Hannah Louise Fashion | a fashion, style and beauty blog

Red Stripes

2016-01-07T10:30:00.000+00:00

Top - Topshop Unique (similar)

More stripes:

Photos by Comb

Sometimes I just feel like dressing like a small child, and sitting on a bench in front of some pretty coloured washing machines, wbu? I own an unecessarily large number of striped t-shirts and tops but this one is in my top 5. It's a Topshop Unique piece which I bought a while ago, but I've linked to some more stripes that I like above. Wearing a red striped top also means that I got to name this post after everyone's fave lager. Win-win, really.

My 2015 in Music

2016-01-05T18:30:00.000+00:00

Contrary to what my 'recently played' would lead you to believe, I listened to more than just that Justin Bieber album last year. Here's a small round-up of some of the best things I heard in 2015:

The record pictured is Grimes - Art Angels, a release from the closing months of the year but one that basically blew everything that came before it out of the water. It's an obvious choice to include here, having featured in the end-of-year list of every music magazine ever, but it is easily one of my favourite albums of the whole decade. Art Angels is a perfect pop record, but also so much more than a pop record; it has obviously catchy hits (Flesh Without Blood, Realiti), but maybe more remarkable is the true originality of it. It is just the right amount of 'weird'; I think that the more unconventional sounds (which run throughout the album, but are especially prominent in songs like Scream, Venus Fly and intro to the album laughing and not being normal) really show off the full range of Grimes' currently unparalleled creativity and genius as a producer and artist.

Sheer Mag in London

Moving from a bit pop to a bit punk, two of my favourite records of the year came in the form of Royal Headache - High and Sheer Mag - II. High is one of those albums that can make you feel almost painfully nostalgic, even if you've only just heard it. Royal Headache are a garage-punk band from Australia, and High is an album full of heartfelt anthems - and I'm not just using anthems as a synonym for 'songs', they really are anthems. The title track High is a heart-swelling love (or love-sick) song, Garbage is delectably angry (YOU'RE NOT PUNK, YOU'RE JUST SCUM / YOU BELONG IN THE GARBAGE, YOU BELONG IN THE TRASH) and more acoustic Carolina shows that Royal Headache can do soft too. What makes Royal Headache stand out, imho, is the fact that vocalist Shogan can properly properly sing, and belts out every lyric with real soul.

Sheer Mag's latest EP 'II' just makes me want to dance, and dance I did. They came over to the UK in November and I managed to catch them 3 times within a week, which might seem a little excessive but they're just so FUN. II's lyrics are politicised and pissed off, and the choruses intensely catchy. I dare you to listen to Fan the Flames once and not immediately listen to it another 20 times. Both live and on record, Sheer Mag are a band with the sort of energy I've only seen matched this year by the likes of Shannon and the Clams and The Number Ones, and singer Tina Halladay's powerful powerful voice and presence don't falter even a little bit.

Chain of Flowers in Manchester

Nai Harvest in Manchester

I'm not forgetting our ~home grown~ talent here. My best British releases were Sievehead - Into the Blue (Sheffield punk), Chain of Flowers - Chain of Flowers (post-punk / a bit goth from Cardiff), Nai Harvest - Hairball (sort of fuzzy indie punk from Sheffield / Manchester - ICYMI I interviewed them here).

Liss in London

If you don't like guitar music, I have really enjoyed R&B releases Abra - Rose and Kehlani - You Should Be Here. Other 2015 albums that need mentioning but haven't fit neatly into the structure of this article are: G.L.O.S.S - Demo, Girlpool - Before the World Was Big (check out my interview with Girlpool here) Purity Ring - Another Eternity (I talked about all three of these artists in this post about girl bands), Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell, Molly Nilsson - Zenith, Dame - Charm School, Roman à Clef - Abandonware, Communions - Communions, and of course the magnificent Justin Bieber - Purpose. Young new Danish band Liss (pictured above) don’t have an album yet, but put out what was easily one of the best songs of the year in Try (and were easily one of the best bands I saw live too).

Let me know if you're also a fan of any of these releases, have discovered something new via this post, or if you have any recommendations I'd love to hear them!

