Wednesday 3 December 2014

A2 Art Work

I have been seriously lacking with blog posts recently, although I realise I'm hardly disappointing millions, I do love making them so I'm going to try and make it a priority again. I went to pick up my A2 art from school the other day and thought I would share it with you. I'm not sure its quite worthy of a blog post but I thought I would show it anyway since it's a little different from the normal posts I do and may interest some of you.

These are my display pieces from from A level unit 3 and 4, obviously they are both accompanied by art books that explain how and why I created the pieces I did, but i'll try my best to concisely explain them.
Unit 3


Unit 3 was essentially inspired by the the photographer Paul Graham and his 1998-2002 series: American Night and specifically a piece I saw at the tate which I copied in various media(examples -top right and bottom left). For my final piece I put together my own 'street' to paint  using a collage of different buildings from where live and surrounding areas that I felt looked as though they could be featured in Grahams American Night series. To paint my final piece (centre image) I used the edge of a piece of grey board dipped in paint to create the lines and pulled it across the surface to create the shadows and details.

Unit 4
Unit 4 was based on work by Sunga Park and Andre Salgado. After responding to these two artists I mixed up the techniques and subject that the artists used and painted some of the pieces shown above. The painting on the top left is my final exam piece which is a direct response to Andre Salgado's work with portraiture. 

Thanks for reading :)
Lucy xx

Saturday 4 October 2014

- October Wish List -

Jumper - Topshop | Cardigan - ASOS | Bag - Head | Dress - Glamorous | Diary - Leathersmith of London | Boots - Office

It's definitely cooling down now and this is reflected in some wintery items that I have been lusting after such as this Topshop jumper and ASOS cardigan, both of which I think are such cool pieces to chuck on over a simple outfit in winter. I also think the Topshop jumper in particular paired with black jeans and these black knee high boots would create a really understated and effortless look. The grey dress is such a great piece for autumn winter as it really lends itself to being paired with black tights and boots and I just think it's a great staple for any wardrobe. This vintage style sports bag is just too cool and the only real justification I have for wanting it is that I have joined a gym! Lastly I have been using my diary a lot recently so thought I might invest in a nice leather one for 2015 and there's something about blue/aqua leather that I am obsessed with so this one is definitely going on my christmas list x 

Thanks for reading! 
Lucy x




Monday 29 September 2014

Tumblr.

Tumblr is home to some of the most stunning photographs I have ever seen. This seems like quite a bold statement to make about something that is essentially a social media website but there is something very organic and real about tumblr photos. Some I take style inspiration from and others I simply appreciate the artistic quality and beauty of. Here's a selection of some of my recent favourites ... for more visit my tumblr @ http://itslucy96.tumblr.com















Don't forget to follow if you like my blog links are on the right!... Lucy x

Wednesday 17 September 2014

Fawsley Hall: Afternoon Tea & Outfit

On saturday my sister, brother and I treated my mum to Afternoon Tea at Fawsley Hall which is a beautiful country estate/hotel not to far from where I live. The grounds and house where stunning, this combined with the incredible food made the afternoon really lovely, here are a couple of photos I took including my outfit from the day.
Dress - Forever 21(similar here) | Cardigan - Topshop(similar here) | Boots - ASOS

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to follow my blog.. links on the right:)

Lucy x 

Wednesday 10 September 2014

Suki Waterhouse Superga Campaign - How I Style


Suki Waterhouse is everywhere at the moment, one of her projects this year, along side filming the up and coming divergent sequel 'Insurgent', has been to get involved with one of my favourite brands, 'Superga'. I love the campaign and I have selected a few of the shoes featured to style :)

