Spots & Dots

(Wearing: Vintage blouse and necklace, Vivienne Westwood Anglomania skirt, Chanel shoes, Primark socks)

I didn't realise how spotty and dotty I was until I saw the photos! It is a shame the details of the blouse didn't show up in the over-flash as it has paler spots in white. The blouse is unusual as it looks pink in some lights and peach in others so I am never entirely sure what colour it is. I am also wearing my favorite vintage necklace a triple strand chunky gold chain, perfect for adding a bit of bulk to an overly pretty outfit.
When I was in the first year of Infant school we had a fancy dress box with a proper 80's poofy bridesmaid dress, to enable us 5 year old's to dress up in it, the teacher had altered it and also made a separate skirt of the inches hacked off the bottom. We called it the 'twirly skirt' as it was wonderfully flared and spun out when you twirled around it in. This Dirndl skirt reminds me of it very much. It is actually quilted at the hem and fairly stiff to keep the shape.
Right I'm off to do some twirling,
do you have any child hood clothing memories?
Pearl

A Sunny Afternoon

(Wearing: Vintage dress, clutch and necklace, Vivienne Westwood tights and shoes)

It was randomly super hot on Sunday and I ended up in one of those I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR tantrums, the ensuing closet massacre is still all over my bedroom. I decided to raid my shop instead, where I pulled out this dress. I had originally bought it for myself but got it home to be gutted the length was so short, I really only like knee length or longer dresses. Not that I have hideous knees or anything and I can get away with shorter lengths they just don't feel quite me. I have been looking out for some lace trim slips to solve this kind of problem, but remembered I had these crop tights which I tried it with, they seemed to work ok.

I'm still not sure if I should keep the dress or let it go to another home.
Any tips on solving the length issue?
Pearl

Cheap Tricks

(Wearing: Vintage skirt, Primark top and belt, Prada faux fur stole, Chanel shoes, Mulberry clutch)

I bought this vintage navy pleated skirt from eBay for about £1, however it was miles too big around the waist. Since I had paid so little for it I didn't then want to have to pay for it to be tailored so I got a bit creative.

Nail colour Mimosa by Chanel

I made two slits in the waist band and threaded a thin belt though, I then ruched the skirt along the belt so only the end and the buckle were visible. This allowed me to cinch in the waist.

I decided I liked the look of the tan belt with the skirt so I cut out two sections along each side to reveal more of the belt. I also chopped off a few inches from the hem, the fabric being strong enough to cope with a raw edge.

The belt on the sides

The belt from the front

The raw hem

I added a mani/pedi in bright yellow to contrast the pink and navy, shame it doesn't show up too well in the photo's. I love it when a plan comes together, believe me the amount of DIY roadkill I have created would make you weep.
Pearl

P.S Don't forget to join me on Facebook, I have been adding lots of photo albums and look books and even the odd fashion quiz - this weeks is regarding what you want to read about during fashion week - show reviews? who wore what? Nothing at all because it is boring?? You tell me!

Cardigan Weather

(Wearing: Zara cardi and skirt, Lanvin H&M t-shirt, Pierre Hardy shoes, vintage necklace. Excuse the woeful blogger post it was actually really windy and this was the best photo of the lot!)

Not the most exciting fashion item I know, but cardigans are having a moment. In particular 'proper' cardigans, you know the thick, knitted type your parents used to inflict upon you as a child, the ones your dad probably wears. Well all of a sudden they are cool again. You can opt for the traditional Aran knit, collage letter man style, thin jersey, basically the rule is if you would have rejected it for being untrendy last year, then this year it is in. Got it?
I don't often wear cardi's other than as an extra layer below my jacket, in fact I only had one until a few months ago - plain black, thin knit. As we have had such on/off weather lately though cardigans have become my new friend. Perfect for pulling out of your bag when it gets chilly unexpectedly and they don't crease up like jackets.
As I have started to pay more attention to this much neglected item, I have been seeing them in a new light, there are so many different types. Yes, some for day but also evening cardigans with waterfall hems and even sequins.
Confess, is your love for cardigans secret or out and proud?
Pearl

How to Look Cocktail Fabulous in 5 minutes

Want to know how to look cocktail fabulous in 5 minutes?

