Casio Gold Watch – My Favourite Accessory

What is my accessory I cannot live without?

The one shiny, decorative AND functional piece that compliments any outfit, keeps me retro-chic and always (well, sometimes) on time?

My Casio watch!

This gadget knows how to stand the test of time.

I just have to share with you a few nuggets of retro Casio gold that I’ve plundered from my internet research and tell you why I love this wristwear so. My life would not be complete without it, as is sometimes demonstrated when I’ve forgotten to put it on and still check my wrist to find it naked – how shocking!

Now I am a lover of all things 80s and 90s, partly because of the nostalgia of my youth and partly because these times were just so freakin awesome dude! They marked the start of the technological revolution, something that we are so engulfed in today that we either take it for granted or just want it to leave us the fuck alone for one minute…(I just want to sit in a field with my phone buried ten feet under OKAY?) But back then, can you imagine the excitement and hype surrounding the first portable Gameboy, or the neon flashing code blinking back at you from an early computer screen. I can, but I’m getting old. If you can’t, I’m sure you can admire (if in a slightly mocking manor) such history in it’s endearing technological infancy. This watch, in all it’s digital glory, harks back to those rad old times.

You may or may not know that in the 1980s, Casio became well known for it’s innovation in wristwear. Not only did they start selling calculator watches, just check out these amazing Zelda and Super Mario game watches! And, did you know there was a Casio that even stored your phone numbers? That’s just a step away from the Apple Watch…over 30 years ago!

Now, there is more than one reason that this watch is my absolute fave…

Unisex Androgyny

I just love how classic Casios transcend gender and can suit anybody. I prefer the androgynous look because it can complement any outfit.

Multifunctionality

These babies don’t just tell the time. They have stopwatches and alarms, and a cool little light to read the time in the dark.

Choice

I just love that you can rock the same watch in a range of colours and styles. My favourites are the gold and black as I love to add some gold to any outfit, and my black rubber one for more grungy looks. The plastic ones come in so many colours and are super affordable.

Affordability

Now being the tightwad that I was when I was younger, I would buy my Casio (slap on the wrist) from a market vendor in Camden for a diminished price. At this point I was thinking more about the look than the functionality, but when the gaining time got to be too much and I was arriving early all too often (I’m a late person at heart), I decided it was time to take the plunge and get a legit Casio! Low and behold, I discovered that I could have afforded one all along!

Now please don’t be a cheap market fiend like me. Take a look at these Casio’s which are on my wishlist.

Checked gold watch

All other Casio watches

Do you remember the early Casios?

What’s your favourite accessory?

Til next time!

Elizabeth x

 

 

 

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OOTD: 90’s YSL, Jelly Shoes and Colour-Blocking

Guys and girls I feel absolutely fabulous in this outfit. I think each piece I’m wearing deserves it’s own major credit, and throwing them all together just fills me with joy.

First we’ve got the t-shirt, the inspiration for the ensemble. This is actually a kid’s t-shirt which used to belong to my boyfriend as a child! Weird I know, strange maybe, but don’t judge a piece of clothing on age or ownership, try and see it’s potential! Firstly, I have never owned a designer branded top before, so I feel this makes it fashion queen worthy. Secondly, the colour-blocking of the initials screams early 90’s, my favourite of times past. The bold primary colours are just asking to be matched with more bright colours, colour-blocked and lifted with bold jewellery.

You may have read the story of this jacket before. If you haven’t see my last OOTD post: Vintage Wrangler Jeans. Anyway, this jacket is answering cry number 1: match me! and cry number 2: colour block me! This oversized sportswear is massively enhancing the early 90’s look I’m going for.

Next, the trousers. These black and white trousers are so bright they really lift the primary colours. The high waist fits with the early 90’s look and the brush stroke print makes me feel like an artist, throwing colour about.

Now for the shoes! My Juju jelly shoes have been in hibernation for a while, but I remember I was so excited when I bought them as they truly remind me of my childhood. They were such a big thing in the 90’s and so they’re perfect for completing this outfit. I love the contrasting white buckles, they go perfectly with my trousers. I also love how they are sandals so you can have fun with socks (addressing my previous post: The Socks and Sandals Trend). Have you ever been to that trampoline place Bounce? Well I went in Bangkok and these are my Bounce socks. The bold colour blocking and chevron print is perfect for this outfit!

Now this outfit is super casual and comfortable, but I really want to address demand number 3 – statement jewellery. I feel my styling has fallen down a bit here – I’m just feeling the casual vibes too much right now. I do love this simple but bold choker from Primark though, and it’s matching my trousers and shoes. Of course I’ve got my gold hoops on and my Casio watch as well!

Do you have any childhood tees you can’t live without?

Til next time!

Elizabeth x

OOTD: Candy Cable Knit and Mom Jeans, Carlton Style

OK I’ve cheated a bit! The weather is glorious here today and there is no way you would find me in this chunky jumper…but, this is one of the items I have been wearing most recently, up until yesterday when we were welcomed by this freakishly pleasant heat wave in England.

