Sunday 17 December 2017

BEST LOOKS OF 2017

Chelsea
Notting Hill























The art of street style photography is like magic as quite often I'll turn to Zoe, and ask her 'How on earth did you get that shot!'? The end result is down to relaying an idea to a photographer, and just us both combining our artistic flares onto the various streets of busy Laandan.  Street style photography is visually exciting as we really do create something interesting and new, that we can both be proud of (and don't stop shooting till we do! eeek!). I take fashion quite seriously as I love what I do. You can really begin to love the creative side of things and enjoy sharing a vision through online blogging. So today as a celebration to Street Style Photographyhere are '2017 fashion highlights'. Plus tips for any inspiring silent keen fashionista bloggers out there (as there's space for us all :-)).

The Fabulous Photographer

A great photographer is someone you can easily share your vision with and create something special. It helps to really research your chosen photographer, check out their website and various online platforms. And just drop them a professional email or message. Be yourself when you contact them and just be 100% clear as to what you actually require them to do. I usually start a message with - Hi my name xx, I'm a London fashion blogger currently focusing on vintage fashion. (Here's some of my styling work) I'm looking for a streetstyle photographer and I've seen your fabulous work via your website. I would love to check your availability for a potential shoot. -  Just something along them lines and I'm sure they'd be happy to work with you.

Chelsea
My Beautiful Laundrette, Notting Hill

Creative Eye

Be prepared to scout suitable locations to shoot. The photographer may suggest London hotspots, but as you're creating your own unique online fashion platform, be open to seeing perfect locations right in front of you (I'm always scouting for hidden gems). I really enjoy finding gritty little spots and places you wouldn't necessarily think to shoot (i.e. a laundrette, car park, giant pink recycle bin or bus stop).


Canary Wharf

Taste & Style

You are effectively your own stylist on shoots. And your individual taste on fashion and life is exactly what attracts your audience in. It's how you instantly grab the attention of like minded people, who can relate and share your life style. Purely by the content you create. So honestly don't be afraid to be just you. Remember it's your platform, which you've openly chosen to do. We're all human but stay clear of comparing yourself to others and don't worry about what everyone else is doing. Just do you - your way (cos you're pretty fabulous! you dun know that true lol!).



Make instagram your new best friend. Set up a fashion page only (you can include family/friends later, but as a strong starting point, instagram is a great visual platform) and post your fabulous style daily. Mention your interests and share your blogging website at a later stage. The majority of your online blog readers will most likely stem from instagram, youtube, twitter or facebook. And it's just a simple way to get your style vision started, without an official blogging website. You can also connect with many fellow fashion bloggers on insta too. I’ve now made supportive online friends from instagram and built a strong community/network of people that I can share a common interest with.

Regents Park
Peggy Porschen Cakes, Chelsea

Blogging 

Blogging looks so easy-peasy, but if you really want to make your work of something you'd be attracted too. It's actually bloody hard work (or it is for moi). I think the toughest part for me is the time required to make each post the best I can. So just as a little heads up, be prepared to dedicate a whole heap of non-distracted focused time to your new online passion. From styling looks - street shooting - edits returned - narrowing down the images - final edits - editing the written piece (which can take forever) - promoting on platforms i.e insta/twitter/fbk & more. There're days when I think I have no idea what I'm actually writing, but somehow you can connect. It's also more than okay to make mistakes! (I'm always making them!) So what I'm trying to say is...Your hard work and commitment will honestly be worth it. And just remind yourself to have fun!

Money

Ahhhhhh…..The Serious Stuff! But if you think that going into fashion blogging is going to earn you wads of $$…Erm it quite frankly doesn’t (sols just being honest). Not at the start anyway. I never started blogging to earn a living. I started a blog to share a love for fashion, be a hippy and express individuality, inspire others, talk about death/loss and hopefully open some minds on vintage fashion (whoah). It's only when brands started approaching me that I realised you can make money. And if you're extremely pro-active, consistent with posts and making money is your end goal. I'd say 100% go for it - Get emailing brands and showcasing your unique eye for your work. But just for me personally the money side of things doesn't drive me to keep creating content. I just enjoy what I do. So the only times that I do jump on board with the money side of things, is when the product is something I’m genuinely interested in, and by offering you (the reader) a fab discount on a particular brand too.

