Kindred Fashion

Women’s winter coats rarely get more iconic than the classic biker jacket. It’s just one of those fashion staples that’s endlessly versatile. Dressed up or down, it never looks out of place and can be counted on to bring any outfit up from zero to chic in about ten seconds flat.

Full-length, cropped, in classic black or bright pink – there’s no wrong way to do it. Plus, it doesn’t need to have a high-end price tag to fit into a high-end wardrobe. The high street serves an incredible selection of pocket-friendly options, like the range of coats and jackets from Tu, which has worthy additions to any style-savvy shopper’s repertoire.

Whether you’re looking to pick up your first biker jacket or have one but are tired of wearing it the same way, here are five different looks to try with your favourite leather coat.

1.Flirty dress

Gone are the days where leather jackets were reserved just for low-key looks. They actually pair expertly with even the most adorable dress – pink hues and lace included. Sporting a leather jacket with a sweet dress and heels will give your outfit a little edge.

These days leather jackets come in a rainbow of colours and cuts. There’s no shortage to what you can find, which makes them year-round staples instead of just autumn classics – perfect for keeping your shoulders warm on those transitional spring nights.

2.White tee and jeans

A classic biker jacket goes hand in hand with a white tee and jeans combo. It’s a timeless look that just about anyone can rock with little to no effort at all. Favoured as a laid-back, off-duty kind of style, popping on a leather jacket will give it a little more of a formal vibe. Consider jeans and a tee your afternoon outfit, but couple it with a leather jacket and you’ll have an instantly chic evening look.

3.Full-blown grunge

I won’t deny that leather jackets came into the fashion world with a little bit of a hard edge, so we’re embracing that with a nod to its past. And it’s true – leather jackets paired with a deep red plaid really speaks for itself.

When I say plaid, there are all kinds of ways to do it – a dress, an oversized flannel shirt, a plaid scarf. Any of it works as a great contrast to the black leather of a biker jacket. Couple this with some matching leather boots and you’re good to go.

4.Formal night

Now that we’ve gotten through how to play up a biker jacket’s grungy roots, we’re doing a complete 180 with making it a little more formal. Leather jackets are, again, perfect for giving your look a hard edge. They even work well with a more formal dress on a night out or to a dinner party.

The dress works best if it’s knee- or midi-length, keeping things a little more classic for the evening. Up top, the leather jacket keeps things sleek, stylish and gives your classy look a hint of rock and roll.

5.Classic spring look

And then, of course, there’s the classic springtime look. Biker jackets were practically invented for woolly scarves, high boots and a knitted hat. Plus, they’re the ideal choice for in-between weather. Not quite heavy enough to be classed as a winter coat, they’re often too much for warm summer days.

For a classic biker look in the spring, you’re best sticking to colours like a traditional black or even brown, burgundy or olive green. Anything that’ll keep in line with the fresh, natural tones at this time of year.

Over the last couple of months, I’ve been religiously using my Fjallraven Kanken Backpack whilst travelling and generally on a daily basis. I’d heard so much about these backpacks and everyone seemed to have one. I was kindly gifted this gorgeous lilac one from the brand and I’ve been using it ever since. These backpacks were originally designed for Swedish School children to help their posture and not to damage their backs when carrying heavy school books. No matter how much I fill this backpack, it sits so comfortable on my back and you can really tell there is something special about this design.

The Fjallraven Kanken Backpack* has become my go to when it comes to travelling. One of the main reasons is that it’s the perfect size to carry my MacBook Pro in as it has a little compartment at the back. I’ve found it really hard to find a good back which is sturdy, comfortable and big enough for my laptop without it been too much of a pain until I started using this one. I frequently travel and I thought I’d go over what my main essentials are (mainly technology) and what you’d find in my Kanken Backpack.

