Stylist Shops Zara

Stylist Shops is back in the changing rooms bringing you the best - and potentially worst - of the current in-store haul. Let me take the hassle out of shopping by trying everything on for you so you can decide what you want from my awkward mirror selfies and simply buy it online.

Now first of let me warn you, it ain't pretty out there this close to christmas. Not only did I have to fight an aggressive Spaniard for the last pair of knitted culottes, I also had to sell my soul for an 8 item allowance in the Zara changing rooms, but it was worth it good people to help you find your perfect winter wardrobe. 

And so, to Zara...

So first up, here it is, the love-of-my-life knit. 

The soulmate I've been searching for all these years, the yin to my yang. 

What in the world could be better than a grey, oversized, super chunky knitted roll neck with voluminous sleeves (£45.99, Small)? What I ask you? 

NOTHING. 

And by jove it was in my wardrobe before you could say 'why bother trying on those boring grey trousers (£25.99, Small), couldn't you find anything more interesting to try on in the whole of Zara?'.

Next in line is the long-top-and-culotte-tonal-combo. Now I'm not gonna lie to you, I never do, this looked way more promising on the hanger.  The top (£59.99, Small) was great. A heavy duty wool mix tunic with a great slit at the side and the back - and how promising, I thought, with those mustard culottes (£39.99, Small) worn tonally underneath. But how wrong I was. They were slightly too long and slightly too cheapy-looking, creasing in places you really didn't want them to crease. 

This top would be a total winner instead paired back with cigarette pants or straight leg jeans and a nude strappy heel.

Next we have the little black dress, with a lacey overlay and a layer of guipure lace around the sleeves and hem (£39.99, Small). The dress fit perfectly but was super short so I would perhaps suggest sizing up for length and decorum. Not a particularly wintery item but one of those dresses that feels like it would become a year round staple and an especially great addition to any holiday wardrobe.

Nothing says A/W14 like a rollneck jumper, and this deliciously warm short sleeved knit (£45.99, Small) was overpriced yes, but it's one of those you won't want to take if off all winter long. Paired with this geometric print midi skirt (£59.99, Small) this is an outfit that would look totally professional for a day in the office with heels, and totally fun worn on the weekend with a pair of Stan Smiths. 

If November weather means all you want to wear is chunky knitwear, why stop at your top half? These knitted wide leg cropped trousers (£35.99, Small)  are the ultimate winter-warmers (aside from the whole cold ankle thing) and make a cool alternative to a pair of jeans. They fit slightly large, I rolled them up once at the waist to make them fit properly so you may want to size down. 

After falling for the jumper in the previous outfit I had to try it on in black too (£45.99, Small) and unsurprisingly it fit exactly the same but it was blacker, and maybe even more perfectly essential to my wardrobe. 

You can wear this outfit with heels as in the pictures below, but we all know that it's going to be worn with my Adidas Gazelles as soon as I get these items home. 

I'm not one for formal dressing so I always find it hard to find outfits to wear when I go out at night. This black, embroidered, fringed camisole (£29.99, Small) is the perfect solution for me. It still has a bohemian edge but it's sexy enough for a night out especially when paired with these faux leather trousers (£35.99, Small). The trousers are a real staple and will go with everything in your wardrobe, for both day (knitwear / denim shirts / roll necks) and night (silk shirts / camisoles / tunics). 

So, there we have it, a shop at Zara in 15 minutes without leaving your desk.

What did you like? What did you hate? Is there a shop you'd love me to tackle? A trend you want road tested? Let me know in the comments below.

Now go shop!

New Season Shopping : Laurence Dolige

There's a brand I've had my eye on for a while now, a brand so low key you'll be hard pushed to find a stockist, but so cool you'll buy the whole collection once you do. 

Parisian label Laurence Dolige is the discerning girl's Sandro or Maje, the insider's Isabel Marant, delivering cool classics with a twist in the way that only the French really can.

The Autumn Winter 2014 collection launches end of July and I have a sneak preview of what's in store for you - think chunky turtlenecks, suede coats, checks, sequins and stripes, worn all together. 

Browns, burgundies and greys are this fall/winter's key colours and Laurence Dolige hasn't missed a trick with a colour palette an aesthetically appealing mix of autumnal tones .  

Shop the Spring Summer collection still online here, and wait with baited breath until you can indulge in corduroy and tailoring from Fall Winter.

Whata-ya-got Gap?

It's here again, it's Sunday shopping day!

Today I'm hitting up a shop I spend way too much time and money in, wear far too much of and preach about it's brilliance far too regularly... 

I'm off to Gap. Purveyor of affordable basics.

Now the best part of today's Stylist Shops is that Gap currently have 20% off all full priced items online with the code GOGAP - so you can shop from today's post to your heart's content and totally guilt free. 

