you might remember that a few weeks back i attended the most wanted swap shop party, hosted by vouchercodes.co.uk. at the event, we were asked to bring along five items of clothing we no longer want or wear, and then were issued coupons for the value of the items. affordable high street brands were issued one coupon, mid-range high-street brands were awarded two coupons, and high-end high street and designer items were issued three. with tokens in hand, we were off to shop the other blogger's wardrobes! my five items garnered me eight tokens, and with those i grabbed the six tops above, plus two pieces for boyfriend. i was so, so happy with my haul!
well, the fun didn't stop there. a few days after the party, i was contacted by the gorgeous fleur over at vouchercodes to see if i was interested in a follow-up challenge. i do love a good challenge! the vouchercodes online mag 'most wanted' is dedicated to smarter shopping; so, in keeping with the recycling theme from the swap shop, i was given the challenge to re-style the pieces from the event with pieces from my wardrobe, and demonstrate how i plan to wear my haul this 'summer'. on top of that, i was given a small budget to jazz up the outfits and give them new life...this meant one thing... challenge accepted!
i headed out on saturday, with no idea of what i was going to get that would work on all six pieces, and revolutionise the outfits. the pieces that i'd picked up at the event were all pretty 'me' and so blended pretty well into my wardrobe anyway, so, i was thinking shoes; something to give each of the outfits a bit of a fresh look...
[outfit 1.]
top c/o most wanted swap shop // bow c/o crown & glory // ted baker pumps c/o vouchercodes.co.uk // skirt :: river island
...and then, in tk maxx, i saw these ted baker pumps and knew that these were the item to change my wardrobe. i don't own any white or cream shoes, as living in london, they are going to get dirty. but, because these are jelly, they're easily cleaned! the cream is such a great summer addition as they brighten up just about any outfit. the gold glitter bow gives all shoes a bit more glamitude, and couldn't be more perfect for me; you do know how much i love a bow!
on with the outfits! i saw this shirt at the event, and i couldn't leave it there. it's a tad snug across the old bosoms but other than that, it's so sweet and shiny and sea-horsey! the collar comes off too, which is nice. especially because it means i can wear it on other things too, or just not wear it on this, especially when there is so much glitter going on already! i picked this skirt up from river island last year, and have really only worn it once or twice. after it came out of the wash in a crumpled ball, i put it in the too-hard pile because... i don't iron. i did for this occasion. plus, now that i've lost a bit of weight, it looks really good! a sparkly bow was essential for the faux-hive and... damn those shoes are just pure perfection.
[outfit 2.]
shirt c/o most wanted swap shop // skirt :: h&m // pendant :: house of harlow // shoes + crown c/o vouchercodes.co.uk
this shirt was so similar to the one i was wearing at the event, and in more neutral tones so i knew i would get loads of wear out of it, right throughout the year. the cut of the shirt is really big and loose, so i thought rather than tuck a lot of fabric into a different skirt, i could wear it loose over the top! i realise this isn't quite the summer look, but... to be fair, where is the summer anyway? i could easily ditch the tights (could i though?) if the weather permitted, and i can imagine this shirt working well as a throw-on over bikini... should that particular need ever arise. this crown was a must have in black, especially for this outfit, and with the elastic band around it i find it does a little something special to my hair - which i'm rather grateful for.
this look is something different for me! i don't wear a lot of black, or a lot of jewellery. this necklace was a gift for my 25th by my gorgeous bestie back home, and it works so well with this shirt. it's a 'special occaision piece' that really doesn't get a lot of air time. now that i have this shirt, i know i'll wear the pendant more too.
[outfit 3.]
shirt c/o most wanted swap shop // glitter pumps, belt + crown (mine) from primark c/o vouchercodes // skirt :: river island
i think this one's my favourite. this shirt is so ugly. i mean, the cut is. it's a mum top. baggy, shapeless, ties up at the bottom. super unflattering. yet, i had to own it. mint, sheer and flamingos. uhhhm yes! i've been wearing it a lot since i picked it up, but mostly by tying it at the waist - my favourite styling tip ever. this time though, i thought it would look cleaner and more styled if i tucked it in. plus then i could show off this awesome white belt i picked up on sale too! the best thing about the belt? it's a size small, and yet is far too big. love it!
i do already own a pair of these shoes, but they're on the way out because i wear them everywhere. so, with the remaining pennies in my budget, i picked up a replacement pair and what a difference they make to this outfit! a little bit of sparkle really does make all the difference!
i do already own a pair of these shoes, but they're on the way out because i wear them everywhere. so, with the remaining pennies in my budget, i picked up a replacement pair and what a difference they make to this outfit! a little bit of sparkle really does make all the difference!
so, which of the three outfits has your vote? head on over to most wanted and start voting (for me) now! you can join in the fun too! get rummaging through your wardrobe and start re-working those pieces you no longer wear; be inventive! before you buy something new, think about what you already have and how you could recycle those old pieces. and, as always, don't forget to share!
#swapshopstyling
