Morticia Addams Goes White: ootd

Judging by the title of this post, you've probably gathered that this is a Saina style post with a twist. Saina ditches the black clothing (for once, and once only) and goes out in head-toe white! Tragic, I know. Sarcasm aside, I actually don't mind delving into an all white closet every now and then; It's real colour I have a fear of - reds, yellows and oranges.. Today's simple ensemble was an effort to embrace the partial Sunday sun that we had here in London - the denim jacket is a great alternative to leather jackets and an ideal choice during Spring months.

My white jeans are a pair of Topshop Joni jeans that I bought last year, and I'm still making wear out of (yay for white jeans still being 'in'). Although this jeans are 'super' high waisted, I still wear them with loose tops over them. And on top I'm wearing an Urban Outfitters shoulder cutout top, find similar style here. Finally, I opted for my vintage Levis jacket - similar here. This breaks up a somewhat 'feminine' look and not only adds colour, but some 'texture' to the outfit. On my feet, I'm wearing the £4 Primark snake print sliders that I wrote about here.

On a normal day-day basis, I don't tend to opt for clutch bags as they're, let's face it, just an inconvenience to permanently hold, and sometimes give off a pretentious vibe (anyone else get that?). However, for a Sunday family brunch and coffee I deemed it worthy. It also is a great 'earthy' addition to my almost all white colour palette. I bought this leather clutch for £1 at a local charity shop - again, I highly recommend you give second hand buys a chance! You never know what unique pieces you can find. As always I stacked on an assortment of rings, refer back to my 'Magpies Picks' post (here) to find my favourite silver jewelery online stores. I'm also wearing my new love, this Topshop collar necklace featuring a marble like stone.

Vintage Shop Browsin' : OOTD

Those in fear of double denim look away! So today I made a trip to one of my favourite London locations in hopes of finding a few vintage gems at a flea market - Angel Islington. The weather was a bit of everything today - we had a few moments of sun yet the wind was in full force today, which made me question my fedora choice one too many times.
Leather jackets are my Spring time staple. They're the perfect addition to any outfit with the right amount of layering and warmth. In London we're at that stage where winter coats are too much though we can't skip jackets totally just yet. This outfit, apart from being an example of how double denim can work, is an example of layering.

The jeans I'm wearing here were bought from Topshop in the mid-season sale for...£5. They are two sizes up from what I usually wear but due to their 'Leigh' style the material is tight, so they don't appear too loose or gather at the legs. Although this exact pair are no longer available, here is a link to a similar pair that are still in stock on the Topshop website.
Yet another Zara basic tee - I'm a sucker for Zara's basics! These are the most flattering tshirts I've found to date, and I love everything from the deep V neck to the light airy material.  
This shirt is an example of how great some vintage finds are - I found this light denim, over sized piece was found in Rokit a few years ago. You can find similar shirts in almost every charity shop!

To accessories, I've kept things pretty basic - don't I always. Obviously, I opted for the Miss Selfridge fedora, again. I'm also wearing my small Michael Kors bag, it's the perfect size for just the necessities - there's nothing worse than rummaging through a flea market with the weight of a heavy bag weighing you down. Finally, on my feet I'm wearing my firkenstocks (fake Birkenstocks) which I bought from Primark last year.

Hope you've been enjoying your Bank Holiday weekend!

Saina
xo

Treats for your Feets: Primark Sandals

With every season change I always seem to convince myself that I have nothing weather appropriate in my *ahem* ever growing wardrobe. Now I know I'm not alone on this struggle, so let's just all accept the fact that we like to delve into some retail therapy, all in the name of season change!
With such inconvenient and costly habits comes not only one too many trips to the high street, but also a pile of shoes that I no longer wear. So what better way to get new treats for your feets than to grab yourself some bargains, that you won't regret come next year.
Upon a recent trip to my local Primark, I found a few pairs of sandals that I'm super in love with, and of course they were also super pocket friendly. S/S 2015 fashion has seen a sudden influx in the trend of 'sliders' - and high street stores are doing a great job at releasing affordable variations of this trend.
Although these sandals are faux-leather including rubber soles, I've worn two pairs out and about and I had no issues with comfort.

