The winner of the “Blue Bootin” give-away was… Nyah M!

And here we have it… the final give-away for my Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh collection! It’s been really awesome being able to hand out some pairs to you guys and I hope you’ve had fun entering. Don’t be too saddened as the collection is not going anywhere… you can pick up some direct from the Mooi en Lief shop. Ooh and I should be giving away some of the lookbooks soon so you can stay tuned for that over on Twitter!

SHOP “CAMP BLANC” HERE

“Camp Blanc” was one of my very first designs that I sketched up. It’s inspired by the wild flowers that grow in summer time and the colours that I saw across France when I was there (blue skies, yellow fields)… as well as a mix of the seventies vibes that are across the whole collection.

They’re perfect for zipping through fields and having a happy time whether that’s in summer or autumn. This was also the most 70s outfit that I put together for the lookbook and I think they work really well. You could pair them with suede or a tan mini skirt (like I have here) or even a denim skirt and a pair of leather heels. They have a really cool aesthetic to them and I hope you appreciate it too!

Top (New Look) // Skirt (Missguided) // Socks (Mooi en Lief by TDP) // Sunglasses (New Look) // Shoes (Vagabond) // Wellington Boots (Mooi en Lief)*

You could of course also style your socks up with some boots from Mooi en Lief’s range… they actually match really well and would look awesome on some muddy autumn walks. So, if you want to win the socks to match, scroll on down…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules + T&Cs: The give-away is open worldwide. The prize will be delivered by Mooi en Lief on behalf of Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh. You must be have permission from a guardian/parent (if you’re 13 or younger) as you will have to email your postal address. The prize is one pair of the “Camp Blanc” design. The give-away closes on 27th September 2015.

The winner of the “Homo Superior” give-away was… Rachel B!

I’m back with another Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh give-away! Hooray! Congratulations to the winners so far 🙂 If you haven’t been as lucky as them though, there’s still chance as today I’m bringing you the penultimate prize of the “Blue Bootin” sock design! Good luck…

SHOP “BLUE BOOTIN’” HERE

“Blue Bootin” is a mish-mash of both 60s and 70s styles. With discos and partying slowly creeping into the lives of late-70s youngsters, and the block-colour styles still lingering from the 60s, it seemed like a perfect combination for the collection… plus, I do love a bit of blue!

The checks are actually mix-matched and don’t all flow in unison which is inspired by the sparkling colours of a disco ball. The bold simplicity of the design makes for a statement which is also very versatile too. The hint of pastel and white also allows it to be worn in not only summer and spring, but winter with the snowy themes coming through!

These could actually look really cute with the Mooi en Lief “BUCKLE Pink” Wellington boots for a different kinda’ look!

Dress (ASOS) // Socks (Mooi en Lief by TDP) // Hat (ASOS) // Shoes (Vagabond)

I’m not going to lie, I personally really like this design. I feel like they’re a very ‘Marmite’ pair of socks… so do leave a comment letting me know what you think, as well as how you’d style them (as that’s a give-away entry anyway)! Speaking of the give-away, if you want to win a pair of these lovely socks, scroll on down!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules + T&Cs: The give-away is open worldwide. The prize will be delivered by Mooi en Lief on behalf of Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh. You must be have permission from a guardian/parent (if you’re 13 or younger) as you will have to email your postal address. The prize is one pair of the “Blue Bootin” design. The give-away closes on 23rd September 2015.

So… to give you a break from all the Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh craziness, I’ve decided to treat you with an OOTD/chatty post about all things Dr Martens, because what could be better than that? Okay, well actually my socks do make an appearance in this post but they look pretty awesome in my opinion. So without further-a-do, let’s get back to school with Dr Martens!

WHAT I WORE: Long Sleeve Top (ZARA Kids – Very old) // Denim Apron Dress (Jumble Sale) // Floral “Homo Superior” Socks (Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh) // Wanderlust 101 Boots (Dr Martens)* // Small Slouch Leather Backpack (Dr Martens)* // Emoji Pin Badges (Emoji Shop)*

~ THE OUTFIT ~

I wore a very similar combination of this outfit to dinner the other night (seriously though, it really does seem that the Italians only tend to eat pizza and pasta!) with a striped skirt instead of the denim dress but I actually kinda’ like this combo better. It’s very ‘ART student’-y and fits in well with the back to school vibe I was going for.

