Fashion Fade

2016

2016-10-13T00:25:00.003-07:00

(The back of my head, hair by NotanotherSalon)

Hey girl, haven't seen you in a while!

I wanted to do a post on 2016 so far... Because, let's face it, what a weird crazy ex boyfriend of a year this is! This year has been pretty mental for more reasons than one, from BREXIT to the sad passing of numerous celebrities... there's been some serious drama and sadly not of the Netflix variety.

For me this year got off to a weird and wonderful start when I was headhunted for a job in Barcelona. I quit my UK job and packed my bags (mainly with shoes) and headed over to Spain. It was an amazing experience and I'm so lucky that I was able to do it and learn a bit of Spanish on the way, but various factors and the passing of my incredible Grandma meant it just wasn't for me.

But wait admitting that I needed a change .... it actually wasn't that sad!

Being the most indecisive person in the universe means that it isn't easy for me to choose which kind of Poptart I like best, let alone making life decisions. But for some reason, deciding to make a change for the sake of my own happiness seemed pretty easy and this is the point of this post. I know it's easy to give people advice, including yourself, that if life gives you lemons make lemonade lalala ... but I think sometimes we lose focus on ourselves and our own feelings. I was trying to make something work that actually wasn't making me happy... I had the job, the boyfriend*, the gorgeous loft style apartment and a good salary and was probably the most unhappy I've been in a long time. Don't get me wrong, this is a total first world issue and it wasn't all doom and gloom, but it was a major step for me and one that I'm sure many 20 something year olds have been through before me.

I'm now back in England with a new job that I start next week and I'm feeling all fluffy and refreshed after a week-long break driving round Italy from Rome to the Amalfi coast (and yes Amalfi really is as cute as Pinterest suggests) And this isn't a preachy self happiness post, it's been good for me to share it with you guys, but I think it's important to remember that there's a lot of unhappiness in the world and we need to focus on our own happiness before we can try and improve anything else. And sometimes, behind the glits and glamour of social media and filtered photos, things aren't great but that's OK, because we're fortunate enough to be in a position to make a change.

"If you don't like where you are, move. You are not a tree"

Penny

XO

* .... Just like to point out that I still have the boyfriend and as far as I'm aware I'm still his girlfriend.

New York Blues

2016-02-09T07:16:00.005-08:00

(Trainers Vans, sunglasses Quay Australia, top Zara, Trousers Topshop, Lipstick is MAC red)

Here I am being a total rebel and throwing it back on a Tuesday. This is an outfit from back in November when I was in New York for Thanks Giving.... aka my pre-Christmas break of dreams <3

These photos were taken on one of those days thats freezing cold but amazing and sunny all at the same time... perfect weather for a pair of Quay Australia's amazing shades! I got mine from ASOS, but you can also get your mitts on them via TOPSHOP and their own website. This is an outfit I wore for a stroll in Central Park and a trip to a flea market, totally practical for walking and scouting out bargains!

Anyway, one of the reasons for this post is that I'm thinking of doing more posts on my travels and my top tips on the places that I visit... Give me a holla and let me know what you guys think... and also if there's any features you'd like to see on Fashion-Fade, I'm all ears people!

Peace and Love

Penny

XO

Beautiful Barcelona

2016-01-28T15:11:00.001-08:00

(Sunglasses QUAY AUSTRALIA, Fluffy jacket H&M, Boots Dr MARTEN, Bra ASOS, wet look leggings TOPSHOP past season, faux leather jacket New Look, Dior looky-likey sunglasses EBay)

Those of you that follow me over on Instagram ( @penelopesarah ) will have seen that I spent this weekend in beautiful Barcelona. This was a last minute city break with the boyf but it turned out absolutely amazing! We stayed in a private room in the GENERATOR hostel and our room was absolutely beautiful from the amazing tiles in the bathroom to the pure luxury of having our own terrace!

