OOTD: It’s Beginning To Look Alot Like…

Cardigan *- Mantaray at Debenhams | T-shirt* – Missguided | Trousers – Topshop
 
To say I’m beginning to get excited for Christmas would be an understatement. I love this time of year. Not because of the gift giving – although I do love to give gifts – but because of the feeling that comes with the season. December is probably the best month of the year. It’s difficult to explain, but things feel different. People are generally happier and act kinder, which is always noticeable when you’re living in London. Even the weather doesn’t seem so bad. I love to layer up, and my new cardigan from Debenhams offers a Nordic-inspired take on the usual Christmas sweater. Sure, it may be bitterly cold outside, but it’s ok because I can snuggle up in my blanket scarf with a big mug of tea and binge on chocolate and Netflix. It’s a special time of year, and I love it.

Feeling Festive at The Beyond Retro Christmas Jumper Pop-up

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Beyond Retro has always been known for quality vintage goods, and now they’re also bringing some Christmas cheer with their latest pop-up shop in Old Street station. The store is aptly named the Christmas Jumper Store, because that’s mainly what you’ll find here. That said, there are other festive goods in-store too, such as scarves, party dresses, accessories and faux fur coats.

I first stopped by for the launch party where we sang carols and perused the store, whilst sipping on Babycham. It felt very Christmasy indeed. I left with a specially handpicked vintage Christmas jumper, which I can’t wait to debut on the blog soon. I also found the most amazing full-length emerald lace dress (with a beautiful art deco style back). It was just perfect, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Luckily for me, when I went back a few days later, it was still there. So I snapped it up, but not before I tried on everything else. There are so many hidden gems that I had to be dragged away by Ben, as I kept picking up piece after piece. Prices are more than reasonable, and the stock has been expertly selected.

If you fancy getting lost amongst the rails too, you can visit the Beyond Retro Christmas Jumper Pop-up at Old St station.

Wish List: Santa’s Little Helper

Every year friend’s and family ask me to publish a wish list on my blog. So this year I decided to try out something a little different – The Greedy Book. What is it? “Described as the home of the wish list, they’re an amazing discovery platform that provides you with your very own corner of the internet to collate your ultimate wish list, an eclectic mixture of your favourite things.”

I liked the look of the platform as it allowed me to add items easily, whilst simultaneously adding the price and notes. I personally used the notes section to add any sizing or colour preferences I had, which will hopefully offer some help and also open up a new spectrum of gifts. I had a lot of fun putting my items together and into their own little books, and if I wasn’t so blasé about Christmas gifts (for myself) I imagine I’d be able to spend hours adding items to them. I actually prefer giving presents at Christmas, which TGB is also useful for. The site gives you the option of making your books private, meaning you can hide your gift ideas away somewhere safer (and a lot easier) than your bookmark bar. I’ve only created a few books so far; using the option to separate my wish lists into different categories – fashion & beauty, accessories and home. Even so, this makes it easier for friends and family who may want to buy me something specific. All in all, it’s been super helpful, and although I think the site would be better with a bit more customisation, it works perfectly well. I can see myself using this long after Christmas for friends/family birthdays…maybe even for my birthday in January too?

You can view my Christmas wish lists at The Greedy Book.

Japanese Fashion at Hyper Japan Christmas Market 2014

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Intricate headpieces from Le Chateau des Gateaux
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Accessories and Kokokim from Dreamy Bows

Traditional Japanese fabric designs from Kokon
Tie-dye boots from Typical Freaks

It may seem only a few months ago that I was at Hyper Japan. Well that’s because I was. No, another year has not passed that quickly. This November the Japanese culture expo has opened it’s doors for the Hyper Japan Christmas Market for the first time.“HYPER JAPAN brings a Christmas market you won’t find anywhere else. Don’t miss the chance to source truly unique gifts; from food and drink to videogames, anime and fashion.Whether you want to find gifts for loved ones or immerse yourself in Japanese culture, the HYPER JAPAN market has something for everyone. Experience premium sake and traditional treats such as takoyaki at Eat-Japan and give your festive feast an Eastern twist at live cookery demonstrations.

