Pretty In Pink

There’s something I’ve just always loved about faux fur coats. They keep you super warm in the chilly northern winter, and you really can’t beat them for adding a touch of glamour or nostalgia to any outfit.

I have a small collection now of different styles, some being more classically vintage, mid-length ‘Narnia’ style coats, and some fluffier, shorter cut jackets. They’ve all been pretty classic in colour, and so recently I’ve been finding myself lusting after something different.

I was having a little shopping trip a couple of months back and popped in to one of my favourite highstreet stores Zara, and instantly spotted this gorgeous pink coat.

As soon as I put it on I fell absolutely in love with it. It feels really high quality, it’s super soft to touch, and has that lovely drape and weight to it like a real vintage one would.

I’d just started my new job at the time so thought I should wait to buy it, but unfortunately it sold out. So I was delighted to find the outerwear discounted on Black Friday making it around £70.

I’ve only worn it a couple of times but have been styling it with frayed hem jeans, paper thin knitwear, a clashing baker boy hat and bucket bag for a real seventies, nostalgia vibe.

I love how eye catching it is with its ice cream tone, and I really like to clash that with other popping colour such as reds and oranges. It also looks great with darker colours and in particular khaki, and prints including leopard too.

If I were to dress it up it would look great with tailored retro mini dresses and a red lip for a classic, Lady Penelope style look, or with something long and floaty, paired with metallic silver ankle boots for a more bohemian feel.

It embodies everything I love in a faux fur coat, in that it looks expensive, is eye catching and can be worn with practically anything. It’s definitely going to be be one of my year-on-year winter wardrobe staples!

Kate xx

Metallic Midi Must-Have

A big hi there and hello to you! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

For my first post of 2017 I thought I’d show you one of my favourite outfits that I received and wore over the festive period to celebrate with family.

Now I adore a good midi skirt, they’re great for giving your outfits a retrospective feel but can still be made contemporary when paired with the right shoes and top.

For example sometimes if I’m feeling like I want something fresh and grungy I will opt for a band tee and converse to give my look a bit of an edge. Sometimes I like to style them classically vintage the way our grandmothers would have worn them mid-1900s, so I pair it with my Orla Kiely t-bar sandals for a bit of 50s classic prep. Alternatively, like my outfit below, I have tried to make this skirt a bit more boho by loosely tucking in a chiffon floaty top and my platform clogs.

I have literally been looking for a khaki green midi for a good year, and although I did want something netted (hit me up if you know where to buy the perfect one), I fell in love with this one because of it’s crazy cool, iridescent, metallic sheen.

The style of it does remind me of something my granny would have worn back in the day with its razor-sharp pleats, but the fabric gives it a real edge to make a casual outfit bolder and adds a standout sparkle at social events.

I paired it with this rather lovely floral top just to add a contrasting texture to the outfit and make it less clean cut, as I don’t generally like to look too polished, though I did tuck it in to give me more of my a waistline (as I am quite small and tend to drown in shifty shapes.)

I’d definitely say the metallic skirt is one of this season’s must-have’s because of it’s incredible versatility and the fact that it suits a lot of different aesthetics too.

If you want to get your hands on this pleated wonder you can pick it up from cheap-as-chips highstreet store, Primarni, in both khaki and silver. I’m not 100% on the price as it was a gift, but with it being Primark I’m certain it was around the 10-£15 mark, so it doesn’t break the bank either!

Thanks for reading!

love,

Kate xx

 

Big Up the Vintage Box Bag

Afternoon lovely people!

I’d like to take the time to tell you about one of my favourite accessories at the moment which is both stylish and uber practical… the box bag.

Originally popular back in the sophisticated era of the 1950’s, these compact square bags are just as handy and stylish today, they are big enough to fit in all your essentials and small enough to carry in your hand or hang off your shoulder without breaking your back.

I purchased my retro leather number from highstreet royalty Zara and what’s great about this box bag in particular is that it has two compartments to it. In one section you can store the long strap if you want to use the smaller handle, and can use the other for your bits and bobs, or alternatively, you can fill both and carry more if you use the long strap.

What personally drew me to this particular bag was it’s stunning leaf green colour which is bang on trend this season, so gives it a modern update, but it is also a hue which looks a bit more retrospective and aged because of it’s earthiness rather than some of the pastel pinks out there at the moment.

I also really loved the ditsy patterned material wrapped and tied around the main handle giving it a bit of a bohemian vibe which I adore, and it also adds some more texture to the very linear, clean aesthetic. The bonus is if you’re having a bad hair day and don’t happen to have a hair band to hand you have a lovely hair accessory just waiting to adorn your tresses too.

They are definitely a bag style to make a statement of, and quite honestly I can say that as a recent Uni graduate I can’t generally splurge on fast fashion, so I tend to look for styles and prints that are going to be a staple in my wardrobe and won’t really date. Therefore, I like to buy accessories which are of a classic, timeless style which will suit many an occasion and outfit, and this Zara bag is just that.

If you’re anything like me and are on a budget I’d definitely recommend this bag and box bags in general if you’re looking for a small investment piece which can both glam up an outfit and can be worn as a practical alternative to your bog standard leather saddle bag without scrimping on your retro style.

Kate xx

 

First Post

Hi there lovely people!

I’d just like to take a moment to introduce myself and welcome you to Styled by Kate Wears. I’m Kate (enthusiastically waves hand), a full-time ginger, crazy fashion enthusiast from North East England.

Ever since being a little girl I have been completely obsessed with clothes. I would read glossy magazines like vogue and swoon over their elaborate fashion stories, where style was limitless and the garments on those pages were like whimsical costumes which could only be dreamed of in fairy tales.

More than 15 years later and I am a graduate of Fashion Journalism and reporting on and discussing fashion is basically what I love to do. I decided to set up this blog because I absolutely adore styling and photography and have been an active Instagrammer for a few years now. I haven’t written about fashion in a few months, since I left uni really because I’ve been focusing on other things, and I really miss it. Fashion for me, like so many, is like therapy. It is often said that money can’t buy happiness and in the most part I think that’s true, but I have seen people who are having a bad day, and they are about to give up until they try on that one item of clothing that just makes their face light-up. They have found an outfit that makes them feel confident and in that moment, in that dress or leather jacket or high heels, they feel like they are a new person who can conquer the world. If I could help one person to feel like that from reading one of my posts then I will have achieved my goal.

I want  to create a place where I can discuss my latest musings and work, not only sharing pictures of outfits and shoots I have styled/photographed, but to also dispense any fashion advice that I may have and talk about how to get the seasons trends and how make them your own. I am also a huge history enthusiast. My personal style is very much based on past era’s and I have a huge love for vintage clothing. So you can also expect to find a few posts about vintage fashion and how to recreate certain looks from different era’s in time, today.

It’s always a little bit scary starting a new website but I’m excited for a new adventure talking about the thing I love most and I do hope you like reading it.

Love,

Kate xx