We spent our days roaming the city, looking at the incredible Gaudi buildings and Cathedral and washed it all down with authentic Spanish food at the markets and lots of Spanish beer and wine. I haven't visited the city for about ten years and it had changed so much. If you're planning a trip, I'd recommend staying in the hostel as its walking distance to Sagrada Familia and they do a mean Goat's cheese salad! My favourite area is the Gothic Quarter where you can visit the food market and also sit in the sunshine with fresh bread, cheese and a slab of Spanish omelette! (there's even veggie options)

All in all, we had the best time. Until next time Barcelona!

Peace and Love,

Penelope

XO

NOTANOTHERSALON

2016-01-14T10:45:00.001-08:00

BEFORE: (One of those, I never realised how ugly I'd be without hair moments)

AFTER:

AND I BOUGHT NICE HAIR THINGS:

(Not Another Salon: 188 BRICK LANE, LONDON E1 6SA / 020 7033 3920 / @NOTANOTHERSALON )

This one is for the girls (and boys) who constantly insist on dying their hair all the colours in the rainbow, no matter what the cost to their hair.... Like me.

Those of you that have followed Fashion-Fade over the years, will know all too well about my hair trials and tribulations, including the fact that in 2014 I had to chop my hair off due to the amount of over dying and bleaching after a very questionable decision to dye my hair dark brown (I know, I know... I'm defo more of a bleach babe) My hair snapped so bad that I likened my head of hair to a kiwi, and it was a pretty accurate likeness.

So when I heard of Not Another Salon in Shoreditch, and their amazing hair treatments, dyes and toners, I had to pay them a visit.

"THEY HAD ME AT THE LIE DOWN BACK WASHES"

Not only is this salon full of amazing creative people, the salon itself is a whirlwind of colour, fun, artworks and of course, an extensive tea and biscuit selection... It was like walking into my spiritual home people.

So long story short, I was pretty happy to have the owner of the Salon, Sophia do my hair and rescue it from brassy blonde disaster to a sensational silver... sensation! I got to learn all about the products and the Salon's ethos to look after and protect your hair first and foremost while also achieving amazing colours.

I'd love to tell you about all the products that Sophia used, but frankly I'd prefer that you popped in and spoke to Sophia. She's a testament to her craft with electrifying yellow locks that look so shiny they've been dipped in....shiny stuff. And she's totally open and honest with any questions you might have.

I'm so happy with my hair and so thankful to Sophia for taking on my crazy mane.

If you fancy a try at rainbow hair, or maybe just a really really good dye job, Id recommend Not Another Salon to everyone and anyone, no matter how crazy you want to go.

Peace and Love forever and Always,

Hope you love ma new do' <3

Penny

XO

P.S Special shout out to Tom for waiting in the Salon for me for 4 hours.... even if it later transpired that he was sat in a 70's themed room with an old school gameboy and a beer... Not Another Salon slays on all levels.

Twitter: @penelopesarah Instagram: @penelopesarah

New Year is Here!

2016-01-02T01:01:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year you beautiful bunch!

At this time of year, lots of people and bloggers (not that bloggers aren't people) will be posting about their "New year, new me" mentality... which is great, but I won't be doing that. I've spoken before about my changing relationship with blogging, a bit of a love hate thing, how it was always a hobby for me and I found it hard to adjust when blogging became the world dominating force that it is today. I've seen amazing women come so far and achieve unbelievable things in the blogging world, people that I remember starting up blogs at around the same time as me, people who have turned their blogs into amazing businesses and careers which I'm so proud of them for. But I still just want my blog to be a hobby, a release and a representation of me and I so often wondered throughout 2015 whether there's a place for me. I look back at my earlier posts and it's as if it shows how much I loved posting for you guys and then it became something that I couldn't keep up with.

I've always been so hard on myself for not keeping up and giving Fashion-Fade the attention that it needs and deserves, but then I realised that blogging isn't the only aspect of my life. I also, landed a career as a designer which I've wanted since I was 7 and work long hours to maintain this, styling lookbooks, designing Men's and Womenswear as well as having a boyfriend that lives in London when I'm in sunny old Manchester (for those of you that aren't familiar with Manchester, it's not sunny...ever) as well as traveling all over the world for business and pleasure and trying to find some time to blog somewhere in between.

