Category Archives: fashion

Duchess London- Investment Party Dressing*

25th November 2016
These days when it comes to picking out the perfect party outfit we are spoilt for choice. By October the high street is awash with fast fashion pieces that are pretty much disposable, I know myself that I’m guilty of buying a dress and wearing it only once before discarding it a year or so later not wanting to be seen in it again.

Now I’m getting older I often think it’s time to take things back to basics, to invest in some good quality and simple evening wear that might cost a bit (or in this case a lot) more but will last for years and years. When you strip back the sequins and glitter and opt for a simple yet impeccably made piece you actually open up a whole new area of party dressing- choose wisely and you can transform your outfit for multiple occasions with clever use of different jewellery, accessories and shoes.

Above is a selection of dresses from a brand called Duchess London who have recently popped on to my radar. Each piece is beautifully made in London, designed to be a blank canvas to suit any occasion. Forget for a moment the lure of that spangly mini dress that will only see the light of day once, focus instead on the beautifully cut classic designs made in the most luxurious of fabrics- actual silk for example, rather than some questionable nylon that fills with static at the most inopportune moments.

I’m rather taken with the light blue sheer sleeve dress. It’s currently on offer at 20% off (as is every piece until NYE) making it £159. Enough to buy ten dresses from Primark perhaps, but cut to perfection and will last for years. Sadly out of my current budget but a girl can dream…

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Posted in christmas, dresses, fashion, shopping

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#hatwithaheart

24th November 2016
For me one of the greatest rewards from blogging is being able to use my little piece of the internet to get behind charities and causes that I think are really worthwhile. Today my post is all about a campaign that Tesco is running to support Fareshare and the Trussell Trust called #hatwithaheart.

Tesco aims to donate at least £200,000 to food bank charities by donating £1 from all of their novelty hat sales (of which you’ll find plenty for men, women and children so there’s no excuse not to get involved!)

I’m all for a bit of novelty headwear so when Tesco asked if I’d be prepared to snap a couple of selfies to help raise awareness I didn’t hesitate. And it’s not just the hats I’m in it for. I genuinely think that what Fareshare and the Trussell Trust do is vital in helping to break the cycle of poverty. It’s ok for me, I’m sat here writing this in the warm and dry with a kitchen full of food downstairs- not everyone has these basic needs met and for people in crisis the 3 days of emergency food that the food banks provide can be the difference that keeps them going.

You can see more of my selfies over on Instagram where you can also join in yourself by posing in your novelty knit using the hashtag #hatwithaheart

For anyone who isn’t aware then Fareshare is an organisation that focuses on rescuing good food that would otherwise go to waste and distributing it to charities such as women’s refuges, homeless shelters and children’s breakfast clubs. Trussell Trust has a network of over 400 food banks across the UK who aim to stop hunger by providing a minimum of three days of emergency food to people in crisis who have been referred by front-line professional agencies such as children’s centres, housing associations, GPs or Citizens Advice.

I really hope I’ve done a good enough job of convincing you that this is a cause worth getting behind. You can purchase your novelty hat in Tesco stores or online (and whilst I was sent my hats for the purpose of this post you can rest assured that I’m going to be placing an order for the Christmas Pudding Beanie ASAP!)

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Posted in charity, christmas, fashion, instagram

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Sparkle Season with Rare Pink*

23rd November 2016
One of my favourite things about the festive season is that it becomes universally acceptable to wear a serious amount of sparkle from dawn to dusk. From glittery eyeliner and sequin skirts right through to upping your bling game and sporting some serious stones, people everywhere suddenly start to embrace their inner magpies determined to have some fun before the doom and gloom of January envelops us.

Today I’m bringing you a wish list from Rare Pink a London based jewellers that specialises in bespoke rings and wedding bands. In 2014 they were awarded “Best New Jeweller of the Year” by the British Jewellers Association so whether you are planning to pop the question over the festive period, hope to land a ring on your finger, or like me just fancy a browse (and dream) of something utterly gorgeous then rest assured you’re in safe hands.

This collage is just a teeny tiny selection of some of my favourite pieces by Rare Pink, the website provides some serious jewellery porn! You can browse through a range of classic rings or go down the bespoke route where the team will work with you to create your perfect piece.

What I really like about Rare Pink is their ethics. They operate a zero tolerance policy towards conflict diamonds and all of their stones and metals come only from sources that meet strict human rights, social and environmental criteria.

Obviously I’m now further away than ever from settling down to plan a wedding but should someone ever decide they’d like to make a wife of me I know I’ll be leaving this website open, dropping some not so subtle hints!

