River Review - The Beginning

My absolute favourite high street brand. Without. A. Doubt.

When it comes to design, quality, option count, price and marketing campaigns they are completely ahead of the curve. I actually find it quite hard to articulate how much I truly love this brand - isn't that mental? I honestly feel so passionate about how incredible River Island are that just thinking about them creates so much excitement in my blood pressure - it really is a whole new level of love for just a high street brand!

It must therefore make sense when I say that the majority of my wardrobe is from here - thanks to my digital wardrobe app I can tell you specifically that I own exactly 150 items from River Island. Which I'm actually surprised about - I thought it would be far more!

I check the River Island app daily in all honesty - I want to see their new photshoots. I want to see their new arrivals. Their offers, their new collections. My Wishlist! I feel happy on their app because of the sheer quality of pure fashion that is given in terms of inspiration, that's also, so attainable and easily accessible.

Intriciate design details, classic pieces, on trend items nailed perfectly and so much variety. I really could go on, and on, and on about all there is to love about this brand.

So, with that, I begin my new serious - River Review.

I'm going to start with a round up of some of my favourite River Island items in my wardrobe, that I know, aren't going anywhere for a very long time. After which, we're caught up and on the present day, so, I'm going to do posts on new River Items I either buy, or rate from the website. Because there just can't be too much conversation about River Island, there just can't!

It was so hard for me to choose a selection of my favourite River pieces because I love everything I have from there so much - they're all pretty much some of my most loved items. Anyway, I whittled it down because there's some I want to show you in an outfit photo yet to be taken - so I thought those can wait. So I've gone for some classics that I always pull out and always will, some of which you may recognise from previous posts or outfit photos from my Instagram. All images are taken from my digital wardrobe app, some of which were uploaded after taking from the website itself.

Starting off with one of the oldest items I own! Hence the photo being taken by myself as opposed to screenshot from the website like the majority of my digital wardrobe.

I bought this bag, which at the time was major splurge, when I was 17, making it now 15 years old. Mental.

I just loved it, and I was new at college where I was loving not having to wear a school uniform every day, so building my wardrobe really began at this point, and this bag was a big part of it. It was different, but I loved, and still do, the contemporary features on such a distinctive, classic fabric of tapestry. Almost like Mary Poppins' very special and very big bag, this one gave me all kinds of vintage inspired excitement. It's very big, so much so I now use it as a bit of a travel÷overnight bag. Inside, the killing is a contrasting leopard print satin! I just adore that! Who would think of putting a leopard lining inside a tapestry bag with purple faux leather and gold hardware?!

Anyway, still loved, never getting rid, always going to "work" and always going to come in handy for my travels. Quality wise? Still. Going. Very. Strong.

Another older item and one I've written about before in previous blogs. It's definitely also featured on my Instagram multiple times because this piece right here will come with me to my grave. I adore it. Truly adore! What a design.

Bought in 2014, this was quote a "big" piece for river Island, I say this because I remember Ferne Cotton featuring it on her Istaggram, and Lauren Pope was also pictured wearing it. It was on River's site as a new-in featured piece that was trending as such and I knew the second I laid my eyes on it, that it just had to be mine. But, I was 23 and poor, so pay day had to be come so I could buy it. As soon as I was paid, I went online to buy and it was sold out - devastated isn't the word. I had a pang of panic - how and where would I get this coat? I honestly remember going all warm with anxiety. Anyway, working just behind Oxford street at the time, my lunch break the next day saw me run straight to both River Islands at Oxford Circus and neither had the coat left in my size. I searched, and I searched every River Island I could by checking stock everywhere, but it was nowhere to be found and I had to come to terms with the fact I may not ever own it. At this point, I considered trying to get it made at a tailors! Anyway, a month or so passed and it was a sunny Saturday when I was going to meet a friend for traditional East London pie and mash! Before meeting though, I had to drive to my local retail park to use the Superdrug, next to which, was a tiny River Island. I nipped in, because it was River Island and I can't physically walk past one, and as I wondered round I edged towards the back of the store and BEHOLD! What caught my eye? Just a spot of yellow lace creeped out from their LastChance To Buy rail, shoved in a corner next to the changing rooms looking messy, packed and uncared for. It couldn't be, could it? I absolutely DARTED for the rail, with excitement I was telling myself to try and contain - not because I was in public, but because I didn't eat to get myopes up. Is it actually the coat? If so, will it be my size? The answer was yes. To both questions. I remember, to this day, the happiness I felt when I pulled it from the rail to see the gorgeousness of the coat I loved, and gently turned the tag to see it was a size 8. And guess what else was on the tag? A sale sticker! The coat was £90, which at the time I could afford, but only on or around pay day with some planning. But now, this beauty was down to just £20! I was so happy I honestly didn't know what to do with myself. Seriously. I stood there holding it and taking in the moment. I remember it very clearly! A tiny little River Island in a retail park, a store where you'd expect to only stock the basics, came up trumps! Anyway, I paid for it, put it in my boot and drove to meet my friend, very happily. She also knew what the coat meant and was equally happy for me, so celebratory pie and mash went down a treat! Well, the next day she happened to be proposed to - so what a truly wonderful weekend for both of us! I've worn it with so many pieces - the yellow is far more versatile than you'd expect. I've worn it to work, I've worn it on dates, and I've worn it for evening dinner and drinks. I team it with other bright, bold colours, sometimes I do a colour clash, and other times I wear it toned down with simple white. Just a truly loved item of clothing that now is actually really old, but never leaving my side!

