Sneak Preview: Primark AW13 Lookbook and Top Picks

Next week, Primark's Autumn/Winter 2013 collection will start filtering into stores. Now, I bought a faux fur coat in Primark on the hottest day of the year last summer, so season-appropriateness doesn't really factor into my purchasing habits - if something is pretty and under £25, it's probably going in the basket, whether I can actually wear it in the current ambient climate, or whether it's an "investment buy" destined simply to be adored from a distance for a few months. So... consider me excited!

Some of these lovelies won't hit the high street until September or October (booo...), and numerous other beauties will undoubtedly be released along the way, but I thought I'd give you a heads up on the cream of the crop as it currently stands... The collection encompasses everyone's favourite AW12 and SS13 trends - sixties chic, gothic glamour and nineties grunge, with a healthy dose of sports luxe, heritage tailoring and baroque opulence - in some seriously covetable new stand-out pieces...

Loving the baroque-meets-sports twist on the co-ord suit, the luxe-looking faux leather midis (I've been searching for skirts exactly like these for the past 18 months, and they both come along at once, and with co-ordinating tops for all occasions?!) and the longer-length faux fur... and could that be the perfect fedora I spy, finally? Could be falling for the tartan twist on the leather-sleeved jacket trend too - I think these are going to be everywhere... and if I have my way, mine will be teaming up with that skater midi and those black cut-out boots - I foresee many fleet-footed shopping sprees! As for the sixties-style pink crombie coat - I have no words.

Such an effective way to spin a simple tee for winter - I've just invested in Primark's summer fishnet creation (sleeveless, cropped) and love the idea of taking the style into next season.

If only I'd known, when I oh-so-casually slung my school cardigan around my waist in 1996, how "2013" I was...

Yes, it's another ridiculously cute vintage-style pink coat... 

*Faints*

Heritage is back...

And so is Baroque!

Er... sequins plus leather trackpants - will I be rocking this look come autumn? I won't lie, anything's possible...

You can check out a few more pieces over on the Look and InStyle websites. What do you think of Primark's AW13 offerings so far? 

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Bargain Alert: Missguided's £5.99 Metallic Skater Skirts

When I first noticed coloured metallic skater minis taking over the blogosphere, I was admittedly dubious about the prospect of donning what appeared to be, to all intents and purposes, a Quality Street wrapper as a skirt. However, as is my mind's typical course in such circumstances, fear and horror were swiftly transmuted into lust and longing... Then, trawling through the Missguided Sale, I came across these laser-cut beauties reduced to £5.99; for less than £8 including delivery, I figured there was no better opportunity to indulge my inner sweetie.

Available in silver, gold, black, lilac, blue and lime, I was instantly drawn to the gold (how perfectly it would have matched my new courts, sigh...), which was unfortunately out of stock in my size... Deciding that the silver was too close in style to my pleated silver skater, and that I really had enough black skirts, I resolved to be brave and try one of the rainbow brights... My inner Barbie couldn't resist the lilac!

I did anticipate that it would be harder to style than a more typical metallic shade like gold or silver (without looking like I was off to the Year 4 Disco), but, at this price, it was a challenge I couldn't resist! I've seen other bloggers rocking similar skirts with all kinds of amazing "anything goes" combos, but I think pairing its ultra-cute-'n'-girly-ness with long blonde hair means you need to be a little more careful with the styling, if you want to avoid people assuming your outfit came in a pink box attached to cardboard backing with twine. Not to be deterred, my lilac lovely found its perfect partner in my new 3D floral sweater (er, yes, I know it's featured in the last 3 posts, different top next time, promise!) - even though it's also kinda cutesy, I feel like the matte texture, neutral shade and slouchy feel balance out the skirt's high shine and mini length, whilst allowing me to retain its fun, girly feel.

P.S. It was a little creased from being folded in transit (I couldn't wait to wear it!), but the folds do hang out, and don't look as bad in real life!

Skirt: Missguided (Available Here), Top: Boohoo, Shoes: Primark (Past Season)

Have you given the sweetie wrapper skirt a whirl? How do/would you wear yours?

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DIY Jewelled Neon Beanie and Clear Clutch

This month's DIY deluge continues... Well, a girl can never have too many embellished and/or neon accessories, can she? Hands up who else has been coveting the blogosphere's sudden influx of translucent neon clutches and super-charged beanies? As soon as I realised the raw materials were already within my grasp, there was no way I could rest until I'd zhuzhed up my very own versions.

The Hat

Twin to my now-studded grey beanie, this New Look number was last seen unadorned in this post. As much as I loved it already, I couldn't resist trying my hand at prettying/crazying it up a bit... So I ordered these flat backed jewels from eBay. With my newly hard-won experience with glue under my belt, the actual process took a fairly hassle-free 10 minutes - simply stick, hold for a few seconds, and go (just be careful not to use too much on the smaller jewels, so it doesn't ooze out).

The Clutch

Having seen both exhibit A: a blogger toting an old translucent neon school folder, and B: another blogger toting an all-but-identical £13 eBay clutch, I knew it was time to raid the filing cabinets for mine! Part of a multi-pack of envelope folders in assorted colours, purchased for under a fiver a few years ago, all it needed was a few more of the jewels I'd used on the hat to add a little wow factor (and conceal the sticky-label residue revealing its former identity as the dumping ground for "Receipts, 2009-2010"). Plastic is a little harder to stick than wool, so you may need to hold the jewels in place for a little longer until the glue is dry if you're trying this out. I may still be tempted by a perspex box clutch, but this is a great standby (and outfit shot prop!) in the meantime.

Are you feeling the urge to bejewel and bedazzle this summer?

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Coming Up Roses: 3D Floral Sweatshirt and Skirt

I've been craving some three-dimensional floral loveliness for several months now, and, in particular, these gorgeous Boohoo Boutique goodies (remember this post back in April?). So imagine my excitement when my latest bout of obsessive-compulsive online ogling informed me of a potential £17 (now £20!) saving on the set! I'd originally planned to buy the top in white and skirt in black (mono-addict, who me?), but mum persuaded me that it was high time to embrace the all-white trend instead...

I bought the skirt in my usual size (8) and the top in a 12, since it was the smallest size left and I figured a little extra slouch in this style wouldn't hurt - as luck would have it, this odd mix of sizes actually turned out to be pretty much perfect for me! The top is ingeniously cinched in and elasticated at the hem so that the section above slouches over to conceal it in an artful manner, falling somewhere between waist and hip level. The skirt has a soft inner lining, and tulle-augmented outer lining to give it the perfect skater shape. Both pieces are beautifully made and comfortable, aside from the waistband of the skirt, which is embellished outside and in - scratchy! Easily solved by slipping a nude cami on under this outfit though, and I have now invested in some high-waisted Bridget Jones-style undies so I can wear it with crop tops too!

The top and skirt don't match exactly - the top is slightly brighter, with larger roses and sheer sections between the flowers - but I think this makes for a more interesting effect when doubling up. In terms of colour, both pieces are definitely creamy rather than pure white - I wouldn't pair them with other true white pieces, but love them together, and can't wait to mix and match with black and colour... The top is now sold out in this shade, but it's available in red here, and several similar versions are floating around on eBay in a myriad of tones. You can still buy the skirt in either ivory or black here.

Sweatshirt and Skirt: Both Boohoo, Shoes c/o F&F at Tesco

Have you woken up and smelled the roses yet?

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