Denim Denim

Pretty much anyone who knows me will also probably know I have a massive thing for denim.  And when I saw this jacket at a vintage stall in Berlin back in February (for more on that trip click here and here) it was love at first sight, despite it being grossly out of season and really, really cold.

  

Although it was a little steep at around €45 from what I can remember, I think denim jackets are always an excellent investment - not saying you can't get good 'uns cheaply - but that when the right one does come along, buy it and cherish it, because they last forever.  Similarly, these jeans have seen me through the past 3 years (minimum), all year.  And I think paired with the jacket, despite being slightly different shades, it's a match made in quirky heaven. 

Shoes - TK Maxx (similar) / Jeans - Urban Outfitters Urban Renewal (similar) / Top - Zara (similar)

Jacket - Vintage (United Colours of Benetton) / Bag - BrandAlley

The other thing I couldn't not talk about is this bag, another love affair story.  With student loan having just dropped, and a couple of my favourite cross body bags having just bitten the dust, I thought I'd treat myself to something a little better made that will hopefully last me longer.  

I got this from a website called BrandAlley which is a 'non-stop designer sale', aka Aladdin's cave for bargain hunters like me.  I paid £45 for this in the end as I got a £10 first purchase discount, but that's with a 74% discount on the initial cost.  Yeah, I know.  It's also super reminiscent of the Chloé Faye bag too, but at a fraction of the cost.

And finally, I introduce my latest TK Maxx find - these very Celine-esque sunglasses from a brand called Derek Lam.  I can't fault TK Maxx for their range of sunnies - you can find so many brands at so many different price points, but all really good bang for your buck. 

So, that concludes the whistle stop tour of where the first 20% of my student loan has gone.  Enjoy the sunshine my loves,

Ruby x

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The Military Jacket

 

Now that the weather is getting a little warmer, a whole new range of wardrobe options have become available to me and that is something I am so happy about.  I'm a really cold person (inside as well as out) so it's not really until this time of year that I feel like I can start to really get my style on.  There's only so much you can do when you have to wear a jumper and coat over the top of everything...

And one of my new found loves has to be this jacket - which is actually relatively old.  I got this late November last year when Missguided had one of those extra special 50% off everything for students events.  I'd never actually ordered anything from the site before and so thought it would be a good opportunity to try...  although this was not the most practical purchase for the time of year, as it really is quite lightweight and not very warm!  But luckily I'm getting some wear out of it now.  It's not on the site anymore now but I did find this other military style jacket which is just to die for.

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Another thing I've got really into recently is culottes (again!). 

 

 Top - Urban Outfitters (old) / Culottes - Zara (similar) / Shoes - Adidas Stan Smiths (v similar)

Bag - Fiorelli @ TK Maxx / Zip up hoodie - Primark / Jacket - Missguided

These ones are from Zara, and they're probably one of the comfiest items of clothing to ever have graced my wardrobe.  They've also got a rather sexual split down the side of each leg, which I haven't managed to get in these pics - but probably best left to the imagination anyway.  

Finally I have to give some air time to the latest addition to my wardrobe, which are this beautiful pair of trainers.  I picked these up on a whim in the Adidas outlet store in Gunwharf Quays - and weirdly enough, I can't find them online but these are very similar.  I was so unsure when I first saw these, but a couple of weeks in and I'm bloody loving them.  They're so versatile as trainers go, and I'm obsessed with the textured look of the shoe. 

Hope you've all had a fabulous weekend.  Love,

Ruby x

Is it Spring yet?

 

Saturday was a rather special day, because it was the first day in a very long time that I dared to venture out the house with anything less than 4 layers and a thick winter jacket on.  I know.  

One of my favourite winter warmers this year has definitely been this scarf from ASOS.  Usually I'm not one for camel tones as I find they really clash with my hair, but I was on the lookout for a new scarf anyway and couldn't resist this one.  I think it's going to work excellently as a transitional piece between winter and spring in a few months time, so a good investment all-round.  

