No Debutante - She's Like a Rainbow

It's been raining over the past few days here in the UK and it's getting cold, grey and miserable so let's cheer ourselves up by wearing rainbow creeper shoes and colouring our hair pink.....well.....er....that's what I'm gonna do....I hope I can bring some sunshine back into your day with my next personal style post! 

I wore the first outfit out to a Sunday night gig to watch my friend Nic's band The Afterparty, who frankly rocked it! I was one of the oldest people in the room and felt a little out of place, not because of my age, i really couldn't give a damn about that, but even I thought I may have over dressed for a Sunday night gig. Looking back at the photographs today the outfit seems to be pretty standard for a No Debutante outfit so I'm not sure why I was secretly feeling a bit insecure, perhaps it was the Canadian support band who I heard say something about the UK fashion being crazy and way ahead of Canada, I'm sure this isn't true, although I don't know any Canadians personally. Can any Canadian followers validate this for me?? I have come to the conclusion that my short lived insecurities actually came from the fact that I was wearing my ridiculous rainbow creeper shoes that make me tower over most people, I think the only people who were intimidated on this night were the tiny sixteen year old Scene and Emo girls, bless them, I must have been terrifying! Check out my Topshop airforce bomber jacket, it has taken me half a year to find the perfect bomber and there it was in Toppers all along!

The second outfit has a more preppy 1950s high school look, I am wearing my peoples favourite (everyone loves this top) Primark vintage Americana Prada copy top with the classic Vivien of Holloway 1950s jeans worn with leopard print cardigan (also Primark) frilly socks and Converse. I was very comfortable in this outfit, 1950s preppy is always a winner. I wore my pink hair up in a topknot for a couple of days, it's simple yet looks cool. I apologise for the cropped off feet on the second outfit, I must have been in a hurry when I took the photographs, at least I took a still of the footwear so you can actually see what was on my feet!!

Thank you for following and reading my blog, it means alot to me!!

I will attempt to get more posts up this week but there is still lots of renovation work going on in my house which is proving hard to work around! Perhaps another personal style post to follow, watch this space! 

ND xx

No Debutante - Identity

I have had a lazy Sunday again today,I went for a walk to the park and hung out with my family. Yesterday was a busier day which included family haircuts, a trip to Dean Lane Skate Park here in Bristol to watch bands and skaters, followed by a visit to meet my lovely friends Craig and Zoe's new and very tiny baby Gwen. She was the cutest and I want one!! I then came back to earth as I chatted with Zoe about how you lose your identity and style during pregnancy. Post pregnancy is just as hard as being pregnant, I found out the hard way that it is not possible to wear a dress (unless it unbuttons down the front, which none of my dresses do) when breast feeding. I ended up in a state of half undress in a toilet, that's all I'm goin to say! It was a killer having all of my lovely dresses that I could finally fit into again but couldn't wear for practical reasons, no-one prepares you for these disappointments!! I like to look good whilst showing off my new baby! Identity is a very big thing with me and I really found it hard to adapt to not being able to wear what I wanted, when I wanted. I need to go back to my old pregnancy and post pregnancy posts from last year and see how I coped! Check out my earliest personal style blog posts from 2011 until late 2012 and see how I dressed during pregnancy and post pregnancy.

Back to the here and now, I am glad to say, I am back to my usual size 12 and can pretty much wear what I like. In today's personal style pics I have favoured denim and Converse. The first outfit was worn to work and to a product meeting with two lovely ladies who kindly gave me a goodie bag full of new products including more Dr Hauschka treats to try out and promote on my blog, which is all very exciting, the first of these posts should follow over the next week. I have always been one to dress comfortably and casually to any meetings or interviews, people then get to see the real you. I cannot imagine having to wear suits and office attire to work and find it unlikely that I would even choose a job where this would be necessary. Perhaps I have just been lucky in the jobs I have had that I have not had to wear office attire and I'd have to bloody love that job, if I ever did wear it! On this occasion I wore double denim in Topshop dungarees and my vintage denim jacket and was complimented. I was even complimented on my healthy looking skin, which has never happened, could it be the Ibiza tan or perhaps the use of Dr Hauschka products?? 