Today I tried on: grey jersey top, black skinny jeans, (and then the same jeans in denim), denim shorts, denim shirt, white mesh knit top, pinstripe trench coat, pinstripe dress, denim jacket.

And off we go....

First up in the Gap-a-thon is the ever useful black skinny jean (£49.95, Small). Not just any black skinny jean mind you, a PERFECT fit skinny leg with no ankle sag for £49.95. They are the skinny jeans you've been searching for your whole life. 

I paired them with this open knit tee (£29.95, Medium) which is an excellent alternative to a standard tshirt. 

Next up is an item my wardrobe is full of, the grey marl jersey top (£14.99, Medium) which I would usually pair with a printed trouser / Isabel Marant-esq floaty skirt - but Gap is only the master of the basics, so I have thrown on the aforementioned skinny jean  (£49.95, Small) in a blue wash (that they don't seem to have online) just to reiterate how blooming brilliant these babies are. 

 

 Next up is a pinstripe collaboration between the ultimate classic trench (£69.95, Small)  and this nurse-come-hipster dress (£44.95, Size 10). The dress will look brilliant with Birkenstocks in an awkward sort of way, and the trench is the perfect length to wear with anything you could throw at it.

Double Denim - the ultimate cool if you can avoid doing a Britney and Justin.

This shirt is one I've been preaching for a while, the perfect fit denim chambray shirt (£24.95, Small) and I've paired it with these slightly baggy fit denim shorts (£29.95, Size 27) in a totally different denim shade. Totally different denim shade being the key here. Write it down.

Final outfit today and I've shoved back on the trusty black skinnies to show off this perfect denim jacket  (£54.95, Medium). Ive layered it over Gap's classic fit tee (£9.99, Small) but it would look perfect with a floral sundress / pair of leather shorts / lace blouse / silk dress - just about anything really. Proving my point and hereby crowning Gap, King of Basics.

Get shopping online at www.gap.co.uk and remember your 20% off code 'GOGAP'

New Season Shopping...

Mini skirts are soooooo last season darling.

This summer is all about the high waist midi skirt, paired with a crop top and worn with ATTITUDE.

 Or in my case a little roll of fat poking out the gap.

This one from River Island is the ultimate midi skirt purchase - reminiscent of Mary Katranzou's postage stamp prints, it is bold, bright and beautiful, and only £35. 

Oh how I spoil you.

Whata-ya-got Mango?

IT’S SUNDAY SHOPPING!

And here I stand, in Mango, the high street’s new darling, a brand that has gone from blah to wahaaaaaa in recent months by amping up its designs and getting each of the new season trends spot on.

I have decided to challenge myself in the dressing room today by finding one really key Mango piece and styling it up 6 different ways….

So… Today’s items of choice, including first and foremost, said KEY MANGO PIECE - The Long Sleeve Silky Stripey Top. (Size M, £29.99).

Then: Boyfriend Jeans, White Dungarees, Grey Jacket, Patterned Trousers, White Trousers, Stripe Skirt and Grey Skirt. 

First up, we start with the basics - stripe on stripe. 

No one likes a matchy-matchy jailbreak outfit more than me, so I paired The Long Sleeve Silky Stripey Top (or TLSSST for short) with it’s accompanying skirt (Size 10, £29.99), just the way god made it. And I think it’s a pretty darn fine combination. 

Next up the dungarees (Size S, £54.99) which thrown over TLSSST make me feel like a second rate Beano character, but a surprisingly comfortable one at that. Who knew dungarees were so roomy? Stretch denim could possibly be the best thing since the hareem pant.

On to a classic - the boyfriend jean (Size 10, £44.99). I must remark here how well these babies fitted. I’m always on the lookout for good high street jeans and these certainly passed the ‘look-expensive-cost-under-£50’ test. They fit a little large so I’d go down a size. 

Talking of fitting a little large, this next outfit an Isabel Marant-esq skirt (Size 10, £34.99) and jacket (Size S, £59.99) was possibly the smallest thing my body has had to try and squeeze into since my leotard in gymnastics class in year 9. The skirt was so small in fact that I can only imagine they had accidentally labelled it a ‘SIZE 10’ rather than an ‘AGE 10’. 

Mango’s sizing so far has been about as consistent as a British summer.

Print clash time and when clashing prints, it’s all about keeping colours similar. These trousers (Size S, £34.99) although a totally different pattern, are tonally in the same family as TLSSST so work a clashable-treat.  

Final outfit is these amazing white stripe cotton trousers (Size 10, £29.99). The perfect summer trouser; tailored yet relaxed, patterned yet neutral. All together a full stripe look with effortless impact. 

And that’s what summer clothes are all about.