Playtime

Recently I picked up a lil book from Muji.

I love Muji and the simplicity of their clean yet clever and functional products.

 This book is not exception, and although I think it is aimed at for someone a bit younger than me, I've been having a hoot and a half going through it!

 It contains the alaphabet, and for each letter, there’s an animal that starts with the letter, and made up of the shape of that letter, that you can poke out and fold into said animal.

 Isn’t that cool and clever?! That it had to be thought out how a “Q” could be folded and manipulated into a quail!

 I think it’s quirky and lots of fun, and something that is not only great for kids, but also any big kids out there, like me!

It’s colourful, gives your brain a lil stretch and perfect for any animal lovers out there, I’m thinking of even getting another one for my sister-in-law for her birthday.

Hope you’re all well,

Speak soon,

A.x

Give a lil' R.E.S.P.E.C.T

Recently, i made a trip into London to go to the Pure exhibition, and although the event is mainly aimed at buyer, students were also permitted and encouraged to go, and there were some really great talks on.

 One talk i caught and i particularly enjoyed and found engaging and interesting, was one about the subject of sustainable fashion. With a number of speakers, including Jocelyn Whipple, a sustainable fashion specialist, Merryn Leslie, owner of boutique 69b, who only stock brands involved in sustainable fashion, and Safia Minney, chief executive of a brand I'm very fond of, People Tree.

  It's amazing how much the effects of the fashion industry affects each and every one of us. Fashion stems into all of our lives, if you are a consumer of fashion, and you exist on this planet, then sustainable fashion affects you.

It's amazing how much waste goes into the industry, particularly in the fast-pace environment of high-street fashion, how quickly and easily items get thrown away and news ones are bought. Not only that, but also the environments that certain companies submit their workers to, and that was a point brought up by one of the speakers. Would you feel fine if a family member or yours, a friend, or simply someone you knew was submitted to unacceptable working conditions and underpaid wages, would you think it was ok? If it wouldn't be alright for them, then why is it alright for anyone else to be subjected to this?

Of course though, it's an unrealistic ask for someone to turn their way of living around instantly, but i think we all need to take more notice into sustainable and eco fashion. It shouldn't be a serperatecategory to fashion, it exists already there as a choice, and it's up to us to take up this choice more and more, so that this issue could be raised more and more into the public eye.

Related to this, i recently bought some items from Lush Cosmetics for some friends birthday presents, and i love Lush's ethos and the way the brand thinks and works, and while i was there, i ended up also picking up some stuff for myself.

 Lush provide a service where the can gift wrap items for you, but in scarves and you can also buy these scarves on their own, and why wouldn't you?! Just look at how cute this lil dude is!

 Not only are you not wasting paper and get a pretty scarf you can tie in your hair or use again, but these scarves are also made from recycled bottles, how cool is that?! 

 This was also a topic raised at the talk, as sometimes there is a misconception that eco and sustainable fashion is not of great quality, but these scarves are so brilliantly made and already owning items from labels such as People Tree, this cliche is simply not true.

I also got introduced to this absolutely amazing and innovative soap!

It's play-doh, but soap! It sounds a bit of a novelty idea, but it smells so good, leaves your hands so soft and the suds are so soapy! It was invented by a guy who wanted to make a soap for his kids so bathtime could be more fun, and if a 20-year old can find it this fun, i can only imagine how much fun my nephew is going to have when i buy him one :)

What are you thoughts on eco fashion? Do you think more needs to be done and there should be more exposure to it?

And are you a fan of Lush? Do you take notice of their ethos or do you just simply enjoy their products?

Hope you're all well,
Speak soon,
A.x

Sweet Dreams or a Beautiful Nightmare...

I recently found this little gorgeous beauty at Marks & Spencers as part of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's collection for the company and it's just all things i love: lace, flowing and girly. It's a dressing gown but it's so beautiful, i didn't think it should be kept within the confines of my bedroom, and i have bought some items from the collection previously and they are such great quality and just so feminine and pretty.

Underwear as outerwear is no new thing, but isn't something I've really indulged in before this was to pretty to keep to myself. I love the beautiful lace, the fitted waist-fastening and the liquid-like, soft, silk.

Top: Topshop, Shorts: Zara, Dressing Gown: M&S, Leather Jacket: Urban Code

 I kept with the lace theme and kept my modesty under this piece with a cropped, lace, black top and white, lace shorts.

I love how the slit in the middle shows a glimpse of leg while you're moving, and I kind of felt like a superhero with a cape billowing in the wind, but also a bit like an 80s power ballad star also...

