New Lengths

What I wore in St.Andrews, day 2. It was baking hot, for the UK in early June anyhow, so like I said in my last post, this beautiful hat was such a blessing. I burn easy and have a tendency to get sunstroke if I'm not careful, so having this as a sun hat was perfect, it was also lovely to feel covered up but still perfectly cool (long skirt).

I can not praise this skirt enough, I had been hunting for it for a couple on months now. I wanted it, I needed it, I thought I'd never find it, I gave up, and then there it was. I mean, not this actual skirt, but something exactly like it, although I wasn't sure it definitely existed. I dreamt of something long, chiffon-y, pleated, that sat high on the waist, was in a light, bright summery colour, and didn't cost the earth. I finally found something that fit the bill on Missguided but they were sold in my size (they now have some similar back in, but with a side split). I then stumbeld across this bad boy in a boutique called Thuder Egg on Oldham Street. I stupidly cut the tag off and threw it out, so I can't tell what the actual brand is!

It also came in cobalt blue and mustard yellow, I'm now considering buying one... as I love this one so much. What do you think is more wearable, blue or the yellow?

The jersey shirt/top is great too, a new purchase from Topshop, very comfy, has such a cute aztec style cross-stitch pattern around the neckline, and I love the extra roomy arm holes. I know that sound weird, but they're just that bit bigger, and kind of hang different, and I just think its a really contemporary design feature/'look'. (I snapped it up while they were doing 20% off for students last week!)

Hat - Charity Shop, Suglasses - RayBan, Top - Topshop (£26), Skirt - Thunder Egg (£25), Sandals - Zara, Bag - Vintage (my mum's)

Oh & I really need some new daytime summer sandals. I want something with a low heel, but not wedge (I'm just not a wedge fan) and versitile, so in like tan or cream or something. What do you think of these? I will definately snap them up next time I'm in town, if, a) they have my size in stock, b) they fit nicely and c) they're still down to £25! haha. Let me know if you see anything else that might fit the bill. I can't spend more than £30 really!


VW x

Ode to Orange

I made the best purchase ever last week... ORANGE TROUSERS. You do not understand the excitement, I can tell. But I'm going to attempt to explain...

This was just going to be a small paragraph tacked on to my last post, with 1 measly picture, but then the excitement took hold, and I rambled & rambled and realised my new love deserve a post of their own, because yes, I am that obsessed!

Here's a lovely little collage I made on a weird bit of trial software that came with my new laptop... all I had to do was put the pics I wanted in a folder anf click a button, voila. Ok it has a cappy little watermark thing across it, but you get the idea.

It basically shows what my mind has been thinking, all day, every day... orange, orange, orange. colour-blocking, colour-blocking, colour-blocking. bright, bright, bright. Jil Sanders, Jil Sanders, Jil Sanders. haha.

I am actually in love. I've mentioned before my obsession with the colour orange. It is literally the best. But even though my bedroom was orange, and my phone was orange, and my hair is orange... I generally I stay away from wearing my favourite shade... until now (well apart from my prom dress, and my reeboks, and one of my coats, oh ok, I've prob worn it more than most)! Hello colour blocking, the best trend to ever cross the face of the earth. I will be wearing my new babies ALOT. I'm thinking teamed with purple, hot pink or electric blue will be beautiful. But at the mo I've only trialed them with a light grey jumper and black leather jacket, kinda like the lovely lass below, who's photo I stole off the Topshop website ;-)

I'd been dreaming of THIS pair from Zara for weeks and weeks, I literally couldn't get them off my mind, and was determined to buy them as soon as I could get my ass into town and try them on (you never know with Zara sizes ... xs, s, m or 34, 36, 38, bla blah, they can't keep it straight forward). Well, I was right as it turned out. They didnt even have the orange ones in the Manc store, but I took the 6 and 8 in blue to the changing room, thinking I'd just order off la tinternet, alas I have apparently lost a lot of weight and the 8 literally fell off me. There was me thinking the 6 would probably just be too tight round my bum and show a horrible VPL etc, but they too were also too big, like bloody paper bag trousers on me (after using a belt to secure them on my waist). Harumphh, I was devastated.. I know that sounds sad, but seriously, you have no idea how much I loved them. I'd planned out all thses outfits in my head, and trawled the internet for new bargain tops to go with them, etc. I wanted to wear them for work experience at Easter (2 weeks in the Tesco boyswear buying department woo!), and be the cool intern girl with the amazing orange tailored trews...

