My Style Rules.

What are Your Style Rules?

I am sure we all have different things that are important to us and make us feel content in the way we look. For some minimal is the way to go , for others perhaps a bit more effort is required, or needed! My Grandy had style, she probably wasn't that fashionable, but style is unique and about quality, care and effort.

Here are some of mine!!

1. One statement piece of jewellery is enough for me - I usually go for a statement necklace and matching earrings and leave it at that. I don't add in a load of bangles and rings . It just becomes overpowering and messy. Less is more.

2. I tend to roughly match my jewellery in some way - I feel 'unmatched' items look messy and uncoordinated. Even if it is tied together by colour or by theme e.g pearl or silver or colour it looks more 'together'. Although personally I don't particularly like things that are an exact match.

3. A coordinated scarf finishes off an outfit well. Pick colours from your outfit and match them with your scarf or go down the colour blocking route and go for contrast.

4. Invest in a couple of really good pairs of jeans. I usually have two different styles - a skinny and a bootcut. My favourites are Jonny Q as they do a size 9 and For all Mankind.

5. Find what style suits you and return to this often. Thinking of a word or two that describes your style and using this to help pick outfits can be useful.

6. Choose items that can be dressed up or down for flexibility. Wrap dresses are a great example.

7. When shopping I always think about what items I already have in my closet and put outfits together in my mind.

8. When shopping I try to complete an outfit in my mind - and when, I can I buy the jacket, shoes and jewellery !

9.For wardrobe staples such as basic T shirts , cami tops and simple knitwear - when I find a good fit, I buy in 2 or 3 different colourways to create more outfits.

10. I colour co ordinate my wardrobe. It makes getting ready so much quicker.

11. I do splurge on good quality, expensive, stand out items in my wardrobe, and save money on the things that I don't notice the difference on.

12. An outfit can be made to look much more expensive than it is, if it put together well.

13. Be unique - don't buy and wear something because  everybody else is!

14. I sell things I don't wear on e.bay - it will give you money to spend on renewing your wardrobe.

15. Establish the rules for what works and what doesn't work for you and keep those in mind when you shop.

16. If I don't love something, I don't get it.

For cut price designer wear do join sites such as these where there are great discounts and bargains to be had.

Brandalley
cocosa
Vente- Privee
The Outnet

What are some of your style rules or are you a go with the flow kind of gal?

30 with 30 Week 8

Week 6 for me!

It took me a couple of days to check in with Lauren's blog after getting back from camping so imagine my delight to have been picked as favourite outfit of the week last week - thanks guys - very happy girl - cheered me up after a very wet week camping!

So only a day late then , I am linking up again with Lauren at From My Grey Desk for the 30 with 30 challenge week 8.

Ok, so this past week was a little of a challenge to say the least and I will not be at all ashamed to say that I did not stick to simply my 30 items whilst camping! See here . I added warm hoodies and some extra skinny jeans to get through the week. It was wet and cold again and although I had taken my floral Great Plains Skirt it did not get worn! 

 I stuck to my keds and I am very sheepish to admit , Crocs , to survive the wet conditions. Whatever people say about crocs ( and whilst not wanting to cause offence to anyone , I do not like them, but have succumbed to using them at home in the garden ) they are amazing for your feet when camping! It is the first year that I have not come home needing a rescue pedicure to mend my cracked heels!

Beautiful aren't they?

The most ideal thing to wear all week was this sort of outfit ( I have saved you from the horror of photographs during my week of camping and these were taken upon my return!)

Outfit 1

Skinny jeans
White top 
Grey Zara Cardy
Scarf ( I took 3 scarves away and wore all of them it was so cold!)

Keds

Outfit 2

Superdry capri pants

Coral top

Coral scarf

Next pumps

Outfit 3

Lemon Cardy

Blue spotty Scarf

Zara jeans

Keds

All of these outfits got covered with a thick grey hoodie when I got cold and a blue North Face Waterproof to keep out the rain. We had thunder, torrential rain and lightening! The priority really was keeping warm and dry!

I even resisted a day trip to Clarks village and a day of bargain shopping ! 2 weeks and counting.......!

30 with 30 week 5

Week 3 for me!

Well I am doing great on the 'not buying anything' - although with everybody posting about the bargains to be had in the sales it is testing my resolve terribly! It is the old case of "Do I want it or do I need it!!?" I can't take too much credit for this as I have been somewhat stuck at home with children suffering from chicken pox so have not been near any decent shops for a while. The ability to go shopping will be curtailed completely from next weekend anyway as all three children break up for what I will loosely call the 'Summer' break! ( rain, rain, rain) . This is the rainy sight most of us in England are seeing daily at the moment in one setting or another.

RAIN RAIN RAIN

However , the idea of a girls weekend trip to London has been mentioned so I shall continue my ' no spend' only until then. Full stop.

The money I save can go towards fixing my camera which I managed to pull off the side and knock to the floor whilst vacuuming and now will not focus at all - gutted. So my photos today are relegated to phone or ipad - interesting . You can also tell I have still not painted the over bright wardrobe - job pending!

Another weather related confession, is swapping a couple of items out of my original 30 - my heavier denim jacket for a lighter, fitted Zara jacket, as although the rain keeps coming, the temperatures are lifting. I have also swapped my heavier For All Mankind jeans for lighter Zara jeans.

Outfit 1 - Spots and Stripes.

Zara jeans with zip at ankle

Fat face striped top

Zara jacket with blue striped lining and green edged sleeves.

Blue spotted scarf

Yellow Shoes ( now in the sale at Clarks, sold out online, but still in some stores)

Silver necklace and earrings

Rose bracelet

An attempt at a messy bun!

 

Zara is my go to store at the moment for everyday jackets that are reasonably priced ( All of these were under £40) and not too dressy for everyday wear. I think a light jacket can make a jeans and T shirt combination into an outfit. Add a scarf, some fabulous shoes and a statement bag and you are good to go! I also always have in the back of my mind when buying for every day that I am around children and my clothes need to be practical - not anything I will be concerned about spoiling. I always think simple is best - don't over clutter your outfit. If your outfit is bright, keep your jewelley classic and simple. If your outfit is plain, go for a statement item of jewellery. Everybody is different. I find if I add too much it kinda swallows me up!

These are two of my other Zara jacket faithfuls in my closet:

Outfit 2 - Colour Blocking.

Zara blue jacket

Coral top

Great Plains Skirt

White Wedges

Same jewellery as above

If you are on the look out for a jacket or blazer at the moment check a few of these out at the Zara sale:

If you want to join in with the 30 with 30 challenge see the link in my side bar or go to From My Grey Desk