new shoes

I'm not a shoe girl. In fact I pretty much hate shoes. If I could go around barefoot, all day everyday, I would be more than happy to. I spent most of the winter just gone wearing the same pair of worn out Autumn boat shoes just because I refused to buy any others (and because I loved the boat shoes too much to part with them). But when I do find a pair of shoes that I love, they will be on my feet every single day until they fall apart, not matter the weather hot or cold, my favourite shoes will be on my feet. 

In a quest for some more wintery shoes this year, I headed over to Minnetonka for an amazing pair of Moccasins. They arrived just over a week ago now, and the weather in England has been strangely warm but they are still on my feet looking gorgeously hot (quite literally) even with a pretty dress or shorts these Minnetonkas looks so cute and add such a perfect Native American feel to them. And have I mentioned how amazingly comfy they are?  

The next Awesome pair of shoes on my list are these boots from Fat Face. Every since these came into the shop a few weeks back I have been eyeing them up hoping that by September I will be able to buy them. September didn't quite make it when I spoted these slightly greyer colour pair in a different shop. It was an instant buy with no thinking even involved. Army boots like these have been a love of mine since I first got a pair aged 13. Four years later I felt it time to buy another pair, and move on I certainly have! Again these boots will look amazing with anything: jeans//leggings//pretty short dresses//autumnal maxi skirts. 

ootd: white dress//black jacket

Before when I said I loved Free People it was the type of love you say about cities you have never been to before. Now when I say I love Free People, I mean it. Say hello to the little white dress and black jacket. Two amazing bargins my friends across the pond sent me. Totally worth it all. The dress (despite being a dress) looks amazing with jeans. The jacket (which I found in the sale with £100 knocked off) is a great warm little jacket, its perfect for Spring through to summer as a great little add on. Add a hat and some (all be it odd) sandals and you have a great little hippy outfit for whatever you day brings. 

capes

After spending my weekend in a field at the grand Big Church Day Out, I used my good old tartan scarf for everything from cape to pillow. But it made me realize how much I love capes because they were so warm and perfectly comfortable. So with my tartan scarf becoming a scarf again, I decided it is time to invest in a good old cape. 

1. ASOS Stripe Cape

2. ASOS Stripe Blanket Cape

3. ASOS Stripe Woven Poncho

4. ASOS Aztec Fringe Woven Cape

little love: hats

Hats are kinda like my things. They have been for about 3 years now. I have just always loved going into Accesorize and other shops and trying on all their hats and then getting my mum to take photos of me in them. But I never bought them, I just always loved to look at them, try them and think about all the times I would wear them. This year, I decided it was about time I actually bought one of these hats. It started in January when I order one from one of my favourite bloggers new boutique. After a few weeks it hadn't come, so I emailed her and she ordered me another one. A few more weeks past and it still hadn't come, so I emailed her again, and she gave me a refund. BUT that was not the end of the story. I then took this money and ordered another one from ASOS. This one came within week, but as my boyfriend so kindly put it, it looked like something an Orthodox Jew would wear. So my confidence was shattered and (looking back quite glady) it went back. I left it a little while and by April my craving for that came back again. So I found one that I loved on Free People in their sale for just £16. £16 for a Free People hat, this was too good. I was not going to say no. But when my order was being porcessed there was a problem with their system that rejected not just my card but my mum 2 credit cards. It clearly wasn't meant to be. But this time my faith wasn't shattered. I saw at hat in Accesorize almost exactly the same, but slightly more expensive. I saved it to my bookmarks bar on my Laptop and opened it nearly every other day to think about it. I even went in the shop and tried it on, but I still didn't buy it until it came to me choosing between a pair of white skinny jeans and the hat. The hat it was, as it went perfectly with my new ginger hair. So, I am now pleased to announce that after 3 years of wishing, dreaming, thinking and hoping, I FINALLY HAVE A HAT I LOVE. And even more than that, a hat that I can wear all year round! 

The great thing about hats is that they completely show of your style and who you really are. They go with nearly every outfit, from jeans to dresses, skirts, leggings, dresses and they can completely lift an outfit up from boring and plain to one that really stand out and brings so much character to your outfit. 