Over the past few months I feel like my style has really developed and I have to say that this is a very me outfit. It’s simple but strange; just how I like it. The top underneath is actually a dress from when I was about 6/7 years old (those aren’t really ¾ length sleeves, it’s just a really really old item of clothing – a pro (and con) of being extremely thin) but it works well as one of the very few items of black in my wardrobe. I popped on top this jumble sale find of a denim dress and there you have it!

Well, almost! For the main attraction I went for a Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh (yes, my own collection of socks… eep!) and Dr Martens combo. I am honestly obsessed with how they both look together. The yellow stitching and the flowers… the colours… it’s a match made in heart-eye 😍 emoji heaven! I’m going to talk more about my love for DMs in a moment, so just take this time now to admire the beauty of my feet (weirdest sentence ever).

Also don’t forget to admire my backpack too… those straps though… #BackpackGoals? Is that a thing? Seriously though, if you’re looking for an indulgent purchase (buy my socks – I’m kind of kidding) definitely check out this backpack. Too. darn. beautiful. Oh and of course, if you’re looking for some Wellington boots, defo’ check out Mooi en Lief’s range.

~ THE BOOK ~

I also wanted to mention the new Dr Martens book. I have to be honest and say that I still have a couple of pages left, but all-in-all, “A History of Rebellious Self-Expression”* has been so interesting. If you’re a big DMs fan like me, then you’ll adore it… but it is also an awesome read for anyone interested in the many different musical sub-cultures throughout the decades from the 1960s – nowadays. It has a lot of information on the topics and how they made a deep impression on the rise of the Dr Martens brand.

I would definitely recommend picking it up. It’s only £10 ($15) and 50p (around $0.77 I believe) from every copy goes to the Joe Strummer Foundation, so not only are you getting an excellent read, but you’re also helping out an awesome musical charity. Sounds good, huh? It’s also made me feel extremely proud to be a DMs wearer. There is so much history behind the brand that genuinely blows my mind. It’s crazy!

~ THE CAMPAIGN ~

I definitely couldn’t write this blog post without leaving out something pretty awesome – the #STANDFORSOMETHING campaign. Dr Martens are just like me – they love self-expression (hence the book’s name ‘A History of Self-Expression’) which is a big reason for their campaign which you may have seen floating around on the internet. Dr Martens are asking you “What do you stand for?” so that you can have a big think as to what makes you, you.

Also I think if you log onto Facebook and share your style and what you stand for, you can win some DMs… pretty darn cool! 

Personally, I stand for diversity. I was going to say ‘for being me’ but I think diversity sums it up better. I stand for being unique and expressing who you really are, because after all, that’s what’s most important to me. I stand for every single individual who believes in being who they want to be. I stand for the diverse array of human beings that are standing on this planet just doing what they do best.

What do you stand for? Are you ready to go back to school and have you got your Dr Martens (and Mooi en Lief by TDP socks) at the ready? Let me know in the comments!

(This is not a sponsored/advertorial post. I was kindly sent some samples by Dr Martens but all opinions are 100% honest. I just really love DMs! You can read my full disclaimer here.)

The winner of the “Electric Blue” give-away was… Adele P!

I’m back today with a give-away of the “Homo Superior” sock design from my very own Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh collection. Congratulations if you were the winner of the “Electric Blue” pair! If you didn’t win though, there’s still chance to grab a different design, or shop the whole collection here! Good luck and happy shopping 🙂

SHOP “HOMO SUPERIOR” HERE

“Homo Superior” was inspired by the record cover of David Bowie’s ‘Hunky Dory’ album, and the song ‘Oh You Pretty Things’ which features the line of lyrics… ‘You gotta’ make way for the Homo Superior’. Homo Superior basically means somebody of supernatural powers, so a bit like a super hero. In my opinion socks are a very big part of a super hero’s costume so it fits well, right?

This pair of socks looks awesome with suede and could totally work with a biker jacket too. Throw on a worn out pair of Converse or of course, Mooi en Lief’s very own “Black Buckle” wellington boots and “Feather Festival Style Kit”! As an entry to this give-away, leave a comment letting me know how you’d style up this pair of socks!