Teddy Coat

2016-01-03T12:29:00.000+00:00

Coat - H&M* (similar / similar / similar)

Jumper - H&M* (similar / similar)

Skirt - Topshop (similar / similar)

Belt - ASOS (similar)

Boots - Daniel Footwear* (similar / similar)

More teddy coats:

Photos by Comb

I love a good teddy coat. Specifically, I loved this teddy coat, but it has got a little discoloured due to consistent wear and so, on seeing this actual teddy bear coloured teddy coat in H&M, I decided to replace it. It goes with basically any more casual outfit, and I'll be over-wearing it to death until summer comes around. Here I'm wearing it over a tight fitting black jumper (which I talked about here) and leopard print skirt, belted with a faux suede belt that is conveniently the same colour as my coat.

A Post About Self-Appreciation

2015-12-30T10:30:00.000+00:00

We are about to enter a new year and so, inevitably, the internet is awash with new year’s resolutions, goals for the year ahead, and posts about change. Whilst I think that self-improvement and ambitiousness should be be encouraged and celebrated, I think that it is equally important to remember how amazing we already are.

In spite of the perceived narcissism that inherently comes with running a blog based almost entirely around photographs of myself (although that isn’t to say that narcissism is always a negative quality), I find bigging myself up to be one of the most difficult things to do. When meeting someone new and talking careers, I find myself instinctively downplaying my blog; ‘yeah it’s just pictures of myself wearing clothes really, haha’.

But, 2015 has been a massive year for me. I went through the break-up of a four and a half year relationship, I graduated, I went from the relative financial stability of being a student to being entirely self-employed, I moved from a familiar city close to home to a completely unfamiliar city 200 miles away, my grandfather passed away 3 weeks after I did this, and although I don’t speak very openly about my personal feelings and ‘how I am doing’, I have been having a very tough time as of late. With all that in mind, I wanted to end the year with a list of my personal achievements; something that I can look at and be proud of myself for, in spite of how overwhelming this year has been:

I turned my hobby into my career.
I achieved a first class law degree from the University of Manchester whilst doing this.
I moved to London, not for a job or a place at university, but as a self-employed, self-sufficient young woman.
My content has improved tenfold since the beginning of this year: I’ve worked with more people to improve my photos, I’ve tried harder with my writing, and everything is just better.
I’m 22 years old and I have a career, not just a job.
I am 22 years old and I am my own boss.

Of course having a great life or remarkable set of achievements does not equal happiness, but compiling this (albeit quite short) list of things I have done this year in lieu of a list of things I want to change was, I think, a great self-care move. I have reread it a number of times before hitting ‘publish’ and have found it very cathartic, and will no doubt continue to do so well into 2016. So, by all means continue to be ambitious and use the New Year as a kick-start into doing things that you want to do, but don’t disregard the importance of a little bit of self-appreciation too <3

Midi Skirt & Beret

2015-12-28T10:30:00.000+00:00

Jumper - H&M (similar / similar)

Skirt - Primark (similar / similar)

Boots - Daniel Footwear* (similar / similar)

Hat - ASOS (similar / similar)

Belt - ASOS

More midi skirts & berets:

Photos by Comb

This outfit is the epitome of how I imagine all Parisians dress, but is not in reality how almost any Parisians dress. Do real French people even wear berets? Despite having visited France a number of times, I don't think that's something I've ever seen. Nonetheless, I am currently a big fan of the beret.

If this could possibly be a thing, I went through a big midi skirt phrase about two summers ago, which resulted in me overkilling them a little. I'm over it now (I'm sure you will be pleased to hear) and am on the look out for more midi skirts to add to my wardrobe - I've picked out a few and linked above, too. Here I wore a lightweight white midi skirt with a good solid winter basic in this tight fitting H&M jumper.

No-Plans-Yet New Years Eve Dresses

2015-12-25T16:00:00.000+00:00

New Year's Eve is ANNOYING. I feel like I have to do something, but everything is busy, expensive, and/or sold out. My New Year's Eve plans rarely materialise until at least December 29th, meaning that outfit planning is comically difficult. With that in mind, I've compiled a short wishlist of some special-occasion-appropriate but also versatile dresses which could work for any occasion from a £30-per-ticket club night to your mate's gig down the local pub, AND which you could throw a jumper on top of for the morning after without looking like you're still in last night's outfit because you have no idea whose house you're staying at, all of which you can order now in time for the big (or small) night:

Topshop 'chain-mail' bodycon dress - £45

Urban Outfitters velvet babydoll dress - £36 (on sale)

The Stone Cold Fox burnout dress via ASOS - £265

Urban Outfitters velvet & lace swing dress - £46 (on sale)

