Topshop Festival Style Challenge (£200 Topshop Giveaway!)

‘You what? White denim at a festival?’

Denim jacket – Topshop*
Denim shorts – Topshop*
Top – Topshop* (similar/similar)
Socks – Topshop*
Trainers – Converse x Comme Des Garçons
Bag – Paul’s Boutique*
Sunglasses – Topshop*

Photos by Toni Power

Ok so maybe I’m not suggesting that you pack your new white denim if you’re embarking on a weekend of camping at Leeds Fest. You would look impeccably cool for the first half hour or so, but falling in mud or someone throwing a beer (or worse) on you is a matter of when not if, and so practically speaking it might not be the best choice. With this look I actually had in mind any sort of marginally more civilised festival environment; whether that’s hospitality at Glastonbury or an inner city fest where you can return to the safety of your own bed (and washing machine) or a hotel room in the evening. To be quite honest, you don’t even need to wear this 70s-but-not-too-70s, boyish-but-still-cute outfit to a festival at all. I plan on wearing it as frequently as possible!

I talked a lot about white (and off-white) denim in a recent post (which features a whole wish list of all sorts of other white denim pieces, if you fancy a peek), but here’s how I style it. I opted for this super cool half-sleeve striped top, which conveniently matches my hair as well as this great new Paul’s Boutique bag and the sweet lil red socks which you might just notice poking out of the top of my shoes. Now, what you’re (probably) all here for, the Topshop giveaway. Keep reading below!

To enter, simply fill out the form below. Don’t forget that you *must* take a look at Topshop’s festival clothing and comment this post with your favourite piece and contact email address. Good luck 🙂

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*unfortunately this giveaway is open to UK readers only*

May 28, 2015 TAGS: fashion, giveaway, Lookbook, ootd, outfit, Topshop BY: hannahlouisef

Fashion

Denim: Top 10

I am just really into denim at the moment. I can’t quite explain why, perhaps a side effect of 70s revival fashion (although I have a suspicion that Alexa Chung’s recent collaboration with AG Jeans that has been all over my Instagram feed has only perpetuated it). Going from left to right on the collage above, here are my top 10 denim pieces that are available right now (and yes I’m really feeling button-through skirts):

ASOS denim button through skirt £28

Topshop x Marques Almeida denim shirt dress £30 (was £80)

Miss Selfridge button through a-line skirt £25

Levi’s Denim Jacket @ Urban Outfitters £50

Topshop boutique denim panel dress £55

Alexa Chung for AG Jeans button through skirt, £175

Topshop x Marques Almeida boxy denim jacket £30 (was £80)

Topshop moto bib front dungarees £48

Topshop x Marques Almeida frayed denim skirt £20 (was £60)

ASOS denim shirt dress £40

January 17, 2015 TAGS: 70s, ac for ag, Alexa Chung, alexa chung ag jeans, ASOS, denim, denim dress, denim skirt, dungarees, Levis, Marques Almeida, Topshop, Urban Outfitters, wishlist BY: hannahlouisef

Fashion

Double Denim

Coat – Primark*

Denim overshirt – We Are Cow*

T-shirt – Topshop x Marques Almeida

Jeans – Ark*
Boots – Daniel Footwear*

Bag – Oushka*

Photos by Portia Hunt

I’m sad because this is the last outfit I shot with Portia during our last meeting, boo! How great is she? In this outfit I went for double blue denim paired with black denim, so really triple denim!!! Crazy!! I am actually very into it, though. This longline denim shirt (which I think was originally intended as a fitted dress, god love the 90s) from Cow Vintage is a nice alternative to the sort of denim overshirt I usually go for, and it’s quite a different piece which I like. I also love this frayed denim t-shirt from the Topshop x Marques Almeida collection – I seriously still want every denim piece from that collab, and most of it is on sale now! My coat is also worthy of a mention, you might remember it from my feature with Primark in Company Magazine way back in October but I finally got my hands on one last month. I think it’s going to be the ideal transitional coat as it (hopefully) starts to warm up a little at some point in the not too distant future, but as far as trench coats or macs go it’s actually quite thick and warm and perfect for layering over cardis (or longline denim shirts) for colder weather.