So this year, the only goal that I'm setting is to not be so hard on myself, to appreciate how far I've come as a person, not just with blogging and how I maybe needed a step back from blogging to realise that... and that's OK... Who knows, maybe 2016 will be the year that I can set a better balance and bombard you all with posts!

So yeah, in 2016, my advice, is don't be so hard on yourself, give yourself a break and just try and be the happiest you can be. If you can throw some resoltions in there too, then GO YOU! You're more commited than I am and I respect that.

Massive 2016 love to you all

Keep it real

Penny

XO

P.S Hat is from H&M, towel c/o The Beach People

BOOHOO WINTER WARMER CHALLENGE

2015-12-01T23:12:00.002-08:00

(CO-0RD, maxi cardigan and faux fur scarf all BOOHOO, phone case from China and trainers from Korea)

This post officially symobolises the transition into my Winter wardrobe. The amazing people over at BOOHOO sent me a challenge to find a Winter outfit for just £40 and obviously I HAD to go for something fluffy! I'm pretty into wearing what I like to call "outdoor pyjamas" right now so this two piece in amazing soft jersey and a long maxi cardigan are an absolute match made in heaven for a slouchy winter look.

The ombre fluffy scarf has fast become one of my favourite pieces for Winter and I was pretty impressed that the whole look came together for £40 exactly. There was so much to choose from, but I'll definitely be heading back onto the site with more orders!

I teamed the look with these fluffy faux fr trainers I picked up in Korea (just to add even more fluff) and my glittery mouse ear phone case that makes my life ten times cuter.

Keep it Real,

Penny

XO

#SLEEPWELLSHOPWELL

2015-11-22T13:17:00.001-08:00

This is what happens when you give a group of bloggers an impressive pudding...

(Dress Vero Moda via ASOS .... It's in the sale so its a bargain! , boots ASOS, coat Native-Youth, bag Monki)

Heyyyyy guys and Happy Sunday!

This post is a little delayed due to the fact that I've been travelling around the world again! This post is about probably the best blogger event I've ever attended.

Living in Manchester and working full time/travelling a lot, means that I miss out on a lot of amazing blogger events as they're mainly based in London. So I was so excited when I was invited to an event that was right on my doorstep! I absolutely loved the idea of staying in a hotel and seeing the city through a visitor's eyes! I was given a lovely room at the premierInn which was amazing as it's right in the middle of the Northern Quarter, my favourite part of the city. the event was hosted by Megan from Pages by Megan (my fave northern beb) as well as premierInn, Front Row Society and Propellernet.

We started the night with definitely the biggest meal I have ever ever EVER eaten! San Carlo Fumo provided so much food that we thought it was the end of the meal when we finished the starters. My fave dish was 100% the giant truffle gnocci.... absolute heaven!

We were given the chance to ask each other blogger related questions and it was great to see some old faces as well as meet new people and find out about their blogs too. I wore a seriously cute star print dress by Vero Moda and my dreamy ASOS boots (obvs) as well as my grey over coat from Native Youth that I designed myself.

Like I mentioned, I'm always so daunted by blogger events as I normally cant attend and always feel so overwhelmed to meet so many new people. A lot of the time, people assume that all bloggers are crazy social butterflies and love attending parties and events.... which I do. But sometimes walking into a room full of amazing girls and women that you don't know can be really intimidating, and having a blog doesn't make it any less scary! But luckily the vibe was amazing and we had the best time!

I really enjoyed the event and to top it off we were given a gift card to spend in the Arndale on the next day, it was so lovely to look at my own city with fresh eyes and notice things that I walk past every day.

Thank you for making me fall in love with my hometown all over again.

Have a good week people!

