A little while back I was contacted by the lovely people at Find Watches who kindly offered me one of their watches from the new Sekonda Party Time collection to review.
I think most people are either 'watch people' or not, ie. they either when one every single day like clockwork (excuse the pun!) or they just choose not to wear one at all. I seem to go through stages of being a watch person, and then not so much. I'm the same with bangles & bracelets too. Sometimes I love to pile them high on my wrists for months on end, and then i'll go through phases of wearing absolutely minimal jewellery.
But as soon as my watch arrived from Find Watches I couldn't wait to wear it - and have worn it practically everyday since!
The Sekonda Party Time collection comes in such a wide range of colours - so many lovely pastel colours too that are absolutely perfect for summer - that I actually had trouble choosing which colour to go for!
In the end I opted for white, as I really liked the idea of a white watch for the Summer, especially against tanned skin - oh, who am I kidding.. fake tanned skin!
The strap is made from a flexible silicon material, that not only feels extremely lightweight against skin, also makes it the ideal watch for the festival season as it's so durable!
If bought from Find Watches, this Sekonda watch costs only £23.99 - such a bargain for a great quality watch, in my opinion.
Are you a watch person? If so, what do you think of Sekonda watches?
Don't forget to enter my giveaway - the entry date has been extended to the end of the month!
Just a quick post showing you what I wore to Camden Crawl. I never normally do 'outfit of the day posts', it's always been something i've wanted to do, but I genuinely just didn't really know if I had anywhere good enough to take photos in my house - how much of a lame excuse is that?!
However, having now found the perfect spot, hopefully there'll be a lot more of these type posts to come!
I'd had my eye on this dress forever, but it eventually sold out online & instore in Topshop. I suddenly had the idea of looking on eBay (as all i've read lately are bloggers picking up bargains on eBay!) - and I found it on there for under half the price!
What do you think of shopping on eBay? Have you managed to pick up any good bargains lately?
This post is a little late in the day - it almost didn't even make Monday - but I was determined not to miss my music Monday post this week, as I was at Camden Crawl, and thought i'd sum up a few of the bands I caught in a blog post! warning: this is a very lengthy post. BUT I promise that you will discover some amazing new music in the process, so bare with me!
Firstly, I want to say a HUGE thank you to Myspace, who kindly gifted me my weekend tickets as a competition prize. One of the best prizes i've won in a little while! (I'm a bit of a competition geek - don't judge!)
So in no particular order - you'll find absolutely no favouritism on this blog ;) - here's the low down of who I saw this weekend. Actually I may well do this in chronological order, because that's the kinda girl I am!
The first band I caught were called Peace, and to be quite honest I had never heard of them before. I recognised a lot of indie influences in their music, some of their stuff reminded me of the Arctic Monkeys in their 'Favourite Worst Nightmare' era.
Here's their song BBlood...
I then checked out Benny Banks on a very cool stage under the railway arches, in Camden Gardens. Benny Banks is one of those names I've heard of here and there, as he has collaborated with quite a few industry names. I'll be honest, typically it's not my type of music. However, there are certain types of rapping that I can tolerate/absolutely love - usually this is because the lyrics are really clever, or because they rap in a funny accent - Nicki Minaj i'm looking at you. Benny Banks falls into the clever lyrics category. He also has the cool ability to freestyle. Check out this video of him 'warming up' on SB.TV...
Next, and onto something completely different, we wandered down to the Roundhouse where they had a very folky/acoustic vibe going on. It was literally so nice and chilled out, I could have almost fallen asleep - and I mean this in only a good way!
I managed to see This is the Kit, who sound like the sort of band who could easily be featured on a Juno, or 500 Days of Summer soundtrack. So if you're into that kind of thing, you're definitely going to enjoy this little treat... what's also lovely about this video, is the fact it's filmed by taping a camcorder onto the back of a bike whilst cycling through Paris - how much more perfect could that get?!
Next on were The Magic Lantern, who were of a very similar style of music. That cute-sy folk genre that I'm personally a bit partial to from time to time, with song lyrics that make you want to 'awwww' outloud for an embarrassing amount of time.
Here they are singing in a shed. Yes, a shed.
The next new band I discovered were BIGkids. Remember Mr Hudson? Supernova? Yes? Well, this is his new band. I kind of can't categorise them at all or tell you who they remind me of because, in many respects, they're very unique. They have quite a retro sound though. Oh, and they like to wear Burger King crowns. I'd say they were one of the most memorable bands I caught at the weekend, and definitely one to watch. Check out their song Superhero...
The band I saw who probably had THE best stage presence at Camden Crawl has to be Clement Marfo & the Frontline. For one, the band has a hell of a lot of members - especially for the size of the tiny stage in the Jazz Cafe. Their set included them crowd surfing, and spraying water all over the audience. So maybe not a band for you if you're a bit protective over your hair? But all the same, there's just something about them. I can't quite put my finger on it, but they're pretty awesome.
