Thinking Fashion - UK Fashion Blog, High Street Clothing Guide

J Brand Jeans come to ASOS

Jul 7th, 2011

by Nao.

Ok guys so I know I’ve abandoned you for a few weeks but it is the summer and I am sure you are all coping fine at strutting your stuff in the sun without me! Hopefully some of my previous posts have suitably equipped you to cope with any summer wardrobe dilemmas you might encounter such as Summer Weddings 2011 or Summer workwear for 2011.

In any case you will completely forget about the last few weeks of neglect when I tell you the exciting news that has prompted me to extract myself from the sunlounger and cast aside my 70s style floppy hat….drum roll….wait for it….J Brand has come to ASOS!! Now, for those of you who don’t know what I am talking about, get with the programme! J Brand is the ultimate skinny jeans, think the Levis 501 of the 2011 girl’s wardrobe, if there is one item of clothing you are going to spend nearly £200 on, then make it a pair of J Brand skinnies or if you have an incurable fear of skinny jeans their new Love Story bell bottom is also a great bet. Trust me this is an investment these jeans will make your ‘derriere’ look like it’s been to the gym 3 times this week already, and every other week for the last 2 years! If you don’t believe me check out their website www.jbrandjeans.com ; I dare you to resist!

Anyway so the great news is that for us who don’t live in the big smoke that is London and don’t have access to a large Selfridges, we can now indulge in J Brand addiction through my favourite shopping website ASOS, they only have a limited collection, but it’s definitely a start! They have opted to stock some of the trademark bright colours as well which is great if you are slightly more adventurous, although with the price of these I would probably advise that if you are only going to buy one pair it would be best to go with a classic investment piece such as some washed-out blue bell bottoms or some black skinnies, rather than the whimsical canary yellow jeans you love this season but will probably hate by next year, trust me I’ve been there! And one last piece of advice, shopping online is great but if you can get to a store and try the jeans on that is definitely the better option, some of the larger House of Frasers also stock them, or if you are headed across the Atlantic to the states this summer make it your holiday mission! Let me know how you get on with yours, I’m saving my pennies for my first pair!

Posted in: Pants.
Tagged: designer jeans · J brand · trousers

Summer 2011: The Coolest Workwear for the office

Jun 14th, 2011

by Nao.

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I’m really excited today as I have just bought myself a new dress to fit into my summer work wear wardrobe for 2011. This summer has been a real struggle for me so far in terms of finding outfits that I can wear to work and still look summery but also work if the weather isn’t great, it’s a difficult compromise! I also always fond it difficult to look very boardroom like in the summer, skirts and flip flops are all well and good but they don’t really put me in the right frame of mind for that big presentation! My beloved white wide legged trousers are great and really chic but don’t work in wet weather so I’ve found an answer in short tapered trousers, I love the selection at Topshop as they do a great cut and a range of different colours including navy blue and a gorgeous silvery grey. I think the answer to your in work fashion worries for this year lie in the revival of the Jackie Onassis look, mid length skirts, silky blouses, and high heels are really the way forward, go for neutrals mixed with bright colours and you’ll keep the summer vibe without losing your boardroom look. Both Mango and Zara do a great selection of work dresses in bright colours, my own new purchase is this Mango 60’s style dress which has a great pattern and bright colours with a skirt that’s just the right length for work. If that’s a bit too patterned for you, you could try this cute little boat neck dress from Zara in a range of bright colours, Jackie O meets 2011, I would probably go with some more imposing heels than those in the picture but you could also pair it with flats for a more casual look. So in summary the solution to your summer work wardrobe dilemma is simple, cropped trousers or sixties dresses and lots of bright colours! At least until we all get to go on a lovely summer holiday and forget all about work for a little while.

Posted in: Summer 2011, Work Wear.
Tagged: Dresses for work · Office clothing · Smart Dresses · summer 2011

Prom Dresses UK Online Guide

Jun 5th, 2011

by Nao.

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If you’ve left your dress shopping for the prom for sort of the last minute and you’ve kind of already blown that money you were saving on a fabulous pair of shoes, fear not, I found some high street fashion items that can save the day with some cheap Prom dresses in this UK fashion guide, which will give you that designer look at a fraction of the budget!

