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Olive Review
I’m typoing everywhere today. Apologies for anything my proofreading misses.
I’ve probably mentioned countless times that I really love Olive so whenever I get an email from them asking if I want any clothing to post outfits in I always get so excited.
Most recently I received these three items:
And these are the outfits they were featured in:
(http://lookbook.nu/look/3724463-Swimming-Pool)
(http://lookbook.nu/look/3733513-Whirring)
(Also features pink satchel from Choies and shoes from Oasap)
The dress had actually been sent ahead of the items I picked because India from Olive picked it herself because she thought I’d like it. Turns out she was quite right because I was so close to picking that dress myself but stopped myself for fear of asking too much. But anyway that dress is probably my very favourite item I own right now. I can’t stop wearing it, it’s basically perfect in every way - and I’m even wearing it now!
The other two items are also gorgeous. The sleeves (well… lack of) of the blouse are really interesting, I don’t know the right terminology but they kind of hang further forwards than normal sleeveless blouses and create a really interesting shape.
Positives:
+ Wonderful quality (seriously, of all the clothes I own Olive clothes are bounds ahead in terms of quality and craftsmanship of the items than regular high street fare. It’s a whole other league)
+ Beautiful items, far more beautiful in person that on the photos
+ The store is run by a wonderful team.
+ The shop is stunning. If you live near Cheltenham seriously pop in and have a look around.
+ Lookbooks on the site feature many of the items sold and show how they can be worn together
+ Fast shipping
Negatives
- The range of sizes can be a little limited
- Although there is a very reasonably priced basics section, some of the more elaborate pieces (such as my dress above) can run a little pricier than usual high street fare. Now I would say it’s worth it because the quality is wonderful but it might take a little more saving and less splurging if you’re after several pieces from there.And as per usual, I’ll round off with the lookbook look title songs:
#1 The Front Bottoms - Swimming Pool
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRmaIYbLWho
Have I mentioned before how their 2011 album ties with Hello Sadness as my album of the year 2011? No? Well it does because it’s absolutely wonderful and I can’t recommend them enough.
#2 The Joy Formidable - Whirring
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2BUEzdjfpY
I know a guy who likes whatever has been in NME recently on facebook to look cool, he’s liked The Joy Formidable, so yes they’re one of those bands but I still think they’re wonderful. But I do admit that certain British music channels and certain British music publications (cough NME x2) over hyped them a little, but they’re still worth the listen and I think they pretty much live up to the hype anyway. -
Massive catch-up post (/too many bowler hats/9/7/12)
Right I’ve been running massively behind and to make up for that I’m going to do a huge post.
(http://lookbook.nu/look/3665395-Pretty-in-pink)
Sorry about the lack of update in a while. I haven’t been in the right frame of mind to write a big long post, and then the longer I put it off the more I had to write and the less I wanted to do it. I thought I might as well wait until I was feeling in the blogging spirit rather than putting out something on a half effort because I felt obligated to.Anyway, outfit #1. My dad asked me why I was dressed as a John Huges character when I wore this, which is a compliment coming from him seeing as he’s the biggest John Hughes fan I know. I can’t count the number of times he’s forced me to watch Pretty in Pink or Ferris Bueller’s Day off.
Hat is Romwe, dress and blazer are Sheinside.
(http://lookbook.nu/look/3643711-Heart-Swells-1-1)
I have a strange relationship with band tshirts. All the ones I own are Los Campesinos! related, because I am an obsessive fan. I think band tshirts are a wonderful way to show support for a band - more often than not the money goes directly to them if you don’t buy from a 3rd party and it’s a public display of love for the band. At the same time I cannot stand how so many people buy some highstreet brand “band tshirt” with some famous 70s classic rock band emblazoned on the front when they know nothing of the band and it’s nothing more than “band shirts are cool lol.”
Skirt is from a market stall, tshirt from Los Campesinos!’ webstore and the Soufeel bracelet is from Romwe.
(http://lookbook.nu/look/3674697-Brother-Sport)
How rare to see me in something other than a skirt or dress. This was my entry to the River Island contest, and the hat makes a return. I’ve never been one of those people who can colour block easily, I like patterns too much. I think this is about the closest I’d ever get.
Necklaces are River Island (pocketwatch) and Taking Bag Sunday (leather one), jeans are Chicnova, top is River Island, Blazer is from Yesstyle and the shoes from Primark.
(http://lookbook.nu/look/3679111-Mr-November)
…I just really like my hat, okay.
Dress/hat/blazer: romwe. Shoes: sheinside. Satchel: oasap.
(http://lookbook.nu/look/3687131-Arrowheads)
Second River Island contest entry! That top is the closest I can get to a bralet. I have really small boobs set upon a really tiny ribcage and it all makes from a mix that doesn’t suit most bralets and doesn’t suit anything strapless. Luckily that one was tiny around the chest so I lucked out and managed to get one that fits without too much gaping. I’m too short for it to be short though. I guess I’m just destined to not suit them properly.
Skirt is River Island and the top from Romwe.
(http://lookbook.nu/look/3708351-Deep-Down-I-m-Really-Kirk-Van-Houten)
I promise it’ll be enough with the hat soon!
