FAIIINT

Rick Owens jacket / ASOS top / A.L.C asymmetric skirt / Toilworn arrowhead necklace / Mapaya pyrite nugget necklace / Rick Owens wedge boots

Oh, hi there. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? And a lot has changed since the last time I posted here on this little corner of the internet. I bought my first home with my partner, we moved in, started to renovate and make it our own, and then the world came grinding to a halt.

After what’s felt like a whirlwind year or two, full of change and overflowing with excitement for the future, this abrupt slowdown has felt pretty strange. That doesn’t mean it hasn’t come with some positives however, even though it may have taken me a while to see them.

The extra breathing space has recently started to feel like a huge blessing, and I’ve been trying my best to make the most of it, to take stock and make plans. And a few weeks ago, I realised something. I’ve really missed the blog. I’ve missed the sense of community, of sharing my passions with like-minded people, and the way that documenting my outfits pushed me to be more creative with my styling, to continually try new things and to develop and refine my look. Fashion has always been important to me, it’s been a constant comfort and confidence boost to me throughout my life. There really is nothing quite like suiting up in a killer outfit to help you face the world. Even if you have no place to go.

So, I guess this means I’m back – and that this is the start of the lockdown style diary.

We haven’t managed to get much actual decorating done yet, but I’ve found a few nice spots around our new home that work well as blank backgrounds for taking outfit photos. I’m not going to lie, it’s definitely a lot easier and less time consuming taking photos in the comfort of your own home. No battling with the weather and lighting conditions, or taking time out of my day to visit the most photogenic locations around the city. And most excitingly, no feeling awkward and self-conscious as passersby gawp (and sometimes laugh) at you trying to get that shot. So I think it’ll stay this way, even once we are allowed outside again. Hopefully soon there will be more exciting areas around our home to use as backdrops, and maybe there might even be some interior design content too.

H&M Fedora / Boy by Band of Outsiders Blazer Dress / The Silver Cafe Topaz Necklace from Chiang Mai / Kurt Geiger ‘Saturn’ Lace Up Boots / Balenciaga City

I’ve got something to admit. I’ve developed a little bit of an addiction to The Real Real. It started when I stumbled across the Rick Owens Naska jacket there last year, and since then I’ve pretty much fallen head first into the rabbit hole. I usually steer well clear of US stores, because customs are a total bitch, but some of the prices here are just too good to pass up. The ‘newly discounted’ section regularly has me 20+ pages deep and wishing I could hit the checkout button on my entire wishlist.

This Boy by Band of Outsiders dress was one of the pieces from a recent order, and even with the hefty customs charge on top, it was still a complete steal. It’s one of those perfect items that looks striking all by itself, thanks to plenty of nice little design details, but also layers up under and over other things really well too. I’ve been finding every excuse to wear it since it arrived.

House of Sunny Dress with Ties / Toilworn Arrowhead Necklace / Elemental Luxury ‘Stella’ Quartz Ring / Hvnter Gvtherer ‘Kindling’ Ring / Rick Owens Wedge Boots

It feels like the weather and life have really been conspiring against my promise to post outfits more frequently again. If it’s not been throwing it down with rain, then I’ve been struck down with illness after illness or I’ve just been too knackered to even think about putting on something half decent. I’ve been living in my many similar (but not the same!) tee dresses and trusty wedges lately, as I always seem to do when I’m feeling drained. Although I love these simple kind of outfits, and how cosy and comforting they can be when you’re feeling down, they don’t really make for the most exciting outfit posts. And especially not when it’s one after the other for weeks on end!

Last week I finally managed to catch a bit of a break weatherwise and thought I’d better make the most of it before the sun disappears again. I brought this House of Sunny dress from the ASOS sale right back at the start of the year. It’s a label I’d never heard of before, and whilst the rest of their offering isn’t really my style, this one dress really grabbed my attention. I’m not sure if I’m tying the straps around the waist the way they were meant to be worn, there are so many options and ASOS opted for a much neater look, but I like them best haphazardly wrapped like this and left dangling. There’s just something really satisfying about wearing something that swishes around as you walk.

Want to know another thing that’s really satisfying? Expensive shoes that look better the more you wear them, and that you don’t have to be scared of roughing up. I brought these Rick Owens boots second hand, they were marked down quite a lot because of the water stains, scuffs and obvious wear, but to me that didn’t take away from their value. It added character and a story, and meant that I was happy to put them straight on my feet to stomp around in them as soon as they arrived – rather than nervously saving them for ‘special occasions’ to avoid ruining them, like I would have if they were brand new and perfect.