My favourite pair was actually the cheapest buy - the all black slider purchased for £3! I've even contemplated picking up a spare pair of these because I've fallen in love with the casual, laid back vibe they bring to every outfit. I also picked up a snake print version of the sliders, this pair features a slightly slimmer band across the foot, which some people might find uncomfortable due to the lack of support. Again, I've had no issues with these but I did go up a size (usually a 6, purchased these in a 7). My last pair is this crossover style in rose gold (price: £8) - I only really picked these up in hopes of injecting some 'colour' into my wardrobe. This sandal is an example of how colour and simple detailing such as the cross over band can soften a somewhat more 'masculine' shoe. I will be featuring these sandals in future outfit posts so look out for those. You can also see how I styled the all black pair in my previous ootd.

Saina
xo

OOTD: Monday Calls for Cocktails

For many of us Monday calls for a serious episode of post weekend blues as we dread making our way back to work/school. Despite my wardrobe choices being a part of the darkest colour palette possible, the weather in London today was absolutely beautiful. As a result myself and my friends decided to go for a few drinks in the evening whilst the sun was still making a definite appearance! As always my outfit was quite minimal, though I allowed the accessories do the talking - the strappy heels and my classic Chanel with gold hardware. I also put my hair in a sleek top knot *bad hair day alert* but I went for a bold berry lip colour to bring that edge to the overall look.
My outfit features a new firm favourite of mine and an absolute bargain-buy - the Primark strappy heels. These heels were bought in the sale (as if Primark needs a sale) for £8! I instantly fell in love with these beauties, and I just knew they had to be mine - you can only imagine my excitement when I found out they were almost half the price at the till (originally £14).

Lightweight Zara Knit Jumper - here
Topshop Blue Black Leigh Jeans - here
Heels: Primark

Bag: Chanel 2.55 Medium Classic flap Bag with gold hardware 

Lipstick: Mac's Viva Glam III - here

I hope you've made the most of the sun and your Monday hasn't been too awful!

Saina
xo

Primark Home: Deluxe Candles

Love it or hate it, Winter is just around the corner, and for many of us this means Candle Season! Personally, I love candles and the cosy ambience they cast around the home - in fact, I continue burning candles even in the warmer months. Yet the need for candles exceeds around this time of year, and many of us take to home-ware stores in search of the right scents to provide our homes with that fragrant, warm glow.

Although I have a list of my favourite scented candles for Winter, I thought I would share with you an inexpensive option for the transitional period - not quite chestnuts and wild figs, but rather lighter scents that are perhaps more seasonally appropriate. If you are a lover of candles, then I'm sure you've dabbled into the branded offerings such as Yankee, Jo Malone, and Diptyque candles, which are slightly pricier, though worth every penny due to the scents and quality of the products. Despite being a committed buyer of such brands, I sometimes myself struggling to justify the price tag that goes with their products and as a result, I have tried more budget friendly alternatives.
I first discovered these Primark Home candles a couple of weeks ago and purchased almost one of every scent, and after a recent visit to the store again I repurchased these two scents as I was pleasantly surprised at their quality.

The products photographed for this post are brand new, but I have used up a couple of the Deluxe candles and I can confirm that the '30 hour' burning time is rather accurate! But what I was more impressed by is the way in which the flame burns the entire product down, avoiding that big dent in the middle and the wasted product at the sides. I will admit a couple of the scents were not to my liking, and a tad too artificially sweet (Red Berrie & Orchid was a nono for me), but my absolute favourite of the range is the Coconut & Vanilla Cream - this scent definitely brings an added warmth to your room with its sweet but light scent.

For the £1/£2 price tag, I think these candles are definitely worth it and I hope Primark Home continues releasing such high standard candles and scents towards the Christmas Season. I would love to know if you have any cheap candle alternatives.

Saina
xo