Last season's dress and a jacket that's so old I can't even remember when I got it... most of us don't have the budget to update our entire wardrobe every year. (Nor do we necessarily want to - I bought this beautiful pink dress from Topshop at the end of last summer, and, due to the typical British weather, never got a chance to wear it, so there's no way I'm getting rid of it any time soon!) Luckily, you can bring last season's outfits straight into 2018 by adding an up-to-the-minute accessory or two, and I've noticed three trends in particular that make such a big impact, they'll make your whole outfit look brand new in seconds.
Accessory Trend 1 - Circle Bags
This is my favourite of the three trends and the one I've chosen to bring this dress and jacket combo up to date. Circle bags are big news for spring and summer 2018 and I love how cute and fun they are. This studded cream circle bag from Topshop is surprisingly practical. It fits in a lot more than you'd think and comes with a long detachable strap so you can wear it cross body if you want to, which is always useful. I love the way it looks with this dress, but the streamlined style and neutral colour mean it should go with just about everything in my wardrobe. These are available all over the high street right now, and if you go for a wicker one, you'll be ticking off two huge 2018 accessory trends in one!
Shop Circle Bags
Accessory Trend 2 - Narrow Sunglasses
With oversized shades having ruled the roost for years, the narrow framed styles that have started cropping up on my Instagram feed in recent months seem very new and different and have definitely grabbed my attention. This is not a trend I've tried yet, and if I'm perfectly honest, I'm not sure if I like it (though with my ridiculously small head it could be a good one for me!) One thing is for sure - narrow sunglasses are very now, and a guaranteed way to bring your wardrobe bang up to date.
Shop Narrow Sunglasses
Accessory Trend 3 -White Shoes
From flats to sandals to cowboy boots, white footwear is all over the place this season. The shoes I'm wearing in these photos are actually last summer's, but inadvertently I seem to be on trend here, as they are both white and espadrille wedges, a shoe style which seems to have carried over to 2018. Yay me! White shoes definitely make an impact, and look lovely and fresh for the spring and summer months. I must admit, I have my eye on a number of pairs. As to how I'm supposed to keep them clean when I'm only too likely to get caught in a rain shower... well, that's a minor detail. What's important is, they're pretty.
Shop White Shoes
Accessories are always so much fun to shop for, and with their power to update last season's outfits and transform your look, they're a worthwhile investment too. Do you need any more excuses? Didn't think so!
What's your favourite accessory trend this season?
Kate x
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How was August for you? Mine has been pretty good, if quite chaotic, with a big family get-together bang in the middle of it. We had a lot of people staying with us, and were hoping for some good weather so that everyone could sit and eat out in the garden. It rained. Typical! Even so, it was lovely to see everyone and the rubbish weather didn't seem to matter in the end.
As always I have a random collection of things I've been loving throughout the month to share with you, so let's get started.
1. Rimmel Kate Super Gel Nail Polish in Gilty Pleasure - Confession - I bought this over a year ago, put it away, and completely forgot about it until recently. I've seen a few people wearing this kind of shade and I'd actually been contemplating going out and buying something similar, so it's a good thing I had a clear out of my nail polishes and found it again. It's the loveliest pale gold metallic polish - the kind of shade you can wear all year round and with every outfit you own. I usually change up my polish every time I do my nails, but for the last few weeks I keep going back to this as I've been enjoying wearing it so much. I don't find that it lasts much more than a couple of days before chipping, even with a top coat, but that just seems to be the way it is with me and nail polish, so it doesn't bother me too much!
2. H&M Wraparound blouse - Annoyingly, this exact blouse doesn't seem to be available any more, but this one and this one are both very similar. I have been loving it for quite a bit longer than just the month of August, but for some reason haven't featured it on the blog before now. For me, it's a much more wearable take on those incredibly popular striped, wraparound blouses with the enormous sleeves that almost seem to fall off the shoulder. Those are beautiful, and I can understand why my Instagram feed has been peppered with them throughout the summer, but if you're petite like me you will understand that the struggle is real when it comes to actually wearing something like that on a day to day basis. Constantly having to tug at and readjust your clothing just isn't cute. This one, however, is so easy to wear and looks just as pretty.
