I LOVE Bubble Necklaces

February 12, 2015July 4, 2017 | blueskygirlie

Last year I saw a lot of amazing fashion images on Pinterest featuring a gorgeous cascading necklace in a range of colours. I fell in love with it immediately but as is often the case with Pinterest shots, I had no idea where to buy it.

image via Pinterest

After a bit of detective work I found out it was a J Crew bubble necklace available on their US website for $150. So plus shipping we were talking a lot of money – far too much in my opinion for a necklace.

image via Pinterest

Now I’m not one to be defeated easily and started to look online for something similar. After a few searches via eBay I was amazed to find pretty much exactly the same necklace in a range of gorgeous colours.

This necklace is not identical of course. I’m not after a fake, just something similar. The stones in the cheaper version are perfectly round rather than faceted, the gold chain isn’t 18ct gold plated and of course its not the same quality. So far I’ve bought three – a black one and versions in green and orange, two of my favourite accent colours. I was really impressed with the quality and paid around £5 each on eBay. Bargain!!! Find similar here.

I just adore them! For me they are the perfect statement necklace. Here is me being arty via Instagram wearing them…

Now I just need to decide which colour to buy next…

Living in the 80’s?

February 10, 2015August 5, 2015 | blueskygirlie

I’ve blogged before how in the last few years I have learnt to embrace vintage clothes and now love the fact you can end up with something totally unique and different from what others are wearing. I have a lot of different vintage pieces now that I really do treasure.

Today I chose to a wear a great 1980’s vintage dress. These sort of ‘RaRa’ dresses always have a double or triple frill of skirt levels and this dress is particularly nicely done. The print is great too – browns, blacks, reds and purples and not garish like some vintage prints. However, when I got it was a little more 80’s looking than I liked so I have altered it slightly – I have rolled and sewed the sleeves so they are not so bat-winged and cut down the neckline so it is a little more flattering. This is key with a vintage piece – if you need to tweak it then do – make it work for you, now!

As its still chilly here in the UK, I co-ordinated it with a Wallis fitted roll neck jumper, a thick three buckle belt from ASOS, opaque tights and Topshop knee length leather boots. I find dresses like this look so much better with a belt and I do love a cinched in waist!

My hair and make-up was simple. I gently straightened my hair and used Max Factor concealer and powder, a L’oreal brown eyeshadow, Rimmel mascara and a neutral Dior lipstick.

I think 1980’s fashion still has life in it, don’t you?

Dress – Vintage branded Claudia Fashion
Jumper – Wallis
Belt – ASOS
Boots – Topshop

Buttoned Up

January 29, 2015August 5, 2015 | blueskygirlie

Today’s outfit its based on a quirky look using stripes and an oversized button brooch. I have recently been watching American Horror Story: Freakshow and the costume design is AMAZING! Something about the stripes inspired me today (I have also bought a ringmaster style frock coat but more on that in future blogs!!!). Its 1950’s mixed with circus theming mixed with fashion must haves styling is on-point! Trust me.

I teamed a black and white striped shirt with navy blue fitted jumper, my trusty Bailey skinny jeans and black buckled boots. I added an oversized button brooch and my look was complete!

I got the brooch from Etsy ( with a couple of others) and love its cute, retro look. Teamed with the navy jumper it forms a rather nice, complete look – like its part of the jumper.

A simple everyday look thats a little bit different – thats why I love fashion styling.

Shirt – New Look
Jumper – BHS
Brooch – Etsy
Jeans – Dorothy Perkins
Boots – Dorothy Perkins

Do you wear vintage?

January 12, 2015August 5, 2015 | blueskygirlie

Do you wear vintage? I do. Sort of. Let me explain…

I never used to. I found the sizing always came up small (thats true) and I was worried I’d look like a granny. However, when I started working at various fashion head offices I hated the fact that sometimes you would come in and three other people would be wearing the same top as you. Fashion nightmare!

So I started buying vintage. A necklace here, a top there and a collection started to form. Since I’ve been working with and writing for Kate Beavis Vintage (formally Your Vintage Life) my love of vintage has increased even more and I’ve become more adventurous with my mixing of vintage and modern. In todays blog I style up an 80’s blouse I found in a local charity shop for just £1!!!

I spied this Jacques Vert 1980’s blouse and saw its potential. With its high collar, blouson sleeves and gathered in pleated waist its unusual yet not 80’s crazy!

I paired it with ultra dark skinny jeans and heeled black boots. I wore my hair up to show off the collar and accessories with gold Origami bird earrings.

As an extra touch I added my new Accessorize clock bag I got for Christmas.

It might not be to everyones taste but I know I’m going to look unique! I love its style.

Blouse – Vintage Jacques Vert
Jeans – New Look
Earrings – New Look
Bag – Accessorize
Boots – Next

Top & Tail – Jan 7th 2015

January 7, 2015August 5, 2015 | blueskygirlie

Todays mini blog capturing my head and feet look via Instagram photos. Follow my daily Instagram’s here.

