Wishlist: Beauty Base Perfumes
Review: Canmake Stay-On Balm Rouge Lip Colour #3
Red or Dead – Keep It Cool
Driving through London on the top of a
vintage double decker bus whilst sipping on Pimm’s is my idea of fun.
It becomes all the more exciting when you’re on your way to Red or
Dead’s headquarters, joined by your fellow bloggers. As far as hyping
up events go, RoD have it down to a tee. We arrived to a pink paradise where we
were fed delectable mini treats and watered with refreshing slushies
by Slush Bros. We were then ushered inside for a small talk about the
A/W 14 collection, which is where Creative Director Katie Greenyer told us all about the history
of the brand, and all of the exciting things to come. Red or Dead have managed
to update the brand’s look without losing their sassy, unique vibe.
They’ve created their own trends for the A/W season, but
fashion-conscious people need not worry as the pieces will appeal to
most.
monochrome on offer – always on-trend, always timeless. I know the
inclusion of the two piece sets will keep a lot of bloggers happy,
especially those who were worried that they would have to say goodbye
to them at the end of the Summer. My personal favourite was the striped jumper-skirt combo. The 1950s American high school
inspired pieces called out to my inner vintage vixen (she likes to
make an appearance every now and again),
and sent my brain into a coordinating craze. The midi-skirt and
jacket would look amazing with some bright red heels (dare
I say glitter?) and a beehive.
The shoes and accessories are so perfect that they
could easily make an outfit themselves. No, I’m not encouraging you
all to turn up to your mate’s birthday party sans clothing, holding
the Red or Dead Saturn Clutch (a personal favourite of mine).
I am however encouraging you to think about making a pair of their
brogues, or their vampire clutch bag the point of your outfit.
Basically, the accessories are so on point that you’re going to look
pretty darn cool wearing even the smallest piece of Red or Dead.
Dead are a brand I remember wearing in the early 2000s. I even had a
pair of the iconic foam wedges, which I wore at any given chance. So
I was pretty excited to find out what the brand had on offer now, and
whether it would suit my current tastes (they’ve changed
quite a bit). Luckily I was not
disappointed and I can see myself wearing about 90% of the new
collection. Whereas I won’t be cycling away on their gorgeous bike
anytime soon, I can definitely see a few key pieces (and
most of the accessories) working
their way into my Autumn-Winter wardrobe.
can shop Red or Dead’s A/W 14 collection exclusively at BANK Fashion.
Thank you to V.A for taking the photos of me at the event.
An Alternative Guide to Coffee in East London
Living in East London it seems as though a new coffee shop is popping up every five minutes. With so many cafes vying for your affections it can be a little confusing which one you should visit. There are books out there and even festivals, all hoping to point you in the right direction. So I thought I’d add my two cents and let you know about my favourite coffee spots in East London. The one thing that makes this post stand out from all the others? I can’t drink caffeine. You’re probably sat there with a look of shock on your face, wondering how I can even begin to explain myself. Well I’ve actually come upon some amazing cafes that also offer decaffeinated coffee. In the self-confessed land of coffee snobs, that’s a pretty big feat! It’s also not that easy to find decafe coffee that actually tastes like, well, coffee. Ben is usually in tow too though, and he does drink coffee, so I always end up asking him “Hows’ the coffee?” Boy do I miss coffee!
Anyway, sit back, relax and enjoy my alternative guide to coffee in East London.
Yellow Warbler – Northwold Road, Stoke Newington
YW is new to the world of coffee and to Stoke Newington. It’s off the main high street but that doesn’t mean that it packs any less of a punch. Looking at the menu you wouldn’t expect any decafe, however their table menu would prove you wrong. I ordered a cappuccino and found it to be chocolatey and sweet. Still, it had a genuine coffee taste to it, rather than an artificial flavour like some decafe. The South American street food on offer is also worth a mention, although it is a little on the pricey side.
