Basics, Bitch

Huzzah, tis Daisy here with somethin' stylish. My style is generally always fairly busy - I love bright colours, patterns, bold accessories and lots of jewels, so it will come as no surprise that I don't really shop for what the fashion community had dubbed 'basics' or 'wardrobe staples'. If I'm out shopping, in charity shops or highstreet stores or independent shops, I will always gravitated towards the boldest and most unusual pieces - usually with a 60s/70s vibe. However, recently I have had my head turned somewhat by the really simple items that I would usually have ignored.

These garments can be found almost anywhere that sells clothing, from high end to cheap as chips which is one of the things that makes them great. Another is that they will never look dated or old-fashioned, they belong to a magical collection of garments that never go out of style, year on year and most likely never will. You can wear them all together to create cool-looking chic and timeless looks (that really look like you've put in a lot of effort when you haven't) or you can do what I mostly do and mix them in with your big fun pieces to make them a little more wearable - sometimes rainbow floral dungarees just don't go with mustard yellow bat-wing tops!

Here's a little bit of tumblr eye-candy to convince you...

These clothes don't shout, but whisper and yet still manage to make you look the bomb. Now I'm not all the way converted but this little collection of items is definitely enough for me for the time being! Without further rambling lets get into my recent purchases and top wardrobe essentials!  


(Okay I lied, there's a bit more rambling) I have a rant I need to get off my chest and it address's the term 'basic bitch'. I've used it in my title because I like puns but when used as an insult it pisses me off - I absolutely hate hearing women describing other women as 'basic bitches'. Sure I'm not obsessed with Starbucks, Ugg boots and Lush bath bombs but that doesn't make me any better or cooler than people who are. I really enjoy candles and videos of cute animals - does that make me basic?! Can people not like or be passionate about anything anymore? Enthusiasm is not lame and neither is liking things that are popular or 'mainstream' (hate that word too)! Okay, I'm finished.

On with the clothes....

A plain white t-shirt

Charity Shop

This is the most basic and classic of them all. You literally cannot go wrong. I got mine from a charity shop, but its originally from Primark - double cheap! I don't need to say much about this one - we'll let the t-shirt speak for itself.

A good pair of jeans

Topshop

The other half of the perfect couple - the white tee and jeans! Whatever shape takes your fancy a good quality pair of jeans are a must, something I'm only just realising after I spent about four years without any. These are the 'Jamie' pair from Topshop and they are very comfy, I'm also a big fan of what they do for my bum.

A black V-neck

Miss Selfridge

Another classic t-shirt that you can sling on any day of the week and look good. The v-neck seems to add an extra air of cool - I don't know why but I have the idea in my head that cool girls wear v-necks, like they're somehow so much edgier than round! Whats very nice about this one is it has a deep V at the front and the back, showing off some subtly sexy upper back action as well as the boobies at the front - saucy.

A long sleeved crop-top

H&M

I have been totally amazed by the amount of things this top goes with, its almost always in my washing basket because as soon as its clean I wear it again. Its soft, baggy and so easy to just fling on with a jazzy pair of bottoms when I can't be arsed to put an outfit together.

A flared mini-skirt

Charity Shop

Everyone loves a good mini and what could be better than Wimbledon white. You think I'm joking but this is an actual tennis skirt I picked up in a charity shop a few month before they became all the rage and American Apparel started selling them for fifty quid a pop. Flared skirts are really flattering and feminine and show of a healthy amount of leginess in the warmer months. 

A furry waistcoat thing

Bik Bok

Almost any outfit can be elevated to Kate Moss levels of cool rock bohemia with one of these little babies. This transformative power means I have to stop myself from wearing this every day and limit myself to around twice a week. I bought this in London while I was doing my year 10 work experience, proving exactly how much mileage these furry friends have in them.

A proper ladies handbag 

Accessorize

Its taken me 20 years but I finally have a nice, proper handbag. I was never attracted to this sort of structured bag until I spotted this one just before Christmas and fell in love. Its my new baby! It has the power to make all sorts of outfits look more put-together and chic which helps with my tendancy to dress like a five year old/hippy.

