What's on my Autumn Wardrobe Wishlist

 

Summer is slowly coming to an end and I'm gearing up for the cooler weather by thinking about my autumn wardrobe. I'm planning a little thrifting trip in the next few weeks so I'm hoping I'll be able to find at least a few of these pieces while I'm there. 

One of my wardrobe goals for the past couple of years has been to simplify & make it more minimal by slowly adding more basics and colours that easily mix & match with one another. So I kept this idea in mind while I'm putting together this list. 

I've noticed that what's lacking in my autumn wardrobe is more tops rather than bottoms. 

You can easily get away with only a few bottoms but it's usually the top you're wearing that people notice. So its good to have a little variety! 

With all that being said, here are a few things I'm hoping to add to my autumn closet this season.

Knit sweaters in neutral tones (white, beige, grey etc.)

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Lately, I've really been loving neutral tones in my wardrobe because they are so versatile and having them makes it so much easier to put together outfits. A few of the colours I'm looking for are grey, a kind of camel/tan brown, and a cream or white sweater. Something about these colours gives me all the cosy vibes & I'm here for it! And of course, cosy, knit sweaters are absolutely essential for autumn going into winter! 

 A basic turtleneck 

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I love the look of a plain turtleneck layered under a dress like this that I've seen around Pinterest so I'm going to keep my eyes out for one at the thrift store. I think a basic turtleneck like this would be a good staple to be able to play around with.

A slip style/strappy dress

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This one kind of goes along with the last item as a turtleneck can easily be worn under a dress like this to create a transitional summer into autumn outfit. 

A fitted cardigan

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I've the trend around on Instagram to wear a cardigan like this as a top or simply as you would a normal sweater and I love it. I don't why I never thought of this as a way to style a cardigan but I'd love to try it this autumn! In general, I would like to get a few basic cardigans because I don't own any currently. I may even knit my own...

 A casual pullover top

My lifestyle is the most suited to casual clothing as I don't go out much and I'm mostly at home. I figure a piece like this will be pretty easy to find at the thrift store and it'll be nice to throw on to feel cosy in!

A pinafore style dress

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For the part of me that loves the cottagecore aesthetic, I'd love a dress like this to wear during autumn and throughout the rest of the year. The simple & practical design would be perfect for wearing on an average day. I have my eye on this one that I found online!

Those are a few of the things on my list and with any luck, I'll be able to find some when I go thrifting!

What do you consider an autumn staple in your wardrobe?

keep blooming,

Hannah

What's on My Spring Wardrobe Wishlist

I have been thinking about my wardrobe lately and how I want to curate it more carefully and also invest in good quality pieces that will last.

At the moment I am working on my Spring-Summer wardrobe and I have noticed there are definitely some gaps I need to fill.

My wardrobe has quite a bit of colour and pattern, but I feel like I am lacking some good basics to tie everything together.. So a lot of this little wishlist is really just some basics to help streamline my entire wardrobe!

I hope this will offer some inspiration and ideas for your own spring wardrobe and be sure to let me know in the comments what pieces you are looking for for your own wardrobe!

a linen skirt with buttons down the front

I would love to add some more skirts to my wardrobe and I think that a simple plain coloured linen one with buttons down the front would be a great addition.

Whether it was a pink tone one like the one pictured here or something a little more neutral, I would style it with a plain tee or a cute white blouse, my brown sandals and some delicate necklaces!

A muted green button-up shirt

I have been loving shirts this year and I also love darker, more muted greens. So a green shirt is definitely up on my wishlist! There is something so versatile about shirts like this and they can easily look more dressed up or more casual, whichever look you're going for.

As far as styling goes, I'd wear a shirt like this either with a pair of jeans and a pretty necklace or with a denim skirt and some boots or sandals.

A grey longline cardigan

Almost everyday this week as I've been putting together an outfit for the day, I have looked in the mirror and thought, "a grey cardigan would go so well with this outfit."

I have coloured cardigans but I don't have a simple grey or neutral one that goes with everything.

