How many is too many?

August 6, 2016November 14, 2016 | blueskygirlie

My name is Sarah and I have a problem… with buying sunglasses.

Like most of you, sunglasses are a staple of my wardrobe throughout the summer and I can’t go anywhere without some. I love the fact they add an extra element to an outfit and if needed, hide a multitude of sins. No make up on? Eye bags? No problem!

I choose different shapes for different dressing styles and always keep spare pair in both my handbag and car glove-box.

An oversized cats-eye looks stylish and makes your face look slimmer…Sunglasses / New Look

A decorated frame can make a simple outfit look dressed up…Or go or all and clash your patterns!!!Both Sunglasses / Primark

A formal style can be mixed with a casual outfit to dress it up a little…Sunglasses / Kookai

A statement pair will get peoples attention and scream ‘fashion’…Sunglasses / Primark

A classic colour such as tortoise shell will see you through summer after summer…Sunglasses / TopShop

And black just goes with everything…!Sunglasses / Store TwentyOne

Even my 10 year old cant resist…Sunglasses / Primark Kids

At last count I had 14 pairs and I can honestly say I dont regret a pair of them! From £150 RayBans to £1 Primark sale buys, sunglasses really are THE summer accessory essential – throw them in your bag or suitcase this summer and they will make any outfit look better…

So whats your favourite pair? And do you make sure you have a matching pair for every outfit too?

I’d love to know…

The Hungarian H&M Holiday dress™

July 21, 2016 | blueskygirlie

Every so often I get obsessed with finding a piece of high street fashion I have seen in a magazine or on Instagram. You know that feeling when you just have to have something?

I first saw this dress on one of those big wall posters in H&M. Did they have it in stock? Well as it was only £14.99 it had sold out…typical. I trawled Bluewater then central London trying to track it down. I found a couple of UK 16’s and 18’s but this dress is huge (for reference I am wearing a UK8 and probably could of fitted in the 6 if I could of found it and I am definitely not that size!)

Finally when we were away on holiday in Budapest I sweet-talked my boyfriend into letting me go into the H&M there and I found it – so forever it will be called the Hungarian H&M Holiday dress™.

This dress ticks a lot of boxes trend-wise for summer 2016. Off the shoulder? ☑️ Peasant style? ☑️ ☑️ Strong, hot colour? Oh yes ☑️☑️☑️

Now I am a bit of a customiser when it comes to fashion and as I’ve mentioned this dress is very voluminous – great if youre a 6ft waif model but not so good if youre a 5’2″ curvy 40 something. The dress had tasselled ties on the sleeves which I removed and replaced with elastic and then created a tasselled rope belt which I fixed to the dress. This belt pulls the dress in at the waist, still keeping with its Boho feel but creating a more flattering fit for me and my body type. The lesson here? If something doesnt quite suit you then make it suit you!

I accessoried this look with my new rose gold sunglasses from New Look (which I’ve hardly taken off since I bought them), some gold palm leaf earrings and espadrille floral print sandals from Primark. Oh, and just as a finishing touch I painted my toenails the same reddy/orange as my dress. Good styling is often all in the details – you dont have to spend a lot…in total this outfit cost me under £40.

So what have we learned from todays blog? If you fall in love with something find it by any means necessary even if you have to go to a foreign country and then change any parts you don’t totally like to make it look even better!

Nothing too major then..well, when you love something, you love it!

Dress – H&M
Sunglasses – New Look
Earrings – New Look
Sandals – Primark

Primark mini haul

June 23, 2016 | blueskygirlie

Whenever I’m in central London I always try and pop into one of the flagship Primark stores. They hold the most stock and give you the best chance of finding that item you saw on Instagram (but probably not).

My store of choice is the Tottenham Court Road branch – its less busy than Marble Arch with all those tourists trying to claim their VAT back and although smaller I think holds a better range (or maybe just the VM is better!). I didnt buy a lot this time as I’m trying to edit my overflowing wardrobe but the 3 things I’ve got to show you I think are Summer must haves!

Cotton embroidered Kaftan jacket – £16.00

I saw this in the window and my eyes popped out on stalks like a cartoon character! I’d been trying to justify the £50 Zara version (and couldnt) and this is so similar. I went for a size small as its open fronted with loose sleeves and its is perfect as a summer cover up either over swimwear on the beach or with a white vest, skinny jeans and sandals for a cute daytime look.

Khaki slim leg joggers – £8.00

All the bloggers keep telling me khaki is the new denim and I didnt have anything khaki! These trousers are flattering with an elasticated tie detail waist and slim leg although I found the calf area a little tight so went for a size 12.

Two tone esperadrille pumps – £8.00

When you want Chanel but can only afford Primark… Seriously though, these are a great summer shoe when you dont want to wear sandals and are a casual shoe that still looks stylish.

I also bought black leggings, white t-shirts and some sunglasses cases – you gotta have fresh wardrobe staples each year! But my favourite of the three has to be the shoes…when Primark gets it right, it gets it right! Yes the stores are busy, yes the queues are long but a flagship store is an Aladdins Cave of bargain fashion delights!

