A lighter look for spring

It’s no secret that I love winter fashion. Coats, scarves, boots and accessories are all elements I love featuring in my looks!

Now the weather has started to get a little bit warmer, it’s time to ditch some of the layers in favour of more streamlined looks.

Although I will miss my more complete outfits, I admit it’s refreshing to be able to step out with just a jacket on.

The focus of the outfit shifts from outerwear to the base garments and accessories become lighter and more decorative.

Aesthetic contradiction Manchester blogger all saints balfern jacket

A few days ago it was my birthday and I had a day out with my family to celebrate. It was a beautiful sunny day but also slightly windy so I opted for my trusty All Saints “Balfern” jacket. This jacket has become a staple in my wardrobe because of its versatility and style. It looks great styled with both casual and slightly smarter outfits and is the perfect weight for spring.

Spring fashion look navy jumpsuit leather jacket

For this blog post, I was lucky enough to partner with fashionworld.co.uk who provided the main part of my outfit. They allowed me to select a couple of items from their range that I would love to create an outfit with and I chose a gorgeous navy jumpsuit and a pair of cute and comfortable heels from Monsoon.

Navy Monsoon jumpsuit and guitar bag strap

I think jumpsuits are a great choice for a day out. They are practical and stylish and you can just put one on and be ready to go, without having to spend any time coordinating an outfit. This one was perfect for the occasion as the fabric is comfortable but not too thin. I also love the adjustable wrap over detail. It creates a beautiful silhouette by cinching the garment in at the waist but mostly hugs the upper part of the body and can easily be loosened after a large meal, if necessary.

Aesthetic contradiction spring look

Navy monsoon jumpsuit Rebecca Minkoff bag

I decided to pair the jumpsuit with a metallic gold mini mac bag from Rebecca Minkoff. I recently got this embroidered guitar style strap for it and I love the way that it looks. These straps are available in a variety of designs and can be attached to any bag with removable straps.

Rebecca Minkoff mini mac bag

Another element of this outfit I was pleasantly surprised by are the shoes. The heel is just the right height to look stylish but still be comfortable to walk around in. The suede is soft and comfortable and the ankle strap helps keep the foot in place. I think these will be my go-to shoes for summer weddings and parties where there is dancing involved. Although I love the look of tall heels, they aren’t always practical for events.

Aesthetic contradiction edgy fashion blogger

This year I have decided to change things up a bit by adding gold jewellery to my collection. I’ve noticed that certain outfits are complemented by the warmer tones and I wanted the chance to experiment with something different.

grey monsoon courts

Overall I had a great birthday and I was very happy with my outfit. How have you been enjoying spring so far?

edgy spring style

 

OUTFIT:

Jacket: All Saints

Jumpsuit: Monsoon

Heels: Monsoon

Bag: Rebecca Minkoff

Bag strap: Rebecca Minkoff

Earrings: Dixi

Sunglasses: Specsavers

Sunkissed Field

Aesthetic contradiction dark fashion blogger

 I love it when well-known brands reach out to work with smaller bloggers,
particularly when they launch projects that celebrate style diversity.
On this occasion, I was approached by River Island , to be part of their “shape my style” campaigne,
in which bloggers with different styles, choose their favourite item
from the current dresses collection and style it to fit their individual look.

River Island style project

 

 

 

 

  The current collection includes dresses for every occasion and to suit any body type, but one really stood out to me as a piece I could wear for many different occasions,

styled in different ways and would have longevity in my wardrobe.

I try to make each addition into my wardrobe considered and don’t tend to go for things that are “too” trend led, unless I consider them a staple.

River Island black midi dress

The dress that I chose is this black long-sleeved midi dress with shirring and tie details to the neck, wrists and waist (also available in other colours!).

I have recently noticed I have a preference for midi dresses over shorter styles, I find them much more elegant and flattering.

The top half  of the dress features a wrap stye front, with a tie closure that can be worn open or tied in a bow to show varying degrees of skin. Features like this make this dress extremely versatile, which is one of the things I really loved about it.

River island dress details

I like the floaty, feminine style of this dress but I wanted to add a bit of edge to my outfit so I paired it with some of my signature accessories with silver hardware and a harness bra with a choker detail.

I love the brightness the flashes of silver bring to this all black look.

Aestheticcontradiction edgy style blogger

The rouched waist makes this dress very flattering, but also forgiving and helps it remain comfortable, even after a long night of dinner and drinks.

The fabric feels good quality but is also easy to wash so it’s not a dress you would have to worry about on a day out with the family.

River Island blogger style project

I wore this dress on quite a warm summer’s evening and it was the perfect weight

but it could definitely also be worn in colder months with tights and boots and a jacket.

I will definitely be featuring it on here again, styled up for winter.

Dark fashion blogger Aestheticcontradiction in black River Island dress

We have been enjoying some gorgeous weather here in the UK this summer so I took the opportunity to shoot this look

at golden hour,in one of the sun kissed fields by the golf course. They are always filled with long grasses and wild flowers

at this time of year but look particularly impressive after two months of solid sun!

dancing in the sun

Dress: River Island

Necklaces: Dixi

Earrings: H&M

Belt: Asos

Bag: Givenchy

Shoes: Miista

 

 

Photography by Richard Ayres

dark fashion blogger in field

First outfit of spring

Spring seems to have come late this year but the weather is slowly starting to pick up here in Manchester.

