Style Pick: Indya Marie

Everyones WCW... @indyamarie_ the humble and talented Los Angeles Model/Stylist has to be one of my top style icons.  I love how her look is very 'grungy' and quite urban - somehow, her look really reflects her free spirit. When someone manages to portray their personality within their look, this really inspires me because of my passion in styling and being true to yourself. There's way too many people out there trying to be someone they're not, or will dress to please others rather than themselves. Through Indya's personal style, she appears to be really comfortable with herself and a true style icon to me is someone who doesn't need to put in a lot of effort and style naturally comes to their eye.

Instagram - @Indyamarie_

Twitter - @EiramAydni 

Snapchat - Indya.marie 

New York

I've been super, super busy recently with fitting in my preparations for uni, with work... I just haven't had the chance to blog, sorry!!!

I did manage to fit in a spontaneous short trip to NYC for my boyfriend's 21st birthday though *claps*! Even though we were really jet lagged & had a short space of time to fit everything in, we managed to get some really great shots to share with you all. 

This was my first time to America; my expectations of New York were only things I've seen from films... And it was EXACTLY like that when I got there - it was just incredible.  We stayed in Manhattan - so I really was in the concrete jungle - it was like nothing I've ever seen before and London really can't compare with the skyscrapers and architecture.  NYC takes its architecture ideas from all over the world and the majority of the work is all really modern and creative... offering really good photo opportunities.

Not only was the architecture impressive, there were a wide range of shops - my favourites being in the Soho or Greenwich Village areas as the vibe was chilled, almost like being in Shoreditch, with all the   cool 'hip' kids wearing Supreme and all the urban wear stores that were relatively cheaper than the urban stores you find in London AND there was an American Apparel outlet with amazing prices! We discovered these areas through purchasing the 'Big Bus Tour' tickets (starting point located by Times Square). I'd really recommend buying these if you visit NYC as you won't miss any of the main attractions, such as: The Empire State building, Chelsea High Line (A MUST) and Brooklyn Bridge AND it's a hop on, hop off bus tour; so you can basically use your tickets as a way to get around the city! Plus, you can get some  great shots from a higher view than the pavement!

FOOD... The most important part of our trips... Well, what can I possibly say?! The food was INCREDIBLE - Luckily, we both have no barriers when it comes to our food; we will eat until we pop... so if you're after a healthy eating lifestyle, I'm not your girl! One of our favourite places that you have to check out was Bubba Gumps in Times Square. Themed around the all time classic film Forest Gump and serving all things SHRIMP, seafood lovers will love this place. You can overlook the lights and activities going on in Times Square, the prices were reasonable for the tasty food and cocktails, very interactive meal (quiz's, signs to use for waiters attention, etc.) and like pretty much everywhere in NYC - brilliant customer service! We're yet to try out the London one, but I doubt it can even compare to this one! ... My boyfriend probably won't appreciate me writing about food and not mentioning his favourite place for breakfast: Westway Diner, which was a quick walk from our apartment in Hell's Kitchen. This is the BEST place for fried chicken and waffles!!! This place alone is enough reason for me to return to NYC!!!

New York City made us gain weight and treated us well... we will definitely return here ASAP! Check out my Instagram @msjjx for some more shots!

What I am listening to:

With summer finally here, all we want to do is turn up our music and catch the vibes... I have a very varied taste in music, so here's a few tunes (old and new) that I've been playing on repeat recently. 

City Break - OOTD

I promised that I will come back to Amsterdam and I promised to make time to blog whilst I was out there. Two trips later... And I have done it for you!

Day 1:

For this day, it was quite a nice warm day in Amsterdam, but it was a tiny bit breezy and I wasn't coming back to my apartment until the evening - so I opted for legs out and arms in, which worked out well as I didn't get too cold. This outfit is such an easy, simple look to put together, using the shorts as the staple piece, I made the rest of my outfit monotoned to ensure the shorts are still the staple piece. Of course, I went for black... an easy option! But depending on your certain style, you could switch the colour or even match the outfit with a pair of trainers or ankle boots. 

 Jacket - Bershka

Leotard - American Apparel

Shorts - Vintage Levis

Sandals - Asos (featured on Summer Footwear Post)

Day 2:

We left quite late this day and was planning to come back to our apartment quite late at night so I prepared myself for the breezy evening, I packed a black bomber jacket with me for the night. We was also doing a lot of walking today, rather than public transport, so I wore my trainers - especially after breaking in my sandals the day before... my feet were feeling MASHED UP and I wasn't prepared for the walking that we done that day (learnt my lesson). This outfit is actually quite minimalistic, but the different textures and lengths involved pulls it together and makes it a lot more interesting. I also used a bag this day, instead of depending on my boyfriend and chucking everything in his backpack (sorry, not sorry) - I absolutely love this backpack that I got from La Moda, mostly because of the design, it falls nicely together and it's almost impossible for anyone to rob anything out of it PLUS it's my favourite print CAMO! If you're not too confident in wearing this top, you could pair it with a pair of plain black jeans to make the outfit more simplistic. 

