Clothing Wishlist

 

I literally don't know what's going on with me at the moment. I'm having a moment where I just want to go clothes shopping all the time and experiment with my style, which for me is a big jump in the right direction. Normally I stick to a rotating wardrobe of basic t-shirt or jumper paired with black jeans. And I want a change, as I've gotten older I've realised that there are times when a t-shirt with a Marvel or Disney character slapped across it aren't appropriate and that I should probably start dressing a little more my age. And over the last few weeks as I've knuckled down on the hunt for a perfect wedding guest dress, I've found myself doing a little window shopping and quite a bit of it is styles I'd have never looked at twice before. So today I'm sharing with you my latest clothing wishlist with pieces from the likes of Marks And Spencer and ASOS.

M&S Pure Linen Checked Shorts £35
I don't wear shorts, I used to when I was younger but as I've gotten older I've just lost the confidence to wear them. Yet these white checked shorts from M&S really caught my eye. They're 100% linen so I don't know how comfortable they'd be but what really drew me to them is how they sit on the waist and how long they sit on the thigh. I don't really like my thighs but these look as if they could sit at a flattering length on them which would encourage me to wear shorts more, especially during Summer. However they are 35 which seems a bit much for a pair of shorts and knowing my like I'll drop something down them or sit in gum. I may try them on when I'm in M&S next, just out of curiousity.

Per Una Oversized Pure Cotton Denim Jacket £39.50
I don't do jackets. Ask anyone I know and they'll tell you I don't do jackets. Even in the dead of Winter when it's freezing, I'll still just be wearing a big oversized jumper. But when I saw this oversized denim jacked on the M&S website, I fell in love. It looks to be the perfect denim jacket and the best bit, it's oversized. It's a little more than I'd usually happily pay for a jacket but it looks perfect, I'd just need to work out what to wear it with without rocking double denim.

M&S Collection Square Neck Camisole Top £15
I always struggle to find a nice camisole that's not too tight around the bust or too low cut either. And this square neck camisole looks like it could be the answer to all my problems. It doesn't look like it's been too. stitched in around the bust area, which means it could be quite flattering for a lady with a larger bust.

 M&S Collection Scoop Neck Relaxed Fit Vest Top £6.50
I love a good vest top but a lot of the time they are made of that horrid stretchy, clingy material that is so unflattering and end up going baggy around the bust. So this inexpensive basic vest from M&S is right up my street. It's exactly the kind of top I'm looking for to wear when I go and see Carrie Underwood in July. And yes I'm beyong excited!

M&S Collection Square Neck Camisole Top £25
This top is gorgeous. I've actually seen it in Marks and Spencers but haven't had the time to try it on. I love how it's cut with a slight peplum at the bottom the doesn't cling to any areas you don't want to highlight. The tortoishell buttons are a nice on trend touch and the white makes it perfect for Summer.

M&S Collection Embroidered V-Neck Long Sleeve Tunic £27.50
I honestly don't know what's drawn me to this top but by god it's gorgeous. It's very boho yet effortless and not too embellished that you can't wear it during the day. I really like how the sleeves have a slight volume to them but come down to a button cuff so they don't become too voluminous. It looks like the perfect top to wear as the weather gets warmer, cool and on trend but not showing too much skin.

M&S Collection Faux Leather Zip Detail Biker Jacket £45
I don't do jackets, I mentioned it earlier in the post but again when I saw this faux leather biker jacker I knew I had to at least go in store and try it on. Again it's a little more than I'd normally like to pay but I'm starting to learn that you get what you pay for with clothing. This would look good paired with a t-shirt I have my eye on from ASOS that I plan on wearing to Shawn Mendes in a couple weeks.

