Turtleneck Hair: a love story

Turtleneck: Gap 

Bag: River Island 

Skirt: Topshop

Tights: Primark

Boots: Zara

Jacket: & other stories 

Ever since I saw a piece yonks ago on manrepeller.com about 'Turtleneck Hair', I've been totally obsessed. Then in December, Leandra rolled out another post on the hot hair topic which can be read here. Leandra herself was a big influence in why I chose to divide my hair length in two. She looks so effortlessly parisian in every insta pic, every blog post: she's just COOL, and her hair definitely contributes to this. So in my pursuit of coolness (or something..) I went and chopped off half the locks on my noggin and ended up with a short graduated bob. So getting back to turtlenecks: when I first had my hair cut short I was super self-conscious about it and kept asking everyone whether I looked like a little boy (their words said no but their eyes, I found, usually said yes). Tucking my hair into a turtleneck sort of became a little comfort- something to make me feel a bit more comfortable with my snippy situation. Soon I came to love my hair, and now still adore how it tucks into a turtleneck at the perfect length. It's no longer a way to hide my locks though, but one to show them off. In general I really love having short hair. Do I ever feel envy for my mermaid-lock'd co-workers and their billowing luscious waves? Course I do. BUT I have to think that short hair is best for ME. I have very thin flat hair, and wearing it long only emphasises these less-than-ideal features. Having it short gives it some volume and I feel I can wear it up, down, half up/half down, twirled around, straight..YOU NAME IT, and I'm always pretty happy. I also feel (and this may sound a little cheeky to my longer haired gal pals) that with a short, choppy style, sometimes clothes can look a little cooler? Amirite?? On the downside however, I do have to wash it FAR more often than I used to, unless I want a greasy ol' mop on my head for a day's work, and no-one wants that, do they?  

Ealing B

Blazer: Zara Sale (sold) Crop Tee: Topshop Jeans: Asos Shoes: Topshop Sale Watch: Kate Spade  Bag: Topshop
These images were shot in my beloved Ealing B by my office wife Tess. It was a super rainy day so I thought I would unleash some sunshine-esque brights onto the streets of EB. This blazer was a total barg at Zara; I nabbed it for £30 in the sale instead of £50 ish (I think!). I love how oversized and long it is -- I often have a problem finding blazers that fit how I want them to: too many on offer are very fitted and sit at the waist which I find super unflattering. I'm also wearing my Topshop sale shoes which make me feel like Carrie Bradshaw (an awesome or awful prospect I don't know...). They are completely ridiculous and I can't imagine where or when I will wear them. When taking these shots Tess asked me about the practicality of these shoes. It went something a little like this: T: So, when will you actually wear these B? B: Don't really know. Blog posts? Fancy dress? Days when it's not raining? T: So why did you buy them? B: THEY WERE IN THE SALE AND I HAD A VOUCHER OK. 
Moving on...
I am currently planning my upcoming year (as much as you can "plan" for what life will bring in the next year) and am looking to go travelling over the new year (just for a short period) in Indonesia with my mate Michelle, and move to Putney in April time. If anyone knows of anyone looking for roommates or of any rooms available, do let me know! I also got a call from The Debrief last week too, offering me the short internship I applied for, which I will complete in March. I am SO excited as if you know me, you will know I am a crazy fan of the humorous-fashion-writing bracket, which The Debrief definitely can be filed under. I am also back at The Times next month, but the big news is that I have been kept on at the magazine (SHOP) I have been interning at since the beginning of Dec. I am still doing intern duties but have also been writing as a freelancer and am surrounded by the nicest people! So it looks like a move to Putney is on the horizon...London life is officially underway! (woop woop). 

Over-the-knee

Coat: Topshop 

Polo neck: c/o pop couture (old) 

Skirt: Zara (old)

Boots: Asos 

Clutch: Topshop

This outfit pretty much combines all my A/W14 loves: camel coats, faux fur accessories, polo necks and my beloved over-the-knee boots. At £50 these Asos babies were a total steal- the other pairs I had been looking at from the likes of Topshop were well over £100. I love how versatile they are too; you can wear them with skirts and dresses or pair them with jeans, a tee and blazer for casual office chic like I did today in the Style office. 
And how about this BAG?!!! It really is like carrying a teddy bear around with me everywhere- he is so cute and fluffy and delicious. Faux fur is huge this season, and investing in a cute scarf or clutch such as this one makes the trend easy and accessible. 
Last and certainly not least, there's my Topshop oversized camel coat. 4 years ago I bought a camel coat in the Topshop sale when I worked in the Reading store, and a few months ago I threw it out- it was battered and I didn't see the camel trend coming back. But to my sheer delight and utter glee it did, so it was time for an upgrade. The camel coat is so on trend and yet classic and timeless; I really believe if you buy one now it will last you years to come regardless of what is showcased on the catwalk. 
In more general news, this weekend I went to see The Phantom of the Opera with my Mumma and had a posh dinner at The Criterion. I then spent my Sunday browsing Spitalfields market and eating huge American sandwiches; it was all good. I also had my hair cut much shorter last week by the lovely Harriet at Ena Salon in Holborn. She made it look awesome and I'm really pleased with the length and shape even though having quite a bit chopped off put the fear of bejesus into me initially. Last but not least, my time at The Sunday Times Style is coming to an end which makes me really sad, but I'm definitely looking forward to working at The Times on the fashion desk in a few weeks :) 

The 'When did it get so cold?' Winter Wishlist

Is it just me or has it got exceptionally cold in, like, an exceptionally short amount of time? Just a week or two ago I was revelling in the fact that I could still get my legs out and not catch a chill...fast forward to now and my thought process has evolved into 'just how many layers can I fit under this lightweight trench before I have to invest in an actual seasonal coat?!'  The winter chill has crept up so fast that I feel a little taken off guard and unprepared clothing wise. However, in all honesty, when you're job hunting and on intern-rates, money for shopping splurges can run a little dry. For this reason, I have promised myself not to go crazy this winter and to pick out some key pieces I aim to hunt down (however, true to form, the pieces I've pulled are not the thriftiest of choices so it's not exactly win-win). 

On to the pieces:
1. An oversized long line camel coat like this Topshop one, as well as this gorgeous Asos Cocoon version. 

2. A new leather jacket (my current one was bought about 6 years ago and is well and truly battered beyond repair). I like this Zara real leather jacket, or this cheaper faux Topshop option. 

3. Lots of faux fur accessories- scarves to keep me warm and clutches just because...Black scarf here, cream scarf here (this bag sold out I think- lots of options on Asos or Topshop though!). 

4. A pair of over-the-knee heeled booties, I love this Topshop pair in black and grey. 

5. Roll necks, roll necks, roll necks: wear alone, layer underneath things; the choices are endless. Roll necks are a great way to turn your summer dresses into early winter transitional pieces. I love these Gap Merino wool jumpers. 

6. A colourful suited co-ord like these Asos beauties (green here & here and grey here & here). 


What's on your wishlist for this season?