My Limited Edition SS16 picks

March 2, 2016March 6, 2016 | blueskygirlie

I was in M&S the other day having a browse and as ever made my way to my favourite section, Limited Edition.

A fact about me – in my career as a stylist and visual merchandising manager I was part of the team at M&S who came up with the original brand concept (then Limited Collection) so it will always have a fond place in my heart.

The great thing about M&S and its ‘shop in shops’ is you can always find a sub-brand that you like and shop that area. For me Limited Edition is definitely ‘my brand’ – its trend led, stylish, aimed at a younger customer and always has an element of quirky styling that isn’t seen within the other M&S sub-brands.

In todays blog find my 5 favourite pieces all currently on sale in stores. Happy shopping!

Tie neck blouse – £29.50

This blouse is super pretty and perfect for dressing up or down. You’d need a camisole on underneath but I’d team it with skinny jeans or slim leg trousers and heels.

Shoulder bag – £38.00

I’m a sucker for a cartoon or fun reference and I love the mix of classic design and quirky detailing. Its a size that will hold everything and the nude and black colourway will never clash with what youre wearing.

Dungaree style jumpsuit – £49.50

Pinstripes – check, Navy fabric – check, Tie waist – check, Utility details – check. This jumpsuit has all the style points and will look so stylish through the Spring and beyond.

Flower necklace – £25

You can go wrong with a statement necklace and this oversized resin one would look perfect with a white skirt or t-shirt, white on white or to create a pop of colour over a bright top or dress.

Bomber jacket – £55.00

Bomber jackets are EVERYWHERE for SS16 and this is a more premium, feminine slant on the ones I’ve seen. The oriental style quilting definitely makes this look unique and its flattering and easy to wear – perfect!

What do you think? What are your picks for the new season? All products (plus lots more loveliness) available at M&S now – for the online range click here.

The future is now

February 23, 2016February 28, 2016 | blueskygirlie

Wearing white. Unless it is your wedding day it can have a lot of issues…Its typically a summer colour, it is one of the less flattering colours to wear (well it is the opposite of black!) and it marks easily. But…

…a white dress always looks cool and stylish! Dressing one for winter with a roll neck underneath and boots gives it a futuristic vibe which I’ve fully exploited in todays styling post. White is definitely is the colour to stand out in during the winter months and is great for looking a bit different.

The dress I’m wearing today is a Primark dress (last season but theres always tons of Primark on eBay) made from a thick quilted material with a half zip to the front. Although the quilting makes it a little bulky it also makes it very structured so it flares out beauifully at the waist (great if youre little and curvy like me). For size I am wearing the UK10 as it has some stretch to it.

Underneath I added a cotton roll neck, chain effect link necklace plus grey tights and boots. My futuristic look was complete! So do you think you’d give a white dress a go this winter?

Dress – Primark

Necklace – Primark

Tights – M&S

Boots – Store TwentyOne

Denim for the office

February 9, 2016February 28, 2016 | blueskygirlie

Being extremely fussy about fashion probably like many of you, I choose the gifts I want and put them on a wishlist for people to buy from if they want to.

I was lucky enough of receive quite a few of these this Christmas and todays outfit features two New Look items I received as gifts.

Denim dress – £24.99, ankle boots – £24.99, both New Look.

Denim is everywhere at the moment. I was reading the Metro on Friday and it had this spread…so at least I know I’m on trend!

The New Look dress is a really versatile piece – it has a button through front and D ring matching belt. The 100% cotton denim material is soft to the touch and has a slight stretch to it. It costs £24.99 and is available in store and online here. It is described as ‘slim fit’ and due to this I’d say the sizing comes up average/ slightly small – for comparison I am wearing the UK size 12 here.

To add some interest, instead of a necklace (which would of looked too fussy with its shirt style collar) I added a simple black neck tie tied in to a bow.

On my feet were my the ankle boots which are comfortable (they are from the wide fit range) but have a medium height heel and a soft pointed toe for a more formal look. They are now sold out but find similar here.
As this was a ‘in the office’ day my hair was blow dried wavy and my make-up was a simple base with a dark blue eye palette and neutral lipstick.

