I want! I need!

Just a quick post to tell you how much I want and need these boots by Manolo Blahnik for Christopher Kane


photo courtesy of Jak&Jil blog

I want and need them a lot. However white trash and tacky they look, I still would love and cherish them.

Wishlist #1

It's that time of year again, the time to make some brilliant new additions to your wardrobe to brighten up the boring half of winter, the half without Christmas but with the most depressing day of the year; Valentine's Day. I digress.

Here is a lovely overview of things I want but cannot afford from Topshop...aaahhhh, Topshop, how I love and adore you...

Grey Boyfriend Blazer

I have been coveting this blazer ever since I saw it's black sibling. After deliberating over them both for a long time I think, should I ever decide to actually purchase one, grey is the better option. I can just see myself wearing it with a nice crisp white shirt and black leggings combo.

Lace Bodycon Dress

Bodycon is the most unforgiving fashion ever created, but I would gladly stick to a cabbage soup diet to fit in this lovely dress. I think I'd want to try and wear it in a non-feminine way, play down the lace a bit with some biker boots.

Black and Gold Heels

*sigh*

Pale Denim Skirt

I like the stonewash feel of this skirt, very white trash. I reckon you could probably dress this up or down for different looks. Probably I'd just end up wearing it every day until I spilt something on it.

Studded Black Boots

My current boots have a hole in the sole. This generally isn't very useful for footwear (and also sounds like the title of a bad country record), thus I need a new pair. These are a likely candidate as, if you squint a lot, they resemble a rather lovely pair made by Chloe.

Grey Bodycon Dress

Yes, yes bodycon again. I've tried this one on though, and it's lovely. It doesn't even make me look like a sack of potatoes, definitely score! I have a soft spot for strapless numbers, shoulders are sexy.

Cropped Sweatshirt

Very Fame.

Giraffe Bracelet

In all honesty I saw this and thought of my sister, if I ever buy it I'm sure I'll lend her it from time to time...

Off-Black Cardigan

My name is Ciara and I am a cardigan addict.

Belt

This one reminds me of a Chanel belt I saw Cheryl Cole wearing. One of her better outfits, I'll have you know, I'm not a massive Cheryl Cole fan usually.

Blue T-Shirt-Dress

Something classy to slob around in, just what every girl needs on a fat day. And any other day since this dress is such a wonderful shade of blue.

ILU Iloa

I am utterly convinved that Scandinavians have the best fashion sense. Sweeping statement, I know, but I'm continually impressed by everyone featured on both Hel Looks and Stockholm Streetstyle.

A brand new reason for my love of all things Scandinavian is my discovery of the fashion label Iloa, by Finnish UIAH graduate Anu Salonen. Her designs are simple with clean lines and a childlike feel to them. The sort of clothing you could wear when you want to look cute slobbing around the house as well as out and about.

New Year's Fasholutions.

It has been a rather long time since the last time I blogged. I would like to blame this on three main culprits (in chronological order); university exams, Christmas and flu.

And now it's 2009. A whole new year to fill with glossy magazines, shiny shoes and, with the current economic situation as it is, a lot more debt than originally expected. Just like countless others who kid themselves into thinking the new year really is a time for turning over a new leaf, I have made my resolutions and plan to stick to them for at least the next week.



I have, of course, made the obligatory resolutions of losing weight, drinking less (or at least spreading out the drinks over more time) and keeping on top of my university work, but on top of these I have also made a fashion resolution.



Last month I turned twenty. Sadly I still look twelve, which is where my resolution comes into play. I feel my wardrobe includes far too much colour. I shall no longer dress like a clown-lite. My fashion resolution for this year is to increase the amount of grown-up shades I wear. Greys and navys and beiges, and of course black and white, will all be making a more promenant appearance in my wardrobe.

This time next year when I will be twenty-one, living and working in France and a stone lighter with beautiful long shiny hair (well, a girl can hope anyway) I will also have a wardrobe which doesn't give off the impression that I've spent too much time paintballing and not enough time being a proper grown-up. Well, grown-upish anyhow.



Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying goodbye to colour for good. Obviously a splash of fuscia here or some cyan nail varnish there is essential to any wardrobe, but I'm looking to streamline my clothing choices this year; only buy things which I think I'll be wearing for a long while yet (thanks not only to my poor student status, but also to the credit crunch). And I really really do want to look my age for once, even if I can't always act it.

Happy New Year. Word on the grapevine is that 2009 is going to be the best yet...

Fashion through your Letterbox

I am starting to get a real affection for simple outfits. Comfy wear for lazy days, because most of my days are lazy. What I need, therefore, is tshirts. And plenty of them.

This is why I am sorely tempted to sign up to T-Post; you sign up for a subscription and next thing you know t-shirts and flying through your letterbox. Well, one a month anyway. These t-shirts are based on news events (generally fun ones rather than serious), how better to keep your style totally uptodate!



Sadly, my student budget doesn't quite stretch to 26Euros a month just for t-shirts, but that doesn't stop me longing to expand my t-shirt collection - I do need something to go with my new sequinned leggings afterall (yes, I jumped on the bandwagon. Totally worth it though.)

On the fringe

Before I say anything else, I have a confession to make. I don't currently own a digital camera. I mean, I think I have one somewhere but that somewhere is most probably back at home in Wakefield rather than here in Edinburgh. So, that explains the complete lack of style photos. That and my severe camera shyness, I really do believe that the camera adds 10lbs...and sometimes three chins, an impossibly wonky arm and cross eyes.

Anyway, my issue at the moment (other than exams and essays) is my hair. Yes, I do consider my hair to be an "issue", I honestly am that self-centred. When I started university last year my hair was short. And odd. Not a good odd either, if I'm being perfectly frank with you. It was even an odd colour and in incredibly bad condition due to excessive bleaching. Bad times, I tell you, bad times.

So I start university and in my flat is a girl with the most amazing long hair. Lightbulb goes off in my head: must. grow. hair. It's now like 15 months later and I personally would count my hair as being "kinda long". It's past my shoulders anyway. And far wavier than I ever remember it being.

My problems now are:
a) it's that annoying inbetween length where it looks sort of triangular when I wear it down
b) scraping my hair back isn't as flattering as I thought
c) do I need a fringe.

It is c) that I would like to deal with. Do I need a fringe? I suspect the answer is yes, however would bangs go with my glasses? Or should I just get better contact lenses that actually help my vision and go for a glasses-unfriendly fringe?

Answers on a postcard please. And if anyone knows how I can just make my hair look like Zooey Deschanel's, that would also be useful to know. Thank you.



she has a startled rabbit thing going on, but look at her hair!

Big Up Sweden

Next September I am moving to France. I'm not sure where yet, in fact I really should apply for a job pretty sharpish, the deadline is January but I want to be ahead of the game. I already know how stylish the French fashionistas are - just look at Carine Roitfeld! - but what I'm really excited about is in another two and a half years when I (hopefully) finally realise my dream of living in Sweden.

I've got the plan all sorted, there's a scheme that employs English language assistants across Europe and pays from them to learn the language of their host country. So Sweden here I come.

Now, the reason I'm excited even though it's way far off in the future, is because I know I'll have to up my game in the style stakes. The Swedish always seem so well put together, without looking as though they've tried super hard. Or at least this is what I have garnered from reading streetstyle blogs. I should stop living my fashion life vicariously through the internet...



This outfit is so simple, and yet she manages to look chic and fashionable.



I am totally obsessed with this boy at the moment. He manages to look smart and yet not overdone, I think it's the boots which give his outfit less of a stiff and starched feel. Plus, I the oversized safety pin on his pocket is a really nice touch. Basically, I just want to meet him and ruffle up his hair.



Colour never seems all that important in the Stockholm streetstyle photographs, but sometimes I do think that colour is a bit overrated and overexposed...



This girl from garancedore.com is my favourite Stockholm streetstyle ever. She just looks so simple and yet so good!