What's your festival style?

Up until this year I was oblivious to festivals and the fashion. In all honesty I had no interest in them, I was quite happy to listen to my own music at home (while blogging, obviously). This year I'm popping my festival cherry and embarking on my first festival adventure - Reading festival! My instant reaction was what the hell am I going to wear? 

There are so many stereotypes when it comes to festival fashion and I've never been one to follow the crowd, if you want to stand out at a festival, read on! I'm going to offer a weekends worth of fuss-free festival outfits whether your style is rebelliously punk or fiercely feminine.

Indie chick

The indie style is all about an individual style that steers away from major trends and consumerism. The loose fitting clothes, slouchy cardigans and care-free vibe is perfect for festivals. I've created three outfits for a weekend long festival that have the basis of indie style. The first consists of loose flowing shorts and equally loose top with clunky shoes and a stack of bracelets. I love the colours used in this outfit because they're so simple and with a summer tan this outfit would look amazing! The next outfit had a bit of a boho vibe with the maxi dress but I feel that the more alternative sunglasses and bright nail polish give this dress an indie styling. My third outfit is for the colder days and has a very laid back feel. I paired with espadrilles as they're so chilled out and can be thrown on with almost anything. I love the tie-dye, fringed top as it is the epitome of indie styling - home coloured fabrics and things that are cut/customised in sometimes formed the basis of the indie style in the 1990's. 

Chic & Sleek 

This style of clothing is for those fashion forward, always on point gorgeous girlies with a flair for the dramatic. Stepping out in all monochrome is stylish and striking. The first outfit in all white is stunning. To me chic style is all about precision cut clothing, clean palettes and being matched to perfection. The first outfit is all white which will set off any tan acquired lying in your back garden, on the golden sands of Hawaii or simply out of a bottle. Ombréd hair is perfect for this outfit as it offers a more indie vibe which suits a festival perfectly. The second ensemble in all black is striking and you'll appear to just have walked off of the set for'Coven' American Horror Story. All black is one of my favourite colour palettes "Black is modest and arrogant at he same time. Black is lazy and easy - but mysterious . But above all black says this : 'I don't bother you - you don't bother me'" Yohji Yamamoto. In the final ensemble I've chosen a mix of black and white - almost a battle between good and evil. I love how complimentary these colours are together. They scream sophistication and elegance.

Bohemian Beauty 

Boho style revolves around heavy accessories, embroidery and layering, bold patterns and feminine fabrics. I've styled three outfits that use these principles. Boho fashion has become a standard look of festival goers, presumably due to Kate Moss rocking this boho look at many a festival. My first outfit shows layering a large cardigan over a delicate feminine dress with a heavily embellished necklace and a simple pair of sandals. I love the mix of colours in this ensemble. The second outfit is all about twists and knots and bows, just generally playing with the fabric and having fun with fashion. The key piece here is the crochet over jacket, I love the shape of it and it adds and interesting focal point to this outfit. My final ensemble hasn't been over thought, it is simply throwing a tie-dye shirt with some shorts, embellished flip flops and a fringed bag - beautifully boho in seconds! 

Practical Princess 

Festivals are all well and good when they're warm weather with good music pumping out and good vibes all round but shitty weather can ruin your weekend if not prepared properly. These outfits will have you ready for a rainy day, a muddy venue or a heatwave! I adore how sweet the first outfit is; the cute over sized crop top, matching converse, adorable dungarees and all essential parka for those drizzly days. The second outfit is gorgeous and I'm in love with the blend of colours, I love the colour combination of the warm berry of the hunters and the pale pink of the cardigan. The play suit is very sweet and perfect for a summery festival with the floral print. The knee high socks will look on trend with the knee high hunters and the backpack will help you to be prepared for anything. The final outfit is perfect for a sunny day and will help you cover up and stay protected from the sun. 