This dress is the perfect day dress to dress up for the office or down for the weekend…especially if you love denim but can’t wear jeans for work!

Dress – New Look
Necktie – Homemade
Tights – Primark
Boots – New Look

My top 10 January sale buys

January 27, 2016January 26, 2016 | blueskygirlie

So we are now at the end of January…how did that happen?!? There isn’t that much to be cheerful about in January but I find a trip to the sales is always able to fix those post Christmas/New Year blues. So sale shopping throughout the month is a must for me! Heres my 10 favourite sale purchases I made…

1) H&M LOGG jumper £15 (from £29.99)

This pale grey jumper is so soft and fluffy I couldn’t resist. The high turtle neck is easier to wear than a roll neck and it is oversized so hangs beautifully (I’m a size 10/12 and went for the small). I’ve worn this loads already with both skinny jeans and wet look leggings. 2) H&M fine knit jumper £5 (from £19.99)

A super cute fitted jumper with a slogan I’m going to use as a mantra in 2016! A total bargain too.

3) H&M long cardigan £7 (from £24.99)

I love the colour plum in the colder months and liked the long line of this cardigan. At 70% off it would of been rude not to buy it… 4) New Look jewellery / necklaces £2 each (from £5.99), earrings £1 (from £5.99)

I can’t resist bargain priced accessories and these 2 necklaces look much more expensive than they were. The tasselled necklace has a real vintage feel to it and is very unusual and is definitely different to anything I own already. 5) New Look shirt bib £3.50 (from £8.99)

I got the white formal shirt version of this as part of a Christmas present so when I saw this checked flannel version reduced I grabbed it. Its such a clever idea and is great to place under more fitted items such as dresses and tops to create the illusion of a shirt underneath, without the bulk.

6) Primark blanket coat £10 (from £23)

OK, this coat is an acquired taste but in the grey, black and winter white colourway with a faux leather trim, it looks great. It came with a belt (which I removed) as I am going to wear it as a more laid back waterfall style coat or use a large kilt pin to fasten it. Its suprisingly cosy for a car coat (as its not lined) too.7) Claires Accessories floral crown, diamante headband, pearl and stud necklace and lurex braces – all £1 each (from £10 – £5)

Because you can never have to many acccessories….8) ASOS patchwork dungaree dress £22.50 (from £38)

I have been on the look out for a dungaree dress since the Autumn and tried loads on but couldnt find one I liked. This one with the different colored denim sections is cute without looking too young and where I didnt like the raw hem (really ASOS?) and just hemmed it to make it look neater.

9) Monki via ASOS sunglasses £3.75 (from £15)

Is it too early to buy sunglasses? I say no! I loved the cats eye shape of these combined with the gold metal frame. 10) River Island suedette bib £9 (from £15) and bow collar £4 (from £8)

Yes, it’s another shirt bib! I really think theyre fabulous. I also liked this cute bow which fastens like a choker and will be a great substitute for my normal statement necklaces.

So what bargains have you been treating yourself to? I’d love to know…

Dressing for the office

January 21, 2016March 24, 2016 | blueskygirlie

Business Dress.

Do those words fill you with dread or excite you into thinking up new smart outfit combinations?

I have just returned to an office environment after working freelance for the last few years and I have to say, I’m thoroughly enjoying dressing smartly each day. Here is five of my looks I’ve been wearing as featured via my Instagram…

Dress – BHS, Necklace – Primark. Jacket – Dorothy Perkins, Blouse H&M, Bow – home made, Trousers – Wallis, Boots – Next.

Pearl & sequin front jumper – George at Asda, Shirt – Matalan, Faux Leather skirt (just seen) – Dorothy Perkins.

Jumper – H&M, tassel necklace – New Look, Trousers – Monsoon.

Roll neck – M&Co., necklace – Topshop, Skirt – Monsoon.

Hey, lets make the office our fashion show!!!
Style tip: formal clothes can be expensive – look out for new or nearly new items in charity shops. The two Monsoon items seen in this blog were new samples bought in Cancer Research UK for less than £5 each. They still had the labels on!

