NE Style Smart revamp!

I'm back!!

Well readers, if you are still there after my 7 month absence, thank you very much, but if you're not, who can blame you?  Whilst I am sure some of you were relieved that I have stopped clogging up your newsfeeds on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ with my ramblings about fashion, I feel that I owe an explanation for my impromptu disappearance to those of you who have continued to remind me that I haven’t blogged for a while, as if I wasn't aware of this.

My disappearance has been down to two things.  Firstly, I got a new job; no I did not replace a certain stony faced women at American Vogue, but it was a career goal so I felt that it deserved my full attention.  The second was that I bought a house, and for those of you out there who have gone through this hideous process, you will be able to appreciate why my blog has been neglected.
Since my life has had somewhat of a revamp in the last 7 months I feel that it is only appropriate that my NE StyleSmart should too!

My first love will always be fashion but as my life is evolving (a PC way to describe getting older!) I just don’t have the money or the time to spend every weekend buying new clothes.  I now have a house to decorate, a garden to maintain, a job that I actually enjoy and let's not forget the husband! 

Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t to say that I am a nest of tables away from middle aged hell (for those of you who don't know - I wasn’t until I bought a house - these are essentially the Russian doll of the table world; smaller tables within tables) only ever to be used when guests need to somewhere to put their cup of tea! I also nearly came out in hives on a recent trip to the local retail park, where I nearly suffocated in a sea of linen trousers and ¾ length shorts. 

Fashion will still feature heavily on my blog, it just won’t be the only thing.  You can expect to see interior design, food, pubs, days out and events, but one thing that hasn’t changed and will never change is where all of this is happening and that is Newcastle Upon Tyne!

OOTD Fun on the Farm

One of the things that you may not know about me, my lovely readers, is my love of pigs.  It’s definitely not something that you assume about me, what with my love of fashion and the city, but I am slightly obsessed by them and I have been desperate to go to a farm and visit some.  Another new fact about me is that I am now a Godmother so I can have a trip to children friendly places with my beautiful Goddaughter Georgie without looking a tad out of place, so on a recent day out I was able to incorporate three of my favourite things; Georgie, Pigs, and of course Fashion.

I decided to go for farmer chic with a bit of inspiration from Made in Chelsea’s Millie Mackintosh; if anyone can look stylish in the country it’s Millie. I thought she looked amazing for a visit to the farm for a Christmas turkey, although not sure if Rosie the turkey agreed.

I am a huge fan of Wellies which is ironic for a number of reason, firstly that I am most definitely a city girl; I itch if am not within a mile of a local Starbucks and I live in Jesmond which for those of you who don’t know is a suburban bubble, where there is very little requirement for wellies.  I would love a pair of Hunter wellies, however I don’t feel that I can really justify the £80 price tag to walk through sodden leaves.  I have always preferred classic green wellies and I love how these wellies are not full length which avoids the dreaded calf burn. 

The perfect trousers to go with wellies have to be Skinny Jeans or Jeggings.  To be honest it’s very rare I wear Jeggings but they work a lot better if you are tucking trousers into boots, as long as they are worn with a long top, to cover one’s modesty.  I decided to go with navy Jeggings as I wanted my outfit to be classic country with a city twist.

A check shirt is a wardrobe staple and I will defy any girl that tells you she doesn’t have one.  They are ideal for a lazy day, a cover up on holiday or in my case a trip out into the country.  What is great about this check shirt is that the tie at the back so you can either wear it loose or nip it in at the waist for a more feminine effect.

I accessorised my outfit with a fur Gillet, my loyal khaki Fedora and a navy and white check Handbag.

OOTD Disney Cool

This outfit is made up of some of my favourite pieces so it seemed fitting that I wore this for one of my favourite person's birthday night out.  I wanted to wear something that was cool, fun and not too dressy.  It was also freakishly warm so I decided to wear my white blazer for one of it’s last outings of 2013.

This year I seem to have developed a fetish for all things white.  I have bought white Jeans, white Cigarette Pants and this white Blazer with cropped sleeves form Primark for £7 in the sale, and yes I am aware of the irony of the words Primark and sale being in the same sentence.  White is so simple, sophisticated and can add style to any outfit, but be wary if you are a klutz!  A stained white garment is not a good look!

