OOTD: London Fashion Week SS16

ootd-london-fashion-week-zara-bucket-bag-6Sleeveless Duster: Topshop | Draped Top: Zara | Chelsea Boots: ASOS | Bucket Bag: Zara

How do you stay fashionable and comfortable during London Fashion Week? Honestly I thought it was impossible. I spent a good 30 minutes trying on outfit combo after outfit combo on Saturday morning. I was feeling bloated – thanks for visiting at such a great time Mother Nature – and wanted something I didn’t feel rubbish in. For me that solution was layers, and lots of them!

I’m currently in the middle of having another love affair with Zara. I’d gone off the brand for a while. But now they’re back on form, and bringing out products that are better than ever. This draped top is equal parts fashion and function. Paired with a waterfall sleeveless duster I almost look like I’m trying. Then there’s the bag. THIS BAG! Oh my god. I fell in love at first sight (thanks to V.A for pointing it out). Yes it does look like THAT designer, but I think Zara have actually one upped the original. Funny anecdote, I happened to be walking next to someone with the original, during LFW. People actually thought mine was the original, and commented on how much nicer it was. I managed to fit my DSLR, phone and purse in here, with plenty of room to spare. This bucket bag is magical. It just goes to show you that designer does not always trump high street.

Thank you to V.A who took the photos of me.

ootd-london-fashion-week-zara-bucket-bag-5 ootd london fashion week zara bucket bag 1 ootd-london-fashion-week-zara-bucket-bag-4ootd-london-fashion-week-zara-bucket-bag-3ootd-london-fashion-week-zara-bucket-bag-2 ootd-london-fashion-week-asos-chelsea-boots-4

OOTD: My Beyond Retro Dream Vintage Dress

ootd-beyond-retro-my-dream-vintage-dressDress: Beyond Retro* | Backpack: ASOS | Sunglasses: Ray-Ban*

My dream dress is fitting, yet comfortable. It makes me look taller than my actual 5’3. It accentuates my curves, but isn’t overtly sexy. It’s casual, but can be dressed up easily. Hmm I don’t want much, right? Well I’m beginning to think that my style demands are not actually that obscene. As it would appear that I have found my dream dress. Well, my dream vintage dress at least.

When the lovely Plum from Beyond Retro invited me to their Dalston store I was eager to return to my old neighbourhood. Not only for nostalgia sake, but because she had promised to help me find my perfect vintage dress. Now usually when I buy items from vintage stores I never end up wearing them. Why? Well because I like to treat vintage items like pieces of art. Some are so beautiful I just have to own them, if only to look at them. This time though I was determined to find a dress I would get wear out of. I knew that if anyone could do it, it would be Plum. I mean after all, she did find me my ideal Christmas jumper. After trying on around 20 dresses – I kid you not – I was giving up hope. Until I found it. The perfect LBD (little black dress). No, my dream vintage dress.

Fancy winning a vintage wardrobe full of YOUR dream dresses? Beyond Retro are giving one lucky winner £250 to spend in one of their London stores, and an overnight stay at The Hoxton Hotel (with a friend). Enter at Beyond Retro.

Thank you to V.A who took the photos of me.

ootd-beyond-retro-my-dream-vintage-dress-2 ootd-beyond-retro-my-dream-vintage-dress-4 ootd-beyond-retro-my-dream-vintage-dress-1 ootd-beyond-retro-my-dream-vintage-dress-3

Style: Transitioning into Spring

fashion-style-spring-trends-transition-fur-pom-pom-keyring-accessory fashion-style-spring-trends-transition-tokyo-laundry-crochet-70s-breton-stripe-crop-top-1 fashion-style-spring-trends-transition-tokyo-laundry-crochet-70s-breton-stripe-crop-top fashion-style-spring-trends-transition-beauty-faced-3-luronics-instant-hydrating-anti-aging-mask

Backpack: ASOS | Pom Pom: Wonderound | Crop Top: Tokyo Laundry* | Facemask: Face D*

The dreaded wardrobe transition. You know, the one where you spend a whole weekend packing away your ‘Winter clothes’ and bring out your Spring/Summer clothes from the suitcase under your bed. No, just me? It’s something I do every year around this time, as I try to be less pessimistic and actually start to believe that we might see the sun again. The beautiful weather this weekend made me think about this inevitable shuffle, and how I would be transitioning into Spring this year.

The light, fluffy accessories that were popular in Winter, such as my pom pom from Wonderound  transition well – I mean, lambs and chicks are fluffy, and they’re basically the epitome of Spring. That’s my reasoning anyway. As for clothing, that’s a little more difficult. Britain is infamous for it’s bad weather especially around April, so I was on the look-out for something that felt like Spring, but had the practicality of a Winter item. Tokyo Laundry‘s striped crop top is thick enough to keep me warm, and the crochet accent definitely doesn’t feel like Winter . Finally, skincare! As the weather changes, so does my skin. It’s as if it thinks I’m doing something terrible to it, and so it freaks out and dries up on me. That’s why I need to keep an eye on my skin, even in the warmer months. I was so impressed with Face D’s Instant Effect Depuffing Eye Mask that I have added them and the Instant Hydrating Anti-Ageing Mask, to a permanent position in my bathroom cabinet.

All these little changes may not feel like much, but I’m certain they will carry me through into Springtime well.

