Shoe infatuation

Love: To feel deep affection for someone or something.

Synonyms: Be infatuated with, be smitten with, be besotted with, be passionate about. 

In other words, the exact feeling that I experienced when I set eyes upon these Jeffrey Campbell heels:

 

(avaliabe on lorisshoes.com "soon")

The PVC pink, the bright white chunky soles, the open back and toe. Everything I'm looking for in a long term shoe relationship. After all, you can't risk rushing into something if you're not certain, right? 

Just a short post today but I couldn't help but share these beauties with you all in between my English revision! 

Bethany Paige X

Tartan and tapestry bargains

Thrifting, eBay and Amazon. Three words that I strongly believe should be the foundation of every fashion loving and money saving individual to grace the vast world of blogging. They act as my main source of bargain beauties; each their own internet haven of pretty little things that make me and my purse smile (and leave me with enough money to buy a new purse and new lipstick to cover that smile in, if I so desire)! I would happily - and do - spend hours walking around highstreets sprinkled in charity shops and scouring online for something unbelievably beautiful with a more unbelievable price tag. 

Recently, my bargain efforts have been focused upon the accessories sector of my ever growing wardrobe. And it's undeniable that my efforts have paid off!

Amazon - £3 for a set of 5 

I decided that it was about time to finally join in the fashion blogger hype over minimalist band rings worn on multiple fingers. I adore them. Apart from the fact that I've had to layer the inside of each with bluetac - the curse of thin fingers - they are probably the most perfect pieces of jewellery for me! You all know I have an obsession with gold and the plain style of these means that they go with literally anything and make it look super stylish. 

Primark - £1

The odd one out of this selection of bargains is my new beanie hat, which I didn't thrift or buy online. Still, it's certainly worth a mention considering it cost a mere £1! I have Primark to thank for such a bargain that is facilitating my new obsession with wearing beanie hats and dark lipstick 

Amazon 50p 

Honestly, I just thought this was cute. I have no other reason for purchasing it - no specific outfits in mind and no particular occasions. I just liked it and bought it and am yet to regret it! 

Thrifted - £1 

I would like to take a moment to recognise that Topshop sell scarves like this for nearly £20. Even I, with the limited maths skills that I poses, am able to see that means I found one hell of a bargain with this beauty! Maybe the fact that it's in my favourite print ever will convince me to stop dressing like it's summer most of the time. 

 Thrifted - £1.99 

Checked scarf number two. Basically, I shall be alternating between them in a continuous cycle of inexpensive style.

Finally, this heavenly bag. I really don't need a new bag but I really did need this one. Apart from the fact that it's a swoon-worthy tapestry print, its shape makes it unbelievably roomy and (dare I say it?) practical. Of all the pieces I bought it's probably the one most likely to have true longevity in my wardrobe.

I find that when you buy something cheaply, it stops being about how much you spend and becomes a case of how much you've saved! I'm yet to discover whether that's a good or bad thing.

Bethany Paige X

Pick of the crop

I've always been wary of crop tops. I'm liable to sway between utter infatuation and severe animosity. I think the later of these two feelings spawns from baring witness to a tendency that is devastatingly common among girls of my generation. In winter you remain relatively safe against such scenes, but in summer you are likely to become submerged amongst girls sporting a-little-too-tight denim shorts and bandeau "tops". I feel like I can't walk down a UK street in June without seeing someone wearing that exact outfit, paired with Vans and frilly socks. It's as though I can't breath without somehow inhaling the fibres excreted by cheap (I don't mean in the thrifty sense) crop and strapless bandeau tops! And I can't help but wonder why? Despite the obvious disregard for any fashion thought processes that may have occurred, let's be quite honest - it's never that hot in the South-East of England, is it?

Still, each to their own I suppose. 

But that does leave behind my statement regarding infatuation.You would think that after being bombarded by what are, frankly, such disturbing scenes, I would be forever scared by the idea of crop tops. I wouldn't blame you for expecting the fashion loving part of my brain to be eternally blunted to even the largest of style possibilities encased within the smallest pieces of fabric. Yet, it is not. I send my thanks to those bloggers and magazines that have managed to successfully style crop tops to my taste and (high) standards. Without you, I would be even more prejudice regarding them. I also commend the fashion designers who have achieved crop tops that retain some form of class and a large amount of beauty.