A black polo neck

Primark

Polo neck, turtle neck, roll neck - whatever you want to call them, I used to hate them with a passion so strong I thought they were the ugliest things to ever grace the earth. I used to half-joke that they were banned in our house and if my mum so much as caught a whiff of one I would give her a death stare to rival Medusa. However, after their come-back last year I am totally converted, the ban has been lifted and I'm hungry for more! They are surprisingly versatile and insanely chic-looking - I can't get enough. I do however have to pair them with something high-waisted otherwise I end up looking busty in all the wrong ways.

A wooly cardigan

H&M

Another item I cast aside in my foolish youth was the humble cardie. I thought they were dowdy and boring - oh how wrong I was. What I love about this one is that it is long and flowy, giving it the bohemian edge that I love so much and it is amazing for layering as well as on it own. Cardigan - you are a star and I'm sorry I ever doubted you. 

Well thats it from me! Have a lovely weekend,

Daisy.

What Would You Wear If...? #13

hello again, Lily here. Today is Wednesday so of course it's time for a new Wednesday fashion challenge! This weeks was  what would you wear if...

You Were a Goddess?

So Daisy didn't specify what kind of goddess to be so I got to choose, I'm not actually sure what kind I am but i'm going to go with Thor's wife, that's right, you are looking at Mrs. Thor  - aka the goddess with the hottest husband ever (and the hottest brother in law). I spent ages trying to think of clothes I had that I could use because most of my clothes are black. But then I remembered about my prom dress that I bought ages ago because I loved it. It was perfect for being a goddess so I couldn't not use it, even if it means showing everyone my prom dress early. I also wore my flower crown from my last prom outfit, so a prom inspired outfit all round! For my makeup I went for shimmery bronze eyeshadow, false eyelashes and a shit load of gold highlighter to make me look all ethereal and goddess like.

An outtake just for your amusement.

Dress: Miss Selfridge, Flower crown: Rock N' Rose

Hope you enjoyed it, I best get back to Asgard because my hot piece of ass of a husband is waiting for me. Bye!
Lily x

Monday Madness: Top Ten(ish) Sexiest Roman Emperors - Part II

Here it is, the follow up you've all been waiting for - its sexiest Emperors part II! If you didn't see part one you can have a look HERE for a full introduction to this little series and the first 5 sexy Roman rulers. We left off with Commodus at #5 and I'm going to jump straight back in now with a little bit more Julio-Claudian dynasty man meat...

#6 Nero

5th Emperor of the Roman Empire, 54-68 BC

Now last time we explored the idea of the sexy Roman bad boy with Emperor Caligula, however, his Nephew Nero is on a whole other level. If you like your men bad to the point of completely un-hinged, psychotic, possibly-the-devil-incarnate type levels then Nero is the guy for you. There is almost no end to the crazy stories about how evil he really was so here's just a little taste; he executed his mother, he forced a young man to be castrated and then married him (and called him by his dead wifes name), he is said to have started the great fire of Rome himself - notoriously playing the lyre while Rome burned around him and he famously persecuted Christians by dipping them in oil and using them as human candles in his garden at night time.Those are just a sample of some of the more well known stories so believe me when I say that Nero was almost certainly 100 per cent batshit crazy. There are even some who believed then, and some that still do now, that Nero was the Antichrist himself, with some scholars contending that the number 666 in the Book of Revelation is a code for Nero. His diabolical nature made him a legend, so ladies if you're really serious about the bad-boy thing and you think the Devil is kind of sexy in a damming and forbidden way - Nero is the ultimate secret crush.

#7 Marcus Aurelius 

16th Emperor of the Roman Empire, 161-180 AD

On the other end of the scale we have all round good guy Marcus Aurelius. Marcus is the last of the five 'Good Emperors' and considered one of the most important stoic philosophers. He is considered a great Emperor with both military and political victories under his belt, extreme intelligence and the respect of the people - hes really is the thinking woman's crumpet and a classic sexy older man. He's really a great all rounder of superb brains, brawn and moral virtue and during his 30 year marriage to wife Faustina managed to produce 13 children, so he's definitely got no problems in the trouser department! He's basically the good guy to lust after, and if you need any more persuading just check out those luscious locks. 