Macbook Pro & Accessories

As I said before, this backpack is amazing for carrying my MacBook Pro. Although it’s quite heavy, It’s not dragging down my back. I also keep my external hard drive and charger in the little compartment at the back too. The backpack just makes it so much easier going on planes too as I don’t have to worry about keeping it in my suitcase or having to carry it in my hands.

Olympus Pen Camera

Another piece of technology which always comes everywhere is my trusty Olympus Pen Camera. Although I’m pretty sure it’s on it’s last legs as I’ve had to switch lenses from my Panasonic Lumix. This is my camera which comes everywhere with me especially when travelling. It’s an ideal camera for a blogger and so easy to use.

Purse, Passport & Post Office Travel Card

Obvious travel essentials are my purse (this one is from Mulberry), my passport which I keep in this super cute document holder from Prezzy Box and if I’m travelling abroad, I’ll usually be using my Post Office Travel Card. I first started using this card when I was in America last year as it has different wallets to hold different currencies and it was super handy when I went across to Canada. The rates are usually pretty good and there’s no hidden costs on the card.

Beauty Essentials

Where would I be without a couple of beauty essentials coming with me on my travels. I usually have a couple of lipsticks with me and some travel sized bits at the very least. At the moment, in my bag is my three most used shades of Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipsticks (Crush, Stripped and Veronica), a Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm and a mini Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream. I like to have a few bits especially if I’m going on a plane to keep hydrated as the air onboard isn’t great for the skin.

Portable Charger

Another ultimate essential you will certainly find in my backpack is my Portable Charger for my iPhone. When you’re on the go, I just like having a portable charger so I’m not left with a dead phone and lost in the middle of nowhere.

A few little extras, If I was heading out on a long haul flight, I’d usually keep spare clothes and underwear in my bag. Just in case anything happened to my suitcase and things got lost along the way. Usually if I roll the items at the bottom of my backpack, they take up no space at all! I also keep a little first aid kit with me which includes plasters, paracetamols and bandages just in case of any little accidents. You never know what could happen!

I’d love to hear what your essentials are when travelling? Do you have a Kanken backpack?

Hola! Hope you’re all well? I’ve had a little break from the online world as I’ve been over in Spain at the Benicassim Music Festival. What a weekend we had! I’ll be writing up all about it real soon but for now, I’m recovering from minimal sleep, horrid sunburn and post-festival blues. Today, I’ve got an outfit to share with you from Closet London.

We all know I’m a big fan of Closet London. I just love that they are so well made and obviously undeniably incredibly pretty. I immediately got the heart emoji eyes when I saw this dress on the website. The floral embroidered detail and the scalloped hem was calling my name. I paired the dress with my simple black Primark heels and this gorgeous Mango rouge handbag. Mango is really impressing me at the moment, every time I go in-store my mental wish list gets longer and longer. I love that this bag gives the outfit a little pop of colour yet matches the embroidered flowers.

I’d also like to mention that I’ve had my haircut since these photos. Don’t panic though, I didn’t have more than two inches off. I’ve been thinking about going for a more dramatic chop, especially before I go to America. However, I’ve already been missing that two inches so I’m not sure anymore. I love my long hair but my goodness, it’s hard work to deal with. I’d love to hear your thoughts on what I should do with my hair.

Also, a big thank you to my friend El. She’s a mega babe who’s been helping me with shooting outfits. Even in the rain!

Although it doesn’t come across in my outfit posts, most of the time I’m dressed pretty casual. As I work from home, I do like been comfortable. The Athleisure trend embraces comfort and style and I’m 100% on board. Now, we can step out in trainers, leggings, loose-fitting tees and even jogging bottoms all in the name of athleisure, officially our favourite EVER trend. You don’t even need to go to the gym to pull of this look. From models to celebrities, everyone is embracing this trend. It’s all about styling up comfort classics and basics; Check out some of my top tips to go from slob to sass.