Manchester blogger edgy street style fashion

I decided to join my family for an afternoon drink and document my first coatless outfit of the year!

edgy fashion blogger chainmail jewellery

Every time spring come around, I feel like I’ve forgotten to dress in a way that doesn’t involve at least 7 layers and I realise, I really don’t have enough lightweight jackets.

Manchester blogger aesthetic contradiction casual style

One item I have finally managed to track down, are these check, tie waist trousers. I’ve wanted a pair since last year but hadn’t quite managed to find the right pair until this month, when I found two very attractively priced styles in the sale, I bought both and will most likely feature the other pair in my next outfit post.

mirrored marble print sunglasses, bun hair, black tee

I’m in desperate need of some t-shirts or casual tops for the new season, but I haven’t managed to get any yet so I paired the trousers with this black batwing style one from Topshop. I also added my usual chainmail jewellery to add some edge and these mirrored, marble print sunglasses from Quay Australia.

Rebecca Minkoff mini Mac bag blue velvet

I didn’t need to take much with me so I decided to go for this small Rebecca Minkoff bag. I wasn’t initially sure if it “went” with this outfit but I really enjoy contrasting textures and looking back on the pictures, I think it looks fine.

street style casual style Manchester blogger

I decided to wear trainers with this outfit for comfort and a casual look.

Tie waist check paper bag waist trousers

 

mirrored shades chainmail jewellery edgy style

I really enjoy the contrast of the silver tone chainmail against all the black.

outfit details cross tee tie waist trousers

I’m looking forward to more spring outing and subsequent outfits over the coming months.

mirrored shades edgy dark fashion look

 

 

OUTFIT:

Sunglasses: QUAY

Jewellery: Richard Ayres

Septum ring: Regal Rose

T-shirt: Topshop

Trousers: Shein

Bag: Rebecca Minkoff

Trainers: Nike (similar)

Boho Fade

Autumn has the most beautiful sunsets. The warm colours hitting the leaves contrasts the chill in the air in the most wonderful way.

edgy blogger, faux fur trim leather jacket

The lighting makes it look quite warm but it actually wasn’t and I was very glad I decided to wear my padded leather jacket.

Manchester blogger aesthetic contradiction

I have been looking for existing autumnal pieces in my wardrobe and have fallen black in love with this pleated maxi skirt I bought a couple of years ago, I love wearing it in winter because it’s easy to layer warm tights under it, without compromising the look of the outfit.

edgy autumn style pleated maxi skirt leather jacket

Wet Manchester weather and walking through grass always call for water-resistant footwear and Dr. Martens never disappoint.  These are not current season but they have a new textured version, which will be linked below.

edgy autum style velvet top grown up goth

I paired my skirt with this cropped grey velvet top from H&M. I love the slit details on the arms and fact that it’s quite warm for a thin top.

details dark boho look jade pendant and feather necklace

I finished off the outfit with some accessories. I emphasised the dark bohemian vibe of the outfit with a black feather necklace from Richard Ayres, a jade pendant and some long earrings. I also wore my usual ring assortment.

dark bohemian style grown up goth alternative

OUTFIT:

Top: H&M

Earrings: H&M

Jacket: ASOS

Jade pendant: bought from stall on holiday

feather necklace: Richard Ayres

Skirt: Ebay

Rings: Dixi

Boots: Dr. Martens

Autumn casual

There’s always a day that signifies the turn of a season; a day where that “transitional” period ends and the season is in full swing.

These outfit pictures were taken on such a day and ironically, I wasn’t’t dressed for it.

I had been meaning for a few weeks to photograph this outfit that I had been enjoying wearing while the weather was still quite mild

and on the day I finally had a chance to shoot it, it was really too cold to wear it, so I had to change straight after.

acne jumper chainmail necklace

I have been enjoying wearing this outfit in more casual situations where too many black floaty things may seem over the top or at times where I need comfortable footwear but boots may be too hot.

dark fashion blogger with dog

This little leather jacket was a great eBay find, I have been wearing it all summer and it only cost about a quarter of the price that it would have retailed for. I generally prefer the look, feel and durability of genuine leather over faux (more on that in a different post) but I try to keep is at ethical as possible by buying second hand items that have already been consumed.

acne jumper manchester blogger

My jumper was also an eBay find, I realised I no longer had any lightweight knitwear in my wardrobe and was lucky to come across this Acne jumper that was exactly what I was looking for.

It makes a change from the vast amount of black in my wardrobe (I do like to change it up occassionaly) and makes a great transitional piece.

silver rings and chainmail necklace

As usual, I added some edge to my outfit with my accessories, my usual silver rings that I wear all the time and my custom-made, Richard Ayres chainmail piece.

aesthetic contradiction blogger

I put my hair in to a half-up twisted top-knot; my go-to lazy style and added some neutral, warm-tone make up. After years of denial, I have finally accepted that warm tones are usually more complimentary to my colouring.

Shooting on a windy day was not all bad as a helpful gust of wind helped me to capture and show of the side slits in my jumper. The front can be tucked into trousers, while the back hangs long.

nike trainers

OUTFIT:

Jacket: Oasis

Jumper: Acne

Trousers: Zara

Trainers: Nike

Necklace: Richard Ayres

Some ring: Dixi