Alice Catherine Alice Catherine

Big puffy sleeves are everywhere at the moment and I’m one hundred percent on board with it – I never thought of myself as someone who liked to attract too much attention with their outfits when walking down the street, but I feel like statement sleeves are fast becoming my happy place. They instantly make any outfit look more stylish, and happen to be a nifty fast fix for dressing up high waist denim…

This kind of half length puffy sleeve crop top is my ideal situation for the ultimate confidence boost when I’m feeling a bit rubbish. You might have recently seen the Ganni top I invested in, which looks very similar in design, but has a beautiful check print all over – if so, you can imagine how happy I was when I stumbled across this vintage beauty for under ten english pounds. I mean, I’m not a religious person, but sometimes these little vintage miracles happen and it feels like someones looking out for ya! But in all seriousness, this got me thinking a bit about how we are so quick to fast buy current trend pieces, when in actual fact, everything comes full circle. Ganni actually sell a top almost exact to the one I’m wearing above, but by shopping vintage I was able to find something ridiculously affordable, whilst still achieving the same look I’d been lusting after.

This is why I continue to recommend vintage – and will probably do so for as long as I’m living and breathing – it’s just the best (and my favourite) way to shop. Granted, you do have to put in some ground work – this can come in the form of a cup of coffee and endless scrolling through pages of weird crap before finding something that makes you heart flutter a bit, or, marching down to your local vintage shops and getting hands on, but it’s almost always worth it when you find that piece your wardrobes been missing! Whether it’s a statement sleeve top, a silk cami, or little basket bag – it’s usually all been around the block a couple of times before, and can be found for a fraction of the high street or designer pieces you’ve been frantically wish-listing. Although the print of my Ganni top is very distinctive and unlike anything else I have in my collection, would I have invested if had I found this one first? The sensible side in me says probably not. That’s not to say I won’t wear it and love it, but I did kick myself a little when I found this beauty!

So there’s definitely a lesson to be learnt here – shop around! Try not to impulse buy and do your research – especially if you’re on a budget and saving up for that summer holiday etc. I’ve also developed a ‘one in, one out’ system too – every month I sell/give to charity anything that I haven’t been making use of – that way I can assess what I’m missing, and utilise the clothing I own to it’s full potential. After all, there’s nothing worse than amazing clothing just hanging in a wardrobe, it’s there to be worn and enjoyed! I better just mention these new And Other Stories jeans before I completely go off on a tangent – I spied them on the ‘new in’ section and bought them without a second thought. I’ve been looking for something like this for SO long. They also look amazing with a T-shirt and some ankle strap shoes for a quick and easy daytime look! I’m forever loyal to my vintage Levi’s, but I really needed something that wasn’t so ‘denim’, and played the role of a ‘sophisticated cousin’. These fit like a glove and are probably the comfiest pair of trousers I own right now, would whole heartedly recommend if you find yourself in the same predicament and feel like switching things up with a darker wash – perfect for dressing up too!

I won’t rave about this trench coat anymore as I did pretty much dedicate a whole other blog post to it – but I will mention these new Aldo slides that I picked up in the sale recently. Admittedly, they had a lot of bad reviews, but I bought them anyway as I really couldn’t see how they would be that awful. Truthful opinion, I love them and they haven’t hurt my feet once! I was lusting after the YSL and Hermes sandals and wanted something brown leather with a similar vibe – these do just the trick and weren’t unkind to my bank balance either! They also match with pretty much everything, and make a nice change to my usual black mules that I was getting a bit bored of looking down at. We fly to Italy for a week tomorrow afternoon, and I’ve vowed to not lug my laptop along with me and have a proper holiday! That’s not to say I won’t be keeping you all updated via Instagram – I might even try and be a little more talkative over on Insta stories so buckle ya seat belts for that one…

I’m so so excited to experience a new place with my best friend, and I have lots of content lined up for the week I’m back. I will of course be getting camera happy whilst I’m out there no doubt, so expect lots of Italian themed posts upon my return. When I’ll probably also be sporting a tan and an extra roll around my middle (take me to the gelato and pasta). I hope you all have an amazing weekend planned, and as always, thank you for reading…

Alice x


Photography by Adriana 

Trench – Zara | Top – Vintage | Jeans – And Other Stories | Shoes – Aldo | Bag – Ellen And James

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10 Comments

  1. I only started buying vintage about a year ago and I couldn’t agree more with you Alice! I have discovered only a couple of gems so far, but it is a completely different experience, you get to wear something quite unique while avoiding the fast fashion lane and sparing your wallet. Win win! Looking forward to your Italian trip

    PS: I was so surprised when I heard you talking on IG Stories the other day, it’s like I always have a voice in my head for the bloggers whose voice I’ve never heard and yours was different in my head, but I loved to hear the real you!! Sorry for the rambling of a fan girl >.<

    Saida

  2. Natali says:

    Gotta love finding a beautiful and great preserved vintage pieces like your top!
    I love your style and you’re looking so retro chic in this outfit. 🙂

    https://lartoffashion.com

    1. alicecatherine says:

      Thank you! xx

  3. Nadia says:

    Enjoy your trip to Italy! I live in Italy and be prepared…it’s so hot hot hot!! Keep with you breezy clothes!
    Love vintage too, but in Italy we don’t have so much choice at affordable prices.
    Kisses

    1. alicecatherine says:

      Thank you! We had an amazing time – SO hot but so beautiful 🙂 xxx

  4. Lana says:

    Gorgeous blog babe, you have such a vintage touch and great sense of style. Really enjoy watching your pictures 🙂

    http://lanaluu.com

  5. Need this trench coat in my life! x

  6. Hawkesmill says:

    What a gorgeous site. Stunning photos.

    Love that you’re based in Manchester.

    Hello from Sussex!

    1. alicecatherine says:

      So glad you like it – this made me smile! Best wishes xx

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