Top (ASOS) // Skirt (Missguided) // Socks (Mooi en Lief by TDP) // Shoes (Vagabond)

I think you guys are loving this pair of socks! There simple and perfect for the upcoming A/W season. I’ve already worn them out with some boots and they look super cute! I hope you enjoy wearing them as much as I do. Want to win a pair? Scroll down for the give-away…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules + T&Cs: The give-away is open worldwide. The prize will be delivered by Mooi en Lief on behalf of Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh. You must be have permission from a guardian/parent (if you’re 13 or younger) as you will have to email your postal address. The prize is one pair of the “Homo Superior” design. The give-away closes on 17th September 2015.

It’s a very exciting day because I have my very first Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh sock give-away! If you didn’t already know, 4 days ago I launched my co-branded collection of socks with Mooi en Lief. So today, I’m going to be giving away 1 pair of my “Electric Blue” design. Scroll on down for styling inspiration from the lookbook and how to win!

SHOP “ELECTRIC BLUE” HERE

“Electric Blue” was inspired by the roller skating vibes of the 1970s. With blue being one of my favourite colours, and also a hit trend in 2015, it seemed like a perfect combination for mixing with sporty stripes. Along with the whole collection, this pair have a little hidden detail of having the option of being over-the-knee or under-the-knee, with or without the stripes.

Named after David Bowie’s “Sound and Vision” song (Blue, blue, electric blue, that’s the colour of my room) they’re a big flashback to the laid back era. You can wear them with a denim skirt, or a pair of high waisted shorts, or even with a long floaty skirt… but most importantly, pair them with some Mooi en Lief Black Buckle wellies if you’re hitting some muddy (festival) fields!

Top (New Look) // Skirt (Jumble Sale) // Socks (Mooi en Lief by TDP) // Shoes (Vagabond)

This pair are probably the most simple in the collection by I still love them just as much. They look perfect with Mooi en Lief’s wellies or a pair of chunky platforms like I’m wearing above! If you like them as much as I do, here’s the give-away…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules + T&Cs: The give-away is open worldwide. The prize will be delivered by Mooi en Lief on behalf of Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh. You must be have permission from a guardian/parent (if you’re 13 or younger) as you will have to email your postal address. The prize is one pair of the “Electric Blue” design.

Good Luck! Eeep 😀 

Eeeeep! How crazy?! After a good year of work, my co-branded collection of socks is finally here. I don’t want to ramble too much, so I’ll leave the thank you’s to the end, so for now, please get excited as #MooiEnLiefbyTDP is NOW AVAILABLE! Say, what?!

SHOP “CAMP BLANC” HERE

SHOP “ELECTRIC BLUE” HERE

SHOP “BLUE BOOTIN'” HERE

SHOP “HOMO SUPERIOR” HERE

Aaah! How crazy, huh?! After a long time of working hard, the collection of co-branded socks with the amazing brand that is, Mooi en Lief, is finally here! I can now introduce to you, Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh! It’s pretty darn weird to look at it now, because all of these designs were just once scribbles on a piece of paper. I honestly can’t thank Mooi en Lief enough for the amazing experience and opportunity I have been given; thank you! 

As you can probably tell from the lookbook images above, the collection is very 70s inspired. I’m actually a really big fan of the aesthetic from the decade, and it just so happened that it fit in nicely with this years popular trend. A big shoutout to Papa Posh for his patience on the shoot day! It was ridiculously hot and I’m pretty sure we both started melting half way through. You did good! 

Also, every order comes with a FREE “Dare To Be Different” iron-on patch, and a copy of the full look book!

Blue Bootin // Camp Blanc // Homo Superior // Electric Blue
Worldwide delivery is available, get in touch for more info!

I wanted to make sure the designs were simple, wearable but of course a little bit different, so there are some hidden smaller details throughout each pair. I’m not quite sure I could pick a favourite as altogether, they look pretty awesome (if I do say so myself!). Also, I hope you like the names, I had a lot of fun thinking them up, and I’m sure I’ll discuss them further in my next few blog posts.

Speaking of those posts, I will be doing 1 seperate post per sock so you can get an even better feel for the collection as well as an opportunity to WIN yourself a pair! So stick around, okay? I’m going to stop rambling now so you can go and buy yourself a pair! It would be highly appreciated and you know, if I ever did get super mega amazingly famous (hehe), you’ll always have a piece of TDP history… *wink*

Which pair will you be buying? Or will you buy all of them? Let me know in the comments below, I’d love to hear your thoughts! 