What do you think of the underwear/nightwear as outerwear trend? Have you checked out any of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's range for M&S?

Hope you're all well,
Speak soon,
A.x

Asian Invasion

So, i know this may be a long-time pal and love for some of you, but some k-pop has only entered my life recently.

Now, I've been aware of some bands via some of my housemates who are completely engulfed in the world of k-pop, but it was only recently, i discovered my own personal love for one band in particularly, 2NE1.

They are just an awesome girl band, nothing like anything I'm really used to on the UK scene, now, i do have a bit of a guilty pleasure in Girls Aloud and i think they make brilliant and infectious pop songs, and no-one will ever be the same as the Spice Girls, who were a massive part of my childhood.

But these girls are just something else, their songs are just so damn catchy and fun! The first few songs i got shown, i just couldn't help but bust out a few moves to. I know that whenever auto-tune is used in a song, basically seems to get shunned and deemed untalented, but it can be used so cleverly, such as by Ellie Goulding and Muse, but after a quick search on YouTube, these girls can definitely hold a tune. 

They are just the whole package, wicked dancemoves, great songs and the most brilliant fashion and hair that I've seen in a long while, and the worlds of music and fashion always collide. It's just so refreshing to see!

You have no idea how much hair lust i have over CL's do here...

My personal favourite is 'Love You', which i think is a more mature vibe compared to some of their other songs, and i love the dance beat, and, although i may not know what they're saying lyrically, the emotions conveyed through it just feel so heartbreaking of the nature of a unrequited love. And the video is just beautiful, with an oriental feel.

Another thing this new discovery has made me realise is that i want to and should em.brace my asian roots more. Being born and brought up in the UK, i really haven't had the biggest exposure to my heritage and it's culture. I have been luck enough to visit my heritage hometown of Hong Kong on quite a regular basis when i was younger, and the fact my parents spoke chinese to me means i appreciate having another form of communication under my belt. But, the culture seems like a completely different world to me, it's like watching into from the outside of a bubble, and i want to just embrace and learn more about my heritage.

I hope that if you haven't checked out or been taken over with k-pop (and no, Gangnam Style doesn't count!), that you do and open yourself to a whole new, crazy world.

What do you guys think of k-pop? Do you guys have a favourite?

Hope you're all well,
Speak soon,
A.x

Slick & Smooth

Recently i have been listening to 2 artists, whose music i can only as being sensual.

I had heard 'Do You' from Miguel quite a while back when Nick Grimshaw had it as his record of the week and i just loved the chilled out r&b vibe, and i thought his voice was just hypnotic...beautiful and velvety smooth.

There's just something quite old-school about him, and he reminds me of Prince, which is gorgeous and should be illegal, and the beats and compositions in his songs are just awesome.

As for The Weeknd, i had only really known them from 'The Crew' which they featured on for Drake's track, and there is again this vibe that oozes sexiness, so sultry, beautiful and chilled out.

I know some of you will think I'm a bit late on the train for these 2, as they've both had stuff out for a while, and it's just recently that i dug out more of their stuff, courtesy of my friend and housemate, Michaela, but i am so excited to have discovered 2 brilliant and talented artists to add to my life!

Hope you're all well,

Speak soon,

A.x

Pixie Dust

Christian Dior's Couture Spring 2013 is so magical and whimsical!

I love all the specs of bright colours dotted over the clothes...

...this adorable bolero jacket teamed with this incredible chic outfit, which includes a bustier with seductive v-neck...

...this beautiful coat, with embellishment that echoes that of a beautiful cherry blosson tree (one of my favourite plants and scents)...

...this gorgeous dress with a contrast of a fitted body and bust, slanting down to a flowing skirt.

 The pixie hair cuts, sophiticated and clean eye make-up, and bright lips also look so prett and chic!

I also love the setting of the vivid green hedges in the background, setting the scene of a woodland that these beautiful pixie models are frolicing in, the whole collection jsut has such a healthy vibe to it.

Images from Style.com

                                    What do you think of this fun-natured yet chic collection?

Hope you're all well,
Speak soon,
A.x

Cheeky!

Red Nose Day is nearly upon us and as well as Comic Relief being a fantastic charity the whole-year round, i love the fashion collaborations that come out for RND.

 Last year, Vivienne Westwood's cheeky take on famous faces, with my personal favourite being a Louis XVI lady, with her modesty being saved by the iconic red noses.

This year, Stella McCartney takes on the reins for RND t-shirts once again and i love the fun-natured and cheek look of them, yet being stylish, and also for a wonderful cause. Surely that's a win-win!