My second outfit was also a success, the vintage Americana printed sheer Primark top (Primark's brilliant Prada copy from last summer) is a favourite with me and many of my work friends who always say they love the top. Worn with my Vivien of Holloway 1950s jeans and Converse and hair worn in a twisted quiff with the mandatory head scarf which finished the vintage look off perfectly.

Thanks for following and I hope you liked today's outfits, feel free to leave comments, feedback is always welcome!

ND xx

No Debutante - Musical Youth

I have had a ridiculously busy day today and in this hot. hot heat, it is not any easy thing to achieve! I went to a Musical Event at my sons school this evening (after lots of picking up and dropping off) I watched my eldest son Lucian (9) play no less than three times, in a small group guitar performance, a cornet duet and a cornet solo where Lucian had personally asked if he could perform the Superman theme tune at the event. I have to say, Lucian rocked it! I am a very proud Mummy!! 

There are three outfits in this post so let's get talking about them.......

Outfit one  - Vintage Americana summer style, I wore this high summer number on a family walk/ bike ride to the city farm, the weather was great and I knew we would boil so it was time for the Vivien of Holloway gingham bustier to come out of hibernation, since it was so hot I turned it up at the hem to make a crop top, I wore it with my vintage denim cut offs, preppy Converse and a pink scarf double wrapped up in my newly coloured pink hair! Thanks Vikki Mac!! I was very excited when I noticed that Vivien of Holloway herself had liked my Instagram photograph (shown below) Thanks Viven!!! I love your vintage garments!!

Outfit two - The surf print vintage style Topshop dress? Again? Yep! I bloody love this dress, it is so flattering and the best summer dress ever!!! 

Outfit three - Maxi love! I managed to change up this outfit three times in one day, all in the name of fashion daaaaarling......I started off with the sleeveless denim shirt tucked in the dress, it looked good until I realised how creased the shirt was in the photographs, with no time to iron the problem out, I popped on a vest and wore the shirt open as a waistcoat. Perfect, I thought but then the day got so hot I had to knot up the vest and make it a crop top, to stop myself looking too white trash I popped the shirt over the cooler outfit for Lucian's Musical Event, I was still boiling but a lady stopped me in the street and told me she loved my summer look which was much appreciated!!

 It really is a kind thing to tell a stranger that you like their style, I think I should do it more, I often think it but worry a person would think I was weird!! Tell someone you don't really know that you like their style tomorrow, see what happens! Will I actually do this? I might do.....

Phew! There's a few No Debutante fashion moments to keep you going, hope you like what you see and thank you for following me!

ND xx

No Debutante - Vintage Summer

I have been having a bit of a denim week this week and I have noticed that I mostly dress my denim in a 1950s vintage style. I have not worn skinny jeans for nearly a year ever since I declared that I was over them and that vintage cut wider jeans were definitely the way to go. This can either be with a wider leg, boyfriend style or high waisted and tapered 1950s style which ever way I choose to wear them there is always a nod to the 1950s or a rockabilly style and I always turn up the hems. The other important feature of this look is to have your top tucked into your jeans creating a flattering nipped in waist.

I am really pleased that my hair is getting longer and now seems to be growing, at last!! I have been trying out different styles to wear it half down (my hair still isn't quite the right length to wear it all down with no clips as the front layers are still quite extreme!!) I thought about 1940s and 1950s styles and have experimented with this idea with front twists and victory rolls and cute braids.

Here's how I wear mine.

See you again tomorrow for some more denim looks and how I dress in the warmer weather.

Thank you so much for reading!

ND xx

No Debutante - Get Lucky

Here's today's personal style post featuring two more outfits from the past week worn whilst I was in Bournemouth. The first outfit features a bit of double denim and the photo was taken in the coolest Retro kitchen display in Poole Museum and I wanted most of it's contents for my new kitchen!! It was pouring with rain outside so the museum seemed the best choice of activities and we had already visited Bournemouth pier and seafront the day before in the glorious sunshine. The lighting was a bit poor in the museum so we only managed to get one un-blurred usable photograph of the double denim outfit!

