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29th March 2017

National Stripes Day 31.03.17

Fashion - By Alexandra Stedman

Sequin top: J Crew. Pom Pom bag: J Crew. Trousers: Madewell (old). Shoes: Zara (old). Photographs: Eva K Salvi.

It’s official: J Crew have decided stripes are SO good they have created a #NationalStripesDay. And, of course, I’m all over it.

For me, pretty much every day is stripe day, but on 31st March, J Crew are declaring it a made-up holiday. It’s a bit of fun I can get on board with and the J Crew stores will have DIY stripes stations on the 31st, where you can customise your striped items with patches and other striped delights.

To celebrate, I teamed up with J Crew to shoot a few of my favourite stripey looks from their SS17 collections. This collection is actually the first  J Crew presentation I saw in New York, so it has a special sentiment. And the collection was everything and more for me – pink ruffles, bright blue sequin stripes and paint splattered jeans. I loved it.

In vein of all things striped, we wanted to shoot these in London, on one of the Pedestrian crossings. And which crossing is more famous than Abbey Road..?!

7am

As a newly North Londoner I revelled in the chance to shoot near me for once, but knew we’d have to get there early if we were to miss the tourist route. All was going well until we arrived and there were roadworks with temporary traffic lights at the spot we needed to shoot…

So we walked up the road and found a quieter crossing with which to take our photos, right by the Abbey Road Street sign (to the sound of cabbies shouting “You’ve got the wrong crossing!”). Actually, it was better – no queues, less traffic and one woman came up to us to congratulate us for, in fact, getting the correct crossing. Which was the truth? I can’t actually tell but for photographic purposes, these photos were taken at a crossing on Abbey Road. We crossed off a shoot and a tourist attraction in one!

9:30am

The next stop was Primrose Hill, another North London gem which I had never been to before (it’s funny how you stick to your areas, as a South London girl, North London always seemed so distant). It was perfect – a less touristy Notting Hill with its candy striped buildings. We stopped for French toast and coffee in a gorgeous little breakfast bar before heading out into the sunshine for our next round of photographs.

Sunglasses: Le Specs (old). Earrings: J Crew. Jacket: Next (old).  Tee: £32, J Crew. Bag: J Crew (old). Jeans: Asos (old). Shoes: £130, Kurt Geiger.

The stripe tee has been something I’ve worn from J Crew for years – they last and last. And can be worn with everything from jeans and a blazer to a full tulle maxi skirt – it just works.

And of course stripes and leopard are a favourite of mine, and in my working wardrobe pretty much every day.

Earrings: J Crew. Jacket: Next (old).  Tee: £32, J Crew. Bag: J Crew (old). Jeans: Asos (old). Shoes: £130, Kurt Geiger.

11:30am

Our final stop was Camden, an easy walk from Primrose Hill with coffees in hand. Amidst all the market stalls and hoards of tourists, we found a little street with pastel coloured buildings with just the right pop of pink for our photos.

Earrings: £65, J Crew. Tee: J Crew. Sequin skirt: J Crew.  Sandals: New Look (old).

Now I probably shouldn’t have left my favourite outfit until last. And the reason it’s my favourite is that I probably would never post this outfit on my blog as it’s not really real life. I’d wear this to a party or a special occasion, but that’s also why I felt rather fabulous walking around Camden – pretty much the the birthplace of gothic, head to toe black dressing (a symbol of my youth).

Bracelets: Astley Clarke and Dana Levy.

Earrings: £65, J Crew. Tee: J Crew. Sequin skirt: J Crew.  Sandals: New Look (old).

This post was in collaboration with J Crew, celebrating National Stripes Day, which is my new favourite holiday (obviously).

