Satin Sundays

 Zara Satin Embroidered Bomber (can't find it online?) | Topshop ripped jamie jeans | Topshop ponyskin brogues (old) | Cheap Monday tee (old) | Amelia Jane London pompom keyring 

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Zara alwaaaays gets it right. Seriously. You can always count on them to bring out a replica of the newest and hottest trends. With satin bombers all over the runways and set to be a big contender for S/S 2016, I was glad to be able to get my hands on one in advance. I first saw this bomber on Zara's Instagram when I was scrolling through my feed, and I loved it as soon as I saw it. I then took a trip to the flagship Dublin store in Dundrum recently, and as soon as I walked in the door on the right hand side of the shop I saw this beauty hanging up - fate! There was only a few of them there and I had a feeling it was going to be the kind of thing that would be snapped up very quickly so I decided to go for it then and there. Since buying it, I've seen it featured in numerous magazines, including Now and Look, so I'm very glad I went ahead and got it... otherwise I'd be having serious regrets! It's definitely more of a layering item for this time of year as it is so light (I threw a jacket on over this for heading out and about), but it will be perfect come spring and summer next year.

I also love how it can be worn casual, or dressed up for a more evening look with heels, which is what I hand in mind when I first bought it. I'm very excited to try it out in different ways, so expect to see a lot more of it on my Instagram/Blog in the next few months :)

Beanie Weather

Zara Leather Jacket (old) | Zara jumper (old) | Topshop coated Leigh jeans | Adidas Stan Smiths | Urban Outfitters beanie (vintage) | Faux Balenciaga bag (not available online) | Amelia Jane London pom pom | Glasses (market in London)

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Now that the winter has most definitely hit full force (brrrr!), I've been loving making the most of my beanies again. I'm a big hat fan for adding interest to outfits, and I especially love beanies - obviously 'cause they give you that extra bit of warmth, but also 'cause they're your best friend on a bad hair day! This black one I picked up in Urban Outfitters last year is probably my favourite one, I like that it's so simple and matches with everything. 

You can also never go wrong with a good leather jacket in my opinion. This Zara one has seen me through last year and this year (similar here). What drew me to it originally was all the zips and the thick feel of the leather - it's a good dupe of the more expensive leather jackets I'm always pining over from All Saints (...a girl can dream!).

I always find it hard at this time of year to wear anything other than my comfiest and cosiest jumpers - and this jumper here happens to be both of those things x100! I picked this up in a sale in Zara last year, along with the green colour in it, and they're literally my wardrobe staples for the winter. They're a good oversized fit with really long sleeves and are perfect for keeping warm now that the temperatures have dropped. 

With this I've paired a classic pair of black jeans and my Adidas Stan Smiths, which I picked up recently after months of deliberating. Seeing as I pretty much live in my Adidas black superstars, I knew I wanted a white pair, and I'm really happy I went for these. I like how they're more of a subtle trainer, but they still provide the perfect sporty/street vibe to any outfit.  

This kind of outfit is pretty much my uniform at this time of year. Maybe switch it up with a pair of boots or brogues, and a different jacket or coat and I'm good to go for the rest of the season! 

Crayola

UNIF Caleb Sweater (sold out) | Zara quilted bomber jacket (old) | Topshop Jamie Jeans | Adidas Originals superstars | Regal Rose hamsa hand necklace | Faux Balenciaga bag (not available online) 

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Say hello to this amazing crayola creation! Wow is it bright. It's not black... it's not grey... it's not white. It's not at all like the usual monochrome vibe that I lean towards most days. For someone who doesn't usually wear a lot of bright colours though, why not wear them all in one go?! Cue... the Caleb Sweater!

