♡♡ Make Fashion Fun Again! ♡♡

In the adult world of work, stress and all the trappings that go with it can sometime become shall we say, be a bit mundane....! Getting on the train in the morning to a sea of gray and black clothing, with majority of people looking tired, depressed or a longing for next weekend to come as rapidly as possible; surely I think to myself  "it can't be that bad"? How you dress can enhance or hinder your mood too, I definetly find on the days when I'm wearing something more fun, I feel more fun; wearing something with a novelty print genuinely makes my mood lighter and people respond that way towards me too! This got me thinking...fashion should be fun again! It sounds pretty obvious right? The more fun you add to your wardrobe, the more the world will see you in a positive and happy way thus making you feel happy and others around you happy which is always a good thing, right?

Thankfully novelty prints as no longer assigned to children’s dresses and if you have noticed before there is a world of wonderful prints out there to explore and have fun with. Adding a fun blouse or skirt if you're not ready to go really bold is a great way to incorporate a fun print into your everyday look. I've collected some lovely prints to inspire you to venture forth and have fun with fashion. Life to much to short to be too serious, clothes are a great way of expressing yourself and how the world interacts with you.

Of course there are times and places you need to dress in a more formal and sophisticated way but a lot of time we don't, so make it fun! You'll find lots of wonderful prints available in everything from blouses, dresses, jackets... the list is endless even socks! Kath Kidston, Book of Deer, Kling, Banned Apparel, Lalaland, Zara, Dangerfield, Bernie Dexter, Modcloth, Ness, Love Ur Look, ASOS, Lindy Bop, and many more so go explore...! So here's some of my current favourites which you can dress up or down depending on the occassion. 

Enjoy! 

♡

Book of Deer Blouse

Zara Blouse and Midi Skirt

Lalaland Pineapple Jacket

Loveurlook Holiday Scene Dress

Banned Apparel Cosmetics Print Capri's

Bernie Dexter Dress

Monki Graphic Print Blouse

Kath Kidson London Buses Dress

Thrifting Thrills!

I love to wear some something different everyday, no literally I can't wear the same outfit two days in a row. I've always been like that, sometimes changing two or three times a day when I was younger. It's not normal, certainly not cheap and my wardrobe is stuffed to the giles! I love to dress up, always have, always will but I have to be realistic about my budget and I hate spending ridiculous amounts on clothes which to a lot people probably appears contradictory. 'She loves to shop but doesn't like spending money...' it's true though, I only spend within my budget and get the occasional expensive item but mainly I'm a serial bargain and thrift hunter. I think it's this love of thrifty style that originally sparked my love of vintage fashion and the two go hand-in-hand! I'd always stumble upon unique and pretty vintage pieces compared with high street fashion that everyone else had.

Don't get me wrong, I do shop in the high street but I like to try and wear things less on trend and more timeless, as frankly, I couldn't care less what's 'in fashion'...it's boring!! The older I get the less I care, I don't try to avoid wearing 'on trend' looks, if I see something I like I'll wear it but certainly don't go buy by trends. I wear what I like and what I think looks good regardless, be it good or bad or downright awful!! It's much more freeing thinking and shopping this way. On trend usually equals high cost, so it's just not sustainable to keep spending, if you're like me and love dressing up differently everyday then thrift is the way to go!

There are tips and tricks I've found helpful when shopping second-hand. Visit regularly, it's not like shopping at a regular store the stock is ever changing so if you get to know some good local stores then pop in and go early in the morning so you'll get a better choice before the best is snapped up! Lots of people are realising the benefits of thrift shopping so prices have gone up in recent years so be sure that what your buying is actually a bargain and in great/good condition otherwise shop somewhere else, it's not worth it! Examine the item, the same as you would in any shop, think what it will work with in your wardrobe. Rummage round, spend a while looking around, gems are sometimes hidden, I often find cute vintage scarf’s or bag in bargain bins. People think it's junk but to me, it's a treasure! 

Do your research of brands, vintage styles or eras so that you don't pass up or miss out on a great find. I look up stuff online and think of how I can replicate the essence of that era, what pieces I need to recreate a certain look so I search for a specific piece then when I go shopping and it makes it really fun when you find it! It takes longer to hunt down the perfect piece but you always find them in the end...I had been searching for a black pillbox hat for ages and then randomly came across the perfect hat a year later for only £2.00! I love that about thrift shopping you never know what you'll find! 

My look is mostly thrifted, dress I got for €4 in Ireland which I guess is about maybe £3.25, shoes are also thrifted and were only 75p which I found a couple of weeks ago unworn in mint condition, tights and cardigan are from Primark totalling £5 and for accessories to finish I'm wearing this adorable strawberry which I picked up for £1. So my whole look comes to £9 and it's one of my favourites, anything with gingham I'm all over it! Hope this may inspire you to thrift more or realise that whatever your budget you can look ultra chic! I'll be sharing more looks on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter so visit and follow for more thrifty treats!


All hair, make-up and styling me. All photos taken by Michael O'Brien (@michaelobrien22)