I bought this Mickey Mouse T-shirt from Topshop a few years ago and I have to admit that it was a Carrie Bradshaw inspired purchase.  I saw her wearing a Mickey Mouse T-shirt in the episode where she introduces Berger to her friends; yep you remember it, and I had to have one.  This t-shirt is so versatile.  I can wear it with anything and dress it up or down.  I think this would look great with dungarees and a pair of bright stiletto heels.  Now if only I could get on board with dungarees.

My Faux PU Leather Skirt if also from Topshop and this was a craze that I developed last year and if I’m completely honest has carried on until this year.  I am on the lookout for a leather dress so any suggestions please let me know!  I love this skirt!  It is cute and edgy at the same time; looking great with either biker boots or kitten heels. 

These suede black loafers from Primark are probably one of the best ten pounds that I have ever spent.  They are super stylish, comfy and go with almost everything in my wardrobe.  They are Gucci inspired but unfortunately the £300 plus price tag for the Horse Hair Bit Gucci Loafer is a bit out of my reach!

My khaki Fedora Hat from Topshop needs no introduction as I'm sure you've seen it in many of my previous posts and I'm sure it will be in many more to come as I adore it and will wear this at any opportunity I get.

OOTD Tesco Tartan

I absolutely adore tartan and I was far too excited to see it all over the Autumn/Winter 2013 trends.  I was hoping to inherit my grans tartan blazer but unfortunately this has been given to the charity shop so I had no other choice than to purchase some tartan attire myself.

I have chosen this super cute tartan skirt from Tesco's F&F range at the bargain price of £18.  It is so comfy and I really love the length; just above the knee but not too short that I can't wear it to work.

I have teamed this with a black fitted top with sequin detail on the shoulders which is also from F&F.  I bought this years ago and it has served me very well.  It is my top equivilent of the little black dress.  If I'm ever having a 'fat day' or want to dress up a pair of jeans this never fails; sequins and black are a life saver.

My boots are from New Look and these are another trusty purchase.  They can be quite painful to walk in but they are totally worth it, and the buckles on the side add to the punky vibe of the tartan skirt.

 

My leather black bomber jacket is from Primark, and I do love when trends are recycled and I can bring out old favourites; it also makes my bank balance look a lot healthier.

I really wanted to find a black bag to go with this outfit, but I discovered on my most recent shopping spree (posts coming soon) I really don't like black bags so again I've brought out an old favourite.  This velvet turqoise shoulder bag is from H&M and I think, if my memory serves me correctly, it was about £25.  Not only is the bag perfect and it fits everything in, but due to the amount of compliments I get on it and the amount of family members that have tried to steal this, it is a great mood lifter.

Celeb Style - Gwen Stefani

The only introduction I can give this woman is that of being one of THE most stylish women on the planet.

Since blasting onto the mainstream music scene in 1996 as the lead singer and co-founder of the hugely successful NO DOUBT, with the super catchy Don’t Speak, Gwen Stefani has shown that there is nothing that she can’t do or wear.  Covering a diverse range of music genres with NO DOUBT including ska, rock and electronica, and then going solo to create unexpected, yet critically acclaimed pop albums; Love Angel Music Baby and The Sweet Escape. Stefani also created the clothing line L.A.M.B, stared as Jean Harlow in The Aviator alongside Leonardo Dicaprio, all whilst being a wife to Gavin Rossdale, the lead singer of British band Bush, and a mother of two to Kingston and Zuma.

Gwen Stafani’s clothes have been as eclectic as her career.  The famous check trousers and crop tops, beanie hats, the 'harajuku girls' inspired outfits, grown-up grunge, couture gowns; influencing her own fashion label L.A.M.B, and who could forget THAT wedding dress.  Designed by John Galliano and has since been housed at the V&A museum.  Only Stefani would manage to pull off a wedding dress with a dipped in pink hem and train.

Here are some of my favourite looks.