 

There are so many parts to this outfit I am desperate to talk about, but putting them all together has made me even more excited. I think Sleeping Beauty and Carlton both featured quite strongly subconsciously in my inspiration.

 

 

I will lay off the jeans description, as I wore them in my last OOTD post (sorry, but I they are my new favs). I will just say, they are from a charity shop, fit me perfectly, are like new and are super high waisted Wrangler’s. I love the mom style jean.

 

 

This candy pink jumper is from Primark of course. I love the cable knit pattern and I feel like this looks so much more expensive than the few pounds it was. I bought it in a large as I wanted a super cosy oversized fit. Underneath I am wearing a pale pink t-shirt.

My smart shoes gave me the inspiration to tuck in my jumper (is that the teacher in me coming through?) I’ve never done this before but it works because the mom jeans are a less fitted style like the jumper, but cinche me in at the waist to give me curves. And how have I not spoken about these shoes yet?! They are bright pink and shiny and have a kind of preppy vibe. They are from Topshop.

I love the sparkly and dainty accessories I’ve put together here. I think they really elevate the look and make it unique. I’m wearing a skinny gold metallic snakeskin belt to match the gold jewellery. This super cute, delicate chain and pearl choker is from Primark and so are the gold hoops (which I wear most days). I never thought I would wear socks with these shoes either, but I couldn’t help it, the socks are just too cute! They are from a pack of three from Primark and are Harry Potter Honeydukes socks. They have glittery frogs on!

Finally, it was a bit cold that day so I put on this furry dalmation print coat from Missguided. It’s quite bold but because it’s black and white it goes with most things.

I’m not sure how to describe this outfit as a whole. I feel like it’s a bit preppy and smart but then also casual because of the jeans. It’s confusing but I think that’s what makes it special. I don’t know if I could wear it to work because of the jeans. How silly is that?!

P.S. Special thanks to my assistant Esmerelda the cat, and thank you for matching my outfit so effortlessly.

Til next time…

Elizabeth xx

The Socks and Sandals Trend with Topshop

If the fashion industry will insist on introducing sandals and swimwear into our high street stores while it is still snowing outside, then I will answer to this lunacy by reinventing the way I wear such items.

More and more fashionistas are embracing the trend to wear sandals with socks (something that once was reserved only for the elderly gentleman).

Fashion should be about experimentation, so although it gripes me that I could not find some decent winter boots to combat frostbite last month because the shelves were filled with summer wear, I am willing to work with what’s on offer and use it as an excuse to shop for some fancy new socks while I’m at it.

The most common sock and sandal trend hitting our streets as well as pools is the sporty slider (or slide – I’m unsure which is the correct technical term!), worn with matching brand socks, like these Adidas ones below.

Or you can go monchromatic with stripy knee high socks, like Rita Ora. This is an opportunity to have as much fun with your socks as your shoes.

When I got back from my travels round Asia in the depths of winter, I saw the most stunning pair of sliders EVER beckoning me over in Topshop, and now that spring finally seems to be here, I think I might be able to make them work.

Whether you want to stock up for your summer hols early or you want to try the sock and sandal look like me, here are my favourite sliders I’ve recently spied and my suggestions of how to wear them ‘a la socks’!

Compliment pretty beaded sandals with more lacey, delicate socks.

These are the beauts which I’m lusting after. I think these would go perfectly with some thin black ribbed socks with a lacy trim to compliment the ornate beading, which you can get from Primark or Topshop here.

Combine unusual fabrics and textures.

Play on the theme of the contrasting materials and styles in these jelly sliders with western buckles and a cork sole, by adding another unusual fabric, such as sheer socks, glitter socks or even fluffy slipper socks for maximum frostbite prevention. This unique pair are from Topshop too.

Have fun with colour blocking like this dude.

These neon pink jelly slides would look fab with a clashing colour sock such as red or blue.

Shoe links below

Embellished sliders

Western buckle sliders

Neon pink sliders

Have you tried socks and sandals? How would you wear the trend?

Elizabeth x

Art Exhibition – Social Media Saturation

I’ve just been to see the New Art West Midlands Exhibition 2018 at Birmingham Museum of Art. This exhibition resonated with me and I though I would comment on a couple of the quotes from a piece of art below. Excuse me if I rant a bit…

So diligently recording ourselves do so little.

I can’t help but agree quite strongly that many of us do this. But why? Why does EVERYTHING have to be documented now and SHARED? I am confused about what is even of value to others AND myself because it has become so expected to value EVERYTHING.

Can’t you just enjoy eating your cheesecake without plastering it across social media for others to drool over or ‘fake like’ to fulfil some ulterior motive of their own? Haven’t I got better things to do than stalk and comment on other people’s food, especially when I’m not even hungry and don’t much like to cook? Do we really want to ‘start a conversation’ about someone’s pudding?

I am such a culprit myself. I have gotten into an awful habit of watching YouTubers’ weekly vlogs. I find them comforting and I enjoy watching different personalities to my own, but sometimes they finish and I think, I’m so bored. Why did I watch someone’s week, which was less fulfilling than my own? I would never passively follow a real friend around all week for entertainment.

