Old and new

coat, jeans: h&m shirt: vintage bag: wilby shoes: adidas

Rediscovery

jumper: pull and bear trousers: h&m boots: faith

Before moving into my own flat (well, a bedroom in a flat with other people) next week, I flew home for a weekend visit to stuff a suitcase full of autumn and winter clothing to take back with me to London and to see the family before being away again until Christmas. During my first four weeks in London, where I only had one suitcase of clothing available to myself, I started to realise just how many clothes I have that I wanted to wear that were still at home and fantasising about all the different combinations I'd be able to wear with the cooler temperatures appearing all of a sudden once I would bring more clothes to the UK - I got inspired to be more creative when it comes to combining and wearing the things I already own instead of buying new things. Now, I'm not saying that I didn't/am not buying new things anymore (Topshop is a ten minute walk from my office, help?) but being at home and filling a suitcase with jeans, boots and jumpers (all the good autumny stuff) has made me incredibly excited to wear my own clothes and find new combinations.

One of the pieces I rediscovered during my crazy packing session were these great checked trousers from H&M which are a wonderful alternative to the usual skinny, potentially uncomfortable jeans and the simple pattern and colour scheme make them easy to combine with jumpers in neutral colours as well as brighter ones - these will definitely become a staple in my autumn/winter wardrobe this year!

Denim and ruffles

top: h&m shorts: vintage shoes: converse backpack: primark

When I was still in Rome a few days ago, I was certain that the hot summer days were coming to an end for me this year, with Autumn and new adventures approaching. It seemed to be one of the last occasions on which I could throw together an outfit consisting of a summery top that I've had for at least five years, vintage denim shorts and pre-worn converse but who would've thought; next week is bound to be hot again, and get this: in the UK, too! That being said, I'm currently in the process of struggling to pack all the clothes I want to take with me to London into a 20 kilo suitcase as I'm trying to find a balance between thinner clothing items I can layer and jumpers I can wear when I'm out and about in the evening and it starts getting chilly. After having wanted to live in London ever since I was sixteen, I'm finally (somewhat) moving there tomorrow and hopefully staying for longer than just the initial month I have planned out to stay there so far. 

Thankfully, I have a few Rome posts I want to write up and publish over the next week or two (or three.. depending on how much time I actually have to blog) which'll help me keep this place updated when I'm probably too busy running around the city like a tourist (I really do need to start memorising what's in which part of London) to take outfit pictures or come up with other ideas. Keep your eyes peeled for some Rome tips and of course some Vegan Eats posts because one does not go to Rome and not spend 90% of their time eating, right?

Simplicity

shirt: h&m shorts: topshop shoes: zara

The past week has been a strange mix of being busy catching up with friends or applying for numerous internships but also spending hours laying in my garden or near pools with the temperatures having gone up to 35 degrees. Somewhere along the way, I popped into ZARA (obviously) and picked up these stunning powder pink trainers. They immediately caught my eye and I figured a pair of trainers would be a good investment (my favourite word to use when buying something I don't actually "need") for my time in London when I'll be walking around all day and not willing to wear heels. The crazy heatwave has inspired me to borrow my dad's straw hat for tanning sessions (aka hiding it my room, hoping he forgets about it someday and it magically becomeing mine) and it once again reminded me of how great of an accessory hats are. Note to self: finally invest in a nice hat and actually wear it. 

On another note, I'll be off to Rome for a few days in the early hours on Friday, which I yet have to pack for (5 days - hand luggage only - interesting to say the least) but I'm beyond excited as I've spent my entire summer in either Brighton or Luxembourg, so it'll be nice to play tourist for a few days again soon. I will probably live off pizza and sorbet and do all the touristy stuff, but on the odd chance that you have any recommendations for me, make sure to drop them in the comments!

Mustard

top: bershka pants: miss selfridge jacket: zara shoes: h&m

As I'm working on my shopping habits, being more selective and buying pieces I know I'll get a lot of wear out of, this beauty of a (fake) leather jacket is beyond perfect. Don't get me wrong, I still buy silly t-shirts (I bought a t-shirt with a pizza slice on it the other day - don't ask) but eye catching, yet somewhat versatile pieces like a mustard coloured leather jacket are something I can never say no to. During the move out of my Brighton home, I came face to face to the fact that I really do have a shoe problem (my dad just shook his head in disbelief for three days) and I definitely have a weak spot for coats and jackets, but then again, those are the things I seem to get most wear out of! A pair of shoes or an interesting jacket are complete game changers. Exhibit A: I've had these striped pants for over a year now and only wore them a handful of times but the simple adding of a colourful leather jacket immediately gave the whole look that extra oomph.