I fell in love with this as soon as I saw it. It's so eye-catching and there's something about all of those crayola colours in one that's so appealing. It's really similar to the UNIF Crayola Sweater that was released last year, but was always sold out whenever I tried to find it. I actually prefer this version that I've purchased though, so I'm glad I waited. UNIF is a brand that I am always admiring, but have never taken the plunge to buy anything from it. Mostly because it's an American brand that is hard to order online without paying a large sum of taxes and duties, on top of the fact that the clothes aren't exactly cheap. Asos did recently start stocking the brand (yay!), but their collection is limited. I ordered this jumper off revolveclothing.com as they have a huge selection and offer the facility of re-ordering an item for you if it is out of stock on their website (which is basically always the case with UNIF pieces!). It's a super thick and comfortable sweater and almost feels like you're wearing a blanket, so it's perfect for the chillier winter days. It's also the perfect slouchy fit that I love in jumpers and knitwear. 

It's definitely the ideal way to add a pop of colour into my wardrobe (and any room I step into wearing it!) and I'm looking forward to styling it in different ways. 

Vintage Finds

Urban Outfitters vintage flannel shirt  | American Apparel white tee | River Island leather trousers | Dr Marten 939 boots | Dior 'So Real' faux sunglasses (ebay) | Regal Rose hamsa hand necklace 

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I'm someone who believes you can never have too many flannel shirts in your wardrobe (the overgrowing collection in mine is proof!). That is, the vintage-baggy-boyfriend style. I love the effortlessly cool look of them thrown on over a tee and jeans - they add the ideal edge and toughness to an otherwise simple and minimal outfit and they are so versatile. Most of my vintage shirt collection comes from the vintage section in Urban Outfitters. While this may not be true hardcore vintage shopping (!), and it can be said that a lot of their vintage selection is very overpriced, I do like to wander up to the third floor of the Temple Bar, Dublin store every few months to check out their collection.

This shirt that I'm wearing here happens to be my absolute favourite one because it's so unique. It's extremely oversized and what makes it so amazing is its cord texture. The denim coloured cord collar against the white and red and mustard plaid print is what I instantly fell in love with. It's also ideal for colder autumn/winter days because of the thicker feel of the cord. It's such a one-off piece and I love knowing that no one else will be walking around in it.

As it is such a statement piece on its own, I teamed it with a simple white tee from the men's section in American Apparel. My go-to in my wardrobe is definitely a white tee - I find myself reaching for one so often because they're the perfect base for further styling and adding layers. I also love the combination of a white tee and leather skinny trousers - it's such a classic. On my lips I'm wearing a new combination I recently tried and am really liking - Mac's 'stone' lipliner with Mac 'myth' lipstick over it. Mac 'myth' on it's own can be a bit 'concealer lips', so mixed with 'stone' it gives the perfect matte nude lip with a hint of a muted greyish taupe. 

Sheepskin

H&M Sheepskin Jacket | Monki shirt (old - not available anymore. Brand available on Asos) | H&M rose gold shoes | Topshop Jamie dark denim jeans (similar colours and styles here) | Zara clear frame sunglasses (not available online) | Amelia Jane London pom pom keyring | Asos check scarf (old - not available anymore) | Zadig & Voltaire watch | Regal Rose hamsa hand necklace | Mac 'Velvet Teddy' lipstick 

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I'm not going to lie, I'm very happy it's getting chillier out! Not only because I love autumn and winter, but also because it means I can start layering (YES!) and wearing my winter coats. This sheepskin coat was a recent find in the flagship H&M store on College Green, Dublin. I have only been in there a handful of times, but every time I go in I fall in love with something! I think it's obviously because of the huge selection compared to smaller H&M stores, and also because the layout of the store is really visually appealing which makes the items in the store seem more attractive (it also helps that there is 4 floors of clothing!). This coat was my most recent purchase. Sheepskin coats are something I've admired since last autumn/winter, but never really found one that I liked or that wasn't really expensive. It was only when I went into H&M and came upon this that I realised how much I wanted one. What also makes this one even better (and better value for money) is that it's a reversible coat that can also be worn as a suede jacket with a sheepskin lining. This is another style coat that I don't have, and will definitely be experimenting with in my outfits. Pockets on a coat are another must for me, and this one has two huge ones on either side, both on the sheepskin side and the suede side... Ideal! 

