A Desire For Public Desire: Part Two

My first post on Girl From North London, over a year ago now, was on Public Desire. Since then my blog has grown, and they have grown too. Public Desire has become much more well known as a brand, and they now seem to have control over manufacture too, judging by the labels and packaging. My Public Desire shoe collection has evolved too, so I thought I'd do an updated post (and wish list!) on the brand.

First up, these faux suede thigh high boots are certainly a statement shoe. I like to wear them on a night out, or when I want to jazz up a relatively neutral outfit. I've recently taken to wearing them with my black shirt dress and a cross-body bag.

PUBLIC DESIRE amie faux suede over knee boots

How I've previously styled them:
Roll neck dress + cocoon coat
Denim jacket + mini bag

Next up is a wardrobe staple, the black heeled boot. This particular pair are a chelsea style, so are easy to pull on with the elastic inserts. Unlike a traditional chelsea boot, this pair is pretty high (5.25") but have a track sole platform which makes things a bit easier.

PUBLIC DESIRE hallie high heel chelsea boots

How I've previously styled them:
Thigh high socks + black denim
The smart shirt dress

Arguably the prettiest pair in my collection (and the hardest to walk in) are my pointed lace up heels. No platform and a 4.5" stiletto heel mean that I haven't actually worn them that much. But I love how they look so much that I can't bring myself to pass them on. They're good for photos though!

PUBLIC DESIRE kalia pointed lace up heels

How I've previously styled them:

Lace up top + denim shorts

The last pair in my current collection are flats. These lace up sandals are a comfortable yet elegant option for hotter weather - a perfect addition to a dress or shorts. I like how they securely hold the foot in the shoe, as I personally dislike the feeling of slides or flip-flops, especially in the city.

PUBLIC DESIRE adaline faux suede sandals

How I've previously styled them:

Lace up dress

I thought I'd finish off this post with a wish list of Public Desire's current offering.

PD rosie nude heeled peeptoe boots | PD harper nude lace up heels | PD presley ankle boots | PD elana stiletto heels

What are your thoughts on Public Desire?

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NEW IN: Pink Zara Backpack

 ZARA backpack with foldover flap

I bought this backpack on a whim the other day on the King's Road in Chelsea. A girl overtook me on the way there, and she was wearing a pair of pleated Topshop trousers that everyone seems to have, a denim jacket and this pink backpack. "I like her outfit" I said to my boyfriend who rolled his eyes - I'm always banging on about fashion and he's not the least bit interested. After seeing the Rolling Stones exhibition at the Saatchi (I'd really recommend) I dragged him into the Zara in the Duke of York Square. Funnily enough the same bag was in-store! At £19.99 it was a no-brainer and it matched the top I was wearing.

Although it was a bit of an impulse buy, I'm really happy with my decision. The colour is not only delicious but goes with everything, and adds a pop of colour to my all-black ensembles. It's also a good size, as it can fit A4 sized objects unlike my other backpacks which are much smaller. I like how it folds neatly into a smaller, flatter bag when I'm not lugging around my life. 

I want more pink accents in my wardrobe... I'm thinking mirrored sunglasses, nail varnish and holy crap those Topshop trousers come in pale pink too?

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Needing a job to fund this pink habit...

The Liebster Award | Girl From North London

Hi guys! I've been nominated for The Liebster Award by the lovely Gemma from justsaygem. Go check out her post on the award here.

The award is for bloggers with under 1000 followers, meaning we can discover up-and-coming blogs which is something I love doing.

Anyway, the rules for the award are as follows:
1. Thank the blogger who nominated you (thanks Gem <3)
2. Answer the 11 questions you've been asked
3. Create your own 11 questions and nominate 11 bloggers

1. What is your favourite book?
Ooh hard one! I'd have to say my fave book is either Atonement by Ian McEwan or The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.

2. Who is your role model?
Leandra Medine of Man Repeller. Funny, intelligent, confident with a great sense of personal style.

3. What is your favourite junk food?
Hmm... for savoury I'd go for a veggie pizza and for sweet I'd have to say ice cream. Coffee ice cream is my fave but you can always win me over with a tub of Ben and Jerry's.

4. What do you do to relax?
I like to wind down by painting my nails with a piping hot peppermint tea and an old episode of Gossip Girl. Throwing in a bit of skincare always helps as well.

5. Where would you like to be in five years?
Working as a lingerie buyer or merchandiser at Net-a-Porter, living in my first flat in London (unlikely lol) and still tapping away at this blog.

6. Where is your dream holiday destination?
I look for a balance of sun and culture when picking out holidays. I really want to go to Seoul and an Italian road trip (or Vespa trip) has always been a dream of mine.

