Street Style 7

Hello there! Hope your week has got off to a good start and you're having a good Monday! I have more street style for you today. I took this photo about a month back now on a really gorgeously sunny day and it's taking me right back. I loved the simplicity of it and how it looked very natural, sort of thrown on quickly in the morning but being stunning for exactly that reason. Plus I love a monochrome palette for summer as well. A note on shoes: Although I love looking at a beautiful heeled shoes, I'm not really a huge wearer of them and prefer flats, a low wedge or a small block heel. Don't be afraid of choosing a lower shoe, yes it brings down the 'glamour factor' of an outfit but that means you can go all out on other items you're wearing. A mini skirt looks much more elegant with a flat shoe (especially a brogue) than towering heels. Plus they are comfy and better for your feet, trust me, your knees will thank you when you're 45.

Street Style Sunday

Hello! Can't believe it's nearly the end of June already! This year has flown by. I hope the sun doesn't though, I've heard we've got two more weeks of it and I want every day of those 14 please. More street style today. I took this one the other day in the Northen Quarter - my favourite place to go style hunting - and spotted this woman. I love all the different elements in this outfit. The stark white dress, the mesh panel, acid wash denim jacket, the pumps, the bag with a very long strap (which I love) and then backwards baseball cap. I think it takes a certain level of cool to pull the latter off, and she'd definitley got it. It's kind of 90's meets sports luxe. Don't be afraid of mixing different styles together, you never know what will work. Put a leather jacket over a cute girly dress or a big jumper over a fancy skirt. Opposites attract.

Street style

I am so ashamed of the delay of this post, it's been far too long since I've posted. Gotta get back on the regular blogging horse. I blame the sun haha. That and my laptop screen melting (seriously). But here and I am and I have some amazing street style for you and more to come over the week. As it's been glouriously sunny the past few weeks I'm starting today with this gorgeous lady to illustrate some summer style basics. First of all the summer dress. If you've been hiding in jeans - and I've seen a few of you, what are you thinking??!! Are you not boiling? - then get yourself a summer dress and don't even think about adding tights. There's lots of different styles, maxi's, midi's and mini's, loose kaftan styles if you prefer sleeves, shirt dresses. Nothing makes me happier than bear shoulders, bare legs and a really sweet summer dress. Also don't worry about having to pair your dress with delicate sandals, like in this photo plimsolls or converse are a great options. More comfortable too. Then finally a denim jacket keeps the evening breeze of your shoulders when the sun goes down and you're still in that beer garden so the fun doesn't have to stop. God I love summer.

Laces

Hey there. More street style today. This was near to the triangle on a very windy Saturday, or maybe Friday. I'm not sure! Working shifts can make you start to confuse the days a little! The part of her outfit that drew me first and the most were her shoes, I just love them. I think they make the entire outfit. That flash of pink that really warms up the denim and khaki jacket. They are a really personal touch, like the scarf and brooch. She definitely seems like the kind of person who would put her own cool spin on everything. I always think it can look a bit funny when you see a group of girls or boys who all have on practically the same outfit and hairstyle. I always wonder if they haven't noticed or if they have but don't want to say anything. Or maybe they think that's good. I don't know. It's definitely dull.

Couple 4

I spotted this couple just by the Triangle and I love their style. I love the mix of neutral and earthy tones, browns, greys and whites, and how they are both matching with the scarves, jackets and plimsolls. It's cool because they complement each other so well yet still look really unique. Like The Kooples adverts but maybe for Mango or Zara. Or something a little more Urban, maybe. They were visiting from The Netherlands which made me want to go on holiday there very much, I've been about 5 times and I love it. Such a friendly city, beautiful architecture, great style, amazing bars and cafes and the noodle version of Subway (amazing!). Plus you can cycle everywhere (Save the earth, money and your health in one!) as the city is perfectly designed to accommodate cyclists. Cycling around Manchester can be a bit dangerous really, I'd be a bit terrified I think!