M&S Collection Floral Print Button Front Waisted Dress £35
I already own this dress. I brought it this weekend just gone to wear to a wedding I'm going to in June. I didn't originally plan on buying this dress but after having tried on eight dresses that ripped a massive hole in my self confidence, this dress easily sewed that hole back up and just screamed at me to buy it. It's a floaty style which means I'll have plenty of room to eat and won't require the dreaded spanx to flatter my figure. It doesn't show any of my bust which has been the biggest issue when dress shopping and the cute fringed sleeves cover the tops of my arms which I don't mind showing but am also happy to keep covered. I just had to share this with you as it's gorgeous, more so in person and would be a great addition to any Summer wardrobe.

M&S Collection Pure Linen Checked Ankle Grazer Trousers £39.50
2019 was the year I decided I wanted to wear bottoms that weren't jeans. And I've quickly learnt that it can be a struggle to find some that don't sit up your ass cheeks, aren't too long and have plenty of stretch in the thigh department. Matalan had some amazing leopard print trousers but they were way to long for me and as I'm not a big heel wearer I had to pass. Yet these ankle grazers look like they could be right up my street. The only problem could be the stretch in them as linen is known for not being very forgiving but they're definitely worth trying on.

M&S Collection Mid Rise Boyfriend Ankle Grazer Jeans £29.50
2019 was also the year I said I was going to take a step back from wearing my standard black skinny jeans and try different colours and different styles. So far I've managed to change from black skinny jeans to blue skinny jeans but I spotted these in M&S the other day and I'm in love. As a lady with larger thighs, I don't always go for looser fitting jeans as they have a tendency to make me look bigger than I actually am but these boyfriend fit jeans look as if they could have that loose fit without being too oversized and baggy. They come in two washes and I love both, even though they're both lighter than the normal shade of blue I'd happily wear when it comes to jeans.

Neon Rose Plus Relaxed T-Shirt With Fleur Graphic via ASOS £16
I don't tend to order many clothes off of ASOS but when I saw this t-shirt I knew that had to change. Recently I've gone off of wearing big prints on the front of my t-shirt but this slightly watercolour based design just instantly caught my eye. I honestly can't tell you why I'm so drawn to this t-shirt but I'm really considering making a last minute order so I can wear this to see Shawn Mendes in a couple weeks.

ASOS Design Curve Button Through Top In Broderie £28
I don't do blouses or shirts. I don't really like collars and how they accentuate my slight double chin but this collarless, cute Summer top with broderie anglaise is just gorgeous. Again it has a stunning button detail down the front and it's pattern is big enough to be noticed but not big enough to show too much flesh underneath. I can imagine this paired with some sliders and some blue skinny jeans would look stunning during the hotter months.

Five Things I'm Looking To Add To My Autumn Wardrobe

 

I'm not the biggest follower of fashion, I'm pretty much a girl who loves basics that can easily be dressed up or down depending on the occasion and my mood. This year that has changed quite a lot and I've really learnt how to step out of my comfort zone and try styles that previously I'd have steered clear of. And with that has come a clear idea of the kind of style I want to wear throughout the different seasons and the pieces I lack in my wardrobe that'll complete the look. And looking through my saved pins on Pinterest, I've noticed there is a few things I'm missing from Autumn/Winter wardrobe and today I'm talking you through them and maybe some of you will know where I can look to find the perfect piece.

A Leather Jacket 
I hate jackets. For as long as I can remember, I've barely worn a jacket during the colder months, much preferring a thick jumper and scarf to keep me warm. However this year I'd quite like to change that. It comes from having a ton of slogan type t-shirts that I won't get to wear during the colder months unless I have a suitable jacket to layer over top. The particular style I'm looking for is a biker style leather jacket or faux leather if we're being honest, there's no way I can afford real leather right now. Primark had the perfect one, slightly cropped with nice matte silver hardware and decorative buckles that weren't too cumbersome. It was only £25 and would be the perfect accompaniment to many an outfit I had planned out in my head. However Primark never seem to have it in stock or in my size and the other styles they have just aren't cutting it for me. Asos had a similar style jacket but it was longer in length and I'm on the fence about whether it would cut off at the wrong point and make me look like a sack of shit or if it would be a better length than the Primark jacket.

