My Clothes Talk To Me

I am slightly obsessed with print tops, and have been for a very long time. I usually pair tops like this with black skinny ripped jeans and my faithful creepers from TUK. But as Spring approaches, I hope I can bring my shorts out from the back of my drawer ready for some warmer, less rainy weather!

Slogan wishlist by offbeatemily featuring shirts & tops

       1 - Pizza Is My Valentine Top from FreeBirdCloth on Etsy

This is rather true this year, as I will probably spend Valentine's Day with a large pizza and a pint of ice cream and a movie destined to make me cry, you know, the typical single girl Valentine's day. This top is probably my favourite of the lot, and the £20 price tag makes this top extrmemly affordable (and wearable) as the big day rolls around. 

2 - Take Me To The Beach Top from Wildfox at Harrods

Doesn't this top scream summer holidays? If you're an early planner and are already buying clothes for your summer adventures, why not splash out and treat yourself to this gorgeous top? At £75, it isn't the best for those wanting to save, but similar styles are bound to pop up in high street shops across the country sooner than you can say 'why am I dealing with constant rain?'!

3- Drake Quote Sweatshirt from Private Party at Harrods

Not a lot of people expect me to be a fan of Drake, but he's incredible. This quote from 'Best I Ever Had' is perfect for anyone needing a quick pick me up. Sweatshirts are still unfortunately a necessity in the UK and will be for quite some time. This sweatshirt comes in at £80, but I think it could be quite easily made at home with a plain grey sweatshirt and either an iron-on transfer, or even white fabric and mad sewing skills (or a Nan with mad sewing skills). 

4 - Don't Kill My Vibe Sweatshirt from Topshop

This sweatshirt is slight cropped, so you might still get cold, but you'll look awesome. Unfortunately, this sweatshirt only goes up to a size 16 (come on Topshop, surely you've learnt by now...) but could be styled flawlessly with high waisted jeans and a pair of boots to get you through the colder days, or with denim short and flats for a Spring time look, and at just £30, can you really say no?

5 - No Bad Vibes Vest from Billabong

Billabong is not usually a brand I take much notice of, as I really don't see myself as part of their target audience, but I have really fallen in love with this vest! The only issue I face is that it isn't available in UK, but for all my lovely readers in the US, this vest is only $23 )and for all my readers in the UK wanting to get it shipped, that's only £16). If anyone's feeling generous and kind, please point me in the right direction for finding this in Britain!

6 - I Don't Believe In Humans Crop Top from Pink Queen

Another absolute steal, as this top is only $10, or £7 with FREE worldwide shipping! I'm not usually a fan of crop tops, but I think I'll take the plunge and try a few this year with high waisted shirts and jeans. Life is too short to stay away from nice things because society says to. 

Do you have any go-to styles you can't live without? Let me know in the comments!

Fashion Birthday Wishlist

It's my birthday on Saturday and for some reason I am very excited about this one. Reaching 19 has been odd and I sort of want to shake off the past few years and have a brand new start. What a better way to have a new start than getting a few new key items like these!

1. Alice's Adventures In Wonderland Bracelet - Etsy - £43.66

I think this bracelet is beautiful. I've always loved this style of charm bracelet and for me, the more charms the better. Alice in Wonderland has always been one of my favourite films and stories, and for some reason I have always related to Alice. This bracelet would be really easy to wear and will go with a lot of outfits, either dressed up or dressed down.

2. Versace Signature Medium Duffle Bag - Streethub - £830

This has to be the mother of all bags! Versace has been one of my favourite brands for a while now due to thee classic, structured designs, much like this bag. It's perfect for rounding off any outfit, whether that's a professional business-wear outfit, or a relaxed shopping outfit. I wish I had the money to afford a bag like this, if anyone knows of any similar high street designs, please let me know!

3. Aloha Beaches Ballet Pumps - H&M - £12.99

These shoes are really cheap and cheerful but they're so summery and put a smile on my face when they caught my eye in store yesterday. Unfortunately I was in a rush and couldn't pick them up, but these will be the first thing in my basket when I next visit H&M!

