Style Vs Fashion: OOTD Diaries Best of 2017!
Thursday, January 04, 2018
So it's the beginning of a New Year, and
with that comes the start of many new fashion adventures! For me every day is a
catwalk moment, how I dress has very little to do with the current hot trend,
or what celebrities are currently wearing. Instead I care about wearing clothes
that make ME happy, yes that’s right ME! It’s not about how many instagram likes
I can get from wearing a trending look, or if I’ve scored that sell out bag or
jacket you're sick of seeing on everyone, it’s about wearing things
that make me feel good, that put a spring in my step and a smile on my face!
Trends can be great for inspiration but
personal style is something different, it’s about understanding the language of
clothes, knowing how they make you feel, what best suits you (body shape AND
personality wise) and most importantly wearing looks that YOU love!
For me it’s not about chasing after the
latest Instagram trend, it’s about expressing my personality and love of craftsmanship
and quality pieces when it comes to my fashion tastes. I might choose to wear head to
toe designer, or pull out a vintage item from my wardrobe that I’ve had for twenty years, or even rock a pair of designer shoes with a Primark dress! I love the fact
that my clothes reflect where I am in my life, they are an extension of how I'm
feeling and what makes me happy. My style has reached a point where I know what
works for me and I know how to dress in a way that will best showcase my
physical assets as well as my personality! No longer do I feel the pressure of
having to fit in, changing up my look every five minutes to stay “fashionable”,
instead I choose to be stylish, and wear looks that work best for me. If I feel inspired to push my fashion boundaries, I opt for a new take on my core
fashion DNA rather than jumping on a fashion trend bandwagon that may be
massively popular but just doesn't work for me!
With all this in mind I thought I would look
back over the past twelve months and share with you my Top 5 favourite looks
from 2017! Looking back over my photos it was certainly the year of the dress
for me, with so many of my looks revolving round a show stopping dress and a
pair of killer heels! (What can I say, I'm a sucker for a cute dress!) So here
they are, in no particular order, my Top 5 favourite looks from 2017!!
Love thy Self (Portrait)!
2017 was the year of Self Portrait for me!
A brand I had loved for what seemed like forever, I finally took the
plunge and bought my first Self Portrait piece, this AMAZING Butterfly guipure lace mini dress! The
quality of it is seriously next level, it's lace detailing is beautifully finished and the dress
itself weighs a ton! Such a classically chic style it’s given a fashion
edge with it’s cuff detailing that even has concealed wire in the ‘wing cuffs’
to help them stay in shape! Worth every penny (and the certainly not the only Self Portrait that ended up in my wardrobe in 2017!) I wore this dress styled with chic green accessories to the opening night of SS17 West Coast Cooler Belfast
FASHIONWEEK!
Bandage Style!
What can I say, I do love my designer items and not because I'm a label queen but because of my love for the quality, workmanship and attention to detail only found from designer clothes. I had always lusted after the iconic Hervé Leger bandage dresses and it was such a fashion milestone for me when I finally snagged this Hervé Leger “Dania” dress! The amount of hand crafted detailing in this dress is totally insane, and the fit is sheer perfection clinging to every curve of my petite body! I loved wearing it to The Merchant Hotel’s Fabulous Fashion Tea event where I styled it with a Zara Chanel inspired fringed jacket (worn so much in 2017), paired with a diamanté Chanel brooch, See by Chloé “Paige” handbag and satin Lanvin shoes!
Urban Jungle!
By the time it came to the University of Ulster’s Fashion Graduate show I was ready to push some fashion boundaries, so I opted for this show stopping neon leopard print skort suit! Not for the faint hearted, it’s print is bold, but it’s tailoring is minimal and slick, letting the print do all the talking! I paired it with a lace crop top to show off my abs, a statement necklece, skyscraper heels from Karen Millen and a burst of orange from my Furla tote bag. The look certainly turned heads ending up in a full page spread in Ulster Tatler magazine's Style Watch feature!
Love Lace!
Dresses are so flattering for my petite frame, and I love the sense of femininity I feel when I'm wearing them. I always look for attention to detail and when I spotted this Pretty Lavish lace dress in boutique Ora Ora I knew it had to be mine! Unfortunately the dress had sold out in my size, but the Ora Ora team were amazing and ordered in my size in double fast time! It was THE perfect dress to wear to the Press Launch of AW17 West Coast Cooler Belfast FASHIONWEEK and it certainly had all the photographers snapping away! I love being super co-ordinated and I matched it up perfectly with a Karen Millen satin clutch bag and co-ordinating sandals, finishing off the look with my Cartier Love bracelet and a pair of killer sunglasses!
Faith in Fashion!
Last but by no means least is probably my favourite of all my looks from throughout the year, as this was a true dream dress! Not only was it channelling my love for Self Portrait, but the fit was sheer perfection! The second I tried it on it felt like it had been made for me, showing off my tiny waist and petite frame to perfection, while the lace and mesh detailing gave it both a chic and sexy edge! I loved wearing it to the opening night of AW17 West Coast Cooler Belfast FASHIONWEEK in the majestic surroundings of Belfast Cathedral. I was in my fashion element in this dress, and I loved it so much that it was also my choice of attire for Christmas Day too!!
All photography by Adrian Quinn photography.