 

Top - Missguided

Jeans - Topshop

Bag - La Moda

Sunglasses - Spitfire

Trainers - Adidas EQT Racers

Day 3:

We planned to spend the day at Vondelpark today and looking at a few of the sights/museums. So I went for something comfortable and cute, it was also a really nice, sunny day... so my little legs were out! I wore a striped dress, that was really casual and fitted almost like an oversized t-shirt. This was perfect for a comfy and warm day, it was almost like wearing pyjamas, but still looked acceptable! I wore this dress with my Comme Des Garçon 70's Converses, which was a good unplanned match as Comme Des Garçon do a striped top similar to my dress (and my nails matched with the red, also unplanned). Besides being a wardrobe staple piece, stripes is also one of Spring/Summer 2015's hottest trends AND they literally come in so many different ways. I'm loving the classic stripe trend this season, it's perfect for the summer and I'm always finding myself purchasing everything striped recently.

 Dress - Missguided

Trainers - Comme des Garçons x Converse 

Sunglasses - Jeepers Peepers

For guys:

Sunglasses - Spitfire

Backpack - Filson

Shorts - Vintage

Trainers - Tan Nike Footscape Desert Chukka QS

Summer Footwear

As summer arrives, so do new wardrobes... which also means new shoes to compliment that wardrobe. Lighter and more aesthetically versatile footwear is needed.

So far, I feel like I'm really preparing myself well for my summer footwear... even though I am guilty of being a slight sneakerhead, but that's only down to my last job... maybe? My best buy so far has to be my Adidas EQT Racers, I've wanted these every time that they've come out but never got round to getting a pair. Now, I'm already ready for my next colour way (the grey ones that are exclusive to size?) 

I can't stress enough how these are the most perfect summer trainers out there RN! They're light, comfortable and the cut out and mesh detail keeps your feet cool and aired out during the hot weather. Not only this, but the design of the trainer is actually really appealing and reflective to the current and upcoming trends. 

Another one of my favourite buys so far has to be my 'Spirit Coral Pink' Reebok Classics. I've always contemplated buying a pair of Reebook Classics, but as soon as I saw this colour, I had to buy them straight away! Reebok Classics are SO comfy and go with almost anything... AND they're so cheap at £54-£58.

Here are a few more of my summer picks and what's on my footwear wishlist! Take advantage of the good weather by wearing lighter colours, especially white as you don't have to worry too much about getting them mashed up!

|Dr. Martens Shore Clarissa Chunky Strap Sandal|

£95-

|Vivienne Westwood for Melissa Harmonic Gladiator Sandals|

£86-

I love the colour of these, however, being a collaboration with Raf Simons, these are quite pricey - you can buy an alternative of the OG Adidas Stan Smith's for around £60.

|Adidas Stan Smith x Raf Simons|

£240

|Nike Benassi Sliders|

£19

|Asos Flaxman Chunky Buckle Cross Strap Sandals|

£30

London Fashion Week

VERY DELAYED POST, sorry, sorry, sorry! 

Day 1 of LFW, I caught up with the stylish London duo Jay XYYX and Courtney Rose Butler! As well as getting some snaps, I asked them a few questions about what inspires them and their fashion secrets.

It was great catching up with these two, always a pleasure and great company to be around!

First of all, describe your outfit ... Who/what are you wearing - how did you put the piece together?

Jay: "Well I was wearing Studio collection, Japanese designs. Mostly layers of black light material. I just wanted to not wear smart-wear for the first time."

LFW is now in full swing. What are some of your favourite trend from the impending seasons ahead?

Courtney: "Asymmetric layering, layering is a big think at the moment but a lot of the trends I saw for the forecast are different lengths and asymmetric cuts" 

J: "Well I do like the idea of shirts an turtlenecks as it a nice AW look".

I noticed that you tend to support and work alongside brands/designers that aren't so "mainstream"/recognised or they are up and coming - who is really catching your eye right now and who should london watch out for?

J: "Ive worked with clothing such as Chelsea Bravo who has crazy potential. I love her creation from pattern designing to the rough material on her jumpsuits. I love working with designers such as Lou Dalton, Matthew Miller Katie Eary Gabbici & Villain"

Ever splurged? What's the most expensive item you own? 

C: "I don't actually splurge much. I tend to think about the money and how many times if wear it. I have some pretty expensive items that I bought a little cheaper from discount at urban! Is that bad?"

J: "Most expensive item is my louis Vuitton AW11 Backpack"

If you could choose only one piece of your wardrobe, what would it be? Why?

J: "It would be my shoes as I judge everyone by their footwear"

C: "Any of my coats. Probably my black one. Tends to go with everything. And I don't wear a lot of other colours aha"

You both dress amazing - do you ever have influence over each other's style?

J: "Yeah I think we do I wear a lot of her clothes and I love to see her style change and develop" 

C: "All the time! We're always asking how one another looks. Jays definitely built my confidence with exploring different styles. We have our own styles of course but we do like to add to each other's outfit like how something is worn or what accessory (he doesn't like to admit I help him too) but to be honest we tend to plan our own outfits then realise we look like we planned it together. Such a couple it's hilarious". 