7. If you could be anyone else for a day, who would it be?
A bit of a cliché but Beyoncé. Who wouldn't pass up the chance of being Queen B?

8. What is your favourite high street clothes shop?
Another hard one! I'm going to go with Topshop but I do love H&M, Zara and ASOS as well.

9. What do you enjoy the most about blogging?
The writing probably, although sometimes it is the hardest bit! I also enjoy taking pics and editing them which surprised me because I never really thought of myself as creative.

10. What is your favourite beverage?
This is probably the hardest one (I'm really indecisive - have you noticed?) so I'm going to break them up into a few categories:
Alcoholic - Margarita
Coffee (hot) - Skinny vanilla latte
Coffee (cold) - Iced black americano
Tea - Peppermint

11. If you could go back to any moment in your life what would it be?
I think I'd go back to sixth form, chilling with my friends after classes in the summer, drinking rosé and lying in the grass with good music.

I nominate:
Freya-Ella
Style Tomes
Georgia Nicolaou
Little Miss Fii

...ok not quite 11 but a lot of bloggers have either already done this award or have over 1000.

My questions for you lovely lot are:
1. What are your 3 key fashion pieces?
2. What is your favourite coffee table book?
3. Which blog post are you most proud of?
4. What is your favourite thing about summer?
5. Name your top 3 blogs to read
6. What are you listening to at the moment?
7. What is your Starbucks order?
8. What are your favourite props to use in flat lays?
9. Who have you been loving on Instagram lately?
10. What is your dream job?
11. London, New York, Paris or Milan?

Let me know if you've done The Liebster Award so I can check your posts out too!

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Lingerie Lust List | 23.05.16

TOPSHOP body | ERES balconette bra | M&S french knickers | KIKI DE MONTPARNASSE lace bra | UO halter bra

I haven't bought any new lingerie in several months and my underwear drawer is crying out for some new lace, so putting together this lust list came naturally for me. 

Lace bodies seem to be trending in the underwear world, I see them everywhere. I particularly like this black mesh number from Topshop with lace inserts. I'm obsessed with the idea of wearing a body beneath a tuxedo suit as a sultry evening option. 

I love blush/rose/dusty pink shades in sheer fabrics so I had to include two options: a simple sheer balconette from Eres and a delicate halter bra by Kiki de Montparnasse.

These "french knickers" from the Rosie Huntington-Whitely collection for M&S are a gorgeous nightwear option, despite their slightly misleading name. They also come with a matching cami, but I'd be tempted to pair them with a soft cup bra in hot weather. The design also reminds me of these H&M shorts which I'm on the fence about, but could look incredible with knitwear.

Finally I had to include this lace halter bra from Urban Outfitters, which has a wider strap than the Kiki de Montparnasse one, but still has an aesthetically pleasing effect. They come in a variety of colours and I love the idea of pairing it with high waisted wide leg trousers this summer.

What are your thoughts on underwear as outerwear? I'm definitely going to be donning a few slip dresses and the UO halter bra and trousers combo is quickly becoming a necessity. 

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Summer 2016 Resolutions

First off, apologies are due for my not-so-brief hiatus from blogging. Deadlines and moving back to London are to blame. Anyway, uni work has finished, I've quit my job at the coffee shop and I have a looong summer to get back into the flow of blogging. So expect to see much more from me!

For this first returning post, I've decided to share my summer resolutions with you. Just a few small, achievable goals to make the use of this time off.

1. Read more
When I was younger, I used to take out 12 books a week from the library and promptly devour them. But then I got older, I started going out more, studying became more full on, and distractions like Netflix meant my evenings were spent staring at a screen. I do still read everyday, thanks to my favourite blogs and magazine subscriptions, and enjoy it. However, I want to read a proper novel again. So I'm planning to dig out my library card and stick my head in a book. I'd be grateful if you could leave any book recommendations below.

2. See more art
I live in London, and if a fashion exhibit comes to town I am the first one there. But I'm not so good with art. However I have enjoyed the times I've accompanied my sister to a photography exhibit or visited the National Gallery. I intend to make the most of this cultural hub that I live in, as I've taken it for granted for too long. Some art/fashion exhibitions on my hit list:
Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear
Missoni Art Colour
Exhibitionism
Dutch Flowers

3. Take more pictures
Weird goal for a fashion blogger, I realise. But my iPhone library is filled with more images of coffees and bags than actual moments with friends. Uni is flying by and I'll regret it if I don't have many pictures to remember it by. I have exciting trips planned for this summer, and they'll be a good opportunity to capture moments I'll want to remember.

4. Blog
As I said above, I want to use this summer to blog more. Now I've typed and published it (eek!) I'll have to follow through. So watch this space...

Have you got any resolutions for this summer? Let me know down below!

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