Tag: Style

Wrapped Up for Winter

So Christmas is finally over but winter certainly isn’t. I’m feeling the necessity of layers even more as this cold weather here in England continues to sweep in and I’m wanting to do nothing more than hibernate in bed. However, as it is mandatory to venture outside I make sure I’m layered up when I do so and I’m more than happy that I have this coat to keep me warm. I got this coat from H&M at the start of December and it’s truly been my saviour on those frosty days. It’s actually now in the sale as all the shops are prepping for spring/summer, so if you go quick you may be able to nab a bargain. Although the shops may be preparing for warmer days, I on the other hand am not quite ready to get into shorts and a crop top, so for now it’s still warm clothes and layers for me!

These earrings are from Ultimate Collections. I was given the option to pick out a piece and so I went for these pretty jeweled studs. They are very me as I do like my sparkly pieces. I was also wore them for NYE as they went perfect with my dress.

What I wore:
Coat – H&M
Turtleneck – Primark
Jeans – Topshop
Heels – Primark
Bag – Aldo
Earrings – Ultimate Collections

Samio x

January 2, 2015
Faux Fur Coat Weather

Today I purchased my first pair of boots for the winter and it was also the first time I was able to wear my new faux fur coat. Yes, it looks like Autumn is finally here.

My boyfriend and I had the full day together and after a long relaxing lunch we headed to the shops and joined the rush of people all hunting for winter clothes. For a Monday I was surprised how busy the shops were but I guess everyone had the same idea and winter wardrobe shopping was on most people’s agenda.

I bought this grey Vero Moda faux fur coat a few weeks ago off Asos. Always one for a bargain I managed to nab this one in the sale before my size sold out. I like to be prepared, so I was glad I had this snug coat to hand today when the cold weather set in. I’m still on the look out for another winter coat though, as although I love faux fur, it’s not always the most practical.

Speaking of bargains, I got this mock croc patent bag last week in the sale from Urban Outfitters. I love it and it’s the perfect size for on the go when I just need to carry the essentials.

These patent loafers are also a new purchase from F&F. That’s the second supermarket brand item I’ve bought in a month, this time from Tesco. They are really comfy, I love the colour and at only £15 they were a complete bargain too.

What I Wore:
Coat: Vero Moda
Top: H&M
Jeans: Topshop
Loafers: F&F at Tesco
Bag: Urban Outfitters

Lunch was delicious. We went to Rosylee Tea Rooms and enjoyed a tasty three course lunch. I opted for the baked crab to start, the wild rabbit for main (with a side of chips of course) and the dark chocolate tart for dessert. Each course was gorgeous but I have to say that the dessert was an especially scrumptious treat, each mouthful was heaven! It certainly kept us going for the rest of the day, although I could have easily gone for a nap after it.

Samio x

October 6, 2014
Eyespy Dungarees

I’ve always been a big fan of monochrome and at the moment I’ve been wearing a lot of monochrome looks, teamed with my favorite colour, pink. I think it looks so classic yet girly. Because I adore monochrome looks I also love dog tooth prints and so when the lovely Faye Elizabeth’s Boutique offered to send me one of their items, I was automatically drawn to these cute Jovonna dungarees. I was thrilled when my dungarees arrived to find that they fit perfectly and I was able to adjust the dungaree straps so that they fit to my height (I have a lanky body).

It was a rather mild day, so I decided to wear a plain black vest underneath my dungarees. I teamed it with what I like to call my ‘Mrs Kennedy’ jacket, named so because I think it looks like something that Jackie Kennedy would have worn and I just love how 60’s it looks.

What I Wore:
Dungarees – Jovonna at Faye Elizabeth’s Boutique
Jacket – Zara
Necklace – Primark
Bag – Pearls & Lipstick (My own design and creation)
Shoes – Office

If you haven’t already, then check out Faye Elizabeth’s Boutique where you can find pieces form lots of other cool British designers and brands. If you do go onto the site, you’ll probably see my face bobbing about as I actually modelled for Faye’s Boutique earlier in the year.

Samio x

September 6, 2014
Boyfriend Jeans, Heels & A Tee

I really have been embracing my casual side as of late. Comfy denims and relaxed tees, are some of the pieces that I have been loving at the moment. Of course I am still very fond of my heels and so I do enjoy combining the casual with the dressy. I like how a sophisticated heel with a pair of slouchy jeans can add femininity to an otherwise tomboyish look. I also seem to have a new found ‘thing’ for logo/slogan tops, I’m maybe slightly late on the bandwagon with that one but I like how a slogan Tee can add a statement to your outfit without the need for over styling.

