On Friday I used my clothing to make a sociopolitical statement about how we’re all products now:

Or maybe I just went to work wearing a barcode jumper. ;)

xx

Jumper: Topshop / Jeans: Cheap Monday @ Urban Outfitters / Shoes: Carvela

Yesterday’s work outfit. I bought this dress four, maybe five, years ago and had forgotten about it. The current shopping ban had me rummaging through the suitcase of clothes I keep in the hall cupboard though, in the hope of unearthing something I’d want to wear again.

Struck gold with this silk MaxMara frock – I loved the print when I bought it and still do:

I also found my leopard print trousers and parka in the case - happy days!

xx

Dress: MaxMara / Shoes: Carvela

A great leather jacket really is one of those true investment pieces; it will be with you forever and it will never go out of fashion. It’s also the perfect middle ground between light coat and jacket, meaning you can layer it up or wear it solo to match all weathers.

But, every so often, you might get a little tired of your trusty jacket; it might get banished to the back of the wardrobe for a while, or you might not be taking full advantage of it, only wearing it with certain items and neglecting it the rest of the time. There are so many people who aren’t getting full use of their leather jacket, which is why we’ve compiled this collection of staple wardrobe pieces everyone should try to give their leather jacket a new lease of life.

Scruffy Converse
Complete a casual look by digging out your first ever pair of Converse and roughing it for the day. This look is perfect for day adventures, mixing up a great leather jacket with your comfy shoes – two classics in one!

Jewellery overload
Create a striking contrast by overloading your leather jacket with plenty of statement jewellery. The combination of glitzy jewellery with soft leather, plenty of bling and punk collars, is an interesting fusion which is most definitely eye-catching on a night out.

Killer heels
Completely transform your leather jacket into a sexy outfit with a pair of stunning heels. The grunge look of the leather looks perfectly at odds with a killer set of heels. A great look to wear your jacket at dinner parties or for cocktails.

Vintage satchel
The perfect touch to a black leather jacket is to team it with a brown leather satchel. Black on brown looks great and it also creates a vintage yet casual style for effortless cool when you’re hitting the stores.

Summer dress
If the weather is nice enough for a floral print, but not warm enough to go without a jacket, then your leather jacket is the perfect choice. Not only will it keep you warm without over-layering, a rock and roll leather look over a soft and girly floral dress creates a cute image – great for spending warm days in the park.

Slogan tee
To dress down your leather jacket, and for the perfect stylish-yet-effortless look, pair with a bold slogan or print T-shirt for a cool, casual style. This is the perfect look for lazy days with friends and will turn your leather jacket from a strong, statement piece into a more chilled out jacket.

Straight leg
To add a striking edge to your office attire, contrast a smart suit with an edgy leather jacket. A jacket with buckles and cuffs looks great with a pencil skirt or cigarette pants and creates a rock and roll vibe for the workplace or formal events.

Glamour clutch
Finally, to transform your night out style, don’t forget to wear your leather jacket when you’re dressed up for a night on the town. Again, teaming the punk look of a leather jacket with the stylish glamour of a clutch bag is spot on for creating an elite fashion look.

IL2L.com has over 40 years’ experience in crafting the perfect leather jacket, so whether you’re after biker grunge, the classic look or you’re more vintage chic you’ll find your perfect style at IL2L. View IL2L’s leather jackets online today.

The red dress that I’ve been wearing to the office with a vest, jacket and ankle boots reworked with heels for night time:

Seeing as I’m on a shopping ban I need to look at ways of making the things I have work for both day and night. So far so good – and I haven’t even needed to freeze the credit card in a block of ice!

xx

Dress: Zara / Shoes: Carvela 

Bought this dress from Topshop in my size last week but had to return it as it was a very loose fit on me and didn’t look right at all. I’ve ordered a size down online, which will hopefully be better. I’ve gone for the version from the Tall range as I can’t be wearing things that are too short at my time of life. ;)

Although Toppers list the dress as red it’s more of an orange colour in reality:

Another variation on leopard print – what’s not to love? :)

xx

Lace top, grey skinny jeans, black blazer, leopard print boots, red lipstick - these are a few of my favourite things:

I’m going to try to impose a clothes shopping ban for June and rediscover some of the things I love but don’t wear nearly enough.

Should manage to save myself some holiday cash in doing so. At the end of the day, experiences are worth SO much more than material things.

Have a great weekend. :)

xx

Blazer: River Island / Top: Zara / Jeans: Cheap Monday @ Urban Outfitters / Boots: c/o Dune

Tempted by this £40 floral blazer from River Island but suspect it’s the sort of bold print I’d be bored with after a week:

It’s very nice though and I could do with more florals in my wardrobe.

xx