4. Rad & Refined Union Queen Sunglasses - Forever 21 - £31

I wouldn't normally even consider paying £31 for a pair of sunglasses when they can be bought relatively cheap in a lot of places, but this pretty little pair have really caught my eye. Flowers, unicorns and general girliness is great for adding a bit of juxtaposition to a usually grungy outfit. I've also found out this year that wide, round sunglasses are perfect for my face shape after struggling for ages to find my perfect pair! Unfortunately these are only available in the US :(

5. Casadei Court in Grey - YOOX - £319

Someone once told me i have a problem with shoes. Actually, most of the people who are currently in my life are telling me I have a major problem with shoes, but to me, shoes maketh the outfit and these beauties are no exception. I love suede heels and wedges and cute straps, so when I came across these a few weeks ago I completely fell in love. Unfortunately these are majorly expensive, and even on sale they are still £319, but a girl can dream right?!

6. Chi Chi London Summer Dress in Pink Flower - Zalando - £60

Okay, so this dress might be even more unrealistic than the Versace bag and the expensive shoes. Why? Because I have boobs and strapless dresses are pretty much out of the question. But this is so pretty and I couldn't resist featuring it on my wishlist in case any of you lovelies knew where I could get a similar dress with straps. Please? I' actually begging now!

French Government Ban Super Thin Models

I have always advocated a change in the way society views body sizes, especially in high fashion (see my Tess Munster post here), but honestly, it's been a slow process to get where we are today.

France is a trailblazer in the world of high fashion and runway shows, and in the aftermath of Paris fashion week, the French government have passed a law that states bans the use and activity of any model under what is regarded as a safe BMI by the French health authorities. Iran have also passed a similar law, however, after seeing such a huge impact in the country that is home to one of the fashion capitals of the world, we should see some swift movements from other countries.

This law came around due to the pressure that is put on younger people and even children to look like the super skinny models that they see on catwalks, in magazines and on billboards. There are only a handful of people who know what the photo editing process entails, but it is not pretty, honestly, I find it quite frightening that someone sat behind a computer screen can alter an image to create what will become a completely unrealistic goal image that some young people will strive for.

The only way to get themselves to that state; an eating disorder. Another reason France has banned the use of super-skinny models is due to the increase in eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia which are becoming more and more common in our modern day society. Since the 1980s, cases of eating disorders like these have sky rocketed, coincidentally, this is the same time that images of models appeared to be getting sickeningly thin.

What do I hope will happen after this? Honestly, I hope the rest of the world follow suit, especially the countries that shape the high fashion industry such as Britain, Italy and the USA. This will hopefully provide a healthier set of role models for children and young people who aspire to become models, and will protect the models who are currently working in the industry from being told they cannot work unless they reach a certain size.

I think the most important lesson to be learnt, however, is to love your own body and the skin you are in, the fashion industry constantly changes their definition of perfect, but you will only ever have one, strive for your own perception of beauty to find true happiness.

Photo Sources:

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/03236/Skinny_models_1_3236151b.jpg

https://edanafashion.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/plus-size-models-4.jpg

App Review: Vinted

Forget Depop, Vinted is the best app for buying second hand clothes and accessories. Scouring round charity shops and vintage boutiques is one of my favourite ways to pass time, and now I'm finding second hand gems without even leaving my bed! After trawling through Ebay and staggering through Depop, Vinted has made it easier to find the clothes you want.

After entering your account details, you;re given the choice to enter your clothing size and shoe size and you can also choose certain brands to appear on your feed. This can be anything from Primarni to designer pieces, I see a lot of Vivienne Westwood when I'm looking for something new! 

For me, shoes are a must, and after finding my favourite brands, I have the shoes I missed out on when they were released in the shops. My Iron Maiden Vans are a personal favourite. They came in perfect condition and I even ended up buying a pair of Iron Fist heels off the same buyer a couple of weeks later.

My most recent purchases are a vintage-style carpet box bag which was originally from Primark and a pair of maroon brogues which were originally from Urban Outfitters. Paying £25 for both items, I saved a lot of money compared to what the seller would have paid in the shops. A great feature on Vinted is that you can also see how much the seller originally paid for the product, so you know if you're getting a good deal or not.

I would recommend Vinted to any fashion addict on a budget, or if you just want to curb how much money you actually spend on quality clothes.

Just a reminder, Vinted items are sold by individual sellers, just like Ebay, so be careful who are are buying from, check the pictures and ask questions to make sure you;re getting what you want. I haven't experienced any negative comments or poor quality items yet, but you never know who is trying to get your money.

Happy shopping!

