Outfit of the Day

Hello guys :)
I have been so busy over the past few weeks with uni work; I found a second home in the library!! I was warned how hard third year would be.. But I didn't anticipate it to be this hard. Anyway, my last deadline was on Monday (woo!!!) so I am now a free lady (for the time being...). I went out on Wednesday night to celebrate and thought I'd share on here what I wore.

I experimented with a new statement make-up look- BLACK LIPS. So obviously it's quite a gothic look and I thought the best way to pull it off would be to wear black, but then add colour with accessories to make it less gothic.




To do my lips I actually just used a black pencil eyeliner; I didn't want to commit to buying black lipstick incase I wasn't keen on the look. I patted a black loose powder eyeshadow over the liner to seal the colour. I thought the liner would stain my lips and that it would be a nightmare to get off.. But surprisingly it wasn't! I kept the rest of my makeup simple by using a nude colour shadow on my eyelids, and then added to lashes.













Body- Lipsy
Shorts- Levi 501
Army jacket- given to me!
Shoes- Urban Outfitters
Necklace- Primark

I wore the body backwards, so that the neck was high and there was a deep V at the back. I think its sexy to show some back!! And in true 90s fashion I tied my army jacket round my waist. The trend was featured on Rihanna's latest collection for River Island, and celebrities such as Nicole Richie have also been rocking it!
Let me know what you think..

Danielle x

Pop swap haul

If you've been following my recent posts you will have seen I was involved with a clothes swap event. We actually had some well cool stuff donated into us... And I came away with a few bits and pieces.


(Pile of the clothes I returned with - no money involved, everything was swapped!!)
So here's what I got... Also... over the next few weeks I'm gonna use each item of clothing in an outfit of the day post to show how I'd wear them. I may do a bit of modifying here to there to some of the clothes, but anything creative I do, I will document on here :)

The fabric on this dress is honestly beautiful!! It's in a huge size though... But I couldn't let it go to waste!!! I have a few ideas on what to do with it though, so I'll keep you updated on here :)


I got this proper vintage baseball jacket!!! There so in right now- and I'm so in love <3


This shirt is men's, but I love a bit of oversize. It's got a pretty colourful print on it.. And I've been trying to update my style with more colour, so thought it would be perfect


The way I folded this shirt for the picture make it look weird! Haha. But anyway, again it's pretty oversized, but really cool. I don't know if you can see, but there's like gold beading on the top half of the shirt- it's pretty cowboy-esk


I was unsure wether to take this skirt or not... But I thought I could definitely find a use for it. It's like a little under skirt they wore in the olden days; I think it's really cute!
I'm so happy with the stuff I've come away with, I've practically come away with a new wardrobe .. And it cost me nothing, just other peoples clothes that they didn't want. I'm a fan of vintage shopping, but there's something about when it's other peoples unwanted stuff and a more limited collection (we had about 150/200 items of clothing).. I kind of started thinking outside the box of different ways to wear things... And I'm really excited to post on here the ways I'm gonna style these outfits! Hopefully will have them all up in the next two or three weeks :) so keep looking out. I'm always happy to hear your opinions on what you think, so please tell me what you like and what you don't!!
Danielle x

Pop swap review

If you read my last post you, will know that I have been participating and promoting Pop Swap (a clothes and books swap event my uni has been running). The event took place yesterday and was a great success!!! YAY!! People's generosity exceeded our expectations; we received a fantastic amount of donations, so much so that we had more clothes than we had hangers!!
We displayed all the donated items about the room to make the place into our own little pop swap shop. It looked so cute! We had a table dedicated to t-shirts and separate Mens and women's rails. We stuck posters to the wall to give the room a pop of colour. Here are some photos I got before the swapping commenced...










Once we let people loose on the clothes, things got a bit hectic, but we tried our best to keep on top of keeping the displays tidy!






I met a lovely girl called Suzie who was busy swapping. She had an amazing fashion sense and I couldn't resist asking her if I could take some photos to post up on here! Her style is so fearless and I absolutely admire her confidence with clothes and expressing herself. She buys a lot of her stuff from charity shops and car boot sales for really cheap to individualise her look.








I got some a few things myself, which I'm excited to share up on here with you all!
Danielle x

Pop swap

I've been participating in a clothes and books swap event that my university is running. The event has been set up by the MMU Environment team and aims to promote sustainability. Sustainability within the fashion industry has become a mainstream issue and retailer are more and more aware of their carbon footprint and the impact they are having on the environment; for example, H&M launched their 'Conscious Collection' in 2010.
So basically the idea behind the project is to encourage people to recycle and be more green! All people have to do is bring in their unwanted clothes or books and then swap them on the day of the event. Simple. It's an ideal opportunity for people to bag themselves a new item without spending a penny (perfect for cash-strapped students). Any unswapped items are donated to the British Heart Foundation- so it's all for a good cause.
We have asked people to donate their unwanted things to us before the day of the event, so that everything is available to view on the day and ready for people to get swapping. We have had some pretty wild and wonderful things given to us already...











On the event day we've got a band to play, and we're going to set up the area to display all the items to look like a little vintage shop... Oohhh.. And decorate the room with balloons - amazing!!
I'm in charge of the social media, so I've been busy facebooking and tweeting away. The event is happening in Manchester at MMUs All Saints campus (don't need to be a student to come) if by any chance ANY of you reading this are in the Manchester area, get involved!! Click here for Facebook event page

I'll be getting my swapping shoes on too! And will post the clothes I come away with on here! Can't wait :)
Danielle x

Who's your Christmas number one?

