Hi all!

This is a dual post - firstly a quick outline of my style goals for 2015 and then a WIW for my first week back to university. I've never made style goals before, but I like the idea of reflecting on personal taste and being more analytical about my purchases for this year.

1. Explore the world of trousers and skinny jeans: in highschool, I almost exclusively wore baggy jeans and sweatshirts. Then in university, I discovered that fit and flare dresses were flattering and comfy and went almost to the other extreme - I would never ever wear trousers. Late last year, I bought some new skinny jeans - jeggings technically, but with fabric thick enough that they definitely pass for jeans. They are much more comfortable because I finally admitted to myself that my bottom is much larger than my top half and because they are very stretchy.

2. Be a bit more "edgy" with my looks: Not that I dressed plainly before, but I want to experiment with different colours and pieces of clothing that before I might have thought I couldn't "pull it off". I think wearing more tailored and structred pieces will also help, because recently I've worn mostly cotton knit dresses and cardigans.

3. Rediscover pieces in my current wardrobe: Like many here, I've got some pieces that I love but never wear. I'm determined to find new and trendy ways to wear them this year, especially some amazing vintage hand-me-downs from my mum.

4. Specific buys - cropped denim jacket, black pencil skirt, low contrast sandles/summer shoes: just a few things in particular I will be on the look out for. I've discovered that cropped jackets are much more flattering than normal length cardigans with my fit and flare dresses - they have more structure and end at my natural waistline, so they don't interfere with the dress. I have yet to find a pencil shape that fits well for my pear shape -- I'll take it to the tailor if need. Lastly, I like wearing dresses, so I want a pear of comfortable low contrast (i.e. white or nude) sandals/shoes for the summer when I'm not wearing dark tights.

This week was my first week back and I decided to try and put my 2015 style goals in action with a few of these looks. These pieces are both old pieces and a few Boxing day buys. Where I can, I'll mention where I bought the pieces.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and happy 2015 to you!

WIW

Monday (1): Jeggings (Dorothy Perkins), Lear Sweater (Talbots), grey booties (Clarks) - there is enough detail in the stitching that I think that really look like the real thing. If you look closely, there is no fly... what do you think? A faux pas? The jumper is a beautiful piece which I wanted to be the main focus of the outfit. Grey booties with a small heel to lengthen the leg.

This is much more form fitting than I would have previously been comfortable wearing. Being a pear, I often feel like I have "saddle bags" on each side of my thighs. I think it's just getting used to the fact that my legs taper and are not straight sticks!

Tuesday (2): Pink sweetheart dress (Dorothy Perkins - tall), grey oversized cardigan (Primark), pink belt, black boots. This outfit pushes my style boundaries because the cardigan is belted - something I only first tried in December. It allows me to wear a longer cardigan but still define my waist.

Wednesday (3): Blouse (H&M), beige oversized cardigan (Primark), Jeggings (Dorothy Perkins), brown boots (Kodiak) Half-tucking is also a new trick they I learned hear on YLF. It's quite a dressy blouse and I wanted to make it a bit more casual by pairing it with the chunky cardigan, jeans, and sturdy brown boots.

Thursday (4): Black studded cropped jacket (Boohoo), High-waisted tube pants (Dorothy perkins), beige silk top (handme down from my mum!), mint pashmina. This outfit was quite edgy for me. Wearing the high waisted tube pants really emphasises my curvy hips, but I'm growing to like it. The jacket was a bit of a statement piece and added some structure on the top half. To keep the outfit from being too monotone, I added the scarf for some colour.

Friday (5): Red fit&flare dress (Dorothy Perkins), black cropped jacket (Boohoo), mustard waist belt (hand me down), grey booties (Clarks). This outfit was about experimenting with colours -- I never would have paired a yellow belt with a red dress before I seen some fabulous examples of bold colour pairing here on YLF. I wish I could have worn sheer tights, but I didn't have any in my closet.

Thanks for making it to the end! Looking forward to hearing what you lovely ladies think!