To follow my Instagram for these sort of photos every day (plus a whole lot more) click here. Like these looks? Look out for more business dress inspiration blogs coming soon…

Studio Collection by Next

January 11, 2016January 11, 2016 | blueskygirlie

Do you shop at Next? I have to be honest I don’t that much for clothing, but I have always liked their home and kids departments and often pop in for a quick browse. A few days ago a couple of images of their new home range came my way and I was bowled over. I love a bit of retro style and love the colour orange and their new Studio range seems to mix these two things with a great modern vibe (another thing I love – my home has to still feel contemporary).

Described as “well designed contemporary furniture, textiles and accessories in a contemporary colour scheme to create clear zones in modern open plan living” it looks great and today I share some of my favourite pieces. The full range is available online at Next here.

This has to be my favourite look of the collection – It feels modern yet at the same time a homage to the much coveted Mad Men style. The pops of bright orange and green work beautifully with the simple Logan sideboard (£325). The pair of prints by illustrator Budi Kwan (£40) are definitely a statement piece and I just love the orange leather chairs (£135 a pair) and that cast iron candleholder (£22) is a design that could be in your home forever.
Ooh, there’s those chairs again! The Logan round table (£175) is a great design – I love the look of dark walnut veneer against the black metal legs and again orange looks fabulous against it – that orange fruit bowl (£8) is almost too cool to use for fruit.

For modular choices the design of this Logan coffee table (£150) and stool set and the extending shelves (£275) are a brilliant way to define your different living zones as well as maximise your space. The upholstered cube stools that store underneath the table are £50 each and available in 3 colours so can be mix and matched and once extended the shelves can be used as a fantastic room divider.

I do love great lighting – when I was training as a window stylist at Harrods, one of the first lessons I was taught is light is the best prop you ever have. I can’t lie – that orange Orbit shade (£30) has made me swoon as well as the Good Vibes light box (£30) – groovy man…

If you love Orla Kiely but can’t justify the price tag, some parts of the collection are definitely reminiscent of some of her prints (but lets remember she is only referencing retro 1960’s patterns and designs anyway). This Retro Geo wallpaper (£15 a roll) for example would work great on a feature wall.

A stylish desk can be hard to find and this one (£250) could also be used as a dressing table in a bedroom…oh and there’s one of those cute stools again…in my favourite colour no less!

And talking of dressing tables, the retro style can continue in the bedroom too! This ‘Me & You’ reversible cushion (£8) is super cute, don’t you think? Especially against the geometric duvet cover. Best of all you’d never have to fight for your side of the bed again!I’d love to know if you love this range as much as I do! Its all available online and instore now – I think I feel a shopping trip coming on…

all photos – Next.co.uk

Christmas the Always a Blue Sky Girl way

December 23, 2015December 27, 2015 | blueskygirlie

As many of you know, my background is in window dressing and visual styling and I’ve spent much of my career creating amazing Christmas concepts for the likes of Harrods, Selfridges, House of Fraser and Marks and Spencer. This means whether I like it or not, I have to ‘do’ Christmas in a certain way, with a certain style and over the years have collected some beautiful decorations to do it with.

In todays blog let me show you a few of my decorations and share some styling tips to hopefully help you create your most stylish Christmas ever!

Lets start with the first thing you see, the door wreath: Where we have a white modern door I have a very modern wreath. Its stylised with silver baubles inside, not to everyones taste but it suits our homes style. I like the simplicity of it and hopefully it sets the tone of the modern version of Christmas I personally love!

The Tree:

Having a modern designed home with retro/1960s highlights, I do love a white tree. It is an acquired taste though. We actually have two trees each year, a traditional green one in the lounge and a more retro white one in our kitchen/diner. The mix of styles really works and keeps everyone happy.

On both trees I have a few rules – only a star on top, never an angel (sorry I find them super tacky, and a bit spooky); lots of large, stylised baubles made from glass if possible in a mix of no more than 4 colours and LED lights set deep within the branches.