What I Wore:
T-Shirt – Mango
Boyfriend Jeans – Zara
Heels – Newlook
Necklace – H&M
Bag – Zara

Samio x

August 25, 2014
Over Dress

Okay, so let’s talk about the over sized jersey. This is one of the pieces I picked up whilst in York (see York post here). I was on a day trip doing all the touristy stuff at the time, so shopping wasn’t really on the agenda but when I spotted this cool jersey number in the shop window, I knew it needed to be purchased.

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August 22, 2014
Keeping It Casual

My style is often described as quite ‘dressy’, or at least not as casual anyway but some days I want nothing more than to throw on a pair of jeans and a jumper. So I’ve slowly been introducing more casual attire into my wardrobe.

I’m loving some of the plimsolls the stores have in right now. Practical footwear never used to be an option for me but as more and more flats are slowly creeping their way into my wardrobe, I’m starting to appreciate the comfort and convenience of practical footwear. These slip ons are just that and as well as having the practicality factor they are stylish too and I love the print. I’ve not even had these shoes long and you can already see how convenient they have become, due to the scuff marks from me wearing them so much.

In a previous post, I already talked about my new found love for jeans that started around this time last year. I soon found myself with shelves full of jeans, however the majority of them I do not wear. I have found finding a pair of jeans that are just right and easy to throw on with anything is hard. I started shopping in Gap earlier this year and I’ve really started to become a fan of some of their simple everyday garments. Okay so I know it’s not the most fashionable shop ever but I like it for its good quality staple pieces that can be easily styled.

I’m automatically drawn to jeans with rips. I love how they can been worn casual or also add an edge to a more dressy look with heels. These are the first jeans I bought from Gap and I’ve worn them loads. The style name of these jeans is ‘Always Skinny’ and although I’ll admit they have gone a little baggy since I first bought them (not that you can tell on the photos), I do not feel it has majorly effected the look.

I’d originally bought the backpack as a gym bag/travel bag (as it’s quite large) but recently I’ve found myself using it more and more as it fits in everything. I spotted it in River Island last time I was in London and had to buy it. I think it looks way more expensive than it is and at £35 I thought it was a steal.

As for the jumper (also from Gap), what can I say, it’s simple, comfortable and easy to throw on which I think is the perfect completion to a super causal look.

Plimsolls – H&M
Jeans – Gap (similar)
Jumper – Gap
Necklace – H&M
Backpack – River Island

Samio x

August 19, 2014
Secret Garden

One of my favourite parts of Barcelona has to be Montjuïc. Beautiful gardens, amazing views and the tranquility of being hidden away from the hustle and bustle of Barcelona’s busy centre… Okay so it’s a mean feat to climb this mountain like hill but once at the top, you’re generously rewarded with the most fabulous settings. This of course makes Montjuïc the perfect place to take pictures and for me to do a long over due blog update.

This was my third time up Montjuïc, (the first being in January last year) and although I knew the park was big I had no idea of the full scale of it until trekking up and around it in the blazing heat. My friend and I were some what inappropriately dressed for such an adventure (for which we received a few odd looks) but as a result I was more than satisfied with the shots from this post, as the settings were perfect!

What I wore: Top – Bershka, Necklace – H&M, Pants/Trousers – Zara, Sandals – River Island, Bag – Zara.

Samio x

July 5, 2014
Almost Vintage

On Thursday I had the day off so I was able to finally catch up with my friend, LBD, go for lunch and enjoy some of the rare sunshine that Manchester had to offer.

It was the perfect weather to pull out one of my summery vintage pieces. I say vintage, although this playsuit is more likely almost vintage. I bought this off eBay a while back and it’s actually C&A kids from the 90’s (according to the seller). I found it by accident in whilst searching through the women’s section and instantly feel in love with it’s gorgeous blue shade and cute, girly love heart print.

It was my Birthday on Monday and although I’ve turned another year older, it’s obviously not deterred me from wearing kids clothes. The funny thing is I often have troubled finding playsuits that fit, due to my height and then I buy one in a kids size and it fits perfectly. I guess I’ll never win.

What I wore: Playsuit – vintage/eBay, Sunglasses – Vintage Christian Dior, Hair bow and bag – Pearls & Lipstick (email contact@pearlsandlipstick.co.uk for purchase enquiries), Sandals – River Island.

