DIY || Ripped Jeans

    I've recently been on the look out for a pair of black ripped jeans, and to my surprise Topshop don't stock any online in the tall section! Rather than go into the store to possibly be disappointed, I took it upon myself to have a little DIY on a spare pair of jeans that I own. Now these jeans are also from the Topshop Tall Leigh jean section and they're in fact a shiny material rather than your generic denim. This DIY is extremely easy so if you wish to have a crack then click the 'read more' button below the picture, to achieve this look.

Preparing For A/W || Part 2 - Coats

Soft Furry Blue Coat - Topshop £95.00 || Black Mohair Boyfriend Coat - Topshop £89.00

    Why not start off with my ultimate winter coat, the faux fur coat. I can't speak highly enough of faux fur coats they're a chic, timeless piece to anybody wardrobe and you must go through winter at least once with a coat like this being your best friend. You could go with the common dark shades of faux fur (black,grey,brown) which match any and every outfit. Or you could mix it up with a baby blue faux fur coat like the picture above. I personally love this coat as it brings a vibrant pop of colour into an outfit when most people are wearing darker shades during this time. Now of course you can stick with the more neutral shades and feel like a cuddly polar bear or be more daring, it's down to you. 

Grey Duffle Coat - Zara £159.00 || Twill Duffle Coat - Urban Outfitters £98.00

    Another common winter coat is the duffle, these coats come in a variety of colours and different faux fur collars whether that be sheep or fox. I'm personally not a fan of the notorious buckling details however I feel the grey duffle coat allows the buckling details to blend in with the shading more, giving a more solid look. These coats are perfect for those still in school as they fall pretty much into the school regulations of plain, darkly colours coats that aren't over the top. These are possibly the most practical type of coat for those in the UK, as they keep you nice and toasty all the time, acting as a wind breaker at the same time.

Maison Scotch Print Parka - Urban Outfitters £80.00 || Combination Leather Parka - Zara £109.00

    The final coat is known for the festival goers as a lightweight, durable coat that keeps you warm and dry. I've put two varieties on this post as parka coats come in a few varieties, there's the thin parka that most people take to festivals, wear for their walk to work or during a firework display. And there's the heavier slightly warmer parka coat, both keep away the substantial cold from your person. I've experienced both types of parka coat and I find the thicker, heavier parka coat is the best for beating the cold weather while still looking stylish.

Preparing for A/W || Part I - Footwear

    As soon as summer begins, the stores seem to start stocking up on AW collections and I'm not one to object as the fall months are my favourite! So this year I thought I'd join in with a four part series on how to prepare for A/W, these will consist of posts on footwear, coats, cosmetics and finally accessories. I hope this will be helpful to some of you who are as excited about the winter seasons as I am! So hope you all enjoy this series as I get myself back into blogging. 

Brogue's £39.99 Zara || Chelsea Boots £62.00 Topshop

    In footwear I think leather is the best option not only throughout the year but especially during winter, as far as I've experience winter it's guaranteed to rain, hail be windy or possibly snow. And that's where these lovely leather beautifies go into play, while I've been at college my schedule during the midweek would finish at dinner time allowing me to go home earlier. This meant I had to take a 10 minute walk downhill a very narrow pavement alongside a road to get to the bottom of the train station, which I then had to walk up to as it was on top of a hill ha. Now this procedure isn't physically enduring but it did cause bother to my feet when I wore poor shoes. I won't go into the details but eventually I bought a pair of primark faux leather boots (which are now broken) and the difference in the material and sustainability was incredible. I'm going to actually be purchasing either the brogues or chelsea boots pictures above this year to give my feet that extra bit of luxury.

