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 /

Now Open: Muji – Islington N1 Store, North London

On Thursday I headed to the Muji Islington N1 press event, which was held just before the customer opening event. This is the first Muji store to come to North London, and I know I am not the only one who is happy with this. You may be sat here right now scratching your head and saying “But Emma, the store has been open since last weekend?!” Well yes, you’d be correct, but Muji decided that it would be better to hold their event a few days later.  When I arrived I noticed a few people had already started queuing, and I was told that the customers are so dedicated they had started queuing over an hour before the event. Now that’s brand loyalty!
The new store has taken a lot of inspiration from the newer London stores, and from their stores in Japan. In fact they even had some of the Muji Japan team come over to give the finishing touches to the store. Looking outside in, the store looks classic and high-end. It’s slightly misleading as the store seems very small from the outside, however the team have made the most of the two floors and the fixtures, leaving the store looking more than spacious inside. The store has a great selection of Muji’s stock, which delighted me greatly; the storage, travel and candle selection is particularly impressive.
Muji is the perfect brand for those who live a modern, urban lifestyle. Selling high quality, minimalistic items from Japan, that could easily rival it’s competitors – I’m looking at you Sweden! I personally adore their storage items, and the little bits and bobs that make my home look better, and run easier. I’ve never bought any of their clothing (they sell women’s & men’s), but I was impressed with their use of French linen, and the quality tailoring of their basics. It’s safe to say I will be back again, and again, to the new Muji Islington N1 store.
Keep an eye out on my YouTube channel for my Muji haul video, coming soon!
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.
bloomzy /

OOTD: I Feel Blue

Top* – Persun | Trousers* – Persun | Bag* – Persun | Sandals* – FitFlop | Watch – Marc by Marc Jacobs

When you leave a bunch of bloggers alone together you know something is going to be photographed. This time round it meant an impromptu photo shoot at Netil 360, overlooking East London. Balloons and silly poses were the name of the game, as we tried to look as carefree and candid as you possibly can when you’re actually posing in front of a camera. Luckily I had some lovely blogger friends (Alex & Honey) on hand to help me laugh, and just generally act like a fool, whilst they took my outfit photos for me.
The weather was pretty warm on Saturday but it was also slightly deceptive. After spending most of my life in England I wasn’t to be fooled by the sun shining outside my window. Call me pessimistic if you will, but I knew that it was going to be a t-shirt and trouser kind of day. Luckily for me I had these gorgeous items from Persun just lying around, waiting for me to adorn myself with them. I got so many compliments on my ‘I Feel Blue’ top, which certainly didn’t leave me sad. It’s incredibly comfortable and left me feeling pretty chic, when paired with the trousers and more importantly the clutch! Yes, I actually went out for a whole day with only a clutch bag. That was not easy for someone who enjoys shoving their entire life into a bag, but I got by and I felt pretty cool in the process. I finished everything off with my new FitFlops – the comfiest sandals/flip-flops that you will ever find. They actually arrived that morning, which seemed to be a sign that yes, it would finally be warm enough to wear sandals. I love it when comfort meets fashion, because really I’m just an old lady inside who wants to walk around in a nightgown and memory foam slippers 24/7. Thankfully this outfit is slightly more fashionable though.
Thanks to Alex of alexianatouillia for taking these photos.
bloomzy /

South Beach Swimwear Summer Event

South Beach Swimwear Summer Event

Last week I attended the South Beach Swimwear Summer Event. It was held at one of my favourite Shoreditch hideaways – The Love Shake. The bar has a 50s pin up, all-American vibe, making it the perfect place to host a bikini extravaganza. I was lucky enough to spend the evening in the wonderful company of V.A, her friend Mai and Lorna. We browsed South Beach’s latest collections, whilst sipping on delicious milkshake cocktails (yes they are a thing, and yes you MUST try one) and nibbling on hot dogs (ketchup and mustard on mine, thanks). All was done with perfectly manicure talons – thanks go to Rosie who decked out our nails in designs inspired by some of the bikinis. I went for a red, blue & white striped combo, reminiscent of Jean Paul Gaultier and Summer’s spent frolicking by the French Riviera.

