Good day to all my readers. I am once again doing one of my fav posts; fashion advice. I have been on the lookout for a few new fashion pieces to add to my collection. Since I have been in Ireland I have been wearing warmer pieces due to the colder weather! That is what lead me to the the purchase of the main clothing item featured in today's post.
I have been wanting to buy more and more pieces from charity shops and places that are not chain stores. Following this, I was out shopping in TK Max and stumbled upon a couple of gems. I love looking through their clothing as sometimes they really do give me that fashionable vibe. I would say it is like shopping secondhand? Anyway, I found two jumpers in the same colour and for the life of me I could not decide. I ended up trying on the green one because the purple one was a little on the brighter side and not really my style. I loved the green one however once I tried it on. It was the perfect fit and it was also baggy which I love in a jumper! On first appearances I was not 100% sure on it but I have been trying to go a different path with my fashion, and this item was exactly that. Straight in the basket it went! I really could envision it with my cream jeans from Zara too.
That little story is what led me to another one of these posts. I will let you know the details of the jumper as it is not from a normal retail store. That is why I really liked it because it is unique and not from a well known brand. The only other place I shop now online is just ASOS if I am looking for a certain piece, as they just cover such a wide range of clothing.
As always, I recommend sourcing your clothes and accessories from places like Depop, second hand sites and Instagram shops, to find similar items to the ones I show. It is a much more sustainable way to shop and is overall better for the environment. Unfortunately, I cannot link these sites as often they are a one piece, and once one person purchases the item, it is gone. Therefore I show popular brands because of this. This is something I have tried to do more in this post.
Now onto the two looks, which I am so excited for. Links will be on each piece so you can be led straight to the website. A final collage will also be included at end, one of my favourite parts to see the final looks come together. Enjoy and experience exploring fashion with me :)
Main Piece: Jumper
The brand is QED London and the size is S/M and I really want to look more into it to see if I can source any other cool pieces. I only just thought of doing that in this moment so I will for sure do some research after writing. TK Max can be hit or miss sometimes but you can spot a good piece more often than not. I think coats are their main forte as they do feature a lot of amazing and different ones. My mother actually picked up this gorgeous fluffy white long teddy bear coat that I found and she has worn it so much and loves it. The moral of this story is to nip in there if you can. We had one in the UK but I found them better for odd food bits and cool homeware. I do not think I picked up a single clothing piece there. The Ireland one seems better when it comes to fashion and I hope to go again soon. (Note: I did and picked up a cool funky t-shirt.)
Now onto the looks! My absolute fav part is researching and finding matching pieces! Due to the fact this is the first time I am featuring a jumper as my main piece, I will be showing coats rather than tops.
Coats
I am in love with this blazer. I was on the lookout for the perfect oversized one to go with the jumper and the rest of the look that I have in my mind. When I came across this, I instantly knew it was the right pick. It is plus size so it will give you that oversized feel and also because the jumper is on the thicker side, it will go nicely underneath. The shade of brown matches with the other browns in the look and it gives you a more classy/casual look pairing it with cargo trousers. I also love the different textures within the look and how you have the roughness of the trousers, alongside the smoothness of the blazer; a pleasant contrast. You can never go wrong with a blazer, they are a key piece in anyone's wardrobe.
Leather blazers! I think one would go perfectly over the top of the green jumper. I have featured a few here from different places. The first from your usual ASOS and the other three are all from second hand shops in various sizes. I thought it would be a good way to do it so you can pick the one you favour more; whether that is second-hand or from a regular store. No judgement here, I just to give you guys options :)
It just gives you an idea as of course there are so many different styles of leather blazers out there. I have to say my favourites, and the ones I think will match the look more, are the first two. I would say the bottom two are your more old authentic style leather, whereas the top two are more your new and shiny leather. I love the look of the bottom two also, do not get me wrong. I would steer towards a more long line one just to give the look a more oversized feel, with the baggy jumper and trousers, it would suit it much better than a shorter one. It really breaks up the look, adding more depth to the bright and bold colours; a striking contrast and I am here for it!
I am really going for the blazer look today and I have to say, I am loving it!
Trousers
These are such a cool and different pair of cargo pants. I love how they are not tightly fitted at the bottom, giving them more of a straight leg look. I do prefer my trousers like that as I think it makes the outfit more put together, especially with this look. The trousers will sit perfectly on top of the chunky trainers and I am here for it. I love the style and the colour is not your usual brown. It is more dark and muted, adding something a lil extra. Overall, I am really a fan of these because loose trousers for me are all I wear, and with the jumper? A winning outfit! The material also appears nice and light, perfect for either the summer or for layering up in the winter.
This a totally out there choice for me.. I hardly ever dabble with colours when it comes to my trousers. However, I was searching for cream trousers and saw these and thought they would pair amazingly with the toned down green in the jumper. I also love the way corduroy pants look; so vintage and fun! Paired with the leather jacket too, a funky stylish look perfect for a day trip. With the jumper tucked in, it gives a cute little touch but also would look great baggy over the top, depending on what style you were looking for and where you were heading! I do love the cut at the bottom too. The boldness of the purple, the muted green and the black really give me confident vibes, a real fashion statement in my opinion.