Especially in the Spring, I think a good neutral cardigan is a great staple to have in your Spring wardrobe because of the fluctuating temperatures.

A plain tee in white & grey

It doesn't get much more basic than this! But I really think they are a necessity in any wardrobe.

I can picture these going with pretty much everything in my wardrobe and so they are definitely essentials. I am eying The Organic Cotton Crew style from Everlane! 

If you also like black, a basic black tee is also a good option. 

I have personally found that I don't like to wear black much so I am opting for a grey one instead.

A pair of white sneakers

These shoes look good with skirts & dresses as well as with jeans, so they check the versatility box!

I currently have a pair of black sneakers but I want to lighten things up a bit for the Spring and Summer.

A neutral-toned jumpsuit 

Last year, I thrifted a jumpsuit to see if I liked the whole jumpsuit thing, and I did!

I would love to add a few more into my wardrobe, particularly one in a similar colour to the one shown here. A jumpsuit is such an easy piece to wear because you can just pop one on and you're done! 

Denim overall dress

I have been searching for a dress like this for a while and I still haven't found the right one.

But I love how versatile denim is and how a dress like this could easily be worn all year round, with a cute sweater and boots in the cooler months or with a comfy tee in the warmer months.

A Straw sunhat

Is this not the sweetest little accessory for this season?

I'll admit I'm not much of a hat person, but I think I could get away with a simple straw hat for the summer. I hope to find on second hand but if that doesn't work there are a few from boutiques I have my eye on.

A dainty floral skirt

Dainty florals are so darling and pretty! I would love to find a skirt similar to this one at the thrift store.

This print simply screams spring to me! I would style a skirt like this with a white tank top or a plain tee, straw hat and my brown sandals.

the perfect striped tee

A good striped tee was a go-to of mine for a while and then while I was decluttering my closet, I ended up getting rid of most of my striped tees because they were a little worn.

I would love to find one really good striped tee to have as a basic in my wardrobe! I will look at the thrift stores first but if that fails, I love the look of this J.Crew Vintage Cotton Crewneck tee!

That's a wrap of my list, but what about you?

What are you looking out for to add to your wardrobe?

keep blooming,

Hannah

Things To Do When You Are Stuck At Home

Hello darlings!

I was hesitant to do a post like this because I wasn't sure if you would be interested since it is quite a common blog post topic at the moment.
But I asked, and you answered and said yes, so here it is!

These are some fun ideas of what we could do while stuck in quarantine at home.
I wanted to come up with some original and positive ideas to help keep us happy during an unpredictable time.

Personally, I am mostly an introvert and have been home-schooled my entire life so staying at home isn't a biggie for me. I feel for you if you an extrovert and are craving to be with people and around your friends.
But I hope that these ideas help keep you have some fun, stay entertained and stop you from going too crazy!

~ ~ ~ ~

1. Have a games night with your family
Now is a great time to start spending some quality time with your family so what better way to that than a fun games night!

2. Reorganize your bookshelf (ideas here)
For my bookworm friends out there, have some fun with your bookshelves and organize them by colour or add some little nick-knacks here and there to give your shelves a fresh look.

3. Do a read-a-long of a favourite book (or a new one) with some friends
I'm thinking of doing this with a couple of my friends and to pick one of Jane Austen's books as a way to finally read one and connect with my friends at the same time.

4. Spend an afternoon creating outfits with the pieces in your wardrobe that you don't wear often
I have been wanting to do this for a while and I think now is the perfect time to get creative with the pieces in my wardrobe that I don't wear very much and find some new ways to style them.

5. Go for a prayer walk 
Go get some exercise and fresh air and spend time in prayer to tell Him what's on your heart during this crazy time.

6. Spend more time in the Word
Are you always making the excuse that you don't spend time in the Word because you're too busy?
Well, now you have time so go spend time with your Saviour!

7. Try some new recipes
I know that for me personally, I have a bunch of recipes saved on my Pinterest that I'd love to try out.
Here's the link to my foodie board on Pinterest if you need inspiration!

