Rachel the Hat: autumn fashion

Tuesday, 14 November 2017

Spots and Dots and the Beauty of Autumn

I apologise now for how many photos i used in this post, but when autumn is in full swing and the light is golden and the leaves are making a beautiful rust carpet, well i just couldn't resist.
Soon it will turn to sludge and the trees will be completely bare and barren. But for now i'm lapping up every second of this glorious season.

I've been on a mission to add more tops, that aren't stripes, in to my wardrobe. Pieces that are a bit more interesting and instantly bring a bit of jazz to plain old jeans. I'm pretty sure i filled my quota with this outfit.. more details below

Spotty Blouse

Whilst virtually meandering around the White Stuff site i quickly saw how many fantastic tops, tee's and tunics they do.

This Collarless Blyth top really caught my eye for a few reasons. I loved that it wasn't striped for a starters (as much as love me some stripes i really don't need any more!) and the sporadic dotty print was different and pretty.

The neutral background and the colours chosen for the dots makes this top really easy to remix with lots of other colours, and therefore a big thumbs up from me. I do love a remixable item. I think this would look great tucked in to a denim a line skirt or a little faux leather black skirt and thick tights and boots and finsihed with a big chunky burgundy cardigan.. lush.

The relaxed vibe was also another pull for me. I like that it can be worn tucked in as a front tuck at the waist or worn loose and flowing (needless to say food babies can be well hid underneath making this even more of a winner in my food loving heart!)

I had mulitple comments that day when i went out for lunch wearing it. Its eye catching and just a really great top (sizes are selling out fast so snap one up if you are keen)

Coat

I nearly sold this coat two weeks ago. I just wasn't reaching for it as much as my other beloved coats.

You know me, i'm more of a primary colours and bolds type of gal, so this blush/salmon pink was a bit out of my comfort zone, and yet i did really like it (i paid £79 for it earlier this year and i know i loved it when i bought it). When the White Stuff top arrived i pulled the coat out and they just worked really well together and suddenly i was super glad i hadn't sold it on 😀

I'm still trying to find other ways to wear it, but for now its staying in my coat armoury.

Boots

The boots were the second thing i received from White Stuff. Did you know they did fabulous footwear?? (I didn't!)

If you're in the market for a great all rounder boot, you know the type that goes with everything day to day and are comfortable too, then these are the boots for you.

I trotted around in the Burgundy Sky Block heel boots from 8 am last Friday, and it was a day with plenty of trotting too. I walked to lunch around Penarth town and then back again, also the school run and to the bank and shops. So yes. Lots of walking (I'm talking well over 10,000 steps on the old fitbit) and all in these boots.

Comfy and stylish, good heeled boots are always worth every penny in my books and these will definitely be my go to over the next few months. Plus the colour is excellent for going with any colour you're wearing,

Finishing Touches

I finished the look by going the navy route with indigo skinny jeans, my navy baker boy hat and navy Laura Ashley bag (which is currently on sale for a tiny price of £28!.. i got asked last week if it was a Mulberry as apparently it looks just like the new range!)

And finally a gorgeous simple gold necklace from Stacks And Stones. This is the mini lightning bolts and its a perfect fitting necklace that sits at the base of the neck. I've had so many compliments on this, ideal for a stocking filler as they come with lovely packaging too (and shes a bad ass mum boss too!)

Have you bought any funky tops lately?

Autumnal Florals ( & #Passion4Fashion Linkup)

Oh Autumn, you are magnificent. The palette of dreams and the feeling of change in the air is something i will never grow tired of and is the reason why Autumn is my favourite season. The fact that the fashion for autumn is always magnificent may also have something to do with it too, as i am a girl who lives for beautiful boots, gorgeous chunky knitwear and captivating coats.

I've teamed up with Great Plains this week and chosen my favourite items for autumn.

Florals for Autumn

I think I am a girl who actually prefers a dark floral palette than summery toned florals. For me they are intrinsically more wearable, a little less pretty-pretty and more approachable and re-mixable.