Missguided sequin plunge shift dress - £26.25 (on sale)

Needle & Thread velvet bell sleeve dress via ASOS - £140

Missguided green velvet swing dress - £20

Missguided metallic sleeveless swing dress - £24.50 (on sale)

Urban Outfitters embroidered bell sleeve dress - £35 (on sale)

Urban Outfitters silver slit front dress - £41 (on sale)

Long Black Coat

2015-12-23T10:30:00.000+00:00

Duster coat - ASOS (similar)

Top - H&M (similar)
Trousers - Urban Outfitters*

Trainers - Converse x CDG Play

Scarf - Burberry via Luisaviaroma*

Hat - Monki (similar / similar)

More long coats:

Photos by Comb

I feel like I'm doing 'robber' fancy dress whenever I wear a black beanie, but needs must to keep my lil head warm. I don't think that wearing it with a long black coat, trousers and a rollneck is really helping, but there you go. I really like this 'minimal' sort of outfit - I lost and/or misplaced my favourite American Apparel trousers (which I'm still extremely upset about) but this recently acquired 'paper bag' style pair from Urban Outfitters have been an excellent replacement. They're also on sale for £25 ATM, and are available in burgundy, pinstripe and a floor length version. I accessorised this relatively plain outfit with two of my more 'high end' (and by high end I mean HEY LOOK AT THIS LOGO AND/OR ICONIC PRINT I'M WEARING) bits: my beloved Burberry scarf, and Comme Des Garçons Play Converse.

In Defence of Emojis

2015-12-20T10:30:00.000+00:00

My academic concern with English Language ended with my A Levels in 2012. Nevertheless, my career revolves around language use and its subtle nuances, and the way different groups of people use language across different time periods is something that fascinates me.

Bloggers, journalists and other social media influences are, I think, largely responsible for influencing the language used on the internet. If they aren't starting language trends, they're perpetuating them and ensuring that they are exposed to large audiences. In the same way that we pick up linguistic idiosyncrasies when hanging out with a friend from a different city, for example, we instinctively begin to emulate the writing styles of our favourite tweeters.

It goes without saying that the existence of the Oxford English Dictionary as an institution which governs language and words which are and are not deemed 'legitimate', and the race and class issues embedded within that, is problematic. That is a separate discussion; love or hate the OED, its 2015 word of the year is the crying laughing emoji. As the year comes to a close, I've been thinking about people who believe that the 'internet generation', armed with our emojis and imperfect grammar, are 'ruining the English language'. To put my point concisely: they are incredibly wrong.

When writing a formal email, letter or essay, our grammar and spelling are accurate. When writing blog posts, we use full sentences with a more casual tone; with the odd ‘lmao’, ‘tbh’ or ‘imo’ thrown in to express this. When tweeting, we use ‘u’ and ‘ur’ for effect, as well as to save on characters.

In many ways, excessive emoji use could be just another language trend, akin to typing like thiis or even tHiS in the eArlY 2000s. Perhaps I feel differently because I’m much older now than I was when I was editing my Myspace profile, but I think that we are past that. Us ~~~millennials~~~ (did I use enough ‘~’ to demonstrate self-awareness about how embarrassing the term ‘millennials’ is?) don’t use emojis, abbreviations and recently coined words out of a lack of other options. I very consciously choose 'u' over 'you', depending on context, to convey a different tone. A heart-eyes emoji, flames emoji, or ‘omg!!!!’ on your mate’s selfie is just as important as your auntie’s ‘you look beautiful x x’ comment on your Facebook profile pic.

Moreover and perhaps more importantly, I don’t believe that language can in fact be ‘ruined’. Language should be non-prescriptive. Perhaps this renders my first point redundant, but who doesn’t like a little emoji-based dialog?

There’s no real goal in this extremely un-academic essay, save for the fact that I haven’t written one in a while. Language cannot be ruined. Being able to adapt one’s language use to suit a context is a mark of advanced language use, not the opposite. So screw the h8rs, tbh, keep doing u, and let me know what you think about an emoji being 2015’s ‘word of the year’.

Green Velvet Dress

2015-12-17T10:30:00.000+00:00

Dress - Urban Outfitters*
Top - Diva Dames*

Shoes - ASOS

More not-black velvet dresses:

Photos by Joey London

As you might have noticed from my recent posts, I have been wearing a lot of velvet recently. 'Tis the season and all. This green velvet dress is particularly festive (but also suitable for wearing outside of the 12 days of Christmas), and green is a colour I'm fond of. To tone things down a little I wore the dress over a white turtleneck top (black works, too) but sans the extra layer it is a super sweet and equally attention grabbing party dress.