So you're both based in London & it's and inspiring city with fashion - what areas inspire you the most?

C: "It's so cliche to say east isn't it?! But yeah east London, you see people look similar wherever they hang out but you see people wearing streetwear worth people that love the mod look etc.  I'm in central a lot for work too and see some amazingly dressed people" *Love struck face*

J: "Everyday life inspires me. Great quote from Grace Coddington - Always keep you eyes open. Keep watching. Because whatever you see can inspire you"

Last of all, what tips would you give to people preparing to explore with their sense of style?

C: "Don't think too much and don't lose your own style. Wear things you see that you like but do it in your own way!"

J: "Say don't be afraid to explore. Be creative have idea X then have idea Y then fuse idea Y with X and create XYYX" ... Well said Jay!

(BLOGGER MESSED UP QUALITY OF IMAGES)

Amsterdam!

Well my weekend away was just BEAUTIFUL. What a city. As soon as I came out of the central station, I fell in love with Amsterdam... The architecture was mind blowing, the culture & vibe was so chilled and the quirky coffee shops and cafés was an interesting and unique experience. 

Unfortunately, all didn't go to plan... we got scammed on an apartment and ended up 6 of us sharing one room with 3 bunkbeds (SO glamorous!) and we wasn't as productive as we thought we would be... let's just say our visits to Anne Frank Museum and Van Gogh Gallery never happened! Most productive thing we done was visit the AMSTERDAM sign. We got lost in the chilled vibe and ended up moving from food place to food place... Typically waffle places!

Luckily, we was blessed with the winter sun & it wasn't too cold! Which is a perfect excuse to take some snaps! 

I know, I know... I said I would have pictures of my daily outfits... I accidentally deleted a large chunk of my photos and was only left with one day worth of outfit shots, which was my slouchiest day! Sorry!!! Will make it up to you all on my next city weekend trip!

Outfit Details

Coat - prettylittlething.com

Oversized Scarf - Asos

Mom Jeans - Topshop

Trainers - Adidas Superstars

Sunglasses - Asos

Clutch - Missguided 

Now it is time to detox after gaining tons of weight from 100's of waffles... but I will definitely be returning VERY soon!

What to Pack for a Weekend City Break?

Packing for almost anything is usually hard work for me, whether its for a weekend at my boyfriend's or a few weeks away at the other side of the world, not only do I leave things last minute, but I either pack too much or too little (usually too much)! 

Recently, I've been writing out memo's on my phone or making spider diagrams to assist with my packing, I've found it a lot easier and I won't forget anything! I also find that half of my closet doesn't end up in my suitcase... resulting in the convenience of travelling lightly AND getting ready quicker as outfits are planned and more limited.

So, I tend to split things up into categories:

- I'll have clothing, which is then broken down into the types of clothing e.g. underwear, nightwear, tops, etc. 

- Toiletries, including make-up.

- The important bits - ID, money, passport, card... charger, camera, you know the drill!

• Comfort is everything! You will be walking around all day, so wear a good pair of trainers and limit yourself to 3 pairs for the trip! 2 of which being the comfy shoes and the third for a night out - but make sure it matches the outfit you plan to wear.
• PLAN! PLAN! PLAN! - it's essential you plan what you are going to wear for each day, it's only a few days so this is easier to do than when you're packing for a longer trip! Mix it up and embrace your layers rather than packing bulkier clothes! For example, you could bring two pairs of jeans that will last you for four days, mix up what you wear it with, tops tend to be lighter than denim, so bring more options of tops! 
• You DON'T need to bring a full bottle of soap or shampoo, compact everything to sample size! You can buy most things in travel size and this will make packing for your return easier too as you can just leave it there! If you are on a budget and would rather save, buy empty containers and put some of the products into them.
• Make sure to make use of your hand luggage - in my hand luggage I tend to put all my essentials in e.g. my passport, camera, charger, money, travel documents - you will need access to these more often, so it's wiser to place it in your hand luggage. Also, put smaller items of clothing (underwear, layers, etc.) in your hand luggage if your low on space (which you shouldn't be)!

TOP TIP!!! Roll clothing rather than folding... it prevents creases and allows so much more space!

Keep checking back for my outfit of the day posts whilst I'm in Amsterdam this weekend!

Valentines Feel

I know it's been a while, sorry!!! Been crazy busy with uni prep and work recently... but I'm back!

Sticking to the valentines day theme, even if you have a valentines or not (no harm in buying for yourself, to look great for yourself).... I have decided to post a selection of some of my favourite lingerie sets that I have been lusting over! This can be a great guide for gift buying for males out there to (girls send over the link)!

|Topshop Balconette Bralet and Satin High-Waisted Knickers|

£36

|Asos Millie Caged Lace & Velvet Set Navy|

£40

|Asos Vine Applique Set|

£24

|Victoria's Secret Chantilly Lace Garter Belt|

$25

|Victoria's Secret Limited Edition Cutout Garter Slip|

$88

|Victoria's Secret Lace-up Teddy|

$68