Fun

Hello! I've got some more street style for you today. I spotted these girls straight away walking up past Zara and really wanted to take their photo. Their looks really reminded me of being young (not that I'm old but you know what I mean) and having fun with clothes and not taking them too seriously. Polka dot jeans, bowler hats, sheepskin, acid wash denim - why not? It totally works. And of course the fun with fashion shouldn't stop when you're not young, personally I think you should have even more of it, but you can't beat the time you first start to get to grips with what you wear and start asking, what clothes are 'me'? I've been through so many phases, some great, some a disaster. I've had my designer phase at about 13 where I used to hunt around the charity shops for t-shirts that had FCUK across the front (shudder) and then the vintage phases where I used to (it seems anyway) look for the most mad, crazy, preferably in need of serious repair piece of clothing, stick a belt round it and out the door I went. But it's all part of the process. Not everyone might agree but I really think that you can find yourself through clothes. Wearing some things really requires you to up your confidence levels and trust your own choices and feelings. If you want to wear something but your reason not to involves someone else's opinion, then get that thing over your head right now and get out the door! God I love fashion.

Khaki

Hello! Some more street style today! I've not posted for over a week so I went off today into town to hunt for some style. I spotted this girl near The Triangle and I loved the simplicity of her outfit, the khaki coat with the grey t-shirt and the black leather boots (great legs by the way!). It just works really well and looks effortlessly stunning. Really earthy tones. A khaki coat is a great basic to have in your wardrobe, it's practical and casual but still has a bit of fun and girly-ness to it. They suit all shapes and size and go with every colour. A real hero piece. Topshop always has coats similar to this all year round, especially around festival season which has already started. Or for a bit more authenticity and on a budget, check out your local army surplus or vintage store. If you live in Manchester the the shops in the Northern Quarter are a great place to hunt one out and Affleck's Palace too.

Denim and khaki

Hello! More street style today. I spotted this lady in Piccadilly gardens a week or two ago. I love how fun the outfit was, really cute and casual. I love denim and khaki together and the cream fur gilet and the statement necklace adds a touch of personality. She also had a gorgeous black Chanel bag, I spend so long online lusting over them! I'd love to invest in one, one day, but that day is not today! The 2.55 is my favourite. Not too big, not too small, in black. I love just having one bag, normally black, nice and simple and generally quite big as I'm definitely a everything-but-the-kitchen-sink person. I need a new bag at the moment as my current one is a little battered but it's so hard to find a bag you love enough to carry it everyday. Does anyone else need a bag that's 'them' in a weird way? Like it has to feel 'right' on your arm. I have a male friend who thinks it's odd that women have to look at a bag on them in a mirror before they buy it but I totally get it.

Warm layers

I love this outfit. It looks so warm and cosy and comfy, but really glamorous at the same time. I think it's the black leather boots with the gold tips (want!) and the brown leather bag, which I think is from Zara. I like that the scarf and grey flecked boyfriend coat are oversized and accentuated by the skinny jeans - if you look closely they have little dots on them. They are so cute.

I can't believe it's April already. Though I do love the beginning of the month because all the new magazines comes out and I am a complete magazine-addict. My favourite is Elle, but I'm really loving InStyle at the moment. They always have so many pages and pages of clothes and they are always styled beautifully! Their fashion team are genius! I also really love Look magazine. I think it's the best weekly. Again, pages and pages of clothes and they really encourage people to push the style boundaries and try new things, which I'm always a big fan of!

Tights

First of all, what was going on with the weather yesterday? Snow, then sunshine, then snow, it was so windy it blew my garage open. Madness! But anyway, more street style for you today. There is so much I love going on here, I was walking back towards my office building and I spotted here waiting there and doubled back. First of all I love the shoes and the tights. The shoes, with the studs and ankle straps remind me a little of the cult Valentino shoes (you know the ones, if not click here) but a ballet flat version. And the tights, the tights are my favourite bit, they are gorgeous and they remind me of the flower patterned tights I used to wear when I was little to parties and make me want a pair for my now taller self! Tights are a great way to add interest to an otherwise simple outfit. I switch to wool tights in winter and practically live in them. I love that they add a new texture to whatever I'm wearing.

