Seas of green, I see the blue

My most favourite pastime of all; I’ve been online shoppppppping again! Rather than a giant haul, I’ve actually only bought a few (for me) key pieces that I’m hoping will see me through until the autumn time, while still incorporating a few key trends of the moment. While I wasn’t necessarily aiming for this, once I’d unpacked everything, I noticed a sea of blues and greens (hence the title) which I’m rather loving right now.

So firstly I did a little New Look order - my first in rather a long time! I’ve always loved new look, right since the days of my trips to the beeston one to try on lots of clothes (for fun, since I simply didn’t have the money to buy them at the age of 13), and then leave empty handed. I don’t shop there as much anymore but I was on a mission to find some long shorts, now I’m older and less inclined to don a pair of booty shorts, as well as wanting options for the times I’m in the office on a hot day. They seemed to have a great selection, the first pair I chose being this sage green option, with a tailored style that finished just above the knee. They fit beautifully and I love the muted colour because I feel it will work in spring and early autumn as well.

The second pair I found were ones that I fell in love with as soon as I saw them featured on their instagram. I have a blazer (from primark) in this same white-pinstripe-on-brown-base print and I simply love it. I’d seen a similar pair of these shorts on ASOS by Collusion but the new look pair were a better price! The fit is lovely but they’re made of a pretty thick fabric so maybe not the best choice on a super hot day but still a great option otherwise. I’d love to say they match the blazer that I already have but they’re an (annoyingly) ever so slightly different shade (booo).

Another thing I love new look for is jeans (the fit, the price, the longevity) and while my current collection may be vast, it’s not without its gaps. I’m loving coloured jeans at the moment, especially pastels so I decided to get this mint green pair (again, I really wasn’t sticking to the green and blue theme on purpose). The fit is really nice overall; I like the length and the fit on the legs and bum. They’re a little tight on the waist (even though I sized up by one size, as I always do in jeans or anything denim) but I’m hoping that’s just down to all the eating out in Gibraltar and they’ll feel better once I’m back to normal!

Another gap in my current jeans collection was a nice light blue pair. I have black, dark blue and then light blue mom jeans, but they’re more acid wash and don’t go with everything. I felt like I needed a nice pair of light blue slim or skinny jeans that would go with all different styles of tops and that’s exactly what I found on the new look website. This pair fit like a dream and are the exact shade I wanted. I ended up going with the cropped style rather than the normal because I thought it might be better for showing off shoes but I’m kind of unsure what I think of it. In a way, it achieves what I hoped but they also kind of just look too short? Either way they’re staying!

As well as a little new look shop, I also went on ASOS for a peek (because it’s pretty much a part of my daily routine at this point). Again, I accidentally ended up with a fair lot of blue and green on my pursuit for summer staples and neutral separates. First up was this zebra print top which I thought was really cute. I have a lot of cropped and/or fitted tops, so it’s nice to get a few pieces that aren’t either of those things. I like the puffed sleeves and the square neckline and the animal print is just enough without being too in your face. The skirt was kind of a mistake, as I actually thought I was buying a whole co-ord (given that it was named ‘co-ord’ on the website and I didn’t check the small print). When I initially unpacked it and found no matching blazer, I thought I might send it back because it wasn’t as much of a look on its own. But I was pleasantly surprised when I tried it on! The skirt is a bershka one and it’s really nice quality; lined, well-made and really nice fabric. I love the fit and the colour too so it turns out it didn’t need to be part of a set; it was doing enough all on its own.

Sticking with the same top but this time with the loveliest pair of shorts for summer. This neutral linen pair are such a lovely fit and the thin airy fabric is going to be perfect on those hot sticky days. I love that they’re a slightly longer style (without being the long shorts I got from new look) and I think they’ll work equally well with either the included tie or a nice belt. Once they've been ironed of course!

Next up was an all-blue-everything ensemble! I’m obsessed with this powdery, baby blue colour right and really wanted a couple of new pieces in it. The shorts fit perfectly and will work just as well over black tights in the winter months as they will with an off-the-shoulder top in the summer. I also like the matching belt and the fact that it’s more structured than the normal fabric ones that are usually included with styles like this. The top has been a great purchase because it looks lovely as a crew style tee with a wrap back (the way it’s meant to be worn)...

…But also works just as well turned around and worn as a wrap top! Okay so it’s not technically been designed as a reversible top, but it may as well have been. The fit is perfect both ways round - nothing gapes like you might expect it to from wearing it turned around - and I think it’ll look great with different things based on which way you wear it. Like with these long shorts (the third pair from my mini haul), I think it looks better with the wrap at the front. Attention the ASOS marketing department: start selling this as a 2-in-1 top! The shorts were love at first sight for me, with the animal print in a warm neutral palette but they’d already sold out in my size (cue the heartbreak). The closest size they had was an 8 (as a 10, it was one size smaller than normal) but I figured I’d risk it. They’re a little snug but the elasticated back of the waist means I can still get away with them and I love the length and style of them. There was no way I was going to let one size difference be the reason I didn’t have them! Something that I definitely did buy in my own size though were the shoes. I’m feeling like my shoe collection has lost its magic lately. I have all different colours and prints but a lot of the styles are the same; ankle strappy or court (which I’ve largely stopped wearing because they’re uncomfortable and hard to walk in). So I’ve been on the look-out for some more variety and this strappy pair not only fit the bill in the variation of style (they have a cool super strappy wrapped style with an almost pyramid shaped heel  that are easier to walk in than a stiletto), but they also place a check in the powder blue department box too. See? Feeling blue isn’t always a bad thing!