7 Body Oils To Know

Lets talk body oils. It’s a product I’ve started using religiously the last few months. I have tried and tested a fair few over December and January and have experimented in both cold and hot climates. I have to admit, the first product I used to apply post shower was moisturiser but now it’s oil. Plus it has so many uses, from protecting your skin from dryness, to a massage oil post exercise, bath oil, razor burn protection and a great preventative to insect bites as they hate the feeling of oil on your skin. Depending on my mood or how I want my skin to feel, there are a few favourites I want to share with you. 

The Luxury Oil 

My go to has to be Tata Harper Revitalizing Body Oil. It’s a little pricey, but you can definitely feel it has a luxe touch and the consistency is a little heavier than some but it’s fast absorbing. It’s a great product to use in the morning after your shower and you’ll benefit from the moisture all day. The scent is beautiful! 

The Night Out Oil 

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse is a multi usage oil. The scent smells like a luxury perfume so it’s my go to for a nice dinner or date night. It features top notes of Orange Blossom, heart notes of Rose and Lily, and Vanilla base notes. This oil can be used as a body, hair and face oil - try blending with your foundation to give your skin that extra boost. The packaging is definitely one to show off on the bathroom shelf.

The Bath Oil 

Espa Bath Oil Collection is perfect for a gift or if you are a frequent traveller as each bottle is the perfect companion at 15ml. It showcases six bath oils - Fitness, Restorative, Soothing, Energising, Detoxifying and Resistance. I also add Epsom Bath Salts if my muscles needed extra healing and repair from the gym. 

The All Round Oil 

Whenever I have a hair appointment at my Aveda salon, they also start with a scalp massage. I’m always drawn to the scents and such a fan of the Beautifying Oil. It contains jojoba oil and a blend of essences, including rosemary and bergamot. Perfect for dry skin and can be used in the bath, on dry skin, for body and calming scalp massage. 

The Anti-Stress/Night Time Oil 

There’s nothing better than a nice warm bath in the colder months. I was exercising around 5 times a week and having long days at my laptop just before Christmas, so a bath was necessary a few nights a week before bed. The three oils I would recommend to help you drift into a relaxing sleep would be The White Company Sleep Relax Oil, Mauli Surrender Vata Oil, and Neom Perfect Night Sleep Oil. Scents with Lavender, Ylang Ylang and chamomile really help me relax and switch off from screen time. I found it helped soothe aching bones and joints while clarifying the mind for a greater sense of wellbeing and calm. Plus, it felt so nice to wake up feeling refreshed and inhaling in the same scents in the morning. 

I’ve linked all oils below, would love to hear if you have any favourites!

Neutral Staples - My Farfetch Black Friday Wishlist

These next couple of weeks I am on a shopping ban until Black Friday! But I must say, Farfetch has some dreamy pieces I already have my eyes on. It seems silly to purchase before the ‘land of internet goes into fashion meltdown’ and to be honest I would rather fill my online basket which I will be checking out on the 23rd November. Also known as ‘not shopping on a whim’ and actually purchasing items you really want, or have been on your wish list for some time. If you’ve been reading my blog for some time, you would know how important it is for me to have a small, yet curated staple wardrobe which consists of key pieces I will rewear over and over throughout the season.

So lets start with the blazer…. 

Best ways to wear? Office to evening festive drinks, styled over a basic tee, oversized with a midi dress or my way of wearing this season would be with a silk midi. (See styling tips from my previous post here)

The White Accessories…..

The best thing about this seasons on trend white shoes and bags is they will look amazing with your tan come summer, so these pieces aren’t just for autumn! I recently invested in a BOYY bag, and it’s literally feeling the love from all you guys on Instagram. Looks great contrasting an all black look. If you’re feeling a little more brave, opt for chunky white trainers or slouchy knee high boots/western style boots.

Denim that will suck in all those mince pies….
I get it, it’s so hard finding the right jeans because there’s just so much choice. Keep it simple and flattering with a high waisted straight leg and don’t stray from washed blue or true black. This style looks great with a pair of chunky trainers and even better for a night out styled with scrappy black heels.

Neutral Knitwear….

