Rebecca Minkoff: Wanderlust Part II

For part II of my Wanderlust collaboration with Rebecca Minkoff I thought that I'd channel summer-chic by sheltering from the hot sands in favour of shaded city streets and boulevards. Well, in reality I just walked 5 minutes down the road in Shoreditch. I suppose that's the beauty of London at least: even if you're stuck here it's so large and diverse that you're unlikely to ever run out of things to do.







Want to pretend that you're Holidaying in some province in the South of France when really you're stuck in London? You can do that. What about going back to the prehistoric ages and walking with the dinosaurs? Well you hardly need a time travelling machine when you can just head to Crystal Palace. As long as the sun comes out, I can throw on my Rebecca Minkoff Margot top with a pair of silk loose fit shorts and explore everything on my doorstep. Who needs a holiday when you've got an Oyster card...

Photos by Carl Thompson 

5 Things Your Spring Wardrobe Can't Live Without

One of the games I like to play with fashion is use it to trick people into thinking that I'm really stylish and my outfits are so very thought out. But don't be fooled by my prolific shopping habits and posey photographs. The truth is that every season I come up with a cheat sheet formula for dressing. Based on the seasons biggest trends, I pick about 5 items that I stick to, buying different variations and colours, and swap them around. SS14 was all about slip dresses layered with duster jackets and oversized knits for when it got a little colder, but with seventies style taking over boudoir inspired dressing for SS15, this season's formula is made of suede jackets and button front skirts. Read on for my top 5 must have items for spring. 

The Suede Jacket

A suede jacket is easily the simplest way to bring your lacklustre wardrobe into SS15 with style. Having ticked off the tan jacket on my list, and the fringed suede jacket too, next things all about a colour popping number. Try matching the hardware on your jackets to your jewellery. The rose gold accents on the press studs work perfectly with my Daniel Wellington Classy Sheffield watch. 

Platforms

No I'm not talking about those cheap looking fake Louboutin's with platforms wider than your standard block of Cathedral cheddar. I'm talking about something more classic and a little bit retro inspired. Think 1970's Studio 54, rather than bandage dress and platform heel combo in the kebab shop at 3am.

The Basic Tee

Basics don't mean that you're a basic bitch. The people at ASOS weren't lying when they named this T-Shirt the 'Forever' T-shirt because it genuinely seems as though it will last.. well... forever.

The Mini Bag

Totally impractical in every way, the Mini bag has ensured that every single night out I have returned with at least one thing missing. They are just so small it's easy for things to fall out of. But they look cute, so it's fine.

The Button Front Skirt

Another one of SS15's standout items is the button front skirt. Denim is your best bet, alongside suede and cord. From mini A-lines to longer pencil shapes, if it doesn't have a strip of buttons then don't buy it!

Mango Jacket | Topshop Skirt | Primark T-Shirt | H&M Bag | Topshop Shoes | Daniel Wellington Watch* - Use code fashionslave for 15% discount

Photos by Carl Thompson

Your Spring Layering Essentials Sorted

Miss Selfridge Jacket* | Miss Selfridge Jeans* | Miss Selfridge Top* | Topshop Shoes | Forever 21 Bag | ASOS Sunglasses

The sun shines brightly, blossom litters the street, beer gardens are filling up, and my mind is going into complete and utter overdrive because I can't work out if it's still too cold and windy to wear a shirt dress without tights. Is the risk of flashing my underwear to many unsuspecting commuters too much?. Yes, springtime in Britain is here, and it's brought with it a multitude of fashion dilemmas.
Am I hot? Am I cold? Do I need a jacket? What jacket? What do I wear under the jacket? But what about knitwear? All of my clothes are black and I feel like a goth rebelling against the blue skies. Spring weather is totally unpredictable. Last weeks mini heatwave saw a swarm of men getting out their pasty chests at a local park near you, this week I've retired back to mu trusty knits. You need to be equipped with some smart pieces that are adaptable in any wardrobe to layer up and down when the time calls. So here's the 401 on the things you need to get you through through spring.