Houndstooth Coat

2015-12-15T10:30:00.000+00:00

Coat - Primark (similar / similar)

Jacket - ASOS

Dungarees - Topshop (similar / similar)

Top - American Apparel*

Shoes - Dr Martens

More houndstooth:

Photos by Joey London

A lot of my winter wardrobe is just my summer wardrobe, but with more layers. This means short dungarees, but with a turtleneck top, opaque tights, leather jacket and a coat. It's jacket and coat weather, and I hate it. I am happy that I can carry on wearing v cute dungarees into the winter months though, and I think that wearing them with a slightly smarter looking coat makes them look a little less childish.

Three Hero Products for a Strong Brow

2015-12-13T10:30:00.000+00:00

and what to do with them...

I love a good, strong brow, but my natural eyebrows are nothing to write home about. One of the most important parts of my make-up arsenal, therefore, is my small collection of eyebrow products.

product: nowt, zero, zilch

product: Bare Minerals Frame & Define Brow Styler

STEP ONE: SO. Firstly, I roughly fill in the main part of my brow using Bare Minerals' Frame & Define Brow Styler pencil in 'light'. It's a pretty perfect match for my natural brow colour, so works well to make them look a little fuller than they really are. If you're more into a natural looking brow, you could get away with stopping at this step (and maybe adding a little brow gel for good measure).

product: Bare Minerals Frame & Define Brow Styler

and Anastasia Beverly Hills DipBrow Pomade

STEP TWO: my absolute absolute absolute brow hero product of the moment is Anastasia Beverly Hills' DipBrow pomade in 'auburn'. This is hardly revolutionary - every beauty blogger in the entire universe has raved about Anastasia brow products at some point in the past few years - nevertheless this is what I use every day. If I was only allowed one brow product, or if I was packing a small make-up bag of essentials only, this would be that one. I apply it using an Ecotools angled brush - any angled brush will do, but my personal preference is for a very thin one that allows me to be more precise.

product: Bare Minerals Frame & Define Brow Styler

and Anastasia Beverly Hills DipBrow Pomade and Eyeko Brow Gel

and concealer or foundation applied with detailer brush

STEP THREE & FOUR: as well as DipBrow, the very essential step in my eyebrow routine is to outline them using concealer or foundation on a small brush, to neaten them up. I use the Real Techniques detailer brush, from their Core Collection (if you don't want to buy a full set, although I would recommend the Core Collection, try this brush). I blend the concealer or foundation out into the rest of my make-up so I'm not left with giant white lines around my brows, and then finish them off with a bit of Eyeko's brow gel (which, after trying a few over the past few months, is my favourite) to help keep everything in place.

Black Velvet Jumpsuit

2015-12-10T17:00:00.000+00:00

Top - Diva Dames*

Jumpsuit - The WhitePepper*

Belt - ASOS (similar/similar)

Boots - ASOS

More everyday jumpsuits:

Photos by Joey London

It's never ok to wear a onesie out in public (unless, in very desperate circumstances, under your coat to visit the supermarket to pick up some hash browns on a hungover Sunday morning), but make it velvet and call it a jumpsuit and you're good to go. This velvet jumpsuit by The WhitePepper is like a very luxe onesie, but worn belted and with a pair of boots it's a perfect ~smart-casual~ piece. Here I mixed black with a chocolate brown colour, a combination which I am a big fan of in spite of the fact that it is maybe a little unorthodox. This outfit also features my newest purchase: these chocolate brown faux suede boots from ASOS, which I bought as an alternative to my usual black.

Flouncy White Blouse

2015-12-07T18:04:00.000+00:00

Blouse - H&M

Skirt - Topshop

Boots - River Island

More white blouses:

Photos by Lydia Collins

There's a lot to be said for a white blouse. Both the classic, simple button down, and slightly more extravagant versions such as this one. It reminds me of something an old painter working from a studio in some rural bit of France would wear, but I think I'm ok with that? Here I paired it with a Topshop denim button through skirt, and those fabulous burgundy snakeskin boots that I can't get enough of.

