Post sales depression

It's official, I've gone into post sales depression. After spending all of my Christmas cash on New Year bargains, I'm completely and utterly broke. It always seems to be the case, that at this point, when I have no money for clothes, I absolutely fall in love with something. Well, several things. As per usual, it's Topshop that have put me into this situation by creating such darn fabulous clothes! Even though the chance of getting my hands on these stunning pieces is slim for now, I thought I'd show you all in the form of a wish list post.

 Premium Metallic Origami Skirt £40

 

I've fallen head over heels for the oriental trend this a/w, and the origami style of this skirt is to die for. The sky blue colour  means that there's an airy feel to it even though the cut is so angular, which is something the usual deep reds and blacks associated with oriental style don't always achieve. I'd pair it with a some ankle strap white heels, a crisp white vest and clear perspex accessories.

 

 

Skinny Polo Crop Top £10

 

Of all the fashion eras, my favourite is by far the 90s. It just so happens that thanks to the a/w catwalks all things 90s have been dominating the highstreet, which is great for me! This top is the perfect example. The high neck and cropped length makes it very Saved by the Bell (trust me, that's a compliment). It could be worn with a pair of "Mum jeans" for a laid back style, or a pencil midi skirt for something more sophisticated.

 

 Tailored Dungaree By Boutique £100

 

I tried these dungarees on a few weeks ago whilst on my annual December 27th shopping trip, and they were perfect. The slouchy tailoring looked great on, and they worked really well with my body shape. They could be worn in so many different ways too, with flats or heeled high tops for a casual look, or black stilettos for monochrome chic. They could be layered over a baggy t-shirt, or even left on there own for the more daring of ladies. I need these!

ARABEL Cut Out Boots £85

 

I just love these cutout boots. I've had them on my radar for a while now in black, but then I saw these white ones and fell in love even more! They would be perfect with jeans of course, but could be used to toughen up a floaty skirt too.  

My Love Ain't Dead Leather Biker £350

 

I can't quite decide whether this biker jacket is cute or grunge, but either way I'm completely lusting over it. I'm a sucker for a bit of studding and embellishment so obviously, this jacket is very me. The floral and unicorn detailing just takes it from gorgeous, to perfect. Plus, who doesn't love a unicorn?

 

 

MOTO Dalston Mom Jeans £40

 

Remember how I said I'd pair that 90s crop top with a pair of mum jeans? Well, these are the jeans. Denim is such an essential, and at the moment Mum jeans are something my wardrobe is crying out for. Not only will they look great, but the comfort is undeniable. Total winner.

 

Are you loving any of these pieces as much as me?

 

Thanks for reading,

Bethany Paige X

Primark, forget what you've heard

In my opinion Primark has an unnecessarily bad reputation within the world of fashion. Perhaps it's because it's so accessible as a shop due to pricing, and is open to a lot of different people, some not creating the most desirable of looks. It's often associated with "chavs" where I live, who have a talent for making anything from Primark appear the polar opposite of stylish. Really though, over the past few seasons they've created some completely killer collections! At such low prices aswell, it's hard to complain. The rise of Primark is coming as I'm sure more and more people will forget the stereotype they've created, and see that the majority of their clothing is extremely high fashion these days.

So, with the release of Primark's S/S 2013 Lookbook, it's time to forget what you've heard, face you inhibitions and grab yourself a fashionable bargain.

Primark S/S lookbook:

I think we've all learnt a lesson today: Never judge a shop by the way you've seen their clothes worn before!

Thanks for reading,

Bethany Paige X



Street style appreciation: Purple boots and a box bag

There are some people that just have natural style. The kind of people that can dip in and out of trends whist maintaining their individuality, and setting their own as they go. The kind of ladies you see sweeping their way down the streets, and are utterly jealous of everything they're wearing. They aren't the models in magazines, and they haven't been dressed by top stylists, they've dressed themselves and still look amazing. In my opinion, they deserve only the highest style praise! That's why I decided to start a new type of post on Paige of Fashion: Street style appreciation; A fashionable nod to the people that haven't yet had the recognition they deserve.

