bloomzy /

Wish List: Joules

Joules is a brand I associate with countryside chic. A lot of my friends who live in the country wear it and so by osmosis I have slowly become a fan of the brand myself, even though I’m a city girl. After donning one of their waterproof jackets this weekend (thanks for the rain Wales) I decided to browse their online store. Consequently I ended up falling for several of their new arrivals I decided to pick out a few of the items from their latest collections that caught my eye, and share them with you all.

Stripes! Did you expect anything else from me? In fact I scaled back on here and have even more striped goodies from Joules in my own personal wish list (in my head). Their selection of lovely Summer dresses this year really caught my eye too, and have left me quite sad that I don’t have any weddings to attend. Unfortunately the British weather also seems to have other ideas and I think my selection of items reflects my eagerness to plan ahead. Still, with gorgeous items like these on offer you can’t really be too upset about Autumn coming sooner than planned. My plan for A/W this year? Colourful jumpers, comfy brogues, warm dresses and accessories galore.

Create your own wish list at Joules.

——————————–

This post is in collaboration with Joules but all views and words are my own.

bloomzy /

I like pretty, shiny things…

Necklace and Earrings – Azendi*
 
Although I’ve toyed with gold in the past, silver has always been my number one choice for jewellery (when platinum isn’t available, darling). It’s effortlessly chic and goes with pretty much everything. In recent years I veered away from silver (apart from my rings) and I wore a lot of loud statement pieces. However as I see my personal style evolving yet again, I have rediscovered my love for the more minimalistic things in life.
Azendi sent me this sterling silver necklace and earrings to add to my ever growing jewellery collection. I couldn’t even believe the effort that the store had gone to with the packaging. Encased in a lovely big presentation box were two smaller boxes, individually wrapped up in beautiful paper and tied with a big purple ribbon. Presentation is so important, especially when you’re gifting jewellery to someone. Now I know that if I wanted to send an item from their site to a friend or family member, it would arrive looking picture perfect. The quality of the items is priority though, and I was really impressed with what I received. The silver was polished and without tarnish – silver can oxidise incredibly quickly and leave a nasty yellowish layer on top when not looked after properly (always keep your jewellery out of direct sunlight and in a box, if possible). I think Azendi’s jewellery is an absolute steal, with amazing prices for their pieces in silver, rose gold and semi/precious stones.You can buy these and more at Azendi.

bloomzy /

OOTD: Stay Sunny

ootd-wiwt-style-fashion-blogger-blog-primark-new-look-tatty-devine-oasap-bloomzy-1
Shirt: Primark | Slip Dress – Primark | Shoes* – New Look | Sunglasses* – Oasap | Necklace: Tatty Devine

Wandering around East London can sometimes feel like you’re in your own personal fashion show, as you exhibit the latest addition to your wardrobe. I love that you can feel proud of what you’re wearing and that others won’t judge your clothes. That and the fact that you’re always going to find someone dressed more outrageously than you. Now I wouldn’t say my personal style has evolved into something that exactly turns heads, but it’s good to feel comfortable in your own skin and I thoroughly believe that East London allows me to do that. Some might think the area is pretentious, and at times it can be, but I’ve never once felt that I had to live up to others expectations…although I do sometimes wonder if that’s purely because of my mind set. Either way, I love this part of town and will continue to flaunt it until I can no longer do so.

bloomzy /

OOTD: Playing Pretend to The Waltz

Dress* – Oasap | Shoes – Primark | Necklace – Tatty Devine | Sunglasses* – Playn | Bag: A friends

If an outfit had a soundtrack, this one would be Yann Tiersen’s whimsically beautiful compositions from the movie Amelie. ‘La Valse D’Amelie‘ came on whilst I walked through the streets of Brick Lane, and everything just seemed so in tune. The cut and colour of my dress, the way the skirt of it fell into motion with the music. The vintage/curiosity shops and cafés lining my path. Trust me when I say it was a little magical. As I neared the cafe where I would meet some friends for lunch, I wished that every day could start like this.