Girly 

One of the current trends is neon two-pieces - perfect for the girl festival goer. I love the neon colour palette because it just screams summer. The first ensemble is a ruffled off mint top paired with a neon maxi skirt for a striking impact. Wear this outfit with a neon lipstick and a cute pair of flip-flops for a perfectly fun festival vibe. The second outfit is so gorgeous, a teal bandeau with a sheer white top, distressed denim shorts and lace toms, a profusion of rings - it doesn't cute cuter than that! This outfit had a more 'hipster' inspiration. The final outfit is adorable; a lemon coloured lace top, with watermelon pink lace shorts, a heavily embellished necklace and cute white platforms. This trio of outfits is bright and fun making you the centre of attention at any festival! 

Punk rock 

This is by far my favourite collection - it suits me perfectly and will be my style choice for reading as it is my style down to a tee. This style to me is a mixture of goth, emo, punk, fetish and rock - it's my favourite way to dress! The first ensemble is a red tartan top (a change from the usual tartan skirt) paired with an asymmetric leather skirt, stockings and a pair of docs. The second outfit is a band tee (I chose ac/dc because I was listening to them at the time of choosing outfits) and a skirts with braces, a choker with chains and a pair of standard black vans. My final outfit and my personal favourite a simple choker, black bustier top, black skinny jeans with zip detailing and chunk black shoes. I love this style and it gives me a confidence boost when wearing it - I feel comfortable in it. 

I hope this post has been helpful in deciding what to wear to a festival and I hope you have great fun at whatever festival you're attending! I'll be creating a post once I'm fully decided on what I'll be wearing to Reading festival! 

Love Dixie,

:) xox

Spring trends 2013

Spring is such a beautiful season; flowers are blooming, cute little animals being born and a whole new season of trends! Spring is possibly my favorite season because of the happy tone the clothes create. The pastel colours, pretty prints and soft cuts just scream adorable! This post is all about key pieces, prints, colours and cuts for the season ahead so fly into spring looking absolutely gorgeous!

First take note of the key garments this season, I'll show you them from the runway, the high street stores and my own closet. I'll be sharing how to recreate these designer ensembles from a not so designer budget!

Garment 1: Oversized white shirt

These oversized white shirts breathed a breath of fresh air onto the spring runways at Jil Sander, Victoria Beckham and Preen. Effortlessly styled with various other white garments the white shirt is an easy piece to master. Take a look at these highstreet versions...

My favorite one of these is the Zara blouse as I feel this really embodies the trend, it's the perfect example of an oversized white shirt! The rolled up sleeves are very chic and the sheerness is fun and fashionable.

My own white shirt for this season was bought at H&M for £7.99 here's how I will be styling it...

I styled my oversized white shirt in three different ways. The first was with a pair of  distressed high-waisted denim shorts which I showed both tucked in and layered over. I then paired it with a pair of leather shorts, this has more of an edgy vibe and can be more simplistic. Finally I paired it with a pair of denim look jeggings that were rolled up at the bottom, this is more casual. I wore all three looks with brown, studded wedges and two of the looks I wore a flower headband.

Oversized white shirt - H&M £7.99
Denim Shorts - H&M -originally they were knee length, then I cut and distressed them myself
Leather shorts - Beatnik emporium - This is a little retro shop in town and these are vintage real leather shorts
Jeggings - Topshop - Not sure of the price as I bought these a few years ago
Wedges - The clothes show - The brand is Yumi if that helps!
Floral headband - Asda - I bought this last year it was around £2
Black vest top - Primark - £2 I think

(The blue ribbon is not part of the ensembles, I wear it every day, in fact I do not take it off - ever!)

Garment 2 - Sporty dresses



Sporty dresses were apparent on the runway this season ranging from bright orange to subtle black. These dresses have a very youthful feel to them and can be styled in so many ways - perfect for a bargainista fashioinista! These dresses were showcased at DKNY, Rag and Bone and Victoria Beckham. Why not try to recreate this look through the highstreet?

These gorgeously crafted dresses are such good examples of sporty dresses. The bright orange dress from French Connection is perfect for the fashion fearless, whilst the navy dress could be better suited to a subtle fashionista. All of these dresses can be accessoriesed wondrously  Why not copy the catwalk and keep your hair simple, your make -up subtle and grab a black bag? Effortlessly fabulous!