8. Have a fun self portrait photo shoot
Get into a cute outfit and take a bunch of snaps! If you have a sister, get her to join in and have fun with it.

9. Write letters to your friends
I'm definitely going to be staying in touch with my friends and to make it more fun I'm going to send some good old fashioned snail mail!


I hope these little ideas give you some inspiration and brighten your day!

keep blooming,

Thrifting my Spring/Summer Wardrobe

Hello darlings!

I've seen this idea around on YouTube recently, where you go to the thrift shop & try to thrift for your seasonal wardrobe from Pinterest.
All the videos I have seen have been for the Autumn season so I thought I try doing this for my Spring/Summer wardrobe.
In this post, I'll share some pins form my Spring & Summer wardrobe boards that I'm going to try and find at the thrift shop and include my haul at the end (providing I find some goodies!).


Wishlist

• white top, t-shirt or blouse
• maxi or knee-length skirts
• denim jacket
• neutral colours, pinks, blues and maybe red
• casual summer dress
• t-shirts, possibly graphic tees
I'd also have a look at knitwear and shirts just to see if I can find anything there.

Pinterest Inspiration

The Haul

I did not find everything that was on my list, but that's just how it is sometimes with thrifting.
But I'm super excited about what I did find!

First, I managed to find a cute & casual summer dress.
I have been eying up the whole lemon print thing for a while now and I am so delighted to have this fun summery piece in my wardrobe.
The buttons are such a cute little detail and I also just love the fit of it, it is the perfect length, sitting just at the knee.
I plan to style this with a plain white t-shirt underneath, some sandals and my go-to gold hoops!

When I saw this jumpsuit on the rack, I decided to try it on just so I could see if I liked the whole jumpsuit trend at the moment.
I tried it on, it fit perfectly and I kinda loved how it looked. (After two days of wearing it now, it is safe to say I absolutely love it!)
I love the colour, the buttons, how comfy it is and best of all the pockets that are so deep that I can fit a small book into them(if one would ever wish to carry a book in one's pocket)!
I like how they can be styled either up or down, depending on what you're dressing for.

This wasn't on my list. But I did want to find more for bottoms than tops and this somewhat fits that category so I consider it a win! I definitely want to get a couple more jumpsuits!

Lastly, another item for bottoms, I found these green 3/4 length pants. The more muted shades of green have become a favourite in my wardrobe recently so I think these will be great.
They feel comfy and perfect for the summer.
I plan to style them with a casual t-shirt and sandals, with maybe a little bandana around my neck for a casual, beach day sort of look. They are a little less green in person, by the way!

On this small shopping spree, we also stopped by another shop where I picked up these sandals (not thrifted).
I had seen them around and I wanted to try a pair on to see if I would like how they looked on me.
Turns out they are really comfy and I really like them, which my sister can't seem to understand (she hates them!).

That's all for today folks! I hope you enjoyed this fun thrifty post.
Thrifting is a treasure hunt, sometimes you find exactly what you were looking for, and sometimes you don't. Sometimes you just find this you didn't know you even wanted or needed!
All of my thrifted goodies cost me about $34, which I think is okay.

If you like these thrifting themed post please let me know! I have a few ideas for other thrifty posts!

keep blooming,

5 Things You Won't Find in my Wardrobe

via Unsplash

Hello darlings!

I have shown you a bit of what is in my wardrobe, but the other night I was thinking and I figured it might be fun to tell you bit about the things you won't find in my wardrobe.

These will be things that I don't buy, don't like to wear or aren't part of my personal style. I am not saying that I think you shouldn't wear or own any of these items. These are just my personal preferences!

Without further ado, let's go!

• • • •

1. Tank tops
Okay, so this one has a slight exception. Personally, I am okay with tank tops that have wider straps, but not ones with super thin 'sleeves', spaghetti straps or a neckline that shows cleavage. I still don't actually own any but if I was to find one I liked with wider straps, then I might consider buying it.

