Sense of Style - Leah Alexander

The great thing about fashion is that everyone has their own individual sense of style and should be free to express themselves through what they wear. You may only like some seasonal trends (I didn’t fancy jumping on the kimono band wagon for example; I loved them, but they’re just not me) but that doesn’t mean you can tailor things to fit your own style. My favourite thing about fashion is how personal you can make it. You can completely reinvent yourself and feel more like you than ever.

I was a winter baby and I personally prefer winter fashion to summer trends, even though this pretty much makes me the only person who’s excited about it getting colder. It’s the layering and the textures that I love! There’s always seems to be a little bit less choice of that in the summer…

So, this is my latest purchase for Autumn and I am absolutely in love with it!

Large Check Tube Trouser - £25.00 at Miss Selfridge (Don’t forget to flash your student ID card and you’ll save yourself 15% off at the till.)

I’ll wear these with knee high black boots, a black slogan tee and a biker jacket. For a slightly-less-edgy look, I’d go for a plain black top and a sharp blazer. With something this patterned, you need to go fairly plain with your tops. If it’s a bit cold, you can throw on a scarf or a snuggly poncho instead. For something a little more glamourous, I’d accessorize this look with some chunky jewellery, a fedora hat and some red lippy.

As such a statement piece, I felt this was a really good bargain. And I also love how something like this can completely change up your look. For me, if I’m shopping/lunching with the girls in the day and then heading out to a concert that evening, an outfit built around these little beauties will see me straight through.

(PS: They have an elasticated waist so they are super comfortable, meaning you can definitely share that dessert with your friend and not feel even a tiny bit guilty.)

Leah J x

@Leah_Alexander_

Oozes Couture - Our Top 5 Asian Fashion Blogs

Here at Oozes Couture we like to acknowledge all those in our field that excel in providing real life diverse reviews to their readers.

I think it’s time we talked a little about fashion blogs, In particular Asian Fashion blogs.When it comes to wedding research a quick google search and before we know it we are on a fashion blog. There are a number of well-established bloggers out there today.

Below are

The Oozes Couture Top 5 Asian Fashion Blogs to watch out for over 2014 and 2015.

1.  www.AsianFashionBlog.co.uk

Who: Nazma from Manchester and aside from running Asian Fashion Blog she works full time in digital marketing.

www.AsianFashionBlog.co.uk

What to expect: Independent fashion blog written for a british-asian audience. Covering any fashion topics relevant to British Asians she’ll tell you honestly what she thinks!

Follow her on Twitter @Nazma_AFB


2.  www.TheAsianFashionJournal.com

Who: Nina - London/Liverpool based High St. Asian Fashion Blogger and newbie Fashion writer.

www.TheAsianFashionJournal.com

What to expect: Hot trends and up & coming designers to watch out for , thoughts on some of the most exciting and diverse Indian fashion talent out there from the likes of the pioneers of Asian Fashion- Manish Malhotra, Abu & Sandeep and Sabyasachi.

Follow her on Twitter @TheAsianFashion



3. www.SheWearsFashion.com

Who: Kavita Donkersley A 20 year old girl from Sheffield (the North of England!)

www.SheWearsFashion.com

What to expect: Her blog is the primarily place to express her interest toward vintage fashions and thrifted finds, but has now expanded into outfits of the day and occasional beauty and lifestyle posts.

Follow her on Twitter @SheWearsFashion


Step aside ladies the men have taken to blogging too

4.  www.TheBritishAsianBlog.wordpress.com

Who:  A British Asian Boy, a Healthcare Professional, a Student, a Entrepreneur, a Blogger, a Reader, a Traveller and a Photographer.

www.TheBritishAsianBlog.Wordpress.com

What to expect: "the coolest apna on this planet” Just a boy who happens to realise that he needs a voice, a voice which talks particularly about British Asians and the ups and downs impacting them, the comings and goings in and around his life.
Follow him on Twitter @TBABlog


5. www.ZiggiStudioBlog.co.uk

Who: Ziggi an award-winning men's designer, set up in February 2009.

www.ZiggiStudioBlog.co.uk

What to expect: A mixture of events from the Asian catwalks from celebs to high profile clients weddings.

