Clueless Inspired || Back to School

Summer is ending and school is starting again - a horrible thought to most. I finished compulsory education in 2011 and in less than a month I'll be starting Freshers at university, so I shall be doing all the typical uni posts very soon (look forward to room tours, tips and wish-lists). Whilst i've been waiting i've really been getting into good old style related girly movies like Legally Blonde and Clueless. So when looking for inspiration on Back to School style, I thought what could be better than these classics (whilst keeping on top of current trends as-well)! 

My first "Style Inspiration" is Cher from the movie Clueless, who's iconic look is a yellow plaid ensemble (see here).

Top / Coral jacket / Print skirt / Over knee socks

Cut out flats / Silver backpack

Hope you enjoyed this type of post; please tell me if you do.

Which of you are going back to School? and what are most excited about or dreading?

Tell me below in the comments!

Anna xox

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HOBBS A/W14 Collection Preview

Whilst I am still awaiting my college grade results, I decided to go on a little trip to London where I was lucky enough to be invited to view the Hobbs AW14 Collection and it certainly lived up to it's name. We were let loose in the press room where delightful cakes and Prosecco awaited our arrival.

Ruby from Modus and Hobbs chief designer Jason talked us through the 3 collections and their inspiration. First was the Invitation collection which was probably my favourite, full of detailed and elegant evening wear. There was a lot on emphasis on how these fine evening pieces could be transformed into daywear by adding a textured knit to the equation. Latest Exclusive: Hobbs have now teamed up with the Royal Palaces to allow them access to their archives, which is the root of their inspiration for A/W Invitation collection however its all very hush hush, but once more is revealed, you will be the first to know!

MY FAVOURITES OF THE INVITATION COLLECTION

The Hobbs London Collection; tailored and polished to perfection, this collection was  full of camel, navy and granite coloured tweed jackets, thick pencil dresses and skirts. Perfect for a winter work wardrobe, although styled with a casual tee or some converse and these pieces can easily be put to everyday casual use as-well.

MY FAVOURITES FROM THE LONDON COLLECTION

NW3 is much more playful and casual than the other two collections, mainly for its use of colour. To be honest I was very intrigued by this collection as previously my only thoughts of Hobbs were "classic everyday workwear and elegant evening outfits made for a more mature generation" however NW3 completely smashed through this pre-misconception and showed me that Hobbs also caters for the more "relaxed at home" type of person and for a younger audience as-well.  NW3 was filled with similar styles and trends that you would see in favourite high street stores such as Topshop, Zara, River Island and New Look however you can tell that the clothes at Hobbs are made to a much higher standard.

MY FAVOURITES OF THE NW3 COLLECTION

One of my favourite parts of press gatherings is meeting new people/bloggers!

Here are some of the lovelies I met that day:

Bessie from FashionNoodle

Justine from FashionMixBag

Banke from A Style Diary

Jasmin from What Defines Us

Cristina from ChrissaBella

Tricia from Thread and Mirror

Tolu from FashinateMe

Thank you so much to Hobbs for inviting me to the event! and also a big thanks to all the team at Hobbs HQ for putting on an hosting such an amazing preview! Go check out the Hobbs Site HERE as they have a big sale on right now, and some of their A/W pieces have already started to be released. Go! Go! Go!

(P.S. I uploaded some more pictures from the event up on my Facebook Page for you guys to marvel over as-well so go have a look HERE if you're interested)

My 10 Summer Staples

1.Topshop floral shoes
A classy alternative to flip flops, two strap heeled sandals are a big trend this S/S14 along with jelly shoes (I own a pair and they are still causing blisters). I love these beauties from Topshop and they are only £32, bargain!

2.River Island mini tote bag
When travelling I hate carrying big heavy bags, so a mini tote or satchel bag is perfect for keeping little essentials safe. Also these adorable pastel colours are too hard to ignore! £30 at River Island.

3.Boohoo v neck cami

Camisole's are so simple but can start off any outfit, making them a must for summer! Stick to Monochrome colours as these can be paired with absolutely anything. Team it with any of these staples for an effortless but chic look. You get this particular cami from Boohoo for £8.

4.Topshop skinny ripped jeans

If you don't want to wear shorts but want to rebel and show some skin, ripped skinnies are for you. They add attitude to an otherwise simple outfit but still manage to look effortlessly chic and casual. You can find them at Topshop for £40.

5.Topshop white scallop jacket
I was really drawn to this beautiful scalloped jacket from Topshop. To keep it simple and as a staple I stuck with a classic white (my own rebel from black jackets), this allows the jacket to be paired with many different colours and textures. Tip - If you are pale (or are not blessed with luscious tan skin) pair this jacket with jewellery or the white will swallow you whole! £55 for insta-class.

6.Zara asymmetrical hem sweater

For days when it's a bit too chilly to wear a cami but too hot to wear a jacket, we have the thin sweater. Comfy and casual approved it looks perfect paired with ripped jeans, disco pants, shorts or even a skirt. £15.99 from Zara.

7.Topshop denim jacket

A classic here! The denim jacket has been a summer staple for years and for a good reason. Looks best paired with a dress or just anything that doesn't already include denim (i've never been able to understand the double denim trend).A classic denim jacket at £40, yum!