Black Velvet Dress

2015-12-04T19:30:00.000+00:00

Dress - Urban Outfitters*

Boots - Spy Love Buy*

More velvet dresses:

Photos by Lydia Collins

It's Friday night party night, but instead of partying I'm sitting in a café writing up this post because I don't have any internet in my flat at the moment (kill me). On the subject of partying, however, I've got a new dress. This black velvet and lace number from Urban Outfitters is a dream winter party dress for me. It's velvet which, aside from glitter, is my favourite ~party season~ texture, and I think that the lace detail of the collar and sleeves is really sweet. This particular outfit would work for a night out just as well as it does for daytime, and I have in fact already worn it on both of those occasions.

Doing Denim

2015-12-01T17:00:00.000+00:00

Coat - Topshop*

Top - American Apparel*
Jeans - ASOS*

Shoes - Kickers*

More denim:

Photos by Mohammed Abdulle @mabdulle

Instantly recognisable to anyone who was, has, or has been around a child in the past few decades, Kickers is a brand not short on unique, distinguishable identity. Now they're all grown up and turning 40, and have brought out a new, denim version of the classic Kick Hi to celebrate. They're certainly not just for kids any more, and I think that the distinctive round-toed silhouette looks just as cute in a size 5 as it did in a size 1.

Here, I paired mine with more denim (my ~go to~ super super high waisted, wide leg jeans) and a pop of colour in this American Apparel longsleeved turtleneck (which conveniently is the perfect colour match for the stripe on my liquorice allsort-esque faux fur coat).

#mykickers #kickhi40th

*this post is in collaboration with Kickers*

Striped Faux Fur

2015-11-27T19:30:00.000+00:00

Dress - Topshop*
Coat - Topshop*

Boots - Topshop*

Bag - Topshop*

More Topshop party-wear:

Photos by Mohammed Abdulle @mabdulle

It's ~party season~, but the fact that party season coincides exactly with the coldest months of the year is something I find perpetually irritating. How is one supposed to dress, so that they will both be warm and look fabulous? I reckon the answer is a good faux fur coat. This one from Topshop is particularly spectacular; I look like a giant fluffy liquorice allsort and that is no bad thing. A statement print faux fur is obviously super fun and is sure to attract ten thousand compliments every time you wear it, but a grey or tawny shade will go with everything.

I'm wearing it over an equally fabulous Topshop dress. The metallic and leopard print make it bold enough for a party dress, whilst the basic silhouette (imo) means that it can also be dressed down a little. I paired it with boots (this pair is also great, and very Gucci-esque?) here but I'd just as happily go with some proper heels for 'the club'. Thoughts?

Outlet Christmas Shopping - A Gift Guide

2015-11-24T10:30:00.000+00:00

Holiday shopping is a real pain. I love giving gifts, especially gifts that are genuinely going to make someone happy, but the process of acquiring those gifts can be nothing but hassle (and an expensive hassle at that). This year, I killed about eight birds with one stone by doing my Christmas shop all in one go at McArthur Glen Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet. Cheshire Oaks is located just outside of Chester and roughly half an hour's drive from Manchester; if you're not local, McArthur Glen have outlets outside of London, Cardiff, York and Nottingham, but Cheshire Oaks is the biggest of the bunch.

For the Mums

My favourite thing about Cheshire Oaks is the range of brands available. They have everyone from Burberry, Ralph Lauren, Lacoste and Mulberry, to French Connection, Reiss and Warehouse, all at lower than retail prices, and all with a percentage of the store dedicated to this-season stock.

For my mum and my grandma I headed to Phase Eight and Jaeger respectively, two shops that I feel suit a more ~mature~ style of dressing, without being at all frumpy. My mum was actually with me during my shopping trip and so I suppose I cheated a bit with her gift as she was able to try it on, but a Jaeger scarf was the perfect gift for my (avid scarf-wearing) grandmother.

For the Boys

For brothers and boyfriends, I think that something branded is the easiest way to go. 'Oh great, PJ pants, nice one', my younger brother might think if I bought him a pair off ASOS, but make them Calvin Klein and I'm onto a winner. Oh, how fickle the male brain. I also popped into Lacoste and bought a really really nice long sleeved polo for less than half of RRP.

For Me!

I did also buy my dad a new jumper in the Timberland outlet store (which had 40% off the already marked down prices on all apparel), but not wanting to feel left out I couldn't help but treat myself to a little something too. Whilst in Lacoste buying presents for boys, I couldn't possibly walk out without this £29(!) cardigan. I visited Paperchase, initially planning on buying only Christmas cards, but came out with two new notebooks as well. The cards are cute (because dogs), in a handy multipack, and the proceeds from their sale go to charity, so they were a win-win-win purchase.

