Beauty. Fashion. Lifestyle.
Posts tagged Suede
Rekindling my Love of Converse
3
3 years
by Naomi in Fashion
When I was a teenager, my footwear of choice was always Converse. I had bright ones, plain ones, printed ones, even tie dye ones, but for some unknown reason I stopped wearing them a few years ago, and moved on to boots and heels. But all that changed when I spotted this pair of beauties on the John Lewis website…
This particular pair of Hi-Tops are a new style, and are made of soft black suede, so they’re a bit warmer and a bit thicker, but just as comfortable and casual as their canvas counterparts. They also feel really soft and luxurious to the touch. What first drew me to them was the all over polka dot print as I’m crazy about polka dots, and I love the combination of large and small silver dots. The grey laces are also a nice touch, as they blend in better than the usual glaringly white laces.
I’ve worn these almost every day this week, and I’ve had a lot of fun styling them in different ways. One day I wore them with jeans and a jumper, another day with a skater dress and leggings, and yesterday with a somewhat smarter dress, and they looked great with everything. That’s the beauty of Converse… They’re just so versatile!
I’ve well and truly fallen back in love with Converse All Stars, and I’m looking forward to wearing my polka dot pretties all Spring long. I have a new black mini skirt that I can’t wait to pair them with! You can find these and many other Converse styles online at John Lewis.
Naomi x
*These Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Printed Suede Hi-Top Trainers were paid for using vouchers that were sent to me. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
What I Wore: Batik & Black
6Hi everyone!
Today I thought I’d share with you what I wore on New Year’s Day. My outfit of choice consisted of a gorgeous new pair of jeans that I purchased from ASOS in their winter sale, which I paired with a simple black zip back jumper from Primark.
Primark Black Zip Back Jumper / ASOS Only Batik Skinny Jeans / H&M Black Ankle Boots / H&M Black and Gold Clutch Bag
I seem to have collected quite a few black tops over the past few months, so I decided to invest in some colourful pieces to wear with them, and these Batik Skinny Jeans by Danish brand Only do not disappoint. Purple is my favourite colour, and I’ve always been a fan of batik/tie dye style prints, so as soon as I saw these I knew I had to have them. They’re an excellent fit as well. The sizing is accurate, and they have a range of leg lengths to choose from, so they are plenty long enough for my 36″ inside leg! These jeans cost me £12.50, down from £60.00, and they’ve now been reduced even further to £11.00, so I have ordered another pair as I love them so much.
To finish the outfit, I went for more black. A few weeks ago I received a couple of fashion items from BLOGGERS[edit] to review, so I decided to give them a whirl with this outfit. Despite only expecting one item from them, BLOGGERS[edit] actually sent me two (thanks!) – a gorgeous pair of black ankle boots, and a surprise black and gold clutch bag, both from H&M.
Those who read my blog regularly will know that I have a thing for black, and a thing for boots, so these Black Ankle Boots are right up my street. They’re made of imitation suede which looks and feels almost real, and they have a sturdy but flexible rubber sole so they’re easy and comfortable to walk in. One thing I always look for in simple black footwear is a little bit of a twist to make them a bit more interesting, and these pass that test. The boots have a curved panel on the front, and a lip at the top that sits higher than the back, giving them a slightly more unusual shape. At £24.99 these are a real bargain!
This Black and Gold Clutch Bag is a little beauty, and even comes with a chain strap hidden inside, so you can wear it over your shoulder if you so wish. The bag has a sturdy gold metallic shell, which is underlaid with soft black suedette, and it fastens with a large clip on top. Despite only costing £14.99, the bag oozes quality, and adds a touch of glamour to any outfit. It’s not the biggest bag in the world, but it’s roomy enough for your phone, keys, money, lipstick and chewing gum, which is just about everything you need on a night out.
What do you think of this outfit?
Naomi x
*These Black Ankle Boots and Black & Gold Clutch Bag were sent to me by BLOGGERS[edit], on behalf of H&M, for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
Harvey Nichols Ankle Boot Wishlist
4This year I have developed a real thing for black heeled ankle boots, my collection of which is rapidly expanding. Over the last few days I have spent some time browsing Harvey Nichols’ range of designer shoes online, and their range of styles and designers is incredible. I spotted so many pairs of ankle boots that I would absolutely love to add to my hoard, so I thought I’d put together a little Harvey Nichols wishlist to share with you all, featuring some of my favourite pieces from the site.
