INSPIRATION!!

Not imitation!

Hey viewers :) 

Being a new blogger, and exercising my passion for fashion, I am even more inspired by the people I see, the places I visit, the conversations I have and also the smells and sounds I come across. From childhood I have always been an observer. I was that little girl that would stare at you for whatever reason, until you felt uncomfortable lol. As a grown woman, I still have that habit. I really like to take in and digest what I'm seeing. 

Now that the sunshine is in full effect, I have had a lot of time to people watch (don't judge, I know y'all do it too). I am inspired by so many things especially the people that are uber creative with their appearance. 
Inspiration is NOT imitation. If I am inspired by a certain look, I always make it my own. It's important that I am me. I add my own flair.

When it comes to my style, I would say that men inspire my overall look. Not in THAT way lol...SOME men know how to carry themselves, it inspires my outfits at times. My style is best described as androgynous. I love to wear my hair short, I ensure my features are softened by my choices in make-up, especially if I will be wearing oversized clothing or something quite structured; that feminine touch is always very apparent.

Fittings are a big deal for me. The picture above shows two men styled to the 'T'. The fit of the gentleman's suit on the right, allows for his physique to look tall and slim. Although his trousers are cropped, they are tailored well to suit his body shape.

I've never been one to match the colour of my shoes with my belt and handbag etc, (No) co-ordination is more chic in my opinion. However, the gentleman's look (above) is very simple. The tan against the white is quite contrasting, allowing for a spring/summer feel.

Now we all know Kanye does no wrong in the fashion world. This picture taken from his spread in GQ magazine shows his casual street-wear style. The use of layers and ruffles add to the simple pieces he is wearing (detailing in sleeves and jeans). This is something I am a BIG fan of. Simplicity is something we have in common...the minor changes to how these pieces have been styled make all the difference.

Accessories also make a huge difference to an outfit. It can hide your bodily sins (rolls, tan lines etc). As you can see in the above pictures, without the hats, suspenders, glasses and even rings, these looks would not look the same or be complete. It addS STYLE and FLAIR!!

A mixture of patterns and textures is something I am also a really big fan of. It can enhance a plain outfit, making it busy and eye-catching. It can also distract from the fact you are wearing just one colour, because all the items you may be wearing, have different textures. It can transform a day outfit to a night outfit and vice versa.

Here is a few examples of what I consider androgyny at its best: Rita Ora and Rihanna.

Rita is wearing an oversized tee. She has paired it with a lace skirt and some heels. The overall look is a mix of sports luxe. She has that boyish feel but her appeal is still 'lady like' because of the choice of clothing she has pulled together.

Here Rihanna looks as though she has thrown on an effortless relaxed suit. Sporting a short hair cut, and wearing flats, Rihanna still brings that sexy feminine feel because of the bra-let she has on underneath.

Mixing mens-wear and womens-wear is my thing, so I know a thing or two about how to dress a man.
Menswear post coming soon...Guys if your shoes ain't right, there's no date night!!

STYLE TIP:  Be inspired by other looks when experimenting with your style, but DON'T copy...put your own twist on things...ensure its unique to you.

CHARITY CHIC!!!

THRIFTER ALERT!!

HEY KITTENS!!!

How is everyone doing? :)I hope y'all are well, enjoying the sun, staying stylish!

Sooo if you follow me on instagram (@anne.rose), you would have seen that I posted this picture a few weeks back...

I purchased this 'suit' from a charity shop and it cost me £7! Yes, £7! Now I know not all of you are probably big on hand-me downs, second hand, used, worn etcetera clothing...but let me tell you!!! Charity shops, thrift shops, vintage shops carry some of the most high quality, on trend, branded, unique pieces and for a LOT less money! Girl, I can shop wherever and whenever there's a bargain. 

So let me tell you the details.. I was working with a client in Hampshire in a little village called Grayshot. I had to tag along to a wedding and had nothing presentable to wear. I took a browse around the area and found that I basically had no choice but to buy something from the only 3 clothing stores they had, charity shops. The first shop Macmillan, is where I purchased the 'suit' and a few other items.

This blazer is a linen blazer with a box cut shape, almost structured like a boyfriend blazer. It also has thick shoulder pads and shortened sleeves giving it a slight 80's feel. This was £3.
The trousers were a beautiful heavy weight texture with a satin lining. The pleat on these trousers allowed for them to look very formal. These cost me £4. I didn't originally plan on wearing these items together, but it evidently worked. I wore them with a standard tan long sleeve top, carrying a simple black bag.

Whilst in Macmillan I came across a few other things.
Seen as the sun is still here, I have been out and about in my new charity finds, pairing them with other items.

I also got my hands on this pretty pink pleated skirt. I don't have many skirts or dresses and usually don't fancy anything too girly, but this skirt I really liked. Its a little on the granny side but it's summery and can be styled! I'll do an outfit of the day when I choose to wear it and post here for you on my blog!
In this picture below I teamed it with a washed out denim jacket that I customised.

Sorry about the picture quality..it unfortunately hasn't picked up the detail of any of the clothing, (which is the whole point of the pictures lol). The sun was shining messing up all my shots! That also explains why I appear to be looking a little angry lol.

STYLE TIP:Don't limit yourself... take a risk and shop in places you usually wouldn't be caught dead in...you'll be surprised at what you find!

BLVCK&WHITE

Hey beautiful people!! Hope you're well!


Do you mainly have black or white clothes in your wardrobe? Do you feel you're lacking some colour? Is black and white a little too plain for you? Well don't fret!! Monochrome is in!! 
Pieces that are black and white or just plain black/white are MUST HAVES! These are a good bases for any type of outfit. Especially black.

I believe a simple black quality tee will go a long way. Black tailored trousers, black comfortable jeans and a that little black dress. The same applies in white.

Lets start with a simple black t-shirt. Below, this model is wearing a plain basic black t-shirt. Now the fit of the t-shirt is the main thing you want to pay attention to, as well as the quality. Depending on your body shape, not all t-shirts will be flattering for your physique. 
As you can see below she is wearing a crew neck top. It sits on her neatly leaving a very laid back feel. She has paired this top with a floaty maxi skirt, a thick belt wore at the waist to cinch her in, adding femininty and some leather biker boots to put some edge. A simple black tee can be dressed up or down. Adding colour to something black...you can NOT go wrong. This subtle blue is great for summer.

Black tailored trousers are perfect for the formal affairs and more 'put together' appearances. Whether cropped, flared or straight cut, they make a girl look direct. If you look at the image on the left as an example, you will see that although there is a strong texture to her trousers, they have a structure in how they are made to fit. She has teamed them with a simple boyish, white capped sleeve t-shirt and some heels for a girly feel. 
Again, the fit is very important. These trousers could be dressed down with some trainers, sandals, or dressed up with a fitted top and blazer. All around trousers. The texture adds more style and attention. 
If you notice, the fit of her white tee is also what brings this outfit together.


Finding the right pair of jeans can sometimes be a pain when it comes to our shape and size. We are all built differently and struggle with sometimes the same things, whether it be the length, the fit around the waist or hip or not enough stretch for the booty. Either way, once you find that perfect fit, purchase one in black! Black jeans are just as timeless as standard blue jeans. Why? Because they work with everything. A snug fit will be ideal for date nights; when you want to look a little sassy but effortless, lunch with the girls; you want to feel comfortable but look attractive and nights out; when you have nothing to wear and don't want to look like you tried to hard.
This street-walker is wearing skinny jeans. They are very form fitting and flattering for her slim figure. The simplicity in her black and white outfit has come together effortlessly. The round neck white t-shirt appears to be slightly oversized in length, complimented with the boyfriend blazer. This combination works very well with the skinny jeans, keeping the look quite chic yet casual. With a fedora, clutch and 5 inch heel, you are good to go! This would also look just as snazzy with some patent loafers, a fringe side bag making the look a little more casual.

Monochrome is so timeless. I did a photo-shoot a few years back, styling my dear friend Shanelle. Here you will see how I paired a simple white and black striped jumper adding very few items, to give her look some life. The simplicity with adding very few statement pieces, created slightly different feels. These are unedited pictures so the detail and texture you may not see.

  
Top (worn as dress) - H&M
Thigh high boots- SCHUH
Black & White Scarf- From a friend
Orange Scarf- H&M
Earrings- Vintage
Make-up- Dionne Miller
Photography- Richard Battye

The Velvet thigh high black boots made this look more dressy. I chose to add dainty neon green earrings for colour. The scarves were just to give this look a little more life. The way I wrapped the orange scarf allows for Shanelle to look more regale. The black and white scarf was wrapped tightly like a snood to make Shanelle casual. We did a very smokey EYE  using neutral colours for her make-up and a bold purple lip-gloss was applied.

I hope some of these looks give you inspiration and ideas for future outifits. 

STYLE TIP: Remember, these cold colours and can be warmed up with any other colour from the rainbow. If in doubt, don't be. Black and white looks great together.