Not Very Merry Merry

OH MY GOSH! I have been sick for the past week with what I can only describe as a flu type bug, with a bad cold  and all it's trimmings plus ridiculous tiredness, aches and pains, I could go on but I think you get the picture......I'm still not feeling one hundred percent but thought I really needed to catch up with blogging and you guys! I am afraid, I only have a limited amount of What I Wore images to show as I mainly just wore pyjamas! 

 So, here I am, on my Christmas hols and feeling rather smug that I had managed to buy all of my Christmas presents before I got ill and apart from wrapping them all up, I am actually on top of things for Christmas! Even better news is we have been promised our loft conversion will be completed tomorrow, so we will be in our new bedroom / penthouse suite for Christmas!!

Today's personal style photographs were taken two weeks ago, before I got ill, the first being my day into night outfit for my night out with my work ladies, which was a great night but the beginning of my demise into illness and obscurity. I had dressed up a tee shirt and denim cut offs with a kimono and big (faux) fur coat with my new favourite platform boots, which all worked rather well as a work / after work drinks outfit. 

The item of the day has to be the fur coat.....I have had people stop me in the street when I wear this coat asking me 'where I got my fur coat', I tell them I bought it in the Topshop sale a couple of years ago, it was £90 reduced down to £30, a bargain, this usually distresses the fur coat lovers as they all say the same thing 'Ooooh, why didn't I see it!!???  One girl grabbed me as she was working the big Christmas sale in Lush, shouting 'I love your coat!!!'' over a customer filled shop, she knew it was from Topshop and when I dropped the price bombshell, she dramatically wailed 'Noooooo, why does this never happen to me????'.....I do love a funny fashionista story.....

The second outfit, a no messin' White Pepper smock dress and platforms boots look worn to work with shorts underneath as the dress is rather short!

If this is my last post before Christmas, well, you never know when a phantom illness is gonna strike, then have a goodun'. Merry Merry! 

All clothing from Topshop, The White Pepper, Urban Outfitter and Primark. (Apologies for the low res second image, but its the only one I had to show you the rest of the day into night outfit, I'm sure you don't mind!). 

Thanks for checking in with a recovering No Debutante, see you again, hopefully before Christmas (all being well) for more fashion fun xx

ND xx

Pastel Punk

I hadn't even considered it as I had been collecting Pastel Goth and Sea Punk images on my Pinterest Fashion board over the past few years but I realised that I had either become influenced by the look or coincidently I already dressed this way and had not given the look a label, with my mermaid blue hair and a liking for pastel shades and rainbow coloured outfits.
 I am not interested in the subculture or scene of Seapunk as a whole as I am not into the lifestyle or music but fashionwise (of course) I seem to be well involved (despite the original subculture being a fad that was over within a year) The tags #seapunk #pastelpunk and #pastelpunk are still alive and kicking on social media fashion sites, linked to looks in colour washes of pinks, blues, greens and rainbow colours and the essential day glo coloured hair, the new look usually includes a bit of tie-dye with a nod to surf style and late 80s early 90s beachwear Vs Rave culture mixed with the alternative styling of grunge, punk and (a very colourful version of) Goth.
 

Whatever you want to label it and however I wear it, I am a fan of the look and do generally own many items that would fit the Pastel Sea Punk hashtag.

 

Here are just a few Pastel Punk style items that I have worn or taken Instagram pics of over the past week. There are many more Pastel Punk images like this to check out on the No Debutante Instagram but these images have not appeared on the blog yet and I am eager to get this post up. Check out this link for more Pastel Punk looks from No Debutante.

All clothing and accessories from Maui, Primark, Vision Streetwear X Topshop, Converse Allstars, Meadham Kirchhoff X Topshop and Antoni and Allison.

ND xx

Modern Vintage Mermaid

Hi Fashionistas. It's been the usual story of me being ridiculously busy with life but I have found the time (whilst wadding through a sea of Christmas decorations and loft conversion madness) to get a quick blog post up to show you one of my outfits from the past week. 

Although I am a fickle fashionista who jumps from one look to another without a care, I generally have certain styles I come back to again and again and the beauty of a vintage look is that it doesn't go out of style as it's already vintage. I always adapt my vintage looks to contemporary ones and mix and match up old with new, a look that is known as Modern Vintage. The great thing about Modern Vintage is that it moves on with each (fashion) season and this is certainly how my style works and transforms, keeping things fresh with a nod to the past. Of course, sometimes I do embrace my more  contemporary style but I just enjoy knowing that all these retro and vintage goodies are hiding in my wardrobe and that one day, I will definitely wear them again. 