Athleisure Essentials

A bomber jacket – We all know I’m a massive fan of a bomber jacket. I got a little carried away last year and bought a couple. They are great for styling up your sport-luxe ensemble or even just chucking on over a dress on a Summer’s Day – Multi-functional! If you’re wanting a feminine and quite girly look, go for a pastel shade. I have a baby pink one which I LOVE!

Leggings or joggers – I basically live in leggings or joggers but if you invest in a branded pair that are tapered and cuffed for a close fit you’ll for sure earn brownie points in the style stakes. I’ve bought a pair recently from Ivy Park and absolutely love them.

Sports tops – Cropped tops and hoodies are perfect when paired with a pair of leggings or jogging bottoms and bomber jacket. You probably wouldn’t see me in a cropped top so if If you’re not quite ready to show off your tum, opt for a loose-fitting jersey.

Trainers – Of course a great pair of trainers would go perfectly with this trend. Ash trainers are the perfect choice, with a selection of sports-inspired styles to help you effortlessly conquer this look.

If you’re not ready to sport the whole athleisure look, maybe try working them in your outfits. Try some skinny jeans with a Nike top and trainers. The great thing about this trends is that it is so versatile. You can experiment and find a style which works for you. I would say consider and keep in mind these few golden rules.

My Golden Rules

Accessorise! – Dress up your look with a few accessories, think 90s throwback. I’m currently obsessed with gold hooped earrings at the moment. I do wear them with most looks but they would be perfect for the sports luxe trend. Alternatively, accessorise with a choker or layer up on delicate gold necklaces. Don’t go too overboard though!

Cover your bum – Whenever I’m wearing leggings, this is my number one rule. I always make sure my top covers my bum or have a shirt tied around my waist which acts as a super-cool, bottom-covering skirt. It will tie in with your look without cramping your style.

Wear a coat – When taking your look from the gym to the street, wear a jacket or a coat. I love pairing my casual look with an oversized denim jacket or like I previously said; a bomber jacket is the perfect jacket to tie your look together.

Are you a fan of the Athleisure look? Have you been rocking a Sports Luxe outfit recently?

I was recently contacted by Boohoo.com to take part in a blogger style swap which was pretty exciting. I was paired with a french blogger and we picked each other’s outfits, I was quite nervous to see what was chosen for me but I ended up loving the whole look.
She has an amazing wardrobe and can’t wait to see her in the outfit I chose for her! When the Boohoo package arrived it was like Christmas, Everything from bags, shoes and accessories had been thought about and I particularly loved the fedora and the matching white accessories. It’s the perfect outfit for a dinner date and without the heels, the dress can be worn throughout the day in a casual style.

I’d like to thank Boohoo for letting me be apart of the Blogger Style Swap, It’s something completely different to what I’ve done through blogging and I really enjoyed styling Julie and can’t wait to see her look! Don’t forget I have a little giveaway going on here and it’s ending very soon!

Introducing…. the Tom Ford Nastasya Sunglasses. Today’s post is a little review on these beauties. They came into my life about a month ago from online eyewear specialists Smart Buy Glasses. I’ve always lusted after a pair of Tom Ford’s, especially after spotting the Nikita’s on Kourtney Kardashian, as that particular style is a couple of season’s old they are no longer on sale but the Nastasya’s are a similar shape but with golden frames and reflective mirrored lenses. Coincidentally, Kourtney also has this pair along with a host of other celebrities such as Rihanna, Rita Ora, Fergie and Miley Cyrus.
The Sunglasses arrived in a Tom Ford box which held the Sunglasses case, the packaging was pretty luxurious but it is Tom Ford after all. I am worried that the case may wear after a while as it’s made from suede/felt sort of material. The sunglasses though are just beautiful, you can really tell that they are top quality and the design is just gorgeous. I am obsessed with these shades and think they make a real statement.

If you are looking for a pair that’s maybe not as bold as the Nastasya’s, I’d recommend looking at the Daria or Grace styles, they too are also beautiful. These are a great investment piece that makes the simplest look stylish, I adore these sunglasses and can’t wait to take them on holiday.