All available in store now.

Making the 80’s modern again…

June 16, 2016June 17, 2016 | blueskygirlie

Todays look is based around a vintage buy I fell in love with recently (although my boyfriend did say I reminded him of a member of Duran Duran in it – in a good way allegedly – but we’ll gloss over that) that I just had to wear asap. It cost me just £5.00 in a charity shop and I loved its unique look but also its totally bargain price!

This kind of shirt is perfect when you just want a comfy yet stylish outfit…and you might not be feeling as body confident as you could be (I do suffer from this) – but hey, comfort is always good – no fixed waistbands here! The shirt itself is quite bold but with plain leggings or skinny jeans doesn’t look over the top. A pair of heels dresses it up slightly although flats would work just as well for a more laid back look.

The shirt itself is a voluminous 80’s/early 90’s number and I co-ordinated it with some wet look leggings, block heel sandals and a cheeky novelty clutch bag.

The sandals are a Very.co.uk purchase and have been so useful. They are dressy but comfortable and look great with everything. The bag is from Accessorize and was one of those ‘I have to have it’ purchases. I love a novelty bag and this one makes me happy everytime I use it.

They key to an oversized shirt like this is balance. If its loose on top go tight on the bottom that way you look in proportion and if you’re petite like me, youre not swamped by the volume of the item. Leggings and skinny jeans work perfectly with a look like this.

The shirt came with shoulder pads which I removed. As ever my vision is a modern version of vintage, and a few changes can make a vintage item feel modern. If youre more of a fashion fan than a vintage belle, most vintage items can be improved with a nip or a tuck.

And finally back to those sandals – the gold block heels are EVERYTHING! Plus some matching red/orange nail varnish on my toes carried that bright print through to my feet!

This bold bargain has already become one of my favourite items I own and I literally can’t wait to wear it again.

Shirt – vintage
Wet look leggings – eBay
Sandals – shoebox at Very.co.uk
Bag – Accessorize

MY VERY.CO.UK SALE HAUL

May 31, 2016May 31, 2016 | blueskygirlie

Regular readers to this blog will know I’m quite a fan of Very. I have been a customer for a long time now and as well as loving the ranges I also like, as a online catalogue, you can have an interest free account and pay your balance in 3 parts using their ‘take 3’ option. This can be quite useful to spread the cost of things across 3 paydays or split a bigger purchase such as a leather jacket into more bitesize pieces. And then theres the sales…

Have a look at what I bought recently –

Definitions asymetric tunic – £9.75 (from £25) – the coral colour sold me on this top and its such an easy summer wear with leggings and sandals.

Vila suedette and stripe breton top – £16 (from £22) – I loved the updating of the classic breton with the suedette top and it works perfectly with the South boyfriend jeans – £15 (from £32) – distressed jeans look great in the summer rolled up with sandals and the dark wash on this pair is just perfect and looks really premium.

Shoe box lace up flats – £10 (from £20) – I’ve been seeing lace-up flats on fashion bloggers everywhere and at this price I couldnt resist!

River Island bib collar – £6 (from £16) – OK, OK its clear I love a collar! I find them so versatile and love the look they create without ruining the line of your clothes.

South skinny cropped jeans £11 each (from £20) – not the most exciting items in the world, but these will become a wardrobe staple and with their tight capri leg and high waist suit my figure perfectly.

All items available at Very.co.uk now while stocks last. New customers can open a Very credit account and get £30 off your first £60 spend using code FDNWW.

Swarovski activity tracker jewellery

May 18, 2016 | blueskygirlie

So, I don’t wear an activity tracker when lots of people do. You know why?

Well its simple – they look awful. I dont care how beneficial they can be I can’t wear an ugly bit of plastic/rubber round my wrist all day, every day. I know I’m fussy but I plan my outfits with precision…and a FitBit (or similar) just doesnt work for me style-wise.

Then I saw this advert…

Erm…hello!

This is what the website says –

“Swarovski and Misfit joined forces to bring the most advanced tracking technology into beautiful Swarovski jewelry. The Swarovski Activity Crystal is designed to be always on — it has a six-month battery life and is water resistant. And it is designed to help you look great throughout your day, whether playing sports or celebrating a special occasion.”

This is how it works…

OK, thats made me fall in love a bit, it looks great but lets be honest Miranda Kerr could make anything look amazing…

Choice wise the look is luxe and sparkly. You can get different options with studded and diamante straps, a leather watch style strap, matching bracelets and bangles and even a pendant necklace!

Find the full range here.

But the real question is does it work well as an activity tracker or is it all style over substance?

You don’t need to charge it just relace the battery every 6 months or so. You can improve and track your fitness via the app where you can view your activity or sleep history by day, week or month with graphics to show number of steps, calories burned, distance travelled etc and how many points you earned towards your goal. For sleep tracking, you can see how much sleep you’ve had and how much of that was deep sleep. There’s also the usual notifications for personal bests and the option to connect your account to Facebook.