Things from here onwards get pretty amazing, and I'd say that you've probablydefinitelymaybe heard of at least two out of three of the last few bands.
On after CM&TF were Admiral Fallow. I had a niggling voice in the back of my head saying 'stay and watch these Louise, they're really good' - but I didn't know why! Then as they sung the last song of their set, I realised I'd heard this song many times on Radio1 & fallen a bit in love with it. Upon Youtube-ing them for the very purpose of this post, the little purple coloured link reminded me I'd in fact already gone in search of this song a couple of weeks back! Admiral Fallow are slightly alike Mumford & Sons - but if they hired Amy MacDonald as a vocalist..
Then I was lucky enough to see The Big Pink - who i'm sure you all know due to their infamous hit Dominos. But have you heard Hit the Ground (Superman)' No? Oh. Well enjoy, and thank me later...
Lastly I saw the Futureheads, who again I'm pretty sure most people have heard of. They started their set with some amazing acapella stuff, which is just too good not to share! This is probably my favourite song of theirs, and in acapella it's just even more amazing...
Well done if you managed to get to the end of this extremely lengthy post! I hope it hasn't been too boring, and that maybe you've even discovered some new music that you love. Let me know below what you think of the bands I've featured - if you've seen them before maybe, or if you have plans to catch them at a festival this summer!
A little while ago, I was contacted by the lovely people at Simply Beach, a company who sell the most beautiful brands of lingerie, swimwear, and sleepwear.
I was sent a gorgeous bra by brand 'Sie Lei' - I'd actually never heard of this particular lingerie brand before, but after a quick look through their range online, I absolutely loved their products. I chose the Sie Lei Intrigo Jewelled bra.
obviously - this is not me (i wish.) but i'll be uploading some product images to this post after the weekend, as i'm currently at Camden Crawl :)
From the second I received my bra, I could tell it was really good quality. I'm really happy with the fit, and look of the product. It gives amazing cleavage, and is really comfortable to wear - plus it's really pretty!
Now, if you're thinking 'you lucky thing, I wouldn't mind some free underwear too!' - then listen up!
I've very kindly been given a £50 voucher to spend online at Simply Beach for my readers! You'll get a choice of all their online brands to spend your voucher on.
HOW TO ENTER:
1. Leave a comment on my blog with a link to your favourite product from Simply Beach.
2. Make sure to leave your email address in your comment too, so I can contact you if you're the lucky winner!
3. For all this to count & to fully validate your entry, you must be a follower of my blog AND like my Facebook page.
Winners will be chosen at random, and you have exactly a WEEK to get your entries in. competition closes at Midnight on Sunday 13th May I've chosen to extend my giveaway to the end of the month, so you now have till the 31st May to get your entries in!
I had a little bit of a splurge the other day in Boots, and spotted this product! I'd read a few reviews about it on the blogosphere and was really intrigued to try it, the idea of a matte lip colour packaged like a gloss really appealed to me. When I spotted the price at only £2.99, I knew I had to try it!
Cream Puff comes in four different shades, two neutral shades that I worried would make my lips look like i'd caked them in foundation, a pale pink shade, and a coral pink shade. I went for the coral-pink shade named 'Fairy Cake'.
The lip cream itself has a gorgeous vanilla scent, and is a really thick - but not sticky - consistency. The product claims to moisturise lips, which is yet another reason it appealed to me - it's rare to find a product that's a matte finish with a bright colour that's also moisturising!
swatch!
Overall, I absolutely love this product! I would definitely consider paying more than £2.99 for it, as it provides a really bright colour which lasts quite a while without drying out your lips.
Collection 2000 do some really great products, and I don't understand people who rule the brand out completely, just because it's in a cheaper price bracket? What do you think of Collection 2000 products?
I haven't posted my nail art up in a little while! I felt at one point, that it was literally all I was blogging about - and although I do love nail art, and tend to rock a different design every week, I don't want that to become ALL my blog is about... It's just so much more than that ;).
But these little cuties are my favourite design I have done in a while. As per usual, I was inspired by the talented girls at WAH-Nails - i've said it before, and i'll say it again, working there would literally be a dream - but I spotted these nails and just had to try them out for myself!
gold glitter fade & heart by WAH nails
For once, it was the nails of the WAH girl that caught my eye! I loved the idea of having half the nail neutral, with a glitter fade, and a cute heart halfway between the two.
I was looking for a eye-catching nail design for the Handmade Fashion Magazine launch party - and this was just perfect!
Instead of leaving my nail natural, I actually used a neutral coloured nail varnish as I preferred the matte tone of it. I can't remember the colour off the top of my head, but it's from Next! Then to go with my pastel themed outfit, I used Models Own Pink Fizz - which is probably my favourite glitter nail varnish EVER.
...and here are the results!