Boots £100 Office || Flat Forms £14.99 H&M

    If you're lucky to live in a climate that doesn't pour down with rain as regularly or are willing to risk getting wet feet then suede shoes will be your next best friend over A/W. I own too many pairs of suede boots that I can't wear during the winter because of the unreliable rainy weather in the UK but when we get a dry spell I love to bring them out. I like to compare suede shoes in the winter to wearing the warmest slippers you own, which is quite ironic as I don't even own a pair of slippers. Regardless of this, suede give an extra texture to your winter wardrobe without having to think twice. I especially like the burgundy flat forms as I feel that you could possibly get away with wearing these in the UK with the rain, as the raised platform keeps the suede section lifted from the puddles, keeping them nice and toasty.

Haul || Topshop Pre-Summer Sale

    Just a little quick post, as I've been rather busy over the course of the day. Anyhow today I ventured into town with my cousin and decided to have a little nosey in Topshop considering they had a sale on. There were so many nice piece available but I had only brought out so much money so I had to restrict myself to just three purchases and here they are.

    Hallelujah I finally own another pair of paisley trousers! These trousers are hands down my favourite purchase of the month so far, they have an elasticated band which make them so comfortable to sit down in and don't stick into your skink. What I love especially about these trousers is that they're slim leg created that polished look, because of this I feel I can wear these in the day but dress them up with a court heel for the night time.

    Everybody by now should know that cami's are essential pieces to everybodies wardrobe and can set off any outfit. This piece was not in the sale unfortunately so I did pay full price however it is very worth it, these cami's are sheer so make sure to wear a bra the same shade or just a nude one and you'll be alright.  

    Lastly is this really delicate dress, I love dresses as you all know so I can't say no when something this pretty is on sale for almost half price. The cut out detailing at the sides are really sweet and give the dress character instead of being a plain floaty dress. The material is very thin too so it's perfect to wear over the warmer seasons without tights (or with).

Topshop || Tall Section Weekly Selections #3

Dark Floral Print Joggers || £35

    The first clothing item for this weekly selections are these lovely dark joggers, that are elasticated around the waist and ankles. These fit straight into the sports luxe trend and although I was quite apprehensive towards this trend I'm quite partial to the comfortable aspect to the trend. Being a lazy, laid back dresser 80% of the time, I've been wearing my paisley elasticated joggers whenever the weather was suitable. The dark shades of green, black and a lighter lavender shade are extremely flattering to all figures especially if you're cautious of your hips/thighs. I'm quite swayed to purchasing these joggers as the material is slightly thicker than that of my paisley joggers, so they would be appropriate for all seasons.

Acid Denim Flippy Dress || £36

    The next piece is this lovely floppy denim skater styled dress with a lovely laced up back, acid wash is a trend that never goes out of fashion and it definitely won't over this summer. The two layers to the dress, creates a more summery tone and more character to the overall product. The detailing on the back, gives you extra space for your skin to breath stopping horrible summer sweats in awkward spaces. The simplistic nature of the dress allows you to layer up in the colder days with tights or thin t-shirts like in the picture above, this to me justifies the rather high price of £36 as it's a very versatile piece. 

Embroidered White Crop Top || £22

    The second to last piece is this lovely crop top that falls into the white trend which I made a post previously about (click here to read) as I said in the post, white is a brilliant shade to bring into spring/summer as it's very fresh and pure looking. The mesh section at the front enables your skin to breath but also gives an alternative and more edgy look to something rather plain. The embroidered detailing is also another aspect of the top that makes it stand out from the rest, as pairing this with a thick, chunky gold chain would enhance these patterns. 

Bodycon Denim Skirt || £26

    Finally my absolute favourite piece from this entire post, the denim skirt. I love this piece as it incorporates the latest pencil skirt trend with denim to toughen it up (also weather appropriate for the uk). This piece is bodycon, so it's very flatter hugging but paired with the right crop top, long tee or band tshirt you could manipulate any odd lumps and bumps to suit your shape. I feel a rather 90's nostalgia whenever I look at this skirt and I can imagine somebody with their hair up in a scrunchy (which are coming back too!), rocking some velvet garment while listening to their hit clips. 