Another oldie, another goodie. It was a boring Saturday for me, so I decided to take a drive to Surrey quays shopping centre. It wasn't a long drive for me and I hadn't been before, so thought I'd have a wonder for something to do. Once again, I walked into River Island without even realising - it just happened as it usually does! And this coat actually caught my eye straight away,. It was dumped on the incorrect rial by someone crazy who clearly put it back - and in the wrong place! So I picked it up and once again it was my size! I loved the shape and colour in particular, but the fabric was also different for me - I didn't, and still don't have a coat in this "wool". I adore the shape in this shorter length, and how oversized yet feminine and chic it is. It's not a coat I wear as much as some others, but it's one know I'll always love., that's still going strong 9 years later.

We're on a roll with oldies and bargains and here is another one! again, found in River Island Gallions Reach, East London, the retail park local to me which I've mentioned, this piece was on it's own in the middle of the sale rail. No others, just this one coat. It wasn't one I was familiar with - normally I'm quite aware with River's current collection, but I'd never seen this in another store or online. I loved the jacquard fabric with hints off lurex running through, but I equally loved how lightweight it felt. I loved, and still do love, the shade of true Gold it is, as well as the length and the three quarter sleeves. I wear this as a light evening jacket over a dressy outfit, and even on dressier days too. I wear it all year round, day or night. It's been featured multiple times on my Instagram and in previous blog posts, but given that this was also reduced from £79 down to £15, I think I found an absolute gem! Taken straight to the till, worn plenty, still loved, still worn.

Where do I begin with these works of art that are shoes?! Just take a moment and take in the beauty of this piece of footwear. Please.

Again, quite old, I bought these in October 2016 and not from anywhere in London...

I sae them online, fell in love and went to add straight to basket, but to y dismay, they were out of stock in my size. On the River Island app, you can check the stock in other stores, which I did, and every store around me,Being from Birmingham, and having friends in other cities too, I checked everywhere! I basically went down their store list for the entire country, but no luck was had! My next step? I rang them. River Island have an incredible customer service department - you can actually get through so easily on the phone and the staff are so friendly. I've never found this with another brand and I'm in awe of how helpful they always are (as you can see, I ring them a lot!). I asked them if by any chance, they could let me now where I could find them, hoping that the app information for stock wasn't quite accurate. The lady on the phone said to me "you sound like you're from Birmingham". Now I'm used to this comment, and I'm used to some mocking straight after it, but in this instance, after confirming I was a Brummie, she said that River Island in the Birmingham Bullring had 4 in stock! Could I get there? Well no, I live in London - but my mum doesn't! So she personally put me on hold to ring the store and get a pair reserved for me for 48 hours. After plenty of thanking her, I made the call to mum, transferred her the money and sent her off to town to pick up these beauties! She took one look and knew how happy I'd be, so she got them home and mockingly put one on her display cabinet asking if I liked her new ornament. Oh my gosh, they were at my mums, soon to be in my hands and they were finally mine. The green is the most rich, gorgeous green I have ever seen, in a luxurious satin fabric wi a contrasting jewelled piece hardware on the toe. The whole shoe looks like a jewel to be honest, but I adore the colours used as a contrast. In such a classic shape, and a style that fits so well in my wardrobe, they've been worn plenty on many dinner and drinks evenings and many occasions. Just stunning. Thank you again to the lovely lady in the customer service department at river Island!

Now 2 seasons old, this is another piece I saw that instantly made my heart race and I knew I just had to have. At the time of seeing this, I'd recently lost my job - but that wasn't going to stop me manifesting this dream coat into my life!

