I consider myself to be quite sensible, particularly when it comes to financial matters, but when it comes to buying new clothes I can never say no. So somehow I have ended up spending a triple-digit figure of my student overdraft replenishing my already bursting-at-the-seams wardrobe. Oops. A sensible person would probably return some of it, so I guess I’m not that sensible after all.
The splurge started online (as it always does), when I was searching for a new backpack that I could carry my laptop to uni in. This ended up being a clothes haul from ASOS, Missguided, Zara, and MANGO – but hey, at least I got the backpack. And then today when I went into town to collect my purchases from their respective stores I ended up doing some more shopping in both Zara (again) and Primark – which will be covered in a second blog post tomorrow. Yes, my shopping trip is that excessive that it requires two separate blog posts. Don’t judge. I may be poor but I’m going to look goddam hot. So no regrets overall.
Quality: 5/5
Fit: N/A
Fleekness: 3/5
This is where it all began. An innocent and necessary purchase that turned into a ruthless purging of my bank account. I digress. The backpack is great quality; very sturdy and fits my laptop in it, which is pretty big. While it’s not real leather it is pretty convincing and looks quite chic. It’s very versatile so will go with bold or muted outfits, although it is a little on the large side so may not be ideal for an everyday bag.
ASOS Black Leather Backpack, £28
Quality: 5/5
Fit: 5/5
Fleekness: 5/5
I am in love with these jeans. Like so in love. They fit great and are so flattering, and feel super soft too. They have a statement seam down the middle of the legs and an asymmetrical frayed hem. They are super comfy and look great both casual and dressed up. My favourite way to wear them is with a pair of bright heels (my go-to is yellow sandals) and a leather jacket. Presumably also a top, but that’s your call.
MISS SELFRIDGE Asymmetrical Jeans, £24 (ASOS)
MANGO Geisha Print Blouse, £17.99
Quality: 4/5
Fit: 5/5
Fleekness: 3/5
Sometimes you can’t beat a classic patterned blouse, and I couldn’t say no to this cute Geisha print from MANGO. The frill sleeves are a nice feature and the neutral navy colour balances out the bold print. While the fabric is a bit on the thin side, it seems well constructed, and is great for a no-hassle smart-casual look.
Quality: 4/5
Fit: 5/5
Fleekness: 4/5
This is a simple black jumper with a twist in the form of a whole load of frills. The white edging adds a nice contrast, making it a key piece for a classic Parisian outfit. Tight fitting tops usually make me a bit nervous, but the fit of this is actually really flattering. The website describes it as a t-shirt, as the fabric is pretty thin, so it may not be ideal for the depths of the British winter, but it’s perfect for autumn/early winter weather.
MANGO Frill Jumper, £9.99
Quality: 4/5
Fit: 4/5
Fleekness: 3/5
This slogan tee is perfect for a casual outfit. Its simple so can be worn with jeans, a skirt, or even some bold patterned trousers – go wild. I feel that it would be slightly deceitful of me to wear it, as it proudly states ‘1980 ORIGINAL’ and I didn’t even exist in the 80s, but it looks cool so who cares. (DISCLAIMER: I am not one of those people who wears a band tee of a band I don’t listen to, just t-shirts advertising years that I haven’t experienced. I have some morals).
ZARA Slogan Tee, £5.99
Quality: 4/5
Fit: 5/5
Fleekness: 4/5
This is quite different for me, its reminiscent of a sweater vest, except with sleeves, but I bought it on a whim and ended up really liking it. Space themed clothing and accessories are all the rage, but space print on a woollen t-shirt is a new one to me. The fit is really good; it looks great and is very comfy. Can be styled with a pair of jeans for a casual look but I personally think it would look even better over a white collared shirt (short sleeved, obviously) with a pair of smart trousers and Adidas trainers. Or is that a bit weird? ZARA Planet Print Sweater, £17.99
Quality: 3/5
Fit: 5/5
Fleekness: 5/5
This is a great piece to have in your wardrobe as its perfect for an unexpected night out when you need to get ready in a hurry, which is how 97% of my nights out begin. Its a good balance between sexy and classy, and can be styled with jeans, leather trousers, or a mini skirt. Maybe even a maxi skirt for a more formal look. Its a little bit too cropped for me personally, but a plain black bandeau top underneath isn’t noticeable, so can be worn as a non-cropped top too.
MISSGUIDED Black Frill Bandeau, £4
MISSGUIDED Pleated Lace Cami, £4 each
Quality: 4/5
Fit: 4/5
Fleekness: 4/5
Considering how cheap they were in the sale I decided to buy both colours. I said no judging remember. It’s super cute and can be worn with minimal outfit planning – jeans and Converse or jeans and heels both look good with this top. The straps are adjustable so it can be altered to fit you comfortably, and the top edge is elasticated too.
Quality: 4/5
Fit: 3/5
Fleekness: 4/5
This is one of my favourite purchases as I am always short on tops for a night out, and this is perfect for just that. The back is white lace with a zip fastening and is really pretty with a pair of leather trousers or a mini skirt. The sizing is a little on the small side however, as the large is equal to approximately a UK 12, so I would recommend maybe buying a larger size than usual.
MISSGUIDED Floral Crop Top, £5
Quality: 3/5
Fit: 3/5
Fleekness: 4/5
I can’t resist any clothing that brandishes a cool feminist slogan, so when I saw this on sale it got added to basket immediately. I am now the proud owner of: two tops that say ‘GRL PWR’, one ‘POWER TO THE GIRLS’ jumper, a ‘GIRL GANG’ jumper, one ‘REBEL GIRL REVOLUTION’ jumper and a ‘proud member of a secret girl gang’ t-shirt. Is that overkill? Probably. But I like them. This probably ranks #4 favourite on my list of feminist-chic clothing.
MISSGUIDED GRL PWR Bodysuit, £5
Quality: 4/5
Fit: 4/5
Fleekness: 3/5
NGL, this is my least favourite recent purchase – I even considered sending it back, but decided in the end to stick it out and if I never wear it just sell it on Depop. The top itself I don’t have a problem with, it looks nice, fits well, all that jazz. My issue with it is what to wear under it. If I was a size 6 no-fat no-boob kind of girl then I’d just wear a cute white bralet under it, but I am not that girl, so this poses a lot of problems for me. I tried it with a vest top under, but that looked bad; the lines were really visible and it didn’t work. For now it will probably sit at the bottom of my drawers but I am determined to make this work. Some day.
MISSGUIDED Mesh Frill T-Shirt, £3
MISSGUIDED Pin Badge Pack, £4
MISSGUIDED Denim Circle Belt, £4
Quality: 3/5
Fit: N/A
Fleekness: 4/5
I don’t often buy accessories (with the exception of earrings, I own so many earrings), but these took my eye as the badges are really cute and the belt is a little bit different. The badges would work really well on a denim jacket or a plain white t-shirt, and the belt would look great on an oversized shirt and knee-high boots.
So that’s the end of my online haul, the York city centre shop should be uploaded tomorrow, if all goes to plan. Hope you enjoyed reading this and please feel free to leave comments letting me know what you want to see more of and what needs to go (I’m very new at this, sorry).
Beki
xo
Paper Moon 