Cosmopolitan Blogger Awards 2013 With NEXT

    Just a quick post for you guys about the Cosmopolitan Blogger Awards, this year I'm hoping to possibly be shortlisted with my blog under the "Best Fashion Blog" category! If everybody who reads my blog could take 5 minutes out of their day to vote for me that would be absolutely amazing! I'm unaware as to when voting closes officially but myself and my family/friends will be voting for my blog everyday in hope that I get shortlisted or even win! A few other lovely bloggers are also nominating their blogs, so don't forget to vote for them too! I might even do a little giveaway if I get shortlisted, who knows. If you click the photo below it will take you straight through to the voting section which explains everything, happy voting!

Trend Of The Month #2 || Platforms

    Now don't get me wrong platforms are around pretty much year round but I've recently caught eye with a few outrageous (but great) platforms that I would absolutely love to own! Some of these are from basic brands such as Topshop and others from less known brands such as LazyOaf, I think platforms can give an edge to any outfit without necessarily layering yourself with studs and leather. The selection of platforms I've chosen for this post are all from NastyGal, which is an American based online store, that sell fantastic clothes,shoes and accessories. All of these shoes are different brands, you can find all of these if you search platforms on the NastyGal website.

High Street vs. Designer Brands || Sun Glasses

    Thought I'd do something a little different today and start a new segment to my blog; high street vs. designer brands. As summer is hastily approaching and I'll soon be on holiday in the Canary Islands, I thought it would be perfect timing to compare two brands of sun glasses that I own. If I get good feedback on this particular type of post then I will intend to do a lot more, so please comment down below your opinions on the post.

    These are the most recent purchase of the two and it's Urban Outfitters silver framed sun glasses. These were quite pricey considering the silver was imitation in my opinion at £18.00 but, the over all finish justifies the price. Gold and silver metals are quite crucial when accessorizing, personally I'm a silver jewelry girl although a few gold pieces are slowly creeping into my late purchases. Something that stuck interesting to me with the extended bridge on the glasses, whether this is allowing it to fit all bridge sizes are not I'm not sure but I feel this feature allows the glasses to lay comfortably on my nose without imprinting on your skin.

    I thought the free sun glasses bag was rather considerate, with their own store name printed across the bottom in a lovely neon yellow. Ensuring that your sun glasses remain in pristine condition till you want to start using them (in my case two weeks time). The lenses are sun protected and tinted, preventing any damage to your eyes. I find this again justifies the cost as when your on holiday stores and restaurants and normally pale, white shades which increase the reflection of sun into your eyes. Over all if you don't mind spending a little money on sun glasses then these are perfect for you!

    The final pair are my 3/4 year old Ray Bans which were bought for me as a present one year for my birthday. Shamefully during the couple of years I've owned these, I've only really got my use out of them once when I visited Venice as there was 2/3 days of boiling hot heat so my judgement will be based purely off those few days. As these were a gift I'm unsure on the exact price but I know Ray Ban sunglasses can range between £93+ so they're an investment purchase. I really like the lilac colour of these glasses as they can brighten up an outfit, while staying in the constant pale colours trend for summer.

    Like the cheaper alternative, both lenses have sun protection to reduce the sun damage to your eyes, also tinting extra strong light. The case for Ray Bans is much stronger and is a hard shell with a popper clasp, compared to the draw string UO bag. This is rather understandable however because of the price your paying, ruining or breaking these sun glasses would be heart breaking. You also receive a complimentary lenses cloth, this is a delicate piece of material which is branded that is used simply to wipe any dust from the lenses. You normally receive these when buying prescription glasses at the opticians. Over all I would recommend both sun glasses but unless you have the money to splurge on expensive sun glasses then I would personally stick with the high street brand. Purely on the fact that sun glasses can easily break and as a teenager I'm unable to afford such designer sun glasses regularly.  

*(This is NOT a sponsored post)

INTERVIEWED || THE PULSE OF FASHION

    I welcome you to another interview showing the insight of a lovely blogger I started speaking to over Twitter, and its Jenny from THEPULSEOFFASHION. Jenny is a 23 year old blogger from Cardiff, who has amazing hair! I emailed her over a few questions that I thought would be on interest to you guys, so here they are enjoy! Just click read more for the full interview.