The swing style, the crop sleeves, the fur trims, gold buttons and the weight of this make it my perfect, dressy, smart, versatile winter coat that I can honestly never ever, ever see myself getting rid of. It's just never going out of style, is it?!

I've worn this with so much that it made spending £90 from my last pay check at the job I lost completely worth it. It's quite oversized and has been so easy to throw over multiple work outfits as well as finishing off evening outfits too. I feel rich in this. I feel premium - as though I'm upper class and living my best life! And it wasn't even £100. Stunning. Truly stunning. Anyway, it is that wonderful, that I ended up also buying the lilac version with solver hardware too - but for the most generous £40 in the sale! Absolutely bargain. Both have featured heavily on my Instagram page in multiple outfits making me feel as fabulous as they look.

By far my favourite top that I own. Just look at it. I've written about it before and again, its featured on my Instagram, but I just can't not mention this work of art once more. I'm not sure what I love most out of the dramatic frill shoulders, the organza fabrics the peplum shape or the beautiful shade of lilac. But what I do know, is that this top made me the "woman of Wimbledon"!

I wore it with a white pencil skirt for drinks in Wimbledon last summer and I can honestly say I have never received so many compliments - and it was one of the rare occasions where I believed every compliment received. This top made me feel fabulous. No exaggeration. I felt powerful, attractive and so wonderfully feminine. The structure and the shape give the most womanly silhouette, whilst the shoulders make such a statement of fun yet power. Honestly, this is such a special piece for not just how it looks and feels, but how it makes me feel too, and that alone makes it worth it's weight in gold. What. A. Design.

One of my more recent purchases, this dress really capsulates the reasons as to why I think this brand is so incredible. I found this on my app and thought it would be a perfect addition to my winter dress collection - easy to pair with some black tights, boots and accessorise with headbands and different shades of red. It was an easy decision to buy - a no-brainer if you like. Anyway, upon delivery, I was even more surprised. I could see that there was pearl embellishment around the collar from the photos on the app, but in reality, the embellishment was far more intricate than the photos showed. Unbelievably detailed and not just on the collar, but on the cuffs too, I was really shocked at the level of intricacy for the beaded embellishments. The beads feature all the way around the collar too - as someone who's vocation is fashion buying, I know that removing mebllushments from the back of garments is a way to cheapen it and get the cost price down for the lesser beads required as well as the workmanship. But this dress features them all the way around. For a high street brand, that's a big deal. I was impressed. In additiob, the white collar is a beautiful, soft and silky satin. Anyway, the next surprise came with the lining. The lining is a satin black jacquard - this was a £65 dress with so much added, extra detail that isn't really needed, but it's there. And it's there because River Island pay attention to this level of detail in every design that embodies a level of care that not many high street brands do. So for such a reasonable price point, I have a dress that's so easy to wear and style up multiple ways for various occasions , that features mixed fabrics, embellishments and fits wonderfully. Such a classic, easy little dress, and what I wore on my first birthday as a mum. Truly wonderful.

A 30th birthday gift from a wonderful friend. This was in my digital wardrobe within my wishlist folder, which, my boyfriend very kindly informed my friend of, for 30th birthday gift inspiration, and she generously bought! I was ecstatic. For me, this bag skims a lovely line between casual and smart. I believe it's known more commonly as smart-casj?!

The style is obviously a classic - its black, it's quilted, it's cross body and has gold hardware. But, the cotton fabric and the bigger size make it so easy to wear on more casual days too. The gold chain detail gives that Chanel feel and the branding is subtle. I've used this bag so much because it's such a good size - so handy and feels so chic with the chain featuring on the front. Another piece that I assure you will be a big, consistent part of my accessory collection for many years to come, and what a bargain at £36.

Finishing off with an accessory - my very own "Chanel" belt.

I've discussed before that I have no issues with fashion dupes. N fakes of course, but inspired, tastefully designed dupes. this belt does just that.

It feels so heavy, so after ordering online I was really surprised by the weight. the 3 layer chain detail features some intwined leather and pearls, as well as the ability to give more length by adjusting to give longer layers. I actually bought this on sale so it was a complete bargain at just £9 down from £30 I believe. I've worn it with dresses and boucle blazers as featured on my instagram to give a proper Chanel look, but it's been paired with skirts and blouses also. It adds such a premium statement to so many outfits and I think it was such a lucky find. I haven't found many like this on the high street and this special piece came along and had every element I wanted in a Chanel-inspired belt.

That's everything - my chosen pieces that were so hard to narrow down, but, I love them all, and know I will own them all for many years to come. Newer piece that I can't wait to show off will soon be shown in outfit photos and maybe even another blog post, but trust me when I say there are so many more gems yet to come!