As much as my grievances in the last post mean I don’t suit bralets at least it means I can pull off Asian dresses. It’s rare for me to find a dress that I worry about crossing the territory into too short, and this was the first one I found in a very long time. Quite a momentous occasion!
Dress is from yesstyle, shoes are oasap, everything else previously listed.
(http://lookbook.nu/look/3715935-If-You-re-Feeling-Sinister)
Finally the last one! (Well I have one more on lookbook unposted but I’m planning on doing an Olive review using the items in that and the items in another forthcoming look)
Sometimes but not often my outfits verge onto the edge of more “ideal outfits” than truly worn outfits. Anyone who is familiar with the English weather this summer can probably see that this outfit isn’t entirely appropriate. Well I’ll let you in on a secret. I just wore it inside to cheer me up whilst looking at the torrential downpour outside. Sometimes you just need an over the top dress to cheer you up.
Dress is from AX Paris
, shoes are from Oasap
AAAAND finally, lookbook look song titles:
#1 Well, it was called Pretty in Pink after the film, but I shall also share The Dresden Dolls covering The Pyschedelic Fur’s Pretty in Pink http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9Q0ayNqkIc
#2 Los Campesinos! - Heart Swells/100-1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nopBvFgAC3U I had to be topical and name it after one of their songs given the tshirt inclusion.
#3 Animal Collective - Brother Sport http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEzPId5AGpM Merriweather Post Pavillion is very high up on the list of albums that make me wish we were having a proper summer.
#4 The National - Mr November http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzhNdCxhK28 and The National are very high up on the list of things I should have discovered long before now and happen to be very late on. (I really can’t get enough at the moment though)
#5 Comes from the crazy amount of repetition towards the end of Have A Nice Life - Bloodhail http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri5F633xSsY Somehow HANL seem to have a strange ability to bring people together. I was out at a pub earlier in the week meeting up with some people I’d not seen in a long time and meeting some others for the first time ever. Conversation flowed a lot more easily with the discovered of a shared enjoyment of HANL and the stemming discussion of are they shoegaze, black shoegaze, doomgaze, metal, industrial metal, metal influenced shoegaze or vice versa.
#6 Crywank - Deep Down I’m Really Kirk Van Houten http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw7JCSGCfZE Crywank has been one of my favourite discoveries this year. Completely depressing but in a really enthralling way.
#7 Belle and Sebastian - If You’re Feeling Sinister http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Yznz_oncrI
An absolute classic with the typically wonderful Belle and Sebastian lyrics.
Hilary went to her death because she couldn’t think of anything to say
Everybody thought that she was boring, so they never listened anyway
Nobody was really saying anything of interest, she fell asleep
She was into S&M and bible studies
Not everyone’s cup of tea she would admit to me -
Right, after much delay… (sorry about that)
Winner of the Sheinside giveaway!
Congratulations! You should have received your email by now (hopefully)
As per usual, commiserations to everyone who didn’t win, good luck for the next one.
I'm actually a big fan both you and bebe zeba's looks. What did she say though out of curiosity? and lead to it?
Anonymous
Oh it was just some thing over a year ago now where she posted one of my looks on her tumblr with annotations about how it was the most typical look ever. She said it wasn’t meant to be taken offensively if I can remember correctly, but it still irked me. She’s probably even forgotten all about it though, so I’m the silly one in it still feeling annoyed (I have a problem with holding grudges far too long.)
And lead to it? Do you mean like what led to it or are you wanting a link to it? If the former, no idea. I suppose she just thought it’d be amusing. If the latter, I’m afraid I couldn’t find it if I wanted to now. It was so long ago that I don’t know if I’d be able to still locate it.
Hi! Can I ask you something? Are you going to study at the university this year? Or are you planning gap year? I've heard that gap year is popular among the British :)
Anonymous
I am indeed planning a gap year! Not the “gap yahh, let’s go travelling and get wasted in some far flung country” type though, I can’t afford that. I’m just working for a year to save up a bit before heading off. Nothing exciting, it’s just a practical one :)
What do you wear on like a casual basic day?
Anonymous
Nothing too different to a outfit posts, just with less heel height and more things to stave off the cold (damn British summers.)
Like today I wore the purple floral Olive dress from one of my recent looks, black tights, loafers and a blue cardigan layered under a denim jacket.
I saw what bebe zeva had posted about you some time ago and I gotta say that what she did was f*cking rude! Your outfits aren't boring. In fact, they're awesome and your romantic looks inspire me ^^
Anonymous
Aw thank you! I’m glad to hear that! :)
Agh, that post. I tried to have good humour about it at the time, and I still try whenever I remember it but a small part of me still gets annoyed whenever it floats back into my mind.
Can u make a DIY on ur floral headbands/headdress? PLEEAASE
Anonymous
But I’ve bought all of mine from either Primark or Topshop :(
when are you going to post the winner of the sheinside giveaway?
Anonymous
Soon, soon. The winner has already been selected and should have received their email by now though. I just want to make the post when I have enough time to do a proper update.
can we see your feet?
Anonymous
…no :c
Personal/inspiration blog:
