Urban Chic

Ahhh, finally got round to writing this outfit post! Naturally, over the Christmas holidays everyone does some cheeky shopping even though they know that they shouldn’t be spending the money 😉 . Although, my excuse for hitting the shops is definitely the fact that I managed to get some good deals in the January sales and had some gift vouchers that I needed to spend. 😉

 As with every outfit I put on izzymanuel.com , I always like to try to make each one different and unique so that you all don’t think that you’re getting the same thing all the time! This outfit was definitely inspired by all those London girls who pull of the cross between the office look and a chic urban girl. I guess what you can say is that the cut of each piece of clothing is edging towards the office look while the different prints and colours reflect the urban chic look. Outfits are always so much more fun when you mix and match styles rather than going for one set look; it keeps eyes turning! 😀

The Trousers

One of my favourite pieces in this look has definitely got to be the embroidered printed trousers, have you ever seen anything soo gorgeous ?! Designed with super cute “nature” inspired objects, I think this print is such a fun way to jazz up your average cigarette trousers. Firstly, they have that classic office cut, high waisted and straight legged. I find that this shape really flatters any body type! They often hug at the hips and loosen around the thighs which helps give that figure of eight look which many women like to go for. (That does not mean that if you don’t have the hourglass shape you aren’t attractive ! ) The high waisted element is perfect for us shorties, it helps lengthen the look of legs giving the impression that you are taller! (Definitely something I need 😉 .) Although the base colour of these trousers is a dark navy blue, the bold print has a variety of colour and even sparkles which makes these a statement piece! You don’t necessarily need a punch of colour to make a point! (Nonetheless, an injection of colour is definitely one of my favourite ways of making my mark! 😉 .) I feel like the print is almost childlike but in a way that is still very modern and chic, they make that “older” office look work for younger modern women. The best part of this purchase was that they were £10 in the H&M sale, although I can’t find them anywhere online, check down below to shop my alternatives to this look! 😀

The Shoes

Ahhhh shoes, I most definitely have a shoe fettish and I can’t even deny it! Hahahaha 😀 . I think shoes are a fun way to get eyes turning in any look. These dazzling red beauties are probably one of my most statement pair of shoes in my whole wardrobe! The bright red colour and patent finish are just so eye-catching, anyone would be looking at the floor if you saw these walk past! Another thing I love is the buckle detail, these shoes look a little like ballerina pumps and the addition of the buckles add that bit of edge to them! They’re the kind of shoes that you can wear all year round and for almost any occasion! You can dress them up with a cute skirt and a blouse or dress them down with a pair of distressed jeans and a white t-shirt; just perfect! Naturally, I always add some sort of projection of colour into all my looks, and the red is most definitely where this look is getting its colour. The colour works nicely with the navy base of the trousers and the tone works well with the warmth of the mustard blazer. So as you look from the top of the outfit down, you get warmth, cold then warmth again which I think is a nice contrasting colour scheme ! These shoes are in the Topshop sale so click here if you want to have a look! Otherwise, check the links down below for some of my fav alternatives !

The Blazer

Hmmm, I do love a good blazer! They’re such a good way to smarten up any look and make it that little bit more chic! Mustard is definitely in this season and I wanted to test it out and see how I felt about it. Like with most trends, I’m generally not a trend following kind of blogger, but there are some trends that I just have to try! Since I’m used to going for brighter colours, the muted yellow was a nice way to try something new. As I said earlier, I love the addition of two warm tones from the shoes and the jacket, it adds an autumnal feel which is what we need at this time of year! Despite the yellow being fairly muted, I think this blazer is perfect for both autumn and spring, the colour is muted enough to feel wintery but bright enough to make a statement. Blazer’s add that bit of sharpness and crispness to an outfit which is what you need when you have less formal pieces such as the shoes and the trousers. I believe that blazers work for any body shape and are literally the best way to add that chic touch to your look! You can find a selection of mustard blazers below which I believe would do the job! 😀

The Blouse

Whenever you have a busy outfit, you have to play it down and have that one piece that brings the look back down to “Earth.” I decided to wear this super cute white vintage blouse with a pussy bow to maintain the casual feel. A blouse is the perfect wardrobe staple that allows your outfits to be well put together but still be very casual and comfy which is perfect for any everyday look. White is also a must have, everything goes with white! The addition of the pussy bow to this blouse adds a little volume to the rather “flat” look which adds a nice dimension to the whole thing. Sometimes with these kinds of statement looks, you have to have an item that isn’t too out there otherwise it can be a little too much for the eye! It’s a fine balance, but once you get it, it makes the outfit look so good! You can find my pick of white blouses below!