This gorgeous floral print ruffle skirt is autumn personified. The dark colours contrast beautifully with the frilly cut of the skirt making this such a wonderful item to dress up or down and has the girly cut mixed perfectly with the navy and copper print. Because there are a number of colours in this skirt, all based on a neutral background of navy, it means there are many different remixing options to be worn with it.

I love the idea of mixing in some greys or creams for the top half or also adding in some burgundy, whether that be with a coat or some boots. All of those colours will just make this skirt sing!

Knitwear

Is there anything more wonderful than an autumnal coloured jumper/sweater?!
I have to say i am a knitwear floozy and flirt with different jumpers regularly, but this rusty orange jumper with swing sleeves has barely left my back since it arrives. Some days i've even been getting home and changing out of that days outfit, opting for comfort indoors of course, and popping on some comfy leggings and this gorgeously comfy mohair jumper.
Be sure to check out the great selection of ladies jumpers Great Plains has, because if this beauty is anything to go by, then they're fabulous i can assure you.
As well as working seamlessly with the skirt (and my indoor leggings for loungin' around!) this jumper works perfectly with jeans and also culottes. I plan on wearing it with my navy culottes and baker boy hat really soon.

Finishing Touches

I added some black in to the mix with my boots and jacket, as i love navy and contrasting black at the moment.

The biker jacket always lends a touch of toughness to a girly look. which for me, is the ideal balance of feminine and masculine in an outfit.

One of my favourite styles right now is knee high boots and midi skirts. It's a revival of that 70's look that never goes out of fashion and, I find, makes wearing skirts extremely practical and easy(no legs on show, no worries about tights, legs covered from the cold.. the practicalities go on).

The navy bag and bobble earrings finish the look and bring in all the colours from throughout the outfit.

My favourite Autumnal outfit so far this season, and i can't wait to wear each piece separately too.
What are you favourite items to wear in autumn?

Shop The Look:
Jumper
Skirt
Boots: super old so i've been eyeing up those linked as a replacement
Biker: Try this
Navy Bag: Laura Ashley

*In collaboration with the wonderful brand Great Plains who i throughly enjoy working with and showcasing their gorgeous pieces to you.

An InLinkz Link-up

Styling Flared Jeans (& #Passion4Fashion Linkup!)

After last week, i think you can all appreciate my love for skinny jeans, ripped ones in particular.

But i had an urge to try Flared jeans again. An itch that just had to be scratched. I had dabbled with a pair earlier in the year and just didn't get on with them: too low cut, not flared enough and too short.

I put it down to a style fail rather than a whole complete fat fail. It was just finding the perfect fit that was proving as epic as the search for the holy -flippin'-grail.

Rewind about 7 years and i had the most perfect flared jeans. Great length for wear with heels, nice cut and fit and generally a great jean. I wore them all the time, and i'm talking before flares were cool again here. I'm way ahead of the trend (which incidentally makes me completely off trend at the same time. Bother!) So these perfect flares were River Island and only to be ditched when i gained all the weight and i couldn't prise myself in to the poor things a moment longer.

So with hope i turned back to River Island. And man did they deliver!

I picked these Mid Wash slightly distressed(i love me some rippage.. even a word!?) flared jeans and bought without trying on, thinking i could always return them if it turned in to another flared fail.

But i tried them on, styled them up, and freakin' loved them. Flares Forever i say!! Except on days when its raining cos soggy flares are just no fun.

I paired my new fancy flares with this new season Warehouse Summer Floral Blouse which is the same floral print as my favourite midi dress from earlier this year (they do the blouse in blue, like the dress too, which obvs, i now totally want too!) And i felt all warm and autumnally (seriously, what is up with my vocabulary today) 'cos quite frankly i've bored myself to tears with moaning about our crappy Biritsh Summer.. i mean being British you'd think i'd be used to perpetual rain and wind, even in the height of summer. But no, each year i act like i've never seen rain in summer and offended at how hard done by i am. Well not any more.

I'm just going to full on embrace the new Autumn/ Winter collections to make my ordeal a lot easier!

Shopping anyone? ;)