ASOS have a great selection of Fedoras and Trilby's (my favourite type of hat) 

1. ASOS Felt Fedora Hat

2. ASOS Felt Fedora Hat With Elephant Trim

3. ASOS Short Brim Felt Fedora Hat

4. Pointelle Packable Trilby

5.Catarzi Exclusive to ASOS Fedora with Brown Ribbon

6.  Plait And Feather Felt Fedora Hat

little loves: armlets

I have always had a little thing for armlets. I remember being 15 in the April of 2012. My skateboard had just come and I was throwing myself head first into all the little joys that came with it, most of all the new rules for fashion. In other words there were none. The budding hippy I was, I decided that bracelets worn high around my arm were the coolest things ever. I wasn't wrong, but I was just ahead of my time (again). I could continue to go on about my love for blue hair and fake spacers, but I'll stop here and think for a second about armlets. ...(You can probably also realize that when my boyfriend made me confess to being a hippy a few months ago it wasn't actually that hard, because I already was)...Two years later I am still in love with armlets, but this time, they are in fashion. But they are still aren't wide enough in fashion for everyone to be selling them, so this enlists the help of my absolute favourite - Free People. Yes a little pricey, but soo worth it! 

1. Stretch Upper Arm Band

2. Corvus Armband

3. Leather Bound Upper Arm Cuff

4. Snake Armlet

5. Arrow Cuff

 6. Metal Upper Armband

As these are a little pricy, there is a much cheaper alternative which is the option I've taken - make one! Yes if you have revision you should put that first....if not, just get some thin nylon and thread on a load of small beads. So simple and effective! 

ootd: native americans

Me and mumma went shopping in TK Maxx today. Its a shop neither of us really like because we don't really like searching through all the clothes, but today we were. We found this top in there for £11.99 along with a few other bargins (coming soon) and I loved it, I thought it was so cool but didn't really think I would ever wear it. I tried it on and still umed and ured about it for ages. Eventually mum said she would buy it for me. It is such a cool top, really completely hippy and a bit native american. It is so funky, its basically like a poncho with an invisible stitch on either side for the arms, with little feather tassals and beads hanging quite low down the front. Still with jeans this top is toned down a little and not so hippy but still so awesome! And I love it! 

ootd: black western

When the choice was presented to my mother this morning about which shorts to wear she actually chose my flowery pair. But like any daughter I did the opposite and went for the more casual option. Fat Face boots and jewerly were paired with it for a casual outfit, but at the same time feeling strangely Great Western when paired with my boots. 

EXCITING NEWS: this photo was taken on my new phone! Is there a difference? 

ootd: sheer white tee

Todays outfit was similar to yesterdays in the sense of jeans and a white tee. But with lighter jeans, a white tee shirt and much more bling, it was at the same time a very different feeling outfit compared to that of yesterday. Paired with my leather jacket in the morning and grey cardi in the afternoon it was a chilled and casual look. Along with my heeled boots from Fat Face, it felt like the perfect transitional outfit from Winter to Spring. 

And the best part? That white tee only cost me £2.50.

No I didn't order it in every size avaliable. 

By it here:

http://www.asos.com//Mango/Mango-Basic-Jersey-Tee/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=3756900

ootd: shorts and white tee

Its been a weekend of good outfits as far as I'm concerned. To finish the weekend, I wore my woven shorts for the first time with a little white tee and my new cardi. It was a really cool and casual outfit, but at the same time a bit smarter. A perfect spring outfit to play around with. And again, with great jewelry I was happy for the day .

ootd: feeling too dressy

Following on my outfit from yesterday, another feeling dressy//hippy//boho//indie kinda day was upon me. Paired with my boots from Fat Face  and my leather jacket, I was feeling a bit over dressed for a trip to town for art supplies, but man did I feel so good. I felt like another person. Although the dress is actually quite big, a belt round the middle helped to pull it all in and create the right shape I needed. Again paired with awesome jewelry and a little bag, and it was another feeling good outfit.

ootd: black base and flowers

I've been wanting to wear a skirt//shorts//dress to college for a few weeks now, but just havent found the right outfit for the weather, or right confidence or excuse. Today, I screwed all that, and just wore it. I love this outfit, because it feels like the perfect spring outfit, mixing summer with a hint of winter. Paired with my new look for great jewlerlly and I was ready to go (and then it rained..).

tie dye

Last summer at the festival Soul Survivor a friend and I did a tie dye top. I wore mine very little but with time I have fallen in love with it again and am desperate to tie dye a top again. It is definitely a bit more costly doing it yourself if you buy a kit online, but still a lot of fun. If you just want the tie dye, don't fret, because I have put together a little guide of the best tie dye pieces online for you to buy.

