Hell for leather

Dress - Topshop// Jacket - Topshop// Satchel - ASOS// Necklace - Primark// Boots - ASOS

Snapped a very quick OOTD before throwing the PJs on and catching up with Glee this evening... apologies for the rather ridiculous boob flare - I did not realise until it was far too late that the bra was quite so shiny... oh well!

This is my leather jacket from a Topshop sale about four years ago - the zip's broken, so it doesn't fasten, leaving my pretty chilly past October, but I love it because it will forever be my 'Ashley Olsen circa 2006'  biker.

Pic courtesy of Olsens Anonymous.

These are my confessions...

Turns out my 'buy it now, regret it later' style of shopping has backfired. I've dropped £170 notes in the last week and none of it's going back. Oops. Say hello to my new top, flats and armour ring.


Top, Shoes, Jeans - Topshop// Rings (l-r) - ASOS and gift// Necklace - Bangkok weekend market// Bangles (l-r) - Accessorize and Primark

A tight fit

Friday was an important day in my fashion year - the first opaque tight of the new season.
It's time. The weather's chillier, the wind's brisker and, frankly, I wanted to give this dress its inaugural outing.
I'm very fussy about black tights. I have not, and I fear never will, jumped on the 20-denier trend that's started sweeping the legs of London's fashion forward. It's just too eighties, too sheer and far too reminiscent of my mother's legs to work for me. Even Topshops's polka dot numbers couldn't tempt me from the very dark side.
I need opaque tights to be 90 denier and higher. My 120 deniers, seen above, are my prized A/W possession, and I have about 4 pairs. So here I offer some words of opaque advice.
Oasis: Don't bother unless you like them very low slung. They fall down throughout the day, leading you to do the tight wriggle, wrestling them up to your hips. Likewise, Primark. In fact, these once got me so angry I pulled a big hole in a pair.
Topshop's are pricey but worth it - trying to find a large pair is like searching for a needle in a haystack, but they're worth the search.
As ever, Marks and Spencer is reliable, as long as you can track the 90s down... they go fast. And my personal faves are ASOS, though get 'em while you can. The 120s sell out FAST.

Dress - Primark// Tights - ASOS// Boots - ASOS// Watch - Michael Kors

Wardrobe Hall of Fame...

Hello, Bethan here! Whilst Tor is away sunning herself in Greece she has left the good ship Curve in the Mode in my 'capable' hands. In the words of the mighty Black Eyed Peas, let's get it started...



Now, Primark has its haters, and one of the main criticisms levelled at it is that the clothes don't last. I beg to differ, at least on a couple of counts. This smock dress was, I think, £8 when I bought it about 4 years ago, and cost per wear has to now be well under a penny. That's not the only thrifty thing about it - it is literally the most versatile item I've ever owned - there is no occasion for which it isn't suitable. I've worn it to birthday parties, job interviews, dates, swanky do's and grimy clubs. In fact the only time its not ideal is in the height of summer - the black poly is not so breathable! I'm not the only one still rocking it, most weeks I see it on someone else; last week it was spotted teamed with denim cut-offs and with a chunky belt. Versatile indeed!



Do you guys have your own enduring classics?!

Cut down in your Primark

Thought I'd share a little haul I had recently at everyone's favourite bargain hall Primark.
First up this cuff, which goes with a lilac outfit I'm sporting to a friend's up-coming nuptuals...

I love finding the perfect accessory for £2.50.
Next is some summer sandals you must have seen everyone wearing...

A mere £12 for real-life suede in a lovely corally-pink. This is also a great opportunity to showcase my current favourite nails (ok, I'm starting to say that every week) - OPI's Done Out In Deco. That's a pretty good colour representation, and it goes on really nicely. A great summer shade... and who knew lilac went with everything?

(I also bagged some black suede studded gladiators for £12, and wanted to blog them, but they got so dusty last night in Hyde Park I couldn't possibly show them off... when I've cleaned them up maybe...)

And who would believe the beautiful eiderdown these are all modelled on is Primers too? A snip at £15 and so close to (if not a little smaller than) the Laura Ashley ones I've been coveting for about three years. It's come in so handy in the last week when it's too hot for a duvet, too cold for nothing, and will be pretty snuggly in the winter too.

So my last item was a head scratcher. I know in this fashion world we're supposed to be looking forward, but I've never been too good at buying for the season ahead, so this purchase took some mulling over...

I absolutely adore this, but its two layers of polyester make it impossible to wear in the summer. It's an autumn item to be worn with black tights and boots, I reckon, so I have squirrelled it away for cooler climes. (It was £15, FYI.)

But that's the problem with Primark, isn't it - almost everything you pick up is synthetic. I'm surprised I don't get static shocks just strolling through the aisles. Ah the price we (don't) pay for fashion!

UPDATE - I've changed my comments so anyone can do it, even if you don't have a google account etc. PLEASE let me know (twitter? email?) if you can't make it work!

My favourite Kings

I love nothing better than an outdoor gig, and circumstances will have it I'll have been to three in eight days by Sunday - Pearl Jam last Friday, Kings of Leon last night and Jay-Z on Sunday.
So yesterday at KOL in Hyde Park I was faced with the ever-difficult task of dressing for a 2-11pm Summer event, in cloud cover that threatened intense sun... easy it was not!
I plumped for this pretty functional ensemble...

Shades - Accessorize// Shorts - vintage Levi's cut-offs// T shirt - Primark// Necklace - a market in Williamsburg NY (how hip am I?!!)// Lippy - Rimmell Moisture Renew Lipstick in Lily Extase (more on this later)
Here's a better pic of the Lush Motorcycle bag I blogged about before - you can see it's pretty worn in nowadays!

So it was nice and breezy in the sun, which is good. Got filthy feet wearing my Havianas, but that goes with the territory, and the evening was slightly marred by Lovely Beth getting knocked out by a bottle (who are these drink-wielding morons? Throw it down your neck not in the air!) But all in all a great time was had by all!
Oh, and here are our happy hands!