I, as much as anyone, need to learn to sift through the piles of meaninglessness in this over-saturated online existence. This goes for my online search for entertainment and what I can provide for others.

P.S. Soz if you don’t want to see What I Wore. I’m only trying to fit in…

So conditioned to feeling ‘less than’ mindlessly scrolling and scrolling.

I interpreted this one in two ways, the first being ‘less than’ alert/fully functioning as we endlessly scroll. Our fingers do the work, the computer does the rest, our brains are just passengers on whatever journey the internet is feeding us at that moment in time.

The second is conditioned to feeling ‘inferior’ as we constantly compare and judge ourselves against the heightened reality portrayed to us through the likes of Instagram. Yes I know this has been happening since Hollywood and then through magazines, but the internet has taken this to a whole new level. The word selfie breeds scrutiny, often vanity and likely also extreme insecurity. And the internet grants us an endless supply of these conditioning images to scroll through.

Saying that, I did love this real life selfie wall!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on these quotes!

Do you like to record your every move and why, or is it a waste of time?

Do you think scrolling makes you feel mindless?

Elizabeth xx

 

OOTD: Vintage Wrangler Jeans

How excited was I when I spotted these vibrant blue Wrangler jeans in my local charity shop (thrift shop for my American readers)?!

They are in amazing condition, and I don’t know how old they are, but they are super high waisted! The vibrancy of this blue colour means I can get away with more muted colours elsewhere, something I don’t always like to do.

If you are new to thrifting/charity shop shopping, it is a great way to find authentic, quality jeans. Especially if you visit a store in a more up-market area. Before now, I have found Armani, Versace, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein and Levi’s jeans. I also hate jean shopping as I have a small waist and larger hips and I find it hard to find pairs to fit me. Whenever I try on H&M jeans they are about a foot too long, too tight on the bum and gape round my waist! Is anyone else the same?? I do find that vintage items or branded jeans fit well because more time has been put into making them. If you are buying fast fashion made for 6 sizes or more it’s not likely going to be the ideal fit for your body shape.

T-shirts are easier to shop for luckily. I’ve paired these jeans with this finely ribbed t-shirt from Primark, which has a real vintage feel to it, thanks to it’s colour and texture.

I couldn’t resist throwing on my jumper/jacket of the moment, to complete the retro look. This jumper I got for free on a night out at Swaparama (a bit like musical statues for ‘grown ups’ except when the music stops you swap clothing). My memory escapes me as to whether I saw it’s potential in the dark of the club or I just wanted something warm to go home in. Anyway, it sat at the bottom of my wardrobe for ages, until recently, when I pulled it out and discovered it goes with EVERYTHING (except my coats, so bring on spring!). It’s actually just a cheap X Large unbranded item but I feel like the colours go with so much, the stripes add a sporty vibe to any look and the colour blocking is great for a throwback look.

I was feeling casual today so I chucked on my old Converse which are always the shoes I go to when I’m lacking imagination. These can also give your outfit an instant vintage look.

To accessorise I’m wearing my gold Casio watch, which I love because it goes with everything and adds a vintage 80’s look to my outfit. I’m wearing gold hoops to tie in with my gold watch. You can find multi-packs of assorted sizes in Primark for £1! I wanted to give my look the slightest bit of glam whilst staying sporty and tomboyish.

What are your favourite jeans?

Elizabeth xx

Let’s get this party started!

Hello brave new world of 2018; so glad you are finally here! And hello to whoever is reading this, the first ever post of Dress Up Party! I hope you are as excited as I am for this kaleidoscopic adventure…this fashion blog is a long, long, looonnngg time coming and I’d like to tell you why, if you’d care to read on…

I have always loved fashion and design and have dabbled in blogging and designing jewellery in the past but didn’t have the self belief to take it to the next level. So instead, over the last four years I have worked my butt off to carve out a career for myself in teaching, which, quite frankly, left me a haggered shell of a human being. I lived in one of the most thrilling places in the UK – Brighton, yet rarely ever saw the outside of my school/flat. My anxiety due to the pressures of planning, preparation, marking, assessment and so on meant I allowed myself only a few hours on a Saturday to go out…NOT HEALTHY!

I always knew I loved fashion and design and this is where my passions lay, yet I told myself to do the ‘sensible’ thing, even though I felt like I was losing my identity. Every Saturday I would look at all my unworn clothes and accessories, get dressed up like a kid with a dressing up box and for one day, start to feel like ME again. then Sunday would come round and it was back to a full working day from home. My boyfriend and I were at breaking point as I always put work first and was always miserable.

Last summer, he set me free by persuading me to quit my job and go travelling together. Travelling has revived me and shown me there are many ways to live your life and that life’s too short to waste time trying to make the wrong way work. I have learnt to laugh, relax, have fun again and finally have time to think. I knew when I came back I couldn’t go back to my old life. Life is too short not to be happy. I have also been dying to go shopping for a new wardrobe, as there’s only so much you can carry when you’re backpacking round Asia!

So, this blog is going to be about having fun and self expression, creativity and perhaps some stories from my travels too. I hope this has inspired you to follow my journey into a new, more sparkly and colourful way of living.