So mix and match up your modern vintage looks and get inspired. Here's my latest modern vintage look incorporating a contemporary striped top from Topshop, a Day of The Dead print circle skirt from the vintage darlings  at Vivien Of Holloway, frilly ankle socks and some 90s inspired platform ankle boots from Primark, with the signature victory roll and head scarf updo in my mermaid blue hair. 

Thanks for catching up with No Debutante today. Please follow me on all social networking sites for daily updates and fashionista moments.

ND xx

Christmas Wrapping - The Dilemmas Of What To Wear To The Work Christmas Party

I had the chance to write and extra blog post this week due to having the house to myself, well, nearly myself there are a few workmen about the place adding the finishing touches to my lovely new loft conversion, which will be finished before Christmas......won't it? So, yeah the reason we are having the loft conversion is to give us an extra floor in our home which was very much needed after filling the house with children, whom are currently out of the house so let's get on with blogging!

Anyone who follows me on my social networking pages will know I had a big fashion dilemma with what I should wear to my work Christmas party. I realised my error when I agreed to attend this work do without taking any consideration about what the hell I would wear. Generally I do not attend these kind of corporate events, I usually get to dress down everywhere I go, even when I'm dressed up, I've managed to dress it down, in a glamorous way, of course. Still confused? Well, let's just say, I understand how to dress for a wedding but a sparkly and glamourous outfit with heels for a Christmas party??? I realised I was out of my comfort zone.......that is until I remembered I had the most amazing colourful, sparkling, sequined covered Louise Gray X Topshop shift dress!!!!!!!! How could I forget it???? I have worn this dress out, only once, when I sang and DJ'd at my club night Bang's tenth Birthday party nearly two years ago. The dress also made a brief appearance on the No Debutante blog in a photo shoot collaboration but that doesn't count.

So, I have the dress, problem solved you may think? No sorry, there where more issues. The first being the strategically placed stars that may appear a bit risque for a work do? I did take a moment or two to consider this but then decided against it, it's not a problem, it's just a fantastic dress! End of....Not quite, this is when things got really scrambled (in my head) I thought I would just wear some shimmery sheer tights which are very flattering and added sparkle to the whole Glam outfit, I had already decided I was definitely wearing my platform heeled white sandals from Topshop, bang on trend and frankly I just love them and don't get to wear them, plus I really cannot stand to match up my accessories with my outfit too much, it's too twee for me, as I have said before I just buy an item because I like it, I never consider if I have anything in my wardrobe to go with it, so really the outfit was sorted. 

 I then I thought I'd just try on my glittery, very colourful and stripey Meadham Kirchhoff  X Topshop tights, now this look was totally No Debutante style, a Fash Clash Mash up of colours, prints and sparkles! If I was attending any other event (perhaps not a wedding) a would wear this outfit. It looked fabulous! I then did a very un-No Debutante thing and went for the first more flattering, less outrageous outfit. Why you may ask? I did it because, although I know I have blue hair and never wear the clothes I probably should wear to work and always want to be a fashion outsider, I think the dress with the stars on the boobs, with a smiley face covered in pink, blue, red and gold sequins worn with blue bouffant hair and white platform shoes was quite No Debutante enough, I love standing out, of course, but I do not want to be a clown, I didn't want to wear what everyone would expected me to. Well, you always have to leave an element of surprise in there somewhere, don't you? The name of this look? Sixties Underwater Mermaid Alien.....Its catchy.

Apologies for the random snap shots about my home with messy worktops, I am a mother of three who barely goes out, doesn't have hours of time to get ready and take lots of blog photographs before leisurely heading out. It was more leave work, pick kids up from school, throw a small birthday tea party for my three year old, hand over the gauntlet to my husband Phil and get ready to party in 30 minutes (including hair and nails) so you can understand my predicament! As long as I looked good doing it eh?

All clothing from Louise Gray X Topshop, Topshop & Meadham Kirchhoff  X Topshop

Thanks for joining me today.

ND xx

Hey Babe, Your Hair's Alright....

It's time to catch up with No Debutante's latest hairstyles and updos. My hairdresser Vikki Mac told me off for leaving too big a gap between my last hair posts so we'd better get on with it.

The images start with a freshly coloured mermaid blue mane, backcombed at the crown and worn down with only a hair grip or two to hold the bouffant in place. I am loving the sixties and early seventies long hair styles at the moment especially bouffanted looks, the bigger the better I say.

