Sarah E. Williams2013-06-20T07:29:19-04:00Sarah E. Williamshttp://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/index.php?author=sarah-e-williamsCopyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc.HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Sarah E. WilliamsGood old fashioned elbow grease.The 'New' Smart...tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.16112332012-06-20T19:00:00-04:002012-08-20T05:12:05-04:00Sarah E. Williamshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-e-williams/
I was now one of the power dressing, shoulder pad wearing business women, and the essential item in every business woman's wardrobe was the suit. Forget the briefcase, the kitten heel or the concrete hair-sprayed hair - oh no! - for me, the suit, or more importantly, the blazer was power dressing in its entirety.
After getting the phone call that I had got the glorified tea-maker's job, I dragged my mum down to the local high street to kit me right up in said suit. My job didn't call for a suit, but I wanted one - I loved the look and sense of importance it gave off, I felt like 'somebody' even if I was employed to be the tea donkey.
Times have changed and not many people wear the humble suit to prove their worth in the boardroom, the hair has flattened itself out and people finally realise that having American football sized shoulders is never a good look. So the power dressing style of the 80s dissipated but the blazer has since grown its new 2012 style. Enter the printed blazer - yes, that's right, the printed blazer.
I am being serious before you all run off, and as ghastly as this may seem it's really rather pretty - yes, pretty. Not quite the 'dad at a wedding' look but more bang on trend, easy to wear, versatile and accessible.
I caught glimpse of a stunning blazer in River Island that literally made me say "I have to have it". Being of a curvy size 12 figure, sometimes when the summer season approaches I begin to die a little inside knowing the high street brands (Topshop) bring out the smallest shorts known to elves along with mini cropped tops... sorry, it's just not me. But when I caught sight of this blazer with its delectable bright, fresh print, my first thought wasn't to run for the hills but I knew this would look good once on.
The printed blazer works for you. If you're scared of colour or print and don't want to walk out looking like Hawaii has thrown up on you, the blazer lets you add a little bit of trend, subtly. If you're of a bigger size the blazer will help nip in the waist giving you a more sensual hour-glass figure. If you have a slightly bigger bottom half the print or colour can help draw the eye away from the problem area and lastly, the printed blazer will work during the night or day. I'm sold on them. Here are my picks:
For me, as much as I love the Reiss and Jaeger ones I'm not sure I'll be spending more than £50 on mine - trends do come and go, but other than that the printed blazer really does seem like the perfect way to go - personally I love a good cover-up and think donning these bright morsels help make the office a bit more fun.
What's your view?]]>That Leather Thing...tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.15888152012-06-13T04:17:14-04:002012-08-12T05:12:06-04:00Sarah E. Williamshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-e-williams/
I have never in my whole life owned a leather jacket. That's right never, not even a fake one. To me, they always seemed to belong to complete hipsters or people that are way cooler than me, I never quite had the 'swagger' down (and yes, I did just say that). When I was younger I swore that there was a leather jacket 'club' that was at my school, one that me and my duffle coat were not welcome in. I knew that the second I decided to buy/wear one, I wouldn't be that grungy-rock-chick kinda girl I so wanted to be, instead I'll be the twat in an ill-fitting not quite the right end of cool 80's throwback. In lieu of this, I have/had avoided purchasing or even trying any on, yes, that bad, but more and more I see these gorgeous (young) girls literally throwing the leather jacket on I wanted to be just like that, even now.
By 'throwing' the jacket on I mean literally: some will team it with a girly printed dress, some will team with bright coloured skinnies and flats, some will rock it up with shorts and tights with a ripped 'I'm with the band' tee and ultimately the look screams cool, calm, collected and purposely thrown together to just look good. That's not me. Judging by my lateness, daily running to catch the train and resounding "I'm sorry I'm late" that comes out of my mouth there is no way any of my looks are thrown together in this way, well, maybe if you count my Sunday just-got-out-of-bed-pj-look. I think now, at the age that I am and never even trying a leather jacket on, the second I complete this life journey (yes, buying a leather jacket is one of MY lifes journey) the desired leather jacket is going to just make me look some really sad 80s throwback that belongs in the East end gangsta land.. innit....
*sigh*
The other thing is, that whilst it's all very well and good me folding down the pages of every magazine with 'I want this one' tab and thinking that it'll suit me, a leather jacket is an investment people, they aren't cheap, and I do not want to be getting some cheap, shiny 'wipe me clean' faux leather one! So here are the leather jacket lust-haves, that maybe, one day I might just be cool enough to buy...