Peace and love,

Penny

xo

#IPartywith RIVER ISLAND

2015-11-13T05:25:00.000-08:00

(All items c/o RIVERISLAND all items are linked below)

Winter is already upon us once again guys and although it's my favourite time of the year (you get to wear all your clothes at the same time, what's not to love?) This means that the party season is and with that comes the annual struggle of finding that perfect party outfit.

Contrary to popular belief, sometimes I do gt dressed up and go out (that's right, and I even do my hair sometimes) But seriously, it's not all about dressing like I'm wearing pyjamas or throwing on T shirts and jeans. Although, getting ready for a night out is probably my most favourite part! So I was pretty happy when the guys over at River Island got in touch and asked me to put together my perfect party outfit.

Naturally I went all out with statement accessories as that's kind of my thing at the moment and picked this amazing multi coloured faux fur clutch and "tassely" amazing zebra shoes! And then decided on a change from the little black dress and opted for this beautiful dark orange wrap dress which is perfect for Winter and will definitely be re-invented for a Summer Wedding next year! I decided to hitch mine up but this can also be let down for a perfect Midi style for more modest ocassions!

So there you have it, my perfect party look from River Island!

Let me know what you're wearing this party season and I'll see you on the dance floor <3

Massive Love

Penelope

XO

Polka Dot pretty

2015-10-11T14:18:00.000-07:00

(Hat H&M, Jumpsuit vintage, bandanna Ebay, boots ASOS, watch c/o Daniel Wellington)

The last few weeks have been so hectic that I've been dressing a lot more for comfort than for actually looking nice in public. This isnt ideal working in fashion but th cold days and early morning and late nights have taken their toll on my outfit choices.

This recent busy schedule also meant that when I found this dream of a vintage jumpsuit on Ebay for £7, I hit "BUY IT NOW" without hesitation and essentially waited by the door until it arrived. It's everything Ive ever dreamed of and fits so well! Swishing around in it on it's own or with a jumper and jacket over the top are just ideal for when I'm running round like a giant polka dot crazy lady.

I've teamed it with a little red bandanna as a neck tie, my Daniel Wellington watch, some seriously messy hair and my super beyond amazing blue boots from ASOS.

Anyway... I'm off for an early night. But don't forget that you can still get 15% off a Daniel Wellington watch of your choice... or maybe just get an early Christmas present for someone (or yourself) with code fashion-fade

Treat Yo self

Polka dot Love,

Penny

XO

That's right people... A sock bouquet is actually a thing

2015-10-04T05:24:00.000-07:00

(c/o The Sock Shop Manchester)

As a blogger, I receive some amazing things through the post. However, this week I received my first ever sock bouquet... Which not only amazed me, it blew my tiny mind! That's right people... those pretty little pink roses in the photos above are actually perfectly formed Pringle sock flowers arranged with some amazingly fragrant eucalyptus leaves... I know. MIND.BLOWN

The guys at the new Sock Shop store in Manchester Arndale (my local shopping mecca) were lovely enough to send me one of these sock filled delights to celebrate their new store opening and I couldn't be happier with it... I also don't think I've ever been this excited to receive socks before.

So there you have it. If you like flowers or socks or novelty gifts... get yourself down to the Sock Shop quick time and get some treats for your feet!!

Lots of Sunday love

Penny

XO

Public Desire have me throwing my feet in the air

2015-09-29T23:16:00.001-07:00

(Beautiful shoes c/o Public Desire)

The lovely guys at Public Desire are so good to me! o happy to have my paws on the amazing Valerie shoe. This is the perfect Winter party shoe and looks so next season Gucci right now. I plan on wearing mine with bright midi dresses or slacks and a shirt for a fresh retro feel. And the best thing is... They're now only £16.99 in the Sale!

Get yours HERE

Outfit post to follow!

Peace, Love and Puppy dogs.

Penny

xo

The perfect watch: Daniel Wellington

2015-09-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

(Boots ASOS, bangles from Morocco, watch c/o Daniel Wellington)

Just a quick post today as I'm currently suffering with a pretty serious case of tonsillitis which I'm putting down to the crazy British weather we have RN. But I'm glad that I have my shiny new Daniel Wellington watch to look at to cheer me up (as well as a giant mug of tea of course).

