Friday Lookbook: Dungarees

Having originated in 1792 dungarees have come a long way from its humble beginnings as 'protective' wear for slaves, farmers and manual labourers and was exclusively consigned to men. Today dungarees remain a staple in both mens and womens wardrobes and its unisex appeal is what has kept dungarees as an iconic timeless classic. In the 40's dungarees started generating popularity as women began adopting the 'Rosie Riveter' look which consisted of baggy dungarees with parachute or balloon trousers, saddle shoes and a hair scarf. To keep the look casual a knitted top or buttun down blouse was layered underneath and the dungaree look was segregated into two camps: sportswear vs workwear. By the 1950's dungarees gained wider acceptance and was especially popular with young kids but the 1960's and 90's were key decades that immortalized dungarees. Treading the fine line between 'cool' and 'childs play' skeptics often question whether dungarees can be worn by anyone over a certain age and the answer is yes! Dungarees are practical, stylish but most of all timeless; trends come and go but very few trends come back into fashion and dungarees are one of them.

I first fell in love with dungarees last autumn and found myself buying a huge dungaree haul which surprised me as it was not a trend that had appealed to me before. I was enamoured with how practical yet stylish dungarees were and the versatility/ variety of materials available was a pleasure to withhold. To date I have two dungaree dresses, 1 dungaree jumpsuit, 1 faux leather dungaree dress, 2 suede dungaree pinafores, 2 cord dungaree dresses and there is still room in my life for more so holler at me if you find dungarees you think I might like!

Monday

We all have a standard uniform that we will wear if we can't be bothered to wear anything else and this is mine. A typical casual look for me will see me styling out black demin dungarees, my favourite burgundy Chelsea boots and a turtleneck. I wanted to add a pop of colour to the look so I contrasted the acidic tones of the burnt red against a light khaki green waistcoat with functional zip detail, while the cherry red crossover bag adds warmth to the autumn look. Ultimately this is Layering 101 and for those of you who live in the UK you will know how 'tempremental' the English weather can be which is why layering is a quintessentially British look. To keep the look light and fresh create a sporty ponytail by placing it 2 inches below the scalp and using shine spray to keep the hair in place. Tieing into the 'sporty theme' I kept makeup natural which is more viable for everyday events especially if you are always on the go like me (although most of the time I don't wear makeup) with a rose nude matte lipbalm by Revlon in 'Sultry Sufrese' and a slight flush of peach blusher.

Location: Great Eastern Street

Dungarees: New Look

Waistcoat: B You Boutique

Straightners: Irresistable Me Diamond

Turtleneck: Pretty Little Thing

Bag- Lollipop

Shoes- Primark

Tuesday

If I travelled back to university me this outfit would not even be on my agenda but as we grow older our tastes change and my love for floral prints has been overturned by my adoration of colour. Chanelling my inner prepster this dungaree look is centered around colourful exaggerated geek chic meets 90's nochalance. The 90's is often accredited for its minimalist approach to curating fashion and I wanted to combine that aura of 'sophistication' with bright colours to how how colour can be grown up. Find a ribbed or knitted bright jumper and place an equally bright collared blouse underneath to create a modern hipster look. Casual yet preppy the burnt orange boat shoes may not add length to your frame but it allows to cultivate a casual, work appropriate look that can trascend from a day at an internship to strolls through gardens, parks and more.

Location: Great Eastern Street

Outfit: Jumper- Topshop, Blouse- Primark, Bag- Lollipop, Dungarees- New Look, Shoes- Primark

Wednesday

No guesses who this look is inspired by it is of course Beetlejuice and like Beetlejuice I have always been a fan of reinventing myself time and time again because to me fashion is not fixed. Just because you are stereotyped as a 'goth' super feminine or minimalist does not mean you will always be like that. Last year before I started blogging my style was very feminine but since I have started blogging I have ventured out into new styles because fashion is so broad why is there the need or desire to limit it? Pair a black and white striped crepe shirt with faux leather dungarees and add a bohemian hat, knitted knee highs and kitten brogues to give a schoolgirl esque meets Beetlejuice vibe. Finish with a clashing monochromatic large purse.

Location: Shoreditch High Street

Outfit: Hat-Asos, Shirt-Miss Pap, Faux Leather Dungarees, Knee Highs-Primark, Brogues- Deitschman, Bag-Primark

Thursday

This look is pure 70's: from the ribbed turtleneck to the round rim fedora this 90's dungaree has been transported back in time to the hippy 70's. To androgynize the look I tucked my hair into the fedora while keeping the lips neutral with a light brown lipstick. The demin dungaree dress from Topshop was brought last Christmas in the sale for 20 pounds and is a timeless classic that can be rocked all season round. To update for the summer just add a light 90's slinky cami and pair with gladiator heels.

Location: Leonard Street

Outfit: Hat & Turtleneck- Primark & Dungaree Dress- Topshop

Friday

Take colourblocking to the next level with Faded Spring by pairing burgundy, rust and tan together. Start with a tan suede pinafore layered over a rust turtleneck and team with black tights, tan gloves and burgundy accessories [ Cool street art background is optional]. Drawing on the 60's love of colourblocking and the 70's adoration of suede pairing the two eras together and fusing them into one effortless look will get you noticed in the fashion industry and make your look stand out from the crowd.

Location: Brick Lane

Outfit: Hat- Asos, Turtleneck- Pretty Little Thing, Suede Pinafore- Stephanies Closet, Tights- New Look, Chelsea Boots-Primark, Sunglasses- Market, Gloves- New Look

Which look was your favorite? What should I do for the next Friday Lookbook shoot your suggestions below!