Erin, Oh Erin

"Erin, oh Erin, though long in the shade,

Thy star will shine out when the proudest shall fade."

~ Thomas Moore

I wore this dress from Emma Manley's SS14 collection the other day & it suddenly dawned on me that, although often worn, I've never actually blogged it! Not quite sure how that happened but hey, better late than never.

'Erin' is one of those dresses you can wear absolutely anywhere; simply add heels for an uber-glam night out or pair with cool converse for a cute daytime look. A baseball style dress in a rich teal colour, it features 3/4 length raglan sleeves. The main body of the dress sits shorter at the front and longer at the back & the ties on the side seam can be tied to the back or all the way around the waist.

I styled my dress with a great pair of Marc by Marc Jacobs shoes; the vicious wind, Baltic temperatures and my cherry red nose were all compliments of Mother Nature who seems to have forgotten that it's supposed to be Spring!

Get The Look:

Dress: Manley 'Erin' Dress in teal

Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs Multi-Strap Shoes

Fleetwood

"Lovers forever, face to face

My city or mountains

Stay with me stay

I need you to love me

I need you today

Give to me your leather

Take from me my lace"

~ Stevie Nicks

You all know by now how partial I am to a 70s look and this stunning lace blouse by Spell & The Gypsy (the coolest, most bohemian of all brands) looks like I might have stolen it straight from Stevie Nicks closet.

In fact, Stevie was the inspiration behind Spells 'Fleetwood' vintage lace pieces; there are dresses, shorts, playsuits, shirts and pants. This shirt is my favourite piece from the collection; featuring 70's draping tassels, cowgirl fringing and beautiful bell sleeves, it is made from white lace that is milled by the brand themselves. It is a beautiful work of art.

My dreamy blouse is a real statement piece and I styled it quite simply with a much loved, much worn pair of denim shorts and my go-to Summer ankle boots. To mix things up, it would look equally lush with a sexy leather shorts or a long, floaty maxi skirt. 

Get The Look:

Shirt: Spell Designs 'Fleetwood' Vintage Lace Shirt (similar)

Shorts: Zara Denim Shorts

Shoes: Ash 'Jalouse' Ankle Boots in taupe (similar)
Photos: Kate Carpenter Photography ©

Copycat

"I've been imitated so well I've heard people copy my mistakes"

~ Jimi Hendrix

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Well I do hope that's true because most of this outfit has been copied, borrowed, stolen, inspired, call it what you will, from a girl I saw in a magazine, or maybe it was on the telly or perhaps it was online; I genuinely can't remember. I have no idea who she was, a model or celebrity most likely. I do however, remember what she wore (mostly) and I wanted to recreate her cool, laid-back look.

Some of it was easy to do; most of us own a pair of denim shorts, and casual ankle boots are a summer staple for me (I can't actually remember what kind of footwear she wore but that doesn't really matter). The perfect stripe tee took a while to find as I'm fussy about tshirts. I found this one by Polo Ralph Lauren in a local Department Store. It's great quality, a classic, and I'll be wearing it for years to come I'm sure. The rather faded colours give it a vintagey feel which I really like.

The hardest part of the outfit to recreate was the cargo jacket. I genuinely think there might only be two or three green, short sleeve, cargo jackets in existence anywhere in the world; the one she wore & this one which I eventually found, after much searching, on a US shopping site.  

And so here it is, my very cool copycat outfit. A big huge thank you to her, whoever she is, for inspiring this perfect Summer off-duty look.

Get The Look:

Jacket: Madewell 'Hilltop' Short Sleeve Cargo Jacket in green (similar)

Tshirt: Polo Ralph Lauren 'Jackie' Striped Tee

Shorts: Zara Denim Shorts

Shoes: H by Hudson 'Mirar' Ankle Boots in beige (similar)

The Peasant Blouse

"There is a silent eloquence

In every wild bluebell

That fills my softened heart with bliss

That words could never tell"

~ Anne Brontë

I have long been a fan of high street store Karen Millen; I own pieces, mostly dresses, by this brand dating back years! I often wear their glamorous dresses when I'm out gigging with my band Alter Ego.

Of course Karen Millen don't only sell gorgeous dresses, they have a range of more casual pieces that are simply amazing.  This delicate vintage inspired blouse is a case in point; made from a silk cotton blend, it features an embroidered organza front yoke and pretty lace trims.

It is a modern take on the classic peasant blouse and can be worn throughout the summer with skinny jeans, dungarees, 70s style suede & denim skirts and as styled here with cool denim shorts and a great pair of ankle boots for an effortless Summer look.

Get The Look:

Top: Karen Millen Vintage Inspired Blouse

Shorts: Zara Denim Shorts

Shoes: Hudson 'Mirar' Ankle Boots in beige (similar)

Joining The Dots

"Those people make me calm, calm the flame,

Come up to the moth for a change.

Darling if it's all the same to you, I'll have you to myself,

I'm joining the dots, I'm joining the dots"

~ Arctic Monkeys

I've always been a bit partial to polka dots; big and bold or small and dainty, they are playful, feminine and cool. Over the years the polka dot has seeped into many aspects of our culture. We've seen Disney's Minnie Mouse wear her iconic red polka dot dress, we've sung along to Brian Hyland's hit song "Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" and we've admired artist Damien Hirst's stunning, vertigo-inducing dot paintings.

Polka dots are set to be a huge trend for SS15 and this gorgeous, girly top from High Street favourite Karen Millen is a great way to embrace the trend. Featuring a colourful dot print on a pale pink background, it is made from a soft crinkle georgette material and has a high neckline and flowing back neck tie.

Styled with my go-to skinny jeans (ie. my only pair of skinny jeans!), classic nude heels and the best over-sized clutch bag in the world, there has never been a better time to join the dots.

Get The Look:

Top: Karen Millen Dot Print Draped Top

Jeans: J Brand 'Songbird' Skinny Jeans (similar)

Shoes: Christian Louboutin 'Pigalle' Shoes in nude

Bag: Nadia Minkoff 'The Cut/SE1' Clutch in nude
Photos: Kate Carpenter Photography ©