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.

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

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 /

House of Fraser – Christmas in July

Christmas…in July!? Yes, it is the unfortunate right of passage that every blogger and journalist must make during the sweltering July heat. It may seem insane, but there’s actually a lot of sense in it. The Christmas months can be a little hectic, but the stores still want to let the press know what will be hitting their shelves for the most wonderful time of the year. Hence ‘Christmas in July’. A month when everyone feels a lot less stressed, and a whole lot warmer. Giving the magazines and blogs plenty of time to prepare their features and own personal wish lists. 
House of Fraser were amongst the few I attended and I was certainly put into the holiday spirit. Christmas trees and stockings lined the hall, whilst waitresses offered us elderberry water and earl grey cookies. As I nibbled away, tiny hedgehog decorations and ornate Biba candles grabbed my attention (and personal affections). The sights, smells and tastes all screamed Christmas. 
I personally love gifting at Christmas, and I certainly have some ideas of what I’ll be putting under the tree this year. Still, it would be silly to say that I didn’t also enjoy browsing House of Frasers offerings for myself. Lulu Guinness always brings something fun and unique to the table, making her items some of the top on my Christmas list. The selection of high-end beauty products and perfumes also called out to me, most notably the Laura Mercier lip glosses, and Guerlain and Valeur Absolue‘s perfumes. 
Previous years saw me avoiding department stores but House of Fraser has changed that. In the past year I’ve found myself more and more drawn to their choice of brands. They’re a store that is keeping up with the times and continues to impress with their products. The variety of items available are enviable, as is the quality. If I had to choose only one store to buy all of my gifts this Christmas, they would win hands down. 
bloomzy /

Luna & Curious AW Christmas 2014

I stopped by Luna & Curious this week to check out their Christmas offerings. Yes, it’s that time of year again, when Christmas comes early for the press, and we have to put up with carols and sparkles. Thankfully Luna & Curious weren’t playing Christmas music, but there were plenty of sparkles.
Luna and Curious is my favourite lifestyle store in Shoreditch. The items they carry are high quality, delightful and unique. Of course their AW 14 collection didn’t let me down. Beautifully intricate jewellery, stand out accessories, and winter warmers were just a few of the items that stood out. I was particularly happy to see Floss Gloss nail polishes – L&C are one of only two stockists in the UK. Their polishes are wonderful and I’m so glad to see a store stocking a different brand. Henriette Loftstrom‘s jewellery shone brightly and certainly caught my eye. The Dog Days Plates have been a personal favourite for a while – I need to add Sophia to my collection. However I think the item that epitomised the elegance and quality of the AW collection was the Belle Rose fleece-lined jacket. The lining was incredibly soft and warm, whilst the outer was smart and chic. 
It may be sweltering outside, but I can’t wait for the colder months to come and for the Christmas spirit to hit again. I already have my eye on a few items from L&C for family and friends (and myself), and I know they won’t be disappointed. 

You can shop these items and more at Luna & Curious.

bloomzy /

London Fashion Week: My Favourite Looks from Topshop Unique

Topshop Unique is one catwalk I tune into for London Fashion Week.
The clothing may be slightly more expensive than the usual Topshop wear, but it’s accessible.
This year, as well as being available to view online, Topshop also took to the world of virtual reality.
A few lucky fashion lovers were able to pop on their headsets and become immersed in the show like never before.
Unfortunately for me, I wasn’t one of them. Instead I sat and watched the show on my iPad, from my sofa.
That didn’t mean I couldn’t still see all the awesome creations that Topshop Unique will be releasing this A/W though.
This collection mainly brought blues, mustard yellows, blacks, greys and browns.
Their previous collections have bored me slightly with their use of whites and nudes.
Yet I love the colours they’ve used this year and I think they’ll sit happily in a lot of wardrobes.
Some of the creations were reminiscent of something I’m almost certain my mum owned in the 70s.
That doesn’t mean they weren’t fabulous though, and only a few brought to mind some older styles.
Most of the collection featured Unique (see what I did there?) takes on modern styling though.
There was also a lot of oversized items, faux-fur and leather littering the bodies of the models.
Nothing too adventurous, but again, easy to layer and work into a lot of different styles.

I’m excited to see these hit the Topshop stores and website later this year.

Source: 1
bloomzy /

Haul: Amazing Primark Goodies

Last pay day I had a hospital appointment so I decided to cheer myself up with some window shopping. Well…that window shopping actually turned into a haul as soon as I stepped into Primark. The store was littered with items from their new A/W collection, and since Autumn is my favourite season I grabbed at everything and headed to the fitting rooms.
This season Primark are mixing fabrics (which I love) and are featuring some flattering cuts.
I didn’t end up buying everything I tried on but I did buy a few pieces.
I picked up:
+ A grey mixed fabric skater dress
+ Pyjama style ‘silk’ shorts
+ Velvet flatforms/platforms
+ Vintage style chain earrings
If I’d found a shirt too I’d have an entire outfit, right?
I love everything and I can’t wait to take some outfit shots for the blog.
Don’t forget that you can follow my Instagram for sneaky peeks at hauls & my ootd.
bloomzy /

Introducing: Finchittida Finch

A selection of my favourite pieces by Finchittida Finch

Finchittida Finch is certainly a brand name that draws your attention.
The twin design duo are the South East London based Lisa & Tida Finch.
Their handmade jewellery is inspired by their traditional Lao-British heritage.
With jewellery based on their hand-drawn illustrations, these two ladies are very talented.
The Monozygotic Collection
The amazing debut collection draws from their heritage, and is inspired by Lao Temples.
Each item is uniquely intricate, with a variety of shapes and designs creating pieces that range from simple to ornately bold. There’s earrings, necklaces, bracelets and chokers, in gold, black and silver mirrored acrylic.
Each piece in the collection has been lovingly laser-cut, by hand.
I love this brand and the message behind it.
Why? Family and celebrating your heritage is very important to me.
The strikingly beautiful jewellery may have peeked my interest, but it was the emphasis on these topics and raising awareness for the people of Laos that made me stop and really pay attention. I respect a brand with a strong ethos. 
That is why I applied for an internship with them when I saw they were looking to take someone on.
And I can announce that I am very proud to be working with Finchittida Finch as their new intern!
I hope you can all help me in supporting this new amazing brand and their message.
You can browse/buy their debut collection online here.
Prices start at £10 and go up to £75.