Brixton

Amazing London photographers @AlishaDandy, @ZoeGriffinPhoto and @Margarita_Karenko. If you would like to see more of a ‘how to’ for the technical admin  part of blogging (pages/domain name/programs to use etc) I can happily share a pt 2. xx















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Friday 8 December 2017

PRESSED FOR PRESENTS? A HIPPY GIFT GUIDE FOR HER AND HIM


With Christmas literally around the corner (ahhhhhhhhhh! Seriously where did September - November go?) Today I'm sharing with you what I think the fabulous hippy fashionista (her/him) would love to receive this year. Christmas for me is never about receiving the gifts (mainly getting very merry, playing games, eating all the foods and dancing with family) but i really wanted to help you out as I know this time can actually be quite stressful for many, with a pressure to buy and the high street being, well pretty frigging crazy. Here is a simple gift guide to help you along the way. Merry Christmas xx

FOR HER:

FOR HIM:
STOCKING FILLERS FOR HER OR HIM:
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Friday 1 December 2017

PARTY LOOK | LEATHER RETRO TROUSERS

Earrings/80'sOriginalMum/Top/MintVintage/LeatherPants/MintVintage/Heels/Topshop/Bag/Mum

Leather Trousers are such a key transitional piece to wear. Tough in texture and appearance, adding dept for a more polished edgy wintery look. Now when it comes to piecing my outfits around these pants, I actually find them quite easy to style. And if I'm thinking 'Out Out', I'd wear this with subtle retro touches like these stunning pink 80's earrings and classic silver 70's Heels. If I'm thinking more chilled I'd more likely swap the heels for very relaxed white plimsoles, a warm bright hoodie, and a thick faux coat & scarf. 

You just need to firstly not think you can't get away with wearing these because you can. Find a pair (see below) that you feel really comfortable in. I love the high waisted element on this particular vintage design as it's ultra flattering and leg skimming. Also try and think versatility, as they could even be swapped for something different against your regular pair of every day jeans. I still adore my vintage jeans, but we all love to treat ourselves with pieces that create something a little aesthetically different and new. Now the hounds tooth twee fitted blazer got a very dramatic happy dance once it found me in the Rokit covent garden store (I actually shouldn't of been shopping, documented here. I'll talk more on this fabulous blazer soon). A beautiful statement piece which is a perfect way to finish off your overly Sophisticated Leather Pants - You Got This - Retro look. X

Photography/Alisha Dandy

Recreate This Look:





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Thursday 2 November 2017

BLOGS I LOVE TO READ

MARJORIE LACOMBE (Top Left) Colourful, Dreamy, Cosy, Love, Light. 
ADA OGUNTODU (Top Right) Power Styling, Love, Fabulous, Calm, Soul.
MEGAN ELLABY (BL) Fierce, Detailed, Free Spirit, Joy, Peace.
CUT AND CHIC VINTAGE (BR) Sharp, City, Expressive, Heart, Timeless.
SARAH AKWISOMBE (Middle) Frank, F-ing Amazing Interior Eye, Honest, Fresh, Colour.
JOY MUMFORD (Below) Writer, Vocalist, Pure, True, Still.


Top 6 Bloggers that truly put a vibrant smile on my face after reading their pages. And a shared love for all things vintage and retro. Honestly just a lovely bunch of lasses who make this blogging stuff, look really blooming easy. Highly recommending you follow them.....And thank me later! Ps. This Joy Mumford Beyonce cover is everything.

x

(Non of these images are my own and rightly reserved to each individual included in this post xx )



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Sunday 22 October 2017

STRIKING AUTUMN MAKEUP | BEAUTY


FACE 


For the face, after moisturising I used the Mac Water Weight Foundation applied with a real techniques miracle complexion sponge, and buffed in with a 187 brush. The water weight foundation has a light seamless dewy formula finish. And I love how a simple pipet of the product creates such a overall healthy look, without feeling like you have too much of a mask-like coverage on (long lasting too). For concealer I went for the Mac Mineralize Concealer in shade NC50. Which is perfect for subtly adding instant brightness around the eyes and blurring out any of them dark blemishes or facial spots. I literally take this everywhere with me when traveling. The makeup base is finished off by adding a quick dust of Mineralize Skinfinish Powder

HIGHLIGHT & CONTOUR

Call me old fashioned, but I'm still a huge fan of subtle contouring and try to keep my highlighting and conturing of my make up to what I'm the most comfortable with. So using the deep darker brown mac powder and a simple powder brush I take that along my jaw line and underneath my lower cheekbones. To highlight and add shine to my top cheek bones (once blusher is applied), tip of the nose, under the brow arch and cupids bows I apply the Mac Strobe Cream. Which once applied is a perfect go-to moisturiser to instantly uplift and boost your skin (basically makes your skin ultra fabulous!)