1) What's the inspiration behind your blog name?

- I wanted to make sure that my blog name tied in with what the blog is about and I love that saying of 'having your finger on the pulse of fashion.' Took a while to think of it though!!

2) Your hair is beautiful (like mine hah) do you plan on changing it for the summer?
- Thank you!! To be honest I've had this hairstyle for about 9 years now and it's become part of my look now. People remember me for my hair so I tend to keep it the same. I've changed the colour a few times over the years and chopped it really short and had it long! I'm sure one day I'll change it though, maybe when I have kids and get married ;) 

3) Where does your inspiration come from, family/magazines/celebrities etc?
- My inspiration comes from everything all around me from flowers blooming in the park (here's to hoping) to fabrics and mostly, things I see on the TV or around town as I walk around. I'm not afraid to try new things either, I think that's really important!

4) If you was given £5,000 to spend on whatever you pleased what would you do with it and why?
- I would spend it wisely and take my time to shop around and find bargains, sometimes to biggest treasures are hidden away in the shops and most of the time they're in the sale! I would also spoil myself and buy a lovely gem stone ring, preferably opal as it's my favourite stone :)

5) How and when did you get into blogging?
- I got into blogging through my best friend Betti who has a blog over at www.torchthetreasure.blogspot.com. We had so fun taking photos of each other last spring and it went from there! One blog I've been following from the start for inspiration is Bebe Zeva on FTBH.blogspot.com. Her outfits are so eccentric and different every time! She's awesome!

6) Any advice you could give to somebody struggling with their blog or thinking of starting one up?
- I think the biggest advice I could give is to stay true to yourself, believe in yourself!!! The only person you can truly rely on is yourself and if you doubt yourself or what you're putting out there then your blog won't survive! You've got to do it for yourself and most important, keep it fun! My blog is my hobbie and I'll never let it turn into a chore! 

7) Finally, can we be friends? Hahah 
- Hahaha hells yeah!! Keep in touch with me via Twitter! I love meeting fellow bloggers so would be great if we had the opportunity to hang! 

Jenny's Twitter - https://twitter.com/JennaayTPOF

Jenny's Blog - http://www.thepulseoffashion.blogspot.co.uk

Topshop || Tall Section Weekly Selections #1

Tall Polka Dot Body-con Dress || £29.00

    Thought I'd start off with a rather universal piece of clothing, and it's this navy blue body-con dress. I think these dresses are extremely flattering to all shapes, and can be dressed up and down with some tweaking of accessories! Now with this post being aimed towards Topshop's Tall Section, this dress is designed for ladies 5ft 7 and taller. I can't stress enough how hard it is to keep a dress you love without it shrinking up to your bottom after a few washes, but with extra inches added its impossible!

    The polka dot pattern is also another feature that I personally feel is universal, compared to other patterns such as strips that can make you appear a little tubbier than you actually all. Overall this dress is something I'm defiantly going to pick up on my next trip to Topshop and will be wearing it like crazy over spring/summer.

Tall Crochet Vest || £36.00

    The next item is aimed towards summer when it's getting quite warm and it's this crochet vest. I'm normally not a fan of vests even in the summer as they normally are over done with extreme patterns or are too plain. However Topshop have found the middle ground with the crochet/lace layer over the top of a plain vest. Something I quite like about this vest is that the patterned material runs past the end of the vets, translating onto maybe your shorts, leggings, jeans etc. This is a nice touch as the contrast of colour will really make the top half stand out. 

    Another thing I like about crochet material is that it is quite versatile in different heats. I'm not sure whether this happens with me personally but I find the material is able to keep me cool when it's hot and warmer when it's a bit breezy. The gaps in the thick material enable this switch in temperature, which is pretty handy to bring this piece from summer into winter later in the year. 