Knee High/Over The Knee Boots
Something I wanted to add to my wardrobe last year but didn't get round to it was a pair of over the knee boots. I love the aesthetic of how they look paired with jeans and an oversized jumper or even with a oversized jumper dress. I did worry that they wouldn't be on trend again this Autumn/Winter but luckily for me they are still a big trend and my search for the perfect pair has started again. I do find it slightly tougher to find the perfect pair as I have a bigger calf than most and many pairs of knee highs/over the knee boots don't fit over my calf. However I think if I look for a suedette/fabric style pair instead of leather, I should be able to find a pair quicker than before. And whilst I like the look of a block heel that would give my short statue a boost but for comfort a flat heel/boot would be appropriate. If any of you know where I could find some designed for larger calves that don't cost the earth, please let me know, I'd be beyond grateful.

A Low Heeled Everyday Ankle Boot
Now I know this sounds very specific but I have a very specific idea of the kind of boot I want. I already own a pair of nice heeled boots that I wear on nights out during the Autumn/Winter but I want something similar that I can wear during the day to smarten up an outfit and make me look a little more polished than normal. I'm not too bothered about the material whether they are fabric/suedette or leather but I'd prefer them to have a pointed toe and a block heel. I've tried on several pairs but they've all been either too high heel wise or they come too high up the ankle and cut my leg off in a weird place. Out of all the options I've looked at, the ASOS boots are my favourite and I think before the months out, I'll probably have brought them.

A Pair Of Blue Jeans 
Way back when I used to live in blue jeans, ill fitting blue jeans but blue jeans all the same. And then I just started wearing black jeans and haven't looked back. However there are times when I really want to pair a t-shirt, jumper or a hoodie with blue jeans and I just don't have in my wardrobe. Yet finding that perfect pair of blue jeans is like looking for the holy grail. I can manage to find the right wash/shade but they always either too small/big around the waist or too long a leg length. Or they fit perfectly fit me around the waist and the leg but are the completely wrong wash. I've been looking for since the beginning of the year and still I haven't found my perfect pair.

A Nice Handbag That Isn't A Backpack 
Over the last few months I've become obsessed with backpacks. They're so easy to use and allow my hands to be free to pick up even more stuff as I'm shopping. However as the colder months draw in, I'd quite like to get myself a new handbag that can be worn either cross body or just from the shoulder. I've seen a lot of okay designed handbags on the high street but not one has caught my eye. There was one in Primark that gave me major Prada vibes with it's constellation style design but I don't know if it's slightly larger size ruins it and takes away from the design. I tried to find a picture of it online but we all know trying to find pictures of Primark products online is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

**All photos were found/taken from my pinterest and each has a link to it's original owner throughout the post. I'm just using these as inspiration/a way to show you what I'm looking for. I am in no way trying to take credit for these photos.

What's In My Bag

I'm a bit of a nosey parker and I love seeing what people are carrying around in their handbags. I'm always amazed at how much a woman can fit into her handbag no matter how big or small it is. So today I thought I'd share with you the things I've been carrying around lately in my absolute favourite backpack of all time.

This backpack is from Primark, gives me tons of Gucci vibes and only cost a tenner. It's a relatively small backpack but what I'm carry around when I'm out and about, it's perfect. I do use a bigger backpack for work but that's only so I can carry around enough water to get me through the day. And on a quick side note I am missing several things such as my lip product of the day, it's coordinating lip liner and compact mirror but the UK is currently enduring a horrendous heatwave and there is no way you'll catch me wearing much if any make up at the moment.

 The most important thing I carry around in my backpack, or any bag in fact is my purse. And it takes up most of the space in my bag. It comes from Acessorize a few years ago and I'll ask you to excuse the scuffs and tinges of red marker from work. It holds everything I want and more, meaning receipts and store cards. I usually prefer a zip around purse but the oversized flap on this that covers everything has never failed me and I've never lost anything unintentionally. I am though on the lookout for another purse, a mustard coloured one to be precise but I think I'm going to have to wait until Autumn until I'll be able to find anything like that.