My answer - Throw Some Sequins at it! For real, should you want to say 'Pearl cocktails in 5 minutes' I will be there in a flash. I can grab a number of sequined garments and with a slick of lippy be at the bar with a Harvey Wall Banger before most people have even opened the wardrobe door.
I haven't always been this good, in fact any event that required me to wear something other than my everyday attire would have me hurling myself on the floor with sobs of 'I have NOTHING to wear'!!!!! I know I am not alone in this and I know it surprises people when I confess too that evening wear gets me frazzled. Granted most of my daily outfits are OTT enough for evening anyway but it is the properly dressed up part that gets me. Well it did until I discovered my friend the sequin. Dresses are of course the easiest thing as it is pretty much the whole outfit in one, but I do love a sequin top too with a simple black skirt or trousers.


(Wearing: Vintage dress and clutch, Chanel boots)


(Wearing: Vintage top and clutch, Vivienne Westwood skirt, Christian Louboutin shoe)

Because I know how annoying it is when someone says 'oh it's vintage' as that means hours searching around, check out Very's gorgeous cocktail dresses. The have a huge selection of sequined numbers some very vintage in style, here are a few that caught my eye whilst having a quick browse.

Love Label £75, Fuse by Preen £17, French Connection £82.59

What is your party trick?
Pearl

Budget Fashion: Orange Blush #3

This is the final look in my TK Maxx Summer fashion series, 3 outfits for £50 each (See Look #1 and Look #2). TK Maxx had literally hundreds of beautiful summer dresses any style, any colour and pattern you could ever imagine. The first thing that caught my eye about the dress I chose was the colour, orange has to be the 'must have' colour this season, there is no denying it is everywhere. I also wanted to see if I could get something designer into the challenge, I was surprised to find that part really easy. Where else can you get designer for £50!

As I had come in under budget on the first two outfits I figured maybe I could get away with being a tiny bit over budget with this one.

I am wearing:
Dress by Luella RRP £545 reduced to £54
Hat from previous outfit Look #1
Jacket and shoes my own
Total £54

As with all the pieces I have chosen in these posts this dress is a really versatile piece. Dress it up with pretty heels, down with sandals and denim.
We decided to create each look with an LA summer style theme, to me Kate Bosworth is the ultimate LA girl. Her outfits are always so perfectly relaxed yet there is always a specially tailored or unique aspect to them. She is a huge fan of orange too. I have uploaded some of the inspirational images I used for this shoot on to my face book page for you all. Check out the TK Maxx Facebook page too, they are always having giveaways.
Pearl

Budget Fashion: Leopard Rock Look #2

Here is Look #2 in my Summer Outfits for £50 from TK Maxx (See part #1 here if you missed it). This look was inspired by the the casual cool, slightly rock chic vibe of Nicole Ritchie, Sienna Miller and Kate Moss. I chose this striking leopard print chiffon blouse for its beautiful floaty style, a versatile piece you could dress up as much as I have dressed it down. The trilby style straw hat was a must for that nonchalant laid back edge. Finished off with a glam pair of sequin sandals.


I am wearing:
Blouse by TNFC London RRP £39.00 TK Maxx price £19.99
Hat by French Connection RRP £35 TK Maxx price £12.99
Sandals £6.99
(Jeans & bracelet my own)
Total Price: £39.97

This would make a great outfit for going on holiday, you could travel in it paired with jeans, wear the hat and blouse over your bikini for pool side chic, or loose the hat and add some heels for cocktails on the town. Budget and light packing in one!

Don't forget to check out my facebook page, I have uploaded a new inspiration album for this post,
Pearl

Budget Fashion: Jump for Joy Look #1

As we have been talking about both bargain fashion and shopping ethically, a call from TK Maxx came at exactly the right time. As you know by now I am a huge fan of the company and they tick all the boxes for ethic, bargain and quality fashion. In fact you should check out their website which has a clear, easy to read section on their environmental considerations. TK Maxx offer the latest trends and new season stock at lower than recommended retail price, they do this as they work directly with the brands and designers so they can offer such reasonable prices. They also offer past season stock but only on designer classic, key pieces which will not date - I can vouch for that, I have a wardrobe full of pieces from the store. This is called their Gold Label collection. You can see why I love the them, I can get beautiful designer pieces and my high street must haves all at lower prices whilst still being ethical, what's not to love!

