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The Perfect Wearable Wardrobe.

The key to the perfect wardrobe is creating a succinct collection of versatile pieces you can mix and match to build any look for any occasion.

It all comes down to making considered purchases instead of buying everything you see or like -too much clutter only makes it harder to find something to wear.

It’s important to really know and understand your style and the look you are going for, so you can really know what to look out for when your shopping. This should help keep a theme running through your wardrobe allowing you to mix and match in so many more combination.

Next, have a sort out. The season has just changed so now is a perfect time to go through your clothes. If you haven’t worn it in ages, or you don’t think you’l wear it again then loose it -why do you need to keep something you never wear.

On the bottom: I think you need a classic pair of blue skinnys for the casual days a pair of black jeans to dress it up slightly and a pair of smart trousers. Also consider a couple of skirts, a simple mini skirt, a midi pencil and a button through A line skirt.

bottoms

On your feet I would say a pair of Nike Roshe runs, then a pair of Loafers, heeled boots and then the strappy heels/ stilettos will work with any outfit and take you from popping to the shops, to a lunch date, to night on the town.

shoes

On top the choices are more open but my advise is go for a selection of versatile pieces. Get a couple of camis, a sweater, a couple of long sleeve tops in different styles and a selection of vests and jumpers. Try to get a mix of different, lengths, sleeves, fabrics and colours. Try to avoid getting similar tops in the same colour.

tops

Dresses wise go for a fitted midi little black dress, this will work perfectly for any evening look then go for a couple of shift/ t shirt dresses that you can dress up or down with heels and a clutch or flats and a tote/shopper.

dresses

Accessories: Find a warm scarf that goes colour wise with everything a neutral colours works well such as grey, black or khaki works well for me, then find a large clutch for the nights and a tote/ shopper for the day. Then finally coats and jackets are really important, I would say invest is a smart coat shorter coat and a long warm wrap up coat,

acsessories and coat

Ta dah! that’s it.

Phew I know that seems like a lot and a bit complicated but I hope it helps. As you can see from my wardrobe I like simple shapes and minimal pieces. Tan, Khaki, denim and black are my autumn go to colours. I tend to stay away from patterns for some reason but create interest by mixing fabrics and textures so leather, croc, suede and patent which feature heavily throughout. All the pieces are very interchangeable and work from everyday casual to a night out.

Clothes featured can be found at Asos, Newlook, Pretty Little Thing, Missguided, H&M, Riverisland and Forever21.

For more details please leave me a question in the comments below.

Easily Suede.

The 70’s is back this autumn with a modern twist; new colours, new shapes, new textures but for me its the suede that needs to be the key piece in your wardrobe this season. Suede is such a luxorious fabric when to get it right, there are so many great pieces out there is it hard not to. My favourites are a draping suede jacket, the suede A line skirt and the suede shift dress.

For me it has to be the shift dress that steals the show, its so easy to wear day or night and so effortless. This little khaki suede number is from missguided £25 but the the clean shape, seam detail and side zips make it looks much more expensive. Pair it with some loafers and a camel coat or heels and a clutch for the perfect autumn look.

Newlook are killing the suede skirts. Go super 70’s with the button through mini skirt, add a modern twist with this leather and suede trim skirt or dress it up with this suede midi skirt starting at £12.99.

new look suede skirts

Or the suede jacket adds a touch of texture to your look with this tan suede waterfall jacket by Zara £49.99 or this sleeveless khaki waterfall duster for £25 from Boohoo.

Image 1 of FAUX SUEDE OVERSHIRT from Zara

https://www.missguided.co.uk/dresses/suede-dresses/suede-t-shirt-mini-dress-green

http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/_/N-cm2?No=0&Nrpp=120&Ntt=suede+skirt&filtered=1

http://www.zara.com/uk/en/woman/jackets/faux-suede-overshirt-c269184p2773874.html

http://www.boohoo.com/restofworld/new-in/emma-suedette-belted-blazer/invt/dzz97396

Do you love a bit of suede? What are your newest Suede purchases? leave it in the comments below.

suede lap shot

Outfit bargains.

