Summer Capsule Wardrobe | The Lexicon

Hello! After a few months off I am back and ready to create some exciting content for you. A quick update... It's been a crazy few months, finishing University (just found out I am graduating with a First woo), and entering into the real working world with a full-time job as an Account Executive at a Marketing & Design Agency. So, yeah a lot has happened and my life has changed quite a lot since I last posted on my blog. I am back today with a post all about summer capsule wardrobes, that I have created in collaboration with The Lexicon, Bracknell.

After attending their Spring Summer 2018 Trends Blogger Event back in February, I was kindly invited along to their Summer Capsule Wardrobe event last month. It was a lovely event, where we got to meet several other bloggers and discuss all things Summer fashion related, with a fab talk from my lovely and well-informed friend Jess (check out her website here).

I am going to talk you through my five essential wardrobe additions for Summer, including a new purchase that my wardrobe was particularly lacking for the warmer months, that I purchased with The Lexicon gift card that I was kindly provided with.

1. Straw Bags

Firstly, straw bags and I am sure this one comes as no surprise. They have been a summer trend item for years now, and I can't see them going away any time soon. They are the perfect addition to not only your summer wardrobe, but your holiday wardrobe. Last year I purchased a lovely large straw bag in Spain (the perfect place to pick one up), Zara have some great ones this year, and it has come in particularly handy on beach days. I also recently purchased this straw cross-body bag (shown above), which worked perfectly as an evening bag, a more casual, summer-take on a clutch.

2. Shorts

Next we have shorts, of course a basic and essential wardrobe addition for the summer. But more specifically, I want to discuss floaty and lightweight material shorts. Personally, I'm not a big fan of denim shorts. Usually (on me) they are just unflattering, tight, and make me extremely sweaty (sorry TMI). I am far more comfortable in light and floaty shorts, that are so much more versatile, they can be worn in the daytime with a bikini or worn with a dressier top and some wedges in the evening. Above you can see this white pair that I found really useful whilst on holiday (similar here). They have a lovely tie feature around the waist, and are the perfect pair that can be worn in the daytime but dressed up at night. Also, whites always good for the tan!

3. Cami Tops

Cami tops for me form the basis of my summer wardrobe. Need something to go with your shorts, skirts or trousers? The easiest option is to opt for a cami. Not long ago I purchased this black lace trim cami from Zara (shown above), which I have already worn to death, both in the daytime and evenings, it literally goes with everything and the lace detail makes it look that little bit more interesting. I also got hold of this white one from Mango (shown below), probably more best described as a top rather than a cami, but it does the same job. It has a lovely bow detail on the shoulders and features some brown buttons which are of course on all the cami's at the moment. This is again a perfect staple within anyones summer capsule wardrobe. As long as you have a black and white one, you're good to go.

4. Block Heel Sandals

Moving onto shoes, for me there is simply one type of shoe that I couldn't bare to not have in my wardrobe, and that is a block heel sandal. If you follow me on Instagram (@laurenhonor) you will know that whilst I was away in Croatia (travel post to come) a lot of my evening outfits featured some kind of block heel sandal. They are perfect for dressing up your outfit slightly, but not making you look overdressed. I am not the tallest person, so any extra height is a plus for me. One of my favourite pairs you can see below, grey with a statement marble block heel, also with a tie detail up the leg. They are so comfortable and just make an outfit that little bit more exciting.

5. Occasion Dress

And finally, my newest addition that I purchased at The Lexicon... this beautiful River Island dress that could quite possibly be my perfect dress. If you know me or have read my blog before, you will know I'm not always the best with colour, but in summer I do like to try and experiment a bit more. Something that was really lacking from my summer wardrobe, and that I think everybody needs, is a versatile occasion dress. This dress is the most stunning coral colour, and has so many lovely details and honestly I cannot wait to wear it again. This is the perfect dress for a capsule wardrobe because it can be worn at so many different occasions, I wore this to a beautiful restaurant with some block heel sandals (shock) but I would easily wear it to a wedding, a party, or to the races, the list is endless. If you can't tell I really love this dress, and the best thing is it comes in several other colours and patterns too! I'm going to seriously have to try and restrain myself. If you're attending the races or have a wedding this summer, this would be the ideal dress.

