the have and the have nots

I have been adding to my wardrobe recently under the pretense of buying clothing for my three weeks in New York (I fly out in three weeks and two days bytheway).

Of course in an ideal world I would be buying from net-a-porter in bulk but sadly I am living in the real world so therefore have been trapsing around Manchester city centre/scouring the internet buying the various things that I need want. However, because I am a masochist I decided to inflict pain on myself by finding items online that resembeled the items I purchased which instantly resulted in me resenting the items I have and dreaming of the items I don't have.

The grass is always greener.

have

have not

In all honesty I am in love with everything I bought...promise! In particuluar I am pleased as punch that I managed to find copies of those Chloe boots I was desperate for a few weeks ago (and at a tenth of the price). I love them so much I have worn them everday since buying them which hasn't been so great gor my feet but has done wonders for my soul.

Have: Asos playsuit £35, H&M cuff £3.99, Zara jacket £79.99, Office boots £80, H&M leggings £14.99, Aldo boots £40 (in sale).

Have not: Etoile Isabel Marant playsuit £230, YSL cuff £365, Alexander McQueen jacket £9325, Chloe boots £850, Stella McCartney trousers £430, Isabel Marant boots £365.

pink ladies

I ordered this dress from Topshop Boutique this past weekend as they were offering 20% discount for students...I'd have been a fool not to right? One must always abuse utilise a discount.

I think the tennis dress style is so cute and I'm pretty sure that once the sun comes out I will be wearing the crap out of this dress. What I love most is the dainty shade of palest pink. It kind of reminds me of the sickly sweet Louis Vuitton spring/summer magazine campaigns with the girls surrounded by shiny ice cream colours. I am not the kind of person who usually wears pink though. I used to wear it when I was younger obviously, at around the age of 15 I think half my wardrobe must have been at least pink based, but now I am the ripe old age of 21 the most I can muster is a shiny pink t-shirt I got for christmas. And then by some miracle I was inspired by the movie Funny Face starring Audrey Hepburn. I love any Audrey movie and used to watch Breakfast at Tiffanys over and over again when I was a child and wouldn't even understand what was happening. There is a scene early on in the film that came on television today and I just had to do a pink related post (the scene is below so be sure to check it out for some inspiration). It seems pink is going to be a trend this coming season with pastel colours springing up all over the high street after the heavy featuring of pale colours in the shows last September. If you aren't brave enough to wear the colour head to toe or simply aren't 'a very pink girl' then try and translate it into your accessories or, like me, invest in a pop of pink lipstick; but not the horrible pale stuff that makes you look like you are a chav on your death bed I go for a rich fuscia with a hint of neon. Think pink.

Proenza Schouler PS1 leather iPad case £470, Miu Miu dropped waist crepe dress £980, Tibi silk crepe top £205, D&G dropped waist silk shirt dress £330, Pierre Hardy neoprene and patent leather sandals £680, Stella McCartney perspex heeled two toned sandals £565, Tibi tapered silk crepe pants £300. All availale at net-a-porter. 



new year, new shoes

So, I'm back everybody!

After a very stressful exam season and and even more stressful hangover I finally have time to devote myself to my blog. Oh how I have missed it!

Anyways, over christmas I got some amazing treats which will slowly but surely be revealed on the bloggy wog (Russel Brand's new book?). But first there is some urgent business to attend to in the form of some beautiful dark purple velevt shoes by Givenchy...did I mention that I am their very proud owner?

Well I saw them on the net-a-porter annual sale which is BY FAR the best sale out there. The reductions are ridiculous and if my student loan came in just two weeks earlier than usual I would 100% be the proud owner of half of the sale. However, I only came away from sale season with these stunning new playthings for my feet. At the moment they hurt like hell but I am hoping with some tender love and care they will soon be living in harmony with my toes. My favourite bit is the gold anklet on each shoe, they are detachable but I will never be taking them off.