8.Reiss black velvet skirt

Simple and Classic; the black skirt add's class to any outfit. It also slims down those bum's and tum's we don't always want people to see. Paired best with a white jumper, cami or coloured top you can get this lush skirt from Reiss at £125.

9.Charlotte Russe skater dress

The white dress can be paired with pretty much anything, it's innocent, it's light, it's dainty and most of all adorable! One of my favourite trends of the moment because you can do so much with it. This beautiful skater dress is $34.99 (or £20.60 sterling)

10.Zara floral print skirt
I love but also loathe this trend. Midi skirts are back! The one I picked out is a favourite from Zara for £29.99 in the sale (it also has a matching peplum top), unfortunately due to my hobbit height I cannot wear these wonders *sobs* but theres no denying, Midi skirts are in and trending.

Hope you enjoyed this post, if you did please leave me a comment in the box below!

New Look Autumn/Winter Collection 2014 #NLAW14

Yesterday after college I headed down to London to visit the #NLAW14 (New Look Autumn/Winter 14) collection event. As im reletively new to the blogging scene being invited to event like this was a major suprise for me (also the fact that im ot exactly a fashion blogger)and I started planning my outfit straight away!

I was decked out head to toe in Primark, wearing a bright printed lime green dress and glitter jelly sandals (not my best choice of footwear for walking) paired with a Topshop leather jacket.

When I got to the event it was like wonderland! There were rows and rows of selectively styled mannequins, cocktails, hangers showing off gorgeous garments and accesories, not to mention a nail bar! Straight away I headed over to get my nails done. They were doing 6 different types of nail art along with a base colour of yor choice. Here's mine:

The ladies were lovely to chat to and I was really impressed with how she did the small litlle flowers so thankyou @effy_nails and @clairek_nails!

After my nails were done I managed to pop around the showroom and takes some pictures for you guy's (featuring some of my favourites from the collection)

This is the new "mermaid" trend, they've combined both pastel colours with translucent sequins giving off the effect of a mermaids shimmering tail. This is definately going to be one of the staple trends of A/W14 I feel.

There were also some much bolder sequined pieces including this gorgeous fuschia dress. Elle Woods would be jealous!

Velvet seem's to be really popular as-well for next season as it was an ever-present texture mainly in the darker tones. As a long time lover of velvet im really looking forward to seeing this in stores!

Oriental patterns isnt just for kimono's! The intricate pattern is now being seen on skirt's and dresses galore. I have a real love of japanese culture so the idea of bring this to UK stores really excites me!

After looking round a bit more, I grabbed a cookie and a goodie bag and jetted off to Primark. Everything I bought will be up in a video/blog post soon, so keep your eyes peeled!

Whilst on the train home I took the time to check out my goodie bag from the event. I got a lovely thick woollen scarf (pictured above) which I loved so much I wore it on the train; even though it was hot and sunny...and I also got a £50 gift card for New Look which will probably last just under a day. I thoroughly enjoyed my first fashion event and look forward to attending some more in the future (invite me please?).

Leave me a comment in the box below telling me what's caught your eye in your local New Look store recently or alternatively check out their website here :)

Prairie Charms #PrairieXmas

Recently I was contacted by a lovely company called "Prarie Charms" about an opputunity to review their products for #prairiexmas, of course I said YES straight away! A couple of day's later I received the most gorgeous fuchsia parcel in the mail. I had a little fangirl moment (I love letters and parcels to an obsessive point) and opened the parcel to find my delicately wrapped gifts. I received some beautiful products and couldn't wait to try them on.

My favourite piece was the Kaiya Multi Wrap as it had so many uses and looked absolutely stunning! Normally I don't really have much interest in jewellery, but I loved the idea of using the Wrap for multiple uses and I think this might encourage me to start accessorising my outfits!

It can be used as a hairband - a particularly good item for people who have annoyingly long hair like myself.

 As a necklace to add a small simple statement to an outfit.

But by far my favourite is the wrap bracelet as I can pop it on as I'm running out the door and it will instantly jazz up my outfit!

Next is the Vanessa Retro Hairband. I've always liked the look of these hairband's, but been scared to try them as I was sure they would show off my rather large forehead (not good!). However I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by this beautiful vintage floral piece. 

The wire inside the material also meant I could style it into a cute bow shape!

Normally I love bows, unfortunately the Limited Edition Tartan Bow I was sent didn't quite make the grade. The material wasn't the correct length which made the bow's shape look a bit distorted. However I love the colours and the idea of the (much sturdier) crocodile clip keeping this beauty in your hair.

And last but not least are the Vivenne Knot Ties. These are lifesavers! Brilliant for quickly tying up your hair without leaving kinks in your barnet and they even look pretty cool on your wrist too.

Everyone who participated in the blogger event also received a discount code, and I've already decided what I'm going to spend my pocket money on! 

The Harper Glitter Bow in Poppy Red looks so pretty and I can't resist!

A massive thank you goes out to Prairie Charms and owner Stephanie for providing all these beautiful items for me to review and keep. Another amazing fact is that 10% of profits made from this project have been donated to the charity GOSH, which makes me feel much happier about spending my pocket money. I also want to mention how lovely and helpful customer service has been, helping me along the way via Twitter and email.

Why don't you give them a visit at Prairie Charms?

Or their Twitter Page?

Did you take part in #PrairieXmas?

Comment your link and tell me what you think!

Talk to you later,

AnnieMAC

xxx