Transitioning your wardrobe from summer to autum

I’m sad that the summer warmth has left us but autumn is one of my favourite seasons, because it’s a great in between stage. But I guess I am not the only one who went on a summer shopping binge and doesn’t want to completely let their summer wardrobe go to waste.

Well you don’t have to. Because of this in between weather, it means you can be in between wardrobes. Today, I wanted to share with you some of the ways I am going to be taking some of my favourite summer pieces and bringing it into autumn fashion. We are constantly bombarded with these sorts of videos as well as trend alerts every time a new season rolls around but it’s really helpful to first begin by looking in your wardrobe and seeing what you have. What you liked from summer and autumn and how you can mix and match some of those items.

Off the shoulder and mustard

I’m starting with this because its incomplete but I have a vision in my head that I think will pan out and is a way I have incorporated the trend of the grey check blazer. This skirt and top combo is something I wore just like that on my internship days in china but with the weather changing, I got to add a few more layers. I want to add a grey longline blazer as layering is a key element of autumn fashion (which you will come to realise as you go through this post) and for some added warmth in the evening. Finish it off with tights and black boots or black trainers. What I love about this outfit is it can work for the day or night just by switching out your accessories.

Top – Monki // Skirt – ASOS

Spaghetti straps

Another one of those infamous internship outfits and because of the humidity, layering was just not going to happen really. But keeping in line with ongoing trends and the weather cooling down, I’ve layered a white t-shirt underneath. Going back to basics is a real trend this season and is worth investing a little more in. my favourite place to get tees from are H&M and Zara for the longevity. You can complete this look with the grey blazer or denim jacket.

I also layered this t shirt with a jumpsuit which I did a post all about why the jumpsuit is the one item you need in your wardrobe which you can read all about here. But another great item to keep in your wardrobe recycle and works well for day and night.

Tshirt – H&M // strap top – M&S // trousers & jumpsuit – new look //

Midi dress/midi anything

This ribbed H&M basic midi dress is such a must to have in the summer and at an even better price. This silhouette works on all body types and just hugs you at the right places. But I wasn’t ready just yet to completely ditch the skirts and dresses. I adapted it for UK weather by turning it into a midi/almost full length shirt. That way I saved money but still got the figure hugging look from the dress. I paired it with a basic crop top which I can still leave out from summer and I always finish this look with my oversized denim jacket and trainers. But with a look like this, the shoes and jacket are interchangeable for the look.

Dress & top & kimono – H&M // jacket – meters browne

Culottes

They are just one of those items where your legs are just gonna get a little bit cold but you can still get a few more wears out of them. I’ve chosen these ones from newlook which have that beautiful blush pink striping in them which work well with the transitional weather and help to break up a potentially all black outfit. To keep the lower half warmer I would suggest some ankle or calf length/height boots but that’s not really me so I would just go for my trainers. I went for a warmer top half with a sweatshirt, a happy medium for the unpredictable weather. This look would look great with an oversized leather or suede jacket too, incorporating some different textures, again to break up a potentially monochromatic look.

Crop top – bershka // culottes – new look // badman sweatshirt – dua lip merch

FINAL TIPS:

Silhouette: I tend to gravitate towards cleaner lines and things that aren’t too busy into the mix so roll neck jumpers with highwaisted jeans are a great starting point into building an autumnal wardrobe.

Pops of colour: reds, mustards, pinks and greens are just a few great colours to throw into the mix. As much as I am attached to the colour black, it helps to break an outfit up with pops of colour even if it’s just in your accessories.

Denim and knitwear: they work well together especially when layered underneath each other. Rolling knit sleeves over denim jackets work great with jeans and leggings to give a cosy yet put together look.

Think before you buy: fast fashion is a hook line and sinker so don’t get trapped with all of those amazing pieces. Take a step back and think about what you actually need, will you wear it, and how can it work with the rest of the stuff in your wardrobe. 

My wishlist and wardrobe updating ft. Shoptagr

I don’t think it is any surprise to you guys that I love to shop. I have done countless hauls via the blog and YouTube and some that don’t even make it because I don’t want to seem like a crazy person. Now that I am going into my third year at university (omg I feel so old typing that) I have come to realise that fast fashion really has done its damage on me and I want to build upon what I already have. I have really gotten into making personal wishlists and thinking about items I want to get. To help me do this I have been using the website and app shoptagr.

If anyone remembers wantworthy (shoutout to old school bloggers here), it operates in the same way in that it’s a platform where you can save your desired items to one page and then go back later to shop them. They have a notification system too so if anything goes out of stock or on sale etc. they tell you. With the transitional period, there isn’t a need for a completely new wardrobe but for a few new items and basics for me to keep in time with trends and stay that little bit warmer in the colder months.

So as you can see I have pretty much everything on there from my new laptop that I wanted to remember the name of to tops and slogan tees. This way, I am not scouting each shop forgetting what I have put in my basket. On the flip side of that, I forget what’s in my basket and when I go back I can think what I really need and how much I want to invest into each individual item.

