Showing posts with label fashion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fashion. Show all posts
It's official! With temperatures falling into single digits, winter is here. Although I'm sad to see the end of Autumn, there is one reason for me to be please. It's a reason that's been hanging in my wardrobe for a few months now. Yes friends - it's time to wear my new coat!
I bought this navy wool and leather trenchcoat from The Kooples when on my summer holidays in France. The fact that The Kooples is french, coupled with a dip in foreign exchange meant that I saved almost 20% on the British retail price.
It still cost me £400 - which is basically the most I've ever spent on a coat butI'd just spent the week reading 'The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying' by Marie Kondo and her mantra of only keeping and buying things that 'inspire joy' just... inspired the purchase?
In addition to inspiring joy, I figured that
1) It's a timeless, classic shape
2) I don't have any trenchcoats
3) I'd earned a bit of money reporting from London Fashion Week and I figured it may as well go back into the industry
4) It was 20% cheaper than buying it in the UK
All of the key points that led me to justifying that I would buy this as an investment (and then probably eat beans for the rest of the month). Will it pay off? Let's find out if I'm wearing it in a couple years time..
As an accountant, you know I'm all about value so my wardrobe is definitely not all designer labels. Today's outfit sees me mix this high-end investment coat with some $19 Levi's that I bought on sale in New York and a £15 Cluse watch that I bought second-hand from Depop.
Outfit Details
The Kooples Coat: Trench-Style Wool Broadcloth Coat with Leather Details £495
M&S Suede Footglove Ankle Boots £59: The heel is the perfect height, they are comfortable enough to wear all day. They come in Khaki too.
Meli Melo Utility Bag approx £200 - now discontinued but more details and pics here.
Levi's 501 CT jeans - £16 - Found these in the clearance section I'm going to be creating some more rips in my jeans myself soon. Should I do a DIY rip your jeans vid maybe?!
Cluse Imitation Watch £15 - second hand found on Depop (my fave)
If you're messy and a bit of a hoarder, I recommended reading the Marie Kondo book. I certainly approach buying things a bit differently now!
Previously, I'd always be about a bargain - but sometimes spending to save means you still spend. I now spend if I need to spend, and they end up being things that I really enjoy using and enjoy looking after now. Definitely recommend the book.
Are you ready for winter? What was the last "investment piece" that you bought?
Tweet me your thoughts @FaceValueBlog or send me a comment on Facebook!
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Winter What I Wore To Work: 50 Shades Of Blue with The Kooples Trenchcoat
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What I Wore: Spring Wedding Guest Style Inspiration
This is a bit of an overdue one! FINALLY, the one for the Fashion fans who have been asking for more outfit details on the purple suit I wore for London Fashion Week.
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What I Wore: Tailoring Trend - Look Sharp In A Coloured Suit
With New York Fashion Week in full swing, I'm frantically considering my options for LFW. I think it's probably one of the only times where I actually try something remotely trendy and where I finally wear something different. (what, no workwear and blazers??? Shock horror)
Same with the makeup, whether it's an obscure colour lip (remember this lilac lip fail anyone?) or a bold eyeshadow, it always tends to be about going outside the colour comfort zone. So what's new for eyeshadow this season then?
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Trying A Trend For Fashion Week? How To Make Blue Eyeshadow Wearable
Honey, I'm home! Villa life on the Spanish island of Mallorca was amazing, but of course it went far too quickly! One week away from blogging, so I guess I owe you a little holiday summary of what went down and what I wore! (stay tuned for my biggest holiday beauty secret!)
We had a little villa tucked away in a gorgeous coastal bay called Cala Pi. Yup, I'm definitely too old for Magaluf these days. We were literally on the cliffs, it had such a gorgeous view of the sea and the Spanish sunsets. Check out this Shepherds Delight scene!
Nothing quite beats drinking Sangria, in 30 degrees, whilst reading trashy 99p Kindle books - oh yeah and floating in a rubber ring! Despite looking like I'm "a frat boy at a pool party with Calvin Harris" (according to Mr FV, the bastard) - it was awesome. Until wearing the cap backwards tanned a square into my forehead. NOT cool but thankfully easily concealed by foundation.
Holiday Beauty Essentials
Go on then, what is it? Errr, HELLO NEW LASHES.