Find Cheshire Oaks on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

*this post is in collaboration with McArthur Glen*

A Rather Blustery Day

2015-11-22T10:30:00.000+00:00

Coat - Reiss*

Jumper - Urban Outfitters* (similar)

Trousers - H&M*

More cosy faux fur:

Photos by Tessa Abrahams

What do you do when there's an 80mph gale (or something) blustering its way through London? Go to the top of a tall building with an excellent view to take photos and try your best to not get blown off it, obviously. And can we talk about this view? I'm not really one for central London tourist hotspots, or for wanky rooftop bars and such like, but to have this vantage point over the most iconic parts of the city is undeniably spectacular. My outfit here is a cosy one; a chunky jumper plus massive faux fur is an unbeatable combination. I can't take this Reiss coat off at the moment; it is indescribably soft, wearing it feels like I'm giving myself a giant hug.

Ring - People Make Tribes

I've Started my Own Boutique!

2015-11-20T11:00:00.000+00:00

Nintendo 3DS with New Style Boutique 2 - Fashion Forward*

Sort of... I haven't been much of a 'gamer' since my early teens, choosing phone games over consoles (yes I was climbing levels on Candy Crush for considerably longer than anyone else except my mum, yes I was obviously really dedicated to the Kim Kardashian game). I am exactly the sort of person who gets extremely into whatever game they are playing (you should've seen my Farmville), and since getting my hands on a Nintendo 3DS, my first console in forever, I fear I'm heading down that road once again. Nintendo is a brand everyone of my generation grew up with; from blowing the dust out of the very first Game Boy to play Pokémon, to accidentally smacking my dad in the face while playing 'tennis' on the Wii Fit. I never got a DS, or 3DS, when they came out (my last handheld Nintendo was a Game Boy Advance), so I was super excited to get started.

The specific game I've been testing out is the newly launched New Style Boutique 2 - Fashion Forward. The premise is simple: you can play your way through the game in your choice of fashion career - boutique owner, hair stylist, make-up artist, designer or model. Find out more on the game's website here!

I was intrigued by this game because it simulates, in a way, the business I am very much involved in. Although I'm not running my own boutique irl, the decisions I have to take in the game are as business-minded as any of the ones I make on a day to day basis. Creatively speaking, you can dress your avatar in outfits from a good range of ~styles~ (including 'gothic', so what more could I want). Doesn't my character actually look exactly like me?

In these respects I think New Style Boutique is exciting and ideal for anyone with an interest in fashion both as a creative outlet and as a business. For me personally it will make the ideal Christmas (or other holiday) gift for a teenage family member who is into fashion, but would totally suit anyone who likes to invest themselves in lifestyle simulation type games (me).

You can check out the game on Facebook here, or get more info and demo the game on Nintendo's site.

*this post is in collaboration with Nintendo*

Short Sleeve Jumper

2015-11-18T18:00:00.000+00:00

Jumper - Glamorous*

Skirt - Primark* (similar)

Coat - Sheinside* (similar)

Boots - Clarks x Orla Kiely* (similar)

More short sleeve jumpers:

Photos by Comb

In continuation of my current apparent obsession with burgundy clothes, here's me in my new favourite jumper. Although high necked but also short sleeved and cropped seems like a very impractical combination of things for a jumper to be, I think that they're very cute and make for great layering pieces. I've linked to loads of other really nice short sleeved jumpers above, if yr interested (and you should be) - I have my eye on the mustard version of the jumper I'm wearing here.

These photos were taken by the v talented Mohammed from Comb - you can take a look at my Comb profile by downloading the app and searching 'hannahlouisef'. It's a clever little tool which allows you to search for clothes using a photo of a similar item, and so is great for finding alternatives to sold out or old stock items like the skirt I'm wearing here, or indeed for cheaper versions of high end stuff. Give me a follow on there, and let me know what you think!