Navy Superga | Jeans - Topshop | Jumper - Ralph Lauren | Bag - Head (ASOS)
I looovee this outfit.. If I say so myself! It's 100% my personal style. It's retro inspired with the sports bag and mom jeans yet still on trend due to the distressed design of the jeans. The first thing I picked to go with the shoes was the jeans as I instantly knew I wanted to go for a laid back slightly 90's look and what's more 90's than mom jeans!? I then added this beautiful mens Ralph Lauren jumper to be half tucked into the jeans which still maintains the sloughy look while adding some luxe to the outfit. I saw this bag while browsing the ASOS website and honestly think it's one of the coolest pieces and adds the perfect pop of colour to an otherwise quite plain outfit.
The above shot is one of my favourites from the campaign, from an advertising pespective it's on point as your eye is drawn straight to the Supergas and then travels to Suki and the stunning classic car to complete the image. I haven't styled the white Superga as I have done this before in my Brandy Melville post which you can see here.
Burgandy Superga | Dress - Brandy Melville | Bag - Grafea (ASOS)
This outfit was slightly harder for me to put together as personally i don't often wear shoes that aren't a classic colour but I'm really happy with what I put together. I decided I wanted to included grey in the colour scheme as I think grey and burgundy complement each other really well so this grey and white striped Brandy Melville dress was perfect. I finished off the outfit with this cute white backpack  which pulled together the white in the shoes and dress. 




Thanks for reading!
Let me know what you think of the campaign and the outfits I have styled.

If you like my blog don't forget to follow:)

Lucy x 

Tuesday 2 September 2014

A Very American OOTD ✌️

So I finally got my hands on this Brandy dress, which if you have read my last few posts you will know I have been obsessed with for months! It basically represents everything I want my style to be - classic, casual and cute, I love toughing it up with this hoody and my timbs! I wore this yesterday to my friends 19th which was an American themed do, I hadn't actually planned to tie my outfit in with the theme it just sort of happened haha and I figured I would go with it! 

Dress - Brandy Melville
Hoody - Levi's (old)
Boots - Timberland (via Ebay)
Socks - Topshop
Necklace - Topshop
The colours are all classically American and although Brandy Melville is an Italian based brand, personally I associated it with California as that's where it has really blown up so once I added Levi and Timberland, both of which are iconically American it was suddenly a very american style outfit! I added some grey ankle socks and a long necklace for a bit of detail and kept my hair pretty natural.



 Thanks for reading! Don't forget to follow my blog, links are on the right...  Lucy x 

Thursday 21 August 2014

- August Wish List -



1. The first thing I really want this month is Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman. Having recently finished binge watching the TV show I watched some interviews with the cast and the women the series is based on, Piper Kerman. I then realised the show is actually inspired by Kerman's best selling book so I thought since I loved the show I would probably love the book to.

2. I love the vintage section of the Motel Rocks site, they rework vintage items into really cute new designs and these 'Gypsy Crops' are my favourite piece that they do. I think it would look really cool with a maxi skirt and doc martens or for a more girly look you could wear it with a white circle skirt and some sandals.

3. These H&M shorts are such a cute, flattering shape and the design is so summery and in keeping with the tropical prints trend. They could be dressed up with a crop top, heels and a blazer or dressed down with a grey v-neck tee and and Supergas.

4. I have wanted these Supergas for so long now, I love the really classic style and shape and think they are such a good investment as they are pretty timeless.

5. Lastly as mentioned in my post about Brandy Melville, I am completely in love with this T-shirt dress. It's such a cool piece and I think it would be such a great thing to have when you just want to throw something on and don't have much time.


Lucy x

Wednesday 13 August 2014

BRAND FOCUS... Brandy Melville


I can't quite remember when I discovered Brandy Melville but I have known about the brand for roughly a year. The selfish instincts in me don't want to write this post as it is relatively unknown in the UK, especially for those that aren't into the fashion blogging/vlogging scene, and it's so refreshing to have a brand that you rarely, if ever see people wearing. This being said I am so excited about this brand and simply have to share my thoughts.



A little background & why so successful? ..
The orginally italian brand launched its first US store in 2009 in LA and have since launched another 17 stores across the States. It wasn't until I started doing a little research for this post that I realised it wasn't a California based company, as this is what I had instantly assumed due to the laid back yet pretty style of their clothing. Brandy Melville has been popularised by the likes of Kylie Jenner and her 'young hollywood' friends such as Sofia Richie. It is young Southern California girls like these that have unintentionally helped the brand grow through social media such as tumblr and Instagram by simply sharing a photo that gets reblogged to other side of the world in seconds. As someone who follows the brand on Instagram there is isn't a day where they don't post at least one photo of a store display or a 'brandy girl' modelling there clothes which makes me instantly lust after their clothes.