Garment 3 - Bomber jackets

Bomber jackets exploded onto the runway this season, seen here at Jonathon Saunders, Loewe and Stella McCartney. As always we've been spoilt for choice with a intricately embellished style, a casual feel and a seriously techno version bomber jacket. The great news is that whatever your style there's a bomber jacket for you! Take a look at three of the high streets hottest bomber jackets...

Another sporty edition to this season the bomber jacket is very statement piece. Perfect for layering on those chilly mornings - fabulous and practical! My favorite piece here is the Bomber jacket from Dorothy Perkins, for me this sums up the modern day bomber jacket - wondrously tailored, perfectly symmetrical and just plain gorgeous! Team this statement piece with bright colours for a fresh, fun day time look.

Accessories 
No season is complete without an array of accessories to brighten even the rainiest of days! Spring style just screams accessorize me, here's my top three favorite accessory trends for this spring.

Accessory 1 - Statement sunglasses

My favourite Spring accessories trend this year is statement sunglasses. If you're in need of a chic way of adding fierceness to your outfit  look no further than a pair of all-eyes-on-you shades! These ones from Anna Sui, Roberto Cavalli & Prada are extremely gorge! Take a look at these beautiful highstreet goodies...

The highstreet have some excellent statement shades this season and these are three of my favorite  I think the River Island pair are stunning! They're also very similar to the Prada pair, channel a designer look at a highstreet price, every girls dream!

Accessory 2 - Low heels

Give your feet a break with these super chic low heels. Something about the low heel screams spring, could it be the simplicity? The chicness? Whatever it is I need them! Put a bounce in your step with these gorgeous highstreet versions...

These low heeled shoes from Zara would be the visual representation of 'Spring footwear' both metallic and low heeled they're perfect! They're extremely versatile and so chic, they are definitely worth the investment. I also love the colour pop the other pairs of shoes, ad these to a simple coloured outfit and you're ahead of the game in seconds.

Accessory 3 - Ladylike handbags 

I'm in love with this trend! This to me is a perfect example of a trend fit or spring, it displays pastel shades, perfect cuts and just pure femininity. Mulberry and J Mendel have done an exquisite job of producing gorgeous handbags and have consequently set the bar high! This season it's all about the arm candy, take a look at the highstreets amazing candy...

For a highstreet price these bags are practically a steal! The tailoring, the colours, the shape you could fool anybody! My favorite for this season is the Topshop mini holdall, the colour is just right for this season and it just embodies Spring. My runner up has to be the Mango tote, although I feel this is more of a versatile piece - as in you could carry it across to every season and still be on trend.

Prints
Prints are a very important part of the trend, the print is the first thing you see from a distance and if it's on trend, you're instantly noticed - for all the right reasons. Here are my three favorite prints/colours for this season...

Print/colour 1 - Monochrome 

Monochrome is a very sophisticated look and can be worn by anybody. This is such an easy trend to pull off and often the most cost effective. You can wear garments from other seasons and just play off the monochrome look, although some cuts and garments may not be so suited to the season! I love the simplicity of this look. Have a look at my highstreet finds...

The garments I chose for this trend are both black and white and in this scenario I would pair them with one colour for the rest of the garments e.g. a black blouse and black skinny jeans with the blazer. However key pieces in either black or white are great too, for example white blazers are very hot this season. I adore these striped skinny trousers from Mango and Miranda Kerr rocked them in the advert!

Here are my ensembles based on the monochrome trend...

Outfit 1

This is more edgy, almost grunge look. I have very minimal jewelry for these looks as it's so simple. The colour palette is simple, although this doesn't mean the clothes have to be, I went for more interesting pieces in this ensemble.

Blouse - Primark - £10
Shorts - H&M The New Icons collection - £7.99
Socks - Primark - I bought these a while ago and am not sure of the price
Creepers - Ebay - £10.99
Bow - Internationale - £1.50

Outfit 2 

Ensemble two is a more fun, girly look and I focused on one print and kept my other pieces simple. I adore this skirt, I think the shape is gorgeous and the print is so cute. The sleeveless blouse is great for spring as if it gets warm you can wear it on its own or if it gets chilly you can layer a jumper over the top and keep the collar as a feature.