Follow him on Twitter@ZiggiStudio


And Finally  

We cant do this post without giving a special mention to our contributors. Alongside writing guest posts for Oozes Couture they also manage their own blogs. 

Make sure to check out all our contributors profiles here

 www.ImJustDivya.Blogspot.co.uk

www.ImJustDivya.Blogspot.co.uk

Who: Divya's interests lie in shopping - mostly shoes, handbags and lots of clothes. Here area of expertise for blogging is wedding fashion.

One of Divya's first posts for Oozes Couture was in 2012 you can read her work here. Make sure to check out her blog too


 www.NasheerahNash.blogspot.sg

www.NasheerahNash.blogspot.sg

 Who:  Nasheerah is one of our long standing international writers from Singapore. Fashion writer and a dreamer. Dream into her world.

Nasheerah started posting about a large range of topics,her views are always intresting see more from her here

Next time we will give you a showdown of all our contributors skills and expertise. Hope you found all these Asian Fashion Blogs interesting and they get you closer to the real life views of all those shops, designers and events that happen in the fashion calender.

Casual Look

For a more casual look, you could always wear this coral crocheted top from New Look for only £16.99, with a plain white camisole worn underneath it

Adding some bleached out skinny jeans from Topshop for £38.00 and some crocheted New Look sandals for £12.00 creates a cute summery outfit.  I'd finish this daytime look by adding an oversized tote/shoulder bag, like this one from Accessorize, for £32.00.

Last but not least, when you're planning your outfits always remember the final finishing touches: Hair, Eyes, Lips and Nails. 

Feel free to add your own comments, tips and recommendations! And what other features do you want to see? 

Thanks for reading and Happy Shopping! :)

 

Leah J x

@Leah_Alexander_

 

Floral Summery Trends

The third and last look I’m going to share with you are some pieces from the floral summery trends.  I love the minimalism of this look, and all the nude tones.  But the geisha trends this season can start to tie in too, so I’ve found some gorgeous outfits that I’m dying to splurge on!

This stunning Floral Maxi Dress is £37.00 from Miss Selfridge and can be worn with these beautiful nude sandals, for only £24.99 at New Look.  

Next up, I am simply in love with this River Island kimono for £60.00.  

It can be worn with washed-out, faded skinny jeans in a pale blue or grey.  But personally, I love these linen trousers for only £16.99 at Mango.  They would go perfectly together to create soft, feminine look.

As for what to wear underneath the kimono, I would have to go for this beautiful Mango top for £29.99.  

Alternatively, wear the kimono and trousers with this pale pink ruffle top from Warehouse for £12.99.

Not forgetting a simple pair of ballet flats, £7.99 at New Look, which are available in a range of colours.

With items like this, you will most definitely need to stick to muted, neutral tones.  These pieces are so beautiful that the rest of the outfit needs to be very understated: natural hair, minimal make up and simple accessories.

Leah J x

@Leah_Alexander_

Slinky Little Number

My most recent purchase was this slinky little number for £26.00 at Miss Selfridge.

With a good push up bra, a pair of killer black heels, some chunky rings and a white blazer, this outfit really comes together.  

The blazer shown is £24.99 from H&M and the heels are £19.99 from New Look.  I would probably use the same monochrome clutch as before, or I could wear the black blazer and go all dark if the night called for it.

Leah J x

@Leah_Alexander_

 

Monochrome Trend

To nail the monochrome trend! Try skinny black jeans with a white top and a black blazer.  I’ve picked these wet look leggings for Miss Selfridge for a bargain at £18.00 and a more glamourous look than just jeans or jeggings.

These leggings would look great when worn with a white lace crop top, also from Miss Selfridge, for £16.00 and a blazer for £29.99 from H&M

For accessories, I’d try these wedges, for £64.99, or the monochrome heels for £19.99 – both from New Look.  

Add a long necklace for a touch more sophistication; this one is £8.50 from Topshop.   

And this monochrome clutch is £12.99 from New Look which finishes this outfit perfectly.  

A smoky eye would look great in the evening with this outfit.
 