Vintage

I loved the vintage feel of this outfit straight away, with the wool, beige, belted coat, T-bar heels (I still think of Clueless when I see shoes like that...'nice stems!'), the mid length pencil skirt and the structured bag. Plus the hair of course, I wish someone would teach me how to do that. I've been thinking of trying pin curls recently (too many black and white movies, not that you can watch too many!) but the YouTube video suggested kirby grips with straight edges and I swear they don't exist. Well not in Superdrug or Boots anyway. Anyone know how to get straight edges kirby grips, please let me know! Vintage style is pretty popular in Manchester and we've got some of the best vintage shops. I reckon Ryan's Vintage could give Beyond Retro a run for it's money any day. Plus, if you continue to walk up Oldham street past Ryan's there's a shop (I've affectionately named it the junk shop) which is a big shop full of racks of clothes that are all £3 or less. True, 70% of it is fairly discard-able but there really are some gems hidden in there! Take a look for yourself.

Couple 1

Hello! More street style today! Spotted these guys near market street and the northern quarter and immediately loved their style and how they looked together. I really like how this photo turned out, with her turning towards him, she was a little photo-shy and I think it's really sweet that she turned inwards towards him, instead of away. There's loads to look at here, style wise, there's double denim with cowboy boots and a statement leopard coat (they are big right now buy the way, buy one now!) worn awesomely with a green check shirt. The thing I love most about the two styles is that they doesn't look forced or pre-planned, instead just really chilled and natural (what this old thing?). Plus I can't not mention the wicked body art seen on the guys hands, I love tattoos on hands and feet the most, just looks really good I think! I have a bird on my right foot and I'm thinking of getting an owl on the other foot soon if I can stop buying clothes and start a tattoo fund of course. Ha-ha, we'll see.

The Lady Sybil

The coolest thing ever happened the other day. I was on my lunch break taking some photos and I spotted a beautifully dressed woman crossing the road. As you can see, she was dressed in a wonderful combination of greens, neutrals and black. I love how each item drapes and falls, there's a slightly vintage feel to it as well, like a aristocratic lady whose travelling, wrapped up in lots of luxurious layers. At first I didn't know who it was (we are friends on twitter) and she made my day (week, year!) when she said after I'd requested to take her photo, 'are you the wardrobe doors?' I was like YES! grinning like a lunatic. I felt well famous haha. I found some other really amazing styles that day which I'll be posting over the next week or two. As a side, have you been on Topshop.com recently? There is far too much on there that I want to buy. Someone stop me!

Polka dots

Hi! Another photo for you today but before that I just want to thank all of the people who are following me, it means so much and I am 100% shame free in admitting that I do a little hooray every time I see another one! I hope you all continue to enjoy the content and I always love feedback so feel free to comment away if the mood takes you! So the photo, firstly, I just love this. The minute I saw them my face just lit up and I was nervous as sometimes women are a little more hesitant to have their photo taken but after a little persuasion they agreed. I love how well they match and compliment each other; the hair style, the neutral colours and of course all the fabulous polka dots. I think these looks are elegant, what with the patent bags, leather gloves and scarves but still kept fresh and fun (it's all in the dots!).

Green coat

I'm updating my blog today from London, although this photo was taken in Manchester. I'm on holiday with my boyfriend and it's been ace so far. We've been to the Harry Potter studio tour (I am a total geek for Harry Potter!) and it was amazing, you get to see everything and it's not all behind glass. Well. most of it's behind ropes but you can get good photos and make some of the animatronics move and stuff. But anyway, the photo! I loved the colours the most, the dark green oversize coat against the beige shirt and her white blonde hair. The statement red lips and the flash of white from the strap of her bag make another lovely contrast, keeping the outfit edgy, interesting and fun. I saw the same girl another time soon after but didn't have my camera. Pleased to report however that she looked just as stylish as now! No accidents here!