Yup, you got me - faking it is the best way to sort your holiday makeup. Eyelash extensions place individual lashes onto your own, making them look a bit more natural than false strip lashes. They're also much lighter, you won't even know you're wearing them.
I love getting eyelash extensions before holiday as it means I don't need to worry about waterproof mascara, or any sort of makeup other than some SPF and some brows (obvs).
They last a couple of weeks, if you look after them you can have them on for a while! These lash pictures are after a week in the sun, on the beach and in the pool - so they've held up pretty nicely!
Eyelash extensions can be pricey though - normally about £70-£120 depending on where you're getting them done and how many lashes you're having applied (in case you're wondering, it's about 2-3 extensions per real lash)
Now that's nothing I can really afford to do regularly so the answer is GROUPON. You can find a lot of eyelash deals out there where you can get a full set for about £25. Now, that's a price I like! I'm going to do a full post after Fashion Week on how to look after your lashes, and the different kinds of lashes you can get.
Holiday Bargain Buys.
I don't really do postcards or souvenirs but I love treating myself to a special item everytime I go on holiday - sort of my own style souvenir I guess?
I went to a little town called Inca, where they have a weekly market which sells lots of stuff, particularly leather goods! I ended up buying a pair of soft leather slippers (basically ankle Uggs) and THIS gorgeous leather coat.
First of all, WELL DONE to Mr FV who has managed to take a picture that's in focus and not blurry. Anyone else's other halves somehow inept with cameras??
Buttery soft and velvetty, this leather coat by Stradivarius is a sort of trench/jacket/shirt dress and I LOVE IT. I've never actually treated myself to a leather jacket before, I've only ever borrowed/stolen my mum's so I'm really pleased to have finally got myself one.
And even better, it was only about £65! How great is that?! I'll be wearing this with polo necks and A-line skirts to channel the 70's trend, or with skinny black trousers and a marl t-shirt for a casual, yet effortlessly chic vibe. All after giving it a thorough pre-treatment with a suede protector of course!
The only downside is that it smells a little bit like bacon at the moment, as it's 100% pig leather, but I've already worn it out and about the house, and it's definitely coming to work with me, paired with a white shirt and black cigarette pants. WAHOO. Holiday souvenir!
I love hearing from you guys, so tweet me your thoughts @FaceValueBlog or send me a comment on Facebook!
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Mallorca Holiday Style Blog: Eyelash Extensions & Leather
It's happened. I'm back on YouTube! I've sorted my life out, got some new lighting for my new pad and made a video!
What brought on this sudden change? It's all down to a great little app that inspires me to create great photos and videos every day. Ladies and gents, let me introduce you to the Feels app...
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Want To Be Discovered? Models & Musicians Should Download The Feels App
My first What I Wore To Work of 2015!! Although a large part of me just wants to hunker down with furry knitwear and blankets, a small part of me is screaming out for Spring - pastels, sleeveless, BARE LEGS.
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What I Wore To Work - Ladylike Lines with REISS & Michael Kors
Hello team! As you may be aware, I do a weekly post for Yahoo Lifestyle as their resident Girl On The Ground. Our latest Yahoo opus was our How To Do Winter Layers and it was SOOO much fun to shoot as we just decided to do it ourselves!
In this cold weather, time is of the essence and if you don't know what you're doing then you could end up running around, buying the extra bits you left at home and generally feeling exhausted before the day is up!
Here's a little behind-the-scenes look at last week's shoot and my top tips for a successful blogger day out!
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Blogger Fashion - Top Tips For A Successful Photoshoot!
Hi team! It's been a super-quiet week on the blog but it'll be worth it because today..... I'M BACK ON YOUTUBE!
Yes indeed, I've been busy video editing this week instead of blogging and, as a result, a new video is up on my YouTube channel (and it's very different to my normal gabble!) .... it's a fashion video for the lovely occasionwear site LittleBlackDress.co.uk!
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What I Wore Wednesday: LittleBlackDress.co.uk Launch Party!
Hi team! A quick 'What I Wore To Work' from me today - mainly because I bought this dress and these shoes and I couldn't wait to show you!!
How hard is it dressing for this weather?! Not quite warm enough for no-jacket but too warm for your coat.