Another way to work monochrome this season – or any season for that matter – is to invest in an LBD.  Every woman should have few in her wardrobe for emergencies and instant glamour.  There’s a reason LBDs are a classic: they are always sexy, stylish, smart and stand the test of time.

Leah J x

@Leah_Alexander_

Key Trends - Accessories

When it comes to accessories, we have the shoes at £49.99 and the bracelet at £6.99, both from New Look.

This Cross-Body Bag is £17.50 from Therapy at House of Fraser (also available in black and pink).

 
To finish the look, we have sunglasses for £16.50 from Topshop.

I'd have to go for shocking pink lips and brightly coloured nails with this outfit as well.

Apart from Mango; New Look, Dorothy Perkins, and H&M are perfect for getting some basic tops to wear with a number of different outfits. Of course you can always go for a crop top if you’re a svelte, ab-confident lady! And blue or mint tones would be great alternative accent colours to compliment these leggings. 

Clashing prints can work very well, but if you're going for an outfit like this with some more edgy acessories (the shoes) I’d keep things a bit more simple.

Leah J x

@Leah_Alexander_

Time for a new look?

Hi, ladies! I’m a new writer for oozescouture; my name is Leah Alexander and I wanted to introduce myself over my next 3 posts by talking a bit about my personal style, my favourites and my style inspiration.

It’s taken several years of trial and error to find the styles that suit me best. My top tip would be to always try on clothes. Clothes look completely different on a body as opposed to on a hanger. So keep an open mind and experiment with new looks.

Personally, I’m fair-skinned and blue-eyed, so it can be difficult for me to wear pastel colours as they have the effect of making look ghostly pale. I tend to stick to neutral, dark and earthy tones. If you have medium to dark skin tones, you’re lucky and can get away with wearing pretty much any colour.

I have an hourglass figure and my dress size varies between 10 and 14 depending on where I shop; and my hips are wider than my bust. So, dark coloured jeans are a great choice for me as they look very slimming. On my figure, skinny jeans would need to be worn with heels. Alternatively wide leg trousers and boot-cut jeans are great for providing balance to a curvy figure.

I’ve been shopping at New Look a lot this season because their collection has been great and their prices are so competitive. It’s good to get some basic pieces to build outfits around. These wide leg linen trousers are going for just £14.99.

Wide leg linen trousers

I love skirts that sit on or below the knee as mini-skirts are not flattering on big thighs. Pencil skirts that nip in at the waist and taper at the knee are perfect for curves and great for work.  This one is £9.99 from New Look and also comes in Coral.

Pencil skirt

A wardrobe staple for me is blazers.  I know it’s hot in the summer months, but they are perfect for smartening up an outfit, whether it’s for work, shopping, or going out in the evenings. I bought this one from New Look months ago and wear it regularly. It was £24.99 and has pretty much paid for itself.

In-keeping with monochrome trends, I also bought this blazer for £24.99 from H&M.  It’s perfect over a cocktail dress for girls’ nights and summer parties.

Leah J x

@Leah_Alexander_

Key Trends

Great news, ladies! It’s safe to say that there are some fabulous trends around this summer! This means that every single one of us will be able to work some of these trends in to our wardrobe without too much effort.  

 I’m going to show you three of my favourite looks so far, which I’ve tried to make as different as possible. You are forewarned that I am sticking to the high street and there are a lot of New Look and Topshop pieces! Both stores have brilliant collections this season – particularly on accessories – and I for one can’t wait to hit the sales!

First of all, bold prints and bright colours are a huge hit this summer.  They're fun, brave and they take a fair amount of confidence to pull off.  If you love experimenting with new styles and colour, you'll probably feel right at home here. 

These patterned leggings, £30.00 from Topshop, work perfectly with a block coloured top like this one, £4.99 from Mango. This look is ideal if the sun is already shining but here in the UK we sadly have no guarantee.  So you can add a few bursts of colour to this outfit with some bright accessories to really stand out!

If you need an extra layer with this outift, this leather look jacket for £29.99 at H&M really works.

I've also found a perfect little denim gillet for £45.00 at Miss Selfridge, which is one of the more expensive pieces here.  Denim is a staple though, so it’s often worth splashing out on a few nicer items.  

 Leah J x

@Leah_Alexander_