bloomzy /

OOTD: Keep Cool

Top* – Persun | Slip Dress – Primark | Bag – Zara | Sandals* – Fitflop | Sunglasses* – Playn
 
It hasn’t exactly been easy in this heatwave, trying to figure out which items of clothing won’t leave me melting into a puddle. I do however have a few items I know I can rely on to keep me cool and stylish. Well, as stylish as I’m going to get anyway.
My number one favourite item right now is my little black slip dress from Primark. You’re probably wondering why on earth I would even consider black in this heat. Honestly I have no better excuse than “…because it goes with everything.” It is a little plain by itself though so I’ve been layering it with loose fitting/cotton tees, to add a bit of dimension to my outfits. Of course sandals are a must in this heat, as are sunglasses so I’ve entrusted both of those tasks to two brands I know and love: Fitflop, and Playn Eyewear. As far as accessories go, my watch and my new camera are the only ones I need. However I do need something to carry a heavy DSLR around in, so I opted for my Zara backpack.
I’ve been hanging in there and thankfully I haven’t combusted just yet. If it wasn’t for loose tops and sandals I think I’d have got that pixie cut I’ve been dreaming of for the past few years and hidden myself away in a cave.
Thanks to Chopstickpanorama for taking my photos.
bloomzy /

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.

I personally loved all of the
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.
Red or
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.

You
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.
bloomzy /

OOTD: Rain Rain Go Away

Top – Primark | Skirt – Topshop | Boots – Topshop | Necklace – Tatty Devine | Watch* – New Look

Last week the weather proved itself to be truly British. We had sunshine, followed by rain and cold winds. No I’m not here to give you a weather update, I’m just trying to explain why I’m dressed for Autumn in the middle of July. I hate having to think of which shoes are waterproof, when really I just want to be chilling in my sandals. Still, this is the reality of living in the UK. Sorry to shatter anyones idillic views of our otherwise lovely country.

Still, I was glad I could pull out this ensemble, as it probably wouldn’t have worked in the scorching heat we had at the weekend. Again, stripes, I know, but I couldn’t resist this top. It was only £3.50! It was definitely the main point of this outfit. I had to pair it with my skater skirt and boots – a bit simple but definitely a good idea for walking around central and east London for the day. I finished it off with my favourite little leopard buddy. I think I would have worn it proudly all day…if I hadn’t been splashed at by a passing car, whilst taking outfit photos for V.A. The risks of being a blogger.

Thanks to V.A for taking my photos.

bloomzy /

Style: We’re All Going on a Summer Holiday

(Top: New Look*, Sneakers: New Look*, Watch: New Look*)
When New Look sent me an email about with a link to their summer personality quiz it came at the perfect time. I was working from home, which meant I was dreaming of holidays and procrastination. I took the quiz straight away, and was told that Barbados was the answer to my troubles. Sun, sea, sand and reggae is all right by me. Still, my holiday plans don’t stretch much further than France this Summer, but that doesn’t mean I can’t make the most of it. So when New Look asked me to choose a few items that would be holiday perfect, I knew exactly what I wanted. 
This has been the year of stripes in my wardrobe. I can’t get enough of the classic breton stripe top, so this long sleeve beauty is perfect for pairing with distressed denim shorts and these white sneakers, for a casual daytime look. Once night time hits it’s on with the jeans, and off with the sneakers, embracing ballet flats and accessorising with an almost patriotic watch. The French definitely know how to do chic, and it’s something I always admire when I’m walking the streets of Chamonix or Provence. Hopefully these will help me get a little closer to that perfect look when I’m away this summer. 
Bon voyage!

——————————– 
This post is in collaboration with New Look but all views, photos and words are my own.
bloomzy /

OOTD: I’m Torn

Top – Topshop | Jeans* – Oasap | Sandals – Primark | Sunglasses* – Oasap | Necklace – Marc by Marc Jacobs | Bracelets – Zara

Sometimes I just need a few days to chill out, and when I do, my clothing choices tend to reflect that. However I’m not about to do an outfit post consisting purely of loungewear…although it’s tempting. Instead I donned my new torn mum jeans, some chunky sandals, a loose tee and a ton of accessories. The perfect attire for a day wandering around Shoreditch. 
Unfortunately the jeans are ridiculously large, and by “ridiculously large” I mean about 2 sizes too big. This is my main reason for disliking online shopping, especially when the item is coming from across the other side of the world. Luckily I had a few belts on hand which helped with the problem…slightly. My only other complaint would be that this package took around a month to arrive, because my full address wasn’t on the package. This seems a bit odd after Oasap have been sending packages to the same address for over a year, and they’ve usually arrived within a week or two. Now that they’re charging for postage, this is a bit odd, and a little unsatisfying. I’m hoping that this was just a one-off human error. I don’t like to be a downer, and the only reason I mentioned it is because I have been working with Oasap and mentioning them on the blog for a long time.
bloomzy /

OOTD: All White on the Night

Shawl* – Oasap | Playsuit – Rare London | Sandals* – Fitflop | Sunglasses* – Ray-Ban | Bracelet – Marc by Marc Jacobs
 
The rainy spell that was cast on England has been lifted…well, for now anyway. The sun shone gloriously this weekend, and I made the most of it by tackling hoards of tourists in Central on Saturday. Thankfully Sunday was much more chilled, and a lot hotter! I knew the time had come to bring out my new playsuit from Rare London.
If you saw my Instagram last week, you’ll know that I find it hard to wear all white. So you’d be surprised that I fell for this lovely little playsuit. The layered top half means it will be flattering for most body shapes, and it gives it a little something extra. Admittedly I still felt slightly awkward when I wore it solo, but I resolved that problem quickly, by wearing my new shawl over top. Which is also good for keeping the sun off my skin (take care of your skin this Summer kids)! I went slightly overboard with accessories on this one – obviously the plain base frightened me slightly and sent my styling skills a little crazy.  Still, I love accessorising with this shawl and I think the simple silver and turquoise necklace goes together perfectly with the rest of the outfit. I threw on one too many rings, and my Marc Jacobs bracelet. My reasoning? I’ve barely worn it and I didn’t want it to feel left out. Finally I put on my favourite sandals, so it didn’t seem too dressy. It wasn’t my intention this time but I think this playsuit would also work well dressed up for the evening. That’s super handy if you’re lazy busy like me, and you don’t have the time to change during the day. Just bring a pair of heels and some statement earrings – boom, you’re done!
Did you make it to the end of this post without being blinded by my pasty white legs?
Well done to you, you get bonus points!
bloomzy /

Finchittida Finch Empress Collection

Finchittida Finch @ Luna & Curious
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.