In onther news I just signed up to twitter. I know I am way behind on the times but it's better late than never right? Be sure to follow me @merritt_laura

oops I did it again

So, I bought another YSL arty glass ring from net-a-porter. Don't judge me...I couldn't help myself!

I bought it in a jet lag induced delirious state and was surprised to see a confirmation email on my laptop the next morning. Best surprise ever. I am in love with the ring, I love it more than my first one. The dark rhodium finish on the silver make the golden amber stone stand out in beautiful contrast. My friend said it looks like something out of Harry Potter and I agree, it is so bewitching to look at. It hasn't left my finger since it arrived on Tuesday!

Just one of the benefits of a student loan.

don't make me get old school

Ok so this isn't the best outfit post ever because I think I look like I stepped out of a bad ninties movie, but in a good way.

Anyway, I finally got my converse! After months of pining over the leather high tops I went to try them on and to be honest the resuts were not great. Basically I am not even nearly bad ass enough to pull off white leather high tops, I just don't have the swagger. I looked like I was in fancy dress as one of those hip hop honey's you see in old Dr Dre video's, safe to say it was not working for me. So I tried on a pair of the canvas high tops and fell in love. I only bought them this morning so for now they ar far too shiny, white and new looking but I am taking them on holiday with me next week so fingers crossed I will wear them in nicely. They look blinding white in the photos below so beware.

so ninties it hurts

Converse All Stars, Topshop leggings, H&M tunic, a vintage Levi's denim jacket that belongs to my housemate.

leopard

I went to Sankeys in Manchester last night now that I am officially back in the North for my final year at University. It was borderline tropical in Manchester last night and Sankeys is always a bit of a sweaty mess but the t-shirt I bought from Urban Outfitters is so lightweight and floaty that I survived the night without feeling like I was clubbing on the sun.

Urban Outfitters t-shirt, Topshop Skirt, H&M cuff, Urban Outiftters shoes.

chain reaction

Beware...another post about 21st birthday related items.

My brother and I have never really given each other gifts since we were around the age of 17, mainly because we spend our allowance (and now student loans) on other things. However, upon turning 21 I felt I deserved a present. To minimise how annoying this reality might be to my little bro I chose my gift, ordered my gift and then simply informed him of the bill.

This beauty is what I ended up with-

It is another item I came across whilst working in the fashion cupboard at Glamour. It is by a designer called Florence b and basically you order the bracelet online and everything is bespoke, you get to choose the colours of the silk that is woven in to the chunky gold plated chain and you also get to choose a charm to be put on the clasp so every bracelet is unique and sooooo pretty!

twinkle toes

These bad boys crossed my path during my internship at Glamour magazine when they were called in for a party dressing without the dresses shoot. I adored them as soon as I saw them. I had been a massive fan of the Guiseppe Zanotti sandals that these ones are obviously a high street copy of, the difference is that the River Island verisons that I ordered are a million times cheaper at only £55 (even if they aren't as spectacular as the originals).

They are nude suede with crystals all over them so they are super sparkly but still quite subtle. River Island are also selling these in black suede with dark blue crystals, similar to the shoes that Olivia Palermo wore recently, however I don't think the shoes look expensive enough to carry off those colours.

I took this photo in my bathroom to try and capture the sparkles in the bright lights

pantone no. 18-1663

Yes, that's right, I am now the proud owner of a pair of beautiful red soled shoes.

even the box is beautiful

an early birthday message from net-a-porter

possibly the most exciting moment in my sad little life



in all their glory

 So there they are. Christian Louboutin satin pumps courtesy of net-a-porter and my lovely Aunt. They arrived today, just in time for my 21st birthday party this weekend. Photos of them on my feet (where from now on they will be firmly glued) will be up soon!

Smug.

talk to the hand

I was in Manchester earlier this week and bought this beautiful Hamsa necklace from Azendi. I love Azendi because all the jewelery is such great quality and still not too expensive. This sterling silver necklace was only £25. Hamsa's are supposed to bring good luck and they are part of the So Lucky range that also includes a wish bone, four leaf clover and horseshoe and more.

tell me about it, stud.