Blouse - Primark £6
Skirt - TKMaxx £12.99
Boots - 'Who's Next?' A store near Portobello Market £10
Bow - New Look £2.49
Vest top - Primark £2

Outfit 3 

This is my most chic outfit I styled as it's the most simple and sleek. Although it is spring it cans till be cold so these faux leather pants are still very wearable. I adore this hat, although it is probably more suited to summer I had to throw it in because its so cute! Also it nails two trends in one - monochrome and stripes! Also I had to get the high heels out because at my height I need the boost!

Hat - Primark - £4 (Practically a steal!)
Top - H&M The New Icons Collection - £6.99
Leather Pants - H&M £19.99
Heels - Geroge, Asda £4 (I found them in the sale and it was love at first sight)

Outfit 4 

My last ensemble is very basic and probably would need a jacket to finish it off. This leather skirt was my key piece last Autumn/Winter and I teamed it with all sorts of things knee high socks, burgundy tights, knitted tights, blouses, tops, jumpers - the list goes on. I plan to bring this skirt into the spring season too because it's so cute. It fits well and I like the silhouette it creates.

Collared shirt - Primark £6
Leather skirt - Primark - Around £12 I can't really remember
Heels - Primark £6 ( They were supposed to be £12 but they were half price, I bought them for New Year and ended up wearing completely different shoes instead!)
Hairband - Charity shop -£3.50

Print/colour 2 - Bold stripes

Stripes usually make their appearance into the Spring season in the form of a nautical trend, however this season they're big, they're bold and they're statement. They've slid onto the runways at Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors and Moschino. Let's see what the highstreet has in store for us...

It takes a seriously fearless fashionista to strut her stuff in a bold striped suit, for me I'd rather take a striped garment and play that into a super chic outfit. For example the striped top from Mango could be tucked into a pair of Bermuda shorts and paired with a pair of super cute flats and a dark pair of statement sunglasses - casual chic, check!

Prints/Colours 3 - Checkers

This trend is super chic, I adore this print as it just oozes sophistication. This season checkers have a very 60's feel to them and Louis Vuitton's collection looked absolutely amazing! I have to say Chanel did a wonderful job with checkers this season - how gorge is that pink A-line dress?! Balmain kept there checkers cheeky and daring in this low cut dress, nipped in at the waist with a fierce belt. Take inspiration from these collections and rock your own highstreet version with these pieces...

My favorite piece here has got to be this gorgeous little dress from Zara. This is the perfect dress for spring! It's sleeveless style makes it great at keeping you cool, or great for layering on chilly days, the print is perfect and the cut is just right. I also love the Forever21 leggings and they're practically a steal at £7.25! That's a great bargain.

Check out these celebs rocking the latest trends... 

Kourtney Kardashian. Elizabeth Olsen and Kim Kardashian are all rocking the oversized white shirt!

Here Naomi Watts, Pippa Middleton & January Jones are all flaunting their gorgeous ladylike handbags. 

Miley Cyrus, Taylor Tomasi Hill & Chloe Moretz are strutting their stuff in sexy stripes.

I hope this post helps you pull together on trend but unique spring looks. Remember it's not about the cost of your outfit, the size of your clothes or who else is wearing it, it's about taking what's hot and putting your own spin on the outfit. Be unique and stay fabulous!

Love Dixie
:) xox

My March Fashion wishlist 2012

This is a new idea I have had, every month I will post a current Fashion and then a separate Beauty wishlist. It will consist of 10 new products, accessories or garments that I would love to own, they will consist of designer and high street things (Fashion wishlist) or Drugstore or high end products (Beauty wishlist), enjoy :)

Number one - Jeffrey Campbell Lita's £120

I absolutely adore Jeffrey Campbell Lita's and these are my favourite style. As I have mentioned before I love America and everything about it so these Lita's -inspired by the American flag- are perfect! These shoes are very modern and give a very urban vibe. You can dress them up and wear them out in the evening or wear them in a casual way during the daytime. I have seen these all over the Internet and I really want a pair, I'm supposed to be saving for my big trip to London in a few months time but I might have to buy these first!
Number two - Cropped top £12

Crop tops are going to be everywhere this season from high end to high street and I think that this is a perfect example of one. As the top is black it will go with almost anything, I say almost anything because I detest the phrase 'black goes with anything' this is not true! Anyway.. I love the cutout detail on this crop top, also if you team it with a high waisted skirt or a high wasted pair of shorts Then you will be exposing your midriff which is a gorgeous current trend!