I can always find a bargain in Outfit. Outfit is a department store that stocks Topshop, Miss Selfridges, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, Topman and Burton and conveniently there is one just round the corner from me. I often find that the piece pieces that are often out of stock from the independent websites are still in stock in Outfit stores. Topshop in particular -I find dresses that are out of stock on their website but there in my size in Outfit. 

This makes sales even better, there are always loads of hidden gems that would be out of stock long before they make it to the sale. The other day I popped in for a browse and I came across this gorgeous ace bralet. it was the only one on the shelf in a mix match of random things -it was marked down to £10 from £20 and being the only one and in my size I thought it must have been fate and I couldn’t help but buy it. 

When it came to paying for it, it rang through the till at £3!! That’s £3 marked down from £20. It was my lucky day, I couldn’t believe it, a gorgeous Topshop black eyelash lace, soft, underwire bra just £3. I felt so pleased with myself. 

Outfit is the best store for the most amazing sale stuff. And if a piece from Topshop, Miss Selfridges or Dorothy Perkins is out of stock on their websites, Outfit might just save your day and still have it in your size.

Unpadded bras might not be for everyone but they are so on trend right now, they work perfectly peering through a baggy tshirt or vest and are so cute and super feminine.

Check out my Pintrest board of my favourites.

Intimates.

Lingerie is integral for every women. It’s the first secret to feeling confident and sexy. Lingerie is so intimate and therefore needs to be right for you. There are so many different styles for every occasion and body shape and it can take a life time before you find the perfect piece for you. I don’t have the largest bust at 34b and for me I am loving these soft triangle bras, I find them so comfortable and easy to wear.

IMG_1664

IMG_1651

This bra is now a couple of years old but is still one of my absolute favourites, I wear it all the time and am looking for a new piece. This one was from Topshop, unfortunately its no longer available but I have just discovered this absolutely gorgeous little company that sell stunning lace bralettes and intimates, all handmade in England.

http://ohsolovelyhandmade.bigcartel.com/category/main-collection

I really like this company their pieces are so sophisticated and elegant I particularly like this delicate black lace piece, it is defiantly on my wish list for the near future. Oh So Lovely Intimates are such a great brand go check it out 🙂

If you want some inspiration go check out my Pinterest board of my favourites

Dress Down Khaki.

Yesterday I had the afternoon off work and my boyfriend’s family where down from Manchester. It was so nice to see them again, we met them for lunch in Kensington after some london site seeing we then got the river boat down the Thames to Cutty Sark for some delicious ice cream from Black Vanilla. It was such a lovely afternoon and the perfect start to the weekend.

I wanted something comfy and casual to wear so I paired a simple khaki cami from Newlook with Black rolled up Topshop Jeans, Asos leather sling back sandals, Newlook sunnies and my Pulsar watch.

dress down khaki

I really love these sunglasses. I picked them up yesterday after my old ones cracked. I never buy expensive sunglasses because I am forever loosing them, sitting on them or dropping and cracking them. These cost £3 in the Newlook sale. They are a simple black frame with black lenses, with a quilted texture on the arms and a grey inner frame. A steel for the price.

Check out the Newlook sale here: http://www.newlook.com/shop/sale/womens-sale_30082?intcam=INT-2015-16-WK16-HOME-ZBck-0027

A link to my post on Black Vanilla  https://katielouisaclarke.wordpress.com/2015/02/24/black-vanilla-2/

Work shoes.

You may have read in previous posts or seen on my Instagram https://instagram.com/katie_clarke94/ I have a new job; as a cover corporate receptionist, I travel around London filling in for leave and sickness at the large office buildings around London. I have to be well dressed and professional, in a black pencil skirt, jacket and blouse with a pearl necklace and earrings. The uniform is provided but I have to supply my own shoes. You don’t want to know how long I was looking and how many pairs of shoes I ordered and sent back until I found the right ones.

If you’re anything like me I wanted a comfortable pair of relatively high heels in black leather. Sounds standard but it was really hard to find what I was after. Turned out Newlook is the place to go for the widest range of shoes suitable for the office.