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. A good collection of knitwear will not date. I have had some jumpers for three winters and take care of them washing them with special wool detergent. Opt for neutral colours which you can style with your straight leg jeans and over slip dresses.

Happy Shopping!

How to Style A Blazer

Stripes styled with tailoring is a classic combination. And I think it’s safe to say, the blazer is definitely the most coveted piece amongst fashion it girls right now. Today, I opted for a Viktoria Woods strapless dress and tweed jacket to add texture. 

Here are some of my favourite blazer looks which give off the same vibe, but dependent on your mood and the day you have planned ahead:

The striped blouse and blazer

This is a great option for office to dinner drinks. Add a straight leg or kick flare jean and kitten heels to add a touch of cool to your evening. 

The slogan tee and blazer

If you follow my Instagram, you may have noticed my love for any kind of tee with writing on. As a lover of tailoring, it only seems right to style casual with smart to give off instant Euro girl status. This combination looks awesome with a striped or checked blazer.

90’s slip and blazer

Because lets be honest, you can’t avoid all the 90’s throwbacks right now, and those linen slip dresses are giving us girls in Australia major European summer FOMO. Unfortunately, it’s not quite warm enough to brave one without that added layer. That’s where the blazer comes in. Stick to sneakers or a small heel when styling.

When walking around NYC hours on end, sneakers seem the only sensible option. It’s been a while since styling a pair for my posts, but they are probably my most worn shoe of choice in winter. Purely down to the fact I am up so early to commute to work, and it’s currently 7-10 degrees before 7am so all I want to be is comfortable! Thankfully, when shooting this post in Soho, New York was much warmer. 

It’s been amazing sharing all my New York content with you and receiving such a great response to my self portrait posts. It was a little personal challenge I set myself before going, and a way for me to step outside my comfort zone and regain some of my lost confidence. Thank you for always reading, and I hope you feel inspired to go out and push your boundaries however that may be, or on another note - invest in a blazer! Whatever makes you happy!

Shop my look:

Williamsburg Blazer: Viktoria & Woods (sold out) but similar here and here

Belgrave Dress: Viktoria & Woods

Adidas Originals: Asos or similar here

Faye Medium Leather and Suede Bag: Chloe via FWRD

Photo credit to yours truly. In collaboration with Viktoria & Woods

Weekly Lust Haves...

A new segment to Style Structure: Weekly lust haves. This weeks mood board is all about city chic monochrome with a side of coastal. A detailed tee pairs perfectly with a good cut jean and heels, but whilst living in Sydney (and heading into autumn) the memory of long summers near the ocean wants to live on. My fascination with straw bags continue and takes the look from smart to casual in seconds. Add a splash of Rosas Frescas and you are good to go!

Shop the edit:

1.Asymmetric Lace-Up Cotton-Jersey Top: Marques' Almeida

2. Suede Pumps: Jacquemus
3. Cropped Flares: Saint Laurent

4. Nanni Gold-Plated Earrings: Acne Studios

6. Rosas Frescas: Coqui Coqui

Why Good Quality Basics Are Key

Having spent two summers in Australia, I have learned that breathable and well made basics are the key (and staple) to a southern hemisphere wardrobe. It’s only been since moving here that I have started to appreciate natural fibres and here’s the reason why. 

Sydney is humid and stifling hot in the summer months, so less is more. When I say less, I actually mean minimal clothing options (for someone who loves layering this is actually tough) so it’s important to choose wisely. T-shirts and denim shorts replace knits and jeans but sometimes these very basic looks can feel somewhat boring and less styled. Don’t get me wrong I love an easy outfit selection day, but then there are the days I want to look a little more ‘dressed’ in basic pieces. Switching cotton for something a touch more silky and flowing. 

Two key items I have been purchasing when the fabric is right are camisoles and shirts. You’ve probably noticed me wearing these pieces on rotation now spring has sprung, and I can assure you these items will take me through to summer. Why? Because they are 100% silk and breathable. Style and fit are obviously important to me, but quality also rate highly. For me, it’s about building a long lasting wardrobe. Today I have styled pieces from the new Grana collection. Mom jeans are definitely my favourite style this season and wanted to show you how I’m transferring my basics from home to street. I have been selecting one size larger in most of my tops lately as I really like an oversized fit to look more relaxed. Paired back with high waisted denim, it also gives the illusion of looking slimmer.

