Well peeps, I’m more than happy to keep this post lighthearted after pouring my heart out/going on a mini rant yesterday – I love writing about fashion and as trivial and superficial as it may be it’s my creative purpose and therefore very therapeutic for my soul!
I sported this look just under two weeks ago and oh my, can we just take a minute to adore this jumper? Needless to say, I am obsessed.
I had spotted it on a few bloggers and finally took the plunge when it was ever so slightly reduced on River Island’s site. I loved it from the minute I tried it on, it instantly became one of those pieces that I never want to take off. In fact, I have to stop myself from wearing it all the time as it’s due for a wash!
I mean, check out those ridiculously cute irregular frills, they’re just so charming. My love for frills knows no limits and shows no signs of fading away. I also love the oversize fit (I got this in a size 8), as it makes it so cosy and comfortable.
However, what I really love about it is (shocker) that striking shade of red. In fact I think that drew me in even more than the frills. It may be super comfortable and oversized but I feel like its red hue makes me feel dressed up and like I’ve made an effort, not to mention that it has an instant uplifting effect.
Speaking of being dressed up, this is such a casual look for me – but take one scroll on my Instagram feed and you’ll see this more relaxed approach to dressing has been creeping up every now and again over the past year.
Three years ago I wouldn’t have worn something like this. My style has never really been super elegant, but there was definitely a time when all I wore was dresses, skirts, shorts and cute shoes. Jeans were a big maybe not, and trainers? Trainers were a big no no. So for me to be sporting jeans and trainers in 2017 is kinda a big deal.
When I was growing up, all I wore was jeans, sweatpants and trainers (it was the nineties/noughties in a small Spanish town, that was kind of the thing, OK?). Then I came to London and finally ventured out to have fun with fashion. My style became, overall, extremely girlie. Jeans and trainers were not ticking the girlie box – or any box, for that matter – and gradually vanished from my wardrobe. They also reminded me of my super unstylish growing up years, and I needed no reminding of that.
To this day, I will pick a dress any time over jeans, as well as brogues over trainers. But I also realised that in reality I was associating jeans and trainers not just with my teenage years, but with something much worse – being boring. And I can’t do boring when it comes to fashion.
Then, I realised a pair of jeans needn’t be boring or ungirlie. I also realised I don’t like to set myself any limits when it comes to fashion, my style is fluid (how millennial of me), I may be girlie but I also love being experimental and quirky, I don’t want to put myself in a box and say I’ll never wear this nor that. Jeans can be fun, quirky and interesting. I absolutely love this pair from Zara, which I bought last year because I was going to Glastonbury and didn’t want to wear anything too precious. Little did I know that they would end up becoming one of my favourite ever pieces.
I reluctantly jumped on the trainer bandwagon in 2015, when I bought these amazing skater shoes by Keds x Oasis. I then bought these beautiful (but not great quality, sadly) pink Converse style trainers from Stradivarius last year, which made me fall in love with pink trainers. I now own about six pairs of trainers – it’s more than enough for me, as each one suits my style needs perfectly.
What I probably won’t ever get too casual about is bags (although I do love a good rucksack). I got this bucket bag baby from Topshop in September and oh my, it’s proven to be a hit as it gets so many compliments whenever I wear it. It’s very versatile in the sense that it will totally work with a casual look but will also look amazing if you’re dressed up to the nines (and might want to carry a champagne bottle in it).
It’s not great quality though, as the small handle broke loose after using it for just a week! I loved it so much that I got an exchange… and it happened again! I managed to screw the handle back on, but basically holding the small handle isn’t much of an option.
Ah, these trainers. Last year I decided I would give white trainers a chance. It took me over a year to find a pair that I felt didn’t make my feet look too horrifyingly bulky. I found this pair in Primark in August (or maybe even July?) and they surprisingly get complemented a lot. What I liked about them was the floral embroideries – just the right amount of girlie for me to handle – and appreciate – them.
I wore this look less than two weeks ago for what was indeed a very casual Sunday breakfast and walk outing with the bf. Because it’s all about context with casual dressing – I know when and when not to do it. After all, I still swear by the overdressed over underdressed mantra.
Jumper, River Island. Jeans, Zara. Earrings, Monki. Bag, Topshop. Trainers, Primark. Ring, from Hong Kong. Eye bracelet, Desigual (SS’18).
So there you have it, this is how 2017 Vee does casual – it’s definitely an upgrade from 1997 Vee.
Photographs taken in some random part of North London on October 22nd, 2017.
xxx