(sorry the photos are a bit dark, my slr keeps putting a shadow on things when it flashes?)
I think they're possibly the most sickeningly girly nails I have ever worn in my life. But definitely in a good way!
I'm a big fan of discovering new magazines, luckily i'm at a University with probably one of the largest back catalogues of Fashion magazines, with Vogues dating all the way back to 1951!
However, when I'm in need of a more edgier/music based magazine, I check out my magazine stall in my local town centre, where they stock so many individual fashion magazines such as WAD (an incredible edgy French mag), Tank, POP, and V magazine. Here is where I first ever discovered 1883 magazine.
I've just been contacted by Katie, at 1883, with a preview of their latest issue 'GO LOUD'.
'GO LOUD' is the fifth issue of quarterly magazine 1883, and features music from the likes of Spector, Santigold, Moby and Niki & The Dove.
1883 pride themselves on championing new talent across music, fashion, and the arts. And i'm personally a big fan of the art direction in the magazine.
Here's a cheeky little sneak preview of what else to expect from their fifth issue:
I'm personally quite excited to read the Spector article - I caught them supporting Florence & the Machine at Alexandra Palace earlier this year, and they were AMAZING.
If you're a regular reader of my blog, you'll have spotted my blog post a while ago about my obsession with pastel coloured hair! For quite a while this year I've felt surrounded by people with gorgeous exciting coloured hair, and I've felt a bit left out with my colour sitting somewhere between mousy-brown & ginger!
I've been ombre-ing my hair for quite a while now, so i'm no stranger to a bit of bleach on the tips of my hair! But I decided it was finally time to bite the bullet & add a splash of colour to my hair. Because I still have quite a ginger-y tone to my hair, it was tricky to pick a colour that didn't clash and look too ridiculous!
I decided on lilac, as it's blue-toned and therefore I knew wouldn't clash with the red tones in my hair.
in natural lighting.
with flash on.
colour used is Crazy Colour in Violet.
I'm so happy with the outcome! At first it was a very bluey/indigo colour which I wasn't so sure about, but in only 4/5 washes it's faded to a colour I absolutely love. I'm definitely going to keep it up throughout the summer, and might experiment with a pink colour if the ginger in my hair ever decides to disappear for a little while!
What are your thoughts on dip-dye? Is it a trend you'd try yourself?
Last Wednesday evening I was lucky enough to see Nina Nesbitt, on her sold out London headline date. The venue The Bowery, located right in central London, was possibly one of the most tiny and intimate venues i've been to in my gigging life!
Unfortunately, I was a bit lazy and didn't fancy lugging my SLR with me that night - so sadly, I don't have any pictures from the gig itself. However i've cheekily found this one on Google, which shows off Nesbit's pink dip dye rather well - #dipdyelove!
image from the houseofcoxhead
However, when I was there I snapped up both of her EPs - 'The Apple Tree EP' and the limited edition 'Live Take EP'. I have literally listened to the both of them constantly on repeat since Wednesday night - they're both amazing.
Live Take EP is my personal favourite of the two, Glue & Noserings & Shoestrings both provide relatable love stories, sung acoustically. The one gem on the EP is Nesbitt's cover of David Gray's Babylon. I am a big fan of covers, but only when they're well done - in my opinion, this is when an artist takes a song and makes it completely there own - and this is what I feel Nina has managed to do.
Nina's voice reminds me of a cross between Ellie Goulding & Amy MacDonald... perhaps a strange combination, but if you listen, you'll know what I mean!
Here's the quirky video to Glue - I really love how the story is told through the illustrations. Enjoy!
You may or may not remember me posting about Handmade Fashion magazine a few months ago...
I'm very excited about it, as I was lucky enough to be Editorial Assistant on the first issue. Seven months ago I first had a meeting with Emmeline about her concept of a fashion & craft based magazine, and now today after an awful lot of hard work, and a few amazing collaborations with some very talented people - here it is!
We celebrated it's release at the launch party on Thursday night at the ever brilliant Hooga Boutique.
But instead of showing you pictures of the launch, I thought i'd give you a peek of the product itself:
The eye-catching front cover, with photography from Emily Scarlett Romain & clothing from Junky Styling.
You'll find pages full of trend inspiration, straight from the catwalk!
Check out our Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatters tea party themed shoot, with a mixture of vintage & designer clothing from Natalie Ann Moran.
You'll find 20 different projects - ranging from intricate projects such as creating your own shorts...
To a much quicker print your own scarf project!
I'm really excited about Handmade Fashion - I may be a little biased! - but I do feel it brings a completely fresh look at fashion. In a time and age where we're all beginning to take more of an interest into where our clothing comes from, and how ethical it is, I believe Handmade Fashion is a breath of fresh air!
Please let me know if you've bought a copy, i'd love to know what you thought of it! Keep an eye out for my vintage article, and lots of my styling, and even a tiny bit of my photography! :)
