Schoolrun Saviours #YourNewDenim


Style Theory: My criteria for a perfect outfit for the schoolrun is as follows...
Can I put it on in two seconds flat, can I run in it, will it withstand rain/wind/sun and finally does it look passable and slightly put together?!

So pretty basic as there is just not time to think about outfits in the morning when manically getting the kids ready for school so a good pair of jeans, a breton and trainers are my ultimate 'go to' pieces. 

The item to really make this outfit work is a great pair of jeans. I have been wearing boyfriends for a lonng time now but with baggy tops the overall look is, well, kinda baggy. So when Wallis asked me to style up a pair of their jeans from their new range I thought I would mix it up a little and re-visit my past love the skinny jean

The Wallis Ellie Skinny jean are a complete jean revelation, they are high waisted (on me), incredibly comfortable across my stomach with the perfect amount of stretch, they they do not bag but instead skim over all lumps and bumps. They are a deep black colour that is so flattering and the cut seems to elongate my short legs. I chopped off the hem of my jeans so they rest just above my ankle bone as this, for me, is a flattering length. Add a breton top, my leopard print pumps (and possibly a waterproof jacket), a slick of pink lipstick and I am ready to take on all the schoolrun has to throw at me!




Wallis are launching their new denim jeans tomorrow with two days of 20% off all styles, they have skinny, bootcut and straight legs cut. 

I am ready for what surprises next Tuesday's first schoolrun after 6 weeks has to throw at me....although thinking about it I am completely disorganised as I still need to order those blazers (forgot about that) sew on their school badges (never ever underestimate how long this takes) and track down the PE kits...

Are you organised for the new school year? What is your schoolrun uniform? As always I would love to hear your thoughts and comments, until next time, Fran xxxxx

This blogpost was written in collaboration with Wallis, styled by me, all opinions are my own.

Summer Instagram Outfits...

8.28.2016


Dress (worn as top) - Zara (last season) similar here
Bag - Piel De Mar Javea
Shorts: H&M (sold out)
Shoes - Asos £16 
Style Theory: A quick run through of the clothes I wore on holiday this year, a mixture of last year's buys and a few more recent items. My most worn item was without a doubt my H&M denim shorts I also loved my CocoBay Swimwear throw that I did not get a snap of (only featured on my Instagram stories) but I wore it most days to the pool. 

For the evening this year it was all about dresses, they are so easy to throw on, no coordination needed and flat shoes won over heels. Having said that, I did wear my Castaner Espadrilles quite a few nights, espadrille wedges are about as 'heely' as I get on holiday. No or a tiny amount of make up, hair scraped back in a scraggy bun, all my family around and a glass of wine in my hand, the recipe to a truly wonderful, relaxed holiday in my happy place in Spain....
Dress: Isabel Marant @Matches £177
Sliders: Wallis now £15
Bracelets - Bella Jane Jewellery
Dress - Zara (last year)
Sandals - Miista Shoes
Bag - Piel De Mar Javea
Top - Zara (sold out online may still be available in store)
Shorts - H&M (sold out)
Sandals - Miista Shoes
Bag - Piel de Mar
Bracelets - Bella Jane Jewellery 
Dress - Topshop (old)
Necklace - Cabbage White England
Bag - Anna Pugh
Shoes - Asos £16  
Necklace - Cabbage White England
Top - H&M available instore
Shorts - H&M (sold out)
Bag - Piel de Mar
Sliders: Wallis now £15
Dress - Zara £44.99
Shoes - Castaner @Net a Porter
Bag - Anna Pugh 
Top - Zara £22.99
Hat - Spain
Bag - SWYC
Silk Bracelet - Silk Philosophy
Sliders: Wallis now £15
Dress - &Other Stories
Shoes - Asos £16  

Swimsuit (top) - Cocobay Swimwear
Skirt - Zara
Bag - my sister's!
Top - Isabel Marant @Matches
Necklace - Annalou of London
Dress - Traffic People
Swimsuit - Accessorise (sold out online)
Sliders: Wallis now £15
Necklace - Annalou of London
Bag - Piel de Mar
Dress - Zara (available instore)
Bag - Piel de Mar
Shoes - Castaner @Net a Porter 
Bikini - CocoBay Swimwear
Necklace - Annalou of London
Top - Topshop (sold out)
Shorts - H&M
Necklace - Annalou of London
Bag - Piel de Mar
For the first year ever I packed well and wore everything (all except 2 t-shirts) I kept everything simple and as I went on holiday later on the summer I knew what would be most comfortable in the heat. The main thing I did was to avoid taking a range of heels (I normally take a couple of pairs 'just in case' and never ever wear them) sliders and flip flops are the way forward on holiday!

So that is my summer holiday over for another year, the kids are back to school soon and I am keen to get stuck into Autumn Winter fashion. So many gorgeous trends and looks about, cannot wait to share my favourite finds with you. For daily outfit updates follow me on Instagram @Thefashion_lift xx

As always thanks for reading, I love hearing your thoughts and comments, until next time Fran xxx

Shine Bright in Metallics....