I hope you enjoyed my first post back, I'm very happy to be back on the blogging bandwagon. Thanks to The Lexicon again for sponsoring this post, and helping me find my beautiful new dress.

Look out for my Croatia travel post with all the recommendations you could possibly need!

*Sponsored post

SS18 | My Favourite Trend Pieces

You may or may not have read my last post about my trip to The Lexicon, where I discussed the upcoming Spring/Summer trends. In that post I assured that I would share what items I purchased whilst at The Lexicon with my voucher that I was kindly gifted! So here they are... 

Above is my beautiful new jumper from H&M, of course it is off-the-shoulder because obviously I am a big fan. I did in fact already own this jumper in red before purchasing, so I knew I loved the style already. It's the most beautiful pastel blue colour (the 2nd image shows the colour the best), which aptly follows the 'ice cream colours' trend, and I just couldn't resist it. I personally think it's a bargain at £19.99, and it is a relatively thick and soft fabric, so even in the cold weather it still keeps you pretty toasty (although I wouldn't recommend it in the snow). In terms of sizing, I would recommend sizing down in this. The red version I previously bought in a size S as that is my usual size, but I didn't try it on in store and when I came to wear it I realised it's pretty big. It's a more oversized style anyway, but I found the XS in this fits me so much better. This is pretty much everything I could ever want in a jumper, a definite Spring knit to get your hands on, plus it comes in lots of other lovely colours! 

Next is another item from H&M, the loveliest lace/crotchet top that of course follows the sheer trend. I have popped a black cami underneath it here (purely because having your photo taken outside is freezing), but you can definitely get away with just wearing a bra or bralet underneath. Frustratingly I cannot find this top online, but as you know I did pick it up in the H&M store at The Lexicon, so if you're lucky you might find it there too. Here is an alternative option that is similar in style. I've been looking for a top just like this for ages, and my friend actually picked it out for me, and I love it. It's the perfect evening top, that'll go perfectly with jeans, trousers or a skirt. It's a great addition to my wardrobe! This top retails at £34.99, so not the cheapest but definitely worth it in my opinion. Something I purchased separate to my trip to The Lexicon, was this amazing beaded pink clutch bag from TopShop. I think it compliments the outfit perfectly by adding that bold pop of colour. This was a bargain in the TopShop sale, and is still in stock, so grab it while you can! I'd say the second picture shows the colour of the bag the best. 

I hope you like the items I picked up at The Lexicon just as much as I do, I'm sure you'll see them both cropping up lots on my Instagram over the next couple months. 

Also, big statement... I am going to be doing a capsule wardrobe for the month of March. Yes I know, me? It'll definitely be a big challenge, but I am excited to test myself! I'll be creating lots of content related to my capsule wardrobe on both my blog and my social channels, so keep a look out and see how I get on with this challenge!

* Sponsored post 

Spring Summer 2018 Trends | The Lexicon

I was lucky enough to be invited to a Bloggers Event at The Lexicon in Bracknell a few weekends ago. The day began at the lovely Coffee Barker, where we indulged in an amazing breakfast, a must-visit for anyone visiting The Lexicon. I mean, even the toilets were beautiful. Whilst at the event the lovely ladies hosting discussed the upcoming SS18 trends (hopefully Spring will arrive soon...) that had been collated by The Lexicon's stylist, Lisa Talbot. Here's a quick run-down of what to expect in the shops this Spring/Summer...