Check Trousers and Crop Top

Tartan AW 13 Trend

Grown-up Grunge

Glamming up a Beanie Hat

Fishtail Couture

THAT Wedding Dress by John Galliano - WOW

Who is your celeb style crush?

Winter Hats

This is my first requested post and I am truly honored that my opinion on fashion, something that I love so much, is appreciated.  Therefore I dedicate this post to Rosie Bain, the women who once dared to challenge me to a 'hat off'.  Rosie told me that she loved hats more than I did, although I'm still not convinced by her claim!.

I think hats are an all year round accessory but to some they are simply something to keep your head warm in the winter months.  Even if you think this I dare you not to fall in love with this seasons hats.  Beanies, Bobble hats, Floppy hats, Pork Pie hats, Bowler and my old favourite the Fedora are all over the high street, and they can be sure to add a stylish twist to your outfit and some cavity insulation for your brain.

Take a look at my favourites below.

Left to Right, Black Porter Hat £14 Next, Burgundy Mohair Mix Wool Bobble Hat £5.99 New Look, Faux Fur Cossack Hat £12 Next, Grey Bowler Felt Hat £14.99 New Look, M&S Tweed Baker Boy Hat £15 (My favourite), Catazari ASOS Colour Block Clouche Hat £35, Knitted Crown Clouche £29 Accessorize, Kate Belted Fedora Hat £29 Accessorize.

I have to admit I am most excited about the return of the Baker Boy Hat, very Dickensian; see Alexa Chung's most recent Vogue shoot.  It also reminds me of my first days at university where my obsession began.  It was freshers week, my loan had cleared and there really was no stopping me.  Off to Accessorize I ran (with money I am still paying back today) and bought a woollen woven blue, grey and cream baker boy hat.  Unfortunately after a few return stints living at home with my Mam I fear that the hat ended up in a charity shop bag; at least its loss was an accidental good deed.  It does however need replacing, and this is the season to do it.  I can't wait to wear this with high waisted wide-leg trousers, a shirt and braces.

So what will be keeping your head warm this winter?

Autumnal Saviours

It's that time of year again, the awkward summer/autumn transition. Too hot for your winter woolies but too cold for summer straps.  Knowing what to wear when it can be glorious sunshine when you leave the house, but a torrential downpour when you get to work can be a nightmare.  This is why I have put together my summer to autumn saviours and my favourites for this season.

Layering
This has to be the most valuable summer to autumn look.  You are guaranteed to be prepared for any weather eventuality.  Think vests, tees, camis with denim and check shirts, or cardigans.  Jumpers over dresses can transform an already seen dress into a deceiving jumper shirt outfit.

ASOS Fluffy Bomber Cardigan £40

Footwear
Ballet pumps and slippers are living on borrowed time at this point in the fashion calender.  An imminent downpour can give a very damp start to the day with wet feet.  It's now about covered footwear and this season has some great Loafers, Brogues and Chelsea boots on offer; all of which I intend to purchase!

Dark Red Chunky Chelsea Boots £54.00 New Look

Summer Scarves
Summer scarves can add a splash of colour to any outfit and are so stylish, think back to the floral scarf given to Princess Grace of Monaco by Gucci.  Also if you are like me they help keep the tonsilitis at bay; at least there is a stylish way to do this!

Floral Square Dark Scarf £16.00 Topshop

Denim Jackets
I often find this time of year can be too warm for a leather jacket so I find a classic denim jacket or blazer is perfect.  They will go great with summer dresses and Chelsea boots or with camel coloured chino's and a striped tee.

ASOS Denim Jacket in vintage with Boring lining and Collar £55.00

Dress/Smocks
I have mentioned before that I wear dresses more in the winter than the summer, which is a bit bizarre, but I do love to layer.  This year I am loving smocks.  I'm going to pair these with loafers and if I'm feeling daring enough knee high socks; and if the sun makes a rare appearance I can always whip them off.  I couldn't decide on my favourite

ASOS Smock Dress in Patchwork £36.00

ASOS Smock Dress in Check with Colour £36

 What will you be wearing this Autumn?