Dressing For A Girl About Town In Spring

Since I moved to South Tyneside last summer, getting into the city of Newcastle has never been easier! There’s so many metro stations for me to choose from that’ll have me strutting me bang in the city centre in less than 45 minutes.

It was great over the winter months when I needed to get my Christmas shopping in and go for festive drinks at Hadrian’s Teepee but since the days are getting a little longer and drier, I’ve been dreaming of cocktails down the quayside.

On a rare mild day in February, that’s exactly where I went…

Dressed in my gorgeous new spring top from Yours Clothing with the Scarlett and Jo houndstooth leggings I’ve had in my wardrobe for the last couple of years, I headed out with the girls for drinks.  If you’re ever in Newcastle, the quayside is my favourite area to go to for dinner and a few cocktails as theres loads of choice, the architecture and views is lush and the vibe is really great no matter what time you go.

I’m loving this black top with the ‘Check It Out’ houndstooth slogan that couldn’t pair more effortlessly with these leggings if it tried!  I adore picking out little details like this when I’m putting my outfits together so you can imagine how happy I was when I spotted the pattern on the text!  The soft jersey fabric is stretchy and really comfortable to wear but the gorgeous frill sleeve detailing gives it a little structure.

Oh and that beautiful floral embroidery detailing has me feeling so excited to wear more colour and prints for springtime.  When there’s such a statement pattern like the monochrome houndstooth and that gorgeous pop of pink floral, I reckon its best to keep the rest of the outfit pretty plain with one main colour rather than adding extra patterns or prints into the mix.  That’s where my most trusted duo for an afternoon on the pop with the girls comes in; my black Chanel WOC and uber comfortable black Primark flatforms.  I think a pop of colour in any of the hues of the embroidered flowers would look lush too but really, the houndstooth is such a statement that sticking to all black for the other main parts of the outfit really is key, even for the spring months ahead!

This is the second piece that I’ve worn from the spring update at Yours Clothing (first spring outfit post here) and if this is anything to go by, I am BEYOND excited for what is to come from the brand and how my spring wardrobe is going to look.

If only it was warmer because let me tell you, while it looked mildly warm outside when I got ready, it certainly didn’t when I was taking these street style photographs!  Drinks definitely took place INSIDE Pitcher & Piano rather than in their lush outdoor area!

In fact, I am convinced the sun is flirting with me.

I wake up on a morning, look outside to see the currant bun gleaming brightly in the sky, only to get outside and realise that yes, it’s still bloody freezing and no, it would appear that spring is not on its way!

Granted its deceptively cold but one things for sure, the low level sun really can be blinding, especially if you’re driving.  Sunglasses are essential at this time of the year, just as much as they are in summer.  I love how they add a cool, chic vibe to any outfit (providing you’re outside during the day, I’m not in any way suggesting that night time, in a club sunglasses wearing is a great idea girls!) and keep the sun from glaring in your eyes while you’re behind the wheel.

A post shared by WhatLauraLoves | Plus Size (@whatlauraloves) on Jan 21, 2018 at 11:58pm PST

The latest sunglasses in my collection are from Hipster Sunnies who kindly sent me over a couple of pairs that I picked out from their website; St Tropez from their classic collection and Aphrodite which are a gorgeous gold, attention grabbing pair for all the right reasons!

I love how statement Aphrodite are with their reflective lenses and metal detailing on the frame.  A lot of sunnies that I’ve tried that are shaped like this tend to have a very flimsy frame but these are sturdy, robust and will definitely last me all summer long, wherever my travels will take me!  Check me out wearing them on another bright winters day in this instagram post.

By comparison, the St Tropez style that I’m wearing in this post are much more of a classic shape.  They’re far rounder than I’d usually go for but in the signature tortoiseshell that I look for in sunglasses with this kind of frame.  Chunky plastic frames in black look far too harsh against my pale skintone and light blonde hair and colourful frames are too cool and quirky for my personal style so the brown of the tortoiseshell is far softer and more flattering.

I like how the St Tropez sunglasses bring a vintage flare to my sunglasses stash which is something that my collection definitely lacks; usually I have more big, glamorous bug eye sunnies or aviators, so these round, throwback ones are a great update and again, they’re super high quality.

Hipster Sunnies are available with worldwide delivery so you protect your eyes from the sun in style no matter where you are in the world.  The come really securely packaged so I’m sure they’ll arrive to you in as pristine condition as they did for me.

The sunglasses themselves do only have a slip case so I’d suggest popping along to the high street with your sunnies and pick up a hard case to store yours in in your bag or suitcase as it’ll give them a little extra protection from getting knocked in your bag!  I’ve seen plenty of different styles in Primark and River Island that wont set you back too much money at all.

SHOP THE POST

Yours Clothing Check It Out Top // Houndstooth Leggings from Scarlett and Jo

Primark flatform wedges // Hipster Sunnies in St Tropez
Chanel WOC Bag // Pandora Rings // Mikey Earrings

What is your favourite style of sunglasses?  Are you looking forward to the warmer months?  What have you updated your wardrobe with recently?

*images by India Jackson