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Posted in brands I love, fashion, gifts, inspiration, jewellery, wish list

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Gift Inspiration: Girly Tech from Mobile Fun

16th November 2016
I’ve got quite in to my gadgets lately. A re-kindled love of music has been the main driving force in this, plus a pretty surgical attachment to my iPhone to keep myself in the loop and amused whilst on the go. Mobile Fun recently contacted me about picking some tech products to review* and upon receiving my selection I was impressed enough to turn my review in to a gift guide for any one else who loves their gadgets or is struggling for gift ideas.
The first product I tried out was this gorgeous glittery gold phone case* by Prodigee. I’ve mentioned before I have a bit of a thing for phone cases and most of mine are cheap and cheerful eBay finds which serve a purpose but can be somewhat flimsy. This case is unique in that it comes in two parts and slides on. I’ll be 100% honest and say I’m not sure what this has to do with anything but it was easy to put on to my phone and is also really easy to remove as you don’t have to fight with trying to prise it off corner by corner. It’s definitely the sturdiest case I have owned and makes me feel like my phone is much more protected than usual against my clumsy ways. I love how girly the glitter makes it despite being a fairly simple case (for me) it’s anything but boring- perfect for any stylish friend.
As I mentioned in my introduction to this post that I’m really loving music right now and I’ve got in to the habit of taking my phone with me when I go to shower so I can sing along (badly) as I get ready for the day. The risks to me doing this are obvious so I was really excited to receive a bluetooth shower speaker that means I can leave my phone safely in another room but not have to shower or bath in silence. This claims to be water resistant and having already dropped it in to a full bath (have I mentioned how clumsy I am?) I can confirm that this is indeed true. The sound quality is pretty good, even after being submerged and the button controls mean you can skip tracks, pause, adjust the volume and even take calls as you clean up. The suction design is great and this speaker would also be perfect for use in the kitchen or even at your desk for taking calls hand free as well as having a little dance session to your favourite tracks.
I don’t drive to often rely on my legs to get me to where I need to be. I find walking on my own pretty boring if I’m honest and often relieve the tedium by listening to music. Headphones drive me mad though, I have to say. Trying to find a pocket that’s close enough accommodate the cables- not to mention trailing cables in general really frustrates me so when I got the chance to test out these Zagg wireless earphones* I was really excited. These are designed with females in mind- from everything to the gorgeous rose gold colour way to the lightweight and comfortable fit. The sound quality on these is fantastic, among the best I’ve found in any earphone and I loved being able to keep my phone in my bag whilst clipping the headphones simply to my collar and having full control over track selection, volume and the ability to control calls as well. I feel like these have solved my earphone woes in one fell swoop and the white and rose gold design matches my phone and my style to perfection. Another must have for the fashion and music loving ladies in the world.
What are you must have tech gadgets?

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Posted in christmas, fashion, gadgets, gifts, shopping

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From Milan to Mainstream: Moschino’s rise to fame*

05th November 2016
There’s a serious shift going on in fashion within the UK right now. Now more than ever people such as myself are saving up and splashing out on designer items rather than fast fashion. It’s though that this is an effect of increased celebrity endorsements and the continual rise of reality TV. As a result fashion designers are having to fight even harder to stay relevant and make themselves stand out and there is one label that is still as strong now as when it first appeared on the fashion scene back in 1983- Moschino.

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The Origins:

Founded by Franco Moschino in Italy the brand is known for it’s somewhat zany and outrageous designs which are loved by celebrities such as Miley Cyrus. Based on the concept that women should wear what they want and not what they “should” it didn’t take long before the brand had the encouragement of Gianni Versace who’s encouragement helped launch Moschino couture in 1983.
Leading on from the success of the first shows the couture line was soon followed by Moschino Cheap and Chic and Moschino Jeans (now known as Love Moschino). In 1994 Franco Moschino designed his last collection- Ecouture made from environmentally friendly materials.
Following his death in 1994 Franco Moschino’s beloved business was taken over by close friend and collaborator Rosella Jardini. She launched Moschino boutiques all over the world and help build the brand up before it was taken over by Jeremy Scott who is still head designer to this date.

The Style:

Right from the start Moschino has been about bold and “excessive” designs- it has never been afraid to stand out and push boundaries. Early collections memorably featured cow prints, question marks and a hefty dose of satire and there have been numerous publicity stunts too- Jeremy Scott throwing dollar bills printed with his own face at a show named ‘American Excess’ particularly stands out.
In recent years the brand has experimented with some particularly loud and memorable designs featuring teddy bears, Looney Tunes characters and also encompassed famous brands such as McDonalds and Coca Cola. These pop-culture references and instagram worthy designs have turned heads and captured the attention of both celebrities and bloggers.

Why Wear Moschino?

If you’re in to fashion it’s pretty much a given that you’ll be aware of Moschino- they are near impossible to ignore. With a specialism in irony that almost mocks the world of high fashion whilst capturing the imagination the brand certainly knows how to make a statement. All this whilst preserving the original high quality, beautiful craftsmanship that we associate with any luxury designer brand. Moschino keeps the fashion world in suspense wondering what they will come up with next.

Where to buy Moschino:

The brand’s collections sell out fast so you need to be quick off the mark. In the UK you can get your hands on the latest launches through luxury fashion retailer Garment Quarter… race ya!

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Posted in brands I love, designer, fashion

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