Here is an example of the kind of tank that I would wear.

2. Leather pieces
Things like leather jackets, faux leather leggings or skirts, don't fit in with my more floral, feminine style.
I believe that wearing leggings on their own isn't a modest choice and I think that the faux leather leggings/pants are ugly.



3. Animal print
Like I said before, I like floral and feminine styles and animal prints just don't appeal to me. I'm not saying that animal print can't be worn in a feminine way. It's just that I don't particularly have a thing for it.

Animal print styled in a feminine way!

4. Tight fitting pieces or loose & baggy clothes
Because modesty is a big part of my fashion choices, I don't go for body hugging pieces.
On the other side of the spectrum, I also don't wear loose/oversized clothing as seems the trend at the moment.
I like to be somewhere in the middle. I like clothing the fits properly, flatters my feminine features but is also comfortable. I never feel nice in oversized or looser fitting pieces.



5. Mini skirts
This goes along my modesty guidelines and also just personal preference. I don't like, nor do I believe it's right to have so much of your legs showing.
I wouldn't be comfortable wearing a mini skirt or really any skirt that goes above my knee.
Knee-length or longer skirts are what I love to wear and what I feel the best in!



Tell me, are you the same with these preferences?
What do you not have in your wardrobe?


keep blooming!

xo, Hannah

My Favourite Thrift Finds

via Unsplash

Hello darlings!

I have been thrifting for a wee while now and have accumulated a "collection" if you will of thrifted items.

Thrifting can be a hit or miss thing. You may find a treasure or something that is simply had it's days.
It is a great way to save money, as you can find things that would have cost a lot but at the thrift shop, you can find it for a few dollars.

Here I am going to share the things that I have bought from thrift shops!

• • • •

Let's start with the category I score in most often. Room decor.
I love decorating my space. I love making it my own and making it a cosy happy place for myself (and others! My Nonna found it a lovely, uplifting place to be when she stayed at our house around New Years and I let her stay in my room).
The most affordable way to decorate is by going thrifting and finding cheap but often good, unique pieces.

First of all, this pressed flower wall art. Even though the flowers are faded and yellowed I still think it a beautiful little piece of wall art. The frame was originally brown wood (Rimu wood, I think) but I decided to freshen it up with some pale blue-grey chalk paint and I love it even more now!

I just love this Audrey Hepburn wall art! Again, I touched it up with some chalk paint, it used to be green! I think this grey around her is much more fitting to her style! I believe the picture is from the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's (which I have not seen), that Audrey Hepburn starred in.

This basket rubbish bin serves both practical uses and looks nice! When I got it, it was a bit grimy and dusty. But wasn't anything a quick spray with the hose and a vacuum couldn't fix!
Then to go an extra mile, I got out some colourful wool and stitched those little blocks of colour around it. I think it looks very cute now!

Another practical yet lovely piece! My Mum spotted this mirror and we went back another day--luckily it was still there--and claimed it!
It suits me and my taste very well I a love that I can do my hair, add my jewellery and such in front of the pretty mirror. It was also the perfect place to drape my fairy lights on.

In between room decor and clothing, this bag is one of the most used things that I've scored at the thrift shop.
It feels like decent quality. It is a cross body bag which I love and best of all, it can fit a book inside!


Now for the clothing part of this post!

I am so glad that my Mum told me to get this jacket!
At the time I had been seeing these cargo/utility jackets all around Pinterest and so I was on the lookout for one at the thrift shop. I tried this one on and wasn't sure about the fit, but my Mum said I looked great and so I took it home. Now I love it and it is so easy to throw on pretty much any outfit!

I am a bit sad that I don't get an occasion to wear this dress more often. So far I think I have only worn it once, to a wedding.
I scored this dress, that is in brilliant condition for...wait for it...$1.50!!! Crazy, I know.  I feel really nice and confident in it and I love the floral print.

I apologize for the wrinkles! I promise it looks good on, just not laid out on my bed!

