Dressing 'Smartly' - Do Your School Uniform Rules Stay With You?

Top: similar here. Trousers: similar here (I have these too!) Shoes: Russell & Bromley. Jacket: Zara. Sunglasses: Miu Miu. Bag: Chanel. Earrings: Dior. 

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I read quite a funny article on Buzzfeed a few nights ago, all about American high schools and their rules regarding education-appropriate clothing; no racer back tops, no showing your collarbones, no 'unnecessarily' short skirts. Pardon me for my ignorance, but how short does a skirt have to be in order to be deemed 'unnecessarily' short? Answers on a postcard.

It got me thinking about my school uniform. Are all of those rules somehow related to my subsequent love of tailored, smart looking clothing? I think back to myself aged 14; a fringe that resembled a helmet and a lot of very illegal eyeliner, but you better believe my shirt was done up to the correct button and my shoes were shiny. I occasionally attempted to bend the rules, but I always looked smart whilst doing so. 

I wonder if my penchant for such a look came from having uniform related rules banged into me since I was a small child? There's something about the tailored, put together, office-chic look that I'm just drawn to. I occasionally stray away in an attempt to look a little more 'edgy' but I always seem to fall back to it. I can't shake it. Perhaps its the ex boarding school pupil within me (fortunately, due to living down the road, I didn't have to actually board!).

In fact, funny story intermission - on my very first day in the 6th form, when we were finally permitted to wear skirt suits instead of an actual uniform, I turned up in an outfit that (IMO) adhered to the rules, but was a little more... extravagant. The skirt was knee length with box pleats and probably 25% more voluminous than a standard suit skirt and the jacket was structured with shoulder pads and gold, military buttons. Basically I was a female Michael Jackson dressed for a very important business meeting. However, nothing about skirt volume, shoulder pads or button colour was in the rules. Obviously I appreciate that one can't turn up to school in a knee-length tutu and state 'well there was nothing about skirt volume in the rules',  but I think as a 16/17 year old, you'd expect to be granted a little leeway to assert your individuality whilst also keeping to the rules. I was literally sent home to change into something more 'appropriate' and then had to walk in late to the first Headmasters Assembly of the year, in front of the entire school. May as well have had a judgy nun walking behind me, ringing a bell and proclaiming 'SHAME, SHAME' over and over a la Game of Thrones.

So do these rules, even if we don't necessarily agree with them at the time, stick with us?

No coloured nail polish. No earrings except pearls or diamond studs. No dyed hair. You are not allowed to wear a jumper if you're not wearing your blazer. You are not allowed to have your hair down until you are in the 6th form. You are not allowed to wear makeup (LOL. I broke that one.)

I'm recalling these rules now and chuckling, but then I look down at my uncoloured, french manicure. My natural, dye free hair. I look towards my over worn, Dior pearl earrings and my wardrobe full of shirts, blouses and suit trousers and wonder if all of that has shaped my style as an adult.

Did you have a uniform at school? If so, do you think you've unintentionally carried any of those rules with you into adulthood?

Photos by Paige of Paige Joanna. 

Cropped Kimono Jacket / Wide Brim Hat / Black Gem Necklace

Hello all!

On Friday I spent the day in London with my mother. We were aiming primarily to return the unwanted items we had been accumulating, but unsurprisingly ended up doing considerably more shopping than un-shopping. (We'd also planned to go to The National Portrait Gallery but she forgot her glasses, so that plan failed spectacularly!) Also, I hope you'll be able to tell that I have a new camera (yay!) which is supposedly 3x the image quality and I'm so happy with how my first round of outfit pictures have turned out. Usually if I take photographs on dull, overcast days I feel like I have to fiddle with the lighting to capture the colours accurately, but no more!
I also cannot fully explain to you the joy I felt whilst I was perusing H&M's 'The New Icons' collection and noticed this hat - sold out in all sizes but LARGE. Cue choirs of angels. For once I do not have to sob over a beautiful hat which only comes in 'One Size Fits All'.

Jacket, Necklace & Shoes : ZARA. Sheer Long Jacket : River Island. Trousers & Top : Topshop. Hat : H&M. Bag : Chanel.

Ruffle Blouse / Victorian-Style Coat / Hat with Silk Ribbon

Hello all!

I suppose the presence of snow in these photos slightly gives away the fact that these were not taken today... bad Arabella. Although, I have been excited to share these photos with you as this Parisian-esque blouse (affectionately referred to as my 'Musketeer Blouse') has certainly become a favourite in several outfits - you might recognise it from when I styled it with my chinoiserie print suit. I also love the way the shoulders have been structured on this coat in quite a Victorian way and the beautiful texture which is described as 'jacquard', but I think it's definitely more of a subtle lace print. Despite the blouse being a re-discovered favourite, it was only whilst uploading the photos that it occurred to me that this outfit is ever so reminiscent of The Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Not really what I was aiming for...

The new semester at university starts for me tomorrow, so it's time to get my brain back in gear and I will now spend the evening 'preparing' for tomorrow morning!

Hat : Ted Baker. Shirt & Coat : ZARA. Stole : H&M. Skirt : Topshop. Ring : Granny's.

Chanel Earrings / Boucle Jacket / Miu Miu Sunglasses

Hello all!

Today, I thought I'd share an outfit which includes three new birthday pieces I picked up with my mother on my birthday-day shopping spree; a beautiful, black Zara boucle jacket with white flecks, military-esque silver buttons and the occasional bronze sequin, Miu Miu tortoiseshell sunglasses & my new prized possessions; a pair of gold Chanel earrings I recieved from my very generous and lovely Grandmother.

You might notice that the photos below switch from day lit London to the night time traditional garden setup - the reason being, the camera was running low on battery so I waited until I arrived home that evening to take some 'detail' shots.

So, I'm happy to say that the 'new in' section of my wardrobe is well and truly stocked up and I won't be doing any much shopping for the foreseeable future! (That's a lie and we all know it.)

Jacket : ZARA. Sunglasses : Miu Miu. Shirt & Trousers : Topshop. Earrings & Bag : Chanel.

Frayed Boucle Jacket / Bib Tie Blouse at London Fashion Week

Hello all!

Well, the busiest week of my entire summer break from university has just come to a close, but oddly enough I can't wait to get back to Oxford on Thursday to start my second year. 

This monday I was fortunate enough to be invited along to London Fashion Week, so here's a quick overview of what I wore. I like to think of this outfit as me rebelling against many years of school uniform oppression. (I genuinely had to wear a kilt. I speak the truth.) Despite that, in my 'adult' life I absolutely adore the tailored look, but as always, worn in a way of my own - so even now boucle, blazers, buttoned up shirts and bow-ties often comprise several of my day-to-day outfits.

 Jacket : ZARA. Blouse, Skirt & Necklace : Topshop. Bag : Chanel. Sunglasses : eBay.

 On Thursday I also attended the Cosmopolitan and Vo5 Ultimate Street Style Icon 'Judging Day' - which was such an incredible experience, and so enjoyable. I'll be doing a full post on the day in the very near future!