To kick off the proceedings we have the gorgeous Kelsie, who's an amazing friend of mine:

 

Kelsie wears : Waistcoat - thrifted, denim shirt - thrifted, bag - thrifted, jacket - thrifted jeans - iternaccionale, boots - H&M

 

Where's your favourite place to shop?
 

Charity shops of course! There's nothing better than finding a treasure that you know no one else will have, and at a great price too! Plus it makes shopping feel like a good deed as apposed to a self indulgent act, because with everything you buy, you're giving to charity.

What's your favourite piece of clothing that you own?

I honestly don't think I have a favourite piece of clothing, that's like asking me to pick a favourite child! I suppose it changes seasonally, at the moment I have a few contenders - my denim shirt (pictured above), a gorgeous black velvet crop top, and a pair of 80s style high waisted jeans that I  bought recently.

What do you think is the ultimate fashion faux pas?

 

Probably those outfits that consist of as little as physically possible! The classic teenage bandeaux and knicker shorts. Please, put some clothes on, because in this case less is not more.

 

Who is your style icon?
 

Again, I'm going to have to be difficult and say that I don't have just one style icon, I have several. Firstly the ladies in The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air, Hilary for her suits and hats, and Lisa for her laid back, high waisted jeans and high neck tops. Cher and Dionne from clueless are also a must mention, if you've seen the film you'll understand.  I just love 80s and 90s fashion! Finally, Beyonce purely because she pulls off every look, from sophisticated, to edgy, to casual, perfectly.

 

   

What are your outfit staples?

 

Well, I tend to steer away from wearing the same clothes regularly, but in terms of shoes I have a few. I love my brown slouchy suede booties and a pair of black heeled Chelsea boots that I bought a few months ago too. I'm a stickler for heels!

 

What are your A/W must haves?

 

I really want a pair of hidden heel high tops in black, and also a high neck maxi or midi dress. I'm totally lusting over this amazing red velvet Ralph Lauren suit as well.

 

 

Finally, what's your top fashion tip?

 



As long as you feel good and love what you're wearing, you're probably absolutely killing it! Don't listen to anybody that says negative things about your clothes, they aren't the people wearing them after all.

 

Thank you Kelsie, you stylish lady! I'll be back with another street style appreciation post before you know it.

Thanks for reading,

Bethany Paige X



Firmoo glasses.



A few weeks ago I received a packaged from the lovely people at Firmoo. If like me until recently you haven't heard of them, head on over to their website (http://www.firmoo.com/) and educate yourself! The premise behind the company is quite simple; they're an online shop that creates glasses with both prescription and non-prescription lenses, making the world of eye wear even more open to anybody, anywhere. The amount of choice available is amazing, and much better than that of your average shop. The only problem with ordering online, as with all online clothing retailers, is that you can't try the item on. Firmmo have attempted to combat this problem though, with a sort of virtual fitting room. You can upload a picture of yourself and then the glasses are put on top of the picture, which gives you a reasonable idea of what they'll look like on you. Obviously, you still can't be certain of what the product will look like in reality, but at least you have a better idea.The product descriptions are also quite detailed meaning that you know exactly what to expect.

I chose a pair of round framed glasses, with non-prescription lenses. They're a really high quality product and look as though they could withstand quite a lot, which is an absolute requirement for me! The colour of them, a shiny black, means that I'm not restricted in what I can wear them with either. If I'm honest, I'm not too sure whether the frame suits my face that well, they're a bit of an awkward size for me. I guess that highlights the problem with online shopping that I mentioned earlier. Either way, Firmoo delivered them quite speedily and they came with a case and lenses cloth, so as a business they're brilliant.

Take a look online at their collection, you might just be amazed!

Thanks for reading,

Bethany Paige X

Trend predictions for 2013

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, delving further into 2013, one can only be amazed at the amount of fashion opportunities that the rest of this year holds. Luckily for us, with the aid of fashion shows that give us collections two seasons in advance, if your interested fashion and have a good eye, it's possible to predict some trends that are going to big within the next year.

