Workwear Fit for Friday

I have teamed up with TM Lewin the British business wear retailer to create a style that would be transformable from the office to the pub. TM Lewin is known for offering a professional wardrobe for both men and women, providing everything you need in one shop. I have always had a very casual approach to clothes and have never been in a job that required me to wear a suit or smart clothes only. For those of you who work in an environment where smart is the only option, when it comes to Friday night drinks you sometimes want to feel relaxed and not restricted to wearing what you wore the whole day. By styling your outfit differently or adding pieces to it, you can translate a perfect casual outfit.

Following on from my workwear essentials post, heading out for drinks after work is easier if you were to wear one or two of the workwear essentials I mentioned, for example, the white t-shirt, trousers or button down shirt.

Below are a few looks that you could create before you head out for drinks. Every button-down shirt can look casual by the way you style it, roll the sleeves up and half tuck or loosely tuck the shirt out for a casual but stylish approach. Most women travel to work with trainers on, then slip into their shoes in the office. Trainers transform any outfit into a casual look.

The cardigan, although usually worn over a shirt or top, instead use it as a top buttoned up and tucked into your skirt or trousers. Lastly, accessorise! Accessories are a great way to change an outfit, use the neckerchief to make your office outfit stand out (More inspiration on my previous post) or add some jewellery for a more evening look.

Images from Pinterest

1. Topshop Collar £12.50
2. Mango Cotton shirt £19.99
3. TM Lewin Cardigan £40
4. Mango Trousers £49.99
5. Topshop neckerchief £8
6. Whistles T-shirt £40
7. Converse £44.99

I don't usually mention menswear but have included it just for this post. With menswear, there's not much you can do to change a suit, however, by adding a jumper and trainers can make a smart outfit casual. Trainers look great with trousers, but I know with my husband if it involves carrying them to the office he's one to leave them at home, so it's a personal choice. Roll shirt sleeves up and remove the tie for an easy alternative. Chinos are a great substitute to trousers, casual but still smarter than jeans for dress down Fridays.

Images from Pinterest

1. TM Lewin Jumper £45
2. TM Lewin Suit £169
3. TM Lewin Shirt £15
4. Adidas Trainers £84.99
5. TM Lewin Chinos £44.95

Thank you for reading!

Khaki

Khaki, a must have colour, not only for this Spring but a staple in your wardrobe, usually associated with the military trend. It's a dirty green colour that's not too dark or bright, wearable compared to any other shade of green and will suit everyone. Checked my wardrobe before writing this and I realised I have a few khaki items like a cardigan, shirt, jumper and my recent purchase my bomber (below). I did have a pair of trousers, but tossed it out last year, something I will need to invest in one day.

New Look Bomber (Back in stock) £29.99

I always see khaki as an Autumn colour, but it's been everywhere in the shops this Spring, take a look at my favourite buys below. I love this trench coat from Mango, modelled on Kendall Jenner in her recent Mango campaign, perfect for any season.

Mango Flowy trench £89.99

1. Whistles Skirt £95
2. Asos oversize blouse £25
3. Asos  Linen culotte £25
4. Topshop shackett £39
5. Topshop Boilersuit £55
6. Topshop Duster coat £69 

Outerwear or a khaki shirt would be the best investment to make, versatile and easy to throw on. The khaki trousers are also another great investment, comes back year after year and so easy to style. Below are a few images from Pinterest, I have also added a new board on Pinterest called Khaki if you would like to check out more inspiration on different ways to wear the colour.




Thank you for reading and happy shopping!

Bomber Jacket

Bomber jackets are everywhere this season, I owned one in the 90's, a black MA-1 style and loved it. Seems to be a popular choice of jacket this season, it will never replace my trusty biker, however, I have been leaning towards the bomber as my preferred choice lately. It may not be to everyone's taste but with so many styles out there, there's bound to be one that will suit you. 

Last summer I tried on this silk bomber by rag and bone, straight away fell in love with it, but sadly I wasn't in love with the price tag. I have been making use of my husbands Zara bomber instead, luckily he hardly wears it.

Wanting a more feminine style to wear now, I had planned to buy this Zara one on the left to brighten up my wardrobe until I walked into New Look and saw the below right on the manakin.

