Kate in a J.Crew Sweater - Items of the same Stripe

For the new mental health campaign 'Heads Together', Kate, Harry, and William showed their support this Sunday morning. For more information about the charity and the involvement of the Duchess, see HRHDuchessKate. 

Kate wore a gorgeous striped sweater from J.Crew. Stripes are associated with nautical themes, and are classic, and easy to combine. These days, stripes are offered in a variety of colours too. Get inspired by checking out the items below: 

LK Bennett Harpa Striped Midi Dress, GBP 225

GAP striped sweater, USD 34,99, also available in green, camel, and red

GAP Blue Striped Rib sweater, On Sale for USD 29,99. Also available in grey, black/white, white/black, yellow, and red

Accessories 

I personally love the striped umbrella, would def. brighten up some drizzly days. 

Striped Umbrella in Blue or Camel, USD 16,06 at Ebay

H&M Striped Shopper bag, EUR 29,99

How to Wear it - Romantic and Intricate Prints like Duchess Kate

The Duchess knows how to rock a variety of prints, as we have seen this week. I decided to dedicate a post on how to wear prints. I love prints, and these five rules will help you make the most of them. 

1. One print at the Time 
Let's start off with the safest rule - if you opt for a dress with a print, stick to that one print. It focuses the attention on you, rather than the collection of items you are wearing. Combining prints is perfectly fine, but requires time and effort to make it work. Also, a combination of prints exudes an air of edginess instead of classiness. I love both, but suck at pulling off multiple prints, so I rather opt for a safe bet and gravitate towards bright, multi-coloured prints. (The Duchess seems to follow the same rule, but whether that has to do with her personality or her position as a royal is another question) 

Vanilia Stitch Shift dress with Flower Pattern, EUR 109,95

2.  Earrings and Prints make a Statement 

This H&M dress has a busy print. However, you can easily complement this dress with a pair of big earrings like Kate does. This is because the print is quite small and delicate, so the dress and the earrings will not be competing for attention. A rule of thumb is: the bigger the print, the smaller the earrings and vice versa. 

H&M Blue and Black Shift Dress, on sale for EUR 14,99

3. Choose which colour stands out 
You can change the whole appearance of a dress by emphasizing a certain colour. This navy and coral Isabelt Marant dress can be styled with a pair of coral heels for a summery, boho feel. One the other hand, a pair of nay heels makes the dress feel more subdued and classic. 

Isabel Marant Cotton Paisley Print Dress. EUR 180,- 

4. Match the shoes with the bag 

This H&M dress has a strong graphic print, so adding matching shoes and a bag makes the print stand out. If the shoes and the bag each have different colours, the whole look would feel rather messy. HOWEVER - you do not have to stick to the colours in the dress, as long as it complements the whole look. 

H&M Graphic Print Shift Dress, on Sale for EUR 14,99 

5. To belt or not to belt? 

I have noticed that the Duchess leaves away a belt more often than adding one whenever she is wearing dresses. A belt is a great addition and is perfectly fine to match with your shoes and bag, but can also be in a colour of the dress. Make sure that the belt has some cohesiveness with either the dress or your acessories. This H&M dress would not necessarily need a belt because of the mix of materials, but a belt can be pulled off if the rest of the outfit is kept neutral.  

H&M Paisley Print and Lace Dress, EUR 39,99

Kate wears Temperly London at Queen's Delhi birthday party - Get the look

India is treating the duchess well: yesterday the duchess wore a Temperly London two-piece to a grande birthday party in honour of Queen Elisabeth in New Delhi. The style was a nod to the Indian sari style, consisting of a crop top and a maxi skirt, and the Duchess was beaming in it.

Inspired by her look, I have gathered some monochromatic black and white dresses that are not necessarily copies of Kate's ensemble, but radiate the same feel. What I love about the Temperly outfit is the dynamic feel of the pattern - it is not a mere simple black and white print, but follows the lines of her body which accomplishes a true, regal look. My favorite monochromatic black and white dress at the moment: definitely the Karen Millen dress (It's the neckline, I cannot resist a piece of clothing that brings the attention to your face through the structure of the fabric).

H&M Modern Classics shift dress, EUR 39,99

Eshakti Monochromatic Maxi dress, USD 119, sleeves customizable

Betty Barclays Graphic print dress, GBP 125

Karen Millen Check Dress with ruffled collar, EUR 914

Trench Coat Styles for Different Work Places

Trench coats come in many styles and trends. While you cannot to wrong with the classic beige trench, you may want something more unique or specific. These five coats each have their own personality, and work in different work-related setting. We start of with the classic: 


The Corporate Office

 

Zara water proof trench coat in beige, EUR 69,95
Because I am digging a simple coat that allows the attention to be focused on you.
Your Job: Lawyer, Government employe(e)r

For the Outdoors Job

Marks and Spencer navy trench coat (also available in dark beige), EUR 99,95

Your job requires you to travel to various locations, and being on the move is an integral part of your profession. As a part of your job requires you to meet with clients, you are expected to look presentable. Practicality is key, however, and luckily this does not require you to sacrifice style.
Your job: landscape architect, gardener, photographer.