1. Ice cream colours - those beautiful pastel tones that I certainly can't get enough of
2. Tailored dark denim 
3. Trench coats - which we all know I love
4. Sheer - particularly within evening wear 
5. Primary colours - something I am already seeing lots of, it's nice to see some bright colours
6. Plastic - for example vinyl 
7. The 50s staple pencil skirt 
8. Fringing - especially on hems 
9. Shorts - rather than skirts
10. Slip dresses - for that minimalist look 

We were all lucky enough to be gifted a voucher to spend at The Lexicon, which I can confirm was very easily spent. Even though The Lexicon isn't the largest of shopping destinations, they have pretty much everything there that you could want. For example TopShop, H&M, New Look, River Island, the beautiful department store Fenwicks, and many more. It's a lovely outdoor shopping experience, which I will definitely be visiting again in the Summer to make use of the lovely outdoor restaurant spaces, and of course to have a shop. Myself and my friend managed around 5 hours shopping, which I have to admit is pretty excessive, but if anyone's going to do it, it would be us... There were lots of lovely clothes & accessories in the shops, and of course we had to weigh up our options before spending our gift card. I have to say one of my favourite things about The Lexicon was how clean and tidy it was, every shop seemed spotless which resulted in a much more pleasing shopping experience (not that it's particularly hard to please me when I'm shopping). But seriously, it's a lovely day out if you're looking for somewhere different to go and spend your pennies and discover the latest trends. Below are some photos of some of the SS18 trends that have already started being filtered into the stores...

There were certainly lots of things that caught my eye whilst shopping that day that I have mentally recorded for upcoming paydays... I particularly love the pastel blush pink wide-legged trousers from River Island, they are definitely on my wish-list.

If you're interested in seeing what I actually purchased with my gift card at The Lexicon, keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming blog post featuring those items.

Shops featured...

River Island

TopShop

H&M

Accessorize 

*Sponsored post

New Year, New Me? My 2018 Goals...

Please excuse my absence for the last month or so, a combination of University assignments and Christmas meant that I've been super busy. But I am back now, and even though I'm about to face probably the most stressful four months of my life, I am going to try my very best to keep producing content for you.

So, this post may be slightly delayed and I'm sure you've read plenty that are similar, but it was one that I really wanted to do, and I thought it seemed most appropriate as my first post this year! The whole 'New Year, New Me' concept isn't something I personally believe in, I prefer to have more long-term goals that aren't constricted to a year. Even though this post is titled my 2018 goals, they aren't goals that specifically needed to be fulfilled this year. I just decided to use 2018 as a starting point. As I am coming towards the end of my degree, my life is about to significantly change, so I thought it only seemed right to create some new goals for myself. Here they are...

Health

First of all, the most obvious one, health. I am someone that for years has dabbled in and out of fitness and healthy eating, but for some reason never manage to stick to anything. This year I really want to maintain a healthier diet, and regular exercise. None of this is particularly new to me, but especially over the Christmas period my diet was quite the opposite to healthy or balanced. This year I'd really like to focus on maintaining that healthy lifestyle, which I know I enjoy once I get into it. The three main 'goals' that form my health resolution, are of course exercise, food and trying to drink more water. Food in particularly is an area I am keen to develop, for years now I haven't bothered to really learn how to cook and only know the mere basics. My main aim this year is to learn how to cook, and to try some new foods. I've already started off well, I've been using the Fat-Loss Plan recipe book by Joe Wicks, which provides some pretty basic recipes that taste great. I definitely recommend it if you're like me and don't really know where to start when cooking. I did my first workout of the year last weekend, and I have to say it has been a while. Lets just say my recovery took about 4 days... But you've gotta start somewhere!

Saving 

My next goal is all to do with saving money. I have to admit I am absolutely awful at saving any money I have. Obviously I am a student, so spare money really is a myth at the moment. But I do have a part-time job, which means I should be able to save at least some. Basically, what I am trying to tell you is that I need to stop buying so many clothes. Honestly, I am beginning to debate whether or not I should start a shoppers anonymous group... maybe there already is one? In which case I should definitely be a member. As university is coming to an end (in a long and painful four months), I have realised it is probably about time I start putting some money aside for more important things. So, my saving goal this year is to actually utilise my savings account. Even if it means putting a small amount by each pay day, it'll all add up! We'll see how long this lasts, but if I do discover any helpful tips I will be sure to share them with you.