The second outfit was worn on the day we were coming home but detoured through Moors Valley Country Park and ended up staying there for hours, I was not really dressed for the occasion and ended up piling on the layers and changing my shoes as a pretty dress and studded pumps didn't really suit a walk in the muddy woods! The kids loved it there and it was great to spend all day outside. If I get time I will try and do a lifestyle post on our time in Bournemouth as we have lots of great images of the kids climbing trees and having fun on fair rides whilst I carried the coats....When did I become that person??

After the personal style images I will let you know about the cool news that I received from the WIWT site.

So, after joining less than a week ago, on Tuesday I received an email from WIWT.
Basically, I have won an Editors choice award and my winning outfit is currently appearing on their home page, with a selected few other personal style pics, as one of the Favourite outfits of the day!! Check out the site here http://wiwt.com/outfits/ and check out my outfits and follow me here http://wiwt.com/user/NoDebutante/ Now go get yourself signed up to WIWT so I can see your outfits too!!
 I Love WIWT!!! Here's the winning outfit below. I am right happy!!.....and clearly now addicted to WIWT!

I shall hopefully catch up with my personal style pics by tomorrow so have a good evening and I'll see you then.

 

 Thanks for reading, following and generally being there and Thanks WIWT for making me so happy!!xx

 

ND xx

No Debutante - Upfest

Yesterday, was a good day! My lovely friend and fellow blogger Selena came to visit and the sun was shining! As I had mentioned in the previous post there were four festivals on in Bristol this weekend, we chose to go to the free street music and art festival Upfest and started at Dean Lane skate park where there were graffiti artists creating live art displays to a soundtrack of old school hip hop and dub which was blasted out from a live DJ soundsystem. My kids particularly enjoyed playing in the highly graffiti'd skate bowl as you will see in the photographs below. After a brief meet up with my brother Mike in a rather packed pub and viewing various bits of live art, Phil took the children home and Selena and I hung out in the city, we discussed blogging, kids, fashion and generally laughed a lot. We ate good food and drank in various cool Bristol hangouts before heading back to babysit swap with Phil who was playing at Upfest with his band The Relay Rips. I had so much fun, thanks for visiting Selena, I miss you already!!

I couldn't decide on my outfit for the day and went for a rockabilly 1950s vintage look in the end. I was under strict instructions by Selena that I must not wear platforms, only flats, as (in her words) I am already ten foot above her,  so I didn't wear my creeper wedge (ridiculous) boots and wore my animal print Converse instead. I wore these with my vintage Americana dress from Topshop and my pink headscarf and was delighted to see that Selena had gone for a vintage rockabilly look too with big hair, big sunglasses, a lovely printed dress from River Island's Vintage range and some baseball style boots. It did look like we had asked each other what we were going to wear which was pretty funny but this is why she is such a good friend!! We even had photographers taking photos of us at Upfest, like we were wearing costumes, which we thought was funny. At last we are Harujuku Girls!!

Look at little Sylvie's outfit, I fell in love with this cute printed tshirt, bloomers and heart knee leggings all from H&M. Sylvie had great fun running around the bowl with her brothers!

All photographs taken by my husband Phil.

Thanks for reading!

ND xx

No Debutante - Hot Hot Summer

I am loving the hot weather here in England, it's been a long time coming and I can finally wear all my SS 2013 inspired outfits the way they should be worn without heavy coats, tights and too many layers!! We had a small family BBQ yesterday on Bank Holiday Monday and spent the whole day outside, I am trying to get this post written up as quick as possible, so I do not waste the sun - that we hardly see - and get myself in it before I'm back in the office tomorrow!!

 

Here's what I wore yesterday for the BBQ and what I am wearing today on this very warm school day. I Love the sun!!

Vintage Americana and crazy hair (as my sons referred to it)

Slouchy 1990s

I thought I would show you my kids today in the first summer photographs of the year! It isn't summer for children without a Fab ice lolly! Look at little Sylvie's head scarf! I love it!

