This is my second look in the Forever 21 Declare Your Style campaign (for a refresher on what it’s all about and how you could help me win the $10,000 donation for a local charity see my first post). This is my favourite outfit of all three, as you all know by now how much I love a bodycon dress worn casually with boots for the daytime. I don’t know why, but I just find it so cool and easy, and sexy without trying too hard. Forever 21 have the best range of these kinds of ‘I don’t know what to wear’ simple day dresses, and they’re super cheap too. Add a baseball cap and a satchel and you’ve got the perfect look for those days where you want to look good but can’t really be that bothered (to be honest, this is me most days – I’m very low maintenance!).
Hope everyone’s been having a good week so far. I’ve been crazy busy! I never think I can get more busy and then somehow I do. Between writing a new novel, doing publicity for my first book, which is out in less than a month now (less than a month!), working, blogging, and organising my book launch party, there’s barely any time left for anything else! But I’m so glad I’m living my dream. And hey – there’s always next year to rest, right? 😉
I’ve been hinting on Twitter about a super secret project we’ve worked on with one very big brand. Well the time has come! We’re finally able to announce all the details! As you might have guessed from the post title, the brand we’ve been working with is Forever 21. They’re one of my go-brands for super affordable clothing, specialising in basics and twists on classic pieces, and for the back to school months they’ve got a really handy new initiative.
For three weeks in August and September, Forever 21 will offer a bundle of items each week called Threebies to buy from their stores. These bundles have a few special outfit items that hit key AW trends, allowing you to get the look for less – you won’t believe the prices. This week’s look launches in UK stores on the 30th August, so there’s a little while until you’ll be able to get a hold of these items, but make sure you add the date to your calendars. Read on to see how we got involved …
To celebrate the launch of their Threebies, Forever 21 asked a few top international bloggers from the US, Canada, Japan, France, Mexico and China – and of course the UK, which we’re representing! – to take part in the Declare Your Style Campaign. Each blogger was sent the Threebies to style up in their own way . Then, every week, our looks will be hosted on the Forever 21 Facebook page for fans to vote on. At the end of the three weeks, whichever blogger has the most amount of votes will win a donation to their chosen local charity to the sum of a phenomenal 10,000 US dollars! $10,000! I can’t get over that.
All charities involved will get a smaller donation, but it would mean so much to me to be able to give London-based charity Kids Company the full $10,000. Kids Company offers practical, emotional and educational support to vulnerable inner-city children, supporting 18,000 children across London, including the most deprived and at risk whose parents are unable to care for them due to their own practical and emotional challenges. If you’d like to help me give Kids Company the donation they deserve, head on over to Forever 21’s Facebook page now and vote for my look!
You can read an interview with me and the other bloggers on the Forever 21 blog. I discuss my worst school fashion moment, what a typical day in my life is like, and which is my favourite school movie! And if you want a naughty sneak peek of the outfits to come over the three Threebie weeks, check out the the video below …
P.S. You might have noticed that these photos are a bit different to our usual ones. That’s because Callum was away in New York when we needed this set of photos shot, so I worked instead with lovely photographer couple Lucy and Nate from We Resolve. These young newlyweds were a delight to shoot with, and I’m so pleased with the pictures. Oxford was such a great backdrop for a back-to-school themed shoot! It’s always nice to have a bit of a change now and then, but Lucy was sure to mimic Callum’s style as we needed the photos to fit in with the rest of the blog, and then Callum finished them off with a bit of editing.
Lucy and Nate work mainly as wedding photographers, but if you’ve got any event you need shooting, do get in touch with them! They’re such a pleasure to work with. You can find them on their website or Facebook page. x
We’re having some strange weather here in the UK. One minute it’s stormy, rain lashing down, thunder rumbling in the distance, and the next minute the sun is out again and the sky beautifully clear. Luckily, dressing for this type of unsettled weather is something we Brits are good at, as we’re so used to it! I live in jumpers day to day, and with a pair of light leggings or jeans, they’re the best way to get around changeable weather. This mint jumper from Topshop was a bit of a treat to myself a few weeks ago, and I’ve been practically living in it since. I just adore the colour. You can never really go wrong with a bit of mint!
How great are my boots too? These are actually gardening wellies from Hunter, but I’ve been wearing them as a pair of normal boots. They’re part of a collaboration collection between Hunter and the Royal Horticultural Society, and the exclusive prints have been designed from artwork dating as far back as 1750. How cool is that! I think these little boots are the cutest thing to spruce up a plain outfit like this, and they’re waterproof too! I’ve also got to mention my new shades as these were the product us Take 10 bloggers were challenged to style. I find it so difficult to find sunnies that really suit my face shape, but these Rayban 2140-901 sunglasses are just perfect for me (or at least, I think so! Do let me know if I look like a complete idiot).
Check out the other girls’ gorgeous looks below! x
Gilly Hicks is my new favourite store crush. Now, hear me out – I swear I can hear some of you tutting! I can understand why a lot of people avoid the Abercrombie & Fitch conglomerate like the plague, but while I don’t shop in A&F myself (mainly because of how expensive it is), it’s little siblings Hollister and Gilly Hicks have become two of my favourite shops. Their clothes are super good quality, and the price points are just right. Actually, they’re often a lot cheaper than you’d expect, especially Gilly Hicks. I went for a little shop in their Regent Street store and came away with two bras which were only £15 or so each! Another thing I love about them is their use of colour. Their clothes come in the most gorgeous array of colour combos and prints, and I always pop on one of their pieces if I’m needing a little pick me up that day.
You might have seen me styling a Gilly Hicks top a few weeks back with jeans and a pair of silver stilletos, but today’s outfit is all about easy breezy casualness for every day summer and holiday wear. There’s nothing more you want when exploring a Mediterranean city (these pics were shot at Plaza de Espana in Seville on mine and Callum’s mini break there) than something light to keep you cool in the heat. Plus, how can you not smile when wearing a pair of neon shorts and a bright green top? When I’m on holiday I also layer a few bracelets for that festival style, and here I’ve got on my Cinderela B Liberty wrap bracelet and a chunky rope Bimba and Lola number. My mum bought it as a present for me and I love it – it’s so unusual but super cute. x