Saturday

I went out last Saturday and took a few photos around town, it was really fun! I felt like I hadn't been out for ages and it was really nice to go round with my camera again. Plus I stopped into Patisserie Valerie for some macaroons, they are amazing. It's on Deansgate in Manchester, just off St Anns Square and they do all kinds of tasty pastries. I recommend the chocolate and the raspberry ones! This picture was taken near the Printworks (I love how the lights on red, stop! Fashion!) and I love this outfit. The hat is awesome, Russian chic is definitely on trend right now. All the different textures; the ribbed scarf, chunky knit cardigan and the fur hat make the outfit look really interesting. I can't seem to figure out how she's tied her scarf but it looks really good, I never know how to tie my scarf, I never think it looks right! More photos to come this week!

London

I found this photo today when I was making space on my camera. I think it was late November, very early December last year. I took it in London in the gift shop inside the V&A (amazing by the way). Yes, it's a slightly stalker-ish photo but I loved their look and the way they were standing. I'm not usually a tights/leggings with shorts fan but I think the grey and the camel colours make it work, it's softer, more chic and deliberate, less it's-cold-but-I-really-like-shorts. Plus if you look real close (click the photo to make it a little bigger) you can see the beautiful oranges print on her collar, I want that shirt! A khaki jacket is a wardrobe staple and I love how she's paired it with really simple black trousers and monochrome shoes. I saw so many stylish people in London but at the time I was a little shy to stop people (they walk really fast ok!) but I'm going to man up next time I go and take some photos!

Trench

I spotted this guy one or two weeks ago in the city centre. I think he looks wicked. His friend, who was with him was also super stylish but a little camera shy (shame!). I love the (Topshop I'm sure) beige trench with leather sleeves against the loose tartan pants and lace up boots. I like how the top half is super smart but the bottom is more relaxed. I really want to wear my tartan trousers again soon but they are cropped and I get really cold ankles! Almost all my favourite trousers are cropped (ankles are my cleavage) but it's snowing at the moment and only wool tights or wool trousers are going to cut it. I'm off to Scotland this week, I went in November last year and it was cold then so I'm scared of how cold it'll be now. I still need to pack! Eeek!

Fur

Two stylish ladies in one. Both working winter fur, a very stylish way to keep warm (just make sure it's fake! Cheaper, last longer, cruelty free, what's not to love?) and brown lace ups, I love how they've stood the same as well! Both showing a fine example of how a coat doesn't need to be the end of style. Until I bought the coat I have now (thank you COS, you do the best coats, like EVER) I always hated them and despised winter for forcing me to wear one. Because you spend time in the morning putting an outfit together and then you put on the coat and poof, outfit gone. Plus it's very hard when like me, you can only really afford one coat, and it doesn't go with everything you own. Choose safe colours like grey, brown, black or navy. Even white, if you're very brave and a neat eater. Or if all else fails and quality is not a concern, head to Primark and get six for the price of one. Sorted.

Print and colour

I took this photo just by Affleck's Palace in the Northern Quarter area of Manchester. Firstly, I love this outfit. It's a brave mix of colour and print and she pulls it off perfectly. First you have the Prada-esque trousers (from Zara if I'm not mistaken) and the bright blue knit bringing it back to Spring (or so they tell me that's what season were on, the cold says different!). Don't be afraid of a bright colour or a pattern. Not only do they (scientifically) brighten your mood and everyone else's around you, they look amazing. If you're still unsure then do what this clever lady has done and add the ultimate items to bring any brave look back to normality; a black leather biker, a big scarf and your favourite trusty flats. Sorted.