#8 Claudius

4th Emperor of the Roman Empire, 41-54 BC

Now this ones a bit of a mystery. Ancient historians provide multiple conflicting accounts of Claudius, so much so that its almost impossible to tell what he was really like. Some paint him as bloodthirsty and cruel, overly fond of gladiatorial combat and executions while others describe how he was humble and often dined with plebeians. Some say he was overly trusting and easily manipulated while others say he was paranoid and quick to anger. Either way he was married four times (five if you count Livia Medullina who died suddenly on their wedding day) so he certainly knew how to woo the ladies. He was also said to be highly devoted to and politically influenced by his wives - respect for strong women, I like it. Plus everyone loves a mystery and Claudius is certainly that. 

Okay guys, I'll level with you. I have been working on this for a while now and I am convinced that there are no more sexy Emperors I can write about!! I mean there are plenty of interesting ones but they look like this.. 

Nerva

Galba

Trajan

I'm not going to try and bend it some way in order to convince you that these three are attractive so I think its best to leave it here! I've really enjoyed writing these two pieces so I may well end up doing something similar in the future and again attempt to make History sexy! Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed and sorry I had to cop out at the end! 

Daisy. X

Today I'm Wearing - Day 12

Happy New Year everyone!! This month I have decided to do a whole month of posting my outfit everyday. This is a feature I've stolen from Vogue.com, where a cool and trendy it-girl is chosen every month to showcase a months worth of fabulous outfits! As I half run this blog, I can just choose myself (hurray for narcissism!) - I promise I will try to be as fabulous as possible.

Instead of clogging up the blog with loads of different posts I will just be adding to this one day by day until the month is over - that way they will all end up together. So, if you want to see me wearing some clothes everyday (and who doesn't?) be sure to keep checking back here!

Day 12

Jumper - Primark, Jeans - New Look and old Vans.

The star of the show - THE FOXY BACKPACK! (From Accessorize)

Off to the library again today - dem deadlines. As I left the house this morning I realised I was dressed a bit like a five year old but I could't be arsed to get changed. The fact that I looked absolutely tiny short in this picture probably doesn't help!

Day 11

Top - Charity Shop, Jeans - Topshop, Bag - Accessorize, Shoes - ASOS.

Just off to the library today to do some work so a fairly casual look. I haven't had a proper pair of jeans since Sixth Form when I bent over and ripped them all the way up the back and consequently drove home in shame, so I'm loving this nice Topshop pair.

Day 10

Jumper - Primark, Fluffy Thing - BikBok, Trousers - TK Maxx, Necklace - Topshop

Just chilling and writing esssays today and wide-leg trousers are the ultimate kings of chill, they are sooo comfy! These ones however, can end up being a bit too wide legged as when I run up the stairs in bare feet my toes sometimes get caught in the opposite trouser leg and I fall over. This means that to avoid this I have to do some sort of bow-legged, John Wayne like waddle whenever I'm going upstairs - ah well, they still look cool. 

Day 9

Jumper, Skirt and Belt - Charity Shop, Coat - eBay, Shoes - New Look.

Think I was feeling a bit Audrey Hepburn-esque when I got dressed this morning and I quite like the results. I would have shown the outfit without my coat but its BLOODY FREEZING at the moment so there was no chance of that happening!

Day 8

Dress - Missguided, Boots - New Look.

So today was moving back to Uni day, as demonstrated by my potted plant! For some reason I decided I needed a prop to signify that I was moving and weirdly this seemed like the perfect choice. Because its a succulent it only needs watering about once a month - my kind of plant!

Day 7

Dress - Topshop via Charity shop, Socks - Calvin Klein.

Thought everyone might be a bit sick of my face by now (I know I am!) so today I've chopped it off! After my brush with red carpet stardom earlier in the day I just wanted to be comfy this evening and this dress is about as comfy as it gets! Some of you may think the straight up and down silhouette makes me look like an overgrown toddler but I love it regardless. It is so soft and nice and perfect for when you really can't be arsed to wear tight or fitted clothing! My socks, which I got as a Christmas prezzie (Thanks Flo!), are also SOOO SOFT, it is like my feet are a pair of soft, velvety little mice. Squeak!