Denim jacket - Zara (similar) / Jumper - Charity shop / Jeans - New Look / Scarf - ASOS

Sunnies - French Connection / Boots - TK Maxx / Bag - Charity shop

I'm a big fan of denim jackets (in fact, anything denim), all year round.  I love oversized styles like this one I got from Zara a couple of years ago.  I think denim jackets are well worth the investment, too, as they're so versatile and never go out of style.

So, that's all from me today - keeping things short and sweet.  Have a fab week everyone!

Ruby x

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In Check

Hello darlings!  I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's.  I had a lovely laid-back couple of weeks of half-hearted essay writing and kicking back with family and friends, resulting in a rather stressful beginning to my year as I tried to finish off four assessments in five days.  However.  All is well, deadlines are behind me and I've got a few weeks now of relative peace and quiet before I begin my final term of uni.  Eeek!

 

 

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This beautiful leather effect backpack is one of the latest additions to my wardrobe and was a Christmas gift from my parents.  Funnily enough, I had spotted it in the TK Maxx in Chichester way back in November, not bought it, and asked my Mum a few days later to go back and see if it was still there since I couldn't stop thinking about it but wouldn't be back in Chichester for a while.  I was pretty heart broken when she said it wasn't there anymore, so imagine my surprise when it turned out she had bought it for me and kept it secret!

 

This longline check shirt-jacket hybrid is also a TK Maxx find (can you tell I've got a thing for that place?).  It's from a brand called Native Youth and I picked it up for a bargain £14.99.  Wearing it in winter definitely requires an extra thermal at a minimum, although it's one of those gloriously slouchy fitting pieces meaning that you can get away with wearing plenty of layers underneath and not looking like the Michelin man.  I layered mine with a silvery coloured slinky hoodie from Zara.

The trainers are an old Adidas pair I got at least a couple of years ago.  They're still easily the comfiest pair of shoes I own, and go perfectly with casual, sportier looks.  

 T-Shirt - Zara / Hoodie - Zara / Jacket - Native Youth (TK Maxx) / Jeans - New Look

Trainers - Adidas / Bag - Fiorelli (TK Maxx)

Hope January is treating everyone well.  Wrap up warm (ironic coming from the girl who wears ripped jeans and a flimsy cotton jacket in the middle of winter)...!

Ruby x

Pizza date @ Franco Manca Brighton

October, where did you go?! Apologies for my lack of... well, anything.  To be frank, third year is actually quite hard, and blogging has had to take a little bit of a back seat.  But I'm hoping now I'm settled back into the routine I can manage to keep up with at least a couple of posts a month.  You might just have to be a little patient with me.

I turned 21 on the weekend, and to kick things off my wonderful mother came to visit me in Brighton for the day on Friday.  We had tickets to the TEDx Brighton conference (if you haven't heard of the TED talks go and have a little search on YouTube, they're great) which was, in a nutshell, amazing.  However it was a considerably long day - we met at the train station at 7.30am before grabbing a coffee and heading into the Dome for the day to begin.  By the lunch break at midday we were both starving, and headed out on the hunt for something cheesy and delicious.

And Franco Manca was where we ended up!  I had wanted to go here for ages, having heard from everyone that it was one of the best places in Brighton for pizza.  Italian wouldn't usually be my first choice, however, anything with sourdough in the name and I'm there.  All of the pizzas at Franco Manca are made on a stonebaked sourdough base.  There are 7 to choose from, and every day there are two specials (one meat, one veggie) as well as special additional toppings, starters and a dessert.  The service was efficient and the staff chirpy, the food speedy, delicious and really reasonably priced - you're looking at around £6/£7 for a generously proportioned wheel of goodness.   

 The restaurant itself is light, airy and filled with beautiful smells of cooking carbohydrates.  

...(hence my happy face)...

If you're ever in Brighton and craving pizza, I can't recommend Franco Manca more.  Bellissimo!  

Ruby x

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