A duster coat is the perfect answer to that and today's dress is a lovely silky find, in a wintery print. Proof that you CAN wear print to work and still look quite corporate.
Duster Coat & Cube Print Dress by F&F
The standout piece of today's outfit is this amazing printed dress from F&F. I wore the white version to London Fashion Week and immediately knew I had to get the other colour too!
 |
| My LFW White Version! |
It feels so much more expensive than it actually is - it feels like a dress from Cos, a lovely silky but sturdy material. Totally worth the £15 I paid for it during the recent F&F 25% off weekend! I love a good bargain!
I love the coloured print - it's smart, it's modern and you can also wear this dress with black tights when it gets colder. The perfect Autumn to Winter transition!
Before we get to the pictures, I just want to make zero apologies for the obvious attempt to photoshop out my life (aka my cluttered bedroom floor). I've spared you the horror..
I've teamed the dress with this textured black duster coat which I swear - goes with EVERYTHING. AND - if I'm not excited enough - it has HUGE POCKETS which fit everything I need in it! (phone, cards, oyster, keys, lipgloss)
Seriously, whenever I can't be bothered to carry a bag, I'll just wear this duster coat. P-L-A-N.
Anyway, less exciting but equally lovely are my new tassle leather shoes from &Other Stories. I bought them on a 50% off at Vogue Fashion's Night Out. They're not my usual cup of tea (possibly a bit too out-there for me) but I just thought they were really really nice and great quality. Oh god, I sound like my mum - GOOD QUALITY LEATHER, GOOD BARGAIN - it's like buying ugly shoes in Clarks again back in the 90s. (without the awesome foot measuring machine!)
So there we go - a quick look at today's outfit. What do you think?
And how awesome was the foot measuring machine at Clarks?!?!
By Zoe Dubs
xXXXx
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What I Wore To Work Wednesday: Autumn Blues
Another day finished!!
Day 2 of my London Fashion Week experience with Yahoo Lifestyle is almost over! Just a couple of parties to go to now and that's it - sadface.
THought it would be a good idea to upload some photos and some chat BEFORE I go and drink champagne and eat nothing but canapes. Today has been fantastic - we went backstage at Fashion Scout to check out the makeup looks behind the shows of some up-and-coming designers. We also went to an amazing Palmer Harding show in Lincoln's Inn which was absolutely stunning and very different to the other LFW shows I saw.
Day 2 of my London Fashion Week experience with Yahoo Lifestyle is almost over! Just a couple of parties to go to now and that's it - sadface.
THought it would be a good idea to upload some photos and some chat BEFORE I go and drink champagne and eat nothing but canapes. Today has been fantastic - we went backstage at Fashion Scout to check out the makeup looks behind the shows of some up-and-coming designers. We also went to an amazing Palmer Harding show in Lincoln's Inn which was absolutely stunning and very different to the other LFW shows I saw.
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LFW Day 2! Photo Highlights
Happy Wednesday team! Today see's the first fashion post shot from my new flat! No longer do you have to look at my wardrobe door in the background, you now get to see... my bedroom door! What can I say, some things never change - until I can teach Mr FV how to use the half press focus on the shutter.
Today, as a suit alternative, I bring you smart separates. Yes yes, at the end of the day, smart separates is really a suit so WHERE'S THE TWIST?
I've gone for a relaxed spin and a splash of colour, but enough to stay within the formality of the business casual dress code (aka the world's most vague dress code).
Check it out and let me know what you think!
Today, as a suit alternative, I bring you smart separates. Yes yes, at the end of the day, smart separates is really a suit so WHERE'S THE TWIST?
I've gone for a relaxed spin and a splash of colour, but enough to stay within the formality of the business casual dress code (aka the world's most vague dress code).
Check it out and let me know what you think!
A little snapshot of what's to come, I've paired my favourite burgundy crop blazer (as featured in my Not So Masculine Tailoring post) with classic skinny cigarette pants from Zara.
Chuck in the bag of my DREAMS plus some wear-everywhere heels and you've got today's outfit. Here are the full pictures.
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What I Wore To Work: Relaxed Smart Separates
So normally Wednesday is my What I Wore To Work special but today is going to be a bit more of a What I Bought From Work!