Brick Lane Coffee – Brick Lane
Whilst you’re browsing the numerous vintage clothing stores on Brick Lane you may find yourself a little thirsty. Luckily, Brick Lane Coffee is smack bang in the middle of all the excitement. Their choice of coffee is impressive, ranging from banana frappes (which are amazing in the current heatwave) to a dirty chai (that’s a chai latte with a shot of espresso). They do also offer decafe and soya milk options for those who may not want to partake though. The coffee ‘alternatives’ are delicious and are definitely worth trying out.
Beyond Retro Cafe – Stoke Newington High St, Dalston
Beyond Retro don’t only cater to vintage loving fashionistas. Their Dalston store also offers somewhere for you to put your feet up after you’ve had a tough day shopping. They offer a variety of coffee-centric drinks, as well as decafe and soya options. The drinks are reasonably priced without forgoing quality. I also love their gluten-free food options, and the free Wi-Fi, of course.
The Hawkhurst Vault – Brick Lane
Ok ok, THV is actually a tea room, but it does also sell coffee. So what better alternative for the non-coffee drinker than tea? That way you and your coffee loving friends can enjoy the best of both worlds. Shhh don’t tell the coffee lovers I mentioned tea.
Ozone Coffee Roasters – Leonard St, Shoreditch
Ozone take coffee pretty seriously, which can be a little daunting for those who don’t drink it regularly. However the surroundings in Ozone’s Shoreditch cafe will definitely put any worries to rest. With two massive floors there’s plenty of space and atmosphere to soak up. I couldn’t see any decafe options on their menu, but I did love their inclusion of hot chocolate – my caffeine-free choice when decafe isn’t around. The chilli hot chocolate is to die for, and their coffee certainly impressed my friends.
Hopefully you’ve enjoyed my mini round-up of the best alternative coffee stops in East London. If you’ve enjoyed it and are still on somewhat of a caffeine high, check out Currys post about the UK’s love for coffee.
House of Fraser – Christmas in July
ionFashion Blogger Conference
Walking into a room wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with sassy cats and a pair of high waisted jeans was probably not what you’d expect from someone attending a conference. Luckily for me, this wasn’t a boring business conference, it was the ionFashionUK blogger conference. I was joined by other likeminded bloggers as well as brands and magazines, all of whom were hoping to gain a better insight into the world of blogging.
As this was my first blogger conference I was very eager to get started. I sat down with the lovely Sophie-Anne and Danielle, who were super friendly and kept me chatting until we were all asked to go upstairs. We were then joined by Adora who I attended the Burlesque event with a few weeks ago. It’s always lovely to see old friends and make new ones at the same time. We grabbed front row seats, which promised us that we’d be smack bang in the middle of all the action. My excitement was growing as we were read the line-up for the day; talks by Lela, Really Ree, Fashitects, Rosie Glow and Diary Directory. I loved hearing about blogging from their different perspectives, and how some people are making a living from it, but still enjoy it as much as they did when they first started. Later, we were paired with brands to answer questions on the best way to collaborate with bloggers. Being asked how I felt about certain PR moves, and how I prefer to be approached on a collaboration was something I haven’t really been asked before at events. One of the main topics of the day was how bloggers dislike ‘spam requests’. You know, the generic “Dear Blogger, I’ve been looking at your site…” (yeah, I deleted the email at “Dear Blogger”). So you can understand why I thought it was a smart and much needed move towards creating better relationships between bloggers and PRs.
The food also needs a shout-out as it was arguably the cutest I’d seen in a long time, and you know I love my food. I’m talking mini-burgers and pulled pork buns, alongside miniature salmon bagels and cornichons. All washed down with unlimited glasses of prosecco (I promise I only had one). The star of the lunch though was the mouthwatering chocolate brownie, which I still dream of today.
We were promised a day of networking, education and enlightenment, which were certainly fulfilled. My favourite talks of the day were from the very personable Really Ree, and Fashitects – who taught us a thing or two about male style bloggers. I went to learn and be inspired, and I did both, as well as make some new friends and contacts along the way. This may have been my first blogger conference, but it certainly won’t be my last. Who knows, one day it may even be me giving a talk up on that stage.
Thank you to Blueclaw for hosting the event, and to Bay for the photos.
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