bloomzy /

OOTD: Orange & Gold

(Cardigan: ARK, Top: Topshop, Shorts: Topshop, Necklace: Oasap, Earrings: Topshop)

Here is a rather more ‘Summery’ outfit for you.
I’ve been enjoying the recent heatwave that hit home, even though it didn’t last for long.
Even so, I managed to get away with just wearing this lovely peachy-orange cardigan with no coat!
I think those that know how unpredictable the weather has been in England lately will know that’s quite a feat!
This cardigan is one of those items that lifts your mood whenever you wear it.
It just feels and looks like Summer to me, so I guess that’s why it caught my eye.
I felt that this outfit was a bit basic when I was putting it together, but I think the cardigan & necklace add a little something extra that I wouldn’t have got with just the top & shorts alone. Surprisingly orange & gold are growing on me!
ARK Clothing have become a quick favourite of mine.
I can not step into the Norwich store without wanting to leave without one of everything.
Their items are on-trend and fun! I would seriously recommend them for quality and price too.
Don’t forget to visit Oasap and use discount code: ‘bloomzy’ for 35% off!
bloomzy /

OOTD: Givenchy-Inspired part deux

(Dress: Sheinside, Tights: ALTA Shinjuku, Wedges: Internacionale, Necklace: Oasap)

Here is the second, and final (for now!) part of my Givenchy-Inspired pieces (part one here).
This dress is from the amazing Sheinside who carry a selection of on-trend and designer inspired pieces.
I wore this out yesterday just for a casual coffee-shopping afternoon, and then stopping for a meal in the evening.
I can’t express how much I love this dress. I felt so effortlessly cool and on-trend whilst wearing it.
I also love how the print of the dress makes enough of a statement that I didn’t need to over accessorize.
Even so I did add a bold necklace (from Oasap) and some patterned tights because I felt I could still carry them off. I wish I could just sit around in this dress all day – it’s one of the rare pieces in my wardrobe that just makes me smile whenever I look at it. So expect to see more of it in the future!
You can shop for the dress and browse Sheinside here.
Don’t forget to visit Oasap and use discount code: ‘bloomzy’ for 35% off!
bloomzy /

Wish List: EMODA

A selection of items from the EMODA Global Webstore

Emoda is a brand that I have been a fan of for several years.
Based in Japan, they have now opened up their global webstore (in English).
This means that fans outside of Japan, and newcomers can buy and order items to their country.
When the store first launched it was filled with mostly basic items, but since the opening more items have been added. The store still doesn’t feature the full collection that you might see in-store/on the Japanese webstore, but it is slowly building up. It’s likely that more pieces will be added if the team see a market for it.
The webstore also offers members the chance to collect points, much like you would be able to do in-store. After you have accrued over 500 points you can spend them on any future purchase you make – 500 points = 500yen discount.
The reason I choose the items I did is because they were cute basics that I could easily coordinate with my own items. To be honest I already have a necklace exactly like the Emoda one, but I still wouldn’t mind adding it to my collection. My favourite pieces have to be the mixed texture t-shirt and the floral print dress. They both really stood out to me.
You can browse Emoda’s new global webstore here.
bloomzy /

Photo Diary: Tokyo, Old & New

Central Shibuya and Ichigaya Fishing Centre – Tokyo, Japan

I wanted to do another photo diary post from Japan as it seems like I haven’t done one for a while.
As I was looking through my photos from my time living in Tokyo, I was reminded of one of the reasons I love the capital city so much – the mixture of old and new. It might seem a bit cliche or it may not even make sense, but to me Tokyo manages to perfectly mix traditional (or ‘old’) and modern culture. Of course there are times when the two don’t match, but it’s surprising how harmoniously they get on in such a bustling city.
The new
Shibuya is arguably one of the most modern districts in Tokyo, known as a mecca for young people.
In the photos I included you can see Shibuya station, which is constantly packed full of commuters.
I also included photos of popular shopping malls Shibuya 109 (aimed at young women), and Shibuya 109-2 (the male equivalent of 109, which also has a few women’s stores). The adverts on the sides of the buildings change constantly, keeping you up-to-date with the music, food and tv you should be partaking in.
The Old
Ichigaya Fishing Centre may not seem that ‘old’ but the past-time of fishing goes back a long way in Japan.
As you exit the highly modern commuter train (Chuo/Sobu line) and look out across from the platform you will spot the fishing centre hidden amongst skyscrapers, and high-rise office buildings/apartments – the set-up definitely stands out against its backdrop. The customers who frequent the centre use traditonal methods to catch the fish.
Don’t worry though, all the fish are put back in the pond after being caught and weighed.
bloomzy /