By Alexandra Stedman

Fashion Editor, Blogger, Realist

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Comments

  1. fizza says

    29th March 2017 at 7:58 am

    Such a beautiful post! I love the London background, everything you’re wearing and just how happy you look. Amazing work as always Alex x

    http://fizzawritesstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/on-rotation-what-ive-been-using.html

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      30th March 2017 at 12:22 am

      Thank you so much! xxx

      Reply
  2. Jan says

    29th March 2017 at 8:32 am

    Hoorah an official day to celebrate all things stripey!! I’m currently packing for a mini break in Portugal and my obsession for stripes has become starkly apparent – a Ganni narrow stripe dress, a Marlene Birger light knit dress with broad stripes, a Matalon Breton top, a TU broad banded cotton jumper and a pair of Asos stripe canvas mules – all navy/white!! Out of desperation I’ve slipped an orange vest and orange Zara light knit into the case !! I ❤️ stripes!!

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      30th March 2017 at 12:23 am

      But stripes go with everything!!! I’m constantly in stripes – and if Jenna says it’s okay – that’s fine with me! xxx

      Reply
  3. Brigitte says

    29th March 2017 at 10:53 am

    i neeeeeeeeeed this pom-pom bag!!!! when i click on the link it leads to all kind of other j crew bags but not this pom-pom beauty. help!!!!
    have i forgotten to mention that i love the outfits and the location? i do, i am just a bit distracted by this pom-pom bag…
    brigitte xx

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      30th March 2017 at 12:25 am

      haha – no worries – it’s mainly about the bag 😉 !! So I borrowed all the J Crew bits for this post and a lot of it isn’t available yet – so the good news is you haven’t missed it yet – I’ll try and keep you informed xxx

      Reply
      • Brigitte says

        30th March 2017 at 12:33 pm

        thanks, alex! can’t wait! brigitte xx

        Reply
        • Alexandra Stedman says

          7th May 2017 at 5:45 pm

          So this is the brand, and they’ve collaborated exclusively with J Crew -such a good ethos! https://www.gaiaforwomen.com/blogs/look-good-do-good/tagged/j-crew

          Reply
  4. Leona says

    29th March 2017 at 3:44 pm

    Can I ask where you get your glasses, your actual reading glasses not sunglasses please. I love the shape and style and I’m looking for a change, thanks xxx

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      30th March 2017 at 12:25 am

      They’re from Bailey nelson, but they’ve just changed their name to Ollie Quinn. £98 all handmade frames with prescription lenses – love them xx

      Reply
  5. Mel says

    30th March 2017 at 11:13 am

    Love the stripes – adds to otherwise simple outfits

    Styling great- easy to add pieces to existing wardrobe for a quick update.

    Pompon bag on my radar for the summer definitely will buy when it becomes available

    Reply
  6. A Girl, A Style says

    30th March 2017 at 1:40 pm

    I LOVE-LOVE everything about this; from the locations (and the stories behind them) to the looks themselves. And of course great minds think alike, because in addition to also living in J.Crew/stripes/leopard in my daily life, I ordered those red earrings last week. But now I’m going to need that ‘ahoy’ shirt too, thanks to you (never one to pass up a novelty tee….)

    Briony xx

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      31st March 2017 at 11:12 pm

      Thanks love! I bought the earrings in NYC so we’re twinsies! And I might need the pink bag you bought last week!

      Reply
  7. annmarie white says

    31st March 2017 at 10:51 pm

    Oh I loved this post and the London locations ….. and your honesty that your favourite outfit (which is fabulous) would be saved for a special occasion and not a daily look – we love you Alex for keeping it real!!! Annmarie xx

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      31st March 2017 at 11:11 pm

      Thanks Annmarie! It’s good to be real sometimes! xxx

      Reply
  8. Alice Palace says

    1st April 2017 at 8:51 pm

    Planning a five day break to Venice over Easter – thinking of the gondoliers in their stripey shirts! Have you ever done a City Guide to Venice or do you know of one you could recommend? TIA Alice

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      2nd April 2017 at 4:26 am

      YES! Love Venice – if you click on my Frugal City Guides I did 2 last year xx

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Spring style: chinos as an alternative to denim says:
    4th April 2017 at 2:15 pm

    […] The lace top and khaki are Spring perfection. I also love how the always-amazing Alex Stedman aka The Frugality has styled hers with a Breton in the pic below (scroll down) and the very simple, very chic styling […]

    Reply

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