So, how ridiculous is this… after all this time, it’s only 3 DAYS until my co-branded collection of socks goes live with Mooi en Lief. 3 DAYS! Crazy. So, to celebrate the fact that it’s so soon until the launch, I’m going to entice you with a give-away of 50% off the socks! All of the details and information is below, it’s super simple, and there is nothing to lose! (There’s 3 winners too… so go, go, go!)

~ 50% OFF GIVE-AWAY ~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules and T&Cs: This give-away is open worldwide and will have 3 winners. Once the winners have been randomly chosen through Rafflecopter itself, I will email the winners and explain how to claim their 50% off discount. The prize has been awarded by Mooi en Lief and is valid for the whole Mooi en Lief online shop!

Good Luck! I shall see you on Saturday when Mooi en Lief and myself will have officially launched the collection. CRAZY! 🙂

I don’t think my life has ever been so manic… okay, maybe it has been but seriously, I’m launching a collection of socks with Mooi en Lief next week (EEEP!) and now, I’m off on a road trip to Italy! Yup! More deets here if ya’ wanna’ know…

~ ANDIAMO! ~

As you may know, I’m currently home schooled which allows me more time to do things like blogging and focus on things that I’m truly passionate about. It also means that I have time to travel, seeing as my “school” could move into a jungle if it really wanted (okay, maybe not), so as you can probably tell, I’m going off to Italy on a road trip!

You may have seen that I say I am in “UK & France”, because it’s kinda’ true. I’m back and forth quite a bit, and I think for now, it will more be “UK & Italy”. I think it’s going to be really exciting… I suppose I haven’t really been excited for the journey yet, but now I write this, I kinda’ am!

WHAT I WORE: Stripey Top (Johnnie B @ Boden)* // Leather Backpack (Dr Martens)*

I have been to Italy before (specifically Rome, Venice and Genoa) but that’s just a small percentage. It will be really interesting to see the difference between France and Italy, and even England! I think I’m most excited to try real pizza, I mean who wouldn’t be?!

It will also be my first experience of a campervan which I’m also ridiculously excited about! Even our furry little black cat friend, Paloma, will be joining us on our adventure. If you have any tips on travelling on long journeys with cats, do let us know! She’s been from the UK to France and didn’t make a single noise, so fingers crossed she’ll be fine!

This does also mean that all of my blog posts coming up are going to firstly be scheduled, but they’re also all going to be Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh related. There will be give-away’s so you won’t be missing out on too much! I’ll also give you a break half way through with an ordinary post from yours truly!

Also, I’m really sorry for not doing the second instalment of Changing With The Seasons – Summer, but as you can tell, I just haven’t had the time! I’ll be back in October though…

Are you excited for the next few weeks to come? Leave a comment and we can chat when I get a spare moment. For now… andiamo! 

on a tight budgetAfter launching my Ethical Directory it seemed a bit wrong not to actually shop from it, didn’t it? So when Think Money came to me and asked whether I’d like to do a bit of sale shopping and show you how much money I saved, I thought it was the perfect time to add some more to my ethical wardrobe that is slowly starting to grow. Want to see what I picked up? Carry on reading… 🙂

~ THE CHALLENGE ~

The task was simple… to go sale shopping and document how much I spent and how much I saved, and it really was quite the challenge. As the benefits of ethical/sustainable fashion often make the price of items go up, it was quite tricky to buy that much with the budget that I had (£50), but I realised, that even with ethical fashion, that’s not the point.

Cutting down on the amount of clothes we buy each year is also a big factor when it comes ethical shopping, on top of making sure those items are produced and manufactured in fair working conditions and with fabrics and materials that are as eco-friendly as they can be. So with 3 items in my basket, I was quite chuffed that I was able to support two brands and the people who made the items.

~ ASOS AFRICA TROUSERS ~

The first piece that I knew I had to pick up was this pair of ASOS Africa trousers. You may recognise the print as I have already got the matching blouse (you can see me wearing it here and here). I loved the print so much that I knew I needed these to cover up my legs! They’re actually a crepe material which is slightly odd but they’re still super lovely. You can read more about ASOS Africa here, in case you missed it! They were £16 and are going to make a lovely addition to my wardrobe!