 

I'm off to get some more Vitamin D in the glorious sunshine. Have a good day in the sun and thanks for reading.

 

ND xx

No Debutante - Weekender

On Saturday night I got to go out again to a less formal affair for a joint celebration for my brother Mike and his girlfriend Naomi's birthday's. I was very excited as I got to wear my new ridiculous shoes -the rainbow creeper wedges! I shall confess that although they are quite easy to walk in I definitely did twist my ankle whilst dancing! I also got to wear my lovely Vintage Americana print dress that I hadn't worn out yet and I also wore a denim waistcoat that I have had in my wardrobe for years (since everyone was wearing them in Japan when I went) but every time I put it on something wasn't right, for no reason whatsoever, it seems fine to wear now!? It's weird when that happens, but I'm glad I persevered!

 

 

After this long social drought I've been having I think I'm actually out again next weekend with my friend Rudi! What to wear??

 

All clothing from Primark, Topshop, H&M, Office and Tatty Devine (as usual!)

Styling by No Debutante

 

Nominate Me for the Best Personal Style Blog in the Company Style Blogger Awards 2013 here http://www.company.co.uk/magazine-hq/stylebloggerawards2013

 

ND xx

 

 

No Debutante - Vintage Americana

Vintage Americana was massive on the catwalks last summer and fitted in with my 1950s inspired obsessions. It's a preppy and casual look and it has moved on this season with varsity jackets and checks on everything. I love my (blatant Prada rip off) Americana car print top from Primark (last summer) and it will certainly be seen this Summer too worn with my adored tapered and vintage cut jeans.

Here's a continuation of my vintage style from this week with a close-up on my twisted up and pinned in hair style for the day.

 

 

Remember if you do like what you see please nominate me in the Company Style Blogger Awards here http://www.company.co.uk/magazine-hq/stylebloggerawards2013 in the Best Personal Blog catagory.

 

All clothing from Primark, Galleries Lafayette in Tokyo, Accessorise.

Styling by No Debutante.

Thank you for reading!

ND xx

I'm going out dancing.....February Fashion moments

There seems to be a theme for February which features either dresses or denim. It has been freezing here in Bristol so I am totally faking the bare arms look just for the photographs! I cannot even imagine going outside wearing no tights or in a short sleeve, hot weather is a distant memory to me.

My complexion suffers too, during the winter months I go a healthy shade of jaundice and need to smother my face with bright make-up to stop me from appearing, well.....dead!

Here's what I have been wearing this month.

 

Monochrome with red

 

 

 

 Double Denim layers

 

1970s tight tees and denim midi

I love my cute new Topshop dress with peep hole front detail and vintage style Hawaiian print.

 

Peep hole dresses and crop tops are totally wearable at the moment (if you ignore the cold British weather that is) as you are baring your torso rather than your belly button, your highwaister skirt, jeans, shorts should be covering that area up! This is not the 1990s midriff and hipster exposure, we do not want to see a muffin top, it still needs to be flattering! Try this look out, you may be surprised. If you don't fancy the dress, tie up your shirt or a top a little, we only need to see a flash of skin but remember, no hipsters or belly buttons, it's highwaisters all the way.

My outfit for the Bang 10th Birthday Party (a post to come very soon) I wore a belt with the Louise Gray dress on this occasion as it made it more flattering. I got so many compliments about the dress and other comments about how the strategically placed stars made people want to HONK my boobs, yes, I said HONK!!

The day after the night before, I was feeling surprisingly well here and was about to go and pick up my kids from my parents house. I'm still wearing these Dr Martens in, I love them, despite the pain!

 

All clothing from H&M, American Apparel, Rock Candy at Office,Topshop, Louise Gray at Topshop,Super Lovers-Japan, Vivienne of Holloway, Dr Martens, Primark,Charity and Army Surplus stores, Underground at Office. All styling by No Debutante.

 

One last thing, yes, I have been messing about with fonts,I get bored easily and work with graphic designers who will notice and be annoyed with my careless font choices! Sorry!So many fonts so little time!

ND xx