1) Sara Crochet & Pearl Collar Dress – £30

2) ASOS salon Sheer And Solid Godet Silk Maxi Skirt – £65

Your first port of call, as always in a fashion emergency, is probably ASOS.com, always a good call – check out their new ASOS Salon range, which according to their own website ‘takes inspiration from vintage style, with beautiful appliqué finishes, floral shapes and a palette of sugary, ice-cream shades shot through with bold pops of neon colour.

ASOS Salon offers a covetable capsule collection of occasion wear pieces with a ladylike aesthetic’, all I know is that they have gorgeous pieces and pretty dresses, I particularly like this maxi skirt which would stand out at any occasion and will give your look the elegance it needs for a fabulously glamorous prom.

On the other hand if you haven’t blown your savings and you were hoping to invest a large sum of money in your prom dress I would highly recommend you go for an investment piece which will last you for a few years, you can spend a couple of hundred pounds on dresses from high street stores which won’t retain their value, instead head to outnet.com, which I mentioned in my previous post, for good value designer pieces which will be a great investment or search on the ebay fashion outlet where you’ll find discounted Karen Millen, Biba and Fuse by Preen that you can also match to a fabulous pair of designer shoes – all with the thrill of an auction! Ebay offer a handy standard 3-5 day UK deliver with most items shipping within a day or two.

Posted in: Dresses.
Tagged: party outfit · Prom Dresses · UK Fashion

What to wear to a wedding in 2011

May 26th, 2011

by Nao.

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Wedding season is well and truly upon us, and if like me you are juggling a few wedding invitations over the next few months you might be worrying about what you should wear! Since writing my last article about TU swimwear I have become sold on the idea of supermarkets as a good source of a shopping fix, but I think it is advisable to go a little bit more upmarket in the high street fashion stakes with this one and to possibly plan a bit more ahead than a diversion in your weekly shop. The great thing about outfits for a summer wedding in 2011 is that there is loads of choice in what you can wear, and it does entirely depend on what sort of wedding it is: outdoors, indoors, dressy, dress down the options are endless. To start with the invitation and venue should give you a clear indication of dresscode and will help you pitch your outfit right. One thing to bear in mind when choosing your outfit is that you don’t always have to opt for a dress this season palazzo pants are really on and provide a chic alternative to a skirt or dress. Check out my previous articles on the topic to work out how to wear palazzo pants and what to team up with them.
If you have decided you want to make a big impact at the wedding you are attending you might want to opt for a designer outfit, you can bag yourself a bargain and find a dress to wear to a wedding this summer on www.outnet.com at a fraction of its designer price. I love their “Dress me’ section where you can shop by occasion, and you get up to 70% off the original designer price!
For a more cost-effective options on the high street my favourite shops and staple choices for an occasion dress are usually Zara, for lovely original pieces; Debenhams, for classics and Coast, for stand out silk and organza items. Keep things, light, colourful, well accessorized and in keeping with the tone of the wedding and you should be safe! And remember as long as you accessorize with bright colours it’s no longer a faux-pas to wear black to a wedding, although I always think it’s more fun to be colourful in summer!

Posted in: Dresses.
Tagged: summer 2011 · Wedding dresses

Tu Bikinis sizzling swimwear from Sainsbury’s

May 16th, 2011

by Nao.

1 comment

Usually when I go to Sainsbury’s the most exciting things I come back home with are chocolate and wine! But that’s all about to change. I don’t know about you guys but since I’ve seen the new Sainsbury’s advert for their summer range of Tu clothing, I can’t wait for the weekly grocery shop! I am totally in love with the little glimpses we’ve had of their new swimwear collection, particularly this little black and gold Tu bikini, an ideal little number if you are planning a bit of summer partying on the beach, or for a more glam look the purple one piece is as sophisticated as it gets!

The collection doesn’t stop at beachwear, with some key summer pieces like floaty tops, white dresses and maxi-dresses from £20 you don’t have to be going anywhere near a beach to make the most of reasonably-priced supermarket glamour! The only downside to the Tu clothing range is that it isn’t yet available online, so you do have to go to the supermarket to buy it and they don’t always have want you want in stock so use the website to find your nearest store and check their stock.

I didn’t think writing a UK fashion blog would mix well with the fruit and veg aisle but the weekly shop is suddenly sounding much more appealing! As soon as summer comes round, I’ll be hitting the…grocery store for some tasty Tu outfits!

A cute black and gold Bikini from the new summer fashion range
A handy and very 2011 Floral print Kaftan from TU

Posted in: Beach Wear.
Tagged: Sainsbury's fashion · Supermarket fashion · TU Bikini