Let me know what you think, and again I apologise for the sporadic posting over exam period!

Shop more:

January 9, 2015 TAGS: denim, denim shirt, double denim, fashion, fashion blogger, Lookbook, Marques Almeida, ootd, personal style, Primark, Topshop BY: hannahlouisef

Fashion

Topshop Christmas Sale

I rarely bother with Christmas period sales, because I’m already exhausted by the effort of shopping for presents for others and deciding what I’d like for myself. I am glad I gave Topshop’s sale the time this year though, because it is really great! I’ve compiled a little shortlist of my favourite things, including a couple of things I already own (the d-ring skirt and Marques Almeida button down skirt). Do let me know if you decide to grab anything – happy shopping!

Marques Almeida x Topshop denim shift dress – was £80 now £40

Marques Almeida x Topshop denim pelmet skirt – was £60 now £30

Marques Almeida x Topshop frayed denim mini skirt – was £60 now £30

Topshop Boutique baggy jeans – was £55 now £28

soft borg biker jacket – was £75 now £40

triple buckle boots – was £78 now £35

nude premium d-ring skirt -was £50 now £25

Topshop Boutique lightweight mac – was £130 now £65

Topshop Unique longline wool gilet – was £215 now £100

rib v bralet – was £16 now £10

Topshop Boutique premium cotton tee – was £25 now £12

military cotton shirt – was £30 now £18

gem platform sandals – was £60 now £30

printed gem platform sandals – was £60 now £30

faux fur throw on coat – was £125 now £60

blush pink brushed roll neck jumper dress – was £75 now £35

buckle flannel kilt skort – was £40 now £20

satin bralet – was £22 now £10

satin high-waisted knickers – was £12 now £7

silk cami – was £38 now £18

December 26, 2014 TAGS: Christmas sale, fashion, January sale, sale, Topshop BY: hannahlouisef

Fashion

Orange Boots

Jacket – Topshop (similar/similar)

Top – DivaDames*

Jeans – 7 For All Mankind*

Bag – Oushka*

Boots – Fashion Pills*

Hat – Primark*

Photos by Kirsty Fletcher

Another very casual outfit for you, in the same vein as the last one I posted featuring these fab 7 For All Mankind jeans. This time I paired them with a basic white roll neck, trusty leather biker, and what I guess are ‘statement boots’ from Fashion Pills – the boots are currently on sale for £28, how great?! In the spirit of good deals, don’t forget to check out all the Black Friday / Cyber Monday discounts and sales which I’ve posted about here, and my giveaway to win a pair of 7FAM jeans (which you have one day left to enter) here.

I’m also sporting this absolutely gorgeous Oushka saddlebag style handbag, I’m obsessed with the super soft leather and contrast print textured flap. Thoughts?

Shop this look:

December 1, 2014 TAGS: 7FAM, fashion, fbloggers, fedora, jeans, leather biker, leather jacket, Lookbook, orange boots, personal style, Primark, Topshop BY: hannahlouisef

Life

Outfit Store Opening – Manchester Crown Point

Last week I was invited to the opening of a brand new OUTFIT store at Crown Point industrial park in Denton, Manchester. Living in the city centre I rarely venture out for shopping purposes, so with Crown Point just a short drive away I was excited to check it out. If you’re not familiar with the OUTFIT concept, the stores house a variety of Arcadia brands under one roof. It’s sort of like a department store but a little less over-facing, very handy! I think OUTFIT is the ideal shop for anyone who is a bit lacklustre when it comes to the act of going shopping, or anyone who is rushed on time. If you’re local there’s also an OUTFIT at Manchester Fort, or you can check where your nearest OUTFIT is using their store locator.

