Liberate Your Style Challenge (Part 2) - A Fashion World Review

When I was recently contacted by Fashion world offering me the chance to put together a look from their Joe Browns range there were several items that really caught my eye in the collection. As some of you know I really enjoy experimenting with different styles of clothing and seeing what works for me in different scenarios. I think when it comes to how we dress ourselves, one of the things we all have in common is the need to have a simple by cute look that allows us to play around with those staple items in our closet.

I absolutely love jeans and I enjoy wearing them. For me jeans are one of those items that can either be really fun and dressy or just a comfortable item that we can throw on during those fast paced days when you just need something that will work with whatever events the day may bring.

As a long time lover of all things paisley, when I saw the light blue jeans with paisley print I just had to have them. I think my long history with hair scarves and bandanas is what started this mild obsession but I'm happy to say this is one of the few style trends from my teens that I still hold as an adult! Usually I get to wear them with vintage styles but what's nice is the fact that I can also wear one of my white or blue ones with these jeans if I want to really want to make a thing of the classic pattern in an outfit.

When it comes to jeans I will be honest my size heavily changes from brand to brand. I can wear anything from a size 22-26 so when it came to picking these ones I knew I wanted a fair bit of extra wiggle room in the tummy and thigh area. I picked these up in a size 28. I will be honest they are pretty loose on me and I don't actually have to unzip or unbutton them to get them on. Having said all of that I actually like the oversized feel of this pair, I can pretty much do whatever and feel comfortable. I do however wear a belt with these ones for security purposes lol.

I decided to pair these jeans with an old top from Simplybe. The netted material is really comfortable and works really well with a causal look. With accessories I paired the jeans with the studded boots also from the Joe Browns Collection. I tend to wear flats and balerina pumps with my day to day clothes but since getting these boots they have worked well with many of my outfits and they are so comfortable! I got them at an 8E so there is plenty of extra room which is useful if you want to wear a thick pair of socks for comfort. 

I thought I would keep it simple and work with the blue tones in the jeans for additional pieces in my outfit. I thought this cute bag and cuff from Primark would fare well and some old bracelets I have had for years that I found lying around in my jewellery box. 

I'm pretty sure that these were a popluar choice with shoppers on the site aswell as many of the other items in the collection so make sure to take a look. There are some really nice bits available at the moment.

Studded Glory

Many of you lovely ladies will have the exact same issue as me when it comes to selecting an outfit...sometimes you just don't know what to wear! Now I'm not limited for options but we all have those days when we have some great single items but struggle to pair them with anything...

Those of you who are familiar with my blog will know that I like to play around with different types of clothes and have a variety of styles in my wardrobe. Many people have a select style that they love and they stick with it. I think it's cool to have a niche that's your own. In my case I simply have fun experimenting. I like to be ready for anything so I may have some gorgeous dresses and gowns on one side of my wardrobe and some edgy causal bits on the other. Having said all of that I am the kind of person that likes my creature comforts so when something works for me I stick with it! When I picked up the gorgeous tartan skater dress from Pink Clove last year it was an item that I really enjoyed wearing, still do. The look and fit of the item was right up my street so is it really any surprise that I picked up the bottom half of the dress, the single skater skirt?!

The length of the skirt and the fit was something that was a huge draw to me when it came to the dress; but because of the fit in the bust area it wouldn't really be an item you could throw a top over to switch it up, so the skirt on it's own made for a fun piece. 

As a lover of oversized sheer shirts I thought it would be cool to wear this studded one with cami from a previous collection at Marisota. Items with little accents tend to really catch my attention and I have always had a thing for studs on bags and clothes. As I was wearing black tights and black shoes to work with the skirt I decided to tuck in the skirt to make it the focal piece in the outfit. A sharp burst of colour is always fun with a predominantly black ensemble. 

With this look I was going for a rock chick look. I thought I would use the studs on the shirt as a way to pull accessories. I love silver accents and I tend to wear more silver jewellery than anything else so it's no surprise that my signature hoop earrings were included in the look as well as my loop chain necklace.

Often the little things in a single item of clothing can inspire an entire outfit. It could be a splash of colour somewhere, an adornment or the fabric. Whatever you decide to do when putting together a outfit have fun, play around and try things out. You may just surprise yourself. 

Going Bare In The Sun!

Summer is here and despite the odd rain shower we've had, this one is set to be a mega hot one! With all that in mind it's no surprise that we're reaching for our shorts, dresses and maxi skirts...

This year I have decided that on my quest to push my confidence and embrace myself further, I would be brave and head out without any coverage of my arms. For those of you who are new to my blog; my arms are my problem area (lord knows we all have one) I have always felt more at ease without them on show. Having said that I've started to get to the point where I'm not sacrificing my comfort in order to cloak myself. I used to wear boleros, jackets and shrugs in the blazing hot sun and would put a brave face on the situation and pretend I was absolutely fine when in truth; I would be on a constant search for the nearest store to relieve myself in the heat by reaching for the nearest cold drink!

I won't pretend that it's easy for me to ditch my usual cover ups though, I still feel more comfortable with them but I am doing what I can to just face those little fears head on and not let my personal hang ups ruin my day. As I recently mentioned, pushing my limits is helping me to gain more self confidence.

It's no secret that I really like animal prints in clothing and so I just had to have this amazing maxi shirt from Primark size 20. Unfortunately this is from a previous season but there may be something similar coming in stores soon. Keep you eyes peeled you never know what you can find in Primark. 

I thought it would be cool to pair this with a simple black cami from New Look Inspire size 20. I think sometimes being comfortable can still make for a cool outfit. I didn't want to go overboard with accessories either so I thought I'd pair this look with my twisted gold hoop earrings, lovely necklace and simple ballerina shoes. I'll most definitely be wearing looks like this one over the next few weeks. Not only is it a seasonal style, it'd lend itself well to days out on the beach or relaxed walks in the summer sunshine.

Have a look through your wardrobe and see what you may have in there. You'll be surprised what you have that might just be suited to this hot weather. Whatever you decide to wear have fun with it and play around I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised with the results. 

Keep smiling!