Tonality

2015-11-16T08:30:00.000+00:00

Top - Urban Outfitters*
Skirt - Urban Outfitters*

Boots - River Island

Coat - Missguided*

More burgundy:

Photos by Toni Power

I've been really good at not buying too many clothes recently, on account of the fact that I don't have enough space for my existing wardrobe let alone anything extra, but when these fabulously tacky red, snakeskin print, patent boots(!) came back in stock at River Island I couldn't help myself. I really enjoy ~tonal~ dressing, and so paired the boots with similar shades in this Urban Outfitters turtleneck (which comes in (roughy) a million other colours and I think I need them all) and a cute lil cord skirt. I think this combo would have looked better sans black tights, a problem I battle with throughout the winter months, but it's absolutely bloody freezing and you won't find me baring my legs until at least June so I'm going to have to cope. Thoughts?

A Change of A Dress: my Love of Manchester and Partywear

2015-11-12T12:32:00.000+00:00

Like every other ~young creative~ in the entire country I recently moved to London, but my heart is still in Manchester. I love London, but the worst thing about it is the nightlife. Sure there are dozens of fancy bars and great-in-theory club-nights, but in Manchester there's a night for everyone, any day of the week, and you don't need to buy tickets 10 weeks in advance. Manchester's night-out fashion is reflective of this: you could go to a student club in a t-shirt and trainers (if you are that way inclined, although I can't say I've ever been a trainers in a club kind of gal), or go full Deansgate weekend warrior in a bandage dress and heels that you will inevitably be carrying on the way home (if not before). As well as all that, people in Manchester do actually dress well, so here's a bit about how to do that...

Miss Selfridge's party dresses are, imo, their forte. A few weeks ago (and you may have noticed this if you follow me on Instagram) I was invited to shoot with Miss Selfridge for their brand new Dress Hub, which is based around the distinctive styles of four different UK cities. I'm representing Manchester, obviously, whilst super babes Olivia, Amelia and Jennifer showed off London, Birmingham and Glasgow respectively - how incredible are the photos and video with the cityscape projections?

You can shop Manchester style here, and if you're not sure which city style suits you best take the short quiz (and be in with a chance of winning a 200 quid voucher, too!)

*this post is in collaboration with Miss Selfridge*

Introducing: Stiler (your fave new outfit sharing platform)

2015-11-10T17:30:00.000+00:00

You might have noticed a new lil widget on my outfit posts recently which, if you have clicked on it, will take you to an overview of all my outfit posts along with links to buy the items I'm wearing. Introducing: Stiler. There are a lot of outfit sharing platforms out there, but I think that this one is particularly good and fresh - its homepage or 'dashboard' allows you to scroll easily through a whole load of inspiration from different bloggers and users, and on clicking through to a specific user's profile you can do the same with just their looks, therefore getting a concise snapshot of their style, without having to scroll through pages and pages of blog posts! You can also shop each look directly from the site, so it's both a great source of inspo and a ready-made shopping list.

(PS: how lovely is my new Pendleton blanket, pictured above? Available here.)

If you're a blogger yourself, or even if you just fancy sharing your outfits without faffing about with a blog, you can sign up to Stiler here and earn £££ in commission if someone is inspired enough by your outfit to make a purchase. Plus, Stiler are currently running a competition to win a £300 ASOS voucher (!!!), which you can enter on their site right here.

*this post is in collaboration with Stiler*

Printed Shirt Dress

2015-11-07T10:00:00.000+00:00

Dress - Glamorous*
Coat - Urban Outfitters* (similar / similar / similar)

Boots - ASOS (similar / similar / similar)

Photos by Comb

I probably say this every time I write about a dress, but I don't wear dresses often enough. They're just so easy to throw on and not really have to think too hard about styling, a lazy gal's dream. This particular number is a burgundy and navy shirt dress with a super cute neck tie which, when paired with thigh high boots, has just the right amount of 70s ~vibes~. Thoughts?

Grey Tailored Coat

2015-11-04T08:30:00.000+00:00

Coat - ASOS* (similar / similar / similar)

Jumper - Motel* (similar)

Skirt - Front Row Shop (similar)

Shoes - Kurt Geiger*

Photos by Comb

Sometimes you need an outfit that is smart without looking 'club'; sometimes you just wanna wear your nice heels in a place that people might see them instead of stand, or spill their sticky drink, on them. This, I reckon, is one such outfit. Obviously it's all about these fabulous shoes by Kurt Geiger's Miss KG brand, which stand out against the otherwise fairly plain clothes. The roll neck jumper paired with the skirt is very nondescript, but I think that this tailored, belted coat instantly makes anything look smart and altogether more classy. How great are these photos by Mohammed at Comb, by the way?