The guys over at TK Maxx wondered if I might be interested in styling up some of their new season stock to hit the rails. Of course I jumped at the chance to be able to show you exactly the kind of things they have on offer. We decided to style up three outfits with a budget of £50 each. So for the next 3 days you will be seeing TK Maxx's hottest fashions! The theme being cool girl LA style, think Kate Bosworth, Sienna Miller, Agyness Deyn, Kate Moss, Nicole Ritchie all soaking up the sun at Coachella - only with me in the little less sunny UK.



I am wearing:
Jumpsuit by Ultra pink £19.99
Wide brim hat by Failsworth RRP £20 TK Max price £9.99
Clutch bag by Modapelle £10.00 reduced from £12.99
(All other accessories my own)
Total cost: £39.98

I also feel the need to comment on the quality of the pieces. Every single thing you wouldn't blink at if you saw it priced higher in a different shop. The jumpsuit was fully lined and the material heavy enough to drape correctly. The straw hat was beautifully made in the UK by a long established UK company called Failsworth, who happen to manufacture in Failsworth too. The clutch bag with its pretty embroidery would be one to pull out year after year.

I chose the jumpsuit for its dainty floral print and wide leg trouser, perfect for day or evening wear. Summer is all about the hat, there are so many styles around but the wide brimmed 70s vibe is really strong this season. I choose the tie-dye clutch for its vibrant colours against the neutral tones of the rest of the outfit and the hippy chic festival feel.
I hope you like my choice, the next outfit will be posted tomorrow. In the mean time if you want to check out TK Maxx's Superbrands Summer collection it is now online as well as in stores.
Pearl


(Disclaimer: This was not a sponsored post, I did not receive payment, TK Maxx kindly lent me the clothing samples. I choose to work with the company as I genuinely support them and also thought it would be a fun post)

I also posted an album of LA Summer Style Inspiration on my facebook page featuring celebs and street style!

Budget Fahion: So Pink it Makes my Eyes Hurt

(Wearing: Primark top and clutch, vintage skirt and necklace, Pierre Hardy shoes)

I decided to start a series on 'budget fashion' which kicked off with yesterdays post, will continue throughout this week and then crop up every now and again as a permanent feature on the blog. I like a bargain as much as the next person but you wouldn't always know it. I don't like talking about money, as a society we generally don't discuss salaries. You see a designer item and presume the wearer paid a fortune for it, but it is not necessarily the case. One the other hand you can see someone in a beautiful outfit which may look very expensive but in fact it was not.

Appearances can be deceiving.

I didn't wear this outfit especially for this post, it was just something I wore and afterwards I decided to save it for this series of posts. This is a fairly on trend outfit, the combination of neon top and pleated skirt would please Vogue I am sure. I have seen beautiful Equipment neon pink shirts and the prettiest Whistles pleated skirts, an outfit which would cost you around £300. My Primark top (bought on the blogger meet up) was £8 and my vintage skirt 99p plus £1.50 postage from eBay. I didn't buy then because they wear cheaper versions of the 'trends', I bought them because I liked them best. In fact I bought the skirt last year when the pleated skirt was but a mere sketch in Whistles eye. The top caused much deliberation, I wasn't sure if I wanted neon pink or orange, if I wanted a shirt or a t-shirt. I certainly didn't buy one in every colour just because they were so cheap, it took as much deliberating as a £200 Equipment one would have cost. I would hate to buy something that I would never wear.

The clutch I bought last summer to take on holiday and the necklace another eBay vintage find, I think both were around £4-5. So there you have it sometimes my outfits are expensive, sometimes they are not. Here I am wearing an outfit that cost around £100 - yes including the £700 RRP Pierre Hardy shoes. Like I said I love a bargain.