I also have the mobile app on my phone so when I’m out and about and have the urge to buy something, I can go back to my wishlist and make more useful purchases that will benefit me and my wardrobe in the long run. With shoptgr being linked with thousands of websites, you can save anything from fashion to homeware to beauty products and have your own little wishlist library in the palm of your hands.

Having used this system for about a month already, I have now found a great list of things that will benefit me in the long run. You can check out my whole list here: but here are just some of the things on the top of my list.

Creating your own wishlist: curated and money saving

I really thought about all the things I had seen my favourite celebs wearing, as well as bloggers and paying close attention to the fashion forecast and had kept on seeing things that I knew would work with my personal style (need help finding your personal style? Click here) or things that we coming around again from the year before. Adding them all to the wishlist kind of scratched the itch I had to go shopping and just see everything and seeing it all in one place from different sellers helped me see what I was sure or unsure of. I also thought about where I could get it cheaper. Like the check blazer and Zara coat I have on my wishlist, I know I want them but Primark have them cheaper and I know these are going to be seasonal as well as trend pieces so I won’t invest too much in them. Plus, I have never had an issue with Primark things not lasting which works for my bank balance. Wishlists are also a great place to play around with different trends and colours etc. You aren’t committing to anything especially as you aren’t shopping directly on the site and gives you room to experiment with different things for the autumnal season. I have kept everything in a very monochromatic colour palette as I have some items left over from last year as well as the summer season to help inject different colours and textures into my wardrobe mix, even if it is through simple accessories.

So that’s how I am cutting down my shopping habits with shoptagr and curating the perfect autumnal wardrobe. On Sunday (fingers crossed) I’m going to have a post about transitioning your clothes from summer to autumn so I hope that both combined will be useful, help you save some money and find a new way to window shop. I recommend also checking out my #fashionfebruary playlist for more inspiration.

Much love x

When in China | Part 2

Now as you guys know, I am back from my time in china which saddens me greatly. It was such an eye opening experience and filled me with such energy, change of heart and change of understanding. Something quite indescribable unless you do it for yourself. After spending week’s pre departure being hesitant about my decision, I’m so glad I didn’t go back on it.

Although I have a few more posts with china related pics coming up, I want to share the last leg of photos to sum up my last 6weeks out there immersed in an internship, meeting new people and finding new things.

This place that was the first of many long haul trips and this place is one of the most unreal places I have ever been too called Jiuzhaigou (without the tones roughly pronounced joe-jie-go). It looked like an oil painting and every image taken made it so much more worthy of embarking on a 7 hour walk to the main tourist centre within the park. This route was free from the crowds of tourists we encountered at the entrance and a chance to breathe some fresh air, and have long chats with friends made. This place will always hold a special place in my heart especially as we were still there coming towards the end of the trip, this place was hit my an earthquake and luckily there were very few causalities but it’s a shame how such a nature driven place could have been partly destroyed just like that. Well I guess the pictures will just have to speak for itself.

The second of the lengthy journeys we made out of china was to Kanding, the Tibetan area of china. Another one of those indescribable experiences.

I have thought long and hard about going into depth about what it’s like to go to china and be there who isn’t strictly from china because, especially for me, it was tough to feel like you kind of belong somewhere where they continue to see you as outsiders or other. But if you want me to talk about it more let me know.

Kanding is another place that holds a special place in my heart because they are treated like outsiders in their own country, but they are some of the nicest people I had ever encountered throughout my time in china. Beautiful fashion, history and place to visit. We went horse-riding, joined in this daily town dance that they have and embraced a new culture. Plus this was also the first time I had had a yak burger and I have to say not too bad. It kind of tasted like a beef burger but yak…this will only make sense till you have had one.

I touched on the food a little bit in my first post but I have to say thinking about it again, there is a shit tonne of food to choose from. Some looked questionable but others were really enjoyable. Always bear in mind that if you find a non-Chinese cuisine, it’s a Chinese version of that cuisine haha! But at times, I do find myself craving it especially those little white buns. That with like a mince meat mixture was soooo good. And potato noodles (kind of like gnocchi but Chinese) were sooo good. I think I need to stop talking about it because it’s making me really hungry.

All I can say is that china I will be coming back for you. You have given me such an unforgettable experience that I would do over and over again in a heartbeat. But here are the final thoughts; the good the bad and the ugly

The good: gaining knowledge about somewhere on the complete opposite side of the world to you as well as being able to gain working skills to take back for future jobs. Aside from that it’s a rapidly developing country with soo many things that I wish the UK had, like their bike system

The bad: the air pollution. I can’t tell you how much I missed breathing in fresh air whilst I was there and how opening a window is something you just shouldn’t do there. AC is the way forward.

The ugly: how backwards and uneducated they seem to be about race and diversity. I feel so lucky to live (most of the time) and have grown up in London where being black wasn’t such a bigger deal and being a bigger size wasn’t such a big deal. Now, London is in no way perfect but it’s a giant leap from china. I feel blessed that I have a diverse group of friends and we have different interests and styles. As they are slowly being exposed to more western media and ideals, you can see with some of the people that you encounter it doesn’t bother them but they have a long way to go.

I hope you enjoyed the post. You can check out part one here and let me know some of your favourite destinations you have been too below.

Much love