Todays top look

Coat – ASOS

Jumper – H&M

Blouse – Definitions at Very.co.uk

Earrings – New Look

Todays tail look

Jeans – Dorothy Perkins

Shoes – Lilly & Fearn at Dorothy Perkins

My Sale Buys

January 5, 2015August 5, 2015 | blueskygirlie

Have you been partaking of some retail therapy at the sales? I have! I love getting a bargain!!! In todays blog, let me show you some of what I have been spending (or as I like to think of it, saving) my money on…

New Look faux fur cossack hat and scarf

Ok, I bought the scarf full price (£17.99) with some Christmas money because it was goung to sell out but the hat was £6.50 (reduced from £12.99). These are gorgeous quality and so warm and cosy, plus I love they match exactly.

Primark PU biker jacket
Primark metallic oversized clutch bag
Select oversized scarf

The Primark jacket was reduced to just £15 (from £25) and is a lovely wine colour. The clutch bag was reduced to £3 (from £6) and the Select scarf was just £2 (from £6.99) – I love the hot pink with grey.

Very.co.uk Resort bikini

I am aiming to get somewhere hot this summer if it kills me and due to recent weight loss have had to replace all my bras (and therefore my swimwear). Black is always good for a curvy girl and I loved the sheer panel and slightly wet-look look of the top. It total it was £11.00 (from £28.00) and is a really confidence boosting piece.

New look earrings

More accessories but at just £2 a pair (from £4.99/£6.99) I had couldn’t say no…

New look novelty clutch bag

I umm’ed and ahh’ed about this beauty before Christmas – I have developed a thing for novelty bags but lets be honest they are not practical. When it was reduced to £5 (from £12.99) I could not resist!

What did you buy in the sales this year?

Dreaming of being Kim…

December 27, 2014August 5, 2015 | blueskygirlie

Todays outfit is one that is body con without being too figure hugging. I’ve been loving Kim Kardashians looks lately and tried to embrace a similar look today.
As a small, curvy girl, fitted works well for me and makes me feel very sexy! The pencil skirt from Peacocks has a high waist and is a roomy size 10 giving a very flattering look! I used to love Peacocks a few years ago (the Pearl Lowe range for example) but have found lately their range is not fashionable and aimed at quite a frumpy customer so just stick to them for staples. I do love their roomy sizes though!
The top is from a local boutique and very different with its orangey floral pattern and PVC and pearl decorated high collar. It’s also got a clever strip of black on the inside of the sleeves and all the back. You just wouldn’t get that sort of detailing on a high street piece.

As we are going out visiting, I tucked in a fitted top with pearl detail high neck into a pencil skirt and heeled boots. I love this top as its really unusual and has a structured shape while still being sexy.

So here I go out for the day, channelling Kim Kardashian’s sexy style – well a girl can dream!

Top – Local boutique
Skirt – Peacocks
Boots – Marks & Spencer

Christmas Day outfit

December 26, 2014August 5, 2015 | blueskygirlie

As you may or may not know I have a blended family. What that means is my partner and I both share access of our children with ex-partners. This means sometimes we have lots of kids, sometimes just one, and every so often, none!
This Christmas day all our kids were with their respective parents so we decided to book Christmas dinner in a hotel, like grown ups. Grown ups who don’t like to cook all day or do washing up!!!

That meant dressing up…and do I love to dress up! I planned my outfit quite a bit in advance and picked a leather dress from http://www.very.co.uk. It took a bit of dieting and a lot of running but I squeezed into it. Tight fitting clothes are something I would never of considered when I was bigger but now I love to flaunt my curves.

With my love of Kardashian style coming out again, I added black tights and leather heeled ankle boots, plus an oversized metallic clutch bag and ring for a bit of sparkle.

We had a great time!!! Leather works great for a special occasion, is sexy, but as it has no give in it, you cant eat too much!!! But did I feel great wearing it? Definitely,and ultimately thats all that matters.

Dress – Love Label @ Very.co.uk
Boots – Marks and Spencer
Bag – Primark
Ring – New Look

Obi belt

November 25, 2014September 27, 2015 | blueskygirlie

Being quite small and curvy I always look best if I’ve cinched in my waist. When I was much bigger than I am now, I had a dress with a great oriental style belt that someone told me was called an Obi belt. An obi belt is based on a Japanese style sash belt used for traditional dress that wraps round the body and ties at the front in a bow or knot.

I’ve been looking for a new one for a while and when I came across this one from Krisp clothing for only £5.99 it was a no-brainer! If you cant get to a store they have a great eBay shop which is where I got mine from.

If you order online it comes in the most adorable packaging with a promo code for your next purchase. I love little touches like that.

The belt is one size and wraps from front to back so would fit a variety of different sizes. I would say that my waist at size 10/12 and about 29″ is about as small as it would go without it wrapping over double at the back and looking quite bulky. You could still do it though I just personally wouldn’t like the gathering.
I teamed mine with a bright patterned South dress from Very.co.uk, black tights and black boots.