Tall Contrast Tee Dress || £42.00

    Next piece is another dress (I'm dress obsessed) and it's this lovely contrasting tee print dress. I remember seeing something along these lines during winter last year and never had chance to pick it up, but thankfully Topshop have brought it back for spring/summer. I really like how the prints work well together because they're both grey/white/black, where as if one was a bright, bold colour I don't think it would of worked so well. 

    Again I really love Topshop's Tall dresses because you are able to wear and keep them for a long time without them shrinking too much. I haven't put this theory into practice, but if your of average height and fancy a knee/calf length dress, I'm sure the Tall section with do you some justice without looking too frumpy. (Tell me in the comments if you've done this!) 

Tall Lasercut Waist Playsuit || £46.00

    The last item I'm really loving is this vibrant and bold playsuit. Same rules apply on how amazing the Tall section is for adding those extra inches, if you're not so happy about parading your legs about getting a Tall section playsuit is your best option. The cut of the legs rests in the middle of your thigh, showing some legs but not baring all. 

    The boldness instantly reminded me of summer and ice creams, the beach and holidays. I think this piece will be wonderful for the up-coming season, the lattice print gives the outfit some attitude allowing you to keep it plain with no accessories if it's too hot. If you want to dress it up for a night out, I would recommend gold jewellery to really make the outfit pop!

*This is NOT a sponsored post

LFW || Favourites from 18th February

    Erdem's collection was very dark this season with occasional bursts of colour through plums, lilacs and dark purples. The harsh colours however are romanticized through the use of lace and by feathering sheer materials revealing more skin. The use of fabric gave Erdem's collection heaps of personality with its bold statements.

 

    Antonio Berardi's collection was by far my favourite as many of his pieces could be worn on a night out or a special occasion without being too out-landerish and extreme. The two puffed sleeved dresses in red and white below are a prime example of this. I felt Antonio's collection was simplistic with either print, pattern of texture of the material being the focal point, creating a unique feel to each outfit.

    Lastly another collection that caught my eye was Marios Schwab. Another collection that was inspired by dark, more neutral based colours. Much like Erdem, there is a heavy use-age of sheer material with some lace pieces. Very reflective of the baroque trend from late last year, in its under-layering for skirts accompanied by delicate dress skirts with constructed thicker layer underneath.

*(All images are from Vogue & edited by myself)

Favourite Items for SS13 (((So Far)))

    It's that time again to discuss my favourite products for the latest season, as always all of these items of clothes/shoes are from Topshop and links to each will be left under each photograph. If you've been looking through Topshop lately tell me your views on their latest SS13 picks!

'Peterpan Flower Flippy Dress' || £48.00

    This first clothing item is not actually featured in Topshop's SS13 collection for 'floral' wear, but the delicate, weightless flowers across the waist really caught my eye. The floral trend this year is extremely patterned  almost reminiscent of the jungle. I personally found the patterns too over powering, so this is the more subtle alternative which is still abiding by the floral trend. 

'Floral Jacquard Trousers' || £50.00

    Next up are another item in the 'floral' category and it's these Jacquard Trousers. With darker shades of oranges, reds and browns these trousers could be universally worn no matter what size you are. The colours and shape of the trousers make your hips appear smaller while elongating your legs, no matter how small or tall you are.

'Embroidered Tiger Sweater' || £32.00

    Bold print as you would of guessed from the floral trend are very big and in for SS13. This is my favourite piece out of them all, as it's vivid but due to the subtle green can be dressed up and down. The embroidery on the the chest is outstanding and you can tell you're paying for a good quality jumper. Piece this with a chunky gold chain and some indigo jeans and you've got an outstanding outfit for SS13.

'Cut Out Boots' || £85.00

    The last item are these bold white boots, these can defiantly be a statement piece to anybody's wardrobe. Whether you're going along with the new trends or not, you can't miss out on some killer white, cut out boots! The cut outs allow you to maybe show off some of your tan in the summer, or a tattoo that's always covered up in winter. Regardless these boots are a hot purchase and go perfectly with the 'white' trend!