Time Management & Organisation

I have to admit I am not as good with my time management and organisational skills as I would like to be. This year I really need to start getting myself in a strict routine. It is safe to say I am most definitely not a morning person, and having a uni timetable that means some days I might not start till 4pm, it is pretty hard to force myself out of bed in the mornings. Soon I am going to be thrown into the real world, and will be working full-time, most likely commuting to London. And I can already see how difficult that is going to be for someone like me. So, I need to stop myself from being so lazy and start to treat university just like I would a job. My friend Malin came up with the great idea of getting up every day and attending university 9-5 just like you would a full-time job. So, maybe it's time I took some of her advice! In terms of organisation, I am a total stationary hoarder. I can't stop buying notebooks, but they seem to end up in a pile under my bed. For Christmas this year I received this beautiful Kate Spade planner (which you will see featured in all the above photos), and I have to say it is already making me feel like a much more organised human! So my tip so far in terms of organisation, is get yourself a diary or planner that will force you to organise your time and plan your days.

Industry Ready

My final goal is a much more personal one, that involves developing my own personal skills to help myself become industry ready. Finishing university this year means finding a job. Although I am really happy with the experience I have received so far in terms of university, part-time jobs and any industry work experience, I still feel I could further develop my skills. Ways in which I would like to do this is through interning and by growing my personal platforms. After much deliberation, it has become clear to me that I want to work within the marketing industry, more specifically in digital marketing with fashion brands. Therefore, my main goal for when I have left university is to get an internship in marketing or PR. In terms of my personal platforms, I really want to spend more time on my blog and make it more personal to me. I've spent some time experimenting with several subject areas but I would like to really find my niche and provide engaging content for you. This is a much more long-term goal, but is one that I feel passionate about.

So, there you have it, my 2018/long-term goals! I feel like all of them are pretty reasonable and shouldn't be too hard to stick to. Maybe I'll re-visit them halfway through the year and we can see how well I am doing! It's probably far too late to say this, but Happy New Year to you all! I hope it's a great one, and please do tell me if you also have any resolutions this year.

Black Friday | Where To Spend Your Money

I'm hoping I'm not too late to the game with this post, as all the Black Friday deals seem to be starting so early this year! But I thought I would create a post with all the best discounts I have found so far. It's so easy to get carried away when you can pretty much get a discount on anything this weekend, and it's especially hard to control yourself when you're a poor uni student... I'm actually taking a trip to Westfield's on Saturday, which I now realise is a bad idea! Anyway, I think it's important to make sure you don't spend a crazy amount of money on impulse purchases. Of course, Christmas is soon approaching (I'm already finding it hard to contain my excitement) and what better time to get all your presents than now? I'm trying to be good and prioritise all my family and friends, and try and get all their presents sorted, so there will definitely be some links to discounts with present shopping in mind.

Below is a list of all the discounts that I personally think are the best, and save you the most money. It's very easy to get carried away, so just make sure you're buying something you need or have been lusting over for a long while!

Happy Shopping! 

Clothing, Shoes & Accessories 

Topshop - Up to 50% off on selected lines, including gifts

H&M - Selected shoes & accessories have up to 40% off, and if you join H&M Club you can receive 20% off anything with free delivery (ending tonight 23.11.17) 

New Look - 25% off everything (although New Look quite frequently do discounts)

Mango - I can't believe Mango are doing 30% off everything! This is definitely a discount to utilise if you find anything you love

River Island - 20% off when you spend £75

ASOS - They of course have their trusty 20% off everything, but I always love this because of the vast amount of brands sold on the website 

Pull & Bear - They have actually shut down their website until 10pm this evening (23.11.17) when they will be launching their discounts, including 20% off all clothes and 30% off all shoes... so get prepared! 

