribes


The slip-on clog design has influenced a lot of the designs this summer eith many re-designing and experimenting with the slip-on design. Now a Slip-on heel, to me, doesn't sound that appealing - but I think it could work well for a daytime look- which is why they're so wearable. They are simplistic but unusual in their design but still allow you to mix and match all kinds of outfits and they'd bring it up to trend instantly.
Chanel

Now I wish I could afford a £300 pair of Miu Miu clogs I really do, but alas I cannot. Instead I have waited to see what high street designers can do -  and decide whether or not it is possible to own a pair of clogs worthy of a "are they designer" comment.

So here goes, I have sat in front of my computer searching away, to find the best designer style steals out there, under £100.








1. £90.78 @ ">Free People 2. £97.36 @ ">Free People 3. £97.36 @ ">Free People 4. £65 @ Topshop 5. £45 @ Miss Selfridge 6. £40 @ Barratts7. £35 @ Barratts

Plaits, braids, knots and twists.

If like playing with your hair and you like trying out different things.Well I've decided that after looking and over the amazing plait trends of last years catwalks, I have decided to make a little collage for anyone who wants to have a try.

Photo credits: Elle, and Hairdresser journal interactive

To help you on your way ...

here's how to fish plait courtesy of Youtube

DIY T-Shirt Dress

A while ago I bought a really big T-shirt off eBay (see previous post), and I wanted to make it into a dress.
Some large T-shirts don't need to be taken in at the sides if they are long enough, but this was like a tent!

So here's how I did it.
First, turn T-shirt inside out and decide roughly how much it needs to be taken in. Make mental note or make a mark with eye-liner and begin pinning down the sides. Pin both sides, and remember to leave about half a cm from the pin.
Sew from where the sleeve startsand sew down. After you've sewn each side try the top on to make sure the size is right.
Once the size is right, you need to see how much you are going to have to take in the sleeves. I liked the longer length of the sleeves on mine, so I decided to go for a bat-wing style. I marked out a diagonal line with pins so that the sleeves were tightest at the end. It's pretty easy to adjust the sleeves and there are plenty of good videos out there depending on what style you want.


Here's a slideshow and finished product...

Tattoo Tights

When Chanel's models walked down the catwalk showcasing Karl Largerfield's Spring/Summer collection it was a fresh surprise to see the use of temporary tattoos.              

Photo credit: Style.com

The temporary tattoo's were available to buy but have since sold out (unless you venture to eBay) and would have set you back £100+. 

That's a lot more than the 20p temporary tat's I used to buy as a kid from the supermarket! Well, if you don't have the money to spend on temporary tattoos - don't reach for a biro pen - try out some tattoo tights before attempting to DIY!

Photo credit: www.grifebolsas.com



 There are many different designs and colours out there. I've picked out a few of what I think are the hottest pairs to wear right now!


1. Jonathan Aston @ John Lewis, £12                       

2. itsocks.co.uk, £9.60

3. Bebaroque tights @ Lilywigglesworth, £25.20

 4. Jonathan Aston @ MyTights, £12

5. Sherry Ann @ itsocks.co.uk, £6.99

The selection at itsocks is where i'll be going to pick out my pair - there's so much choice!
Hope this has helped anyone who has been looking for a pair!

A few floral summer dresses under £30

Maybe it is the burst of sunshine that we have been having lately or maybe it was the fact that student loan payments have gone through... but today I felt the need to purchase a beautiful floral dress. Now I am not a very flowery person - I have one flowery top that I bought about a month ago and I worn in only once. I just cannot seem to make it work. However, when the sun is shining I have to admit I am a bit of a sucker for a floral dress, but since I only have one flowery dress already - these days are quite rare.





Here it is,,, £10 @ New Look







Because it's been so summery lately, and because of my bargain find, I thoughti'd scour the net a little to find my favorite floral dresses under £30. So here goes....

1. Boohoo.com, £20

2. Dorothy Perkins, £25

3. Asos, £16

4. Desireclothing.com, £20

5. Boohoo.com, £20

6. New Look, £25

My new love: peruvian necklaces

You know when you flick through glossy mags, and fashion websites, and you see jewellery that's little more interesting and most of the time a lot more expensive to the that on the high street, and you just wonder - why is it so hard to find jewelry pieces that have a certain 'sass' ?


Now I'm not talking about the beach jewelry that you buy in holiday when you're feeling like a surfer and get home to find you have no clothes or surroundings that match. I'm talking about the the look fo the jewellery - Silvers, gold, stones, gems, detail that doesn't look generic.

Well, i think i've found it. I was looking around the net for some hand made silver jewellery and I discovered a style of necklace 'Alpaca' inspired and made in Peru. I then went on to my cyberspace heaven - ebay- and typed in 'Alpaca necklace' and I was given 848 necklaces to browse through. I was happy to see that if you wanted - you could also buy them directly from Peru with shipping costing around £6. Prices range from 99p - £25 (unless you plan on buying wholesale), which is amazing - Obviously at this prices it is not real silver but you're likely to get one for the same price you'd pay for a neclace from the high street - except this necklace will make your outfit a whole lot more unique.






I could quite happily buy ten of and never need to buy another necklace again. Of course It would be wrong of me to write this post without bidding or buying one, or two or three... So bidded I have done.

(I don't know why the necklaces are called 'Alpaca' but this is what real alpaccas in Peru look like for those who were not wondering)

Get the Chloe spring/summer look for less!

If you like the outdoors and you like fashion you should look to Chloe this summer for inspiration. The safari browns, and military greens of the collection  made the looks look effortless and laid back - you would think the models had just been backpacking around South America! The classic cuts like the denim and linen shirts and the jackets were adjusted to give the collection an 'edge' without being hard to wear.
What I really love about this collection, is how the looks could easily be recreated on a lower budget.

 Photo credit: elleuk

I've found a few key pieces for recreating this look for less.

I managed to find a great selection of clothes for this look, at Uniqlo (who are currently having a huge sale). Uniqlo is store that doesn't really do cutting edge fashion, and it doesn't have a huge amount of choice - but it does have great quality, classic clothes.

A classic shirt is a must. This premium linen safari shirt (1) at just £14.99 is a bargain. It's also available in white and well - every girl needs a white shirt in their wardobe....

I chose a classic pair of beige chino's (2) I found these in New Look for £20 (I already have my eye on the very same pair in khaki).  A beige pair of chino's has the longevity of surviving more than one season and can easily be brought into your usual outfit rotation.

If you live in Britain I don't need to explain how important a mac is in summer. A mac is every girl's necessity, and the farmer-esque examples in Chloe's collection got me all exited about everyones favourite dress-up time .... festivals!!! This mac (3), just £6.99 from Uniqlo, has the staple classic colour - it's not as hefty as a parker but it's not as awful as a kagool. It's just right.

Leather and PUC shorts are looking hot for this autumn/winter but Chloe went for a tight hot-pant style in their summer collection. These can be re-worked if you found a pair of shiny hot-pant/shorts. However I'm not that daring (at least not bare legged)- and so i'd stick to a more versatile satin pair that would work throughout the seasons in day and night. I found this great pair at, again from Uniqlo, (4) for £19.99. I love the wide leg shape and the flattering draping detail.

Here's the a video courtesy or Youtube of the Chloe S/S 2010 collection to inspire you...