XOXO to Gossip Girl...

It's the end of an era: after 6 seasons, Gossip Girl has come to a revealing end. All wrapped up in a neat little bow, everybody is happy, we finally know who Gossip Girl really is, and that's it for our favourite Upper East Siders.

I thought that seeing as it's party season and Gossip Girl has always been the epitome of glamorous party chic, what better way to see them off then to put together a few Christmas party outfits in the styles of the most poignant characters from the show...

Serena

The thigh-high split on this sequin maxi is so Serena Van Der Woodsen, add some big drop earrings and some well engineered underwear to give your natural assets a boost and you're good to go!

Emma Gunmetal Sequin Bandeau Split Leg Maxi Dress - £85 - Oh My Love
Jewelled Shard Earrings - £20 - Asos
Black Diamanté Hand Clamp - £10 - River Island
Black Design Forum Laser Cut Mesh Shoes - £100 - River Island
Ultimate Strapless Bra & Ultimate Strapless Lace Thong - £28.80 & £9.20 (sale) - House of Fraser
Hadane Black Shiny Metal Clutch Box - £26.99 - Missguided

Blair

A Blair Waldorf outfit wouldn't be complete without a headband and some jewels. Some sexy lingerie to keep everything in it's place beneath the prim and proper exterior of your demure ensemble will leave you feeling naughty but nice.

Scallop Lace Skater Dress - £39 - Miss Selfridge
Annalise Rhinestone Headband - £34 - Rock N Rose
Rhinestone Skirt Bracelet - £20 - Topshop
Reitsma Strap Platform Court Shoes - £56 (sale) - Asos
Ooh La La Corselette & Ooh La La Thong - £35 & £7 (sale) - Gossard
Jen Lace Clutch Bag - £18 - Boohoo

Jenny

For a Jenny Humphrey look, it needs to go a bit goth and with plenty of black and plenty of studs, this outfit is sure to do just that. Not the hottest lingerie you've ever seen, but it's perfect to hold you in in all the right places in a get-up as sexy as this.

Lace and Faux Leather Victoria Top - £45 - Oasis
Black High Shine Tube Shorts - £25 - River Island
Fierce Studded Shoe Boot - £35 - Chockers
Articulated Ring & Chain Diamond Two Finger Ring - £8.50 & £10 - Topshop
Pack of Two Smooth Double Cuffs - £15 - Asos
Missoni Spike Knuckle Duster Clutch - £21.99 - Amazon
Ultimo Black Miracle Plunging V Shape Body - £45.99 - New Look

Vanessa

Seeing as the dress is a bit more covered up, you can opt for some cuter underwear this time. The accessories are where it's at for the Vanessa Abrams look, the hat and the chunky boots give the tie-dye dress more of an edge and the statement necklace is a must.

Tie Dye Maxi Dress by Love - £48 - Topshop
Plain Fedora - £25 - Topshop
Layered Chain Necklace - £14 - Rare London
Miso Multi Fixed Bangles - £8 - Republic
Black Metal Block Heel Ankle Boots - £100 - River Island
Freya Piper Longline Bra & Freya Piper Thong - £32 & £13 - House of Fraser
Vividly Clutch - £29 (sale) - Kurt Geiger

Good luck with your GG inspired looks!
Happy holidays! XOXO

Lets go hell for leather...

Sorry I've been a little absent of late guys, final year is kicking my ass. Standard behaviour I guess. So this will just be a quickie but I wanted you to know I'm still here!

Top of my wishlist at the moment is effectively, any leather item of clothing (or faux leather as the case may be!). Just like last year, leather has come back for winter. It looks to be one of those staples that consistently resurrects itself like a phoenix from the ashes. With that said, here's a few gorgeous and affordable pieces to get you contemplating your dark side, whether you're after biker chic, whips and chains or really just something that will keep your legs warm...

Clockwise from top left
Burgundy Leather Case - Miss Selfridge - £30
Premium Cutout Leather Shell - Topshop - £75
Oxblood Faux Leather Trousers - H&M - £24.99
Miso Leather Leopard Print Gloves - Republic - £20
Cameo Rose Black Leather-Look Skater Skirt - New Look - £14.99
Black Leather Look Hotpants - River Island - £30

My personal favourites have to be the H&M trousers, I have such a crush on this colour right now-I love how it can make such a tough material like leather (or "pleather") look more feminine and stylish. I do however have a bit of a penchant for the skater skirt; the style is so on trend and for £14.99, how can you argue?!

You can keep your hat on...

So lord knows it has been ridiculously cold in the UK lately and there is almost nothing good about how dry it makes your skin, or how hot you are when you get inside and are wearing several hundred layers, or that no matter how many pairs of socks you try to fit into your shoes, your feet almost get frostbite! However, there are a couple of good things, one of which is the huge selection of outerwear we can now get our hands on. It gets so boring wearing the same thing outside constantly, and as a poor fashion student, when it gets freezing out there I have only one coat warm enough to keep the pneumonia at bay, and my goodness isn't that dull? My saving grace? Scarves, gloves and HATS BABY! Here are a few of my faves for saving your head from the bitter winter air...

The Beanie

Skater Rib Beanie-Topshop-£10

The oversized beanie is super versatile and waaaaarm! Be careful how you style it because you don't want to end up looking like you just threw it on because you were cold (despite the fact, that's almost completely true!). They work great with the 90's trend or with a girly dress or with a grungy look. Just be careful with the black beanie if you're going grunge-it could be a bit Disney's Anastasia before the make over!