Day 6

Dress - Boohoo, Jumper - Charity Shop, Beret - Charity Shop, Lipstick - Revlon (Romantic).

Again, today I'm at home attempting to write essays. I think in some vein hope I thought perhaps if I dressed all preppy with a beret and everything, that I might be encouraged to be a bit more studious. So far it would seem I'm too busy staring out of windows but I'm hopeful for the rest of the day!

Day 5

Trousers: Topshop, Grey Top - H&M, Necklaces - both Topshop.

Little close up on my shiny bits.

Today I was just at home attempting to do uni work (and mostly failing) and instead reading and watching Midsommer Murders. This is often my go to casual outfit because it is so damn comfy! It honestly feels (and sort of looks) like you're wearing pajamas, which is a huge plus for me as I just loooooove pajamas.

Day 4

Coat - Vintage, Jeans - Topshop, T-shirt - Charity Shop, Boots  - New Look, Lipstick - Mac (Captive).

Attempting to rock some Brigitte Bardot style hair. The ribbon is from the Yorkshire Trading Company in Skipton.

 Today I spent travelling back from Leeds suitably hungover and then slobbing around watching TV and eating lots of food. This coat is the genuine article from the 60s handed down to me from my Grandma recently and is my current prized posession - expect to see it in plenty of the coming outfit posts!

Day 3

Playsuit - Missguided, Shoes - River Island, Belt - Charity Shop, Lipstick - Topshop (Wine Gum).

Here's what I wore for my friend Kate's 21st (Happy Birthday Katedog!!) in Leeds. It was an amazing night and I only fell over once - result! This Missguided playsuit was just for the ticket for a night out, of course apart from the fact that I had to untie and re-tie the halter-neck every time I needed the toilet.

Day 2

Grey top - H&M, Dress - Charity Shop, Furry thing - Bik Bok, Shoes - River Island, Bag - Accesorize, Hat - Topshop + Handmade Bobble.

Here I am ready to go off to the dentist - oh the glamorous life I lead! My green bobble hat originally had a matching green bobble but my friends dog ate it so I made myself a new one - I rather like it pink and green.

Day 1

Pajamas: Primark

When I decided to start this I also decided to be completely honest - in other words not getting all dressed up in a slick outfit just to take a picture and make myself look good. Hence why today you get the pleasure of seeing me in my festive Pjs! I've been at work all day and if I've been working I like nothing better than coming home and whacking my pajamas on straight away.

Hope everyone had a smashing time ringing in the new year - special mention to my friend Ruth who fell on some glass and cut her bum cheek open, here's to a speedy recovery (sorry was too funny not to mention).

What Would You Wear If...? #12

Hello, its Daisy! Awards season is upon us and that means only one thing! Its time for what would you wear if...

You Wear Attending an Awards Ceremony?

Now seeing as I don't exactly have a designer, Oscar-worthy gown waiting in the wings I decided I'd gear my outfit towards one of the less prestigious ceremonies like the Emmys, Golden Globes or BAFTAs - all very glamorous but with a sightly less strict dress code. Its at these slightly more casual events that a lot of stars bring out less traditional (and often more interesting) looks and one of my particular favourites is the crop top/skirt combination. I think they always so chic, so decided to try and create a version of my own - I have to say I felt very Emma Stone-esque! Hope you likey...

Skirt - Charity Shop, T-shirt - American Apparel, Shoes - Primark, Bag - Accessorize, Earrings - Borrowed from my Mum. 

Waving to my legions of fans!

Close up on my skirt.

Sweepy fringe and red lippy - a classic red-carpet combo. Lipstick is Revlon 'Pleasure Me Red' - Saucy!

Shame my carpet was grey-ish rather that red but I still had fun. This skirt is one my favourite recent Charity Shops finds and although it is all big and shiny it can be worn casually if paired down with a jumper and boots etc. Anyway, hope I look sufficiently glam and ready to collect an award - I'd like to thank Lily for coming up with the theme, Myself for being so damn fabulous and oh god... I can't continue... I'm too emotional!!

*sniff* much love,

Daisy.