The second most important thing I am carrying around in my bag, especially at the moment is a pack of pocket tissues. I suffer from hayfever and it always seems to be at it's worst when I don't have a pocket pack of tissues on me. So I've started carrying them around with me so that when I do have a random attack of sneezes, I'm prepared. These are just some Superdrug own brand tissues that I picked up whilst shopping and whilst they're nothing special, they do the job.

Another crucial thing I carry around in my bag at all times is a pack of paracetamol. I used to and still occasionally do suffer from migraines so having some painkillers on me at all times is essential. I find that these Panadol Actifast are the only painkillers that actually work as quickly as they state to. I had a headache last week due to the heat, I took two of them, downed half a can of coca cola and within half an hour it was gone and I was back to my normal, albeit sweaty self.

And the last thing I always have in my bag if not on my face is a pair of sunglasses. It's Summer and as I said the UK is going through a heatwave so having something to protect my eyes when I'm out and about is a must. Sure these probably don't have the best protection but they work well for me and I find myself squinting a lot less when I've got them on. This particular pair is from Primark and are giving me designer vibes but I can not for the life of me remember which particular designer it was. I also meant to feature my keys in this post but forgot that I'd taken them out until I imported the pictures and it's way to late at night as I write this to get a decent picture of all the key rings I have keeping my measly three keys company.

Five Wardrobe Updates

                                          

This year I made a promise to myself to be more adventurous with my wardrobe. I always find myself admiring other people’s outfits and the tons of gorgeous clothes available online and instore but I never had the confidence to step out of my comfort zone and try them for myself. Until a few months back when I came to the realisation that everything in my wardrobe was either over worn, forgotten about or just plain boring in my eyes. So recently I’ve been shopping and browsing a lot to discover what works for me and what doesn’t. And I’m proud to say that I’ve managed to find some brilliant bits that not only take me out of my comfort zone but also didn’t cost the earth. So today I’m talking you through five styles/pieces I’ve added to my wardrobe to give it a new lease of life. 

Just a little side not, there is no try on pics because I’m not confident enough to post them yet.

Slogan T-shirts 

For a while now I’ve seen tons upon tons of tons of slogan tees in stores and online. I’ve tried on tons and always found I have two problems with them. The first is a lot of them don’t sit or fit nicely across my bust (I’m of the larger bust community), squashing them or pulling horrendously. And secondly a lot of them are very short in the body that get even shorter once they’ve met my bust. However recently I’ve managed to four stunning slogan tees from Primark that not fit well everywhere but don’t ride up or pull horribly across the bust. And the best bit, they all only cost £4. And they’re not all monochromatic which used to make up the best part of my wardrobe. Im not going to lie I did start off safe with grey and white but I’ve since added a bold yellow and my latest is again white but with this stunning teal stripe across the bust. 

Colour 

As I’ve already mentioned my wardrobe used to be predominantly monochromatic with the occasional khaki or navy top. But this year I’ve really pushed myself to wear more colour, especially colours I never thought I could wear before. At the beginning it was daunting but after buying my bold yellow slogan tee, I found it a lot easier to buy colour. And mustard/yellow tones are a big favourite of mine at the moment. I got this round neck plain mustard t-shirt in Primark for only £3 and I love it. It’s a flattering material that doesn’t cling or bunch and actually suits my fairer skin tone. I can see this paired beautifully with black skinny jeans and a pair of fancy black slip on shoes to give it a dressed up feel that isn’t too over the top. And the other bit of colour I’ve added to my wardrobe is one I haven’t quite gotten the confidence but I’ll get there and I can imagine this will look nice when I wear it. From Boohoo I picked up this orange striped basic t-shirt. On the website the orange stripes looked a lot paler than they actually are but I still like how this shirt looks. Again it’s a nice material that doesn’t cling or bunch up and I can imagine this will look nice with either blue or black jeans when I finally get the courage to wear it. 

