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A London Life… in Shoreditch

 Yellow Stripe Bag by Hanelca, at Luna and Curious
 
a-london-life-bloomzy-brick-lane-shoreditch-fika-lifestyle-blog-blogger-fashion-style-5
 Coffee break (Fika) at Fika, on Brick Lane
Tote bag by Wonderound

A London Life is a new photo diary series I have decided to start on the blog. I often get friends from outside of London, be it from Norfolk or as far away as Tokyo, asking me for more of an insight (read: less touristy) into the city. So I’ve decided to upload a series of photo diaries of my adventures/life in London. I won’t be including massively long descriptions in these posts, unless needed. Instead, I’ll be adding short and sweet tag lines and links to the photos e.g. “Coffee Break at Fika, on Brick Lane”.

If you have any questions always feel free to comment or tweet me.
As always, if there’s anything you’d like to see, let me know.

View more of the  ‘A London Life…’ series

bloomzy /

Tatty Devine Lucky Dip Box & Sample Sale

Did you really think I could resist the lure of the Tatty Devine lucky dip boxes? Well I managed to resist the sunglasses box and only buy one small one this year. I never seem to have much luck with lucky dip boxes so I decided not to go overboard. I think I got some good items in my box this time round, but not all are for me really. Even though I love all of the items they’re not really pieces I would get much wear from. I have put the necklace on the Tatty Devine Swap Shop and the rest is on eBay. If you’re interested in Tatty Devine you can find all my sales here on eBay.
The Tatty Devine Sample Sale takes place Saturday 3rd May in their Brick Lane store.
Doors are open from 11am-6pm – I’d suggest getting there about an hour before to join the queue!
bloomzy /

Introducing: Playn Eyewear @ Boxpark

Playn eyewear are back at Boxpark, and I went along to check them out. Now before I get too far ahead of myself, I should probably introduce the brand. Playn Eyewear is a German company founded by the designer Denis Beyer. They design and sell their own unique sunglasses and glasses frames. They first came to Boxpark in Shoreditch in 2013, and now they’re back!

When I visited with V.A to check out their frames, I was impressed with their clean-cut feel. The whole store felt very serene, and cool – the perfect place to pick out a pair of sunnies. Now I just got a new pair of glasses and sunglasses, however I was still keen to try everything on. I know, I’m terrible, but the range of frames on offer are just too tempting. I fell head over heels with the Miami Vice – Sarah frames (pink gradient) as soon as I put them on. You can see me wearing them above, and I like to think they suit me pretty well. It’s the amazingly subtle rose tint on the lenses that drew me in though. It makes everything look so romantic and fun! These are the perfect instagram filter…for life. I can definitely see myself wearing these whilst lounging in London Fields with friends, or browsing Brick Lane’s street food stalls. Of course you can wear them outside of East London, if you fancy.

Spring has brought out the sunshine so there’s no better time than now to grab a pair of sunglasses. Or maybe you feel your prescription specs are looking a bit dull, and you could do with an update?

Head over to Playn to browse their frames and see if something catches your eye!

bloomzy /

Photo Diary: Sunday in Shoreditch

Spending a Sunday afternoon in Shoreditch is one of my favourite things to do.
I love the vintage markets, world food stalls and street style of Brick Lane.
I love the smells, colours and the people who wander down Columbia Road.
It’s somewhere I always take people when they visit because it has such life.
Everywhere in Shoreditch has such atmosphere and effortless style.
If you aren’t a fan of London I suggest you visit these places and then decided again.
If you can’t make it to London anytime soon, hopefully my photos will help.
Locations/People in this photo diary include:
Hanni Bow, Brick Lane Coffee, Rough Trade East, Brick Lane Market & Columbia Road
bloomzy /

Photo Diary: Hot Dogs, Street Art, W♥C & Polaroids

Looking at these photos makes me so happy. I’ve been having so much fun lately, and I’m so glad to share it on here. I went home to Norwich for a couple of days to sort some stuff out and see family. Whilst I was there I really started to feel like it really was going to be Christmas soon. I brought out my Nuxe travel set and fell in love with practically every item inside of it. I also brought out an old polish that felt slightly seasonal and got tons of compliments. I’ve been experimenting with layering shirts & sweaters at work, thanks to the recently chilling weather. I also popped along to the launch of the Drop Dead Winter Collection in their Soho store. That meant I got to bring a plus-one so Laura and I finally got to meet up – love her! My friend in Japan sent me some of the new W♥C items that have just come out. It really took me back to my time living in Tokyo and made me miss everyone so much. This weekend I also took a walk around Shoreditch and caught up with Anna over cake and coffee. I’ve really sucked at keeping in touch with friends lately (due to work), so I’m trying to remedy it. Also food. There was lots of food. Always with the food.

You can follow me on Instagram: @bloomzy

bloomzy /

Introducing: Harnett & Pope

I first took notice of Harnett & Pope when I came across them at a sample sale.
The pieces were delicate yet strong, with an amazing use of colour, tailoring and fabrics.
After lusting after several pieces, I knew that this was a brand I wanted to keep an eye on!
Luckily for me, Harnett & Pope is the latest addition to the streets of Brick Lane.
The brand was founded in 2011 by Christy Harnett and Katie Pope.
The dynamic duo believe in clothing that ‘stands the test of time’ so they use natural fibers and design and manufacture all of their pieces in the UK. “Harnett & Pope want their garments to be accessible, adaptable, effortless and most importantly wearable in terms of price, fit and quality for a wide audience.” The quality and design of their pieces clearly reflect this, and walking into their store is like walking into the Aladdin’s cave for fashionistas. Inspirations for the collections include: the Far East, Art Deco and Surrealism, with subtle ethereal and gothic undertones.
Is it any wonder why I fell for this brand?
You can find out more about the brand and view their collections here.
Or you can pay them a visit at 125 Brick Lane, London.
Source: 1
bloomzy /

Tatty Devine Sample Sale Haul

My haul from the Tatty Devine Sample Sale
 
When I first heard that Tatty Devine were holding a sample sale I knew I had to go.
I didn’t think I would be able to actually, but thankfully things worked out so I could.
So I joined the queue early on a Saturday morning, and I felt quite chilled.
That all changed when we stepped into the store.
If you know their Brick Lane store well, you will also know that it is tiny.
It works perfectly well for Tatty, but it’s not the first place you’d go to hold a sample sale.
So it was a battle of the superfans as ladies (and gentleman alike) scavenged through the boxes.
It was a bit like a treasure hunt in a way, as everyone battled to find the one piece they had been after.
Seriously though, even though I kid about it being chaotic everyone was very bubbly and excited.
I also met a very lovely lady who I wish I’d exchanged info with – all I know of her is ‘Bridezilla on Wheels’.
Don’t worry though, this isn’t going to turn into a ‘We on a blustery morning in Brick Lane…’ post.
So what was I after? Well to be honest with you I didn’t really know. I just wanted to take a peek.
That meant it was even more enticing when I started finding classic pieces I wanted (but couldn’t justify at full price) and old items that I’d missed out on the first time round. So I put up with the pushing and general craziness to search for more hidden gems. And boy, did I find some hidden gems! My Tatty Devine collection is ever expanding, with pieces that reflect my interests & personal style – that’s what I love about Tatty Devine as a brand. In a nutshell? I’ll be back!