The day that trousers walked back into my wardrobe

Who needs trousers outside of the office when there is a denim for every occasion?

I love a great fitting pair of jeans: in summer I strut about in a £15 high waisted pair from TK Maxx - with white strappy wedges from Next -  and come the colder months I love a great fitting skinny tucked into my ultimate shoe indulgence - high heeled brown leather boots courtesy of my first pay cheque at Barratts.

If I ever thought trousers, I thought work. Be it school or customer service, for years the only image this article of clothing has formed in my mind is one of unflattering practicality; dull and decidedly un-fashion-forward.

Then suddenly the chino snatched the fashion limelight from the old staple jeans and what followed was a national change of heart. I had resisted for weeks to follow the first unisex trend I had ever encountered, all the while becoming more immersed in a crowd of guys and girls in turn-ups and boat shoes.

Then came this pair. Like the insatiable sweet tooth that I am, I couldn’t resist the caramel brown in this silky evening-wear material. As a regular bargain hunter too, it was a treat to pick up such a quality piece from Oasis at more than 50% off, and a delight to slip sweetly into a size 10 for a change. I can't help thinking it was meant to be...

Top: £8.99 New Look, Trousers: £18 Oasis (Sale), Shoes: £25 New Look, Aviators: £4 New Look (Sale)

I went shopping looking for a summer jacket and returned home realising that it is always a good sign coming back with something completely irrelevant, if it’s equalled by how much you look forward to wearing it.

Teamed with a simple but statement top from New Look, nude leather heels and old-school Aviators, this is a great day time look that I’d happily swap my skinnies for.

Five trends I never thought I'd try...

 ...with photographs and final verdicts

by fashion blogger Joe 'JK' Kent

(pictured left) of unlimitedbyjk



Jumpsuit - £10 in the sale
Miss Selfridge

#1 The Jumpsuit

In the fashion jail-house of my mind, the all-in-one has its own high-security cell for crimes against the female figure. A baggy bottom, an ill-fitting top and a distorted hourglass shape are the tell-tale signs of the poorly constructed all-in-one, the most serious of offenders. Never mind that the more honourable amongst them have graced the figures of such fashion-savvy females as Jessie J, on the high-street this look is much harder to pull off and I was in no rush to give it a go.

So it is still a mystery why I pulled from the sale rails at Miss Selfridge this asymmetric one-piece wonder. Perhaps a little self-indulgence from retail therapy brought out the worst in me as the ten pound price-tag lured me into committing my first fashion offence.

Victoria's view: As complicated as it makes going to the bathroom, this is an easy look to pull off if the basics of a flattering cut and colour are in place from top to toe. This outfit made me realise how safe I tend to play it. I’m normally just a wear-whatever-suits-me-and-my-shape kind of girl, but the jumpsuit was to me what the glass slipper was to Cinders, the chance for a new kind of you - even if just for the night. And I learned that it can be fun to shake things up a bit.

So I plead guilty to the all-in-one trend, go ahead and lock me up because the black and white stripe prisoners’ onesie is hardly going to faze me now.

JK's verdict: I'll admit I tend to think F1 or skydiving when I hear the word 'jumpsuit,' but hopefully that will soon change. I prefer the plain black to the floral pieces I see so often - this looks a lot classier, especially with that asymmetric cut.

#2 Block colours

Top - £6
Primark

I am a firm believer that black is always the new black - it’s flattering, it’s classic, and my wardrobe is full of it. But I guess it was time to break the habit, and I never realised that until I went shopping with a canary-yellow-loving friend of mine, who was popping pieces of all shades and patterns like she needed a colour fix to carry on living. But now I get the addiction - colours really can make you feel good about yourself. And anybody who has taken any notice of Zara’s window displays lately knows that the brightest shades are the ones to be seen in this season.

Victoria's view: Never in a million years would I picture myself in this shade of orange (JK thinks it's red but we've agreed to disagree). In a wardrobe of charcoal, ink and petrol shades, where would I find something to team it with?

This simple ensemble with jeans and summer wedges was the pathway into unknown colour territory for me but I think I’ve managed to find my footing. I may have gone for sophistication in all-black before, but wouldn’t I rather be thought of amongst the fun and vitality of eye-popping brights? Pick the rights ones and colours can be a real compliment to both your style and your personality.

JK's verdict: As someone who ebraces colour, I'm somewhat shocked that Vikki has never worn brights before. They liven up an outfit instantly (but by the way, I'd say the top is definitely red).

Navy shorts - £10
Primark

#3 Shorts as evening wear

Tree trunks, thunder thighs… call them what you will but some legs just aren’t made for shorts and mine are no exception. Never would I attempt this trend unless a five-inch lift to the legs was an option and now, as luck would have it, it is.

Whereas before shorts were confined to the beach or the poolside, they are now catching up to the classic black body-con skirt to become the best way to show some leg in evening wear. It may be daunting for those of us who normally wait with baited breath for summer to get out our maxi dresses, but where there’s a will – and in this case a heel – there’s a way to work the new season favourite.