Anyway, back to my beautiful watch, I've been eyeing these bad boys up on my quest to find the perfect everyday watch in black and silver... And Daniel Wellington well and truly answered my prayers with the Classic Sheffield ladies watch! I'm so picky when it comes to watches and never want anything too big or flashy, just a watch that can be worn with anything whether I'm head to toe in sequins or just completely casual.

But the best thing about this is that you can get yourself 15% off your very own watch or as gift for someone else... or even a gift to yourself, with my personalised online code "fashion-fade" But hurry, because you only have until 15th October to claim your discount! Just head over to www.danielwellington.com or click HERE

...So while you're all getting your paws on a beautiful new watch, I'm snuggling up for an evening in bed with my best friend... Netflix so that I can get better for London Fashion Weekend!

Peace out

Penny

xo

Flowers are Forever

2015-09-06T09:43:00.002-07:00

(Flowers: The rosebud bouquet by Appleyard London)

Last Saturday I was lucky enough to receive a gorgeous bunch of flowers from the guys over at Appleyard London. Normally I don't review things that aren't fashion related but recently I've felt like I'd love to introduce a wider range of posts featuring my travels and other things that I get up to ... You know, other than wearing clothes!

But I'm not writing this post just to gloat about my beautiful flowers, because I have a treat for you guys too. If you'd like to treat a loved one, or yourself, or your dog to a beautiful bunch of blooms then you can also use my exclusive code MANC33 to get yourself 33% off Next day flowers with Appleyard.

...Unfortunately the puppy isn't included but they did last a whopping 10 days which was pretty impressive!

Let me know if you do use the code! I'd love to hear which bouquet you select!

Peace, Love and flowery things

Penny

xo

#WAGYOURTAIL

2015-08-18T23:28:00.001-07:00

(Beautiful hamper c/o Oasis, puppy not included)

If you're looking at these pictures you're probably thinking one of two things (or both) ; "is that a dog or a mop?" .... and "Penny that dog has better hair than you." But this week, sees Teddy in the limelight as my pooches and I were fortunate to receive an incredible personalised hamper from the lovelies over at Oasis. The new campaign combines every girls style staples, their denim and their dogs.

The hamper included some amazing denim pieces that I'll be featuring over the next weeks and also treats for Teddy and Tizzy, plus as a little denim neck scarf (Teddy's never looked better)

The new campaign for Oasis is now online and you can send them some denim selfies of you and your favourite canine pals with the hashtag #wagyourtail ... so get snapping your denim and your dogs sistas!

Poochy love,

Penny

xo

New Summer Newness

2015-06-23T06:30:00.002-07:00

(Two piece from First & I via ASOS, Bag Fashion-Fade X Baiabags collaboration, Shoes Brikenstocks, Hat H&M, cuffs primark)

Sometimes its better to think outside the box, and this week, whilst dying to wear this gorgeous two piece by First & I, I've been having a bit of a blog brainstorm so that I can make my blog more how I want it to be, a bit more me and a bit more fun. Unfortunately it's still too cold for this beauty, but I've loved planning outfits with it for my upcoming holiday to Sicily (if you've been, please please please share any lovely things to do/see/eat)

I've spoken before about how I seem to fall in and out of love with blogging. I'm sure that everyone thinks its all freebies and free trips and nice events and parties but it's so much more and it's so easy to lose yourself in that world and the misconceptions. Blogging is hard. Especially when you have a full time job/career that seems to cut into precious blog time.... plus sometimes when I get home, I just want to lie in my underwear and eat any form of food involving cheese.

I've been talking about a bit of an overhaul for a while now and I've finally decided on the kind of vibe I want to go for. Fashion-Fade is something that I've built and I'm proud of, so I want it to evolve and grow up with me.

