A few weeks I made the mistake of disappearing down the rabbit hole that is Instagram and after scrolling back to the begining of my feed, I realised just how much my style has changed over the last 7 years....not only in fashion, but in photography & filters and also how that has impacted on this blog. Obviously my love for fashion began well before 2013 but as that is the year I began documenting it, that felt like a natural place to start - although I am sure my friends would have lots to say about my style pre Instagram! Some things have remainded the same though - I am still to this day a big lover of the "From where I stand" pose as well as a good mirror selfie but the quality of my shots has most definatley improved. It is also interesting to see just how much life & work can really impact on fashion & style.
Ready to take a look?
~2013~
The start of Instagram...I think we will call this my "chameleon" phase, I cannot believe just how many bright colours and prints I had in my wardrobe back in 2013! colours that I wouldn't ever wear now. I think my style in this year was fuelled by starting a new job and wanting to reinvent myself in a new role. There were lots of dresses (mostly short), layered up with leggings, big statement necklaces (the kind that hurt your neck, they were so big!), lots of bold Kat Slater leopard print and I loved my faux fur collar. I think my style was actually very complicated, lots of things going on in one outfit but I was confident and happy. This was the year I purchased my first designer bag - my cream Mulberry Tillie tote so I wore it everywhere, getting my moneys worth out of my purchase. Most of my wardrobe was from Topshop with a few ASOS and New Look items mixed in.
~2014~
2014 seems to have been more about tailoring, clearly still loving a dress but have smartened them up with a blazer or structured jacket. My colour palette became a monochrome base with bright pops, pastels and whole lot of bold floral prints. My favourite outfit (that I wore to death) would have to be my topshop vintage floral wrap dress, grey & gold belt, black blazer and my faithful brown slouchy boots - I felt like a total girl boss in this and it was my go to meeting outfit. This is the year I bought my first Kate Spade bag, a black Beau and I wore it everyday. Spent a lot of time tottering around in heels at work, really expanding my shoe collection beyond my comfort zone. Most pieces still from Topshop & ASOS but also a lot of H&M, a store I hadn't really shopped from before, other than basic tees.
~2015~
I think 2015 was the year my style aesthetic really began to change. It was a tough year for me personally, as I suffered a miscarriage, and really felt like I needed a change. A lot more monochrome & denim mixed up with pops of colour & print through jewellery and scarves. Trainers began to appear outside of the gym, teamed with dresses & skirts, which I never expected. My outfits became a lot simpler, less fussy and more classic. Embraced the need for a good Breton stripe tee and hemlines dropped, favouring a midi over a mini. Gone are the leggings, embracing my bare legs and mourning the death of my faithful slouchy brown boots (am still on the look out for a replacement pair). Fedora love began. Interestingly stopped shopping in Topshop - realised I no longer liked the clothes or fit in them! so most of my wardrobe was from ASOS, New Look or Dorothy Perkins, with Primark starting to catch my eye.
~2016~
The first year I actually featured myself on the blog - more confident posing and happier with my style. Another big style shift in 2016... much more pulled together and cohesive, with more investment pieces. Switched my regular denim to black skinnies (and haven't changed since) which I found more flattering for my figure. Fell in love with the black & white printed dress above from H&M and wore so much teamed with sandals and boots. My whole ethos for dressing really changed gear - I started to embrace the high/low rule of dressing. Discovered the Cambridge Satchel Company and added two styles to my bag collection - both cute but actually a lot smaller than I have used before, helping me to streamline what I carried daily. Finally I turned 30 which had an impact, unexpectedly, I felt the need to embrace a simpler style to start my thirties. Most of my pieces this year were from New Look & H&M, ASOS had started to loose its sparkle for me (most pieces too young) and I branched out into new brands (for me) such as Zara.
~2017~
This was an very odd style year for me, half of the year I was pregnant and dressing a bump is actually a really tough challenge, whilst the remainder of the year I was a new mum (regularly covered in baby spitup). Both ends of the spectrum challenged my style. I would say 2017 is the year I fully embraced trainers, Primark became my go to store (no point spending loads on clothes that would only fit for a few months) and my style became a lot more casual and easy. It was all about finding my mummy style. Sadly swapped my heels for fancy flats, and my wardrbobe became practical over pretty. Very much a year of using what I had and creating new looks. Most of my pieces were New Look or Primark but almost all of my maternity styles were actaully from ASOS, an unexpected source. Read more about Maternity fashion esssentials here.
~2018~
I like to call this, the year of reinvention, starting back to work and finding my style groove outside of my mum uniform - a jeans and tees combo. Working for a fashion brand, with a uniform allowance really helped, as it gave me the opportunity to challlenge my norm and push the style boundaries. Although not back to my bold colourful self of 2013 I really did feel I was getting my style back. Embracing a few items I had vowed never to wear in public - shorts & a backpack, but your outlook on style changes with a little person around, it is more about comfort and practicallity than style. I also became much more relaxed about my body, more confident getting my legs and arms out (areas I have struggled with before). Still wearing my trusty black skinny jeans and trainers but adding in a lot of broiderie anglais tops, statement boots and sooooo many stripes! Also found some new flat styles that I love - pointed leopard slingbacks and Chanel style espadrilles - chic but comfy. Most of my pieces were from New Look, Primark, H&M or Mint Velvet.
~2019~
The present day - I have really starting to feel good with my style, feeling much more confident which has been a struggle since bubba, and am so much happier to upload mirror selfies. Embracing a "wear what I own" approach to dressing, trying to reduce my fast fashion purchases (so far all I buy is essentials plus a few cheeky accessories) and taking my time to find items I truly love and can wear everyday, no more "for best". Still basing my outfits around my faithful black skinnies but trying to add something new through tops and accessories. The leopard print is also back! but in a much more grown up way and not quite so full on.
So there we are, my style journey....
~The Blog~
Love this collection of shots, it really shows the design evolution of the blog, 2013 to the present format. I am so proud of my little corner of the internet and how much it has changed....so much more modern & streamlined, without the clutter of widgets, which I was adament I needed back in 2013. Along with more interactive elements that have been possible with all the technological advances - including my Shopstyle Collective wishlist, which also allows me earn whilst sharing my favourite pieces. I also love the sleeker, cleaner format which allows my imagery to do the talking.
Thanks for joining me on this little trip down memory lane....would love to know which year you thought was my best "style" year.
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