Bershka - The same goes for Bershka, who are launching their up to 50% off selected items discount at 10pm

Missguided - They are back again with their amazing 50% off everything (excluding sale) 

AllSaints - An amazing 30% off everything! It's the perfect time to buy that leather jacket you've been lusting over... 

Dune - Up to 20% off everything

Jack Wills - Up to 50% off everything, with a guaranteed at least 25% off! 

Whistles - 25% off everything (excluding Wedding & Sale)

Revolve - They have an 'extra special sale' with up to 50% off prices 

Urban Outfitters - Buy one get one 50% (on all stock)

Anthropologie - 20% off everything with free delivery, the perfect place to get some lovely gifts 

Aldo - 50% off the original price on all sale, and 20% off full-price merchandise

Mint Velvet - 20% off everything (they very rarely do a discount of more than 10-20%)

Very - Hundreds of different deals, including up to 50% off selected clothing and footwear

Kurt Geiger - 20% off

Office  - 20% off with free UK delivery

Next - 70% off all Black Friday event lines!

Zara - 20% off selected items

Stradivarius - 20% off everything

Forever 21 - Up to 50% off Black Friday deals, an extra 30% off sale items and free delivery!

& Other Stories - Selected items are discounted

Department Stores

John Lewis - They are price matching competitors, offering a variety of different discounts and I have to say there are some great ones! 

Selfridges - 20% off and 10% off beauty and fragrance 

Debenhams - They have several discounts on, including VAT free prices on all fragrance and half price coats and jackets (today only)

House of Fraser - Up to 40% off, with new offers being added every day

Beauty

(Remember the department stores also have discounts on beauty)

Illamasqua - 25% off, and a free gift worth £55.80 when you spend £60 

Kiko - An amazing deal of buy 3 products and get 3 free (online & in-store until 26.11.17), also with free express delivery online

Tarte - 25% off almost everything

Sephora - Several deals on several products found on their 'deals-giving' page

The Body Shop - 40% off hundreds of items

Stila - 20% off everything 

Miscellaneous

My 1st Years - Up to 50% off selected items, and 30% off everything... I love this brand for those more special presents for the little ones 

Red Letter Days - Up to 70% off over 600 deals, the perfect place to find gifts for couples 

Amazon - Several discounts, with new deals every day 

Waterstones - Half price offers, as well as books under £10... another great place to pick up some Christmas gifts

Links of London - 20% off (10% off 18kt gold)

Not On The High Street - Huge sale with up to 50% off, the perfect place to find gifts

Kikki.K - 20% off storewide and free monogramming

Disney Store - 20% off selected lines

Oliver Bonas - 25% off selected items, another great place to find lovely gifts

A couple last things to note... Be aware that not all brands have discounts running all weekend, some will end on Friday night, so make sure you shop your favourites first! And keep checking back at this post as I will update it over Black Friday and the weekend as more discounts are revealed.

Good luck if you are braving the shops like me!

*Black Friday image taken from Topshop.com 

Feeling Comfortable in Your Own Skin

This is quite a difficult post for me to write, because really I have only recently become comfortable within my own skin. And of course, every now and then I still get doubts and I still nit-pick at myself, but that's normal. Recently I've been thinking a lot about how easy it is to put yourself down, and how hard it is to make yourself feel good. And I've come to realise that most of it is down to false expectations and caring too much about what other people think. I'm definitely guilty of that. I feel like I've spent the last 5-10 years of my life caring about what everyone else has to say about me, and what they might think of me. But I've now come to understand that thinking like that is only going to negatively affect yourself, it's never going to change the way people will think. It's all about forgetting about everyone else around you, all the stereotypes and judgements, and just doing things that you like and make you feel comfortable.