I'm travelling so much this year... and for once it's for pleasure not business and I can't wait to share lots of beautiful holiday snaps with you. I've finally made the commitment to make Fashion-fade more personal and to also combine my own hobbies and interests in art and music and just everything really. Hopefully you Fashion-fade fans will enjoy it just as much as I'll love posting content.

In the meantime, if there's any particular posts that you guys want to see, I'm definitely welcome to ideas, so leave a comment and keep them flowing. And in the mean time, I will be reminding myself of this quote...

"If you do not like where you are, move. you are not a tree."

Peace and love party people

Penny

P.S If you could also help to raise awareness for a cause close to my heart please do so. Please share the hashtags #StopYulin and #StopYulinFOREVER across social media to try and stop the terrible dog meat festival in China. You can also sign the petition HERE.

A little help can make a big difference to these innocent animals.

Thank you.

Pretty Small Shoes: Pretty perfect

2015-05-15T00:10:00.000-07:00

(Parfait boots by Prettysmallshoes )

Recently I was lucky enough to be contacted by Prettysmallshoes. An amazing shoe brand that specialises in custom making incredible leather shoes, boots and sandals for all you small footed beauties out there.

As someone who has narrow feet, I've often had to pass on some incredible shoe purchases due to the fact that shoes just don't seem to fit me correctly on the high street... But prettysmallshoes are here to save the day!

These beautiful witchy boots, named "Parfait" (a boot I've been looking for for so long and never found) seem even more incredible due to the fact that they were handmade especially for me! The thing that makes me love them EVEN more is that the leather is so soft and basically makes you feel like your boots are made of butter... which I know doesn't sound too pleasant but I don't know how else to portray how ridiculously comfy these boots really are!

My only criticism of the brand is that they only up to a size UK 3... which I'm sure will leave anyone over that size heartbroken!

I cant wait to style these boots for sunny evening drinks this week..... Well done Pretty Small Shoes for making the comfiest, sassiest boots I own.

Peace&love

Penny

xo

Summer is here (almost)

2015-04-19T07:11:00.003-07:00

(Kimono worn as dress FIRST&I via ASOS, cuffs Primark, sunglasses Ebay)

A short but sweet post today, due to the fact that I just seem to be so crazily busy at the moment! Those of you who follow me on instagram @penelopesarah will have seen that I've been back to Asia and I've also been working on the Native Youth AW15 lookbooks and campaigns... Its a part of my job that I really love but unfortunately it leaves less time for blogging!!

Anyway, back to my outfit... this is another piece from the First&I collection that I cant get enough of, especially as it fits in with my current obsession of wearing coats/ macs/ kimonos as dresses. It's the perfect number for holidays and summer weddings and I can't wait to throw this on over my bikini when I'm in Sicily. You can get your mits on one HERE.

Hope you're all enjoying your Sunday.

Peace and Love

Penny

xo

Red/Black/Silver

2015-03-10T00:10:00.000-07:00

(Shirt by Dancing Leopard via SilkFred, trousers Topshop, shoes Steve Madden, necklaces various, bag vintage Dorothy Perkins)

Something a little more dressy for you guys today, because I actually don't always look like I've just rolled out of bed... well at least I hope I don't.

So this is basically one of my current favourite outfits including this beautiful tie waist shirt by Dancing Leopard. I was recently introduced to the site SilkFred and instantly fell in love. The site features loads of new and independent designers which is perfect if you're looking for something that's just that little bit different, I get loads of pieces from this site and also love knowing that I've bough from independent brands and new designers.

The necklaces are various ones that I've collected over the years that I like to wear all at once, mainly because looking like the female Mr. T is exactly what I'm going for.