I have no doubts that this summer will follow the same crop top situation that it does every year in Teenage Girl Land, but I am also anticipating and looking forward to the re-emergence of its much more fashionable older sister. The SS 2014 catwalks showcased many, thanks to the likes of Lucas Nascimento (a personal favourite) and Paul and Joe. A flash of midriff here. A high waisted piece there. And not a pair of ill fitting shorts in sight.

Lucas Nascimento 

Kenzo 

Paul and Joe 

Simone Rocha 

Salvatore Ferraga

Bethany Paige X

The Best of Kate

A few days ago, Croydon born and super model Kate Moss turned 40, as hard as that may be to believe. I planned on doing a celebratory post on the 16th but unfortunately numerous things got in my way - Thank you A-Levels. It seemed like such a waste of an opportunity to drool over pictures (90s pictures in particular) of everyone's girl crush, Miss Moss, so I decided to create a belated birthday post reminiscing over my favourite Kate based pictorial moments. Better late than never, right? Especially when these beautiful images are involved in the equation!

Kate, looking youthful at just 14 for her first shoot with Storm

 

Portraits of Kate 1990s 

1992 Calvin Klein 

1993 Calvin Klein   

1993 First Vogue cover and featured editorial 

1993 with Miss Campbell 

1993 In Under Exposure by Corinne Day for Vogue 

1997 Vogue shoot

John Galliano Catwalk 1997 

Carat Kate 2000 

19th Vogue Cover 2005 

2007 Kate shoot 

Hope and Glory 2008 

Kate Does Playboy 2013 

What's your favourite Moss moment?
Bethany Paige X

Skort revival

You say Skort, I think golf. It's an involuntary image that my brain formulates at the mere mention of the word. I think polo shirts in sickeningly pastel shades and bright white caps with pony tails fed through the holes at the back. And sensible flat laceups. Overall, such a reaction makes me inclined to avoid them from a style point of view. Unless I decide to one day take up golf. You never know I suppose! 

Recently though, I've realised the skort population growing, as they make their way off the putting green and towards the streets whilst gracing the legs of stylish ladies. More specifically, the legs of my fellow fashion bloggers. And perhaps for the first time in my life, I'm not so often making the immediate association with a certain open air game but rather a dozen or more bright fashion concepts. I've noticed that the skort may have some serious style potential. 

As per usual, Topshop have been facilitating my recent growth in lust, providing us with all the skort styles a girl could need (now there's a sentence I never thought I'd say). From well structured black snakeskin to grunge influenced tartan, it seems that there may just be a skort for every lady out there! 

(All Topshop between £30 and £40) 

What do you think of the skort fighting its way into the style world? 

Bethany Paige X

DKNY do it again

I have a slight problem. Every single time certain models pop up on Twitter or Instagram I tend to drool over the pictures for a good ten minutes. Considering the social media junkies that my favourites are - Cara, Jourdan, Malaika - it's becoming a real issue! Every hour or so this occurs and sends me into a state of model madness. Honestly, I can only just about cope. 

So now imagine my reaction when I saw pictures containing two of my favourite models together, wearing one of my favourite designer brands and forming probably the most beautiful image know to mankind. If you're into Fashion you'll probably know what I'm talking about already - Cara and Jourdan in the latest DKNY ad campaign. 

Since Cara has featured heavily in the two previous campaigns (SS 2013 had some of my favourite ever ads, in case you were wondering) it's no huge surprise that she made it into this one too. Much to the pleasure of many a fashion lover, I'm sure! However, with the revelation that co stating along side Miss Delevingne would be Miss Dunn and Miss Cummings, I was sent into quite a state of beauty induced paralysis.  

Left to right - Eliza Cummings, A$AP Rocky, Cara Delevingne, 

Jourdan Dunn and Dylan Rieder

SS 2014 DKNY

What do you think of the new campaign? 

Bethany Paige X