The Animal

Black Animal Face Faux Fur Hat-River Island-£18

Yes, this hat is ridiculous! Wait though! It is fun and slightly ironic, and did I mention fun??? Plus, it's so warm and cosy that I promise you will never want to take it off. Wear it with... Well lets face it, wear it with whatever the heck you want-you've put an animal face on your head, who cares?!

The Cossack

Pieces Berta Hat-Asos-£22

If you fancy following in the faux fur theme, but along a more serious vein, the cossack is the one for you. This one is quite deep which is nice because it still covers your ears! Style with a prim and proper upper east side New York vibe à la Gossip Girl with a wool cape and leather gloves, or go Russian all the way, with a military coat. Burgundy and grey work really well together too so work those colour combinations!


The Fedora

Burgundy Fedora Hat-Miss Selfridge-£25

Not so warm but oh, so stylish you could wear nothing else... Although I obviously wouldn't advise that seeing as you'd get arrested. Get your giant sunnies back out (that low winter sun can be just dazzling!) and work your inner diva; this one's a show-stopper. The fedora obviously has the mob connotations, so go with it! Put on your tie-waist mac and some mannish tailoring and you're good to go... Or if you're not feeling that daring, pair with a faux fur stole and spin some 1950's dame charm.

The Pork Pie Hat

Leopard Pork Pie Hat-Topshop-£26

My last one, I swear. Again, this one will not keep your ears nice and toasty, but how can you resist. This one's a personal favourite of mine-I already have it in plain black but this is calling me! It combines not one, but two trends, before you even address the shape... The oxblood colour is everywhere this season, you can't escape it, and who would want to? I haven't met a person yet that doesn't suit it. Also, I'm always a bit scared of leopard print, there's a fine line between being Rihanna and being Kat Slater, you know? BUT, take the yellow away and boom! You're Rihanna all the way! So, put on your leather jacket, your jeans, and your studded boots and away you go-so simple. It doesn't really matter what else you have on because these hats complete almost any outfit. They're your instant cool factor... And aren't they pretty????

So, dressed up or dressed down. there's a hat out there for you. And if you think hats don't suit you, I promise, there IS a hat for everyone, so go play dress up in the shops, I think you'll be surprised!

Diamonds Are Forever...

After seeing the advert for Kate Moss' new matte lipstick range for Rimmel London, I fell in love with the shade she's wearing (107) and as I've never been a huge fan of 'glossy' lipsticks, the matte finish made it even more enticing. Boasting "magnetic colour" and colour enhanced by "black diamonds", I had to give it a try. So I headed down to Superdrug where, the lipstick was at £5.49 and included in an offer whereby if I spent over £7.00 (I think, don't quote me!) I got my favourite liquid eyeliner (Rimmel Glam Eyes in Black Glamour) for free, I'm a sucker for a bargain and I was soon off to try it myself!

I'd advise you to make sure you haven't got dry lips before you start applying because it just shows up, making it darker in some places than others. This however is the case with many a bold coloured lipstick and should not put you off. I'd definitely recommend a lipliner because the colour is so dark that if it bleeds, you do look like you've got vampire mouth, so to speak! It's got quite a hard consistency but I find that seems to help it stay put for longer. It lasts for a good few hours before you need to reapply, it's a surprisingly versatile shade and I get complimented on it all the time. It's a great way to finish off an otherwise quite simple make up look without putting in too much effort, and lets face it, if we can get away with less time getting ready then it's worth it.

I'm definitely not saying I wouldn't prefer black diamonds in my jewellery but seeing as that's probably a little out of my price range, my new Kate Moss will do me just fine until then!

Missguided.co.uk...

Just a quick note: missguided.co.uk have launched a new television ad campaign relatively recently and considering how anaesthetised I think our generation must be to adverts of all kinds, this one actually made me stand up and pay attention. It's worth a look. Their stuff is right on trend and so reasonably priced. They also have a great range of items to choose from, not dissimilar to Asos. I'm going to have a browse myself and try to get something ordered to check out the quality-I'll keep you posted!

Camouflage...

Topshop £48.00

Zara £39.99

Missguided.co.uk £19.99

So, the military trend is a big one this autumn and with that trend has obviously come camouflage print. Camo is easy to wear, it can instantly turn a simple outfit into one with wow factor and it can toughen up the prettiest of dresses given the chance. The only thing I have against it is that I've seen so many people in THE EXACT SAME jacket. Beware when you are making that all important statement camouflage purchase, that you don't end up making the same statement as the masses. If you want camo outerwear, try looking for an oversized shirt instead. If perchance camouflage outerwear scares the crap out of you, shorts are a great way to incorporate the trend and stand out without making a statement quite so bold. Happy hunting!

Brothel Creepers...

Shoes - Chockers

Seeing as I am yet to go back to uni and therefore minus a photographer and flatmates, my first post has to be dedicated to my new flatforms from Chockers (or "brothel creepers" as my mum described them!). I am IN LOVE! At just £20 in the sale, they were an absolute steal. I think I'll have a play around with my clothes  to see how to style them but I'm currently thinking either a super girly dress as a contrast or something tougher with a bit of a military feel... I'll be sure to add a post when I decide on which way to go.