The Creative Industry 

River Island denim draped trench, EUR 100,- 

You like to dress unique and trendy, and it is part of your work to dress the part. This coat stands out because of its denim fabric. It is easy to style it edgy with a pair of sneakers, or you can opt for a classier style with a pair of nude heels.
Your job: (fashion) editor, model, graphic artist, designer

Retail, Hospitality, and Sales  

LK Bennett Collette coat, EUR 242,- 

You have a hands-on job and deal with clients on a day-to-day basis. Hospitality, service-minded, and approachable are your key words. Whether you are the manager or the junior assistent, you dress to know that you know what needs to be done. This black trench is trendy, and gives you the confidence to take the inititative where needed. 

Your job: Sales manager, Hotel manager, Restaurant owner 

Copy Duchess Kate's Monica Vinader Necklace

Remember when Kate looked stunning in a blue Jenny Packham for the Photography Awards Gala in October 2014? You can find the article at What Kate Wore. Today I found a great Copykate for the Monica Vinader necklace she wore at the gala: 

H&M, EUR 24,99

The necklace consists of the same rounded triangular shapes and shares the same open structure as the Monica Vinader necklace. 

 It is a wonderful necklace that can work for both casual and formal occassions. It is not only a statement piece, but also a staple piece due to its elegant and clean design. See below for a closer look at the details of the piece: 

Bring a touch of Spring into the office with these accessoires

April has kicked off, and the spring is here! It is getting sunnier, the days are lighter, and as a fresh-off-the-market intern I feel inspired to experiment more with colours and statement accessories now that the days are brighter. 

I recently purchased this necklace at H&M. It is a statement necklace, yet its dusty rose colour makes it extremely versatile and easy to combine with a range of outfits and colours.

I also purchased a dainty bracelet at the Costes sale. It is no longer available on the website, so I unfortunately cannot show any other pictures. It is a small cuff that has two diamonds paired on top of each other. I love jewelry that has a clean and strong design, but is also delicate.

Costes is a store that I recently discovered. The style is more bohemian-oriented with rich colours and strong graphic and ethnic prints, but the design of their clothes is simple and classic. Below is a selection of little gems from the current sale:

Statement Ring, now EUR 4,95 

Raffia Wallet, now EUR 9,95 (Also available in blue, and black-white)

Geometrical necklace with pearl, now EUR 4,95

Are you changing up your office wear as soon as the season changes? Let me know in the comments!

Love, Lotte

Business wear - LK Bennett Graphic Floral Shift Dress

It is a lot of fun to suddenly find an unusual combination of items that make a great outfit together.

For instance, the H&M belt I bought this weekend adds a warm touch to the cool graphic floral print of this gorgeous LK Bennett shift dress. Combine it with a trench, blazer, heels in a neutral colour, your favorite work bag and the monday morning rush hour is looking a lot brighter all of a sudden.
The LK Bennett shift is available also in a more romantic colour combination in blues and pinks.

H&M Beige Skinny Patterned Belt

 Zara Camel Cotton Trenchcoat                                    LK Bennett Hannah Printed Shift Dress

Royal Wardrobe Copies - Queen Letizia's floral Mango top and Kate's Wedges

It is still raining here, but that did not stop me from going into town. My original plan was buying groceries for a cake I will be baking tomorrow, but I ended up at the local H&M store where I bought this cute little belt. Outfit pictures coming soon!

 H&M skinny belt in patterned beige dessin  

At the H&M, my eyes fell on these two items that look as if they come straight out of a royal wardrobe. Kate Middleton's Stuart Weitzman's cork wedges are one of her trademark pieces, and these H&M wedges are a great Replikate.

H&M Faux Suede Open Toe Wedges in Black and Nude

Another royal who has a very polished and clean style is Queen Letizia from Spain. She is always bold in her choice of patterns, and the Mango top in the picture below on the left is no exception to the rule. The top is in stock only at John Lewis' online store and ships to the UK only. This top from the H&M Spring/Summer collection is a great copy.

Left: Queen Letizia in a Mango floral patterned top. Right: H&M floral top

Professional key items that work always, anywhere, anytime

There are certain pieces you can never go wrong with, whatever the occassion. These three pieces will get you anywhere and instantly make you look sophisticated and ready for the job.

1. A blazer in a neutral colour is a great investment because of its versatility. In order to achieve that mature and stylish look, go for a cut that is sharp without any frills that distract from the great fit it has.

LK Bennett Jessa Jacket

                                                                 
2. A great bag can instantly lift any outfit and exude a sense of professional independence. A bag basically says 'I am on my way to achieve my goals'. A good work bag is sturdy and won't show any signs of damage if maintained properly and should be large enough for documents and a laptop. If you tend to wear a lot of colour, choose a bag in a neutral colour. If you tend to shy away from colour in your outfit, go instead for a bag that has a colour other than your work wear, such as burgundy or emerald green.

                                         Radley London multiway leather shoulder bag

3. A pencil skirt is your best friend in times of lots and lots of job interviews. They look great, feminine and smart on any body type and are easy to iron and maintain.

H&M beige pencil skirt

If you are not comfortable in skirts, consider a pair of trousers instead. The secret to pulling off a pair of trousers are the pockets as they can hugely influence and alter the shape of your butt.

H&M Beige trousers

Have a great day and have fun shopping!