With Kate Moss featuring in the collection, she is also modeling my favourite tee, with Marylin Monroe looking her finest with red nose and geek glasses to boot, and i also love the one of Tommy Copper...how could you not smile when you see this sight?!

Not only do all the profits from the sales of these t-shirts go to a brilliant cause. Comic Relief help people across Africa and here in the UK who are living terribly tough lives, and I'm sure if you've ever watched a RND broadcast, you'll know how heart-breaking the situations can be, so i am more than happy to help such a great charity, while also gaining a awesome t-shirt out of it!

Not only that but the cotton is fairtrade and the cotton is organic. Meaning that the farmers in developing countries are paid fairly and healthier communities and living conditions as chemical pesticides and fertilisers are removed from the earth. So not only will you look great, but you'll feel great about the fashion you're sporting also.

As well as t-shirts, RND this year also features some homeware from one of my favourite print designers: Emma Bridgewater.

I love these tongue-in-cheek tea towels, which are certain to make you chuckle everytime you dry up your dishes.

I love watching all the stuff that goes on for RND, from the inspiring tasks that celebrities take on, to the hilarious sketches, and i think the comedy aspect great way to approach and help such a tough and heart-wrenching subject.

I hope you all support this fantastic cause in one way or another, whether it's just donating a pound, having a bake sale, doing a run in a silly costume, or simply buying a good ol' red nose :)

All of these items are available from your local TK Maxx, or online. 

Images: tkmaxx.com & elleuk.com

Will you be buying one of these t-shirts? Which one takes your fancy out of the bunch?

Hope you're all well,
Speak soon,
A.x

Candy

As I've mentioned time after time, i am a girly girl at heart, and due to that, sometimes i just cannot resist some sugary pink injected into my life.

 I realise just how 'tumblr' i look but this sweatshirt is just so comfy and cute, and i love the shoulders, I'm a bit of a sucker for cut-outs on shoulders...

I'm usually one for dressing up, i sometimes feel it's a shame when i look back at by-gone eras, how beautifully dressed everyone used to be and how much effort used to go into an outfit, and i think i have a bit of that philosophy in me. But sometimes, you just need to wear a comfy sweater and leggings, especially when you have a jacket you have to construct a pattern piece for, cut out, sew and make...

I've also been toying with the idea of pink hair for a while, and decided to get some extensions and see how it feel about them for a while before i decide to abuse the hell out of my hair, and unfortunately for my poor hair, i kind of love it.

The past few months, i have been drooling over silver and pastel pink hair, and as much as i would love to have a complete make-over to my hair, i think the roots would be a bitch and my hair would probably be wrecked, but i do love this subtle streak of pink amongst all the dark locks.

Not tyring to be overly sweet, i downplayed this pink pairing with some leather-look leggings & nude heels.

sweatshirt: Glamorous@Asos, leggings: Mango, heels: Miss.KG

What do you think to pastel coloured hair? A nice change or a bit extreme?

Hope you're all well,
Speak soon,
A.x

Dream a Little Dream...

Elie Saab is one of my favourite designers, ever.

I love everything he does, it is just the epitome of femininity, and being the the uber girly-girl that i am, i just drool over all the majestic, sparkling pieces he does, flowing down the catwalk. There is just this effortless combination of old-school glamour and the modern day woman.

His Couture collection for Spring 2013 was no exception, the shapes emphasized the female body beautifully and i particularly loved the sheer parts that exposed just the right amount of skin, giving the appearance that the lace had been spray-painted directly onto the body strategically.

I just want him to deck out my wardrobe in all his feminine magic!

While usually dealing in one tone or colour on a piece, Elie Saab dabbling in some print and pattern which i thought added lovely depth to it, as if it was from a mysterious woodland.

I also lusted over how delicate this material is, like cobwebs with flowers blooming it around it.

I also liked the use of a pure and clean tone of white that was used for a lot of the collection, and am absolutely in love with the baroque, shoulder detail. 

 Valentino also made use of these neutral and clean tones, in conjunction of such detail, as not to overwhelm the pieces: subtle yet intricate, and thought the collection had a beautifully eerie and mysterious feel to it.

Also, these dress shapes by Valentino are so clever and just absolutely stunning!

 As much as I love snuggling up in some comfy knitwear, i am a bit of a summer gal at heart, so all these girly spring collections with more skin showing is making me smile.

Are you looking forward to Spring Summer '13? Have any collections really caught your fancy?
Images: Style.com

Hope you're all well,
Speak soon,
A.x