As I get older, I appreciate more the age-old fashion proverb: less is more.

When it comes to clothing, I must admit to being a sucker for the bold, bright and obnoxious, but I think I'm finally growing out of my teenage extravagance, and maturing towards a more refined minimalist style. So I like to think. I'm endlessly inspired by the likes of, Ivania Carpio, Janelle Monae and Helen of The Lovecats Inc. Their polished black and white minimalism exudes elegance, and although I'm a born maximalist, simplicity is always tempting.

It's hard to pretend to be a sophisticated minimalist when there is a distinct lack of sartorial 'staples' in your wardrobe. So, I went on a little shopping trip. I picked up items with versatility that would last through all seasons, and of course I couldn't help but purchase some cute lil beauty products too. 

Cigarette Trousers - H&M

Jeans - Zara

These are my first pair of blue jeans. Yes, you read correctly. My first pair of plain, skinny blue jeans. I would always shy away from wardrobe 'essentials' such as these, as I found them somewhat limiting and rather boring to style. Goodness, I was so wrong! Rather than retract from an outfit, these jeans add a touch of casual class. The colour is beautiful. The fit is beautiful. The versatility is beautiful. Zara, you beaut. As for the cigarette Trousers, you can't go wrong really.

Top - H&M

Shoes - Topshop

Much like my pursuit of a plain white shirt, it took me rather a long time to find a white tee worthy of being added to my 'essentials' collection. Fortunately, H&M came to the rescue with their basics range. Never would I have guessed that I'd be so excited to find a plain white t-shirt (they are harder to come by than you'd think). Alongside my lil white tee are my lil snakeskin slipons. They are cute, comfy and make every outfit look cooler.

Extra Virgin Minerals Loose Powder (Rose Caramel) - The Body Shop

Beauticology Shower Crème - Boots

Rimmel London Exaggerate Liquid Liner - Boots

Finally, I thought I'd pick up some beauty goodies! I have what some might call an obsession with sweet smelling products, and I could not resist this fragrant delight! The Beauticology shower crème is so wonderful: the strawberry and pomegranate scent is gorgeous and who can deny the charm of the packaging! I love trying out new products, so I also purchased this liquid liner to replace my shamefully dried-out gel liner. I must say, this product is perfect for clumsy makeuppers! Application is so easy to fix when you mess up, and it's waterproof and long lasting.

My final purchase was my go-to loose powder. I'm firmly in the minority of loose powder lovers, and adore them for setting foundation. This particular powder contains a tiny bit of shimmer, which gives your skin beautiful radiance - perfect for summer.

I hope you enjoyed this post - what are your wardrobe essentials?

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Hello, lovely readers! Exclusive presale coming up!

Allow me to introduce you to StandFor, a shoe company whose ethical values are just as endearing as their fashion-forward designs. Every collection released by this brand represents a different moral statement: "Our shoes are much more than footwear. They represent action. People who walk for a reason. Who stand for an idea and believe in the power to make the world a better place."

That sounds like a pretty fantastic idea to me. Fashion houses have long been tackling moral and ethical values, with Chanel's catwalk protest being in most recent memory. Clothing lines have such a wide radius of influence that there is nothing more important than using that power for good. StandFor have absolutely grasped their opportunity to influence the fashion community, and it is my pleasure to support them for the world premier of their Smoke Less SS15 collection.

In collaboration with StandFor, this exclusive presale is available to you through this blog until April 18th!

Breathe // Healthy lungs help maintain a healthy life

Leaf // Tobacco leaves belong in trees, not cigarettes

Kinga, Hungary

The StandFor shoes make a statement with more than just their vibrancy. Each shoe has been meticulously and innovatively designed around the Smoke Less campaign. This collection is also leather and animal-cruelty free, with StandFor using premium microfiber. The company encourages the fashion conscious to stand for what they believe in, make a change and walk their talk.

Diana, Portugal

Breathe // Clean air for clean lungs

Muchagata, Portugal

Fertility // The vibrancy of health leads to the miracle of life


Out // Drop it. Cigarettes are so uncool

I hope you're just as impressed with this collection as I am! I greatly admire companies that tackle controversial issues and spread positivity. The idea that an item of clothing can be a statement of more than just fashion is one that I hope catches like wildfire. These shoes are on an exclusive presale until April 18th! I'm proud to stand for something. I'm proud to stand for StandFor.

Check out their Facebook / Website

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The Vintage Rollerskater

Hey! This jumper is handmade, and I found it in a sleepy vintage store up in Yorkshire last year. I think it was Yorkshire...

The skirt is just a little button-up number from Topshop, and the flats are from New Look:)

I've noticed that in every picture, my rollerskates do a cheeky photo-bomb.... They are actually from my local car-boot sale, and they are a genuine 80's product! With the snowy weather and lack of flat ground, it's been difficult taking them out for a spin! I think I need to take my long overdue trip to Brighton, so I can skate leisurely with the locals. Maybe I could join a skating group; we could glide off into the sunset together. That would be pretty cool. It seems that where I live is the only place in England that it is socially unacceptable to rollerskate in 80's attire. Around here, it's go BMX or go home...

Anyway, I'm rambling now.

xx

The inconvenience of illness

With looming coursework deadlines and stacks of half attempted homework, my body decided that now was the time to contract an illness. Very inconvenient. This means no outfit posts from the last two days - unless you really want to see my Disney Pyjamas..

I do have some supercool thing to show you though! Last Saturday I went to a Shoe Museum in Northampton and came across some really creative designs. There were some amazing clear Docs by Red or Dead and a collection of Creepers from various decades. Of all the shoes, my favourite was a pair called 'Flamingo' by freelance designer, Kobi Levi.

I love the way the symbolic on-legged pose of the Flamingo is incorporated into the stiletto heel to create an elegant look.
What do you guys think of these and how did you spend your weekends?
xx