ACNE Cypress Leather and Suede / Rag and Bone Classic Harrow Leather / Valentino Studded Leather / Chloé Folded Leather / McQ Alexander McQueen Pointed Leather / Ash Hello Wedge Leather / Tod’s Suede and Patent Leather / Camilla Skovgaard Flame Leather / Lanvin Lizard Effect Leather and Neoprene
Leather boots like these are just so versatile as, as we all know, black goes with anything, and the unusual details and designs featured here would make any simple outfit that little bit more interesting. My particular favourite pair are the McQ Alexander McQueen Pointed Leather Ankle boots, which are the ones in the very centre of the grid. Alexander McQueen is one of my favourite designers as his pieces are always so edgy and chic, and these are no different. They’d look amazing this Autumn/Winter with tight black leggings or jeans, and big faux fur jacket. Want!
All of the above ankle boots are available to buy on the Harvey Nichols website. Which one is your favourite?
Naomi x
*This post is a collaboration.*
Clarks Liberty Chorus Voice Shoes
23I know I’m not alone when it comes to loving shoes, especially new shoes, so I was a little bit excited when I received a pair of shoes from the Clarks Liberty Chorus Voice range to review! Chorus Voice are part of Clarks’ SS13 line featuring luxe Liberty Art Fabric linings, and they are a fine example of a beautiful court shoe.
The first thing that grabbed my attention when I took the shoes out of the box was how they felt. The uppers are made from lovely soft suede which feels so luxurious to the touch, and the quality of the suede is obviously very high. I also really like the colour of the suede, which Clarks call Heather – a nude grey with an undertone of lilac which is quite unusual. As my regular readers will know, purple is my favourite colour and a lot of my clothes are purple, so these beauties are a perfect match for my usual colour palette.
The Liberty Art Fabric lining is full of pattern and colour, predominantly purple and lilac, which contrasts with but also compliments the neutral suede. The lining adds a finishing touch to these shoes that makes them so unique and majestic, and they look just as good off as they do on.
It’s not just good looks that these Chorus Voice shoes have, they’re impressively comfortable too. I’d even go as far to say these are the most comfortable pair of heels that I own. As is common with heels, the balls of my feet usually end up very sore after a short period of wear, but I haven’t experienced that with these at all. In fact, I always forget I’m wearing heels when I have them on. The shoes are lined with Clarks Plus insoles and have ‘dual density cushioning’ which is incredibly soft, and they almost mold to your feet as you walk, making them very easy to wear. I find that the lining doesn’t rub either, even when new, so I didn’t suffer any pain when breaking then in. What also helps is the sizing. Clarks’ shoes come in a wide range of half-sizes and different widths, so you can almost guarantee you’ll get a pair that fits well, which is great for me as I myself take a half-size!
Being 5’10” I’m not a fan of ridiculously high heels, so these are the ideal height for me. They come in at around 2.5 inches with a slight concealed platform in the front, which is just enough height for a look of sophistication, which is accentuated further by their elegant shape. The front of the shoes are extremely feminine, featuring a sweetheart topline which I think looks so lovely, and a classic rounded toe which I find far more flattering than a square or pointed toe.
Clarks’ Liberty Voice shoes go with anything too. I’ve been wearing mine during the day with skinny jeans to dress up a casual outfit, which works really well, but they also look great teamed with smart clothing for the office. They could even be carried through to the evening with a cute dress and a clutch, but whatever you choose, they’re definitely versatile and a wardrobe staple.
Clarks’ range of Chorus Voice shoes are available online and in store, and the Liberty shoes are also available in a stunning bright orange shade, which you can view here. They cost just £49.99 a pair, which is amazingly affordable for such a high quality shoe. I was expecting them to be a lot more, so if you’re tempted to get a pair then don’t hesitate – you won’t be disappointed.
Naomi x
*These Clarks Liberty Chorus Voice Shoes were sent to me for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