The Belted Duster Jacket

My number one essential item for layering in SS15 is the belted duster coat. Part kimono, part dressing gown, part duster coat, it has the versatility to work with any outfit. It works layered over knits and t-shirts on those winter-reminiscent colder days, and then thrown over a cami dress to cover up when the sun disappears on warmer days. The utility silhouette and khaki shade of this duster from Miss Selfridge keeps the look loose and casual, so you'll definitely be catching me wearing this open with a bralette and some tailored trousers on a night out for a bit of boudoir-meets-utility style dressing. 

The Sleeveless Roll Neck 

Spring's answer to everyones favourite Autumn/Winter piece, the Roll Neck. There's still the same old retro appeal you get from wearing a long-sleeved one, just you won't be sweating so much if the sun decides to rear its shiny head. Girls with big boobs rejoice, the figure-hugging shape is a totally flattering silhouette.

Jeans

We all know by now that denim everything is one of the biggest trends for SS15. So it's only natural that the humble jean earns its rightful place in spring layering essentials. Be they classic skinny or this seasons favourite silhouette, the flare, jeans are the easiest and most durable way to work springtime layering. Miss Selfridge have really upped the ante with their Denim Lounge.  Introducing four new signature fits, there's plenty of styles to choose from to start as the foundation for your layered look.

5 Reasons Why Wide Leg Trousers are Your New Fashion BFF

Topshop Top | H&M Trousers | Forever 21 Bag* | Topshop Shoes | H&M Hat
It's been long established now that one of the biggest trends for SS15 is the Seventies. Every store you look in or magazine that you open is saturated with sepia tones, double denim, and styling that looks like it has been copied directly from some sun-bleached vintage Woodstock photos. Having been a skinny jean convert for around 8 years now, I decided it was about time to move on and find a new go-to fashion piece. Welcome the wide leg trouser, my personal game changer for this season. This silhouette has always scared me slightly: I have deemed it far too dramatic in all of its swooshy, flared glory. After all, wide leg trousers were my wardrobe staple during my Sk8r Girl days (thanks for that, Avril Lavigne) and that's not a part of my life I've been overly keen to relive... But now they seem way more Studio 54 glamour rather than a grungy-punk-teen-diva. Here are my 5 reasons why wide leg trousers are your new fashion BFF for SS15.

1. They are basically pyjamas. Let's face it, who really wants to wake up and get out of their pyjamas? I'd happily stay in mine all day if I could. You know those scraggy but oh so comfortable tartan pyjamas your mum bought you for Christmas 6 years ago? These are better. Light, airy, and baggy enough to swoosh about the house in. Lazy dressing never looked quite so chic. Pair with a kimono jacket for a seriously relaxed seventies PJ vibe. 
2. Amps up the glamour factor. They may feel and (sorta) look like pyjama bottoms, but they also have all of that glamour from a 1970s Vogue shoot. Elegant, timeless, and disgustingly chic, think Bianca Jagger in Studio 54. Now all that's needed is a rock star husband. 
3. The fit is a game changer for Pear Shapes. All you pear shapes out there answer me this: are you fed up of trying your size on in skinny jeans and slim fit trousers to find they are super tight on your thighs but then about 2-5 inches big on your waist? If I was an emoji right now, I'd be the little brunette girl sticking her hand in the air. But the joy of wide leg trousers means you can buy the size that actually fits your waist, because the loose legs means you're not going to be squashing all your thighs into something as restricted as you get with skinny fits. This leads me to number 4...
4. They are super flattering. Fellow pear shaped ladies take note! There's such a joy in wearing something so tent-like in silhouette: it hides your thighs, accentuates your waist, and lengthens your leg, meaning your body is getting completely balanced out. 
5. They make your bum look great. Now I won't promise that these trousers will turn you into Kim Kardashian. Who wants an arse so big that it has its own gravitational pull anyway? What I will promise you is that wide leg trousers will definitely enhance your assets (sorry, simply could not resist the pun). Whether it's big or small, I guarantee a pair of high-waisted wide leg trousers are going to make your bum look peachy AF. 

Thank you, Fashion Overlords, for reincarnating wide leg trousers from the grungy pop-rock grave they shared with Avril Lavigne.