Second time round...

I think I've made it fairly obvious that when it comes to fashion obsessions, I don't tend to move on ever too quickly.  I posted about a year ago that I had finally managed to get my grubby paws on a pair of Miu Miu shoes that I had been lusting after for four whole years, thanks to the magic of ebay.  Well, this time, the wait was a bit shorter.  Meet the newest addition to my footwear family:

They're by Chloe, from Resort 2012, and I've wanted them ever since I first saw photos of the collection online.  Sadly, they were completely out of my reach, even on sale, even at bloody TKMaxx this past autumn.  And then the gods of ebay smiled on me and I found them, in my size, at a price that would be more at home at Topshop.  I've got a bit of a soft spot for all things multi-strapped, and seeing as I can't have the Vivienne Westwoods of my dreams, these will do very nicely.  As a side note however, I must say that Chloe shoes, in my limited experience, are an absolutely nightmare to break in.  These ripped my feet to shreds the first time I wore them, and left me hobbling slightly the second.  I've literally never felt leather so stiff and unyielding, at any price point.  It does make me think that perhaps I'm hasty in writing off high street offerings as sub-par, when something that cost hundreds orginally is of such comparatively low quality.  However, I'm thoroughly smitten, so I'm quite determined that they will one day be broken in.  Fingers crossed that day comes soon... 

Chloe S/S '14

Flipping through the new Elle on my lunch break today, the S/S Chloe campaign literally stopped me in my tracks, and I just stared at it for about a minute, coveting Lou Doillon's hair, the amazing blue cut-out dress, and even the rope-soled platforms, something I had up 'til  now associated only with perma-tanned Eurotrash teetering along in caftans and super-high wedges.  I know it's nothing earth-shattering, but it's wearable, and just perfectly evokes endless summer evenings. I am so incredibly ready for bare leg weather and lolling about in fields whilst wearing perfect little dresses and a single gold bangle...

I was going to post a few photos of recent outfits here and I realised that, even as infrequently as I take outfit photos, I'm still wearing things that I've previously worn- a lot.  And I think that's quite symbolic of my style, and finally feeling comfortable in my own skin.  I've spent a long time collecting inspiration photos of girls who look nothing like me, wearing things I never would.  Wondering if I shouldn't try things that were more quirky/colourful/trendy.  But none of that is quite "me".  So I'm coming to terms with the fact that I like quite simple, classic things.  That I don't really wear patterns.  That I feel most comfortable in non-colours like black, grey and navy.  Some of my favourite items of clothing were bought 3 or 4 years ago, most frequently the only item of jewellery I'll be wearing is a pair of gold hoops I bought ages ago on ebay for 99p.  This all coincided with reading this post by Garance Dore, about buying fewer things that you absolutely love rather than lots of things you're meh about.  It's something I've been attempting to do lately, often by filling my basket on various sites and then closing down the browser window.  Anything I'm still thinking about hours, or even days, later is worth actually clicking home.  So far I've bought nothing (bar a few ebay bargains which, as previously mentioned, seem to be my favourite sort of shopping at the moment).  But I'm re-learning to appreciate what I already own, and trying to find new ways to mix individual items together.  

Last year's Pull and Bear top and Surface to Air shoes with Zara trousers bought in the sale 3 years ago for £15.

Chloe sandals and Topshop jacket- both via ebay, leather shorts- Very by Vero Moda

Zara lace top, Primark jeans, Beau Coops boots circa 2010

And something that is a new purchase- the perfect pastel yellow nail varnish by Korres.  I've been wanting, and failing to find, this precise shade for literally years, so I'm so pleased this has come out:

I *heart* Ebay

I mentioned previously that I had bought some ridiculously cheap Chloe sandals from ebay but didn't want to say any more lest they not be quite right.  Well, they've arrived, and they're perfect.  

I've been searching literally for years for the perfect pair of neutral, go-with-everything sandals and had failed spectacularly to find anything suitable.  It doesn't help that I for some reason don't consider sandals proper shoes and refuse to spend very much on them, despite living in them in summer months (yes, even in rainy British summers).  They're just not very exciting, and more of a necessity than something I'd fall in love with and need to own.  So any perfect specimen I found, from K Jacques to Miu Miu, never actually came home with me, and I'd end up with some inferior version from Topshop or Primark, which would get me through the rest of the summer and the whole process would start again the next year.  This year though, the fairy tale finally has its happily ever after, and these shant be leaving my feet until at least September.