Top/Dress - Brandy Melville || Denim Jacket - Topshop || Grey Ankle Socks - M&S || Plimsolls - Superga 


For someone raving about the brand and writing a blog post on them; embaressingly I only own one top, the main reason being that shipping costs $40 and there are only 2 UK stores both of which are in London so its not exactly easy to get your hands on something. This being said my Brandy Melville wish list includes almost the whole website and I am currently obsessed with this t-shirt dress and I am genuinely considering a trip to London purely to pick it up!

To the right i am wearing my Brandy Melville 'Nadine Top' and I have kept my outfit quite simple by adding some classic Levi cut-offs and my favourite Newlook skater shoes. I finished off the look by wearing some white nail polish and H&M sunglasses.




Thanks for reading!
Don't forget to follow my blog - links on the right:)


Lucy x



p.s. let me know in the comments what you think of Brandy Melville and if you love it as much as I do!

Friday 8 August 2014

Summery OOTD


The other week a few friends and I went to London to go and see 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' at the 'The Lounge' for my friends 18th birthday present. It is a luxury over 18's cinema in which you sit in reclining leather seats and get served a meal while watching the film, it was such a good evening and the food and film were both amazing so i would definitely recommend it especially since it's so reasonably priced! Before the film we hung out in London for a bit and it was really warm so i was grateful to be wearing this summer dress which i layered with a denim jacket when it got a little cooler in the evening. 


The dress I am wearing is from H&M, it was only £12.99 and although i have only had it for a couple of weeks I have already got my moneys worth as i have barely wanted to wear anything else since it's just so pretty yet comfy and light so perfect for the beautiful weather we have been having. I wore my trusty denim jacket to make the outfit a little more casual and intresting and finished off the look with my mums vintage mulberry belt and my favourite chelsea shoes with little ankle socks. 






Dress - H&M (black version)
Belt - Mulberry
Denim Jacket - Vintage (similar here)
 Shoes - Topshop(old)


Thanks for reading!
Don't forget to follow my blog - links on the right :)

Lucy x

Saturday 26 July 2014

Laid Back Summer OOTD

 
Here's a recent outfit of the day from a trip to London..

 
Levi shorts - eBay
Bomber jacket - H&M
Necklace - Topshop
Bracelet - Spain
 
 
 

Follow on bloglovin or GFC
Lucy x 

Thursday 3 July 2014

My Summer Must Haves!

Summer is very much underway and most people will have either finished school or will be finishing in the next few weeks! We have already had some amazing weather in the UK so whether you are off somewhere exotic or you are just enjoying the sun at home here are my top summer must haves. This is obviously not including essentials such as a bikini, it's more stuff i have personally loved so far this summer and would recommend..


1.White or bright nail polish - Both white and brightly coloured nail polishes look great with and enhance your tan, i have been wearing white recently as shown here and i have been absolutely loving it as you don't have to worry about it matching your outfit since it looks good with everything! On the other hand if you are wearing a fairly neutral outfit a bright nail polish such as an orange can be the perfect summery touch. 

2. A good book/book series - Personally, a good book is an essential for summer especially for by the pool or at the beach, i would also recommended maybe starting a series as you could easily finish one book in a week or two so it's nice to know you have the next one to read after, for example last summer i read the Hunger Games books and this year i am reading the Divergent books.

3. Runner/Jersey shorts - Runner shorts are so useful for summer as they are really comfy and light and are great when it is really hot and you don't want thick denim or cotton shorts. They are also good to wear with your bikini when you are walking to the pool or beach and they can be relatively fashionable (or at least not ugly) if you buy them from somewhere like Topshop. 