Second hand finds

t-shirt: asos skirt: secondhand shoes: h&m bag: primark

Even though eating a plantbased/vegan helps towards living a more ethical and environmentally friendly life, I yet have to work on my shopping attitude. Even though I know that the fashion industry has more than just a few faults - excluding things like the use of leather, fur or silk, which I avoid already - I'm easily sucked into high street shops like Topshop and ZARA and the vast majority of my clothing is "made in China" or Bangladesh. I've been able to adapt my shopping habits slightly by being more selective with the clothes I buy, so that I at least end up buying less, but it's still a work in progress for sure. One thing that I'd been doing in the past and which I picked up again a bit recently, is going to second hand stores instead of H&M and during my last stroll through some of Brighton's best second hand and vintage stores (Brighton is quite literally heaven for second hand lovers), I picked up what is now one of my favourite skirts. I'm not sure how authentic the Tennis look to it is (any fashion experts want to chime in?) but I love everything about it, from the colour and style to its ridiculous shortness - inviting me to wear shorts underneath to avoid flashing half the city when Brighton's being windy again. And to add to its awesomeness, the skirt's waist is adjustable, so you can make some space for a food baby, he he he...

Laid back

shorts: h&m top: zara sunglasses: asos shoes: park lane via asos leather jacket: topshop

Packing for Easter can be tricky when the holiday falls into the month of march and the weather fluctuates constantly. Hoping for some sunshine and warmer temperatures here on Mallorca, I also packed a few pairs of shorts and a short skirt or two, and whilst I mainly wore jeans the first few days here, I finally got to wear my more summery pieces for the first time this year when the temperatures started going up a few days ago. I've already worn these safari-style shorts (as I like to call them) in a previous outfit post, but I find them so versatile and easy to wear that I thought I'd show you another way of wearing them, combining them with some very basic pieces like a striped top, black sandals and a leather jacket. Even though I really enjoy more eye catching outfits too, I often like to keep it simple and comfortable, so this outfit was perfect to wear on another road trip I went on two days ago with my family. I found this beautiful platform still on site of the hotel from where you have a great view over the natural reservoir next to where we're staying and I thought it was the perfect backdrop for my outfit, don't you think?!

Stripes in London

skirt, leather jacket: topshop sweater: monki shoes: adidas bag: primark sunglasses: asos

After having lived only an hour away from London for almost three years now, my friend and I finally got around doing a day trip to London during Fashion Week. As usual for the A/W Fashion Week, the dates of LFW happened to be around my birthday, and since we're not swamped with Uni work (yet), we decided to go to London for a day yesterday and got the chance to do some fashionable-people-spotting and to attend a free talk as part of the events that were on offer. A day in London usually also means that I have the time to take some outfit pictures, so I decided to dress up a little bit and take my Topshop skirt which I got back in November for a walk. So far, I'd only worn the skirt on Christmas Day, so it was about time for me to wear it out and about! Its neoprene-like material gives it a really fun shape and turned out to be perfect for the windy weather we had yesterday. Combined with one of my current favourite turtle neck jumpers, a leather jacket and white trainers, I felt at least a little bit stylish between all those well dressed people, but most of all, super comfortable to explore the city once again. 

Black on black - the perfect bargain

sweater: monki culottes, bag: zara shoes: adidas coat: camden lock scarf: asos

To my own surprise, the only piece of clothing I bought during my New York trip was a pair of culottes. Less surprisingly, I spent the majority of my money on food - all for the blog of course - writing Vegan Eats posts takes a lot of effort and time, ok? However, the one thing I bought I love dearly (so much that I forgot them in Luxembourg, ha). Back when I got my first pair of culottes last summer, I knew that I'd like to get my hands on another pair (or two), ideally a black one so that I can wear them with tights too. When my friend and I had some time to spare before going to watch a Musical, we had a stroll through a ZARA and I found these perfect culottes on sale for 20$, ka-ching! The perfect bargain: a piece I've wanted for a while, which is also the perfect basic/classic piece to add to my wardrobe, what a no-brainer. Though I had wanted to take pictures in Soho but never really got around it, I'm really happy with the outcome of these pictures. We took them on the Liberty Island (where the statue of liberty is standing) and the skyline of lower Manhattan adds a little something to the pictures. Ah, I already miss hunting for cool backdrops for outfit pictures in New York...

Overknees & statement necklace

dress: primark boots: boohoo coat: camden lock

It's no secret that shoes are my biggest weakness, and boots in particular even more so. Ever since I first moved to the UK over two years ago and saw girls in flat over knee boots looking super classy, I've wanted a pair myself. I did get myself a pair of over knee boots with a bit of a heel about a year ago, but the fact that I live in a very hilly city and on top of a very steep hill often keeps me from wearing shoes that are even remotely uncomfortable or annoying to walk in. Just before I flew home for Christmas in December, a late night scroll through countless online shops made me find these beautiful boots on Boohoo and I managed to get them right in time before flying home for three weeks. Since I knew that I was going on a long city trip at the beginning of January, they arrived at the perfect time, as they're not only comfortable and give you some extra leg warmth in the icy New York weather, but they also easily change a whole outfit to something a bit more exciting than if it were worn with sneakers. I decided to keep the whole outfit simple with just the colours black and camel and added a big necklace I found at home which my mum gave to me years ago but I never actually wore. And then I found the perfect place to take pictures: in front of the NY public library - marble and cute garden furniture, how pretty!?

