Taking Shape S/S Collection

I was recently contacted by Taking Shape and given the opportunity to check out their Spring/Summer collection in their latest lookbook.

 

Alla Buinowicz is the head of this brand and she has shared her styling tips for the upcoming season:

 

"This Spring shoppers should start with a single base colour. This could be black leggings, a top or a dress and then add brighter colour over the top layering items or statement jewellery for a more on trend look. Pieces like a colourful necklace and statement jacket give the outfit an injection of personality without becoming messy this way."

 

What I love about Taking Shape is that they are not just selling you clothes, they care about how they look on the customer and in fact offer free styling sessions in store.  For someone not yet sure of their own style, someone looking to change things up or even just to get another perspective, this is a fantastic service to offer.

 

I've had the opportunity to check out some of the clothes in their lookbook and there are some great pieces.  Their collection is full of bold prints and gorgeous patterns, just right for the woman who likes to stand out from the crowd and look confident while she is doing it!

 

Here are a few images I have been allowed to share from the lookbook, I am sure that you will love the rest of the collection too.

 

 

Steely Eyed

I can let the feelings that I talked about yesterday define me, or I can man up and deal with them.

I refuse to let myself feel like this.  Insecurity is damn irritating; it is like a prison with invisible walls and the rules are always changing.

Today is steely eyed gaze.   Onwards.

 

 

Still Scared

Why does the journey never end? I really thought that I had cracked the confidence thing.  I have confidence in who and what I am now and I feel so much better for it.  I have torn down so many of the walls that I built around me and yet this week, I have discovered another.  An invisible double strength wall guarded by an armada. 

 

What I have realised is that when it comes to the opposite sex, I am still that scared insecure girl who wants to hide.

 

The problem is that I am too used to men wanting me but keeping me in the shadows.  Fancying me but yet denying me in public.  Being with me but trying to justify it to others. I allowed it to happen for so long that it feels like the norm and now I eye every guy with suspicion, no matter what the circumstances.

 

Right now for example I'm talking to a guy via text. It's a friend thing, a reconnection and nothing more and yet I keep saying to him, but have you read my blog?  Not because I want him to read my writing but to make sure that he knows what I look like.  I realised that I was doing this the other night and it freaked me the hell out.

I should say at this point that he has been nothing but nice to me either. 

 

I'm happy in so many ways now, I can take anything that society throws at me, except it seems when it comes to men.

 

I'm aware how utterly ridiculous this sounds.  If I saw any of the other bloggers I read saying this I would be shouting "But you're so pretty, don't be silly!" from the rooftops at them.  But when I apply that to myself and then connect it to men and suddenly I am running for cover, wanting to hide.

Do you remember me the post I did about the invisible "fuck off" sign on my head?  Well it appears that it is still there.....
 

Is it too late to make a New Year's resolution?  Stop putting myself down, even unconsciously....  The only problem in the equation is me, I know that. 

I am more than this.   My image is all over my blog, I have a million "selfie" pictures on Instagram, I've walked down a bloody catwalk FFS!!
 

I refuse to be so scared that I am making sure a guy friend has seen my picture before feeling comfortable enough to have a conversation.  That is just ridiculous.

 

I think I should retitle this blog post, "Dear Vicky, Stop Being An Idiot".