Turtlenecks are a must-have for winter! This one is perfect for the icy cold days because though it is a thinner knit, it is made of merino (I believe) and the neck is quite high.
The camel colour is a nice neutral basic to have in my wardrobe and I look forward to getting lots of wear out of it in these colder months.

This denim skirt has become such a staple in my wardrobe and I wear it at least once a week!
There's not much more to say than that, I love it and it's a good piece to have.


That's all of my top favourite thrift finds. Talking about these things has now made get the thrifting itch!

Keep on blooming,

xoxo
Hannah

Emma 1996 Ramble

Hello darlings!

It has been a hot minute since I've seen a period drama and let me tell it, it was really nice to once again indulge in elegant dresses, tea in the garden, balls and parties, and the pretty English houses.

The story of Emma is familiar to me as I did read half of the book once and I have seen the mini-series adaptation.

But I enjoyed this version a lot!

Gwyneth Paltrow was a brilliant Emma!
Ahh, all the aesthetic of a period drama...

In particular, I kept an eye on all of Emma's dress, and they are mostly what I want to ramble about today!

Warning: There are lots of pictures!!! Don't say I didn't warn you!

This one I think is one of my most favourites of all Emma's wardrobe! The yellow colour is so cheery and the stripes are just adorable.

It looks like those are little flowers on her sleeves too, just to add a cherry on the top!

I couldn't find a better picture, but I love this little capelet that Emma wears here. It is so pretty with all the small details.

One of the things I suppose I 'miss' from these eras gone by is all the attention to detail on the fashion alone. The tiny stitching, itty bitty beads and fine lace, all painstakingly made by hand made each garment special. Whereas now, most of our clothing is made speedily with machines and trends changes almost with each passing day.

This pink dress is also very pretty. Honestly pretty much anything pink pleases me though!

There were two rather aesthetic scenes in the film, one being this scene with Emma and Harriet in an apple orchard. The arched branches made it seem like a tunnel of trees and the little pops of red were lovely.

I can't help but pity and like Harriet. Emma confuses her so and she is eager to please so she goes along with it. She may be a little cringy but I think she is sweet and I am glad she gets her own happy ending!

The other quite aesthetic bit was when Mrs Weston and Emma are talking about Mr Knightley amongst some gorgeous pink roses (I think they're roses).  

See how pretty?

Oh and this scene where everyone is picking strawberries is rather lovely too.

Now onto some of the more romantic bits!

I do think that Mr Knightley is one of my favourite Austen heroes. I love his "Men of sense do not want silly wives!" and "Try not to kill my dogs."

He is an exceptionally good sort and not as mushy and 'heroic' as some others. He does not make Emma swoon at his dashing acts of chivalry. They were good friends, to begin with, and I believe there is no sweeter foundation for a romantic relationship than to be very good friends first.
Knightley is also quite sensible, gentlemanly, honest, and full of many other genuine qualities.

I think one of the most popular Emma and Knightley moments is probably when Knightley is reprimanding Emma about her rudeness to Mrs Bates.

Oh, the feels! It must have been horrible for Emma to have such a close and loyal friend as Knightely to scold her so. 

But the best of friends do scold you when you need it and in the end, it will help you. He gave Emma what she needed. 

I loved it when they danced together. Dances are always quite fun parts to watch and in this scene, you can tell they actually begin 'noticing' each other, if you understand my meaning.

Look at all the Emma & Knightley sweetness! *reminds herself for the millionth time that she should read these novels for herself*

To give me some credit I did actually get about halfway through Emma, but then another book caught my attention...

Of course, it wouldn't be an English period drama without some gorgeous British outdoors(especially rose gardens and the like). 

Every time I see the lovely countryside and old houses in England it makes me want to travel there even more.

A perfectly dreamy photo of our dear Emma!

And with that, I hope I have convinced you that this is a wonderful Jane Austen adaptation. I liked it more than the mini-series, to be honest. 

You know this is my first period drama post since January when I wrote a little review on Berkeley Square!

xoxo

Hannah

P. S

*awwww* Your welcome!