Samio x

June 14, 2014
Monochrome Monday

A couple of weeks ago I was sent a package from Premium fashion boutique, Black White Denim. They sent me one of their round neck long sleeved white tees. It’s a great staple piece for your wardrobe and I was happy to have received it as it was something that my wardrobe had been missing. It can often be hard to find good quality basic pieces like this. In the past when buying pieces like this, I’ve often shied away from white when the fabric has been too thin it ends up being near transparent. This Black White Denim tee however is very good quality, plus it’s super soft. It may be a little pricier than your average basic clothing purchase but like their slogan goes ‘Buy now, keep forever’ and this is definitely a good quality piece that will last.

Another new addition to my wardrobe has been this faux leather black quilted backpack I bought from River Island last week. It feels like forever since I last shopped in River Island but at the moment they seem to have so many cute pieces in store, I may find myself popping in a lot more!

I’d been looking for a new backpack for a while. Since getting back to the gym I got my first backpack to make it easier to carry my gym kit around. Since then I’ve been using my girly floral print Cath Kidston backpack, which is great but as I’ve been going to the gym more often, I decided it was time to get a leather look backpack that I could dress up a little more. When I spotted this black quilted one from River Island, it was perfect and so I had to have it.

Yesterday’s look ended up very monochrome. I teamed my Black White Denim L/S tee with a polka dot mini skirt from H&M (similar here), some black tights (because it was sunny but not boiling), my trusty Underground wedges and a gold chain anchor necklace also from H&M (similar here). My River Island quilted backpack finished off the look and I was ready to meet my friend who also had a day off. We went for pizza and wine and then headed to Richmond Tea Rooms for more wine and a large slice of carrot cake each. I managed to survive the day without spilling one pizza slop or wine drop on my white tee, hurrah!

Samio x

April 15, 2014
Braid Out – Retro Up Do

So you’re waiting for the fro to grow and you’re fed up with the same style, or maybe you’re happy with the length but just fancy trying out a new do… Well here is an easy to follow step by step tutorial of a simple yet fancy looking, braid out style. This style can be done on long or short hair and is perfect for those of you who like the vintage look. Continue below to follow my 12 simple steps to achieve this style

What you will need:
Leave in conditioner (or braid out product of your choice)
Curvy grips/bobby pins
Fabric or headscarf

Step 1:

The night before, separate the hair into about four sections, add product to each section (I used Aussie Conditioner) and then plait… Basically you’ll be doing a braid out, if you need instructions on how best to do a braid out, read this previous, how to post here. Please note: Make sure one of your parts is to the side of your head and not in the center. This will just help the hair to fall to one side better when you take out the plaits, so then the style will be easier to achieve.

Step 2:

The next day, following on with the braid out process, undo the plaits carefully so not to mess up the newly formed wave in the hair.

Step 3:

Continue to undo all the plaits until you’re left with a head of waves. Separate parts of the hair slightly if you feel you need to. Do this gently using your fingers so not to create too much frizz.

Step 4:

Grab the majority of the hair, leaving about a quarter section to hang lose at the front…

Step 5:

Pin the grabbed hair at the back of the head. Do this using bobby pins/curvy grips (as many as needed) to secure in place.

Step 6:

Once the back part of the hair is pinned up and secured, you should be left with something that looks like this.

Step 7:

Now grab the front section of hair and take it to the side and again pin in place. One hair grip should be enough to hold this section but use more if needed.

Step 8:

Check that the front piece of hair is secure and that all grips are hidden.

Step 9:

Now that your style is in place, it’s time for the finishing touch… Grab a headscarf of your choice. Here I have chosen to use a long strip of organza fabric. You can buy this fabric at most haberdasheries or even online for a reasonable price. Don’t worry if you don’t have any organza fabric, a head scarf or any remnant of your choice of fabric will do fine. Just make sure that the fabric/headcarf you use is long enough to wrap around your head and tie into a large bow.

Step 10:

Wrap the fabric around the back of the head. Bring the fabric/headscarf together at the top of your head, just behind the front piece of pinned hair, then cross over and tie.

Step 11:

Finish tying the bow (the same as you would with a shoe lace) at the top of your head and then adjust the bow so that you are happy with it. If needed, secure the fabric/headscarf with more pins.

Step 12:

For the end result you should be left with something similar to this. Now go out, rock your new style and feel fabulous!

Did you try out this style? I would love to know how it worked for you… Feel free to share your results with me via Instagram & Twitter – @samiorenelda

Samio x

April 10, 2014