OOTD: Givenchy-Inspired

Top: Oasap* | Shorts: H&M | Shoes: Urban Outfitters | Necklace: Topshop

How gorgeous is this Givenchy inspired top from Oasap? I instantly fell in love with the Givenchy Fall 2011 Ready-to-Wear Collection, so when I found this on Oasap I had to grab it straight away! I love the clash of black, gold and purple, the irises (flower) add a touch of femininity which contrasts amazingly with the black and gold rock vibe of the top.
Thanks to having a larger chest, it was difficult to get the shirt to sit straight as you can probably see. However it still fit fine, with some room to move around in. It did originally come with shoulder pads attached, but I felt that they didn’t add anything to the top so I took them off (easily). I have a similar top/dress arriving soon from another brand and I can’t wait to add it to my own Givenchy inspired (knock-off sounds so harsh) collection.
I think next time I’d like to pair this with a more daring outfit. 
I’ll also try and take a photo in better lighting next time, so you can really see how gorgeous it is.
Don’t forget to visit Oasap and use discount code: ‘bloomzy’ for 35% off!
bloomzy /

Discuss: Can make-up represent a clothing brand?

Today I want to get discussion going about something that is popular in Japan.
I will be featuring one of my favourite Japanese brands, Murua, to help explain.

In Japan, clothing brands spend a lot of time representing themselves and their staff.
The presentation of the staff reflects on the store and brand, which makes a lot of sense.
This is done through not only their clothing and accessories, but make-up and hair too.

So with every new season some of the brands and stores send their shop staff (usually the store manager) off to a special meeting. Here, they are taught the key make-up and hair looks for that season, for the brand. The looks compliment that season’s collection, and make the brand and staff stand out. The manager then goes back and passes on this information to the shop staff, who are then expected to use these key looks in their everyday make-up & hair routine, whilst at work.

The shop staff are not forced to re-create the looks step-by-step and are allowed to add their own personal flair.
This means that they can retain their own personal style within the brand, much like those who work for clothing stores are expected to wear clothing from that store, or make-up counter staff are expected to wear make-up from that brand.

I personally would love to see something similar in stores like Topshop that have their own make-up line. I know a lot of clothing and department stores have rules on what kind of make-up to wear (subtle etc) in the UK, and are asked to be on-trend, but it’s not usually like this. I think it would inspire the customer more and help represent the brand too, whilst adding a little something extra. I do fear that it restricts people’s personal tastes a bit, but I think there’s always room to be inventive. However I think this works so well in Japan because of customer loyalty, so I’m not sure if it would catch on.
What do you think of this idea?
Do you think it would work in the UK, or Europe?

Source; 1
bloomzy /

I have a bit of a fetish…

(White polka dot tights & Pink gradient tights: eBay)

As some of my more frequent readers may have noticed, I have a bit of a tight fetish.
More specifically, patterned tights. I have a whole ton of them, in various patterns and colours.
The majority of my patterned tights though are in black, so I wanted something a little different.
I decided to look on eBay as there are some amazing shops out there.
I finally settled on one that had a large selection of black, white and multicoloured tights.
I went for some white polka dot ones (£1.32 here) and a pink gradient pair (£1.90 here).
Both run a bit small, so if you’re over 5’3 (my height), once again I’m afraid these aren’t for you.
The fabric is a bit thin but they seem pretty durable so far but it’s always best to be gentle with tights anyway.
For the price, they’re pretty good quality. I’m especially happy with the white polka dot pair!
The gradient pair are nice, but not exactly what I’d wanted. No complaints here though.
Have you grabbed any bargains lately on eBay?