So... after a few minutes of sulking I charged up the elscalators to the kiddy's section. Zara - If you're not gona make big girl trousers that fit me, you leave me no choice. I'm going to buy your 13-14 year old 'basics' coloured jeans (in the exact same colour and fabric as the slacks downstairs) for half the price! Mwahaha. Gotta love the fact theres no horrible increased VAT on childrenswear. I got them for only £14.99 (instead of the womens £34.99) and they fit perfectly, YAY. Ok so they're cut like skinny jeans instead of tailored trousers, but are made of a nice slightly stretchy woven cotton and if I turn them up a bit at the ankle and add a belt I get the desired effect.

So there you have it, beautiful orange trousers, that fit me. And I promise to wear them to death. I don't even care if 'colour-blocking' goes out of fashion, or people think I look too bright, or crazy, or 'like an american convict'. Because orange, oh orange I love you.

Are you guys OBSESSED with any colours or trends right now? Please say you like orange too? You'll be my bezzie for ever haha.

VW x

PS. I don't even like Rihanna - I know that comment alone will make me a social pariah, because apparently she's like everyone in the worlds fave

But, I want to look like this, her whole outift is beaut.

Be My, Be My,.... Be My Little Rock and Roll Queen

I don't want you to 'Be My Valentine', I think it's lame. You may have already seen this on my Twitter (yes I got Twitter last week, follow me people)!

I just don't see the point - *enter cynical comments about commercial holiday invented by clintons cards, florists and chocolatiers (is that even a word/profession?)*. Anyway, I just think, as a person in a happy long-term relationship, that you shouldn't need a day on the calender to express your love for one another, 1 - you should be saying 'I love you' everyday, 2 - I think its much more romantic to be surprised with flowers or something on any random given day. I don't even like red roses, they're so, blah. I'd much rather get a single pink or orange gerbera[daisy], my favourite kind of flower, when I've had a bad day at Uni or to congratulate me on something than others might find really trival (like a good grade or something), than a dozen roses today.

Ok so that rant's over and done with! I hope you all enjoy your Valentines Day whatever you're doing and however you feel about the 'Holiday'!!

Skirt - Miss Selfridge (in the sale down to £12), Leather Jacket - Miss Selfridge, Cropped Jumper - H&M, Red Leotard (underneath) - Topshop, Boots - Ebay, Socks - Primark, Bag - Vintage. Hair - T&G Academy.

Do you like my outfit? The photos are kind of sucky, we took them really quickly when I got home for the hairdressers the other day, as I needed photo for my CollegeFashionista bio, and didn't have any recent outdoor ones! But, I LOVE THIS SKIRT. Ok ok so we're [supposed to be] heading in to spring, so a long black skirt is probably not the most fashion forward piece to buy right now, and maybe I'm a bit behind the curve, it was in the end of season sale after all. But then I just don't care. I like it.

I'm loving embracing the whole 'new lengths' thing with skirts and dresses. It's funny how feminine I feel wearing this long black swishy skirt, and it's so comfy in a lovely light pleated jersey. I like the juxtaposition of the length and all the hard black leather, but then wearing heels and a soft light jumper (which is also new). I'm wearing my red floral leotard underneath, which you can't really see in the pictures, but looked so cute and went well with my new red hair.

Speaking of the hair, what do you think? The brightness has kind of washed out a bit now (as they used a bright colour wash for the presentation - I had it done as demo model at T&G again) and its actually way more red/auburn than I wanted, it looks kind of natural :-( haha, whereas I would have liked it bright orange again. But hey-ho, it was free,and its sorted out the darks roots/light hair fiasco!

The lighting was a bit weird and crap on this side of the street, but I like the picture for some reason, so have included it!

T.T.F.N

VW x

90s Grunge Girl

It feels like forever since I last blogged!! I've missed it so much, but I've been crazy busy and with my laptop in for repair it was really awkward trying to upload photos etc! I have so much to tell you, so I'll try not to ramble on tooo much! My laptop is now fixed! YAY!

