If you’ve been reading here for a while, you’ll know that I started off this blog as a fashion blog all those many (nearly 10!) years ago. Whilst I started off just sharing my Outfit of the Day posts, I then evolved to include beauty, and then travel, and as I grew, my blog grew along with me. I documented when I got my pug puppy, Sonny, and bought my first home, and more recently some trials and tribulations of lockdown. But, though it all, fashion remains my first love.
And, although I’m not at the same confidence level since pre-Covid and don’t yet feel comfortable with full Outfit of the Day photoshoots again(!), I do want to share today my top 5 ways to update your post-lockdown look. It’s something that I’ve been working through myself since returning to the office, struggling to fit into my own clothes and negotiate socialising where I can!
I’ve decided that if I am going to wear non-loungewear comfort-level clothing, I’m going to go bold with the prints!
I’ve always liked a bold print, patterns and colour and I think that having stayed inside so much over the past 18 months I was starting to lose that a little bit. Now I’m back wearing real life outfits again, I feel so much more myself in a bold print!
Leopard print has always been my favourite and this dress (that I nabbed from the Clearance section of Next the other week) is no exception. A primary colour paired with one of my favourite prints is a recipe for success in my eyes!
Possibly the quickest – and most cost effective ways to update an outfit is by investing in some new jewellery. Of course, you can interpret this how you want. You might want to take the time (and money) to invest in something sparkly that will last forever, or you might want a quick fix that will set you back only a couple of quid and serve you for the rest of Summer, before updating again in Autumn. Either way, a new statement necklace or pair of earrings are a quick fire way to give an old outfit a new lease of life!
Personally, I always think a good pair of earrings make me look – and more importantly, feel – put way more together than I might have before. Now that I am back in the office every day, I’m having the crisis of kinda wanting new workwear but also kinda not, because now I’ve discovered the joys of loungewear and comfort!
So, wearing my new gold hoops and double shell earrings from Daisy London are the perfect outfit update I needed. Both of these are 18Ct Gold Plated and made from recycled silver, making them a great and guilt-free alternative to fast fashion. In fact, at £125 and £119 respectively, they are the perfect mid-market investment piece that will last you for a few years to come, without being fast fashion or breaking the bank either.
One way to make any outfit feel brand new is by putting on a new (or newly re-discovered from the back of your wardrobe!) pair of shoes. During lockdown, I discovered the joys of trainers for really one of the first times ever. Sure, I had started wearing white pumps into the office whilst I was working in town – and thinking there was something kinda cool about that suit and trainers vibe – but honestly, after being inside and barefoot for so long, I really have little desire to wear heels anymore…
That is, unless the heels are extremely fabulous! I had three weddings cancelled over lockdown (not my own lol) and now they’re thankfully all being rearranged and I have quite the social schedule coming up. With that being said, again, I don’t quite want to buy new dresses, just in case they are postponed again and styles and sizes are subject to change. So, shoes are a great way to feel like you have something special going on without refreshing the whole planned outfit.
Not sure if everyone had the same uni experience as me, but almost every girl friend I had at uni got our ‘night out’ shoes from New Look. It must have been some sort of cult, because they felt so fancy at the time and in hindsight, probably really weren’t. That being said, I do still buy ocassionwear shoes from New Look. They’re affordable, okay quality for a couple of nights out and are actually really comfortable compared to other brands I’ve tried. Sure, they won’t last you years, but for a trend-based heel to go with a Summer wedding outfit, they’re ideal.
In my past life I had a lot of matching patterned suits. Tartain, tweed, floral and bright reds, pinks and even animal prints. I loved a quirky suit that was smart enough for the office, but ‘me’ enough that I could wear out straight after work for evening networking events or dinner with friends.
Now, life has changed, and across the board formal wear requirements have really changed. Maybe it will go back to how it was eventually, but for now, things seem to be a lot more casual, and so I have been mixing and matching elements of past outfits to make a ‘new normal’ smart-casual look for work and meetings.
Wearing suit trousers with a T-shirt, or a blazer with a midi dress and trainers – mixing and matching means that I am able to shop my stash all over again. It’s a sustainable way to feel like you have a lot of new outfits, whilst making the most out of what you already have. Plus, it’s kinda fun to be creative again.
Honestly, I’ve not really worn much makeup for an entire year. Even now, when going to work, I’ve embraced the fresh face look and really only brush my brows, add a coat of mascara and use some concealer to cover up any blemishes.
However, for brunch dates with friends or the occasional (very occasional now!) trip to the pub, I have been adding a bright lip.
Red lipstick has always been a go-to for me, but usually I’d pair it with a cat eye flick of liquid liner, some light contouring or maybe even a spot of sparkly eyelid for when I’m feeling fancy. Now? I honestly feel like I look a bit weird with more makeup on.
Again, I’m sure it’s really just a case of what you are used to and I will probably build up to wearing more makeup for special occasions again, but I honestly feel quite content with the ‘less is more’ approach at the moment, and adding red lipstick is an instant confidence boost and uplift for when I want to feel like I look a bit different.
Full time I'm an ambitious Head of Marketing and Communications in the luxury industry. Part time, I'm an enthusiastic British Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle blogger and YouTuber from Manchester, UK. This blog has been my outlet for the past 7+ years, and as a longstanding, Award-winning blogger I take the most enjoyment from creating content I truly love and believe in. All authentic. Always.