The perfect backpack

backpack: wilbyclutch coat: cos shoes: adidas scarf: h&m

I've had a love-hate relationship with backpacks for as long as I can think - they were either extremely "in" or meeega "out". Who remembers walking around school with their Eastpack backpacks, carrying them so low that their only purpose was to look cool instead of actually supporting your back and the stuff you're carrying? Then at some point, all the girls, including me, started taking handbags to school and that's what I've been doing pretty much until now. For a short while now (or at least that's when I started noticing it more), backpacks have been popping up here and there and their designs have become more classy than practical looking, which I really like, as it can make a simple outfit look more special and let's be honest here - backpacks are just soo practical. Knowing that I'd be visiting New York again in the new year, I decided it was the perfect time to invest in a higher quality backpack that I would get a lot of wear out of. I discovered WilbyClutch back in Autumn and loved their designs and the fact that their whole brand is based on the idea of using animal-free materials added to the excitement about my discovery. All their bags are vegan and they offer all kinds of styles, including backpacks. They're a bit on the pricier side with their prices ranging between £60 and £90 but I do think they're well worth investing into, especially when you know you'll be using them to go to school/Uni/work or on a city trip!

Hippie pants & crochet

pants, top: h&m divided shoes: mango sunglasses: rayban

Whilst I'm hoping to see some snow over the next three weeks that I'll be back home, I decided to post another (and the last) outfit I shot whilst I went interrailing in summer. In Budapest, I came across these perfect hippie pants with huge splits on the sides - they're flowy, light, summery and they were on sale for 7€. As soon as I had the opportunity, I took them out in Croatia and wore them to go for dinner. My friend was kind enough to lend me her crochet top, which I think complements the whole summery look and we found a cute street to take pictures in, old pavement, colourful doors and all. 

An all time favourite combination

coat: camden lock jeans, sweater: monki shoes: adidas bag: primark

I've recently started to really tone down outfit wise, often sticking to simple pieces I like, combining them to get a classic and clean look. Pieces like this grey turtleneck sweater I'm wearing in the pictures, which I found at Monki during my stay in Hamburg, are perfect to create such outfits, as it's grey - one of my favourite colours, which is also incredibly versatile, it's super comfortable and warm but not too thick and the turtleneck adds a little something to it without overloading it. As in previous years, I've been loving grey/camel/black/white combinations, so this outfits hits the nail on the head. It was perfect for a day out in London, strolling through pretty streets and big stores - comfortable, adequately warm and fuss-free.

Tan & Turtleneck

sweater: topshop shoes: bertie via topshop coat: cos bag: primark

If you follow me on Instagram (or Snapchat), you've probably seen that I spent last weekend in Hamburg. It rained almost the entire day during my stay there but I luckily managed to get some outfits pictures snapped on Saturday before it started raining cats and dogs. Being away for the weekend, I had an opportunity to wear clothes for more than just two or three days a week (the other four days of the week you'll find me in pyjamas, jogging pants or gym clothes) and finally got to take pictures of this beautiful tan turtleneck sweater I picked up at Topshop a few weeks ago. Other than the obvious reasons for my love towards this piece (aka the colour and turtleneck), I love how it can be worn over jeans as well as a dress with a tight skirt underneath. It's one of those statement pieces that still falls in the "basics" category of my wardrobe that can just be thrown on with a pair of black jeans or tights and makes me feel fully dressed in a nice outfit but it's such a classic piece in itself that I can see myself wearing it for a long time.

Stripes & Turtleneck

sweater: new look pants: miss selfridge shoes: adidas bag: /

Just after I posted the last outfit a few days ago, writing about how the pictures were taken at a time when it was still possible to wear sandals, the temperatures have dropped a hell of a lot and all I've been doing the past few days is drink litres of tea and wear layers and layers of clothes. Just before the temperature drop happened, I wore the outfit shown above, telling myself that I should think out of the box more and wear other pants than only my skinny jeans, even when the weather is not open shoe or ballet flat friendly anymore. I love my striped pants but I always picture me wearing them with ballet flats, giving them more of a summery look, rather than opting for different pieces of clothing shoes. When I came up with this combination of turtleneck, striped flared pants and my new second hand sneakers, I realised that the pants work just as well in a more sporty, laid back look than they do in a simple, more classic look that features red lipstick and cute ballet flats. I might even be able to wear them with black tights underneath if the temperatures really are not going up again before Spring!?

PS: Yes, I have a thing for shoe close-ups next to those yellow stripes on the street.