The really big exciting news is - I will be writing for CollegeFashionista this term as the first 'Style Guru' for Manchester Met Uni! My bestest friend Michael suggested I send in my CV a few weeks ago as he knows one of the 'gurus' at his uni, et voila, they wanted me! I will be writing a 'Style Advice of The Week' article every Monday, with a picture of some lucky fashionista/fashionisto from around MMU/Hollings/On their way to lectures etc. If you havn't heard of the site head over there now and check it out. It's all about street style at your campus (but of course you can look at others for inspiration!) and is totally awsome.

These photos were taken on Wednesday and basically I'm wearing my new stuff from shopping on Saturday! I went for a much overdue catch up with my lovely friend Charlotte, had a look round the shops and Nandos for tea, yum yum. I've been desperate for the elusive 'black leather biker jacket' but couldn't find a suitably cheap and beautiful one anywhere, since the aviator took over in Autumn. If found this baby in Miss Selfridge for £47 not bad, even if its only P.U. but as a bonus they have been running a 20% off for students recently, yipeee! I know I'm going to get so much wear out of it, in fact, I've worn it 4 times already. Saturdays in Manchester city centre are mad, now I remember why I never do it normally! They didn't have the jacket in my size in the normal store, so we went to top floor of Selfridges, which was blissful. So quiet and we could really have a look and not feel hot and bothered, ok so the concessions have reduced stock, but the selection was still good.

I bought the black peter-pan collar tunic dress in the sale at Topshop (in Selfridges too), it was down to £10.80 by the time I used my student discount, bargain. I always see you girls in beautiful peter-pan collars and am really jelous that my wardrobe was sadly lacking, so now I've caught up with the game!

I felt like I was wearing too much black already so desperately raided my draws for some bright tights and found these plaid babies. I've had them for a few years now and kept seeing them in my drawer and thought they had a hole or ladder in so havn't worn them in ages, they don't so I'm really happy and will be wearing them more! All of a sudden I was aware that I look pretty grunge and so tried to girly up the outfit with some dangly earrings and my light crochet boots (which my parents got me for Christmas, but maybe you havn't actually seen yet? I've scuffed the toes up so much already, oh dear. I might retire them for a while until there is less rain and mud to contend with). It didn't really work though did it? In fact the jewellery made it more early 90s grunge chick I think.

Anyway, this is what I was wearing for a very bizarre day, in which I met up with one of my oldest family friends Simon. He lives on the Isle of Man at the moment, and I hadn't seen him over 2 years, so it was a real treat, and such a good day catching up - even if he was horribly hungover and we spent 3 hours as the only white people in a cramped waiting room at the Pakistani Embassy! (Yes dressed like this, I got some looks!) Haha, I told you it was a weird day!

After dropping Simon at the train station in town at about 5.30 we made our way to the cinema to see Black Swan - which I thought was really good as a film, and I'm glad I saw it, but I'm not really into ballet AT ALL and don't really think it lived up to the rave reviews of 'visually stunning' bla bla, the dialogue was a bit stale, I giggled my way through every sex scene, and the ending was a bit implausible if you ask me (I don't want to give too much away in case you havn't seen it and don't know what I'm on about). What a review eh?!

You will notice a little outfit change in these pictures - suddenly some huge heavy black biker boots appear out of thin air! I bought these from a Barnardo's charity shop near the station on the way to the cinema for £6.99. They're brand new, never been worn, and still had the paper stuffing in etc. They make my feet look huge I think, but I love them for that price, and they went so well with what I was already wearing I couldn't leave them. So I put them on for a few pics when we got home too. I bought the hat for £4 (down from £15) in the Miss Selfridge sale also on the way to the cinema just as the shops were all closing, so wore it home. I was totally inspired by a similar hat Charlotte bought when we were shopping on Saturday - although hers was a bargain £2 from Claires!

Ok I've talked and talked, so that's definately enough for now, I'll post again soon. Let me know what you think of Grunge Girl Voni?! Did you guys find any bargains this week?

Hat & Leather Jacket - Miss Selfridge, Tunic Dress - Topshop, Tights - H&M, Crochet Boots - ?? (Shoe Shop in Australia), Biker Boots - Charity Shop, Earrings - Marrakesh Souk, Necklace - Vintage (my Grandma's), Bag - Charity Shop (Australia)

Happy Saturday!

