Shoes - Kitty Flats

As I am currently approaching the end of my second year at university, we all find ourselves in the midst of 'stress season' - everyone is suffering as we approach essay deadlines and end of year exams. However, when I begin to feel too stressed, I often find fashion can be a particularly effective form of stress-relief, and even though I am confined to a rather tight student budget, I still enjoy refreshing my wardrobe on a regular basis.

For a while now, I have found myself yearning for the adorable Charlotte Olympia kitty flats (see left), recently worn by many celebrities, from Alexa Chung to Beyonce Knowles. Knowing that my budget will not be stretching to £485 for a pair of shoes, no matter how covetable, any time in the foreseeable future, I have been searching in vain for a good quality replica. 

I had almost given up on my quest for these cute cat shoes until I stumbled upon missguided.co.uk while  searching for a pair of nude loafers to replace a pair that I had to throw away during my recent trip to Rome. Needless to say I was overjoyed when I noticed their 'Micil Velveteen Cat Face Pumps' (see above right), a convincing copy of the shoes I have been drooling over for the past few months. Moreover they come in at the very reasonable price of £23.99, and the site also offers 10% student discount to NUS cardholders. Victory! No doubt they will not be quite as hard-wearing as their designer counterparts, but for now I will happily wear my replicas while I daydream about the days when I will be able to afford to adorn my feet in designer shoes.

Fashionable Musings

As a keen follower of fashion, I have intended to start my own blog for a while now and I have eventually got round to doing it. From a young age, I have been well-aware of the importance of fashion and clothing, and have always been eager to express my own individuality and personality through the fashion choices I make – I vividly remember a particularly quirky phase around the age of ten where I would dress in bright florals and became convinced that I wanted to be a hippy when I grew up. Luckily this phase passed by and I now think much more rationally about my future lifestyle choices. Indeed, I now have my mind set on a career in the world of print media, and I aspire to one day write for a renowned fashion magazine.

Nevertheless, this is not to say that I necessarily agree with aspects of the fashion industry. The idea that you have to look a certain way in order to look good in clothes is repulsive. If this were in fact the case, I would have a breakdown at the mere idea of clothes shopping: at 5 foot and half an inch, and a size 10/12, I am far from the standard stereotype of a fashionista. However, I have learnt to look for items that suit my size, as well as my personal sense of style; and of course we cannot underestimate the difference that clever accessorising can make to even the most simple outfit. I believe that everyone – woman or man, young or old, large or small – should be allowed to enjoy the beauty of fashion, and revel in how wonderful an outfit can make you feel.

As much as I can, I will try to regularly update this blog, sharing inspiration, beautiful items, internet finds, and advice for anyone who has an interest in fashion, and I hope you enjoy reading!