Peace

Penelope

FIRST&I

2015-02-25T00:21:00.000-08:00

(Trench First&I at ASOS, shoes from Japan, bag from Morocco)

When I was sent the First & I look book, it was a brand that I hadn't heard of, but I loved every piece! So I was pretty thrilled when the guys sent me some pieces to celebrate their launch on ASOS including this this black mac that is quite frankly, the answer to all of my trench coat prayers!
It's one of those pieces that you wear and within seconds, it has rapidly become a wardrobe staple. It's more of a light weight trench that can be layered in the Winter but also something that can be thrown on in the Summer months too (not that it gets hot at all in England, not that I'm bitter about it or anything)

I decided to do something a bit different though and wear it as a dress, it's hardly groundbreaking styling, but I love the outcome. I was back home visiting my mum and Dad and found myself back in front of their little white garage ( A favoured outfit post back drop that I'm sure veteran readers of Fashion-Fade will remember)

This is probably one of my favourite and most comfortable outfits that I've worn in a long time and I can't wait to wear it on my Summer travels. I layered this with my big black overcoat and my little metal engraved bag that I found in the Moroccan souks.

As you guys know, I'm not big on just promoting brands willy nilly but also like to support brands that I love so if you haven't already, check these guys out on ASOS for beautiful, affordable pieces and stock up on your Summer wardrobe.

Peace & Love

Penny

XO

Valentine's Treats at Urban Outfitters: Part 3

2015-02-14T09:47:00.002-08:00

(Stage Cage bra Urban Outfitters, white T from a Japanese vintage store)

Happy Valentine's Day people!

Hope you're all having an amazing day of love/ single Awareness so far, whether you're celebrating all things love today or spending it with your friends or maybe just cuddling your pets, this is my perfect V-day ensemble!

This black cage bra is so amazing that I decided it'd be better worn outside of my T-shirt. Ive always loved the whole "bra over T shirt" concept ever since I bought a chain mail bra on Ebay a few years ago and was determined to find a use for it!

I've spent today walking around the Natural History Museum with Tom and I was like a child at a fairground, he even took me to the mammal exhibition so that I could learn more about my favourite animal, the Manatee (he knows me so well) We're spending tonight staying in with lots of good food, wine and music. I hope you all have a beautiful night whatever you're doing!

Peace & Love

Penelope

XO

Valentine's treats at Urban Outfitters: Part 2

2015-02-13T07:24:00.001-08:00

(Bra via Silence+Noise at Urban Outfitters, shirt by H&M)

So here I am in my bra again... I feel like this was probably a dangerous exercise as I'm now going to think it's perfectly fine to prance around town in my bra and pants on the regular. This time this beautiful textured jersey bra is from the lovelies at Silence + Noise It's the perfect "pretty" bra and I love the fabric as its not something that I've seen used for a bra before.

The colours look amazing with all things white and black and I love that it adds a bit of texture to outfits. I can't wait to wear it when I'm in Sicily over the Summer teamed with some tailored trousers and Birkenstocks.

This is the perfect bra for a lazy Valentine's morning when your loverrrrr brings you breakfast in bed / or when you're slumped in bed watching Netflix with left over pizza ALONE.

But remember people... you don't have to be alone this Valentine's day, Pizza is everyone's friend and eating pizza in sassy underwear is always a good idea.

Spread the love.

Penelope

XO

Valentine's treats at urban Outfitters: Part 1

2015-02-12T12:37:00.001-08:00

(Nike bra top Urban Outfitters, leopard skirt Topshop)

Welcome to part one of a little series I'm posting for the next three days featuring some of the best bra tops/bralets/croptops that I've selected from Urban Outfitters... On a scale of one to spice girl I've got you covered people.

Valentine's carries a bit of pressure in the underwear department ... caught in limbo between not wanting to look too "slutty" ... or maybe you do, but also not wanting to look like youv'e borrowed your Nan's knickers for the night.

I've always loved buying underwear and I'm a firm advocate of the belief that good underwear can, infact make you feel happier, prettier and maybe even a little bit sexier.