Plus its not just an activity tracker – the Swarovski Activity Crystal pairs with the app to become a smart button that can interact with connected devices. You can take a picture or selfie or control your music…now this function I really like!

Whether you think the options are gorgeous or garish, one thing’s for sure – this is a blueprint for invisible wearable tech that fits into our stylish, fashionable lives. The future is now!

The tracker is available in stores and online starting at £129 with extra straps available at £59.

It is designed to be compatable with iPhone 4s/5/5c/5s/6/6 Plus, iPod Touch 5, iPad 3/4/Air/mini, Samsung Galaxy S 4/5/6, Samsung Note 3, Google Nexus 4/5/6 and Android 4.3 BLE devices and above.

All images via Swarovski.com

Any colour you want as long as its black…

May 11, 2016 | blueskygirlie

So what do you wear when you cant be bothered to style?

Black. No brainer.

Of course when I say ‘no styling’ I of course mean minimum styling, as if you love fashion like me, you’ll find it hard not to try and make every outfit, even lazy day ones, a bit more stylish!

All black is super easy to work with though and I like to make it a bit more intetesting by adding different textures and a stand out accessory such as a necklace or as I have done in todays outfit, some statement earrings. After a few hot days its now pouring with rain so the summer dresses have been put on hold for now…

I recently bought myself a few new black jumpers as they are do easy to just throw on. This one is from H&M and is currently in the sale reduced from £19.99 to just £7. It has a turtle neck and is made from a textured knit that is ever so slightly see through. It is cut to be oversized so I went for the smallest size (XS/extra small) and it is still quite roomy on my size 10/12 frame.

I co-ordinated it with a pair of wet look leggings which I wear quite a lot especially as an alternative to skinny jeans. They are super comfy too! The shiny look adds an extra element that plain black would not of, plus they make you feel kinda sexy…
As I mentioned the only real accessorising to this outfit was a pair of statement earrings, plus my trusty black leather Converse. When I bought them I was a bit worried they might not get worn as much as my other 1000 pairs of Converse (a slight exaggeration but not much) but they are the perfect shoe for when you want a more dressy trainer. I just love them.

So there you have it. Lazy day styling!

Jumper – H&M
Earrings – Dorothy Perkins
Wet look leggings – eBay
Trainers – Converse

My vintage buy of the week

May 7, 2016May 20, 2016 | blueskygirlie

Welcome to a new semi regular blog! As you may know I run a business on Etsy selling vintage items and often end up keeping things I fall in love with.

In these blogs I will share what I’ve bought and why (hopefully) it was a good buy!

Todays item is a dress I just fell in love with the minute I saw it. Made in the Netherlands in the late 1970’s/early 80s it is by the brand Suku San and is in a bold colbalt blue polyester crepe. At the same time I also picked up an unusual twisted vintage belt so the outfit is full on vintage which is unusual for me.

What I loved the most though was the draped front and split sleeves. Its so stylish and feels great on, plus the whole outfit cost me less than £5! Comfort and style…hoorah!

What do you think? Its definitely going to be one of my favourite dresses in my wardrobe.

Dress & Belt – Tomorrows People charity shop

(Tomorrows People is a charity in Kent that helps unemployed people get work experience and become confident to find a permanent job)

What bargains have you found recently in the world of charity and vintage shops? I would love to know…

To shop my Etsy Shop click here

To shop my eBay shop (where vintage clothing ends up) shop here

To follow my Instagram (where most of my buys get shared first) follow me here

Look out more more vintage buys in coming weeks…

Sightseeing in Budapest

April 19, 2016April 19, 2016 | blueskygirlie

Over the Easter break I took a wonderful 4 day trip to Budapest in Hungary.

It is an absolutely beautiful city and I couldn’t resist doing an ‘outfit of the day’ in such a stunning location – it certainly beats my kitchen/diner where I usually shoot my outfit posts!

The look…

I saw this cream tasseled jacket in the Primark Tottenham Court Road store and instantly fell in love with it. Priced at £20 it looks much more expensive than that. Size-wise I went for the UK12 as the 10 was a little tight across the shoulders on me. I love the tasseled 3/4 length sleeves and bib detail front and its a lightweight cotton thats perfect for hotter days.

I added a pair of trusty New Look ‘super skinny’ jeans and my look was complete. I love NL denim and these jeans are tight all over (hence the super skinny fit name because I’m definitely not!) yet highwaisted and very stretchy so quite flattering.

The details…

I added a pair of Primark tortoiseshell effect sunglasses (£3) and denim pumps (£4), along with a trusty GAP white tee underneath. The denim pumps elongate the look, meaning your eye is drawn just to the hero piece – that fabulous Primark jacket.

The jacket and pumps are both in store now – be quick though as Primark stock moves very quickly. I just love this look and know I will wear it quite a bit this Summer.

Now I just need to get back on holiday…

Credits
Jacket – Primark
T-shirt – GAP
Jeans – New Look
Sunglasses – Primark
Denim pumps – Primark