Tips & Trends: Cool clutches

Currently obsessing over: cute clutches featuring witty slogans, all sorts of embroidery or embellishment, prints of the floral/graphic/leopard nature, or anything that is pink or blue. 

Pouches are the new statement bag and although they may not be big enough to hold all of a girl's most treasured items, you can be sure that they're cool enough to make up for it. I've always been a fan of totes and large handbags that hold almost anything and everything, but lately I've ditched them in favour of my handy crossbody bags and clutches. Smaller bags are way less bulky and are a convenient way to cull any unnecessary items weighing you down (goodbye perfume bottles, excessive makeup and useless stationary items - it won't hurt abandoning you to make a trip to the shops). 

But forgoing size doesn't have to mean compromising the beauty of a good bag. These clutches are some of my favourites and, despite their decreased dimensions, are just as amazingly perfect as those bigger in size. I couldn't choose between colours when it came to the brands I liked, so here they are in their respective sets. I'm torn!

Moschino good girl / bad girl clutch

Star Mela jasmin clutch

Givenchy clutches

Saint Laurent clutches

Kenzo pink and blue clutches

Simone Camille clutches

I'm particularly loving boho clutches at the moment. My favourite is the pink Simone Camille embellished clutch. They're a great way to add some colour and texture into the simplest of outfits. They're all so pretty that I may just have to invest in this trend! 

Wear your clutch to add a pop of colour or match it to another colour in your outfit. Clutches somehow look good with everything, so don't be afraid to clash your printed or coloured clutch with your outfit too! Check out how these bloggers style their amazing boho clutches.

Tips & Trends: Leopard Print Bags

Diane Von Furstenberg | Dolce & Gabbana | Roberto Cavalli | Thalé Blanc

So leopard print bags are probably one of my favourite things at the moment, aside from anything pastel or floral printed. Above are some high end bags I've seen a lot of bloggers and celebs wearing. To be honest though, for how much they set you back financially, I'm not overly impressed. So, I've included some leopard prints bags at much cheaper prices below that I think are way nicer than any designer bags going around right now, plus they won't break the bank. 

As the monochrome trend is bigger than ever at the moment, leopard print bags are a great way to add some subtle colour and print into predominantly black outfits. It will give it the pop of colour it needs, but could also be worn with other colours too such as white, cream, brown and even brighter colours like orange too. 

Forever New | River Island | Foxlane Collective | Bowie

Style inspiration: Check out how these bloggers wear their leopard print bags.

H&M

Yesterday I got the chance to head to H&M for a spot of shopping. The weather was pretty yucky so I was hoping the queue to get in wouldn't be too long. Luckily it only took about ten minutes of waiting in line before I took my first steps into what seemed like every girl's paradise. 

In my opinion, H&M has so much appeal because of the space they've chosen to set up in. The GPO building is an amazing location but even more appealing is the impeccable visual merchandising inside. This is the first shop I've seen that looks like an interior designer has swept through the building and worked their magic. I could try and explain it, but instead I'll let some of these photos I took do the talking. My favourite thing about the shop (other than the incredibly cheap prices) was the set of mannequins at the front. Taking a photo with them was obligatory as they're the first thing you see when you walk in and the thing you remember most when you walk out. Lighting was also one of the store's key features. Bright lights set the mood and make it much easier to peruse items. The array of mirrors everywhere was another bonus for me as I managed to avoid the massive queue for the change rooms. 

All in all, H&M Melbourne lives up to the hype surrounding it. Despite wanting to go more for the experience and to snap some great pics, I managed to pick up a pair of ankle strap boots for just $50. There's a huge variety of clothes and accessories at prices for every girl and, although I've always been much more of a Topshop and Zara girl, the opening of H&M in Australia has evidently been enough to convert me! 

Free People jacket (old) | Zara top | AG Adriano Goldschmied jeans | Forever New bag

Tips & Trends: Over the Knee Boots

Over the knee boots are one of the biggest trends this season, especially in suede. They've been seen adorning the feet of fashionistas around the globe and have been prominent on the AW14 runway too. 

                                          Donna Karen                                                                                               Topshop Unique

But are they worth investing in? Over the knee boots are quite expensive in comparison to ankle boots. They were on trend a few years ago and chances are they'll be back again in the future, so the good news is that if you choose to buy a pair you can always pull them out again periodically. 

For now they're not going anywhere though, but finding a pair that won't break the bank is a whole different story. Check out some of my favourites.

                        Gianvito Rossi                                                          Loriblu                                                            Stuart Weitzman

But woah, let's be honest, these won't be in my price range anytime soon!  Despite not having a spare $1,000 lying around, it's definitely not worth spending in excess of $500 on a trend-based item. However, in this case it's probably worth spending a decent amount still on OTK boots to avoid looking somewhat like a lady of the night. 

I love this pair from Siren Shoes ($259.95). The lace up detailing at the back is gorgeous plus they're the perfect heel height. 

Siren Shoes

If I was going to buy a pair, this would be my first pick. But here are some other options.

                River Island ($110.50)                                     Steve Madden ($193.35)                                    Tony Bianco ($349.95)

How to wear...

Pair your OTK boots with items like jeans, a knit jumper, a loose/flared dress, or a pleated/trumpet skirt. You can play around with how you style them, just be sure to avoid anything too tight fitting! 

                  They All Hate Us                                                  Wendy's Lookbook                                                  Song Of Style

Samantha Wills: La Boheme Chasseresse

Samantha Wills' latest jewellery collection is yet another series of perfectly crafted bohemian inspired pieces. Samantha Wills is my favourite jewellery label and I love that each piece can be worn either on its own or layered with may others from the current or past collections. Here are my favourite lust-worthy pieces at the moment: