Ladylike.

I spent the majority of last season wanting to be a vintage siren, and wearing pastels, pencil skirts and anything retro like it was going out of fashion.. and I won't stop this season! It just needs to be toughened up, updated and given the AW'12 edge. This outfit is taking you all back to August - a slightly nostalgic re-visit to my SS'12 style.

Jacket - Topshop; Bralet - Miss Selfridge; Skirt - H&M; Shoes - New Look; Bracelet - Pandora; Ring - Swarovski; Necklace - Tiffany's.

Exposing your high-driff was the cool girl's way to flash some flesh, and I finally plucked up some courage and wore my bralet with a pencil skirt. I would still do this now, but since we are heading firmly into autumn, I will require tights and a warmer jacket! I love the tonal effect of the look, as well as the way it is thrown off with the electric blue pumps - they kick a bit of personality into this bourgeouis lady.

Love and kisses, Tara xox

Biker girl.

Every so often I try to be model-like in one of my OOTDs. It's pretty solidly unsuccessful since I am awkward on camera and about a foot too short to actually be a model, but it's always fun. I am catching you all up on previous looks that I have rocked on my infrequent outings - this one hails from a time when the sun was still vaguely in the sky.

Shirt & Jacket - New Look; Shorts & Ring - Topshop; Tights - Primark.

I also have a tendency to abuse free photo-editing software online.. These slightly dreamy shots were taken in a local park, a location that I adore. It was a fairly simple, slightly rock'n'roll outfit combination of a classic biker jacket (a key piece this season), simple white shirt and some neon hotpants. Just out of shot are my beloved leopard print creepers.

Love and kisses, Tara xox

Toraja - Part One.

This next destination is going to be spun out into several parts, since we spent 6 days there and there was just so much to see and do! Toraja is an area, like a county or something, that has a lot of tribal history and tradition, making it probably the most visited place on the island of Sulawesi. That doesn't mean it was overrun by tourists though!

Arriving on the first morning, fresh (but not with it) off an 8 hour night bus the first thing we noticed was how much less developed it was there in Toraja. We were staying in Rantepao, and it felt like we were the only tourists around! We weren't quite, but it was close.. And there wasn't even a 7-eleven! We spent the first day resting, aka mooching around town to recover from the night bus.

Top - Topshop; Skirt & Belt - New Look; Shoes, Bag & Bracelet - Primark; Earrings - River Island.

My pink maxi has finally been taken up (thankyou mum!) & was christened on holiday. First of all I paired it with a neutral batwing top and a casual topknot for a simple, breezy holiday look. In a strange way I found myself settling into the 'less-is-more' aesthetic here, and not minding being covered up..

Gorgeous fruit snack.

The view from the hotel.

My favourite mie kuah (noodle soup) for lunch!

This is almost too photogenic..

Day Two in Toraja was a little more hectic - we had organised a day trip to see traditional houses, grave sites and a funeral ceremony. It was stunning weather again, and it was almost too picturesque in places. I'll admit, being shown burial sites is a little strange, and so is sitting in at a funeral.

Skirt - New Look; Shirt, Bag & Shoes - Primark; Earrings - River Island.

I wasn't exactly sure about what to wear to a Torajan funeral, so I covered up even more.. This time I styled my maxi skirt with a black shirt and simple accessories. The skirt was a big hit with the locals at the funeral!

Traditional Torajan houses, with temporary wedding structures.

Stunning countryside.

A cave burial site, complete with wooden carved figures (tau tau).

I won't make you guess what happened to this poor buffalo..

The cutest kids in traditional dress for the funeral.

Love and kisses, Tara xox

Je voyage.

Finally - just as I am about to leave Indonesia I manage to start my holiday posts! Yay for free wifi in my hostel, but I am flying back to England tomorrow evening and landing Tuesday am.. It's been an amazing trip but of course not long enough!

Getting to Indonesia from the UK requires an incredibly long flight, or two.. or three. We flew from Heathrow (London) to Munich, then to Singapore, then finally to our destination in Jakarta. It took a very long time, which I am not going to calculate because it will make me sad, and I barely slept. I wasn`t in the best mood to appreciate Jakarta when I landed after that, but a plate of food and I was okay. Obviously since I would be in such variable temperatures and sitting still travelling for such a long time my outfit needed to be well-thought out.