As always, luxe accessories are my go to when wearing simple combinations. And my number one styling tip is to keep accessories the same tone. 

Shop my look:

Silk V-Neck Camisole: Grana

Silk Short Sleeve Shirt: Grana

Denim Slim Boyfriend Jeans: Grana

Denim Mom Jeans: Grana

Neck Tie: Third Form

Leather Belt With Interlocking G Buckle: Gucci

Faye Medium Leather and Suede Shoulder bag: Chloe

Grana are offering 10% off and free worldwide shipping until the end of November with code ‘SSxGRANA’

Photography and edit by myself.

Sleepwear As Daywear

With Silk and sleepwear being brought forward into daytime hours, there can be a lot of confusion how to style this trend. I for one am loving this relaxed take on a classic shirt! With the weather getting colder, softer fabrics are a winner to take away the chill and make you feel like you have literally jumped out of bed and left the house in your comfiest threads. 10 more minutes in bed in the a.m I’ll take that!

On the streets of International Fashion Weeks, I saw many ways to style sleepwear inspired garments. Even better, it’s a trend you can take into the warmer climates (that’ll be me next week, stay tuned!)

So that being said, how can you wear yours this season?

•  Layered up. That’s exactly how I have styled mine today. The perfect addition to a turtle neck or even a plain white tee. Try mixing up the fabrics. Go silky on top and cotton or wool underneath for that added retro vibe.
• Off shoulder. I wore one of my silk shirts in a post a few months back like this and you guys showed so much love on Instagram! Unbutton your blouse from chest up and sit it just off the shoulders. You’ll be feeling like a St Tropez lady in no time!
• Add denim. This has to be one of my favourite ways to wear a pyjama blouse, especially when the jeans are high waisted and have a loose look to the leg. Add a buckle belt and tuck in your blouse for a 90’s chic look.

I’ve compiled some of my favourite pyjama blouses for you to shop at the bottom of this post. Happy shopping!

Shop the look:

Piped Sleepshirt: Splendid via Shopbop or similar here

Splice Sweater: Seed or similar striped jumper via Shopbop here 

Wide Legged Pants: Similar from Asos here or here

Cassandre Monogram bag: Saint Laurent via Matches Fashion

Zac II shoes: Senso
Icons Round Sunglasses: Ray-Ban via Shopbop

Photo Credit to Jiawa Liu from Beige Renegade

New York’s Cosy Corner

On my recent trip to NYC, I knew I had to dedicate some time to cosy coffee shops. Back in 2010 whilst interning in Manhattan, coffee shops were my place of choice on weekends before making friends in a new city. Sometimes I would sit for a good two hours on my laptop people watching whilst getting a feel for the city. It was also perfect for hiding away from the cold in the winter months. I asked Christina (todays photographer) for some of her favourite coffee hangs near Soho, and after showing her some Inspiration it turns out the image I really liked on Instagram was only a short walk around the corner! Gasoline Alley is a small, raw decor cafe with charm. Exposed brick and friendly staff, I just wish I had time to spend a few hours in there watching the world go by. 

Nearing the end of winter, it's still a little chilly in the city which I couldn’t have been more happy about. After two summers in Australia, I’m still not used to the scorching heat, so when I found out New York was on the cards I was excited to wear a few more layers. This off shoulder jumper showed just enough skin, and was the perfect length to style with black skinny jeans. I opted for a statement shoe - the suede mule to mix up the look a little. It wasn’t quite spring temperatures to head out without a coat, so was thrilled to find out that Sydney label Third Form prepped me for the bitter winds with this gorgeous wrap around coat. Black and classic, it will definitely be a winner for the coming season and you’ll be seeing this one a lot more! 

Shop the look:

Rewind Coat - Third Form

Heidi High Waist Ankle Grazer Jean- Forever New

Saint Laurent Monogramme Bag- Net-A-Porter

Round Ray-Ban Sunglasses - Via Shopbop or The Iconic

Off Shoulder Jumper- similar here & here

Molly Mules - Solsana or similar here

Photo credit to Christina Emilie Based in New York City