Addicted To Love (and monochrome)

I know, I know - shock, horror, it's me in yet another pair of trousers! Who is this person, and where have all her floral and polka dots gone? She's still there someone, and without a doubt will be back on the blog shortly, but for now I'm really enjoying playing around with my wardrobe and just having fun.

With this look, I felt part way between a chubby rock star and bad ass biker babe which is probably as far away from my usual bumper bangs and hair flowers as you can get! I loved pairing the high waisted jeans with a white shirt, and simply unbuttoned and tied it up to give it more of a cropped finish.

Shirt: Simply Be

Jeans: HM+

Biker Jacket: HM+ (Old season)

Sandals: George (Old season)

The only thing I'll say is that I needed to size up with both the blouse and the jeans (two sizes in the jeans, in fact!) If you're smaller in the bust than I am, your normal size will probably be fine but if you've got a lot up front, size up to avoid the dreaded gape of doom!

I really like this outfit, and it was put together very much with my friend Chattermonkey in mind. It's the right balance of smart vs casual for me to go and meet clients and has definitely made me want to continue to further push through my self imposed style limitations.

Until next time,

Diana x ❤ x

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(All photos (c) Diana Thompson / Fashion Loves Photos unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without written permission.)

Flower Child - Floral Print Peg Leg Trousers from F&F

In those brief windows which promise a flicker of summer, I'm trying to get out of my comfort zone and switch up how I dress for the warmer weather. My wardrobe is filled with vintage polyester and repro dresses which are my usual go to, but often worn with tights or leggings and even cardigans despite the soaring heat. It's mostly due to feeling insecure about my dry and blotchy skin, but as I'm getting older, I'm realising that people just don't care. Everyone is too busy with their own life to take note of every single little thing you hate about yourself, so with that mind set firmly in place, this is going to be the summer where my legs, my arms and even glimpses of my stomach will be very much on show.

I don't wear trousers very often, but having just a skirt or dress without leggings when on a photoshoot isn't practical unless I want to show everyone the colour of my underwear. But that didn't mean that I had to stray too far from my floral ditsy print loving style. When I saw these Floral Print Peg Leg trousers (£16) on the F&F website, I knew that they would be the perfect bridge between being practical and not veering too far from my personal style.

The trousers are available up to a UK 22, and with their comfy waistband and tapered leg are as easy to wear as they are pretty. They have pockets on the hips which is always a plus for any photographer, and a fabric belt which can easily be removed.

I teamed it with an old favourite vest rolled up from Simply Be, a Pearls & Swine rose headband and some ballet flats from JD Williams.

All the floral elements make me feel like it's still very me, just a more casual and sunshine ready version. I'd definitely wear this to a festival or for a picnic in the park, and would simply ditch the floral headband for a single flower clip to bring it back to be more everyday. I was so surprised how comfy I felt in the trousers, and loved the print so much that I've brought the matching dress too which will also be in the blog soon!

Until next time,

Diana x ❤ x

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(All photos (c) Diana Thompson / Fashion Loves Photos unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without written permission.)

Wildflowers - Daisy Painted Swing Dress from Collectif

I've always been a huge sucker for daisies, so when I saw this pretty gingham print coming out as part of Collectif's SS16 collection, I knew that at some point I'd end up twirling around in it. My lovely mother in law recently gave me some money to buy some clothes with the provision that it had to be frivolous, so I finally had the perfect excuse to make the purchase as I honestly cannot remember the last time I brought something, just because.

The dress is an absolute dream and is one of the new wave of dresses by Collectif to go up to a UK size 24. It features a halterneck style with a darling daisy applique to the bust and skirt, with the swing skirt fully flared and petticoat ready. It's a zip free pull on style with an elasticated back panel to ensure it accommodates busts of all sizes.

