Thrifting & Styling Street Wear Trends

Hello, Hello. 

So while I was scrolling through Vogue's homepage the other day, I came across an article on the latest street-wear trend, animal print (original article here).  It listed many of ways for you to incorporate it into your everyday style, from outerwear to handbags. I recently picked up this snakeskin printed shirt at the charity shop, I thought why not bring the two together. Deciding to delve into more of there "How to Shop The Street Style" articles I came across one on Trench Coats (original article here), this was a match made in fashion heaven as alongside my new animal print piece I picked up the most gorgeous Orange Trench Coat, and they just so happen to go together perfectly - ah, the fashion Gods are with me! So today I am going to be talking you through my two new current thrift favourites, which just so happen to be incorporating two of the most popular street wear trends at the moment - what a bonus!  

Animal print is something I have been on and off with for years, I was never really much of a fan because I thought It looked "cheap" and "tacky", however nowadays the "tacky" aesthetic is one that I go for quite a lot. Never the less back in the day I was a lot more self conscious of what people thought, so I always steered clear from it (apart from my faux fur leopard print coat, which I loved). Now that my style has evolved much more, and I am more into prints and playfulness I am fully here for the trend. I have a few pieces in my wardrobe, one of my all time favourites is my Spice Girls esque. Jumpsuit which I have done a blog post on before which you can catch here if you are interested. However I think the classic button down shirt is one of the easiest ways to try out the trend for yourself, and see if you like it. You can easily pick up an item like this for a couple of £'s in your local charity shop, and I think with "trendier" items there is no better way to shop. This is simply because if you are uncertain on it, if you'll wear it, or if the trend dies down quickly you haven't wasted too much money and it doesn't feel as bad. This piece is a grey semi-sheer snakeskin printed shirt, I liked that it was a snakeskin pattern as its a nice variant on the more typical cheetah / leopard print which we see more commonly. (High on my list is to find some incredible cow print and zebra print items, I've got my fingers crossed that I find some funky items soon!) The fit is very classic, meaning that it could be styled a multitude of ways and I think that is one of the things that drew me too it. I also knew that it would look amazing with my pink snakeskin belt to make more of a statement, which is what I envisioned as soon as I picked it out. I think with thrifing, one of the most important things when you are picking out items is if you can picture them working with pieces you already have in your wardrobe, this way you know if you are going to wear it / be able to style the item.  

Now for the second Street Wear Trend, and for me the showstopper of this look - my orange trench coat. Arguably, unlike the shirt these are a lot harder to come by especially in this colour - but your standard light tan / sand colour can easily be found. With it being such a timeless piece that comes around every year you can always find one in your local charity shop, its as easy as finding a denim jacket. However I could not believe my eyes when I found this, I had been eyeing up the trend but I just wasn't sold on the classic light tan colour, and  I had never seen a bold colourful one (well not in my price range), until I found this. Due to this not being my typical style, I am more into sporty and vintage / retro style outerwear, I would never buy an item like this new. I wouldn't be able to guarantee that I would wear the item enough as it does not fit into my more urban street-wear / casual vibe. However I love the item, and it is making me try new things with my style and go down a different more chic road. It has such a timeless shape and style but the bold orange gives it that uniqueness to keep it more fitting to my style, and it makes for such an amazing statement item. It can be styled and worn a multitude of ways, but it such a perfect transitional piece to have in your wardrobe, especially with living in England where we have the most unpredictable weather. 

Today I decided to go for a quite chic city-esque look, I styled my shirt tucked into my knee length high waisted mom-style shorts with my trench coat over the top. Denim shorts aren't usually my thing, as I have pretty chunky thighs and I just find them uncomfortable, but because of the length of these I find them super flattering and I think they give off a very chic vibe. They are also a more elevated / classier take on my much loved cycle shorts which are my current wardrobe go too. These are actually cut off Levi 501's made into shorts, which is a nifty little trick incase you wanted to D.I.Y a pair yourself! I love the slight distressing and the more classic blue denim wash, I think teamed with the shirt it made for a really cool unique look, and added a masculine touch to the more feminine shirt. Playing around with androgyny is something I really enjoy, as I love the contrast between feminine delicate cuts and styles and harsh industrial masculine style. A very popular example would be the pretty floral dress teamed with Dr Marten boots. The vibe of this outfit isn't one that I usually gravitate towards but I felt fantastic in it, I had serious GIRL BOSS vibes and felt like I could take on the world! Isn't that the most beautiful thing about fashion? The feeling of empowerment. 

So, now for the little details. As mentioned above, I added another snakeskin touch with this pink belt. I love the added statement, and the extra dimension it gives the look. It ties in, but also contrasts the shirt really well and makes the look feel more thought out and pieced together. For shoes I decided to rock my platform Jeffrey Campbell sandals, they give me a bit of high but also make the look more smart as they are a more formal shoe. Also side note, can you believe I picked these up for the mere £2 at a carboot?! Absolute steel. Probably my current favourite of the accessories has to be my striped straw bag, I LOVE this piece. Straw bags are so on trend at the minute and can be found in every high street retailer, but are also super common in the charity shops too! I guarantee that I will spot a variation on the bag at least once in almost every shop I go too. I think the uniqueness of the square shape and striped detail is what drew me to this bag, as it makes a change to the usual round or oversized bags which have saturated the market. Also, the orange stripe ties in perfectly with my orange coats and ties the whole look together. The devil is in the details with this look for sure. To finish off I just chucked on my trusty baker boy cap (mostly to hide my atrocious roots), a pair of funky earings (because I never wear jewellery and I'm trying to branch out) and that is the full look.

I really enjoyed dressing up in a more chic classic look, it is always fun to switch up your style and try something different. My style has no aesthetic, it changes day to day depending on my mood. For me it would be a waste to stick to one aesthetic, because they're are so many styles and trends that I love. I think its super important to not feel pressured to stick too one thing, into such a small box when there is so much out there for you to experience. You never know till you try!

XOXO, EMMA