1. Blue V-Neck top

2. Pink and White Stripe Tie Dye Top

3. Green Tie Dye Shorts

4. Cami With Dramatic Back

5. Glamourous Cropped Tie Dye Top

6.Beige Maxi Cami Tie Dye Dress 

By Now you should all know about my obession with keeping outfits balanced, so I think the perfect way to pair these colour tops is with a simple pair of jeans, leggings or black pants like these slim joggers which are casual enough to wear every day. Tie dye is a great way of brightening up any boring day and making it a bit more summer and colourful. 

black pants

Black pants are en essential for every wardrobe. Great for a spring day or a cool summer day, dressed up for the night or down for the day, they are perfect for whatever you wear. So whether your style is leggings or harem there is a way to wear them all with just a few rules. 

During the day time the only rule is T-shirt and Vests. Whatever you feel like, a plain or colourful t-shirt will always look casual and comfy but trendy also. Paired with sandals or pumps a few good pieces of jewelry, you have a perfect day time look.

 At night there are two rules: Heels and Colour. Putting heels to an outfit instantly makes it look a bit smarter and much less casual. With a great colourful top you are ready to go. Pair with a good few bracelets, and clutch and you are ready for the night! 

woven shorts

Printed and patterned shorts are a trend which I would like to think I started in the days of 2011 when I cut my playsuit down to just a pair of shorts (modelled here: http://thisislobarker.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/green-fields.html) nowadays the trend has well and truely hit of with every big brand stocking patterned shorts, skirts, and trouser for ever occasion. These are my latest favourites from Forever21 a great pair to dress up or down, you cannot go wrong with a plain black, white or grey top. Some class jewllery and you have the perfect 'to-go' outfit. 

ootd: denim jacket

Some people find it easy to dress denim jackets. Jeans or not it just suits them, most people, me included have to balance the top half with my bottom half. So if my top half is a denim jacket, I couldnt wear jeans on the bottom. So thank goodness for leggings keeping the balance even. On a recent college trip to Oxford this was my outfit of the day. It wasnt just warm because of the scarf and jumper but it was also cool and comfy for the hot musemes we were visiting. The perfect outfit of the day for the spring days which are heading our way super soon. Yay.

P.S. This post was requested by my sister Anna Barker. 

ootd: plaid stipes

This is the type of outfit, that very few can pull off, but I love it! Mixing prints isn't always easy, but it can be very well executed with certain prints. Stipes and flowers, stripes and plaid are two prints that go well together. Stipes and spot? Not so much. I paired this shirt and top with jeans and my new boots. When different prints are mixed up, they need to be toned down, which is why it is always best to keep the rest of the outfit simple. It is also a great look for the up coming Spring, and I will be wearing it lots, but I its also such a chilled and laid back outfit, that requires so little effort!

new boots

Every winter I feel the need to get new boots. This year was no different, and with my new job, i couldnt resist getting staff discount on this beautiful pair which I have been eyeing up since September. they are super trendy and go so well with jeans and a plain top and the slight heel makes them a bit dressier, but still keeps them comfortable enough to wear everyday. A firm favourite which I shall be loving for the next few years!

buy here

winter glam

The cold December days are drawing in here in England, and that usually means layers, and lots of them. But being all bundled up isn't always pretty. Until a few little tips and tricks were discovered! 

Oversized Jumper - Asos

Oversized doesn't always mean frumpy and unfitting. In the winter, oversized is the cosiest thing ever! A nice thick jumper over a little top is a look I have been wearing lots.

Boots and Red Coat

This a two in one. A bright coat is a staple. Cold days need bright cheery coats, to make them a bit bolder. A red coat is a must and looks great with leggings and brown boots. A good pair or boots is another need to a look a bit more glam on a cold day. Not only are they comfy for walking in, but they are also the finishing touch to any outfit.

Tartan Scarf - Zara

If anyone out there knows me, they will know how the last two weeks I have been wearing my massive tartan scarf everywhere. I love it, and not only is it super soft and comfy, it also gives a massive boost of colour to my old green coat and leggings. A good scarf is a staple as it works wonders on any plain outfit.

tartan tuesday

I am loving tartan at the moment. Especially this little scarf I bought for £8 from Mataland. It is so soft and comfy and it is literally like a blanket. It looks great with other big chunky knits like jumper and cardigans. It also looks really good with blacks and dark greens. 