4. Square neck tops/crop tops - The square neck neckline is my favourite trend of the moment, it's so flattering and i love the 90's influence. Whether you go for a crop top with denim shorts and a kimono or a pretty cami with ripped jeans it is an instantly cool, effortless and summery look.

5. Waterproof mascara - This MaxFactor Lash extension mascara is my favourite waterproof mascara and up there with my favourite mascaras in general, it gives a super natural look while really lengthening and separating your lashes, and it's best used after curling your eyelashes. It is a very natural looking mascara so it's perfect for a light/natural makeup look that personally i prefer in the summer. A waterproof mascara is a necessity as it obviously won't run if you are in the sea or pool but also just last a lot longer when you are in the sun.

6. Denim cutoff shorts - A pair of plain denim shorts are such a staple, they are completely timeless and like jeans go with anything and everything. Distressed cut-offs give an instantly cool laid back look especially with just a plain t shirt and some plimsolls or skaters.

7. Slip on skater shoes - I am loving this skater shoe trend, it took me a while to come round to it as i had only ever seen the classic check Vans but after buying the pair of plain navy skaters shown i am completely converted! It's a great way to wear a trainer/plimsoll in summer as they are easy to slip off, they look especially great with denim shorts.

8. Frozen Yogurt - If you have never had 'fro-yo' you are seriously missing out! It is so yummy and satisfying and i would chose it over ice cream any day as it is just as indulgent but feels a lot more healthy and refreshing.
London locations: Pinkberry-Selfridges, Snog-Marylebone Lane 


Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed and maybe got some ideas!
Don't forget to follow if you like my blog - links are on the right :) 

Lucy x


Saturday 21 June 2014

- London OOTD -

 
After my exams finished on Monday, the first thing my best friend and I did was head to London! I had been craving a London trip throughout my exams and it was so lovely to just wonder around completely stress free. We visited Brandy Melville, ate Pinkberry frozen yogurt and lounged around in Regents park, it was so chilled and the perfect way to forgot about my less than perfect exams ( N.B. my exams went so badly not a chance I am getting in to my first choice... yay).

Here's what I wore..

I am obsessed with this motel rocks skirt at the moment as I have a lot of more classic basics in my wardrobe and not many statement pieces such as this. Since the skirt was so detailed I kept the rest of the outfit super plain and simple by adding a navy jumper and black Chelsea boots with navy ankle socks to tie in with the navy jumper. I accessorised with silver hoop earrings, a silver thumb ring and white nail polish!  
 
Outfit details.. the jumper is actually an old one of  my mums from M&S and the socks are just a random pair I found in my house so I have found substitutes for these..
 
 
Thanks for reading!
 
Lucy x 

Tuesday 6 May 2014

- My Best Dressed from the 2014 Met Ball -

Yesterday it was the 2014 Met Ball, and as soon as pictures of the outfits were released I simply couldn't resist writing a quick post even though I should really be revising! Big trends included bold colours and two piece sets as well as a lot of blush and white gowns. I was spoilt for choice so here is my best of the best...
 
My number one favourite has to be Kendall Jenner, along with Jourdan Dunn and a few of the other Topshop models they all wore custom gowns by the brand and all looked incredible! I love everything from the dress to the hair which  been carefully styled to fall behind her shoulders in order to show off the beautiful necklace - literally perfect. Obsessed.

 
Below is Jourdan Dunn also in Topshop, I love this colour against her skin tone and I just think she looks flawless. On the right is another model Arizona Muse, while the dress is simply stunning I think I would have preferred slightly looser hair as, as an overall look its a little bottom heavy.
 
 
Literally the hottest couple ... Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. Both in Gucci, they are definitely my best dressed couple of the evening. Also Blake's hair and make up are beautiful and add perfectly to the very old Hollywood outfit.
 
 
Finally, as mentioned, 2 pieces and co-ords were a massive trend and my favourites were Emma Stone in Thakoon (left) and Cara Delevingne (right) in Stella McCartney.
 
 
 
Thanks so much for reading!
Don't forget to follow on bloglovin or GFC if you like my blog and leave me comment if you want me to check out yours.
 
Lucy x