Sale Price – £16.00 // Original Price – £45.00 // How Much I Saved – £29.00

~ ZANDRA RHODES CUBE T-SHIRT ~

The next piece I knew I had to pick up was this oversized top from the “Zandra Rhodes with People Tree” collection. The fact that it was Zandra Rhodes did pull me in a bit more than it should have, but so did the price. On sale it was only £16, so in terms of an ethical and fair-trade item of clothing, it was quite a good deal.

It’s a sort of oversized style top that has quite large, almost batwing, sleeves with this abstract print which reminds me of a mix between a rocket ship and a satellite floating in space. I love these sorts of prints and colours as they mix really well with things like my KENZO shorts (second-hand, woop woop).

Sale Price – £16.00 // Original Price – £40.00 // How Much I Saved – £24.00

~ LOVE CHARMS NECKLACE ~

Lastly but definitely not least, is this gorgeous little necklace, also from People Tree. I thought it would look perfect with a necklace I have from Accessorize as it has very similar beading and colours. The beads are all glass so it’s actually a lot more sturdy than it may look. I also really like the little “PT” symbol and bird which sit just in the middle. It’s going to be the perfect little layering necklace and a nice reminder that I’m supporting a good cause.

It was made by TARA, a fair-trade group working with artisans in India. TARA has it’s own collection of jewellery with People Tree, all of which are lovely and delicate. What do you think?

Sale Price – £6.00 // Original Price – £14.00 // How Much I Saved – £8.00

So yes, I saved myself quite a lot pennies didn’t I? Of course with brands like People Tree it’s nice to support them fully, but when you’re a teen like me, or a student, or even if you’re just on a tight budget, saving yourself some money can be a real big help, especially when you want to focus on creating an ethical wardrobe.

I’m chuffed with my purchases and I hope you are too! Let  me know in the comments what you’ve bought in the sales recently! 🙂

(This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Think Money. I was sent £50 to purchase whatever I want. All opinions are 100% honest. You can read my full disclaimer, here.)

It has been a while since a design post, huh? I find because I’m my own worst critic, that I tend to only want to share work with you that I’m 100% happy with, and that is why my design page may look very empty now… I just need a fresh start and to start showing you things that I’ve actually worked on as proper little projects. Alongside this one, I made draft pattern pieces, and A3 final illustrations (which look a lot better than the digital ones actually)… so there’s a lot more to it than what meets the eye!

~ THE INSPIRATION ~

With the designs that I’ve done more recently, I’ve really tried to take inspiration from anything to get my creativity flowing, and this time I took to the underground French caves! We’ve visited a few when we’ve been over and they really are quite fascinating, and full of different shapes and textures. The main inspiration was this weird wavy crevasse that I saw above our heads and it spiralled into lots of different ideas.

My moodboard is rather small but it actually really helped in thinking up the smaller details for my mini design “collection”. I also realised that the stalagmites reminded me of certain shells with their curves and pointed edges. I also discovered a cool method to highlight inspiration by drawing over with white in Photoshop.. I really like the effect!

~ TULLE DRESS ~

The jagged edges from the caves reminded me of the amazing use of raw and jagged tulle, so I drew up a little dress featuring smaller details like messily folded and pleated hemming and drop back that looks like a crevasse it’s self. The idea is that it would be gathered at the waist but fairly loose and full in the skirt. As tulle is so light it would need several layers and a lining to really bring it altogether.

The dark black pleated detailing reminds me of the deep shadows that are created from artificial lighting deep underground. The pleats would be messy and uneven to create that jagged effect.

~ SILK TOP & BURLAP (TWINE) LONG SHORTS ~

For the next “look” in this mini collection, I decided to use silk on top. After connecting the dots between the shells and the cave, I decided to draw up a floaty and boxy silk top that would have looping curves around the neck, arms and hem line to remind me of the inside of a clam or the smooth water that dripped below the ground. There would be covered buttons on the back with a tab opening also, I just didn’t include it in the basic design! 

For the long shorts, they would be a lined pair of raw, burlap material. I call it twine but it’s probably the complete wrong word! They’d hit just on the knee, with the frayed edges almost being a bit of a tickle. The texture and roughness reminds me of the rough cave walls and the big pockets are also a nod to the big drops that plunge into darkness.

What do you think of my cave inspired collection? It’s simple but has a lot of thought in it. Let me know the comments if you’d like to see this style post in the near future!