Style Heroes

Topshop Coat (similar here) | Topshop Shirt | Dorothy Perkins Trousers * | Dorothy Perkins Bag | Zara Mules (similar here)

When you think of style heroes, you'll probably think of Alexa Chung, Coco Chanel, and maybe even Kim Kardashian if you are that way inclined (okay I'll face it that she's upped her fashion-game during the Kanye Era). But today I'm talking about the essential wardrobe items that we rely on during those "oh crap I have nothing to wear" days (basically everyday). Dorothy Perkins Style Heroes Campaign features 10 must-have wardrobe staples that form the foundation of our seasonal outfits. As part of the Style Heroes challenge I got to pick a mini-bag and a pair of cropped trousers to style out. 

Let's talk about the mini bag. Pretty impractical, but who cares? I don't need to carry 3 Mac lipsticks around everyday and like every teen movie I watched as a kid it's embedded in my mind that it's only cool to pay on plastic, so no loose change will be found swinging around this tiny bag. Plus those "what's in my handbag" blog posts are completely overrated anyway, so at least I don't need to worry about doing one of them.
As for cropped trousers, I love showing off a bit of ankle. The Victorians would have imprisoned me for being a totally improper lady and no man would ever have deemed me worthy of wifeing. What really does it for me with cropped trousers is the slightly retro look about them. Effortlessly chic in solid black with an oversized chambray shirt is the easiest way for casual dressing on a day-to-day basis, without fail.

Playsuits like Pyjamas

Motel Playsuit * | Lavish Alice Blazer | Zara Mules | Primark Bag 

Don't you just love it when fashion and comfort come together? 

Three words: Soft. Jersey. Playsuit. 

None of that super tight corseted structure from the Topshop Bandeau Jumpsuit that feels like a boa constrictor has wrapped itself tightly around your body trying to restrict your air flow and squeeze out all of your air/blood/guts (although it looks super hot, so I can deal with the boa constrictor predicament at least until I pass out.) 

But that super soft jersey fabric that glides across the skin? It could easily be pyjamas. In a good way. In the I'm-so-comfortable-I-could-just-fall-asleep-right-here kind of way. I suppose they're a little bit like onesies- but the cuter, younger, but more sophisticated sister. 

One last thing, Fashion Slave has been shortlisted to win Best New Fashion Blog at Cosmopolitan's Blog Awards 2014, so if you haven't already it would be amazing if you could vote for me here! (Fashion Slave is on the fourth page!) 

The Culotte Jumpsuit

Topshop Culotte Jumpsuit

- Zara Mules - Zara Bag

"It is such a Sophie colour!" -

Sarah Nunn

couldn't be more right. I'm not sure what it is about this hue but I find it totally irresistible, so when strolling through Topshops Oxford Street store early last week it was absolutely no surprise I was drawn to this jumpsuit like a moth to a burning hot culotte jumpsuit shaped flame.

It's that difficult but mind blowing colour that simmers somewhere between a burnt orange and a poppy red, and boy does it look incredible against a tan! (Cue a trip to Superdrug to stock up on some

Cocoa Brown Extra Dark

...) 

I have reoccurring nightmares on a weekly basis that I have gone shopping and see something so perfect that gives you that panic-wave of materialistic excitement, only to discover that they have every other size but your own. Well on this shopping trip the nightmare became a reality. 

Naturally, they had a size 10, but nobody wants a bandeau style top drooping (sagging is never a pretty look) And of course then they had a size 6... But who was I kidding? Let's just say it was no surprise that a size 6 doesn't accommodate an E cup... But after a slight diva panic some superwoman working on the information desk came back with the last size 8 in the store. 

It's currently in stock in all sizes

on the website

- although I really don't think the image does the colour or the fit justice! (Not that I'm saying I'm a top model or anything...)

Topshop's jumpsuit

game has been on another level this season. Their boned, bandeau styles are complete investment pieces. The

black bandeau jumpsuit

+ a pair of

strappy black gladiators

+ natural smokey eye and nude lip is my signature first-date outfit. Believe me, works like a charm... Unless you've being taken to a cheap pub, in which case you're just going to look completely out of place... But then again, you shouldn't go on dates with guys that take you to cheap pubs anyway.

Happy Monday!

!function(d,s,id){var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? 'http' : 'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)) {e = d.createElement(s);e.id = id;e.src = p + '://' + 'widgets.rewardstyle.com' + '/js/shopthepost.js';d.body.appendChild(e);}if(typeof window.__stp === 'object') if(d.readyState === 'complete') {window.__stp.init();}}(document, 'script', 'shopthepost-script');

JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.

Pink & Pink

Zara Babydoll Dress

|

ASOS Jacket

|

Zara Mules

| ASOS Necklace | Zara Bag | Topshop Sunglasses

I'm telling you now: if I start wearing anymore pink I'm going to turn into an actual princess or a pig or a strawberry mini milk.

I'll have to start diverting my wardrobe away from pastel shades to avoid looking too much like a macaroon in the future. The addiction to ice cream colours has gone too far! Looking back at these photographs in a couple of years I'll be thinking that my style was clearly inspired by the colour palette of old peoples night gowns (and we all know the whole Granny-chic thing died a few years ago...)

Best way to sex up something a little too girly (or granny)? Dark, vampy lipstick and a leather jacket. Works every time. 

Brushstrokes .2

Topshop Jacket

|

Choies Top

|

ASOS Jeans

| Zara Bag |

Zara Mules

| Miss Selfridge Hat (old) 

Celine style brush strokes strike again. This top actually forms part of the gorgeous Choies co-ord, but in best effort to not turn my blog into a co-ord-appreciation website I avoided pairing them together.

Any other coloured leather (or faux-leather, in this instance..) is usually a total no-go for me. It brings back horrific memories of be buying this red leather jacket AND matching trousers from the Mary Kate and Ashley collection at Walmart when I was visiting America as a child (let's just say that their collections for

The Row

have come a long long way since their teenage designs in Walmart circa 2001...) 

But pastel leather jackets have been cropping up all over the high-street, and whilst I was totally smitten with the beautifully baby pink jacket in

Zara

, I opted for the slightly more muted, paler pink one from Topshop. A little less Barbie, still pretty and feminine, but retains all the necessary edginess that every biker jacket should have. 

What's your take on pastel leather jackets? Will you be wearing them this season or will you be a black leather veteran?