Here are my top three. Number one: Black Comfort Leather Platform Courts by Newlook originally £34.99 but reduced to £14 in the sale. The shoe is very comfortable with a padded sole, they fit true to size and being genuine leather they will soften and mold to your foot. The shoe has a rounded toe, small platform and an 11cm heel giving them a classic and sophisticated look.

Comfort courts

http://www.newlook.com/shop/shoe-gallery/view-all-shoes/black-comfort-leather-platform-court-shoes-_330611401

For the wider foot Newlook has come out on top again with their Wide Fit Black Court Shoes now £10 in the sale!! These shoes are perfect if you have a broader foot they again come with a rounded toe and discrete platform with a 10cm heel and have a elegant finish.

wide fit courts

http://www.newlook.com/shop/shoe-gallery/view-all-wide-fit/wide-fit-black-court-shoes-_342919401

Finally if you are tall or you really struggle in heels and are looking for a lower pair, why not consider these Black Comfort Leather Pointed court shoes again currently in the sale at £12 these have a lower 8cm heel in a soft leather again with a padded sole.

pointed courts

http://www.newlook.com/shop/shoe-gallery/view-all-shoes/black-comfort-leather-pointed-court-shoes-_330585701

So there we go Newlook has turned out on top when it comes to formal shoes for work. Obviously there are other places that sell black courts but I didn’t like the styles or shapes and they were no where near the price of these ones from Newlook especially as they are currently all in the sale. Happy shopping everyone.

In Your Clutches.

To take you through into night, everyone needs a clutch for those few key essentials. You can’t go wrong with black. These are my favorites.

clutches

religion clutchOn the left we have a stunning angular clutch by Religion- this is from their Angular Range it is RRP £40 but it is currently £28 on ASOS. This bag is large and its striking shape makes it modern but the black keeps it minimal. I adore this bag, it looks stunning here paired with a wet look pencil skirt but equally it would amazing with a pair of suit trousers and stilettos.

The middle bag is a Matt & Nat Grab Clutch Bag with Zip Compartments, this eco friendly company has mastered ethically bag making. No animals are hurt or
mat and natharmed in the making of these products and their collection of bags make from up cycling and sustainable sources are at the forefront of the currents trends while echoing the hues and textures of nature. I love the grab design, it looks so clean cut. This bag is priced at £65 a little pricey but you are paying for piece of mind and modern design.

asos clutchThe final clutch on the right is so minimal and stunning- a simple fold over, all soft leather bag made by ASOS is priced at £28. I am a real fan of the simplicity of this bag, its more relaxed feel makes it perfect for a lunch date or drinks after work, dress it up or down.
Black leather is every girls staple. All these bags are available from ASOS. Happy shopping!

http://www.asos.com/women/bags-purses/cat/pgecategory.aspx?cid=8730&via=top

The Big Black Bag.

The black bag is every girls staple. Its more wearable than the little black dress- the black bag can accompany anything from jeans and a T shirt on weekends to work to a night out. I just wanted to talk you through my favorites right now. With the black bag you need to consider what makes it different from other bags- think different textures something that breaks up the shape.

For everyday- Go Big. Think Tote, Shoppers, Box bags. Keep it black but consider contrasting leather with suede, gold or silver finishes and consider croc- a popular texture for the season.

best of big

From left to right. First we have River Island Suede and Leather Shopper bag £45. I love the croc suede, you don’t often see it, also the luggage tag adds a relaxed feel perfect for the weekend. Next along is Zip Top City Bag by ASOS £32- the all over crock makes it stylish and sophisticated, the gold finishes and boxy style make it perfect from the office. Next along is Pieces Tote bag in Contrast Black with Strap Detail £40, the perfect bag to wear on your shoulder suitable for any occasion and a good size for all your must haves. And finally Mango Hobo Bag £34.99- the most relaxed bag of them all but the slouchy nature is dressed up with the contrast black nylon with leather front pocket, perfect for Monday all the way through to Sunday.

black bags

For anyone living a busy life these bags are perfect. Keep everything you could ever need to get you through the day close at hand.

All these bags are available from ASOS.

http://www.asos.com/women/bags-purses/cat/pgecategory.aspx?cid=8730&via=top