A topknot bun worn pinned in place or with a headscarf wrapped around the bun are both looks I have worn quite often lately, I do not wear a bun doughnut as I don't really like the hair to look too done and the headscarf gives the illusion of thicker hair, I have fine hair but there's lots of it so it actually backcombs a treat which is handy!

I also love to wear my hair naturally waved by braiding my hair. I came across the predicament of trying to keep my hair dry during my morning shower to achieve the 'just taken my hair out of braids look' I didn't find a shower cap that useful (or glamorous for that matter) so I wrap my head up in a towel and attempt to stop my lovely dry and ready to wave braids getting wet.....One single drop of water on the braids on my fine straight hair will ruin any hopes of a natural wave being achieved! I am, of course, striving for the Daryl Hannah in Splash mermaid wave but alas I am probably asking a bit much.

I still pop my hair up into a rockabilly victory roll and head scarf updo every now and again but I had to try and reduce down the amount of backcombing my hair was getting, mixed with all the bleaching (my hair is platinum blond under the mermaid blue) my hair just refuses to grow. Also, being the fickle fashionista that I am I have slowly moved on, another day, another look...

Lastly on today's post is the half up half down hair look. This has been a very popular look with me for the past few months but bizarrely I don't have that many images to show you! My favourite of these looks is the half up topknot and I am also rather partial of wearing low bunches worn long and slightly backcombed at the root. Not really holding back on the backcombing am I? Which is your favourite look?

No Debutante will be back very soon with more personal style and fashionista fun. Now get styling that hair! 

ND xx

How No Debutante Wears A Pinafore Dress

I have always loved a pinafore dress, inspired by the sixties dolly girl style and of course the nineties revival, a pinafore worn layered over a tee and under another item is just perfect for Autumnal / Winter layers but a look that also works worn with a simple tee or vest in the summer months too. The late sixties and early seventies are a big thing right now so a pinafore or a sleeveless dress worn layered over a flouncy shirt is a perfect way to wear this look. If you don't have a bell or puff sleeved shirt, any shirt or tee will do, remember it's about layering and mixing trends here at the No Debutante blog!

So the two pinafore style dresses in question for today's post are a mock leather / bondage style pinafore skater dress from Primark and a denim Topshop slip dress. One worn with a shirt underneath and the other worn with a long sleeved top underneath with a plaid shirt layered over the top. Two different looks, two different days. Which is your favourite???

Hey, did you know No Debutante was now on Tumblr and Twitter as well as many other social networking sites including Facebook, Instagram, Google + and Pinterest?? Check the links and if you like what you see follow me! Check out what's happening in No Debutante's world!

Thanks for visiting fashionistas!

ND xx

Pale Grunge

Now that Winter is really starting kick in here in the UK, I am loving my cuddly oversized jumper worn layered over dresses. I find I am wearing the cuddly jumper so much that I would actually like another one, this comes from a girl who has been a devotee of the oversized cardigan for many years and not even considered the versatility of the oversized jumper, until now.....Layered over anything the oversized jumper just keeps on giving, it gives a new life to a dress which is now pretty much turned into a new skirt with the oversized jumper for company, midis, maxis, jeans, the possibilities are endless. BTW when I say oversized, I don't mean one size up, I mean many sizes up, can you wear it as a dress? Is it swamping you? That's what you are after, no fitted jumpers please!!! 

I am not saying that I will no longer wear an oversized cardigan, the upside of the oversized cardigan was that you could still see the outfit worn beneath the cardigan, which is good but it still let the cold in didn't it?? Not the oversized jumper! Big, warm and cuddly. I love my oversized jumper!! Stand aside oversized cardigans. It's the reign over the jumper! Get yours now!

Oversized Jumper from Primark (they have a massive selection, get yours in the biggest size possible) , Denim Slip Dress (worn underneath) from Topshop, Shoes from Converse.

Thanks for joining me today fashionistas, see you again very soon for more fashion fun. To get your daily No Debutante fix follow me on all social media including Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook & Tumblr.

ND xx

Smock And Roll

We all know that No Debutante has an obsession for Smock dresses at the moment, especially those wonderfully oversized smocks from my new favourite shop The White Pepper. Well, guess what I've been wearing lately?? Here's a couple of ways I have worn my smock dresses from The White Pepper in the past week, think 1990s indie girl Vs 1960s Dolly.

The first polka-dot smock dress is worn with the vintage denim jacket, contrasting red ankle socks and creepers. I wore this look to work and it was a surprising big hit on Instagram too, thanks to all my likers! 