The new Crown Point store is exactly what you’d expect from Arcadia (in a good way!) – big, clean, bright, and very easy to shop. I was drawn to the brands I usually wear like Topshop and Miss Selfridge, but also enjoyed browsing Dorothy Perkins and Wallis. The Denton store also has an Evans for plus size shopping, and menswear upstairs! Whilst there is obviously a smaller selection available from each brand than there might be in their individual stores, I was particularly impressed with the range of products. In the Topshop section for example, there was a full stock of that Alexa Chung leopard print skirt!

Check out some snaps from the new store below, including some bits I picked up for myself. Do you have an OUTFIT nearby?

Topshop Throw On Cardigan

Miss Selfridge Gold Sequin Dress

Dorothy Perkins TAKE ME OUT Clutch

Topshop Chelsea Boots

Miss Selfridge Floral Jacquard Shell Top

Miss Selfridge Floral Jacquard Short

Miss Selfridge Embellished Clutch

Here are a few things I left with, which you might already have seen if you follow me on Instagram:

Topshop Yellow High Neck Circle Jacquard Top

Topshop Buckle Flannel Kilt Skort (I didn’t get this, but I definitely want it!)

Topshop Premium D-Ring Skirt

Shop this post:

October 26, 2014 TAGS: Arcadia, dorothy perkins, events, lifestyle, Manchester, Manchester Crown Point, miss selfridge, outfit, store opening, Topshop, Wallis BY: hannahlouisef

Life

My 21st Birthday in Instagrams

Last Friday, the 19th, was my 21st birthday! Whilst I love blogging, I decided to forgo the pressure of trying to take beautiful pictures of everything I did and instead give you a little snapshot into my birthday weekend via Instagram. If you don’t follow me already, you can do so @hannahlouisef.

I began my birthday itself with an early start, wearing my super comfy South Beach loungewear – check out the Alice pants in photo 1! I then headed to Chester Zoo (how grown up, right?) with my boyfriend Paolo. I hadn’t visited in years despite it being a childhood favourite and I had so much fun, especially seeing the cutest red pandas.

In photo 6 you can see the best birthday card I received, very thoughtfully made by my brother. Yes, that is a picture of me! Photo 7 features my big birthday present, a brand new MacBook Pro, which I actually got a couple of weeks before my birthday so that I could get used to it in time for going back to university. I am so grateful to my parents for the money they put towards it, and I’m loving using it.

On Saturday, the day after my birthday, I went out with my friends. We first went for food, and I wore the very Spice Girl esque combo of a silver glittery cropped roll neck and that Topshop leopard print skirt for dinner at Jamie’s Italian (my first visit there – nice, but disappointingly small portion sizes!) and a few bars afterwards. My friend Hannah made these amazing cupcakes with my face printed on them…

Finally, on Sunday, I went home to see my family. Luckily my ‘home home’ isn’t too far from where I now live in Manchester, so it’s easy to pop back for a day. In photo 11 you can see a birthday present from Paolo, the sweetest personalised ring from Bloody Mary Metal. I arrived home to these incredible cupcakes (photo 12) from local Finch Bakery (which you can order in Manchester too!), and wore a powder blue Missguided suit (shop the blazer here and shorts here) with a striped jumper. Photo 14 is what I had for dinner at the Freemasons, a local posh pub – my birthday is the one day I feel like I’m allowed to order the fillet steak! Now, MY CAKE. Another Finch Bakery creation, there is still so much left in my kitchen. It featured iced pugs and a sort of caricature of myself made entirely from icing, honestly the best thing I have ever seen. Photo 16 rounds up my birthday – these yummy chocolates were a gift from my university friends.

I feel incredibly lucky to have had such a fun birthday, and I hope you enjoyed this slightly more personal and wordy post! Let me know if you’d like to see more like it.