Picture Sources:

https://www.adjust.com/blog/img/vinted_icon.png

http://cdn.sneakernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/iron-maiden-x-vans-number-of-the-beast-pack-5.jpg

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv2rvyXsqqY-6Y0MG6tW2WQ8brF2NQEmqKhkEvyY-tDsO-eJ5jZMuBzGxCrUrF2zQuYKaHddE8UD6uwJ7g7vX2EZ9Agvuubd1bNT3vUtShVgg7EGqOH5AAs0BC-G9fD7P8rJAU-ZoT86dj/s1600/IMG_4207.JPG

The Most Wearable Trends S/S 2015

Spring is coming around, and fast. It seriously only feels like a week ago that we were celebrating the New Year and now BANG it's February. I felt like this year's Spring and Summer releases were very unwearable and some pieces felt like they would never be able to be worn outside, or even just around the house in case you caught sight of yourself in a mirror. I mean JPG's Mexican Wrestler collection really isn't something anyone would wear in public, unless, of course, you are a Mexican wrestler.

Yellow

Wearing yellow is just the norm for some people. Trying on items of clothing before you buy them lets you see if the shade suits your skin tone, as no matter what your skin's shade is, there will be a shade of yellow that will compliment it beautifully. This may take some time, however, when you find the perfect yellow garment, it will radiate summer vibes and cheer everyone up. There is a reason Mr Happy is yellow, you know.

Gingham

This print can be a hard one to pull off and I've seen it done wrong quite a few times. To avoid the picnic blanket look, aim for tailored pieces. And for those who are a bit put off by gingham, try using the print in accessories such as bags, purses and even phone cases. It's a spring staple and there are some great summer dresses in a gingham print hitting the high street this year.

Monochrome

Monochrome never really goes out of fashion does it? Black, white and grey scale are brilliant for either dressing up or dressing down. Using blocked shapes of the contrasting colours can create a very dramatic effect, whereas smaller prints can create a dainty, girly look. It's easy to wear and very hard to get wrong, a classic staple that can be tailored to fit ANY style.

Shirt Dresses

A personal favourite, shirt dresses are awesome for summer. The lighter colours are perfect for summer, however, if you want to keep a rocky edge, wearing a plaid shirt dress can work just as well as a plaid shirt and jeans. The comfortable dresses are a great way to keep cool whilst looking awesome. I'd wear one of these for work with a paid of flat ballet pumps or to make the outfit a bit edgier, a pair of Converse or Doc Martens.

Blue & White

As a lover of all thing nautical, I adore this trend. Wearing blur and white together conjures up feelings of sailors in uniform and the foam coming off the sea. However, it doesn't just have to mean a life at the high seas. Blue and white have been the choice of the minimalists for years. A shirt and blue jeans, a blue dress with a white trim or a striped cardigan; whichever way you choose to wear blue and white, be sure to be aware of other clashing colours that could make or break an outfit.

Have you tried any of these trends yet, or do you have big plans for creating your own offbeat statement? Let me know, or even better, show me!

Let It Snow

Snowmageddon and Thundersnow. Two of the words I have heard most over the past few days and yes, it's rather white outside, which means it's very cold.

My favourite way to wrap up is to layer. Tights, leggings, vests, shirts, hoodies, coats, socks, you get the drift. But when I got sent some velour-lined tights and leggings from Charnos, life became a little easier. The almost furry inside texture means I don't have to layer anymore and the tights are pretty much leggings in their own right with built in socks. The tights are 400 denier and completely opaque so they can't be seen through at all. I wore mine today with my favourite Urban Outfitters over sized shirt, fluffy slipper socks, Dr Marten's boots, a vest, my trusted parka coat and my Kill Star pompom beanie. Cosy,

This is my pooch's first snow day and he thoroughly enjoyed himself. Have a look at Mr Blue Sky's (Blue for short) first walk out in the snow:

*Thank you to the lovely people at No Bull and Charnos for sending me out some leggings and tights to try out!*

Eff Your Beauty Standards

Tess Munster will be a name we will be hearing a lot over the coming months and possibly even years.

The plus sized Insta-model has just signed her first modelling contract with Milk and has also featured in Vogue! This happened after her #EffYourBeautyStandards campaign started to go viral a couple of years ago. Her aim was to show women of all shapes and sizes that it doesn't matter what size you are, you can still be beautiful and, more importantly, confident.