Number three - Blouse Topshop £85

Blouses have been very popular for a long time now and I still very strangely don't own one, I think the reason being is that I am quite body conscious and I think the excess material that most blouses include will make me look bigger than I am. However I know I could tuck it into a skirt or jeans or whatever but I am not sure I suit the typical blouse. Back to the point, I have come across this gorgeous coral coloured blouse with intricate gold embellishment from topshop. I think this blouse is astounding, obviously this isn't a casual piece but it is an amazing evening piece.
Number four - Lauren Conrad hi-low chiffon skirt $33
   
I am so in love with this skirt! The gorgeous coral colour is so on trend and compliments my skin tone well and would look amazing dressed up or down. I also love the cut of the skirt, a short body-con skirt underneath an abundance of coral sheer material that flows down into an asymmetric hem. Also I love the fact it was designed by Lauren Conrad, she is one of my Style icons and a big inspiration, I own her book about style and treat it as a bible!
Number five - Cru-ci-fix me Bambi and Manson shorts £45

Bambi and Manson is a very urban brand consisting mainly of customised shorts, if you haven't heard of them I highly recommend you check out their website! http://www.bambiandmanson.co.uk/shop/ I think out of all of the shorts on the website these are probably the most wearable on a day-to-day basis so they are probably the best value for money. I love how distressed they are and I love the black cross on the front, they give the shorts an urban feel which is something that I look for in clothes because I like to look modern but not too 'street'


Number six - Republic usa scarf £16

Again, I have already said how I love almost everything to do with America and I think this scarf is the cutest thing! I like how it is teamed with a plain white tshirt in the picture as this gives an American vibe because of the stereotypical 'all American girl wearing jeans and tshirt' idea. Also the plain t-shirt shows off the scarf more. There isn't much more to say about this scarf other than it extremely cute and a very worthwhile purchase!
Number seven - Galaxy purple leggings $75 AUD

I have already talked about liking things that have an urban feel to them and I think these leggings have just that, I have seen a lot of people wearing them on Tumblr ( a blog-like website) and I think they're gorgeous! Obviously not something you would wear to a really formal event, nor a really casual one. I also think these are quite youthful in the fact that they would suit teens not people above the age of roughly 19 because they are very 'out there' and 'experimental' which falls more into the teen category. However they are totally gorgeous and I would really love a pair.


Number eight - Aztec print backpack ASOS £35
   
This backpack is really cute and could be teamed with almost anything from leggings and a t-shirt to a dress and denim shirt combination. The bag has quite a boho feel and gives off a carefree sort of vibe. The colours are bright and look gorgeous together and the pattern is really cute. I really want a backpack as I have seen people wearing them lately and they look so cute, its such an easy yet gorgeous addition to any casual outfit.
Number nine - cat eye sunglasses Urban outfitters £16.00
   

This style of sunglasses is going to be popping up everywhere this season, due to their retro feel. I think these ones from Urban Outfitters are the perfect take on the 'Vintage America' trend. I have yet to see if this style of sunglasses suits my face shape, however I am hoping they will because this is a trend I am excited to try out but I want to make it more youthful because at 15 I don't think I am quite old enough to pull off a full fifties look.
Number ten -  Del Ray Mulberry bag £795


 

This bag is absolutely breathtaking. Mulberry are a worldwide designer brand that create some of the most gorgeous bags I have ever seen. This particular bag is possibly my favourite bag that I have seen produced from Mulberry. I love the colour although it does seem better suited to Autumn but the bag is also going to be available in white which is better suited to summer. The style of the bag is simple but still so elegant, you can imagine clutching this bag with pride as you walk down the highstreet wearing a pair of light denim skinny jeans, neutral, loose-fitting top and slightly over-sized, black blazer with a gorgeous scarf wrapped delicately around your neck. This back screams luxury and elegance and one day I will buy myself a Mulberry!

That concludes my March Fashion wishlist, I hope you have enjoyed reading through and let me know what you think.

Love Dixie
:) xox