VW x

Once upon a time in a sunny suburb...

Heyy! No I'm not dead! I havn't even got a good excuse for not blogging in a silly amount of time, but I'm ok, and promise to get posting regularly soon.

I guess this blog was initially about writing about something I love (fashion, not myself) and about doing something creative, that was just for me, that wasn't for school or uni or anything like that, but just for myself, because I enjoyed it. But then somewhere along the way (I know its only been like 3 months and I've probably done less than 30 posts, but hey ho it feels like its been a while) it all sort of started to feel like a chore sometimes. I had convinced myself that this blog was doing something, making a difference somehow, like one day when I got off my lazy ass and posted some photos and had something witty and interesting to say, some big hotshot in the fashion world would just stumble across it and think, 'oh my god, I have to know this girl, I shall hire her immediatly to be a contributer to Vogue' or 'This girl is amazing, and clearly loves fashion, I'll just call my close personal friend the director of buying at Arcadia and set something up' etc etc (havn't we all had these dreams? please say I'm not the only one?!), so I got into this mentality, do another blog post Voni, keep it going, even if you're tired, or busy, you want to be like that girl with the 100/200/500/1000 followers who goes to fashion awards/gets sent Next products/is an Aussie haircare blogger, don't you? Don't you? Don't you?

Well no, actually, maybe I've realised I'm not that bothered, I enjoy this so much more when its just for me, when I sit down and write about a load of old crap, and showcase my bargain bag, or my marginally hidious blouse, or show off my free haircut, because I want to. I don't care whether you like it, or don't like it, whether its gona get me somewhere or not. Its pretty fun having a hobby. I've never had one before to be honest!


I can't be bothered chasing after a 1000 followers, or checking my stats, I'm quite happy in the knowledge that my mum is reading, and The Bestfriend, and I even get the odd page view from The Boyf, even though he's sitting right there in the room with me and took the photos etc (which I think is pretty sweet haha!). If you like my pictures, or my ramlings, or my very strange fashion sense, then please do feel free to visit again and have a read, but thats up to you really isn't it.

Saying all this, if you do actually happen to be the head honcho at Selfridges, please do just ignore everything I've just said, I'm a really friendly, optimistic and driven individual, who is desperate for would love some work experience :-) hahahaha


Well that was all very depressing wasn't it? I've tried to make it up to you with the photos (of course it's not really about making it up to you, because I'm not doing this for you remember :-p I made my bro take these photos after much grumbling, so I might aswell post them!)

Oops, the pool cleaning hose in the background kind if ruins them a bit huh?!

It's cold and wet and miserable here in Manchester, but looking at these pictures is going some way towards warming me up inside (the rest is left to the 4 layers I'm wearing plus blanket, as we can't afford to turn the heating on). It's strange to know my parents are on the otherside of the world, experiencing this beautiful sun right now, and I was right there with them only 2 and a half weeks ago, yet the warmth on my skin is a fleeting memory. These pictures were taken in the garden at about 6pm, after a day out in Subiaco and Harbourtown Shopping Mall, just as the sun was starting to fade.

The pretty theatre in Subi that matched my outift haha!



Don't know why but I quite like this picture, even though pool cleaning equipment is kind of ruining it again!

Vest & Bralet - Topshop, Skirt - American Apparel, Shoes - Zara, Bag & Sunnies - Primark, Earings - Accessorize

 

Despite wearing one of the simplest and most relaxed outfit combo's my wardrobe can muster I got quite a few compliments in the city that day, I can only put it down to the aussie's love of laid-back chic. I kind of love it, throw on your favourite summer skirt, a singlet and thongs (vest and flip-flops) and you're ready to go. Obviously me being me I had to jaz it up with some oversized sunnies, dangly earings and primarni bag. I actually wanted to wear just the bralet instead of vest (which is why I'm showing it off in most of these pictures), as the peach straps and stictching match my skirt perfectly, but I just wore it as a normal bra underneath as I was worried about the dreaded tan-lines from walking around outside all day - it has 2 strappy bits across the back which would have left very strange marks!