  

In the end, I decided to buy the Khaki jacket, even though I should have bought the floral, I always end up with masculine styles. Unfortunately, both bombers have sold out since.

If you're in two minds on whether to get one or not, I've selected some options with my usual street style images showing you how easy it is to style. I must admit my wardrobe is not complete without a bomber right now.

This one from New Look is the same as my Khaki one, comes in black, stone, pink and this mink colour. It's ok for the price, light weight and fits nicely, the only thing I would say is to be careful not to get it caught on anything as it will pull the material. I have also added a couple of my other favourites from New Look.

New Look sateen bomber jacket £29.99

New Look £29.99

New Look £34.99

This Zara reversible bomber is perfect for those who can't decide between the classic black or this season's Khaki colour, best of both for £49.99.

 

Zara £69.99

There have been some great bomber jackets in Zara this year, most of them selling out within weeks.

This velvet bomber by Mango sells at £89.99, a bit pricey but versatile.

The below Mango mesh bomber is a lot smarter compared to the rest, maybe an option for the office?

Mango £59.99

With so many choices to pick from it can get a bit indecisive. If you do decide to get one stick to your personal style and what you would wear often. If you're still not sure on the other hand, have a look at some street style images taken from Pinterest that may convince you.

It's the must-have summer jacket of the season, as you can see you can wear it with most things, happy shopping!

Striped Trousers

As mentioned in my previous post, stripes of all sizes and colour are a big thing this season, pinstripes are also making a comeback as seen on the SS16 DKNY show. These thin parallel lines usually associated with businesswear can be pulled off as a casual look if worn with trainers like the below images. Also, it's a more subtle way to wear striped trousers if you feel bolder prints are too loud. Style any striped bottoms with something simple on top, but if you're feeling brave wear it like Olivia Palermo has below, with a striped top.

I decided to wear my pinstripes with an (Old Zara) t-shirt and my stan smiths, accessorised a lot more than usual too. (Sorry but didn't manage to get a great shot of me wearing them).

I purchased these trousers from Topshop a few weeks back but haven't had the chance to wear them till now. Being in jeans most of the time I don't usually buy smart trousers, but these are incredibly comfortable and look great dressed down with trainers. It's very flattering too considering the paper-bag waist is not the easiest look to pull off, but the high waist makes it a winner for me.

Images source: Pinterest

What's on the high street:

These grey stripe paperbag ones look amazing on the model but not sure how the length would be on me. Similar shape to the ones I'm wearing above.

Topshop £42

The below Uniqlo trouser comes in two colours, grey stripes or blue stripes, great in the summer with a cami, but would work well with a white loose fit cotton shirt too.

Uniqlo £24.90

I don't own any culottes or short wide legged trousers, not my style but do love them on others.

Zara £29.99

Urban Outfitters £39

If you're brave enough to wear bolder stripes, these wide leg ones from Boohoo will make you stand out and with heels on it will elongate your legs for sure!

Boohoo £18

Happy shopping!

Wardrobe De-clutter (Or should I say Tee-Clutter)

Everything looks prettier in Spring when the sun is shining, the blossoming of magnolia trees and even the clothes you wear. Spring is finally here and it's the time of the year most of us spring clean. An area that usually gets forgotten is our wardrobe, it can feel like a daunting task and be difficult parting ways with clothes you haven't worn in years, holding onto items for that 'just in case' moment in your life that never seems to happen. If your wardrobe is overflowing with clothes and you have no idea what you have, it's clearly time to 'tee-clutter', and there's no better time than now seeing as it's officially the first day of Spring on Sunday.

Last year 'tee-clutting' was a big success for me, especially after several failed attempts in the past I decided to be ruthless. This year I will be at it again and determined to free up loads of space leaving myself with clothes that reflect my style now.

If you need some guidance in deciding what to keep and what to toss, I came across this quiz a few years ago from www.whowhatwear.co.uk, my top three rules came from here.

1. Does it make you feel confident? 
If it doesn't flatter you, too tight or too big, toss it out.

2. Is it something you'll wear again? 
The general rule is, if you haven't worn it in over a year, you probably won't again. Also, if you have no intention of keeping it for anyone then it's time to toss it out.

