This top is floral. This top is cropped. This top is SEE THROUGH (nearly). I would normally consider this a most Unholy Triumvirate of shirt features, whereby if this item of clothing were described to me on paper, I would snuff my nose in your general direction and bark at you “avoidavoidavoid unless you’re 6 ft 2 and wafter thin.” Lucky for me, I saw this velvet top before anyone told me about it. After a couple of precursory glances and a quick trip to the fitting room, I was won over.
As I have written about on my last fashion post featuring a lovely white blouse, I readily and sadly admit that I am not the most fashion forward of dressers. ‘Basic,’ you may call my style, whereas I like to say ‘Classic Yet Poor.’ AKA, I generally only invest in pieces in the monochrome palette of white, grey, black and denim, because trendy items — even cheap ones from the high street — bring you into credit card debt faster than you can say ‘Romper.’
// W H A T I ‘ M W E A R I N G //
//Velvet Top: Topshop (bought in store) // Jeans: Zara (old, similar here) // Belt: ASOS // Shoes: M&S //
This means that the lovely velvet trend that’s been all over the high street has, alas, been admired from afar. I love the idea of owning a beautiful pair of velvet loafers. However, considering it rains ALL THE TIME in this city, spending my hard-earned cash on them just seems frivolous. And thus, I stick with my trusted chelsea boots that have seen many, many things, and next thing I know, I’m a boring dresser.
You can see why this velvet top comes as a huge breath of fresh air. I’ve never owned anything like it, and when I put it on, I instantly felt like some cross between Stevie Nicks, a stylish blogger at a festival and 1998 Drew Barrymore. Pretty much all of the things one would want to look like.
Excuse the belly. Crop tops are kind of the worst for pretending you’re Stevie Nicks.
Sure it’s trendy, and yes it’s mildly impractical, but isn’t fashion meant to be more than just practicality? A bit of whimsy, a bit of Stevie, and a bit of that confidence when you know your outfit is kinda great. That’s what all about.
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Velvet Crushin’: Here are some of my other favourite velvet picks that I’m asking Stag Santa for…
//Velvet Pleat Midi Skirt: £55, Topshop // Velvet Embroidered Smock Blouse: £65, Topshop //
//Fit & Flare Velvet Dress: £39.50, Marks & Spencer // Alexander McQueen Embroidered Velvet Loafers: £725, Net a Porter //
(okay, okay, I may never own those shoes that cost a month’s rent, but OMG SO PRETTY right?!)
// Carvela Devon Wine Clutch Bag: £31.20 (Reduced from £69), Kurt Geiger // High Heel Velvet Ankle Boots: £45.99, Zara //