3. H&M Sunglasses - Well, now I'm going to be even more annoying, because not only are these no longer available on the website, I can't find anything remotely similar either. You may, however, still be able to find them in an H&M store. I really love the 70s vibe of these, as well as the dainty gold frames which are ideal for my ridiculously small head. H&M sunglasses are so affordable, and these make a nice change from my usual aviator style. They go with everything, but seem to work best with flowing dresses and big hair.
4. 3ina Shiny Lipstick in 200 - There's just something about bright, glossy lips in the summer that I really love, and this pretty lipstick from 3ina ticks all the right boxes. Somewhere in between a hot pink and a light berry in colour, it's one of those products that makes you look like you've made an effort with your makeup even when you're hardly wearing anything else. It's pigmented enough to pack a punch but not so much that it's difficult to apply, and it's become a bit of a go to for me throughout August. All you need is a bit of foundation, some sunglasses and this lipstick, and you'll look polished to perfection!
5. L'Oreal Paradise Mascara - If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen me talking about this product on my Stories. I wasn't really in need of a new mascara, but I was totally seduced by the hype and the pretty packaging, and I'm so glad I was! The length this gives your lashes is sensational, and it's pretty good on volume and separation too. I have seen mixed reviews on it, and I should probably mention that the formula is a tad on the wet side, which I think is why some people don't get on with it. However, apart from the occasional tiny dot of product ending up on my eyelid on first application, which is easy enough to wipe away, I haven't had a problem with it. If you crave length from your mascara then I highly recommend checking this out. It also contains castor seed oil to nourish and condition the lashes.
What have your favourites been this month?
Kate x
A couple of weeks ago, I published my Beauty Lovers' Christmas Gift Guide. Since I think most girls aged 15 to 150 would find something they like there, I've decided to dedicate this next one to all the gorgeous men in our lives. After all, men are notoriously harder to shop for, right? I've put a mixed bag together here, so hopefully there's some nice ideas that would work for anyone's partner/dad/brother etc. There's also a mix of price points and brands, although I do feel I should apologise for the amount of Hugo Boss stuff I've included - it's a favourite of my husband's, and, apparently, of mine!
1. Howick Jumper - I love buying knitwear for Mike at Christmas, as it's something he doesn't often buy for himself. This style is so classic I think it would suit most guys, and it's available in grey as well if you're not crazy about the blue. A "goes with everything" winner.
2. Sony Headphones - If he commutes to work and hates it, these could help. They're noise cancelling, wireless and have an impressive battery life. I think they're quite stylish too, and reasonably priced compared to some other brands.
3. Clinique For Men Gift Set - This set has a face scrub, soothing aloe shave gel, a face wash and a moisturiser with SPF, all wrapped up in this smart toilet bag. Very handy for travelling.
4. Skate Hut New Era beanie hat - You can't go wrong with a beanie hat. Classic, warm and cosy and definitely a necessity throughout the winter months! I really like the colour of this one, and the flecked detail.
5. Linea Scarf - To go with the hat!
6. Ray Ban Sunglasses - I know I would love to receive sunglasses as a gift, so I'm sure guys would too! Ray Ban is always a surefire people pleaser, whoever you're shopping for.
7. Hugo Boss Kimono Robe - There's something a little bit James Bond about this dressing gown, no?!
8. Hugo Boss Gloves - Real leather gloves always make a nice little luxurious gift at Christmas time. These are wool lined and I like the cuff detail - perfect for keeping his wrists warm.
9. Professor Puzzle Tangram - No, I didn't know what a tangram was either. Apparently it's a brain teaser, where you take all these wooden shapes out of a frame and then attempt to fit them all back in again. I think puzzles make a nice change as a gift, and they can come in handy on Christmas Day when people get bored!
10. Hugo Boss Watch - A slightly swankier gift, yet this is still reasonably priced considering how nice it is. I really love the simplicity of this style and think a lot of guys would love it.
11. Hugo Boss Holdall - This is expensive, but would last a lifetime. My husband has something similar to this and loves using it for weekends away. (I, on the other hand, need a full size suitcase and a massive tote bag.)
12. Hugo Boss Socks - Always useful, always smart. The perfect stocking filler.
Are the men in your life difficult to buy for? What will you be getting them this Christmas?
Kate x
*This post is in collaboration with Skate Hut. All opinions, as always, are my own.
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