Yay it's Christmas!! My favourite holiday.. I love getting into the festive spirit. But if your not in the Christmas mood just yet, click here for a bit of Mariah to help get you there.. (Obvious, I know.. But so, so good!)
With Christmas comes lots of cosy nights in front of the telly, which means its hard to ignore the Christmas ads. Retailers spend millions of pounds and practically all year planning for their Christmas campaigns in hope that they are going to win us over and get us to spend all our hard earned cash with them! It is without a doubt the most important season for the retail industry. So.. I'm doing a little review on the three main ads this year (in my opinion).. One lucky retailer will be crowned the winner of my blog- woohoo to them ;)

I'm starting with...
Marks and Spencer's: Believe in Magic and Sparkle. Click here to watch

It's no secret that M&S have been struggling with their clothing sales recently. So all eyes are in them this Winter to see how they perform over the Christmas period. And they've certainly gone to town with their campaign, which features the beautiful Rosie Huntington-Whitely, oscar nominated Helena Bonham-Carter and the oh-so gorgeous David Gandy.
The advert takes us through a fairy tale journey, following Rosie as she transforms into well-loved, magical characters from our childhood stories, including: The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, Little Red Riding Hood and Aladdin.

My favourite scene has to be the Mad Hatters tea party. Nothing at all to do with the fact that this is the first time we are introduced to David Gandy... But it showcases Marks and Spencer's delicious food...

The advert is certainly family orientated; with children and adults able to reach out and identify with each character or story that is represented. I think M&S are possible trying to convey that the clothing range they offer is versatile through the constant change in character- they also use this as an opportunity to showcase much of their products.
However, although I'm not complaining, the use of Rosie Huntington-Whitely and David Gandy may be a little bit young for the M&S core customer (who in my eyes is 50+) to connect with. I'm presuming the strategy behind that was to reach out to a younger audience, so that in the future when they reach M&S' target age, they feel confidence in the brand.

Next...
Debenhams: Wishes made Fabulous. Click here to watch

This campaign oozes glamour, sophistication and romance! It follows two young lovers journeying to meet at a giant ice rink. It is pretty cute and romantic!

The focus on the advert is on Debenhams designer collaborations (same focus as 2012's Christmas as), which include Jullian Macdonald and Jonathan Saunders collections. I love how the ad kind of pauses from reality, and a fashion sketch is shown. I think that really impacts the importance of the designer collaborations which they are promoting. The fashion sketches also convey exclusivity.

Overall, I think Debenhams have done a good job of conveying fabulousness! The advert seems to focus on fashion and sophistication. I think it will certainly appeal to families due to the children and children's wear shown, but even young professionals who are starting out a family (based on the ages of the lovers). Debenhams have shown the best of their clothing, lingerie and cosmetics, and got us in the Christmas party spirit (a sophisticated Christmas party that is)! The finale at the ice rink, where everybody is wrapped up warm really encapsulates the winter spirit.

And finally...
John Lewis: The Bear and the Hare. Click here to watch

John Lewis Christmas adverts have become pretty iconic. In the past they have never failed to bring a little tear to my eye. This years is no different. They bring us a beautiful animation that follows two woodlands animals friendship (the animation reminds me of watership down- if anyone remembers that?!). When it's time for two best friends (bear and the hare) to part, the hare gets extremely upset. The bear has never seen Christmas before, due to hibernation. On Christmas Eve, the hare brings the bare a present- an alarm clock. This wakes the bare and he comes to enjoy Christmas with the rest of the woodland anaimals. It really is quite touching.. I'm feeling emotional just typing this!!

Lily Allen signs the soundtrack to the advert: somewhere only we know by Keane, in an acoustic version. Lily Allen has been away from the music industry for a few years, and what a great way to make her comeback- on an iconic advert. I read that she even had to audition for the part!

There is text at the beginning and the end of the advert telling the story in a way similar to how a children's novel would. This together with the animation brings back childhood memories of mine, which is what I think john Lewis are trying to do. They want to emotionally connect with the audience and bring them back to a time (childhood) when Christmas was the most special and exciting time of year.
John Lewis showcased no products in their advertisement, but promoted the John Lewis brand. The advert was first broadcast on TV during the Xfactor, taking up the whole duration of the advert break. I think this shows the impact the brand has on us and the status their Christmas adverts have across the country.

So what do you make of the ads? Which is your favorite, and which is your least favorite?

The order I would put them in is....

*drumrole*

3. Debenhams
2. Marks and Spencer's
And number one...
John Lewis
I think the John Lewis advert has the biggest impact on the audience, whereas the Debenhams one has the least.
Anyway, like I said, I'd love to know your your views.. Do you agree, or disagree with the order I put them in? Do you think the adverts have captured the Christmas spirit enough to make you part with your money??

Danielle x

Outfit of the Day

Hello!! Back in October I posted a gorgeous pair of Asos trousers to my wish list.. And thanks to two of my lovely friends, I was able to tick them off; receiving them as a birthday present. I wore them for a night out to celebrate my 22nd in style and I've been meaning to post up pictures on here of the outfit for a while.
The trousers are from Asos Africa and are covered in a lovely tribal print of pinks and blues. I was brave and clashed them with a bright yellow (fave colour at the moment) Miss Selfridge top. I threw on some nude heels and a big winter fur coat (its so cold, I couldn't bare go without)! I originally drew inspiration from an outfit I saw Olivia Palermo in..
Olivia Palermo looking fabulous as she always does!! ^^^ ... And here's how I styled mine ...
Let me know what you think about the outfit? How else would you style the trousers??
Danielle x