Bottoms That Aren’t Jeans 

I love my jeans. You will never not find me in anything other than my Super High Waisted Skinny Jeans from Primark. They’re my go to jean and can be paired with everything so easily. However as I’ve been shopping I’ve seen tons of beautiful culottes and printed wide leg trousers that I’d love to have a go at wearing. There is however a slight problem with this plan. I’m only 5’3 so everything is usually too long for me to wear comfortably. That was until I found this gorgeous mustard culottes in Primark. They are made of an amazing almost crepe like material that flows nicely over my legs, don’t swamp my figure with extra material and actually sit at the length a culotte should sit at. I’m still trying to style these up but I’m love them and can’t wait til I finally wear them. I’m picturing this looking gorgeous paired with a black camisole and a sandal or slip on again in black, to make them the real talking point of the outfit. 

Shoes That Aren’t Converse, Boots Or Flip Flops

I love a good pair of Converse. For the longest time I’d always be found in Converse. The same could be said for boots, especially in the last year. However this year I wanted something a little different. I still wanted a pair of comfortable, casual shoes that would go with the majority of my wardrobe but I didn’t want them to be Converse. And that’s where good old Primark comes in again. Their range of casual slip on shoes are amazing. They don’t cost the earth, come in a range of shades and prints and are so comfortable you’ll be wearing them as much as possible. I love a good old pair of plain black slip ons that’ll go with everything but recently I spotted these grey checked ones that I could see looking gorgeous paired with a simple pair of blue jeans and a white or dark grey basic tee. And the best bit, they only cost £5 so you could stockpile them so you’re never without, I know that’s what I’ll be doing. 

However they still weren’t enough to satisfy my need for new shoes. And yes whilst they still technically look like Converse, they’re ever so slightly different. What really drew me to these was the gorgeous embroidery along the side in this bright pink shade that makes them really pop against the black. These again paired with a simple t-shirt and jeans would make a stunning comfy casual outfit with a slight pop. And finally I’ve added some slider/slip ons into my collection. I originally saw my best friend Jasmin wearing a pair and thought they looked really comfortable and a great way to dress an outfit up without being too much. Again these are from Primark and are surprisingly comfortable considering they’re quite a flat shoe. I can even picture these paired with my mustard culottes to dress them up for dinner with the girls. 

A Backpack That Doesn’t Make Me Look Like I’m Going To School

Last summer I brought a simple black backpack for when I went to the zoo with Lauren and her little girls. It meant I had enough room for plenty of food and drink but also it left my hands free to make sure my favourite ladies didn't go walkabout. And then after that, I never reached for it again. Until this year when I got the urge to wear a backpack but when I put it back on, I didn't like it as much as I did last summer. So I started looking for a new backpack that I would get a lot of wear out of and wouldn't sit gathering dust in my wardrobe. I thought I'd found the perfect one in Primark that looked like a good dupe for the Chloe backpack everyone's lusting over but it just seemed to small and silly looking on my frame. And then one day I was casually scrolling through Boohoo when I stumbled across this little beauty. It was £12 and is the exact size and style that I wanted. I was a little apprehensive on how it would look when I wore it but it isn't an issue. In fact I forget that I'm wearing a backpack half the time. I love this paired with a simple white t-shirt and jeans, with a slip on shoe of some sort. 

What I Still Want To Add To My Wardrobe 
Whilst I am happy with the updates I've made to my wardrobe there are still a few things I'd like to add. Blue jeans are on the top of that list and I recently saw some that would be right up my street, so they'll soon be added to my wardrobe. Primark have got an endless release of slogan tees so I'll definitely be adding some more of them to my collection. I'd also like to add a pair of dungarees to my wardrobe for the summer but I think that's going to take a bit more looking before I can finally add them in. Shoe wise I'm quite happy with the collection I have but ASOS do have some stunning sandals that are really inexpensive that I may treat myself to and I'd quite like to add a pair of VANs to my collection as well. If I add any of these I'll either do another update post or pop them up on my Instastories.