Barry M Orange Nails, to match my hair ;-) I love how quick this polish dried when I painted my nails outside, Australia is amazing, haha! Seriously though, warning, make sure you keep the bottle in the shade, it goes all sticky and disgusting in the heat!!

For some reason my little bag gets quite alot of attention in foreign countries, people always ooh & aah it, and I'm like, dude it was a cheapy from Primark!!

Anywho, I found lots of marvelous charity shop bargains whilst in Perth and recieved quite a few beautiful christmas pressies, which I have been wearing over the last couple of weeks in England, so fun outfit posts to come! Check back, or not. Please follow, or not. ;-) Seriously though, I do appreciate you reading, whoever you are (Hi Mum!).

Much love, or not
VW x

Perusing in Perth - Day 1

Hello lovies! I must apologise for the lack of posting, I had some beautiful things planned for last week - eg. what to wear for travelling and also this cute little winter outfit showing my patriotic side (a thick wooly jumper that used to be my mum's with the Aussie flag on it!), but alas I underestimated everything I had to do and the little time I had to do it & never got around to taking photos!

ANYWAY! I'm in Australia now!! Woop! I arrived yesterday afternoon, but the dredded jet lag took hold after my 26 hour trip & I spent the last few hours of daylight having a nap after my mother had dragged me round the house showing me everything, she used to do the same every time I came home from uni back in England, so it felt very familiar hehe!

The weather here is lovely, very sunny yesterday when I arrived and my parents went for a swim in our backyard pool while I napped, but today it was a bit over cast! The estate agent called it 'shark weather', which kind of scared me, but I'm not a beach gal and NEVER swim in the sea, so I suppose it was fine! When I say overcast, well anyone reading this from Aus may well know, this meant too hot to wear anything more than a vest and shorts, bloody humid/heavy air and in the morning I spent about an hour laying by the pool reading and would have burnt without sunscreen on!

It's been so nice just seeing my family again, and we literally had a completely relaxed day, mooching around the house/garden and then on a driving tour of the area. We went for a late lunch at a 'Dome' pub, which is some kind of chain here, and was really yummy, and also spent a few hours wondering around a show home village!

The houses here are just soooo bloody amazing, and cheap! Like millionaire pads back home in England, but out here they're only about £500,000 for a 5 bed house with pool and cinema room and all sorts of great stuff! I'm totally in awe, and am definatly considering a day in the future, when The Boyf and I are all grown up, moving out with the kiddy-winks <3.. maybe.

Posing in one of the luxury show homes! Vogue posters on the wall = my kind of house!

These post is obviously more of a travel diary than anything fashion related, but the pics do show me in one of my favourite summer outfits, which was perfect for todays weather too, I got the vest and shorts in the end of summer sales (see how I wear them at home in the cold winter weather here!) My hair probably doesn't look its best in any of these pictures - I had a proper freak out this morning, there is no hair dryer in the house because my mum says she 'doesn't need one' and I wasn't informed of this until I arrived, otherwise obviously I would have packed one. Not only that but my beauty inept family apparently don't use conditioner (even when they swim in the pool every day, I know crazy right!?) so until we go to a supermarket tomorrow I'm a bit scared of the hair situation!



Vest - Topshop (sale £2), Shorts - River Island (sale £10), Flip Flops - Accessorize, Sunnies & Bag - Primark



These pictures are taken at Mullaloo Beach, we just popped down after lunch, as it started to rain a tiny bit, so I could meet the Indian Ocean for the first time, hehe, and get a feel for it all. Oh my gosh the ocean is so blue, and the sand so white, beautiful! Without my wonderful boyfriend to take pictures of me I was left in the hands of my brother, he didn't do a bad job did he?! I reckon he'll be up to scratch before the fornight is gone! When I sat on the sand dunes I said to Jack, how likely is it that there are snakes or other creepy/deadly wildlife here and he said, 'oh don't worry, there won't be any!', when we ran back to my dad afterwards he said 'oh I probably should have told you, there's a sign over there saying beware of snakes near the sand dunes'!!! Haha!

More chats and pictures to come of my fun family break in the sun!
Hope you're all enjoying the Christmas holidays and if you're in the UK, gutted about all the snow :-p, I got out of England just in time, I think Heathrow closed only about 12 hours later!! It all looks very festive at home though I suppose. I'm off to decorate our Christmas tree now!

