AW 2014 is in full swing now, transitional pieces have mostly made their way off the shop floors and web-spaces to make way for the new collections. I find it really interesting how the high street adapts the runway trends to make them more accessible to the everyday person, especially the online retailers as their stock changes more rapidly than a traditional bricks and mortar store.
So, if you hadn’t guessed at all yet by the title, I’ve spent far too much time on the boohoo website, doing a bit of window shopping in their ridiculously extensive new in tab. There’s a lot going on in there — pretty much all trends you could be rocking this autumn/winter are covered. I’m pretty sure there’s something for everyone.
I am also very aware that my wardrobe this season needs a colour injection asap. But hey, black and white goes with everything.
Full body
– 1 : Abi spaghetti strap all over lace playsuit £20
I think the playsuit is really cute, it comes in black or wine and would look really nice dressed up or down. The quality on the close ups doesn’t look the best though, so for me, at £20 it’d be a bit of a gamble item. Still cute, though.
– 2 : Abbie grid print duster coat £25
Grid prints!!! I think everyone’s pretty bored of the same american apparel 2 piece making the rounds at the minute, but I do love a good grid print. I like that this coat is white on black, and that the grid looks less clinical than some other items from other shops. I’d style this very similarly to how boohoo does on the website, a very neutral base with the coat as the feature. When winter sets in fully I think this would be a really nice layering piece.
– 3 : Sally printed shift dress £15
I don’t get on particularly brilliantly with boohoo’s shift dresses, but if this were ever to end up in their petite range, I’d definitely give it a try. The print works well for colour lovers and colour-phobes alike, as it’s a little bit shouty, but grounded sufficiently by black running through the pattern, the sleeves + back. To make this more everyday wearable, I’d throw on a chunky, longline black cardigan (trying to match the oranges would be too much), and some flat boots
– 4 : Lily open front ikat print playsuit £10
Style steal alert!!! At only £10 this playsuit is a total bargain. It looks to be of better quality than the Abi, although with no lace present that isn’t exactly hard. I really like the print on this, and the fact that it’s monochrome would allow you to play with adding a bit of colour in your accessories. The cutout doesn’t expose too much of your tummy either, which is a nice fashion follow on from that trend in Spring/Summer.
– 5 : Emma crochet sleeved chiffon playsuit £25
This is a little pricey, but it’s also my favourite playsuit out of the four I’ve picked here. I really like the sheer sleeves and the similar detailing around the shorts. The gathering at the front looks a little unflattering on the catwalk preview, but that’s probably me just being really, really picky. This is another piece that would be quite easy to dress up or down, and it being black makes adding more colour or a statement piece really quite easy.
– 6 : Aoife baroque contrast collar & cuff playsuit £18
I’m not seeing the contrast on the cuff at all, but I do love a good collar. The length of this looks a little risque if you’re a tall girl, as the waist looks a little high on the model as she walks. The print of this is really nice, even if it is a little loud, but it makes it a really easy statement piece. I’d keep anything added to this fairly neutral, to keep the playsuit the focal, although I think dark but bold coloured accessories would look really nice.
– 7/8 : Summer gothic floral organza trim crop top £18 / Violet gothic floral organza trim shorts £12
This duo is definitely the priciest, but two pieces are, once again, really on trend this season. I’ve said before that I’m only really a fan of dark florals — it adds a certain darkness to a sweet print — and these ‘gothic floral’ prints will be really great for the autumn. The peekaboo organza trim on the legs and sleeves is a fun, flirty detail, that gives edge without really trying hard. I love the fact that it’s a two-piece, so that you can mix and match with other items in your wardrobe if you want to.
On to separates now — so that’s tops, bottoms, shoes and accessories — of which boohoo has, again, a multitude of choice.
– 1: Chelsea large check blanket scarf £12
Everyone needs a good scarf. E v e r y o n e. And any tartan or check print is pretty much an autumn/winter staple. So you can’t really go wrong with this one, can you? It’ll go with even the boldest of colours, keeping your outfit fabulous while helping your neck stay cozy. Win/win.