Over the past few weeks I've spent a lot of time looking at catwalk pictures, and have consequently been able to create an idea of what I think are going to be some of the big trends of 2013, particularly in Spring/Summer. Today I set about getting my mental trend bank into a post. This could go one of two ways. Firstly, it could act as proof that I predicted a trend correctly if a type of clothing that's mentioned bellow becomes popular. However, it could also mean that I'm proven utterly incorrect, and there will be evidence of it. Let's just hope it's not the latter!

Here are my trend predictions for 2013:
Wedgwood inspired patterns:

Slogan tops :

Checker board print:

All over whites:

Slouchy tailoring:

Which of these would you like to become trends through 2013?

Thanks for reading, 

Bethany Paige X

Stylish moments of 2012

It's strange to say it, but 2012 is now officially over, and as as we take a high heeled step into 2013 it's inevitable that the new year will bring with it a wave of new fashion. Another 365 days of street style and celebrity inspiration. Four more seasons of catwalk trends. 52 more weeks with numerous opportunities to dabble the highstreet, in search of bargains. Everyday will bring something new to the world of fashion. Bring it on!

Over the next few posts, I want to not only look back over the past year at some of the best, and most stylish, moments of 2012, but also look forward to 2013 at the fashion forecast, and the happenings I'm highly anticipating. For now though it seems only right to travel back through 2012 and look at some of its ultimately amazing style moments.

Favourite celebrity style inspirations-

1. Rihanna
She's always been somewhat of a style icon, but last year Rih became the style icon that thousands of  women look up to. Throughout the year she sported loads of completely jaw dropping outfits. Amongst them, her silky blue pyjama suit which caused a red carpet revolution, numerous outfits that were oh-so-London (just think "We found love"), and some amazing festival gear.

2. Nicola Roberts
After appearing as a judge on one of my personal favourite TV programmes "Styled to Rock", Nicola Roberts has been under my watchful, fashion loving eye. Her style is something I complete covert, and her ability to create high fashion looks appears almost effortless. Of course, she's also close friends with Henry Holland, which can only be a good thing in the style stakes.

Best catwalk shows (S/S) -

1. House of Holland
Always a favourite of mine, House of Holland created yet another stunning collection for s/s 2012. Everything about it was fantastic in my opinion - The pastel colours, the bleach patches, the sheer fabrics and the hints of snake skin, just everything!

 

2. Louis Vuitton
If there's one designer that pioneered the sweet as sugar, ladylike trend of s/s, it was Louis Vuitton. The ice cream shades, embroidered sheer fabrics and Mary Jane heels with silver toecaps all started some serious trends.

3.Stella McCartney
She's wasn't named Designer of the year for nothing you know! This collection is the perfect example of minimalism done well, in fact done amazingly. The crisp colours and soft structure speaks volumes in the world of fashion. Pure perfection.

Best catwalk shows (A/W 2012-2013) -

1. House of Holland
Yes, another appearance from HoH. It was all about zigzags and hound's tooth in crayola colours at the A/W show last year. It sparked the highstreet to make some gorgeous, but not quite as gorgeous, takes on the style. It's almost impossible not to have noticed these prints popping up everywhere this season!

2. Alexander McQueen
Textures at the Alexander McQueen show were absolutely spectacular with everything ranging from fur, to metallics, to feathering. "Dramatic" doesn't seem to cut it. Plus the hint of futurism bought through the addition of metallic visors is genius.

3. Mary Katrantzou
Mary is never one to disappoint; she's is one of my favourite designers of all time. Her use of print in every collection is simply amazing. For A/W 2012 she focused on well structured shapes and geometric patterns, with the occasional dreamily floaty dress. Cast your mind back to that typewriter dress!

What was your favourite fashion moment of 2012? I'll be back tomorrow (well, later today now I suppose) with a glance into 2013, so keep your eyes peeled.

Happy New Year,
Bethany Paige X