VW x

Me and my little (taller than me) brother, the wind blew just as I took the pic, haha!

It Was Acceptable in The Eighties...

Hey lovers! I know I said I wouldn't be posting for a while due to the huge mountain of work I have due this week but.. I just couldn't resist showing you this little outfit I put together yesterday!

Blouse - Label says 'Notto' by way of Ebay, Skirt - H&M, Belt - Primark, Socks - Primark, Trainers - Reebok from Office, Cardi - Topshop, Necklace - DIY (see how here)

I got this blouse off ebay a couple of weeks ago for just £3 (including p&p), and whilst I know that most people would think its boarder-line hideous, I am in love. I have had that 'I just don't know what to wear with my new hair colour' thing since Tuesday, seriously you've got to re-think your whole wardrobe, I put on my purple Uniqlo heat-tech roll neck on the weekend and boy did it look baaaadd with the aubergine neck right there near my tangerine hair, the foods don't go, and neither do the colours! But anyway, I'm happy to have found that this shirt, although kind of clashy and very eighties, looks pretty good. It has shoulder pads in, which I wasn't sure about, but the sleeves wouldn't sit right if I took them out and looking at these pictures quite like the weird contrast the wide shoulders provide with my tight skirt. I have an obsession with buttoning up my blouses all the way, as you may have noticed...

Yes, I went with the 80's theme and added my freestyles, which match my hair <3 haha. Oh, and the picture in my flat at the bottom is where I'm laughing my head off because we were taking shots on the landing at like midnight and then we heard voices get close to the neighbours door and we were like 'shit they're coming out, this is so embarassing' and ran inside giggling - I just thought it was a cute 'outake'!

Anyone reading this fancy doing me a HUGE favour? To help with my copious amounts of work please leave me 3 little words as a comment? I have to do a chapter of my project on 'My Personal Style', which I mentioned here, I'd like to include some 'primary research', so I thought hearing other people's opinions would be good. Have a little look at my previous posts etc and let me know 3 words that you think describe my personal style - they can be anything from adjectives, to celebrities you think I dress similar to, or colours, patterns, fabrics and eras.

Some responses I've had from friends etc include:
Unique, Fun & Individual,
Experimental Retro & Stylised,
Quirky, Elfin & Retro,
Sixties, Care-free & Viv Westwood

And my personal favourites:
Perky, Fussy and Particular - from my Mum! Haha, she hates shopping with me, and gets upset when she buys me something and I don't like it, even when I tell her not to or she says its ok not to like it. I guess I am pretty choosey, but I like what I like!
Mismatched, Comfortable & Confused - is it weird that I love my fashion being described as confused?!

 

Thanks dolls,
VW x

PS. Hi & Welcome to you new followers, you rock, I suspect you may have found your way here from Dotties wonderful 'Stalker Report', so chuffed that she featured me right there with so many beautiful and accomplished bloggers <3 Colourless Colour is still a baby compared with these, so I totally appreciate the 'publicity' a such.

Dressing up time is not just for kids!

Hello lovelies, I feel like I really owe you an outfit post, but when all I've been wearing in this freezing weather is tonnes of layers and a huge coat (and I've only left the flat like twice in like 5 days haha!) it doesn't seem worth it!

In further procrastination (I really just can't get on with this stupid Fact File, 3000 words due on the 10th eek!) I thought I'd just post the full set of pics that I use as my footer etc on here! My lovely friend Liz took these snaps when I had my beautiful pink haircut at Toni & Guy and we played dress up one night. This remains a favourite dress and outfit, if only there were more opportunities in life to wear a backless white lace dress, 6 inch heels and a black facinator!!

Dress - John Zack by way of Selfridges, Leggings - Topshop, Shoes - KG by Kurt Geiger, Earings - ?? borrowed off Liz, Fascinator - downstairs in Affleck's Palace

Hope you likey! Have you got a favourite dress/item of clothing that you love but just doesn't ever seem appropriate? I never have an occasion to wear an outift quite like this, so its really fun dressing up and taking photos!

Hopefully I'll do some fun photos like this after my new haircut tomorrow! But for now I'm off for a bubble bath before bed <3

VW x