I would love to wear these but I do not know if I could pull them off. I am slowly trying new styles, I went out with blue dotted eyeshadow the other day and felt a little uneasy. Once I was out and shopping though, I felt really good! You just gotta make that first step and then you will fly (hopefully lol).
Shoes
I scoured for ages trying to find the perfect trainer fit for this look. I could not see this outfit with boots or any other shoe, I just saw trainers as the staple to complete it. I have never really been into Fila but when I saw these I actually loved the green accents. It ties in with the jumper but the white is also fresh and provides some plainness away from the brown. They are just the right the amount of chunkiness, I am not a huge fan of ginormous soles, the only part I like about them is they would make me taller... as I am on the shorter side.
They are not too expensive but are from a good brand and I have heard good things about them. ASOS really have some good shoe choices, the only place I really shop these days for shoes! I find it harder to shop second hand for shoes, something that is pretty new to me and I still have to figure out.
Converse! The classic shoe we all have worn and loved. I thought the purple shade links in with the purple trousers, but they also go along with the pastel and muted colour theme we have going on through the whole outfit. The boot version are the only ones I like because they are much comfier and provide way more support for me then the shoe version - I have very narrow feet. I really am vibing with this colourful look, it is so different for me. You do also have to have the right occasion for the outfit of course, I do not think you would rock up to an evening dinner like this. It is certainly for a more casual event, unless you feel it fits the vibe! You do you. Converse really do pair with any look and I may have to add another pair to my collection because I have not had any in a while!
Accessories: Bag
I really cannot get enough of tote bags. I literally love them with every outfit and you can find such different and cute designs that match with every look! They are such a staple bag for me. This one in particular is a little different to normal ones and that is what drew me to it. The brown blends in with the rest of the outfit and that is what I am going for. The jewellery in this look is going to take the show, bold and bright colours to contrast the dark and muted brown; such a vibe. That is why this bag is the chosen one: with the corduroy material adding texture but also it is not too much that it takes away from the rest of the overall look. This one is also more on the smarter side than the usual casual tote bag, which I think is spot on for this look because I view it as having a more dressy style with the blazer.
Must I explain why I chose this? The message it portrays is so cute and the design alongside it really made me smile. This is what I am saying about how you can find so many different tote bags that are homemade! People really are skilled and creative. I liked the white background because it is plain enough that is does not clash with the rest of the colours, but the green although a different shade, is muted enough that it goes with the green of the jumper. They are on the cheaper side too for such a great accessory, another aspect I love about them.
Accessories: Jewellery
Due to the plain brown and green colours featured in the outfit currently, I had a lot of freedom with the jewellery. I really wanted them to be the feature of the look, making them stand out and be bold against the plain clothing so I opted for a mix of bright, bold and a few different colours to achieve this. I love the necklace, how it has blue breaking up the harshness of the chain. I really love how it would sit against the green jumper. The rings are a mixture of different styles, but all go together because of the silver aspects. I much prefer silver than gold on a day to day basis. They add a little extra to the look, bringing it away from your conventional jewellery into more fun and funky pieces. The plain silver one also adds a contrast against the other two, with a more classy touch.
Finally, the earrings which are my favourite piece. I love the deep green colour and I envision them with a claw clip updo hairstyle, where the earrings are really shown off and visible. They incorporate the green and they really tie everything together. I know there are a lot of different colours happening, but I really feel like I am able to do this with this look because of how the outfit gives off a more basic vibe; the jewellery is needed to provide an overall boldness and uniqueness to finish the outfit off.
For the second outfit, I wanted a more simple style of jewellery because the outfit is already quite busy. I wanted the key colours to be the purple and green so adding anymore colours would of taken away from that. I love the simple layered necklaces, they are small and dainty, just what I wanted. I thought a layered one would be better, instead of just a stand alone one. The smiley ring is my absolute fav, when I saw it, I instantly wanted it because of how it matches the smiley on the bag - It is a cute little addition. I did not add any earrings because I feel like they are not needed, a simple two pieces is enough to finish everything off with this look. Plus I would go with a hair down hairstyle as I feel it would compliment the look the most so they would be hidden anyway. They are quite different pieces but I like how they are mismatched. The ring gives off Y2K vibes which is also portrayed through the muted green and purple colours throughout the outfit.
Final Outfits:
Look 1
Look 2
There we have it, two beautifully put together outfits if I do say myself, hehe! That was a challenge finding all the right pieces, especially now since I am trying to include more second hand bits and bobs. However, I love a challenge and I am happy with the final results! The gems you would find in charity shops, you cannot really find online! I do really want to do more charity shopping so I may do a post after my next trip to Galway. It could be cool to show you guys the pieces I find and how I style them with what I already own - Instead of finding new things online!
I hope you all enjoyed and I do have to add that I have seen a lot of different trends this year. I do think bold colours and patterns are in, but I do not really adhere to the trends, I tend to get inspiration from them to add into my own style; hence these looks:)
Before I say goodbye, I have a sad note to say that my blog posts will be posted every 3-4 weeks as I have just started a new IT course. I am sorry to tell you this, but that just means they will be extra special! My next post will be photography based one :)
Stay safe and well, Lucy xoxoxo
A good quote I must say
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