When it comes to fashion I think it's crucial to dress the way that you want to dress. Who cares if your styles a bit eccentric, a bit boring or a bit fancy... as long as you feel comfortable then that's all that should matter. I personally find I'm always usually the overdressed one, who turns up wearing boot heels rather than trainers. But who cares? Honestly, when I'm wearing a pair of my favourite boots I feel one million times nicer than I do when I'm wearing my vans. It doesn't mean I'm pretentious or arrogant! It just means I dress for myself. I dress in things that make me feel good about myself, and really, what's wrong with that? I've spent so much time in the past worrying about whether or not I should wear a particular item, because of how I'm worried people will judge me. And now I look back and think how silly I was to care so much.

It's so easy within today's society to get wrapped up in expectations and how we should look. The media is constantly defining the way our bodies should look, and the way in which we should dress ourselves. And yes, of course I follow hundreds of social media accounts, and yes I know it's easy to compare yourself to those people. But that's where you have to understand that everyone is truly different and everyone has their own identity, and there is no reason why you should try and emulate that. You should create your own individual identity. After all, how boring would it be if we all dressed and looked the same?

So I guess what I'm trying to say (and I hope this is clear), is that everyone should be true to themselves. Put all those negative opinions and associations to the back of your mind, and do whatever makes you feel good about yourself. By doing that, you will definitely be one step closer to feeling comfortable in your own skin.

My Autumn & Winter Colour Palette | Knitwear

Finally, the cold and crisp weather is kicking in. And I have to say I am extremely excited to have gotten all my knitwear back out of my wardrobe! I guess there is a pretty standard colour palette that goes hand-in-hand with Autumn/Winter, you know black, burgundy, grey etc. But I thought I would show you what my own personal colour palette consists of for the current seasons. Of course there's black, it will always be my base colour, it is just so easy to dress with. This usually comes in the form of jeans and boots. I will always be a burgundy and grey lover too, they are of course still neutral colours so are easy enough to integrate into anyone's wardrobe.

The new colours I have discovered for AW17 that I may not have previously experimented with so much are blush shades, red and camel. Pantone Colour Institute released their colour report earlier on this year for AW17, featuring some lovely camel-toned shades 'Toast' and 'Copper Tan'. There's a beautiful bright red 'Flame Scarlet', and some gorgeous earthy tones. So clearly we are going to be seeing lots of clothing along this colour wavelength this season. Some of these colours featured in the colour report are still currently on my wish list, however sadly university means less online shopping. But I am on the hunt for a beautiful camel coat, and would really like to get some boots this year that AREN'T black for once (we'll see).

I've put together several outfits for you, focusing on knitwear. Seeing as in Autumn and Winter that is basically what I live in, it only makes sense. Most pieces are new/recent, but I have included a couple from last year. I think I've found some pretty great wardrobe staples to see me through the colder months. Here are some of my favourite pieces...

The Cable Knit | Red

The Bardot Knit | Grey 

The Back Detail Knit | Burgundy 

The Turtle Neck Knit | Grey 

The Sleeve Detail Knit | Beige 

I hope you like the pieces I have picked out, I have linked the ones that I can. I think it's pretty safe to say that I'm now covered in the knitwear department! 

The Black Blazer

I've finally got my hands on a Black Blazer, and I can't stop wearing it. For some unknown reason, I haven't had one in my wardrobe for years. After recently having a wardrobe clear out, I realised that I was really lacking in my smart jacket department... and the item that has solved this problem is this black blazer. It literally goes with everything, and turns the most casual of outfits into smart ones. I opted for a double breasted, more boyfriend fitting style, which generally I would avoid. I find that more oversized clothing styles don't tend to suit my body shape, but for some reason this one seems to work. I picked this one up from Stradivarius for an amazing price... I know I've definitely already got my price per wear out of it! Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that if you don't already own a black blazer, then it's about time you invested in one. Trust me, they will solve all your wardrobe malfunctions. Now if I'm having an outfit meltdown, I just reach for my black blazer and all my problems are solved!