Dress: Collectif Daisy Painted Gingham Halterneck Swing Dress (£55)

Flower: Pearls & Swine

Shoes: Simply Be Sole Diva Basic Ballerinas in navy (£10)

Necklace: Tatty Devine Swan (no longer available)

Despite the wealth of fabric, the dress doesn't feel heavy when worn which makes it the perfect gsrment for a lazy summer day. It also comes with a white belt which sits on the waist, and I cannot wait for the weather to warm up so that I can pretty much live in this dress.

Until next time,

Diana x ❤ x

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www.fashionlovesphotos.com

(All photos (c) Diana Thompson / Fashion Loves Photos unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without written permission.)

Blue Is The Colour

I know, I know, it's an actual real life blog post! It's been a little quiet over here for the last week, but I've spent the last seven days back to back shooting so am slowly catching up on admin, sleep and organising a huge backlog of content! As ever you can find all the behind the scenes gossip on my Instagram, so if you're not already following me, feel free to tap the button!

On the blog today is something which I picked up from JD Williams a few weeks ago, and have just been waiting for the warmer weather to come back again so I could wear it. This navy coloured spot covered shirt dress (£29) is the holy grail of buttoned up dresses for anyone with a larger bust as the slightly stretchy fabric has both give and a generous cut on top.

The dress is a kitschtastic take on the utility trend, with the polka dots giving a 40s aesthetic to the tea dress shape. Made from a light, floaty material, it's perfect to flit away lazy summer days in, but also one which have leggings and oversized knits added to it to wear through the cooler months too.

On this occasion I teamed it with some simple sole diva ballet flats (£10) from Simply Be, and a cute red London bus necklace (£35) from Tatty Devine. Now all I need is some sunshine and a picnic to go to!

Until next time,

Diana x ❤ x

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www.fashionlovesphotos.com

(All photos (c) Diana Thompson / Fashion Loves Photos unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without written permission.)

Sole Sisters - Summer Shoes For Comfy Feet

I feel like I'm completely obsessed with shoes at the moment. The change in weather means that I've had to put my wear-with-every-outfit ankle boots to one side, and suddenly I'm forced to actually think about what goes on my feet. As a photographer who spends much of her day standing up, I need to wear something comfortable. But my vintage loving sensibilities also want something pretty, whilst my practical side wants something to allow for expansion and swelling in the heat. Not too much to ask to find in a shoe, right?

I came across the Daniel Footwear website which plays host to a huge range of designer footwear, and have fallen head over heels with several pairs made by one of my favourite designers, Vivienne Westwood. The trio are all ballet flats which although similar in shape, manage to remain incredibly different in design.

The first which caught my eye were the Scribble Pewter Orb Ballet Flats (£98), which feature a really interesting criss-cross doodle design. Available in black, gold or pewter, their solid colour makes them easy to wear and match with the contents of your wardrobe, whilst the abstract design makes them eye catching. As with all VW designs, the statement orb adorns the toe and also features a padded tartan foot-bed for comfort. 

The Melissa Ultragirl Pink Flower Orb Ballet Flats (£105) are an utter delight, right from the classic peep toe style, to the signature sweet scented Melissa Melflex plastic. Decorated with a print of magenta and cyan flowers set against a green leaf and pink graphic backdrop, these are the sort of shoes which will go with classic blue jeans or add colour to your favourite LBD. A pink orb finishes off the design, with a hidden micro-heel giving a tiny amount of height. The shoe also features support from it's foot bed padding, so are perfect for dancing the night away, at a wedding or anywhere else.

If you want to introduce a bit of sparkle into your outfit, look no further than the Space Love Gold Glitter Orb Ballet Flats (£98). These babies manage to merge both classic and contemporary styles, and offer a chic and stylish nod to even the most ordinary of outfits. With a comfy floral print padded foot-bed, the design is finished with the signature orb sat atop a rounded toe.

All three pairs are available up to a UK 8, and you can view the rest of the collection here.

Until next time,

Diana xx

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