I was teased a lot for my size when I was younger, I wasn't huge but I was by no means stick thin like the pretty girls. It still affects my confidence to this day and make me feel like I can't wear what I want because I need to hide the fact that I'm not skinny. However, for me, this campaign brings hope. Hope that children will stop calling each other names because they don't look like the famous role models that can put a stick insect to shame. Hope that girls in high school will be more accepting of each other and not degrade others to make them believe they are lesser because they are a bit bigger.

Tess Munster will hopefully make companies realise that some of their sizes are unrealistic and that telling a girl she's bigger than what meets the standards of the shop is out of order (I'm looking at you, yes you, the shops that don't stock larger than a size 14). It has been found that more women are closer to the size of size-22 Tess compared to the models for shops like Victoria's Secret and Topshop. Surely this must tell them that they need to start making girls feel more accepted no matter what they look like.

There is a very powerful message we can all take away from Tess' opportunities. Just like her, any girl can be beautiful, sexy and confident.

Summer Denim

When anyone says denim, the first thing to spring to mind is usually jeans. As a matter of fact; I hate jeans, with a passion. They're uncomfortable, predictable and quite frankly, boring (sorry to all of you jean worshippers out there). I'd much rather wear a more quirky denim piece to make a statement and be more comfortable in what I'm wearing whilst still wearing summery shades of denim.

These floral denim shorts are gorgeous and perfect for the festival season. As you can see I'd team these with a cropped shirt and yellow accessories for a simplistic shopping outfit. The yellow hair bow gives a more preppy edge whilst the chunky shoes could be used to grunge up the outfit.

The denim and chiffon dress is the best dress I have seen so far this year. I love the western vibe and by wearing this with brown brogues and a satchel, it makes the perfect summery casual work outfit. I would wear this with distressed gold accessories to give more of a vintage vibe such as the ring with fox ears which I LOVE (hint hint). 

The outfit at the bottom makes use of my favourite shade of denim. Darker hues allow you to keep an edge to your outfit, and this is emphasised with the fraying around the bottom of the dress. I'd personally wear this with a pair of dark converse and a beanie, but it could be worn with black flats and an over-sized fedora. 

I kept the accessories in this collage quite interchangeable, they could be worn with any of the outfits. I also like to keep my makeup quite light and natural in the summer, obviously with my black liquid eyeliner. Be Delicious by DKNY is my favourite scent right now and its freshness takes me back to summer memories and makes me excited for the sun to come back out. 

Wearing denim doesn't have to mean wearing a pair of in fashion jeans. Be adventurous and find your favourite denim item for this summer, let me know what you find!

Making An Effort

So I have decided to make more of en effort to dress nicely when I go out because towards the end of 2014, all I wore was black leggings and baggy tops, attractive, I know. When I got spoilt on Christmas day with some gorgeous clothes, I decided I would go shopping during the sales to pick up some extras to create some kick ass outfits for January 2015.

My first outfit (which was the first real outfit I wore in 2015) was like this.

The dress is from Black Milk which is an awesome Australian online retailer who create the most amazing pieces of clothing with Lycra and Nylon, the same materials as swimming costumes. They have a very unique feel and stretch to them that make them possibly the most comfortable clothes I have ever worn and at amazing prices for hand stitched pieces, I'd recommend BM to anyone.

I styles their 'We're All Mad Here' Reversi Dress with a black, very fine knit jumper from H&M which let the print from the dress peek through. I also wore my favourite chunky black heeled Oxford boots from River Island (I couldn't find an image of the ones I have, the heel on my pair is a lot bigger, I need all the help I can get) and my trusty small black bag from F&F (again, slightly different to the one pictured, mine doesn't have the padlock).

I accessorised using a black bracelet that I have had for a long time and silver lightening bolt earrings from H&M that I adore. I kept the accessories simple as the print from the dress is very kooky and I felt like toning it down slightly for work.

I wore my usual black eyeliner, my redish pinkish Ted Baker lipstick and a touch of Soap & Glory's Thick And Fast mascara. Of course, I still have my turquoise hair which I think clashed amazingly with the print of the dress. I messily curled it in the morning, yes I meant it when I said I was making an effort!

I still have loads of pieces I can team together to make more of an effort for work and even just shopping. Although there are still a lot of pieces I have my eye on, January's wages aren't going to last very long!