September 26, 2014 TAGS: birthday, birthday party, cake, chester zoo, instagram, Instagrams, lifestyle, party, personal, Topshop BY: hannahlouisef

Fashion

LFW Day 3 – Outfit Of The Day

Top – Missguided* | Skirt – Topshop (similar) | Boots – Missguided* | Bag – Primark*

More all black for day 3 of LFW. I think that this look was a little bit inspired by Burberry SS14 with the embellished sheer skirt and lacy blouse, but I went for all black instead of pastel shades to keep it A/W appropriate. I also wore these super cool Missguided biker boots to toughen things up, and how cute is my new small-but-not-too-small Primark bag? Thanks to the lovely Charlotte Fisher for taking these photos for me!

Thoughts on my second all black look of LFW? Check out the first one here, and see a run-down of my hair and make-up in my last post.

September 18, 2014 TAGS: all black, black, burberry, embellished skirt, fashion, fbloggers, LFW, London Fashion Week, Lookbook, missguided, ootd, outfit of the day, personal style, Primark, Topshop BY: hannahlouisef

Fashion

Blanket Capes for AW14

Image from Harper’s Bazaar

Cape – Topshop

Capes are hardly a new fashion phenomena, but with the spotlight at Burberry AW14 shining on their ultra cosy blanket capes it was inevitable that come September we’d all be wanting one. I bought my first (although likely not my last) blanket cape for the season last weekend at Topshop – see above! I’m looking forward to sharing it styled up in outfit posts, I think they’re so easy to wear and I’d put money on the fact that they’ll be absolutely everywhere to the point of overkill at fashion week. I managed to nab the last one of these right off the display model, but it’s available on the website here now. I’ve also created a mini wishlist of some of my favourite affordable blanket capes which you can buy right now. I have my eye on the M&S one in particular, and have also seen some lovely oversized scarves in H&M. Which is your favourite? Have you picked up, or will you be picking up a blanket cape for AW14?

1 – Next Grey Check Cape £25

2 – Marks and Spencer Checked Wrap, £45

3 – Jigsaw Multi Block Poncho, £129

4 – Warehouse Space Dye Cape, £35

5 – Sheinside Cape (khaki) £12.95

6 – Sheinside Cape (blue) £12.95

7 – Sheinside Black Cape £36,16

8 – Topshop Aztec Print Cape £32

If you don’t see one you like but know a good fabric shop and fancy getting crafty, check out this really great DIY tutorial I found on stylefarm.au:

Select a piece of fabric to your taste. Preferably a wool or wool blend. Fabric comes in many widths, the most common being 115cm or 152cm. (If you are tall, choose the 152cm). Purchase the same length as width (or as close to).
Lay the fabric on a flat surface. To ensure your fabric is square, fold one corner over and ensure the edges are perfectly aligned.
Remove any excess fabric.
You now have a perfect square and are ready to begin!
Using tailors chalk and a ruler (or similar) mark the centre of the fabric. (You may choose to fold the fabric in half and half again to do this with ease). Mark a line from the centre of the fabric to one corner.
Using sharp scissors, cut along your line from the corner to the centre.
Select a complimentary of contrasting thred and blanket stitch the entire perimeter of the fabric. If you have an over locker, you can do this easily by selecting the ‘picot’ edging stitch.

DIY image and instructions from stylefarm.au

September 9, 2014 TAGS: blanket, blanket cape, burberry, cape, scarf, shawl, Topshop BY: hannahlouisef

Fashion

Outfit Of The Day | Slouchy Stripes

Shirt – Motel | Trousers – Topshop | Shoes – ASOS | Bag – Missguided* | Sunglasses – Matalan*

Following quite nicely from my last post about my spa day and afternoon tea, here’s the outfit I wore. I chose something very relaxed and loose fitting, which also was cool enough for the super hot weather. I actually really love how this outfit turned out! My shirt is from Motel – a bit of an impulse sale purchase but at only £12 I couldn’t resist. Don’t forget you can get 20% off full price Motel with my discount code ‘hannahlouisef’! I paired it with an old favourite in these Topshop Boutique silk joggers from a couple of years ago, and a new favourite in these ASOS flats. I also love the most recent addition to my bag collection, this slouchy-ish white drawstring bag from Missguided, and a new pair of sunglasses from Matalan!

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