Needle in a haystack (plus Next blogger pop up shop)

It's that time of year- leaves beginning to fall, having to think about taking out a cardigan everywhere (wait, I've been doing that for most of the summer too!) And, here's something you don't often hear on a fashion/style blog: the combine harvesters are out and about!

I took the opportunity offered by these straw-bales before they disappear into barns for winter - by asking my dad if he'd mind snapping a few shots while the late afternoon light was still wearing its Sunday best. It's pretty rare now to get square bales like this - (everywhere else they are usually huge, round cylinders sealed with polythene).  In fact, it felt very much like I was a child in the 1950s running around and climbing on these golden stacks. Famous Five here I come...! In turn, the outfit was very fifties inspired too.

My mum bought this silk Zara skirt from a charity shop for me, aptly pointing out it was 'very Prada this season' - I've taught her well! It was a fair few sizes too big though, so I elasticated the waist one rainy weekend, and it has now become a steadfast staple of my wardrobe. To this I added a woollen Jaeger tank top - worn back to front, as I love the colour, but not the V-neckline! The leather belt is 'thrifted', the watch pendant from ebay and vintage watch, leather gloves and handbag were all inherited from one of my great-grandmas. In some of the shots. Then there are the shoes.. Oh the shoes!

These brogues are what I spent a Next voucher on after participating in the Next blogger competition. They are incredibly comfy (very rare for new shoes) and possibly the perfect shade of  palest, pastel pink? Plus,they're perfect for scaling straw bales  ( as opposed to the heels I nearly wore, but decided against)! They are my favorite flat shoes right now.

However, the title 'needle in a haystack' title does have a reason as I went on a second shoe hunting trip at the end of the holidays, hoping I might get some black brogues exactly the same as these pink ones for school. However, this turned out to be wishful thinking - wherever they had the right style (Topshop, Next, Aldo, Office etc) they didn't have my size, or they were the wrong colour or were too expensive. Seven shoe shops in an hour and a half with no purchase: not pleasant! However the happy end to this story is the rediscovery of a pair of gentlemen's brogues I'd bought from a charity shop last winter. I'd thought they'd be too bulky for daily wear - however, I'm breaking them in and they pretty much epitomise 'sturdy' and rather ridiculously sensible!

So, on the subject of shoes, I was recently contacted to ask if I would be a part of the 'Next Blogger Pop Up shop' initiative - the premise being that I chose my four favourite outfits from the new collection, and these items are now available for anyone to buy. I started from the shoes up when deciding - my favourite being the lace up high heels in plum and grey. (I want them!) I tried to select outfits that I could imagine myself wearing too...

This outfit above seems like a very popular blogger choice! Maybe it's the allure of that shearling aviator jacket contrasting with the lace. (I'm getting deja vu, didn't I do that a few posts ago? Oh well, all inspired by the big Burberry in the sky!)  I'm also liking the new trend for hiking/ grandad style socks - I've been doing that for a while now.

Oh dear, now that this Next grid has been published, it seems the blogger template (which I still haven't managed to fix..) has cut off the right hand side when viewed on some computers! However, clicking onto the slivers of pictures available brings up a full description. I highly recommend the tan cable knit cape! (third down, right hand side..)

Needle in a haystack (plus Next blogger pop up shop) 2010-09-13T01:00:00-07:00 Rating: 4.5 Diposkan Oleh: Unknown