Friday 30 August 2013

My Baby Shot Me Down Again

Wearing: Hat from Topshop, Dress from French Connection*, 
Boots from Matalan and Necklace from a jewellery party.

I love comfort, but unfortunately the most comfortable of outfits don't warrant much of a style credit. We can all relate to breathing in just to take a bit of pressure of that zip, subtly nudging that really annoying bone poking you in the ribs or sitting awkwardly in a rather restrictive outfit; but sometimes it's nice to float around in something that hardly feels like it's there.

The French Connection Ditton Sweats Crew Neck Dress  is an absolute dream to wear, I can feel comfortable yet remain true to my style. The cotton-blend fabric is wonderfully light and paired with the oversized nature of the dress itself means it's incredibly comfortable and doesn't weigh you down or cling as I thought a sweater dress might. I fell in love with the mix of textures and colour pairings, I think the sheer chiffon sleeves and chest panels really give this dress character and stop it from becoming too casual meaning you need very few accessories; a pork pie hat, statement necklace and amazing £10 cut out boots from the Matalan sale. Steal!

While it may feel light, it does not compromise on quality. The sheer sleeves feel secure and don't look like the stitching is going to give way at any minute as some cheaper items made from this fabric do, (I've seen my fair share of sheer tops and dresses falling apart at the seams in shops). It's not often I head into French Connection when I'm in the city, mainly due to money woes, but I'm so impressed with this that I'll make a point of heading in and seeing what else they have to offer.

Do you favour comfort or style? Or - like me - do you love to get the best of both worlds? 

Monday 12 August 2013

Pounds or Practically Pennies: Flowers In My Hair

Whether they're called flower crowns, headbands, headpieces or garlands; we are absolutely no stranger to them. Equally loved and loathed among bloggers and fashionistas, flower accessories have evolved from festival must-haves to bridal accessories in an instant. 

Worn by Alexa Chung, Anne Hathaway, Keira Knightly, Katy Perry and Pixie Lott (who also has her own range over at Rock N Rose) the flower based accessories are becoming quite the sensation.  The above Dolce and Gabbana band is very cute, I love the blue accents, but is it £730 worth of cute? I'm not so sure...

Below I've popped together a few of my favourite flower crowns/garlands/headbands/headpieces for £15 and under. I've tried to keep a balance between high street retailers and independent stores to give you a rounded idea of what's available.
High street flower headbands and flower crowns


(Prices and stock are subject to change from the creation of this image!)

I don't think you can go wrong with the £3.50 Peacocks band or the £3.90 Forever 21 band especially if you're off to a festival and don't want to spend too much incase it gets ruined, or have a habit of misplacing things. The Forever 21 band would also look gorgeous with a wedding dress *drifts off to my Pinterest wedding board* and the Tesco one would look adorable on a little flower girl; they don't break your wedding fund either! My absolute favourites though are the Rosey Posey Creations Cream and Pink Dream Headband with its beautiful colour palette, the Crown and Glory Not a Lotta Rosie headband with its mini wine coloured flowers, and the Lolly Dolly Lavender Coral Crush Crown in all its big and bright glory.

They aren't just a spring fling either, get yourself in on a burgundy, wine or dusk orange and you're set for when the transition to Autumn begins. Of course, if you still don't want to fork out for a flower crown or want to make your own unique crown, Google has an abundance of D.I.Y's to hand and there's a ton of bloggers out there providing their own unique tutorials. 

Are you a fan of this seasonal headwear? Or is it a trend you are avidly skipping? I don't think anything will beat making daisy chains as a kid though.