Posh Swaps Blog

For most occasions other than work and parties, you will probably wear casual jackets and casual trousers. Yet these items of clothing can be some of the hardest items to buy. Even if you are not going any where special you can still look stylish and sophisticated in your casual clothes just by shopping carefully. There are just a few key qualities to look for in your clothes, when shopping, that will ensure you always look amazing.

Quality -even for casual clothing, quality is usually immediately apparent and will become even more so after a few washes. The better quality clothing you buy, the better it will usually hang and last.

Fit - fit is vitally important if you want to look stylish. It doesn’t matter how much money you spend on a piece of clothing if it doesn’t fit properly. Don’t be fooled into thinking that casual clothing should be loose fitting and shapeless, whilst you want your casual clothing to be comfortable a good fit is also really important.

Classic Styles - classic styles of clothing are usually a good investment as they  will last for much longer than high fashion items. The classic cuts of ladies trousers and jackets are also some of the most flattering styles that you can buy.

Flattering Colours -picking the right colours of clothes can transform you from looking pale and drained to looking radiant and glowing. It is fairly easy to work out what colours look best on you just look through your wardrobe and work out which colours of outfit have won you the most compliments.

Image - blazer from Crew Clothing

Sometimes it can be difficult to find a great pair of shoes that are also eco friendly and on trend. There are so many different aspects of the shoe to consider when trying to find a pair that has minimal impact on the environment including recycling, carbon foorprint, vegatable tanned leather and non toxic materials.

There are however som great eco shoes out there that minimise their impact on the environment in a number of ways and also have really beautiful and innovative designs. Here are 3 of our favourites:

Pikolinos makes shoes using vegtable tanned leather. Their shoes are also stitched together and incredibly good quality so will last for many years. They are natural colours. 

Po-zu again uses vegetable tanned leather for their shoes. They have a unique coconut husk foot matress which makes them uncompromisingly comfortable and they are stitched together to avoid the use of toxic glue. They are also completely recycleable.

The Melissa brand has gained something of a following in recent years for their fun designs and brightly coloured plastic shoes. They are made from  recycled plastic and are made even more desirable with collaborations with designers inclduing Vivienne Westwood.

Festival fashion is all about individuality and doing your own thing and vintage clothes are a great way to do this. Of course if the weather looks ot be wet, you might change your mind about wearing one of your favourite vintage pieces for fear of ruining it but a piece of second hand clothing might just fit the bill.

For style inspiration remember to check out the streetstyle blogs and pictures of the US Coachella festival. If you can’t find just the right thing you could always have a go at customising something. Look for practical clothes that look great and will help to protect you from the elements be it sunshine, rain or the cold weather.

Here are just a few ideas of vintage and secondhand clothes that would make great festival fashion

Denim mini skirts or cut off shorts are a great choice for festivals. If the weather gets cold you can always layer them over a pair of leggings.

A colourful printed top is a great for a festival as it will not show dirt or creases as much as its plain counterpart.

With seventies styles being so popular this year, the maxi dress is a great choice for the summer’s festivals.