OOTD: City Break Style with Matalan
I adore Summer and all the opportunities it brings; seeing friends, travelling, getting out and about in the sunshine and putting together a great Summer wardrobe. I seem to keep booking short trips away in Europe and my latest is a trip to Paris in just two weeks time! It was a complete bargain and I love spending two or three days away in a European city whenever I can. With the help of Matalan’s Holiday Shop, I put together a city-break Summer holiday outfit perfect for a hand-luggage only flight:
First things first, I needed a bag. The World’s Lightest Range is perfect for short breaks away so I picked up this holdall (in purple of course). It’s massive yet fits the flight hand luggage restrictions for EasyJet and cost just £18. It also has a 10 year warranty which is amazing as I have a bad habit of overloading handbags until the strap breaks! Now I can pack it full of everything I need, including some handy zipped laundry bags I didn’t photograph but picked up for just £2 from Matalan, without worrying about the bag falling apart halfway round Paris.
When travelling and walking lots, I always look for a comfortable pair of shorts. These shorts are absolutely perfect; I adore the tile pattern, the gorgeous colours and of course the elastic waistband so I can eat plenty of croissants! I actually cannot believe they cost just £8 for something so comfortable and stylish. I teamed them with this pastel roll-neck swing blouse for £10. As I’ve joined the job hunt and started attending interviews, I’ve realised how few work-appropriate tops I own as most of my wardrobe seems to be Harry Potter tshirts – not that I have a problem with this particular obsession. I picked this pastel high-neck top as something which is both interview-appropriate but also easy to wear casually on a city break too. I would advice sizing down as the swing style is absolutely huge, but this does mean that the top is nice and breathable and perfect for hiding that French food stomach!
Finally I added these grey t-bar sandals for £12. I always look for sandals with a closed toe as they are more versatile to wear all year round with tights as well as bare legs. This grey shade matches with most of my wardrobe and the trainer style base means they are sure to be comfortable wandering around Paris. I wasn’t expecting the toes to be pointed but this style is really fashionable this Summer and I think it makes them look more expensive than a pair from Matalan! When this entire outfit cost less than £50 including the huge holdall, I’m seriously impressed with this bargain outfit. The great thing is that all of the different pieces of clothing are so easy to wear in different ways so they work not only as an entire outfit, but fit into my wardrobe too.
Combining comfort, style and affordability is always my aim during Summer and I think this look is perfect for this. Paris is notoriously the city of style and I’m looking forward to introducing it to some budget fashion! What do you think of the look?