Our two looks this year – Modern and cool : Traditional and festive:

Decoration groupings:

I don’t like a fussy home so mainly group similar decorations together in key areas.Ceramic soldier/fabric Robin: TK Maxx, Christmas Rules sign: Demelza House, slim Santa figure: Liberty, cut out stag: WilkinsonsGlass trees/Polar bear: TK Maxx, felt runner: John Lewis, wooden toadstools: Tiger Stores, baubles: HomebaseQuote cushion: Dunelm Mill, retro deer cushion: Asda, tapesty cushion: bought in New York (sorry!) Merry Christmas sign: PaperchaseTin tray: The 99p Store

And with all this styling, I try to not take things too seriously, this is supposed to be a fun time after all… Giant bauble earrings for one of my favourite pieces of wall decor A reindeer chopping board nestled amongst the usual ones in the kitchen And you’ve just got to have a few sprigs of Mistletoe hanging around, just in case!

And a final festive touch for our youngest child…well, if you don’t have a chimney, Santas got to get in somehow to deliver the presents! Santas key: Card Factory

Have a wonderful Holiday season!

For more Christmas inspo why not have a look at my blogs on advent calendars here and creating Christmassy kids rooms here.

Creating Christmas in a childs bedroom

December 12, 2015December 12, 2015 | blueskygirlie

They say Christmas is for kids, and I always like to make sure my childrens bedrooms feel festive too. In todays blog see my top 5 tricks to do Christmas in a fun and child friendly way, easily and cheaply…and best of all your kids will love it!

‘Days till Christmas’ countdown –

This is a great way to stop those ‘how many days…” questions you get pretty much every day of December. I like using a very cute, child friendly one and then have it displayed in their bedroom. Cute decoration groupings –

In the rest of my home my decorations have to be ultra stylish, but in the kids rooms? Anything goes! I let them pick ones they like then display in groups amongst their usual toys. These were all bought in our local pound shop! Christmas duvet covers –

This is a simple way to add Christmas cheer to their beds and there’s some lovely designs out there starting at around £9.99. We bought ours from Dunelm Mill and bought a new one this year for our 8 year old for £12.00 – find it here.Bunting –

A great way to add decoration to the ceiling or on higher pieces of furniture. If bunting isn’t your style, making paper chains is a cheap and extremely effective solution too.
Festive soft toys –

For smaller children a soft toy or two can really add a cute Christmas touch to their bedroom or nursery. Remember normal Christmas decorations could be dangerous for any child under 3 years, so keep safe by adding cute plush toys like the one below.I hope this gives you some inspiration to add some decorations upstairs in your home as well this year!

See my blog on advent calendars here.

Autumn Uniform

November 11, 2015November 17, 2015 | blueskygirlie

In todays blog I show you my forth and final ‘uniform’ to make dressing easy this autumn…

Todays uniform – dress, tights and boots

What you need in your wardrobe –

Winter dress (or add a polo neck under a shift dress)
Opaque tights
Ankle boots

This is really the easiest combination of all the autumn uniforms…just pick a winter dress you love and add thick tights and boots! I’ve gone for this one from Primark – I really love how easy it is to wear – its made from a stretchy material and has white collar and cuff detail. For sizing I have gone for a 12 (its available in sizes 8-20) and costs £14.00.
The dress itself is red and navy and works well with black accessories although you could easily use navy tights or if you want a quirky look, red boots would look amazing!
Keep the look dressy with ankle boots instead of knee length boots. Make sure you show off those legs! If the weather is cold, layer a slim fitting t-shirt (or thermal top if you feel the cold like I do!) underneath or add a light-weight cardigan. My tights are also Primark – 100 denier and cost £2.50 a pack. They are fantastic quality and I’d definitely recommend them. They are quite big though – I bought the size small and could still pull them up to bust level!

As it’s daytime, neutral make up and wavy hair complete the look. I created volume in my hair using some Batiste dry shampoo which I find is perfect for encouraging beachy waves and a full look without having to wash your hair every day.

I think I’ve found my new favourite dress and its a bargain one!

Find my blogs on creating uniforms 1, 2 and 3 here, here and here. I hope you’ve enjoyed my blogs on creating easy to put together outfits this Autumn and have mixed up a few ideas into your own outfits. PS THEY WORK FOR WINTER TOO!!!

Dress : Primark
Tights : Primark
Boots : Marks & Spencer