Over the next few days I'm going to feature three bras that I've selected from Urban outfitters that actually don't just have to be for Valentine's but can be worn all year round (and that includes wearing them on show as well as under your clothes)

So yeah... My bra obsession was born due to the fact that as a fairly short girl, I have rather large assets for my size. But looking like the British Dolly Parton isn't all fun and games, particularly when it comes to buying sports bras and any other sort of bra for that matter. The fit of this Nike bra is perfect and I love it so much that I intend to wear it all Summer inside and outside of the Gym ( I have a gym membership and never go, it just makes me feel better having one) I've paired it up with my leopard print skirt and a pair of vans to give it a laid back look and cant wait to wear this with a long black duster coat in Summer.

See you tomorrow for Part Two for more talk on boobs, bras and love!

Penny

xo

Vintage Modern

2015-02-05T23:39:00.003-08:00

(Dress thrifted, Shoes Steve Madden, Ring YSL, Jacket thrifted, Bag Mulberry Blossom pochette)

Mixing vintage pieces with brand new things is a fundamental rule that my wardrobe has been based on ever since I turned up to college back in 2008 wearing my new Topshop dungarees and some vintage snow boots that I'd found in a Charity shop for £3. Needless to say, I thought I looked sensational.... but hindsight is a wonderful thing and I think I'd just watched too much Napoleon Dynamite.

So, due to my tendency to purchase bold second hand items, I fell in love with this pinstripe jacquard dress that has a Marks & Spencer's label in the back neck that is so old I think it might disintegrate, as well as a fibre content that should probably indicate that I could spontaneously combust if I were to be anywhere near a naked flame. But at a price of £1, I obviously love it, and I love stylng it with my new Steve Madden lace up heels and my little Mulberry Blossom purse even more!

I think there's something pretty special about giving old clothes new life, although I wouldn't all rush and buy a pair of jazzy snow boots any time soon.

Clothes have feelings too.

Penny

xo

The minimalism challenge

2015-02-02T00:40:00.001-08:00

So today I decided to start the 30 day minimalism challenge (although, I'm not sure if blogging counts as social media... In fact , yeah it does. So I might have to start tomorrow) this image was something I found on Pinterest and shared on twitter and it got a lot of interest so I thought I'd share it with you guys too!

It's basically some small but productive ways to de-clutter your life and improve your well being! I'm always so hectic and crazy that I thought I'd give it a go... Plus I have to clean out my ridiculous collection of beauty products which is definitely something I need to do! The only point I wasn't too sure on was the "unfollow and unfriend" thing because I only follow people I like or inspire me on social media so maybe I'll come up with another challenge that day!

So if you want to have a go too, let me know how you get on!

Penelope

Xo

Lazy workwear

2015-01-14T12:07:00.002-08:00

(dress H&M, necklaces from ebay and primark, bag Monki, shoes from a lovely little shop I found in Tokyo)

Quite often, I get asked what I wear to work and to be honest, there isn't really a simple answer to this. What I wear to work changes daily depending on my mood, whether I've had enough sleep and whether I have any meetings that actually involve me interacting with other human beings in a professional manner. So to sum up... I couldn't really tell you what I wear to work, but this is an outfit that I wore to work. Im pretty happy that I work in a relaxed, creative environment as the thought of "office wear" makes me want to curl up and have a panic attack.

The shoes are one of my favourite ever purchases from my travels to Japan, I found them in a small store near Harajuku for £20 and had to have them. The only thing that put me off was that the shoes were labelled small medium and large and after trying to squeeze my feet into a medium, I had to admit that my size 5 tootsies were infact a Japanese Large.

The dress was a sale find in H&M for £7 an is already a wardrobe staple. Baggy midi dresses are basically all I wear these days and they show off a statement pair of manly brogues perfectly (you know, showing off a sassy bit of calf) The bag was another sale find from Monki via ASOS and is so dreamy that I don't ever want it to not be by my side. get yours HERE

So there you have it... a pretty much unanswered question about what I wear to work but some photos of me in an outfit anyway!

OH ... and my hair is short. after years of abuse with bleach and hair extensions and various other terrible things, Im giving my head a break (its probably going to last about a week but we'll see)

Lots of love

Penny

xo

TWITTER: @penelopesarah INSTAGRAM: @penelopesarah