 

 Top - Reiss; Skirt & Parka - New Look; Sandals - Primark; Necklace - Accessorize; Earrings - Love & Wonder.

I always think thin layers and comfortable fabrics are the way to go on aeroplanes - you have to beat their viciously cold AC, but still be ready for possibly tropical temperatures at your destination. I opted for things that were all either new or never-been-worn to put together this outfit, and found some new favourites. This hi-lo tribal skirt is absolutely perfect for travelling because it is so loose and comfortable, but still looks du jour and fairly conservative. The parka was also a good choice because it was so lightweight!

Abusing some free internet at Singapore airport.

Awake for sunrise 35000 feet up.

Love and kisses, Tara xox

Someone call Shopaholic's Anonymous.

Last weekend I went shopping - a dangerous, foolish activity for me I know, but it was necessary. My summer holiday is coming up and I needed to supplement my hot weather wardrobe with mix-and-match-able pieces that will mean I can keep creating new outfits while I am away, while remaining appropriate for both tropical heat and more conservative cultures. For the shopping trip I eschewed sensibility and ignored the wind/threatening clouds to wear this..

Shirt - New Look; Shorts & Tights - Primark; Creepers - Amazon; Clutch - Cos (secondhand in Paris); Cuff - H&M; Earrings, Ring & Bracelets - Topshop.

I love a good pair of high waisted shorts because they are just so flattering, and this pastel stripe pair is really cute. I paired them wiith a sheer white shirt tucked in to emphasize the waistline, and buttoned all the way up in that girl-meets-boy way that looks very cute. I then threw my creepers into the mix because they are gorgeous and a little bit edgy, as is the new clutch. Lashings of jewellery and a bright lip completed the ensemble.

Primark

 

It's fair to say I got over-excited in Primark - what a haul. The cross tee and ballet pumps aren't even for my trip! 

New Look

The sales in New Look were bursting with gorgeous prints and colours - I just couldn't resist! And that parka is the perfect lightweight cover up, an alternative to my beloved blazers.

River Island

I have had my eye on these pieces for a while, but never quite had the cash to buy them. When they appeared in the sale however, I snapped them right up. I adore the paisley print on the dress and the mermaid-esque shell pattern on the skirt.

Topshop

 This neon dress is completely stunning, bright and beautiful, and will look gorgeous with a holiday tan.

Hair Bow - River Island; Black Rose Headband - Topshop; Ring & Gold Headband - Primark.

On holiday my hair will have to be up most of the time, so I invested in some cute accessories to keep it fresh!

Love and kisses, Tara xox

Paris Day Four!

Okay sorry about the massive gap in my Paris posting, my grandparents were down so I couldn't blog! 

The last day of a trip is always a bit sad - packing up your things, saying goodbye to your holiday and going home to reality.. It is especially weird on a trip that is this short, it felt like we had barely arrived and then we were leaving again! On the final day after packing and checking out we left our bags in the hotel and went straight to the Eiffel Tower on the metro. I can't believe we left it to the last day to see the most famous thing in Paris. And it was so impressive, even bigger than I imagined and of course beautifully situated. It was also packed with tourists.. After that we got lunch (pasta - finally something veggie!) and then took a walk along the Seine, before ending the day with gorgeous crepes. Feeling quite full we wandered along back to the hotel and went to the airport, squeezing in a cheeky glass of vin blanc before the flight home. It was slightly disappointing to be back in England...

Here was my outfit of day four..

Top, Bag, Shoes & Bracelets - Topshop; Skirt & Earrings - River Island.

This outfit felt a little more casual, and less put-together than the others of the trip. I am not sure why.. But I still like it because again it sticks to light, clean, girlie colours for a summery feel, and you may have noticed my preference for pink. I also love the lace detail on my new top, which takes the otherwise simple outfit away from block colours and adds interest. I opted for my hair up, which is unusual, but I just went for a simple bun and left it - messy is better in my opinion.

And the final snaps of my little trip..

Tour Eiffel!

I have too many photos of this tower.

Trying to be artistic.

Claire & Alison being tourists.

Me being awkward with Alison.

Claire at lunch.

Chilling in the park.

Claire & I.

Another of my many Parisian exspressos.

Nutella crepes. Nom.

Love and kisses, Tara xox