3. Is it stained or damaged? 
If yes, are you able to fix it? Go back to point 2 if the answer is yes.

Your style has probably changed over the years, figure out what your personal style is now, look at each item in your wardrobe and ask yourself if you would purchase this now. Keep wardrobe staples that fit, invest in the ones you need, then buy the trend pieces that will last you. (Here are just some of the staple items I've talked about in my previous posts: Breton top, white shirt, basic white tee, grey jumper, black blazer and trousers).

Other things to remember when organising your wardrobe:

1. Hang most of your clothes up if you can, you'll see everything clearly and not fall into a habit of wearing the same thing all the time. Use thin non-slip hangers to save space, especially if you have a small wardrobe. Jeans and heavy knits should be folded away, saying that hang jeans up if you have space. A good way of finding out what you don't wear is to try the hanger test, this is where you hang everything in one direction. After you've worn something turn it around the opposite direction, maybe six months along the line you can decide whether you still want to keep the item or not.

2. Group everything into sections, all shirts together, all dresses together and so on, arrange by style and colour if you wish.

3. Keep lavender bags in cupboards to avoid moth holes, makes your wardrobe smell nice too.

4. Keep shoes you'll need for the current season visible, pack away the rest.

5. Store away your Winter clothes and make room for your Spring/Summer clothes. Have a look at my post on SS16 trends for ideas on what to buy.

1. IKEA Box with lid £3
2. Liberty Lavender bags £9.95
3. Muji Acrylic box £14.95
4. John Lewis scandi wooden hangers set of 3 £12
5. Muji Cotton Linen zip box £18.85 (In Sale)

What to do with your unwanted things:

1. Charity (https://www.dressforsuccess.org/ or http://www.clothesforcharity.org.uk/ are some)
2. Car boot sale
3. eBay (or similar)
4. Giveaway to family members or friends (I've given loads to my younger cousins) 

Now for some closet envy (Images from Pinterest):

The Hoodie

I do love the good old hoodie, a wardrobe essential that's versatile and comfortable. Maybe not the most glamorous item, usually worn for the gym or in the comfort of your home, but this 90's trend has come back as a fashion statement spotted on celebs and fashionistas.

My husband purchased a couple of hoodies from H&M the other day, I guess as his wife I am obliged to borrow them, but he's seems protective over them already asking me why I'm taking a photo of his hoodies!! These retail at £14.99 each and comes in a few colours, I've selected some others at the end.

H&M

I love how effortless the below looks are but at the same time very trendy and well put together. Wear under a jacket for colder days or over your outfit as outerwear. (All images are from Pinterest)

Hoodies:

1. Topshop £30
2. H&M £14.99
3. Uniqlo £19.90 (On offer)
4. Topshop £30
5. Converse £50

This oversized hoodie from Abercrombie is great as a jacket, priced at £58

Pinafore Dress

I do like a good denim piece and this pinafore dress is a summer version of my dungarees which I have worn out since I purchased it just over a year ago, so I'm hoping to wear this just as much during the summer.

New Look Pinafore £27.99, Old Topshop top, Converse £45

It's been nearly two months since I purchased this dress, but with cold winds and minus temperatures bearing leg was not an option and I wasn't feeling tights with it. After waiting patiently I was excited when the sun finally came out on Friday and although I was indoors mostly this was the day to wear my pinafore dress! I decided to pair it with my leather biker jacket and trainers also belt it around the waist for some shape.

I love the midi length of this dress plus it's not too tight giving me room to move around. There're loads on the high street this season and if you don't fancy denim try the style in a different fabric. It's easy to wear like dungarees, just pair with a simple t-shirt for a laid back look. I'm wearing mine with trainers but will look equally good with some sandals and cropped top if you're feeling brave.

Here are some from the high street:

I'm loving the above pinafore from Topshop, definitely wearable for all seasons and will look great with tights and boots as will the one below.

Topshop £35

Warehouse £55

Warehouse have one in black (here), it's a smarter version and in fabric but can be carried off casual if paired with trainers.

If you fancy something different have a look on ASOS they have endless options for everyone. This one is different from the usual pinafore style, very 'little house on the prairie'.

ASOS £40

Other ways to wear your pinafore: (All images from Pinterest)

I saved my favourite two pinafore styles until last, add a sporty cropped top for this season's 90's trend and team it up with a biker jacket and you're ready to go.