These are my new winter boots. I know it is only August, but why let boots like these fly by? I had seen them online in dark brown, and although they were beautiful I wasn't in the market for brown boots after my boot buy in the sales earlier this summer. Obviously they were in stock in the Oxford Street store so I had to have to them. The great thing about black, or even brown, leather boots is that they have become a perfect transitional piece. They are perfect in summer time with a cute playsuit, shorts or even a pretty floral dress and then of course they go with everything as soon as the colder months roll around. I am desperate to wear these as soon as possible but I am terrified of the obligatory blisters that come hand in hand with new boots. Somebody hand me some thick socks!

smoke and mirrors

I love this dress. It has a beautiful smokey grey and pale pink print which looks incredible in a soft summer breeze. Originally it had a tie at the top but I thought it made me look borderline puritanical so I cut them off and re-stitched it to avoid fraying.
I'm planning on wearing it some point this weekend (weather providing).

H&M dress

patchwork elephant

Does anyone remember Elmer the Elephant?

I bought this bag from a market and when I got it home it reminded me so much of Elmer the patchwork elephant. It was a book that I remember fondly from my kindergarten years about the adventures of this awesome multicoloured elephant and this bag is the essence of Elmer. I love all the colours and tiny handstitched embrioderies in each little section, it's also big enough to carry a baby sized elephant so it's perfect for weekends away.

tanorexic

Today I bought these tan boots in the Topshop sale. I hate sales, always have and always will. I like for clothes to be set out for me to properly view and I hate feeling crowded and rushed when i'm shopping which makes the hectic atmosphere of sales my worst nightmare. So i was surprised when I happened to stumble upon the sale today, not meaning to go shopping at all, and finding that Topshop was uncharacteristically empty.

I got some really lovely things, specifically for my trip to Barcelona in July, and then spotted these boots. I have wanted them since they came out, but I could never decide between the tan and the black but seeing them today made it clear that I needed them! They are such a gorgeous orangey tone of tan and the zip makes them much more clean cut and feminine than laces. They also have about a 1 and a half inch heel so they are really flattering which is always a positive. I would definitely suggest checking out the sale at Topshop, whether online or in store, because not only do they have a wide variety of summer and winter clothing at 30%-50% off they also seem to have much more variety of accessories and shoes in the sale than in previous years.

Boots from Topshop, Shorts from Dorothy Perkins, Cape Cardigan from Topshop, Vest from H&M, Gold Watch by Michael Kors, Gold Cuff by H&M, Copper Ring by Topshop.

black and gold

It's here!

The YSL ring saga is finally over and it was totally worth it. I originally ordered it with a white stone from Selfridges but sadly the item went out of stock before it could be shipped. Luckily, Harvey Nichols had it in this beautiful black and gold stone and I recieved it in the post this afternoon. I love it and cannot wait to expand my collection of these stunning rings over the next few years.

dream catch me

Last month, New York native Pamela Love teamed up with retail giant (and personal favourite of mine) Topshop to create Pamela Love for Topshop.

           

Pamela’s jewellery embodies new age punk and romance and because of this she has been in high demand. She has previously collaborated with Zac Posen, Marchesa and Opening Ceremony and her jewellery is heavily featured in the hit series True Blood. Topshop is also famous for its collaborations but Pamela is the first American designer to work with the high street chain.The Pamela Love for Topshop collection is a mix of modern New York style and traditional Southwestern design, drawing inspiration from South America and Native American design.

The collection includes Love’s trademark oxidised silver jewellery as well as beautiful pieces featuring feathers and turquoise. When the range was launched in Topshop’s Secret Store and website I was lucky enough to get my hands on a pair of dream catcher earrings but I am yet to take them out on the town so here’s a sneak peek.