Victoria's view: I love these buttoned navy shorts for their simplicity in the detailing – the gentle turn ups at the thighs and subtle pleating at the hips make them look worth far more than the ten pounds that I paid for them.

JK's verdict: As Vikki demonstrates in the photo, shorts can look sexy on a night out, but make sure they're not too casual. Wear with tights if you're self-conscious about your thighs.

#4 The hair hankie

Hair hankie
Vintage



In the fashion world, history has a way of repeating itself. You only have to look around you to see here and now that the nineties-born girls are sporting everything from 80’s crop tops and cut off denim to 70’s palazzo trousers and 60’s maxi skirts.

Big lashes, tiny waists and red lips may look showy to some, but in reality they represent the ultra-femininity of the old pin up girls with curves in all the right places. But the hair hankie reminds me of a different aspect of war-time life, with the celebration of women’s capability, not just their curves. I saw this trend and I was immediately reminded of the famous ‘We Can Do It’ poster of WWII. The ability to encapsulate an entire era – in this case in just one accessory – is, I think, one of fashion’s biggest selling points.

Victoria's view: Fashion should be fun, and I like a little hint of vintage in any look. My only worry with this one is the potential for it to look slightly like you’ve tried to make a statement with a kitchen tea towel, but to be honest as far as re-inventing old classics goes I think you could do a lot worse. And that will remain true until the very moment that MC Hammer pants vanish from the high-street for good.

JK's verdict: I think hair hankies are cute, personally. I adore ones like these with the patterned detail as they add a little bit extra to what you thought was a complete outfit.



Midi-skirt - £3 in the sale
M&Co



#5 The midi-skirt

I have just turned twenty and have no intention of dressing like somebody four times my age, so the midi-skirt was dangerous territory. An ill-fitted midi worn with flats or this season’s androgynous brogues will look particularly granny-ish, but the most flattering varieties can do wonders for the female physique. So, as with a lot of tricky trends, there is definitely a right and a wrong way to wear the midi-skirt. Needless to say, I did not want to get it wrong, and given the success of finding this summer must-have for a spectacular £3 in the sale section, I had hoped to be off to a good start.

Victoria's view: I actually took this skirt in at the seams to bring it tighter at the knees for that all important hourglass silhouette – it’s feminine and fashion-forward without being too ‘out there’ and the cost of having to wear it with heels or wedges is one I am willing to pay for the end result. This is the sort of style that I really love. It may be figure-hugging, but it’s got that element of subtlety that makes it all sophistication and no sleaze. All lumps and bumps can remain well hidden, so don’t be afraid to give this one a go.

JK's verdict: What can I say? I love her skirt! Very sexy and very flattering to her figure.



.

Us girls and our pearls

   

Coco Chanel oozes sophistication
[Image: fv911.onsugar.com]

“A girl should be two things, classy and fabulous”

– a little pearl of wisdom from the iconic Coco Chanel.

And boy, did she know how to work those pearls.

From multiple layers to the simple single row, the fashion staple has outlived its earliest advocates to make it all the way here, into the 21^st century, where it has been welcomed by an entire generation of nostalgic shoppers who regularly mine the vintage stores for their little pieces of fashion gold.

And yet its simplicity has also been embraced in the midst of forevermore daring styles and trends, in an era where the priority of ladylike dressing has been shoved somewhere in the back of the closet behind our bright lippy, crop tops and intentionally laddered tights.

The statement pearl necklace can be the ultimate accessory to almost any ensemble; encapsulating a classic feel with a modern, fashion twist whether it's teamed with a twinset, t-shirt or strapless dress.

Of course, some may see a downside to its mass commercialisation. What was once a simple sign of expensive taste is now ours for the taking from almost every store on the high-street.

But herein lies the pearls greatest achievement, the way it can accessorize every girl- from the grungey to the vintage girl; from the effortlessly pretty to the prim and proper.

Classiness – in fashion, anyway – hasn’t always stayed in style.

But fabulous-ness? That’s always this season’s must-have.   

Clutching at style

You wouldn't be able to fit all of the criticisms against evening bags into one; they're too small, too pricey, too impractical... I've heard all this before from guys who are comepletely bemused by the accessory's appeal, but I still love the clutch bag all the same.

So here's a sneaky peak at my favourite four...

Clockwise from top left:

Pewter fabric clutch with oversized crystal clasp - 
An absolute treat to find under the tree last Christmas

Plain black patent clutch -
A trusty favourite bought years ago for a few quid in Peacocks

Vintage cream leather clutch with gold clasp -
Inherited from a stylish era gone by

Chainmail clutch -
Actually intended as a make-up bag but perfect with black nails for more of a glam-rock look


.

Leggy trends

It's that time of year again when the bravest among us are sporting flip flops while the rest are mourning the final moments of their Uggs.

And a happy compromise between those two seasonal favourites can be found in one of this Spring's biggest fashion delights - fabulous tights.

Keeping that in mind, here's a sneaky peak at four of the best, from the very daring to the absolutely darling.


Winter Warmers



Floral Fishnets




 

 

Suspender Style



Swallow Print