Summer outfits...

Outfit photos are a bit of a rarity at the moment, mainly because I've been wearing things that are more functional than they are interesting, due to both the heat and the fact that I tend to just throw on whatever I find before me as I run off to work.  This is pretty much everything I've worn in the last month or so that I've even remotely liked:
 

dungarees- Primark, top- Zara, espadrilles- Lidl

dress- Topshop via ebay, boots- Uterque

top- Oysho, shorts- Whistles, shoes- Park Lane via Asos

top- H&M, skirt- Topshop, sandals- local shop

Once more this year, I've failed to assemble much of a summer wardrobe, so I've been relying on my tried-and-true favourites, with the odd addition in the form of espadrilles and sandals...

Recent favourites

In an attempt to move away from my default setting of moaning about the heat and thinking of all the lovely autumn/winter clothes I'd rather be wearing, I thought I'd share a few of the things I've bought in the past couple of months which I'm rather excited about.  I'll admit the boots and the long sleeved black dress aren't especially summery, but I have managed to actually wear them during a brief drop in temperature, so I'm including them, even though it'll probably be October before I can actually wear them again...

June outfits...

Clockwise from top left- top- Zara, skirt- Topshop, shoes- Minnetonka; dungarees- Miss Selfridge via ebay, top- Oysho, shoes as before; jumper and dress- Topshop Boutique, shoes- Kurt Geiger; blazer- Topshop, top- Zara, skirt as before, shoes- Marc by Marc Jacobs

So far this month I've finally got hold of some denim dungarees, re-discovered and couldn't stop wearing my ancient Minnetonkas and became a firm fan of skirts over shorts.  Dungarees aside, I'm actually feeling rather girly at the moment, after a winter spent mainly in trainers.  As much as I push myself to try new things, I always seem to end up in old favourites.  And, as always, it wouldn't be an outfit roundup post if I weren't wearing at least one item multiple times.  

Outfits (again)

This past week I've mainly been trying to wear something something other than navy jumpers and my tiger-print skate shoes.  I've not entirely succeeded.

Clockwise from top left: dress- Topshop, boots- Beau Coops; jumper- Topshop, tshirt- Gap, shorts- Topshop Boutique, shoes- Kurt Geiger; top- Cos, skirt- Zara, trainers- Nike via ebay; jacket- Gap, top- Cos, trousers- Zara, shoes- Studio Pollini

My sky blue trainers are my aforementioned attempt at Scandinavian nonchalance.  I'm not particularly convinced I can carry them off, but they're so comfortable, I don't actually care and I have to force myself to not wear them with absolutely everything.  I think I may need another pair...  Also feeling quite smug that I've already got the perfect over-the-knee boots when all the magazines are bleating on about them being the shoe of the season.  Meanwhile mine are from 2010, the last time they had their moment in the sun- are fashion cycles moving that fast that three years is enough time for something to go from must-have to fashion pariah and back again?

Wearing Lately

My inability to pass shops without ducking in to have a quick browse, even if it's the third branch of H&M that day and I'm quite certain I won't find anything I like, means there's been no shortage of opportunities for changing room selfies since I've been back in London.  So I present every single thing (more or less) that I've worn over the past 2.5 weeks...

Clockwise from top left- top and skirt, Zara, boots- Massimo Dutti; top- Topshop, shorts- Oysho, boots- Beau Coops; lace top- Oysho, shorts- Whistles, shoes- Kurt Geiger; jumper- Primark, skirt- Topshop, plimsolls- H&M; jumper- French Connection, skirt- Zara, shoes- Kurt Geiger; jacket- H&M, t-shirt- Gap, skirt- JW Anderson x Topshop, boots- Massimo Dutti

shirt- Asos, shorts- Whistles, boots- Massimo Dutti; jumper- H&M, shorts- Vero Moda, shoes- Kurt Geiger; dress- Cos, shoes- & Other Stories

 

 

top- Cos, skirt- vintage, boots- Massimo Dutti; jacket- Gap, trousers- River Island, boots- Beau Coops

I'm slightly freaked out by how identical my stance is in every single one of these, down to the placement of my fingers as I'm holding my phone.  I am however, quite pleased with the variety of my outfits considering they're comprised entirely of the contents of my 20 kilo suitcase and a handful of new purchases.  Perhaps I've succeeded in building a capsule wardrobe without actually trying?  I definitely need a new pair of ankle boots though- both the pairs I've brought with me probably photograph better than they've actually been holding up...

Outfit

top- Zara, skirt- Topshop, shoes- Kurt Geiger

The arrival of autumn (which I'm still in denial about- it somehow doesn't feel possible that it's already the end of September!) means I can once more start wearing things like closed shoes and sleeves, which increases my wardrobe options by about 300%, so I thought I'd start taking the odd outfit photo again.  Today's is courtesy of the fitting rooms at Zara, and was actually taken a few days ago, but it's better than nothing (or not, but if I ruled out grainy selfies I'd never have any photos of what I wear and I'm much too narcissistic to do that).  Fingers crossed my imminent move back to London will mean access to better lighting and/or full length mirrors. In the meantime, I quite liked this particular combination- I had grown bored of skater skirts in general, but with my new shoes, the shape seemed fresh again somehow.  Shame the shoes completely crippled me- fingers crossed they'll soften with time...

Zara A/W '13

I know I'm not the first to discover the amazing-ness of Zara's A/W campaign images, but I couldn't resist posting a few of them.  I've rather gone off Zara in recent seasons, mainly because my local branch is becoming increasingly crap and they don't offer online shopping to Greece, but also because the quality seems to be decreasing whilst their prices are increasing.  With my return to London hopefully imminent though, I look forward to being able to see this collection in the flesh and see if it's worth the hype.  In the meantime, I've decided I absolutely need to own a pair of pointed chelsea boots (still mourning the Repetto version I passed up a full FOUR years ago) and lots of lacy slip dresses.

Continuing on from my last post, a couple more oufits featuring things I've either had forever, or have bought secondhand off ebay.  For the first time in ages though, I'm actually quite pleased with my wardrobe and don't just want to burn it all and start again, so clearly I've done something right.  And whilst everyone else is moaning about the lack of a summer thus far, I'm secretly quite pleased that the low (for Greece) temperatures mean I can wear things like long sleeves and closed shoes for a while longer.  

blazer- Primark (ancient), top- Topshop via ebay, skirt- Zara circa 2010, shoes- CB Made in Italy

dress- Topshop Boutique via ebay, shorts- diy, shoes- Chloe via ebay

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: