fashion – Lily Pebbles

Rich’s Men’s Shopping Tips

lily — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 07:00:00 +0000

Today’s style post is slightly different as I’ve roped in the boyfriend to give his top tips for men’s style shopping. When I first met Rich he wasn’t that interested in what he wore and bought most his clothes from River Island and Topman. In the past couple of years I think he’s got more into finding high quality clothes that fit well and although he likes to have someone with him for their opinion, he knows what suits him and how he likes clothes to fit.

So Rich gave me all his top tips, where he likes to shop and why. Here we go…

For t-shirts //

He wears t-shirts almost every day, whether it’s under a smart sweater or casually with jeans. For basic under £10 tees he goes to GAP for a quick fix. For something a bit more ‘special’ he’ll go to All Saints. The All Saints t-shirts are quite a bit more pricey at about £30-40 but the quality and fit is really nice. They do sales quite regularly so he usually picks up a few when there’s a deal. His recent discovery (following my obsession) is COS which is disguised as an expensive store but is actually more affordable than it’s competitors. Some of their t-shirts are only £12 and they have a lovely feel and fit.

For jeans //

For a guy, if you don’t have skinny legs and a small bum it’s pretty hard to find decent jeans without having to spend hundreds on pounds. What Rich looks for in his jeans is for them to be wider around his thighs but tapered towards the ankles. After months of searching he’s found that Lee and Nudie Jeans are his best bet! They both do slim fit without being too skinny and the high quality means they last well throughout the seasons. Uniqlo jeans are cheaper in price and also have a slight stretch to them making them very comfortable!

For jumpers & shirts //

There’s only one answer for this one… Uniqlo. They do such simple designs and although it doesn’t really do it for me, it’s perfect for Rich. They have a huge range of plain sweaters that he wears most days for work. They also do cottons shirts in slim fit, which is something he always looks for. The materials are really nice and breathable and the prices are very reasonable.

For shoes //
Rich has never been that committed to any shoe shop but recently he’s favoured Dune and Clarks over any others. His priorities (like mine) are comfort and quality and he doesn’t tend to ever spend over £70/80 on shoes. He recently bought some great brown winter boots from Clarks for £70 and some brogues from Dune that go with anything!

For suits //

As much as he’d love to buy a designer suit (and one day he will!) the Marks & Spencer Autograph range always saves the day a week before a wedding or job interview. Their suits are good value and for the amount of time he needs to wear one, it’s perfect.

For smart wear & coats //

Rich has had his Superdry coat for years and he also has a waterproof from Pull & Bear but last year he invested in a smarter coat from Reiss and it’s probably his favourite thing in his wardrobe. It fits perfectly and smartens up any outfit! It was pricier than he’d usually spend at about £200 (we didn’t eat out that month) but it has lasted so well and he still loves it and wears it all the time.

So who would have thought eh? Rich is just full of fashion tips! Hopefully your man/brother/mate will find this post helpful. Let me know if they did!

AUTUMN LIGHTS

lily — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 07:00:00 +0000

I’ve always had a thing for Autumn, but it’s quite rare for us to have such beautiful sunny weather at this time of the year. The sun is out, the leaves are vibrant and all I want to do is take long walks bundled up in a scarf and hat.

I think I’m a hat person. Beanies usually suit me and I can get away with most shapes, but there’s something about this Whistles hat that terrifies me. I had a discount card from a magazine and really wanted to buy a hat, but I umm’d and ahh’d for a long time. Eventually I settled on the navy blue (I loved the grey but it was too similar to my coat!). I feel a bit ridiculous when I wear it and it’s the sort of thing my brother-in-law would definitely make fun of, but I also kinda love it…

Talking of accessories, this watch is from Daniel Wellington. I often get asked about my Acurist watch but although it’s really affordable, it’s also hard to get hold of and hard to find with a rose gold face and black strap. This one from Daniel Wellington is rose gold and black, has a really simple and clean design and is easy to get hold of here. I love a classic watch design like this as it goes with any outfit. I also wore alongside it this beautiful friendship bracelet from Monica Vinader. Again, a simple but classic design that looks really elegant and pretty on. The L necklace is by Kate Spade although I chose not to wear it in the end as it didn’t quite go with the outfit.

I’m so happy with the relaxed, baggy knit that I bought from Brandy Melville. It’s cosy, comfy and I love how it looks with my skinny Topshop Jaime jeans and Steve Madden boots. Luckily it’s still warm enough to wear my Topshop coat and my Urban Outfitters rucksack is still my daily favourite.

I’m going to try and take more outfit/lifestyle photos this month, so let me know if you like them! And for all you beauty junkies out there… the lipstick is MAC Plumful!

THE BACKPACK THAT STOLE MY HEART

lily — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 05:00:00 +0000

I haven’t owned a backpack since my navy blue, incredibly boring JanSport school bag. They’ve been ‘back in style’ for a while now and although I was happy to see them return, I couldn’t find one that was right for me. Living in London means I always have to think about the safety of my handbags and backpacks never really passed the safety test.

Last week I stumbled across this one in Urban Outfitters and fell in love. It’s different to most that I’ve seen and the way it does up with a clip and a zip makes it that little bit safer when on your back. It’s not leather, but the quality is great and really durable. You can do it up two ways, clipped up or clipped down to reveal the zip.

I also like how you can wear it with both straps on or for something more casual you can wear it on one shoulder.

This is going to be my Autumn accessory love for sure! What do you think?

4 WAYS TO STYLE A FLANNEL SHIRT

lily — Thu, 04 Sep 2014 05:00:00 +0000

When you find a good flannel shirt, it can stay in your wardrobe for years. I found this one in Monki a couple of years ago and I wear it all time. There’s so many ways to wear a flannel shirt, so I thought I’d show you some of my favourites…

The easiest option is to just throw it on, undone on top of a tshirt and jeans. It’s comfy, it’s casual and I like to roll up the sleeves so that the arms aren’t too baggy.

This one is a bit of a 90s throwback but like with everything else, it’s come back around. Wrap your shirt around your waist to make a plain outfit a bit more interesting. This is also a great option for festivals because you can throw on the shirt when you start to get cold. my tip would be not to wear it too low on your hips, it’ll flatter our body shape more if you wrap it around your waist.

My favourite way to wear a flannel shirt is to layer it over a t-shirt and under a leather jacket. It doesn’t matter if the shirt is much longer than the jacket, I think it adds to layered look. This is usually how I keep warm in the cooler months.

Finally, you can button it up and tuck it into high waisted jeans. This is probably the smartest way to wear it but depending on the print, you can still keep it quite casual. I’d wear it tucked into ripped jeans.

So if you haven’t yet found your perfect flannel shirt I’d recommend Uniqlo, Monki or Urban Outfitters!

STYLING WITH BRACELETS

lily — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 05:00:00 +0000

I’ve recently started wearing more bracelets and it’s become my ‘style goal’ for the next few months. I always feel like even with a wardrobe full of nice clothes an outfit never quite looks put together without accessories. I’ve been looking at friends, in magazines, online and something I keep going back to is the look of a fully equipped, planned out wrist.

After rummaging through my current collection I put together this combination, using my Lola Rose pink and gold bracelet, a loom band made by my sister and the gorgeous turquoise detailed bracelet by Dana Levy. The yellow string bracelet or the “Solar Plexus Chakra“, is from Daisy Jewellery and unfortunately I can’t remember where the gold star bracelet is from!

So this is what I’ve already got but I’m looking to build up my collection of delicate, pretty bracelets. I think Orelia and & Other Stories will be the first places to visit, but for today’s post I want to ask you where you would recommend for jewellery??

WHAT I WORE: GREECE 2014

lily — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 05:00:00 +0000

We all love a good nosey into other people’s suitcases, so I took it upon myself to document my outfit everyday throughout my holiday. I actually wore most of the things I packed which is an achievement for a self-confessed over-packer like myself…

From left to right in order:

Topshop kaftan, Hollister flip flops // Topshop kaftan, Hollister Flip Flops // Topshop white t-shirt, Zara Shorts, Steve Madden Sandals // River Island pink top, Topshop Hallie Denim Shorts, Whistles sandals // H&M Maxi Dress // River Island dress, Whistles sandals // River Island Cropped Top, Topshop white skirts, Whistles Sandals // River Island black top, Topshop Hallie Denim Shorts // Topshop beach dress, Hollister Sandals // Find the Nomads Watermelon Vest Top, Topshop Hallie Denim Shorts // Topshop white vest dress // Topshop denim playsuit

So which outfit is your fave?