Pearl,

Don't forget to connect with me on Facebook too, I am uploading lots of rare Chanel images today!

Trouser Thief

(Wearing: Vivienne Westwood belt, Red label shirt and Man Label trousers, Christian Louboutin shoes and Pierre Hardy bag - on loan, thanks mum)

A great tip Vivienne Westwood likes to give is to wear oversized men's clothes. These trousers are from her Man label but you could achieve the same look with any pair of gents trousers. Men's trousers are cut wider on the hips and legs so they give a real 'sailor' pants look on women, a belt is essential to pull in the waist but you could also take them in at the waist for a fitted to loose silhouette.

Attempt at an artistic shoe shot!

This final image is from the Vivienne Westwood Worlds End site with similar loose trousers styled up high and low waistline. Do you like to steal from the boys?
Pearl

Don't forget to find me on Facebook, I've been uploading some more photo's next up is Vivienne Westwood Pirate Boots.

My Stylish Friends

(Wearing: Head to toe Vivienne Westwood - except my mum who is in Chanel apart from her VW t-shirt)

I can't believe it has taken me so long to get these photo's up they were taken a couple of weeks ago on a jaunt to Leeds. Finally the time had come to go and pick up my shoes I had ordered from Vivienne Westwood. I wish I had sneaked a photo of the shoe order book, it is an amazing thing to behold, all the styles, materials and colours you can choose to custom your shoes of choice. VW do stock a selection of the shoes in the more popular styles but the ones I wanted were not available so I had them handmade to order - how exciting!



It has become a bit of a tradition for us all to dress head to toe in Westwood for our days out.

Wanna see the shoes??


Vivienne Westwood Gold Label animal toe courts in black suede.

I have wanted a pair of these shoes for ages, years even so it is very nice to finally get them. Now if it would just stop raining so I could have the chance to wear them!
I have just added a new photo album to my Facebook page featuring the stunning Tracy Emin in a selection of her Westwood looks. Tracy has such a wonderful look, very sexy in a subtle way.
Check it out here:
Pearl

You Have to Question my Sanity: NW Blogger Meet Up Part 2

I just saw this photo Helen took on her blog, this was a dress I tried on but didn't buy. Why? Why did I not buy this dress, when it is obviously amazing??? I guess I was too caught up trying on comedy outfits like the gold leather trousers. Lets hope as usual I am the only person in the world likely to want it and it will still be there later in the week. Might have to go back for that blue jumpsuit too....
I also forgot to mention the amazing marzipan lollies we got in Starbucks, the discovery that I do not suit turbans and the shock when Char pulled out her 'sensible, black work shoes' which where at least 9" peep-toe platforms - you know you belong when you are with fellow bloggers.
Pearl

Reserved for the Bloggers: NW Blogger Meet Up

Saturday was our North West bloggers meet up and what a fabulous day we had! We had a pre-meet-up meet-up first at Walrus one of my favorite places in Manchester for a drink and a delicious Japanese lunch. Then we officially met up at Nexus, arranged by Jacky who sadly couldn't make it, but thank you Jacky it was a great place. Nexus is a homely cafe with mugs of tea and huge slabs of cake. Also big thanks to Helen for arranging the meet up in the first place.



Mrs Bossa making herself at home in this wonderful old armchair which had been lovingly embroidered.

The gang: Zoe from PennyBlossoms, Danielle from a blog from Blackpool, Mrs B from Mrs Bossa does the do, Char from Trexs and tiaras, Helen from Afeitar, Alex from Odd socks and pretty frocks


What I wore: Vintage dress, Ann Demeulemeester jacket, Vivienne Westwood bag, shoes belt.


Beautiful Irregular choice shoes worn by Char and Alex

Now for some silliness involving jumpsuits!

As you can see Mrs B started to melt


Just call us Ant & Dec

Here is my swag from the day a pink top so bright it was hurting my eyes, some vintage sunnies and my new favorite scent Comme des Garcons Wonderwood.

There are more incriminating photos from the days shenanigans but I will leave you to find those of your own accord, (there may be one involving gold leather trousers).

We hope to have another meet up soon, hope you will join us!
Pearl