I have been wearing this scarf lots with leggings, and a grey jumper. It equally looks just as good with jean and a black top. It is the ultimate winter tartan scarf investment and I have been certainty loving mine.

 Then I got thinking about tartan and how it is very in fashion at the moment, so I thought I would share with you a few my favorite tartan items this Autumn!

1. ASOS  - Lyle and Scott Tartan Gloves

http://www.asos.com/Lyle-Scott/Lyle-Scott-Tartan-Gloves/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=2970182&SearchQuery=tartan&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=-1&sort=-1&clr=Red

2. New Look - Navy and Red Tartan Check Boyfriend Coat 

http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/jackets-and-coats/navy-and-red-tartan-check-boyfriend-coat_299220049

3. New Look - Petite Black and Red Boyfriend Shirt 

http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/petite/petite-red-and-black-check-boyfriend-shirt-_291657160

4. ASOS Shorts in Tartan 

http://www.asos.com/ASOS/ASOS-Shorts-in-Tartan/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=3013239&SearchQuery=tartan&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=-1&sort=-1&clr=Red

5. ASOS - Pull and Bear Basic Tartan Slipper Shoes

http://www.asos.com/PullBear/PullBear-Tartan-Basic-Slipper-Shoes/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=3556340&SearchQuery=tartan&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=36&sort=-1&clr=Multi

6. ASOS - Daisy Street Tartan Mini Skirt

http://www.asos.com/Daisy-Street/Daisy-Street-Tartan-Mini-Skirt/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=3375555&SearchQuery=tartan&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=36&sort=-1&clr=Greentartan

7. New Look - Red and Black Fluffy Jumper

http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/knitwear/red-and-black-check-fluffy-jumper_297254860

8. ASOS - Glamourous Cardigan in Tartan Knit

http://www.asos.com/Glamorous/Glamorous-Cardigan-In-Tartan-Knit/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=3209842&SearchQuery=tartan&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=36&sort=-1&clr=Redtartan

9. ASOS Petite - Exclusive Trouser in Tartan Check 

http://www.asos.com/ASOS-Petite/ASOS-PETITE-Exclusive-Trousers-In-Tartan-Check/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=3209565&SearchQuery=tartan&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=-1&sort=-1&clr=Blackwhite

10. River Island - Red Tartan Hair Bow

http://www.riverisland.com/women/accessories/hair-accessories/Red-tartan-hair-bow-648632

11. New Look - Inspire Black 2 in 1 Tartan Skater Dress

http://www.newlook.com/shop/inspire-plus-sizes/dresses/inspire-black-2-in-1-tartan-skater-dress_297613069

sweater weather

Its that time of the year again, where sweaters and jumpers are in big supply and need. Its Autumn! And since I have a  large number of jumpers (not all of them are included in this post as they are in the wash), I thought I would go through them and style them all!

Red Oversized

I bought this one from New Look last year, but they are doing one exactly like it, but in green this year. I love wearing this jumper with a big necklace and leggings. This dark oxeblood/deep red colour is really in height this year and it looks great paired with golds and black. And for those super cold days, the colour goes really well with a dark green parka coat. 

Country Cream

I bought this jumper last year from Dorothy Perkins. Its a plain knitted jumper with little sparkly gems stuck to them. This jumper looks great in a more casual outfit. Jeans, boots, and a cosy knitted scarf are the way I would style this. Because this jumper is a bit more sparkly than usual, it would also look great with black trousers or a black pencil skirt for a work look.

Forest Green

This jumper was given to me from somewhere but it was originally from River Island. Although this jumper is already quite dark, it looks good with dark wash jeans or leggings. Pair it with a good statement necklace, or a denim shirt underneath for a well polished look.

Grey Black

This was a recent purchase from New Look, for around £15. I really like this jumper as it just a regular sweater grey, speckled black fabric with some really cute chiffon paneling on the shoulders and at the back, which I think makes this jumper a bit smarter and a bit different. I have been loving this jumper with jeans and boots, but equally with leggings for a smarter look.

Grey Sweater

Since seeing an image on Pintrest (right hand) I have wanted a plain grey sweatshirt just so I could wear with my leggings on more chilled or stressful days. All the once I found around on the internet or around town were either too expensive or not what I wanted. Then finally I found a plain grey sweatshirt from Mataland for only £8, and with student discount it wasn't even that when I paid for it! 

This jumper will look great with jeans or leggings, and with be really simple to dress with bright scarfs and statement necklaces.