OOTD: J’adore Kenzo

ootd-kenzo-sandro-new-balance-asos-bloomzy-japanese-paris-fashion-style-blog-blogger-1 ootd-kenzo-sandro-new-balance-asos-bloomzy-japanese-paris-fashion-style-blog-blogger-2 ootd-kenzo-sandro-new-balance-asos-bloomzy-japanese-paris-fashion-style-blog-blogger-3 ootd-kenzo-sandro-new-balance-asos-bloomzy-japanese-paris-fashion-style-blog-blogger-4 ootd-kenzo-sandro-new-balance-asos-bloomzy-japanese-paris-fashion-style-blog-blogger-6 ootd-kenzo-sandro-new-balance-asos-bloomzy-japanese-paris-fashion-style-blog-blogger-5
Coat – Sandro | Sweater – Kenzo | Trainers – New Balance | Bag – ASOS | Pom-Pom – Wonderound

J’adore Kenzo! Is it really any surprise? The designer perfectly combines my love of Japanese and Parisian fashion into energetic, colourful creations. If the brand had been established today I would have sworn it was created especially for me. Sometimes designer brands can be a little too serious, but I love playing around with fashion. That’s why I love living in East London so much. People take fashion seriously here, but they have fun with it.

However last weekend I took some time to wander around Chelsea, and I made the most of the change of scenery.  South West London is as far away as possible from my East London home, in more ways than one. Shabby chic hipster cafes are replaced with modern, polished eateries…with no street art in sight. There’s no doubt about it, the architecture and streets of Chelsea are a lot prettier than Shoreditch. But then that’s the great thing about living in London, each borough is different to the next. I hope I can discover even more of London’s hidden gems this year.

ASOS #BeautyChat and AW14 Beauty and Fashion

asos-beautychat-beauty-chat-blogger-blog-patricia-bright-bloomzy-7 asos-beautychat-beauty-chat-blogger-blog-patricia-bright-bloomzy-6 asos-beautychat-beauty-chat-blogger-blog-patricia-bright-bloomzy-3 asos-beautychat-beauty-chat-blogger-blog-patricia-bright-bloomzy-1 asos-beautychat-beauty-chat-blogger-blog-patricia-bright-bloomzy-4 asos-beautychat-beauty-chat-blogger-blog-patricia-bright-bloomzy-2 asos-beautychat-beauty-chat-blogger-blog-patricia-bright-bloomzy-8 asos-beautychat-beauty-chat-blogger-blog-patricia-bright-bloomzy-5

ASOS know how to throw a party. The HQ building itself (a glorious combination of art deco and cats) is the perfect indicator of the decadence awaiting you inside. I headed there with Brogan. Walking into the beautiful building we were greeted with cocktails and nail art (by Reecey Roos) – thanks to the lovely ladies at ASOS. As we headed further in we bumped into some of the people behind Google Glass. Combining tech and beauty is a sure fire way to get my attention, so of course I had to pop a pair on and have a go. I think the glasses have a little way to go before the consumer will fall for them, but I like the idea. After staring at one tiny screen it was on to another as I snapped away at the beauty products and fashion that will be on offer this Autumn and Winter at ASOS. I was excited to see some opulent accessories sitting alongside some divine beauty products. I can’t wait for everything to hit the site. Finally it was time for the beauty chat! We gathered around as Patricia Bright took to the adorned stage and answered our questions and gave us some beauty tips. The first question of the night? From yours truly of course! Watch the video below to see what I had to ask Patricia.

Finchittida Finch Empress Collection

Last weekend I had to make a stop to see my favourite design-duo Finchittida Finch. You may remember that I interned for them last year and I am so proud to continue following them as they go from strength to strength. Their collections are now available to buy on ASOS and in selected Urban Outfitters stores. How awesome is that? It just goes to show that a little bit (ok, a lot) of hard work, goes a long way! So when I heard they had a pop-up just down the road from me you know I was gonna be there asap! Unfortunately I caught a nasty cold so I missed the party and free nail art (you know I’m sick if I miss out on nail art), but I did make it down for their final day.
The Empress Collection is Finchittida’s latest collection, and in my opinion, the best to date. I didn’t think I could love their pieces anymore but the ornate crowns, the avant garde glasses, and the subtle pops of colour have won me over. My favourite piece from the collection is the chain mail skirt. You can see the effort that has gone into making this such a gorgeous and intricate piece. However I know I’m not going to be sporting it down to the shops anytime soon, so for a more practical choice I’d choose any of the necklaces, especially the large gold ones. As you can see I visited with some friends (Alex, Federica & Honey), and we all picked some pieces to model. If I’d had longer I would have dressed up in everything…yes that means the chain mail too! Still, for now I’ll just live vicariously through Li-Ann Smal (the face of Finchittida Finch’s Empress Collection) – you can check out all of the jaw droppingly gorgeous photos in the Empress Collection Lookbook. I’d also suggest watching the beautiful behind-the-scenes film shot alongside the new lookbook.
You can shop the new collection at Finchittida Finch.

Wish List: White’s Alright

White's Alright
White is a colour that I don’t let into my wardrobe easily. It’s far too pristine for someone who’d drop spaghetti sauce on it in an instant. – aka me. Still, this season I can’t help but find myself considering giving white a chance. If the likes of Ena Matsumoto and Alexa Chung are working it, why can’t I? So I chose some of my top white items out right now:
In fact I kind of want this outfit on me, right now! I can definitely see myself walking to Shoreditch on a sunny day, wearing it. Anyone fancy bringing Christmas to me a little earlier this year?