Later we headed to Spitalfields where my dress seemed perfectly at home with the antiques that littered the stalls. Gramophones, faded postcards and vintage jewellery called out to me. I’ve always admired vintage fashion, more specifically pre-1950s fashion. Unfortunately the modern accessories (those sunglasses, the necklace and that bag) gave me away, but it was nice to play pretend for a little bit.

Thank you to V.A (Chopstickpanorama) for taking the photos of me.

bloomzy /

Kawaii at Hyper Japan 2014

The kawaii life is a tough life. You constantly find yourself clasping your cheeks and screeching at the top of your lungs, all because something features a loveable mascot, or is fluffier than usual (etc etc). Yes, kawaii really is a lifestyle choice in Japan, and it’s everywhere. Whereas the term doesn’t really have a literal translation, the closest we can come to understanding it in English is: cute or adorable. The concept has become so big that recently Western cultures have picked up on the phenomenon – you’ll even find it in the Oxford dictionary. So I was pretty impressed when I saw just how well Hyper Japan embraced the idea this year. 
‘Hyper Kawaii’ was a special section of the exhibition that probably took up half of the venue. It featured a variety of British and Japanese fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands, as well as live performances and activities. The rise of kawaii in London was showcased by brands such as: Tofu Cute (snacks and lifestyle goods), Dreamy Bows (clothes, plushies and accessories), Doki (Japanese tableware), Glitterbomb (jewellery), Artbox (stationary and goods), Cutesykink (clothing) and so much more. 
Fashion and beauty are big parts of the kawaii lifestyle, but I plan to feature those separately in upcoming posts as I just couldn’t fit all of the photos and content into one post. ちょっと待って下さい！
bloomzy /

Style: His and Hers Glasses

Glasses aren’t the easiest accessories to choose, especially when they’re something you need to wear everyday. That’s why it was so difficult for Ben when it came to choosing a new pair of frames. We looked at store after store, but nothing seemed to catch his eye (haha, get it?). In the end he told me that he wanted a pair like mine “…but in black”. Something which I now wish he’d told me at the beginning of our search, as I knew exactly how to solve our problem. To the internet!

I’ve never been much of a fan of online shopping, especially for items such as glasses. How on earth are you supposed to know if they fit right, or even suit you? That’s where Glasses Direct come in handy. They offer a free home trial, which a friend of mine tried out last year. She chose 4 pairs of glasses – in different styles – and simply tried them on at home. She actually ended up loving a couple of the pairs, but finally decided on just one. At the time I thought it was a pretty good idea, especially when online glasses stores seem to be able to offer a variety of styles at reasonable prices. Thankfully Ben didn’t need to try any out as he had already mentioned the style he wanted, but it was good to know what kind of quality and service he could expect.

Choosing the right pair was pretty easy, as I offered up a little style advise. In the end though it was all down to him, so he ordered the London Retro Carnaby frames, in black – a slightly smaller version of my own. They arrived about a week ago now and he hasn’t taken them off since. This is a guy who has worn solely contacts for about 5 years. I think the fact that he feels pretty stylish in them helps. All down to me, of course.

bloomzy /

OOTD: Power Play

Shirt* – Hawes & Curtis | Jeans – Topshop | Shoes – Urban Outfitters | Clutch* – Persun

Shirts and blouses will forever remind me of high school. Whereas a lot of my friends preferred polo shirts, I chose a crisp white blouse. Truthfully I didn’t fully realise the potential of them at the time. Now my style is slightly more mature, and I appreciate them in a different way. There’s something quite sexy and chic about a well fitted shirt. I feel pretty powerful when I’m wearing one.

Some people may try to make you believe a shirt is only for school or business, but I beg to differ. Hawes and Curtis are one of London’s best stores for luxury shirts, if only for their choice of styles and fits. I chose this one in particular because polka dots will always be a favourite of mine, and I happen to think they look quite smart too. I paired my shirt with some well fitted jeans from Topshop and my court shoes from Urban Outfitters. I went for gold detailing with my accessories, matching them to my heels. Admittedly I did add the clutch bag as it looked similar to a file, playing around with the ‘business’ idea – making it more casual and wearable.