Long story short, due to poor advance planning and some ridiculously long wait-times from Sky there is no TV in the new flat. As I sat here consoling myself with a bit of online shopping, I thought, why not kill two birds with one stone and do a little blog post too?
Today's bank balance body-slam is courtesy of my employers, F&F. It's a weird cycle where they pay me and I immediately empty most of my money back into shpoping the site. I know you know what I mean! Very circle of life, like in the Lion King. (we become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass - classic Mufasa speech)
Anyway, enough of my trip back to the 90's - I've rustled up a little summer style collage to showcase my pics and inspire your retail rush today..
Feast your eyes on this! A bountiful collection of prints, florals and textures - can you believe that you can buy these from ONLY £6?
Let's take a closer look, shall we?
Long story short, due to poor advance planning and some ridiculously long wait-times from Sky there is no TV in the new flat. As I sat here consoling myself with a bit of online shopping, I thought, why not kill two birds with one stone and do a little blog post too?
Today's bank balance body-slam is courtesy of my employers, F&F. It's a weird cycle where they pay me and I immediately empty most of my money back into shpoping the site. I know you know what I mean! Very circle of life, like in the Lion King. (we become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass - classic Mufasa speech)
Anyway, enough of my trip back to the 90's - I've rustled up a little summer style collage to showcase my pics and inspire your retail rush today..
Feast your eyes on this! A bountiful collection of prints, florals and textures - can you believe that you can buy these from ONLY £6?
Let's take a closer look, shall we?
Clockwise from top left corner
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What I Bought From Work: My F&F Summer Style Picks
It's happening! Following my new job and my impending flat move, I have decided that I am going to start my OFFICIAL grown up life - aka time to start acting your age Zoe!
This basically means stop hoarding things, start planning meals, spend my money more wisely, blah blah blah. It's basically every new years resolution I ever had and failed at.
As I start thinking about the impossible task of packing and moving my gigantic collection of clothes, I've decided I need to also change my shopping habits/habit - I am physically running out of space.
Therefore - light bulb moment- from now onwards, I've decided to BUY LESS.... but buy nicer, higher quality, investment pieces. (and maybe bin something. Maybe)
This very ridiculous reasoning is exactly why, although I never used to shop at Hobbs, I can now justify it! (On the condition that it's in the sale, and if I can wear it for work AND leisure)
Well, today's pair of shoes ticks ALL the boxes. Soft Leather. Work and Leisure. Utterly beautiful. HELLO NEW GROWN UP LIFE!!
When it comes to my work style, I'm a big fan of pretty, but strong, looks.
As you may have seen from my previous What I Wore To Work Wednesday's, I especially like a twist on mens tailoring so when I saw these boyish brogues from Hobbs, I just HAD to have them!
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What I Wore To Work: NEW SHOES! Hobbs Vida Derby Brogues
Summer is officially here and whilst I'm loving the heat, it does add a bit more pressure to my last-minute wardrobe panic in the morning! London in the summer can be beautiful but if you have to take the Tube or walk anywhere more than 10minutes away, things can often become more melt than svelte... BOO.
We all know that dressing for the office comes with its own unwritten rules but how can we dress appropriately whilst retaining our cool? Here are my top five tips for summer fashion, with a corporate edge.
Loosen up.
Say goodbye to slim tailored separates and pencil shapes. Nothing will make you feel more like a melting rubber band than a pencil dress in summer - (especially if spanx are involved!!)
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What I Wore To Work: Dressing For The Heat
The other week I was invited to the launch of the latest Dove deodorant. Anti-perspirant is meant to help us, but I know I've had my fair share with nightmare products!
A lot of products I've tried either are too powdery, crumbling to bits during the course of the day, OR too strong - like a fine layer of snow has settled under my arms. Boo.
The new Dove Invisible Dry deodorant range is proven to leave no marks on 100 colours. Yes, a HUNDRED colours. Can you even think of hundred colours?! How do they even do that?
Read on for undeniable picture evidence, a competition - oh, and the best macarons ever!
A lot of products I've tried either are too powdery, crumbling to bits during the course of the day, OR too strong - like a fine layer of snow has settled under my arms. Boo.
The new Dove Invisible Dry deodorant range is proven to leave no marks on 100 colours. Yes, a HUNDRED colours. Can you even think of hundred colours?! How do they even do that?
