Rachel the Hat

Tuesday, 12 May 2015

A Little Bit Boho

I have been channelling a very clean lined sort of look of late. Mostly blazers, jeans and heels or smart shoes. But sometimes its nice to kick off the heels and go down a different road. Boho is huge for summer, as it has been for a few summers now, and with the shops filled with fringing, floaty tops and enough 70's paraphernalia to make any hippy at heart feel at home, i couldn't help but pick a few pieces out.

What i love about boho is how casual it is. Its the perfect style for those days off when you're not really much in the mood to get dressed up, you know the ones, where you know you have to wear real clothes but secretly you just want to stay in your pj's all day and eat nutella straight out the jar (just me?).

Its that comfy and casualness which always pulls me back to this style of dressing, and even when the rest of my wardrobe is perhaps taking a different route, there's no harm in throwing in a few easy pieces for those down days.

This particular outfit is made up of some of my most favourite purchases. The boden lille lace up flats are by far the most comfy shoes for all day wear. I can not recommend these enough.. no wearing in process where you endure what can only be described as chinese water torture for the feet. Nope these were good from the first step and then only got better after a week of wear. They seem to have moulded to my feet making them fit like a glove; or slipper in this case. Their soft suede is like butter, perfect for running around like a crazy woman, ie me on any given day (look up crazy woman on google and you'll most likely find an image of me, frazzled)

The suede skirt is also a new addition. Its actually the one i went for out of my search for skirts post and it is a beaut! Soft to touch, easy to wear and so much potential. i am super dooper pleased with my new skirt addition. Its calling for a breton top and my birkies don't you think? I can see me reaching for this many many times over the summer and even into winter with tights and booties. Ahh the excitement of young love, there's nothing quite like it is there;)

Shoes: Boden

Skirt: Warehouse

Blouse & Bag: Zara

All jewellery: Yosa

Have you bought any additions lately that have excited you?

My Basics (&Passion4Fashion linkup)

If you've been around reading (or just looking at the photos, 'cos lord knows i do ramble) then you will know i have a few basics. By basic i mean items that i fall back on time and time again. They're my go-to items, the no effort or brain power required, running off 5 hours sleep because you have a Netflix problem that you just can't quit, type-outfits.
But d'you know what? They're normally my favourites. Amongst my favourite things (stripes, leopard print, the colour red) are my new (faux) Birkies or Birkenstock style sandal should i say.
Yep after contemplating whether they were fabulous or just plain fugly since last summer, they have now made it to my most beloved items list.
I mean, holy moly they are comfy, and as much as its probably not quite warm enough yet, i have been taking them out for a few spins round the block to get them worn in all nice and comfy for summer. Thats a good excuse right? Because honestly, they didn't even need wearing it they're that good. Plus its May which surely means it legit sandal weather in theory.
Another thing i had totally forgotten about (i blame netflix again.. its rotting my memory i tell you) is these Gap trousers i picked up last year. the insanely comfy, confidence boosting (they're a size 6....wtf indeed) trousers that gives me a nice break from constant jeans wearing. The ankle skimming length just makes it for me, i do love a nicely cut pair of trousers and these are in desperate need of some more air time. I'm thinking my new grey waistcoat and these should become friends soon, no?
And lastly.. the jacket, its new and its amazing. Red is always my pick me up colour. If i'm looking tired of peaky, it instantly brings a bit of colour back to me as if i've miraculously had an 8 hour sleep. This red jacket drew me in from a rather wonderful window display at Next. I saw it on the mannequin and it was instant attraction. So in i went. And so i bought it.

Red Biker Jacket & Sandals: Next

Trousers: Gap

Stripe top: F&F Clothing

Leopard print Scarf: Yosa

Michael Kors

Has a window display ever drawn you in to buy anything?

Don't forget to link up below ladies.. AND great news i have my wonderful co-host back in the linkup game with me from next week, so don't forget that you can link up here or with Lena from next week! Yay!