The second plaid smock dress was worn last Friday night at my club night Bang, I wore it with my lovely black kimono, creepers and polka dot frilly ankle socks. I like to boy things up a bit mixing cute girlie items with creeper shoes, it sounds like a tough look but this look is more cute than tough with the frilly ankle socks just adding to the cuteness! Kawaii!!! 

Which is your favourite look?

 

All clothing from The White Pepper, Urban Outfitters, Topshop and Underground.

Thanks for checking in fashionistas, see you again tomorrow for more fashion fun!

ND xx 

Girls Gone Wild.......Nineties Inspired T-shirts and Denims

A look that was popular with No Debutante last week was t-shirts and denims, mainly skate or surf labelled t-shirts worn with a bit of nineties denim. 

The first outfit inspired by nineties layering and the BMX sports wear inspired Marc By Marc Jacobs collection (see last image below) by the street style queens Katie Hillier and Luella Bartley. Worn with a skinny long sleeve tee underneath my Vision Streetwear tee and the very nineties inspired short a-line denim skirt, platform ankle boots and braided hair to finish the look. A very No Debutante take on the look I'm sure you'll agree! 

Don't follow.....Get inspired people!

The second outfit also screams the nineties with an oversize Maui tee worn untucked over my tapered Mom jeans with spotty ankle socks, creeper shoes and a grungey oversized cardigan layered over the top. This is more of an androgynous look that anyone can rock despite the oversized and unfitted nature of the outfit.

Platform ankle boots and creeper heeled shoes were massive in the early nineties and it looks like they are here to stay for the next couple of seasons......an investment well worth making for this Winter!!! Plus for any of you who are still rocking skinny jeans and god forbid jeggings please put them aside and reach for the tapered jeans, boyfriend jeans and 1950s style jeans, wear them on or above the waist and turned up at the hem. Don't be afraid, they are more flattering than you think!

All clothing from Vision Streetwear, Topshop, Underground at Office and Primark.

All images by No Debutante except the last image from the Marc By Marc Jacobs AW 2014 collection, sourced from Dazeddigital.com on Pinterest.  

Thanks for checking in with No Debutante today, see you all again soon for some more fashionista fun xx

ND XX

Modern Vintage Meets Autumn Layering

Check out how I have moved Modern Vintage into the colder months with Autumnal layers and a mash up of a plaid circle midi skirt, a khaki bomber jacket, plimsoll creeper boots and a bright yellow new wave band tee worn with cute braids in my blue hair. A true No Debutante mash up of Modern vintage style for the autumn! Wrap up but don't lose your style beneath coats and layers this winter. Good luck, it is a challenge to achieve this xx

All clothing from Topshop, 8ball.com and Primark.

Hope you are all enjoying the new fashion season, I love the transition between fashion seasons, it always means a new look and inspires new ways to wear your old wardrobe in a new way! Get inspired! Thanks for reading fashionistas.

ND xx

Celebrity Skin

Today's personal style post seemed to be lacking usable images so I thought I'd try something new here at the No Debutante blog and mix my personal style images with similar style fashion images (all collected on my Pinterest boards) from recent fashion shoots and style icons. 

My look today is Grunge inspired, a plaid shirt and some denim cut offs with my blue hair in braids, a classic grunge look you may say but the grunge images I have chosen to complement today's personal style outfit are all very different. Some are true grunge images from the 1990s featuring the Queen of Grunge Courtney Love and Liv Tyler and some are contemporary grunge inspired fashion images from my Pinterest fashion board including fashion shoots from my new favourite shop The White Pepper (of course) and the contemporary thrift grunge champion Mind the Mustard (whom featured on the No Debutante blog last year as an inspiring grunge muse). The Grunge look for girls isn't just plaid shirts, long hair and Dr Martens, it is a style, not an item of clothing. For me, as a nineties teenager grunge was a mix of subcultures including Riot Grrrl, Rock chick, boho, Indie kid and punk, where anything goes except perfection and polished looks. If you are a perfection and polished grunge girl something has gone very wrong and you have probably missed the point entirely. Grunge does not have a uniform, the only thing that should remain is the nineties influence as this is where it all began. Check out the following images from some of my most recent Pinterest hoardings to see what I mean. 

All images from thewhitepepper.com, starfetti.tumblr.com, fashiongonerogue.com, little-touble-grrrl.tumblt.com, lookbook.nu/mindthemustard, fashiongrunge.com.

Thanks for joining me today fashionistas see you soon for more No Debutante fun!

 ND xx