Read on for undeniable picture evidence, a competition - oh, and the best macarons ever!
Held in a beautiful West London hotel suite, there was a feast of colourful clothes and treats to go with the 100 colours theme.
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A New Meaning To Colour Care: Dove Invisible Dry Product Launch
A dark mood is upon me. Partly due to the come-down from the bank holiday weekend but mostly down to the fact that the rain has returned. Oh yeah, and Film4 has been showing Twilight films all weekend. That too.
I always find myself choosing clothes in line with my mood and today I've gone for some sort of "minimalist gothic grumpus". Yes, today HAS been a grumpy day - I've been walking to the tube every day this week in that type of rain which isn't enough to justify an umbrella but is enough to seriously get on my grill - weak rain is the despair of all glasses wearing girls out there!
I'm mourning the lack of summer sun but all over black can be quite severe. Today's dress has a flash of burgundy to help to break up the black and add a bit of shape to what is, essentially, a large sack. (albeit a very comfortable one)
Dress by New Look
Necklace: Primark
This long sleeved dress is a great choice for work because it covers up enough skin whilst still looking stylish. The shape is perfect for swishing around the office and still looks very smart with tights or bare legged.
The loose shape means that it's INCREDIBLY comfortable, but it still retains an expensive, modern edge because of the block colour and the crepe material. It's not normally something I'd go for but.... the price! THE PRICE!
How much was the dress?
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What I Wore To Work: Block Colour Black & Burgundy
Hiya Face Value Friends! Today's What I Wore To Work Wednesday features two beautiful blue pieces from my favourite budget fashion brands - Forever 21 and Primark!
So, confession time, I went to Primark TWICE in 2 days. I think I may have a problem. Though, the first visit was a planned trip and the second was because my cousin was visiting from Australia and it would have been rude NOT to take her - Primark is basically a tourist attraction...right?
Blouse: Primark £8
Skirt: Forever 21 £7.99
Rings: New Look £6
For more pictures, keep reading!
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What I Wore To Work: Beautiful Blues with Primark & Forever 21
As an all-things-makeup obsessed beauty blogger, theres nothing more fun than meeting up with a group of like minded and equally obsessed bloggers. That, AND a chance to get dressed up and demolish a few cocktails made sure that my Wednesday night at Bloggers Love Fashion Week was going to be a GREAT one...
But how did we get to this?! Read on.
Here's the low-down.
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#BLFW Bloggers Love Fashion Week: Wednesday
Wednesday is here! How has your week been going? We're halfway there, the weekend is almost in sight! Here's another What I Wore To Work to keep your style radar going. Today's theme is Print ON Print ON Print. That's right Mathletes, I'm doing Print CUBED.
Global and tribal prints were seen all over the SS14 catwalks and for me, that means the return of my favourite - the snake print!
Ever classy and easily wearable, when used correctly, snake print can add a touch of expensive elegance to an otherwise all-Primark outfit. Today, I've loaded up a snake print top, with a snake print handbag and some snake print slingbacks.
On paper it sounds AWFUL right?! Way too matchy matchy and quite frankly, tackier than a pleather catsuit in Vegas. But before you make your mind up, take a look at the photos and let me know what you think!
Blazer: Forever 21
Wrap Top: H&M
Black Trousers: Zara
Slingbacks: H&M
Necklace: Marc Jacobs
Triangle Ring: New Look
Handbag: Michael Kors
Keep Reading For More Photos & Lols
Global and tribal prints were seen all over the SS14 catwalks and for me, that means the return of my favourite - the snake print!
Ever classy and easily wearable, when used correctly, snake print can add a touch of expensive elegance to an otherwise all-Primark outfit. Today, I've loaded up a snake print top, with a snake print handbag and some snake print slingbacks.
On paper it sounds AWFUL right?! Way too matchy matchy and quite frankly, tackier than a pleather catsuit in Vegas. But before you make your mind up, take a look at the photos and let me know what you think!
Blazer: Forever 21
Wrap Top: H&M
Black Trousers: Zara
Slingbacks: H&M
Necklace: Marc Jacobs
Triangle Ring: New Look
Handbag: Michael Kors
Keep Reading For More Photos & Lols
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What I Wore To Work Wednesday - Print on Print (on Print)
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