Now I could hardly tell you about the event and not mention the wonderful designs that were on show during the evening. South Beach have outdone themselves with bikinis, shawls and bags to make any beach lover drool. My personal favourite was the parasol print above, that also came in a underwired bikini top (Davina Top) with matching high-waisted bottoms (Dulcie Brief). The 50s film siren inside of me is desperate for them. South Beach get another thumbs up from me as they allow you to purchase your bikini tops and bottoms separately. That means there won’t be any size blunders for those of us who aren’t one size all over. It also allows for some creative input; so if you’re not the type to go matchy matchy, you have the option of playing around with prints and colours.

I also found out during the event that South Beach sell loungwear as well. I fell for one cheeky little number in particular that looked as sexy as it did sweet – yes those two can definitely go together. Unfortunately it isn’t up on the site yet, but once it is I shall make sure to share it with you all.

You can visit South Beach for all your bikini needs this Summer, trust me.

bloomzy /

OOTD: A Magical Journey

Shawl* – Oasap | T-shirt* – Oasap | Leggings – H&M | Boots – Topshop | Necklace – Topshop | Sunglasses* – Ray-Ban
This bank holiday weekend I headed back
to my parent’s house in Norfolk, for some rest and relaxation. London is
wonderful but sometimes you end up missing the vast fields of the
English countryside. I may have grown up in a city (Norwich) but we
were only ever a 10 minute drive from the countryside. So whilst we
had a change of scenery, I wanted to take the opportunity and shoot
some outfit photos.

I love it when a piece of clothing is
so powerful that you take on a whole new identity when you’re wearing
it; and my new shawl from Oasap does just that. When I’m wearing this
I feel halfway between a witch and a New York landlady – don’t ask.
It’s a pretty magical piece, that I can easily see becoming a Summer
staple in my wardrobe. As for the t-shirt I’ve displayed so brazenly
above, it was a rather odd purchase for me. I wanted something basic
with a difference. I guess I certainly got that. This is truly the mullet
of the t-shirt world – work up front, party in the back. The
cut-out design is meant to resemble angel wings, as no doubt it would have…on someone who is about 5 inches taller than me. Instead they
end up looking like I’ve tried the paper snowflake trick on my
t-shirt. But hey, you can’t blame a girl for trying. I kept it simple on my bottom half, with black leggings and boots. Boots and leggings that
ended up covered in mud, after my Black Labrador decided I didn’t
quite scream countryside chic.
Don’t forget you can get 20% off with code ‘bloomzy’ when you visit Oasap!
bloomzy /

OOTD: A Whole New World

Dress: Topshop | Boots – Topshop | Necklace – Tatty Devine | Watch – Marc by Marc Jacobs
What do you do when you’re wandering
around London (Marylebone to be precise) and you find yourself on a
street with little to few cars, and no one around? You take outfit
photos of course! Every fashion blogger will know the joys of trying
to find the perfect location for those crucial outfit shots. So when
you come upon a little gem like V.A and I did, you know you have to
grasp the opportunity, or should I say DSLR, with both hands.
The weather has taken a turn for the
worse over the last few days, so I’ve brought out my trusty boots and
black tights combo again (I always get a little nostalgic for tights
during the Summer). I paired them with my Topshop map print shift
dress because I knew V.A and I would be doing a lot of eating (that’s
how we roll) and I needed something comfortable (read: to hide my
food baby in). This dress is the perfect amount of baggy, one size up
and I’d be looking like a potato in a sack. The print is simple yet
intriguing. Basically, I love this dress. I paired it with my Tatty
Devine tiger necklace, because it just seemed to go with the whole
vibe.
We later headed to the South Beach
Summer Event, which I can’t wait to share with you all in an upcoming
post. Suffice to say the dress did it’s job well, because after a hot
dog and 2 milkshake cocktails, I was still feeling pretty classy.
Photos taken by V.A of
Chopstickpanorama