8.12.2016









all images above via Pinterest
Style Theory: Metallics are big news again for AW16 and this season they are not only limited to the evening, add some shimmer to your day look and indulge in some gold and silver new additions to your wardrobe.
Saint Laurent,Gucci, Valentino, and Burberry to name but a few all featured metallics in their AW16 collections from lamé to beading to sequins, the sparklier the better. 

Of course the high street are hot on the heels of this trend, with metallic shirts, sequin jackets and metallic trousers all hitting the shopfloor now.. The good news is this trend is easy to wear, just one metallic item whether an item of clothing or a cool metallic accesory will brighten up your daytime look in a flash. Keep the rest of your outfit simple, neutralise the shiny look with denim (jeans or a jacket) wear with a plain white tee and let your metallic item do the talking...

Here are my favourite pieces on the high street now.. 
Asos £29.99
Topshop Metallic Tee £24
An easy way to add metallic to your wardrobe now, wear with denim shorts and tan flat sandals, in the winter pair with black skinny jeans and a biker jacket.
River Island £25
This top looks amazing on, it has a pink-ish metallic finish that looks fab with pale blue denim jeans, white trainers on sunkissed skin..
River Island £50
Completely full on but so easily dressed down for daytime. Wear Sequins now dont just keep them for Christmas, they look so eye catching on and Autumn/Winter 16 is all about textures so mix it up with velvets, denim and silks for a cool, on trend look.
Mango Sequin Bomber £69.99
Adore this jacket, believe me this is one of those jackets you will wear a lot. Perfect for summer evenings throwing over a white tee and denim shorts or ankle length jeans. In the winter it will look fab with an all black outfit, it will dress up a look in a second and make a daytime outfit look a little special.
Zara - £49.99
This jacket is incredibly Gucci-esque, the trim is so cool, I would dress down with simple tee, jeans and trainers (pink trainers would be fab picking out the fine pink line in the trim)
Zara £49.99
A striking take on the metallic trend, keep things edgy and cool with this jacket to stop it looking too 80s.
M&S £29.50
A beautiful soft green, this skirt is gorgeous in real life, looks great with pale pinks, navy and black for the winter.
Zara £39.99
Gold, pleated, midi..perfect..
Metallic Leather Skirt £59.99
Love love this skirt, it will look beautiful in the summer with bare legs and tan sandals, add a white or pale pink top. In the winter wear with a black polo neck, opaque tights and boots.
Asos £55
This dress would look perfect with trainers (Adidas gazelles) and a denim/leather jacket over the top.
Topshop £49
Seriously these trousers look great on, they work well with a denim shirt and stan smiths, a cool way to wear metallic now.
Anna Pugh Gerry Gold Bag £160
I am obsessed with Anna Pugh bags, they are handmade in butter soft leather, are beautifully finished and feel super special (I have one on order) An elegant way to rock the metallic trend (love the silver too)

Office £55
Without a doubt the best Gucci dupes I have seen, in fact they are only missing the GG! They look fab on and are sooo much cheaper that the originals (although I have worn mine loads and feel I have and will get my money's worth!)

There are loads metallic items hitting the high street every week so I will be re-visiting this trend more than once over AW16 (it is one of my faves along with velvet and pink!) I will do a separate blog on metallic accessories next but had to show you the bag and shoes now as they are gorgeous! 

I am taking a break from the blog for two of weeks whilst I am on holiday but you can follow me on Instagram and Instagram stories for daily outfit posts and a little sneaky peak into my holiday!

Have a great couple of weeks, thanks for reading, Love Fran xxx

Hot Work Outfit...

8.10.2016


Style Theory: It is the big question, what to wear to work when the sun is out and it is hot on the trains and underground. You want to look smart but have a practical outfit with a cool fashion twist..the answer is culottes. They keep you cool, look professional and are extremely comfortable.





I love these culottes from M&S they are beautifully tailored, the fabric is a substantial weight so the culotte keeps it's shape and skims over any lumps and bumps. The external zip adds a little interest and they nip you in at the waist (even if, like me you dont really have one!) so you can easily tuck in a blouse or jersey top. They come in three different leg lengths - Long, Regular and Short so you can ensure they hit your leg at a flattering place, I bought the short (I am 5ft3)

When wearing culottes,  keep your top as neat as possible, it makes for a better, more flattering silhouette. A silk blouse would look great in pale pink, mint or an all navy outfit always looks chic. The great thing with culottes is that they allow everyone to see your shoes, so have fun with your shoes, clash up the colour, wear interesting heels, they will give your outfit a cool edge.

Shoes - M&S (last Season) - Love these ones


What do you wear to work in the heat, have you found the perfect balance of keeping cool and smart at the same time? Are you a fan of culottes, how do you style them? As always I would love to hear your thoughts and comments, until next time Fran xxx

For other culotte ideas check out my 'How to Wear Culottes' article at GoodHousekeepinguk xxxxx

*this is not a sponsored post, I bought it all and happen to think it is all a good value for money!