Once you’ve filled up on delicious snacks, discover genuine anime character merchandise and take part in gaming tournaments with the latest releases. If you have a passion for fashion, get an exclusive look at the HYPER J-STYLE collection on the runway with a mixture of the latest trends and classic looks. Plus, you can recreate the hottest hair and beauty styles with demonstrations to help perfect your new look.”

I stopped by to see what they had on offer, so I’ve decided to bring you all the fashion, beauty, food and kawaii in the usual manner. Keep an eye on my Hyper Japan tag to see more.

Feeding a Fashion Bloggers Addiction…

Some might think us fashion bloggers are a lost cause. Buying up new pieces as soon as they hit the shelves. Constantly placing new items on eBay to help fund our addiction. Reinforcing our wardrobe poles so they don’t break in half from the weight of all our clothes…I could go on and on. Thankfully, Voucher Codes came up with a solution for all our problems – the VC Swap Shop. An event where bloggers could bring their old/unused clothing items and swap them with pieces from other bloggers and high street/designer stores.

You may remember that I visited the last VC Swap Shop back in February. This time round I had more of an idea of what to expect. So I headed down to The Music Rooms with Sarah, Sara and Steph (we also picked up Catherine on the way). We had our tote bags ready, full of once-loved (but never forgotten) pieces. After collecting our point we grabbed a delicious Grapetini before scouting out the venue. Vanity Van were there to bring a bit of glitz to the event (see my burlesque ready glitter lips). Anna Mae tempted us with her delectable Mac & Cheese, and the Rife guys were there to help us capture it all with an Instagram Polaroid. In fact there was so much going on that I didn’t get the chance to see and do everything. The highlight of the night though was not the clothes or the entertainment, it was seeing so many lovely familiar faces.

What did I get? Well I’m not going to tell all just yet, but if you keep an eye out on my Twitter and Instagram you may see some sneak peeks.

OOTD: Autumnal Bliss

Scarf – Primark | Sweater* – Oasap | Jeans – Topshop | Necklace* – Parla | Ring – Tatty Devine | Shoes* – ASH
 
Like most bloggers (and just people in general), Autumn is my favourite time of the year. It’s that perfect balance between too hot and too cold. The jumpers come out again, alongside light jackets and scarves – oh scarves, let me count the ways I love you. I enjoy layering clothes, but every Winter I tackle with big coats and waterproof shoes. That’s why Autumn is not only my favourite season for food and weather, it’s also the time of year when I can enjoy playing around with the items in my wardrobe.
Last weekend I made a quick stop in Norwich for my dad’s birthday, so naturally that meant taking my dog out for a walk in the woods next door to our house. I grabbed my new cosy knit from Oasap, alongside my Primark blanket scarf and a light coat. It turned out I didn’t even need the coat 5mins into our walk, which was quite lovely. It was also time to break in my new pony skin slip-ons from Repertoire Fashion, which paired incredibly well with the blanket of leaves that greeted us. As I planned to do a little shopping with my mum after our walk I wore my Antumbra necklace from Clarice Price Thomas with my Tatty Devine x Rob Ryan ring, just to look like I’d made some kind of effort. I may have been wearing a thick sweater and the biggest scarf known to man, but I still managed to feel pretty fashionable.

East London Jewels at Parla, Boxpark

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If you’ve been reading my blog since my move to London then you will know my background is in jewellery. Well that love goes back a long time. As a child I would buy jewellery making kits with my pocket money; creating necklaces and bracelets for myself and my friends. I wish I had continued with my jewellery making during my teenage years, but instead photoshop and html took over. Naturally I have a lot of respect for those who design and create their own jewellery.
Parla is one of the latest additions to Boxpark in Shoreditch. A jewellery boutique offering sustainable Scandinavian styled creations by British, Swedish and Norwegian designers. Put Scandinavian in front of anything and I’m sold. Minimalistic yet distinctive, that’s my kind of style. I headed to the store last week for a press night where I was able to meet my favourite designers (of those stocked at Parla) Jenny Sweetnam and Clarice Price Thomas. Both were incredibly lovely and talked me through their collections and the inspiration behind their work. Their pieces are minimalistic and modern. Both work in sterling silver and gold, meaning the pieces are of the highest quality. I could go on and on, but instead I plan to talk more about both of them in my ‘Designer Spotlight‘ series.

If you like what you see, you can browse all of the designers and pieces at Parla.