EYES


The eyes are based with Brown Down matte eyeshadow, which I applied with an eyeshadow brush  over the lids. To create a black smokey eye effect I used the intense Carbon shade along the lower eye line, and then went back over the lids with the Avon Glimmer Stick, in the fabulous shade Diamonds. Which I also added in the inner corners of the eyes and underneath the lower lash line (Not sure if you can really see how strong the copper shade is in these images, but it's pretty frigging amazing on!)Extreme Black Lash, is the mascara I used to coat the bottom and top lashes. And to create the famous feline flick I went in with point black. I find this particular product quite simple to apply, and if the flicks does go wrong you can easily wipe it off in seconds (no morning eye flick dramas).  Lastly I finished the eyes by wacking on my very dramatic Lash - Double Volume False Eyelashes. If you're after a more natural look with your lashes do try some of their other options here). 

BROWS

I tend to like my eyebrows quite thick and after brushing in one direction, I applied the same deep Brown Down eyeshadow with an 266 angled brush. And to create more of a sharp finish on the brows I topped them up with my Stud eyebrow pencil. 

BLUSH

I actually used two different blushers to create this autumnal look and firstly added a rosy Burnt Pepper in a matte shade. But then wanted to add much more shine and sparkle to my cheekbones so went on top of that with a golden sheer shade (which I can't find but pretty Similar Here). Again I still like to keep the colour on the cheeks to a hint. 
                       

LIPS

A final touch, as I always like to leave my lipstick till last. And I adore how a type of lip shade can completely change the entire mood of your overall finished look. To begin I softly lined my lips with a natural Cork liner (which also works as a great Autumn lipstick), to help make the lipstick appear quite seamless, and then added the satin feel deep berry CYBER lipstick. You may want to line your lips with a shade more closer to your lip colour, but I actually think the cork lip liner works quite well. As this particular Autumn shade is more than bold enough to still stand out. And  my A/W makeup bag favourite. My bf isn't a huge fan (because he says he can't kiss me without gaining plum lips! doh!) but I'm just obsessed with how striking and flattering this particular shade is on the lips. 

STAND OUT PRODUCTS 

The stand out products I can highly recommend to you are the Water Weight Foundation (because finding the right formula match is o so tricky) and the Strobe Cream......Plus the Autumn Berry Lip. Actually bleeding all of it! 

AUTUMN MAKEUP LOOK  

This season of Autumn came around super quickly for me this year, and soon enough I was already applying the warm chestnut browns, deep berries and shimmery copper tones into my makeup bag! 

WHICH MAKE UP LOOK WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE NEXT? 






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Thursday 5 October 2017

THE VINTAGE BIKER JACKET

Shades\Here\Biker Jacket\Here\Jumper\Beyond Retro\Levi's\Mint Vintage\Boots\Here\Bag\Vintage

Sharing with you one way to style the classic vintage biker jacket this week. A look to make you feel effortless, snug and fresh once worn. And with the details of a lemon vintage knit, levi jean and battered pointy boot. You're really unable to go fashion wrong this season! And just a gentle reminder that we can be just as stylishly colourful in Autumn too. I adore how all these shades seamlessly match together, so below I've shared with you my personal 'Top Autumn/Winter Knit Picks'. X

Photography\Zoe Griffin

SHOP THIS LOOK:                       
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Thursday 7 September 2017

TRAVEL DIARY | SOUTH OF FRANCE - PARTIE UN

OLD TOWN


Stay - Le Meridien |
Favourite Spot - Old Town |
Favourite Restaurant - La Petite Maison 
Beach Favourite - Castel |


BEACH
** To cut a long story short - Visiting the South of France was an utter dream of mine and travelling here really did surpass every ounce of expectation. All images were shot on the Olympus-E-PL8, and if you've read the American blogs (written yonks ago here & here) the pen is honestly everything to travel with. We also travelled to Monaco, Monte Carlo, Eze, St Paul de Vence, Antibes and Cannes. All will be featured in partie deux. Thanks for stopping by x



































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