An InLinkz Link-up

The Khaki Love Continues and using the Wallis Style Advisor

When i shop i like to shop alone, i know i know, that sounds really anti-social and as a woman we normally attack our prey (a pretty dress in our case) in a pack. Not the case for me. Don't get me wrong i will shop with friends and family, i'm not that mean where i banish anyone within 20 feet of me when in a shop, no no. But for me the enjoyment and the best purchases are normally done alone. Its my therapy, whether that be in an actual shop or online browsing.
However because i like to shop alone, sometimes i do miss out on those valued opinions of others. Sometimes i do get it wrong and i end up making a completely useless purchase that will end up living in my wardrobe, tags on, never to see the light of day, which makes me sad:( and feel like a bit of a twonk.
A little bit of help in the form of a style advisor wouldn't go astray now and again to stop some of those rogue purchases.
So when Wallis introduced me to their new Style Advisor App i thought hey, this is something i could use.
You see, sometimes in my head i still think i have that 20 year old, pre baby body who could wear anything.. obvs not the case.
By going through all there lovely little diagrams and making myself a profile which included my shape (im a big ol' fruity pear), your colouring, your personality when dressing and lots more lil bits about you, you then get presented with some good honest facts about what is best for you and your shape and then some suggestions as to what might look good on you.

I have to say i love a good app that helps and presents pretty clothes to me. And Wallis were spot on with their choices; look at those shoes above... swoon! and above that, patterned trousers...yes please!
You may have noticed that i am pretty obsessed with Khaki right now.. well from inputting my details and interests, what d'you know a bit of khaki was recommended to me (quelle surprise), in the form of this gorgeous dress... i love it (thanks Wallis great recommendation!). As well as clothes they have all the accessories to go with, making up full outfits has never been easier. I went for a new fave colour combo, lime and khaki.. how good are they together! I don't know why i didn't think of this pairing before, they are both from the green family so are close siblings that on paper i thought wouldn't work, close siblings that argue shall we say, but i love it! Clashy-contrast can be so so good.

Khaki dress

Shoes

Bag

Necklace

All thanks to Wallis

Do you ever like a bit of style advice to help you on your shopping way?

Puppy Steals the show (& #passion4fashion linkup!)

Shall we just gloss over the fact that i'm allll about the ripped jeans and blazers right now? Like thats all that i'm wearing, pretty much non-stop of late. Don't get me wrong, the blazer varies and sometimes the jeans do too (although these Topshop ripped ones are my faves), like this new coraly-pinky-drapey one. Tis pretty no? I actually wore this outfit last Saturday and this outfit saw me through a morning of shopping with the 12 year old step daughter, a 4 year old birthday party in a play gym, cooking dinner for the fam then out for impromptu cocktails with my friend. We actually went out for hot chocolates but Starbucks and Costa had both closed so we headed over to Chiqutos where we ended up drinking Pina Coladas at the bar... impromptu cocktails are the best haha! So yes This outfit did me well for a wonderfully busy day. Granted if i knew i was going out for cocktails i may have swapped to some heels but heels-schmeels, I had a wonderful time anyway.

But enough about that, can we just pont out the elephant in the room, or the puppy in the photos rather? This little one is stuck to my side lately. It's funny, i've always liked dogs, and considered myself a dog liking person. But now i totally get it, she's like having another child. She's part of the family and i can't imagine not having her.

For a while there were discussions of the possibility of another baby as a sibling for Neo, but i have to admit i'm totally smitten with the puppy.. no nappies, can be left alone for a few hours, she is ALWAYS pleased to see you and unlimited snuggles... its definitely puppy love.

With me, Salvatore (hubby), Neo, my two step children Mia and Talyn, a cat and a dog i would say we are pretty much packed to the rafters.

Would i have it any other way? No, although ask when i'm doing the washing and ironing i may answer differently.