– 2: Freya scallop hem lace top £12
This is another top with questionable quality (it’s the lace, I swear), but I think it’d be a really nice top to wear, even if it does show a lot of skin. I’d say it was more suited to evening or night out outfits, but it wouldn’t be impossible to dress down — a skater or a-line skirt, knitwear, thick tights, and flat shoes, maybe. Dressing it up would be a lot easier, though I’d stick with a clean lined silhouette.
– 3: Maria cage sleeved dipped back top £14
This top comes in three colours — black, grey, navy — and I really like the slouchiness of the cut. I’d style it with jeans and boots, since the top is longline, shorter hemmed bottoms would get a little lost underneath. The cut out arms adds an extra bit of interest so that it isn’t just a basic, slightly oversized, long sleeved top.
– 4: Eve buckle side cut work cleated boot £35
These boots would be perfect for girls that are just learning to wear heels, or want to wear heels with their everyday looks. They’re not quite flatforms, but the heel on these is really low, so it’s like hardly wearing a heel at all. I love the burgundy/wine colour (they say oxblood but that is basically burgundy), and the patent finish. I’d wear them to (add extra height) tone down a more girly outfit, or just grunge up a look in general. I don’t know how well they’d go with a tapered trouser, skinny jeans or tight fitting trousers is where the chunky boots really come into their own.
– 5: Maisie blurred print waistband crop top £10
This is another bargain at only £10! It gives the illusion of a metallic or iridescent/mirrored fabric that is really in at the moment. It mixes with the A/W sporty style trend too, which I like. (Reminiscent of the unif badsport, anyone?) The racerback style of this top means that the shoulders are quite far set in, so it gives the illusion of broader shoulders, which is ace if you’re a little bottom heavy, or just have brilliant shoulders that you want to show off.
– 6: Rose lace sleeved jersey crop top £10
If you’re not keen on the Freya top, but still want to try lace this season, then I think this is pretty much a perfect top for that. We all know I love a good long sleeved crop, and at £10 I’d definitely add this to my collection. It’s a lot easier to dress down with an everyday look than the Freya top too, as the bust area has a lot more opaque fabric. Stick some high waisted jeans on, a chelsea boot and a warm jacket or coat and you’d be good to go. Being black, it also gives you great versatility to wear with other colours.
– 7: Abby high rise super skinny 3 button jeans £25
A wardrobe is not complete without a pair or high rise jeans. They’re such a versatile piece to have; can be easily dressed up or down, go great with heels or flats, and can really flatter any figure. This darkwash pair by boohoo look really nice, I like the contrasting stitching quite a lot. I would say, at £25, they’re a bit pricey for something that you can’t feel the fabric of, but I have bought jeans from boohoo before and they’ve all held up really well and fit nicely.
– 8: Tia wetlook sleeve contrast tee £12
This is a nice tee for £12, I think. It ties into the sporty feel around this season, and could easily be paired with jeans or a skirt for a casual vibe. The contrasting sleeves are a nice detail (although I do love my slogan tees), and doesn’t make the top harder to style. Personally, I prefer my tee’s a bit oversized, so I’d go one or two sizes bigger than my actual, as it’s a regular fit.
– 9: Scarlett open back sleeveless crop top £6
This comes in three colours again — black, charcoal, wine — and I’d definitely say that this is more a low scoop back than open back. I have ‘open backed’ tops and this doesn’t really fit that as there isn’t a fastening or fabric connecting at the collar. I really do like this top though, the shoulders are far less cut in than the Maisie top, which I think evens out the front and works with the high neckline quite nicely. As the back holds all the impact of this top, it would be really easy to dress down, should you want to. Out of the three colours, wine is definitely my favourite.
– 10: Nina cut work cleated boots £35
Chunky chelsea boots with a cut out and soft stud detailing on the toe. Do like. A super easy way to grunge up something cutesy during the day, or add an edge to a night outfit. They’re not quite my beloved Jeffrey Campbells, but they’re a much more affordable alternative.
If only I had unlimited money. Actually, if that happened I’d have an overflowing wardrobe and a hoarding problem… so maybe it’s a good thing I can only window shop and style mentally. Have you taken a look at any of the ‘new in’ sections of your favourite websites? What’s your favourite from my selection at boohoo’s?
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