The rose gold shoes are another item from the H&M College Green store that I instantly fell in love with. Lace up, metallic, chunky, androgynous vibes, and kind of ugly... They were mine as soon as I laid my eyes on them! I'm a huge fan of statement metallic shoes for adding interest to more simple outfits, and as I own both silver and gold shoes already, there was space in my overgrowing shoe collection for a rose gold pair. They're super comfy for every day wear and I know I'll get good wear out of them throughout the seasons. 

The Monki shirt I paired with this outfit is one of those items that has been in my wardrobe for around 2 years, and I only recently discovered it again. It's long-line and oversized, perfect for tucking in or wearing loose over skinny jeans. It's a denim-look shirt, but dark grey in colour, which adds something different to the standard denim shirt. Oversized and baggy shirts are a must-have in my opinion, they can be worn in so many different ways and are a nice way of mixing smart and casual in your every day styling. 

Although the coat is perfect for a chilly autumn day, I also threw on my Asos check scarf that I got last autumn for some extra warmth and some added colour to the outfit. On days when I can't be bothered with my hair, I usually grab a pair of sunglasses to put on my head to add some interest (also, it's Ireland. You never know when the sun will show its face!) These clear frame sunglasses were a recent find in Zara (featured here) and are really cool, as with the clear frame, they can be worn as faux glasses in doors also. On my lips I added Mac's 'Velvet Teddy' which has seen me through since this time last year, and is one of my favourite 'your lips but better' colours. I lined this with one of the Kylie Jenner must-have Mac lipliners, 'Soar'. 

Denim on Black

Levis denim jacket | American Apparel jumper | River Island leather trousers | Doc Marten boots | Faux Balenciaga Bag (not available online)

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As much as I love an all-black outfit, it's nice to be able to add a pop of colour somewhere to compliment the black. I did this today by throwing on my Levis vintage denim jacket, which is one of my favourite pieces to style in both summer, and autumn/winter. 

 Underneath this I have my new favourite jumper on - the Fisherman's Jumper from American Apparel.

As an 'Oversized' and 'Unisex' jumper... I was sold on it straight away! I had had my eye on these jumpers since last year and only recently went into American Apparel to have a look. It's the perfect slouchy fit and can go with so many outfits. I also purchased the grey colour in it and I'd be tempted to get more as they're really good quality and a staple piece I know I'll have in my wardrobe for years. 

I'm also wearing my new leather trousers from River Island. When it comes to faux leather trousers, I think it's hard to find ones that don't look really cheap. I don't tend to shop in River Island much, but when I strolled in recently to have a look, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and fit of these trousers. The leather is thick and matte, not shiny and plastic, and they definitely look more expensive than other versions I've seen of this style. Finally, for shoes I'm wearing my trusty Doc Marten boots which I bought last Autumn and wore for practically the entire year until summer. Something tells me the same thing will happen this year! They're really versatile and comfortable and add a toughness to outfits without much effort. 

I finished off this look with a dark brown matte lip - 'Styled in Sepia' by Mac.

First Things First...

So as this is my first post... Hi, welcome to my blog! As I said in the 'About Me' section, I'm Janine, 23, and recently completed an MSc. in Marketing. As a huge lover of all things fashion, I've finally decided to set up my own blog to document my everyday outfits and personal style. I have always had a keen interest in writing, and so I am excited to be able to incorporate my love of fashion and writing to produce the contents of this blog.

As well as fashion, I will also be writing about various beauty and lifestyle features.

I will be updating the blog as regularly as possible. I hope you enjoy the contents and would love if you would follow/subscribe!

Janine x

P.S. A shout out to 'pipdig' who made the setting up of this blog so easy and convenient and far less confusing than I originally thought it would be! Have a look at their website here.