Fashion

I am quite excited to say this, but I am an official supporter of Jeans for Genes day. Oh yes. The amazing charity mixing fashion with a good deed, asked me if I want to support the charity this year, and there was not even an ‘umm’ in sight. I of course, said yes.

What I Wore: Limited Edition Fashion Tee £20.00* (Jeans for Genes) & Denim Dungarees €4.00 (Jumble Sale).

When I first saw this top I wasn’t quite sure what it was, then I realised the print was 2 girls with their plaited hair intertwined (to look like a double helix) with metallic flowers. I was going to style it with a jumpsuit to make it a bit more grunge looking, but then remembered that I had my denim dungarees. This top is so comfortable even if it is just for throwing on for casual wear. The top was actually designed by Milly Wood from the Edinburgh College of Art, and although I wasn’t sure on it at first, I do rather like it. At home I like to wear this with my grey ZARA shorts. Make sure to go and buy yourself a top and get styling yourself!

If you don’t know what Jeans for Genes day is all about, carry on reading.
This year, on Friday 20th September, Jeans for Genes is inviting millions of people to leave their work clothes and school uniforms at home and wear their favourite pair of jeans instead, in return for a donation. All money which is raised is sent to help children with genetic disorders, across 23 different charities. 1 in 25 children in the UK have a genetic disorder, that’s around 30,000 babies each year. Celebrity supporters for this year include Melanie C from The Spice Girls, Michelle Keegan, Louise Thompson, Amy Childs, Lauren Goodger and Sophia Sassoon.

I am challenging YOU to wear your favourite pair of jeans on September 20th. Whatever the weather, whatever you are doing, make sure to Instagram a picture using #jeansTDP and I will share around my favourite pictures. Unfortunately there is no prize but you will be supporting a fabulous charity, and that is worth way more. You do have plenty of time so don’t worry. I will be reminding you to get ready in Part 2 of this post! 

To celebrate my new blog banner, and a little thank you to the loyal followers of mine, I am running a give-away HERE which only involves one obligatory step to enter! Good Luck!

This is another post in my Blogging Top Tips series, and I hope you are enjoying them so far! This is a post which I can connect with, and I know a lot of other bloggers will too, so sit back and enjoy my ‘ramblings’ – I hate that word.

Success & Features: I am very fortunate in the fact that I have had some good successes and features so far. I have to say it, but I am very proud. But, it isn’t the be all and end all. I know some blogs which are so good, but haven’t had any features, not even ones on other blogs. The fact that makes their blog good is the fact that people enjoy reading it, not the fact that they don’t have their face on magazines. Most non-blogging readers will have no idea what a ‘Liebster Award’ is, so they really are not gonna’ care if you don’t have that green button on the side of your blog. Nah-ah. Not one single bit. Having a successful blog doesn’t mean having features. It means being happy with what you are doing, and not what other people think. Success is personal, I believe, so don’t worry about what other people think. As long as you are happy, you are successful. If you do have success in getting a feature well done. Don’t be shy in sharing the news! I really dislike it when people let you know personally all the time, on small things though. Not only are you appearing boastful, you also appear like you don’t care that the other person may feel like they are a ‘failure’ (read on), because they haven’t had a ‘success story’ so far.

Numbers & Followers: On a similar note, numbers are not what’s important. In my eyes, if you have 10 followers, of which are high up people, or people who really support you, that is all that matters. It is way better than having hundreds of thousands of people who don’t even know who you are, but follow for a chance of getting a follow back, isn’t it? So don’t worry about the number, just think about the people who make up that number. It also doesn’t matter if one blogger has more than you, because once again, they may have hundreds of spam followers, and you may just have a few very special ones!

‘Failure’: Let’s just get this straight. There is NO such thing as failure. Just because you see another blogger with more followers or page views than you, it doesn’t mean you are a failure. If you have a week off or two and aren’t able to keep up blogging and tweeting, you are not a failure. Whatever, you are not a failure. You may feel that way, but you are not. Having a break simply means you have a life. Having lower followers simply means, well nothing, we just covered that. Just because your views go down for a few days, doesn’t mean you are a failure. YOU ARE HUMAN. YOU ARE NOT PERFECT. IT DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE A FAILURE. End of.

I hope you enjoyed part 2 of this series as much as you did the last one (Thank You!). I have another installment coming up when I get back from my break (Er, I’m such a failure! I can’t keep up with all the chats. Er, I suck.) See what I did there? 

I feel like I am being very nice to you guys recently. The Posh Fashion Awards where you won AMAZING prizes, Advertising on my blog to get exposure, and of course my upcoming give-away which I hope you will like. To be even more nice, I decided to publish a long awaited post about some of my favourite fashion blogs. Enjoy…

Alex from Bambella Blog:
I first came across Alex’s blog on Twitter I believe, and it was when her blog was fairly new. The blog is very simple, yet is has a lot of character, and I think if you can charm your readers without doing much at all, you are on the right track. My favourite posts on Alex’s blog, are her OOTDs, because they are so fun and the photos are amazing. I have met Alex once before (hopefully for a shopping trip soon too!) and she is super duper lovely. Every time I read her blog, it makes me smile because she is so honest. Alex also has YouTube where she posts the cutest videos ever, and I hope she uploads a new one soon!

Caroline from Burkatron:
I found Caroline’s blog through Instagram, and instantly fell in love. Her blog has a great mixture of content, from nail art to OOTDs to weekly favourites. The pictures are extremely clear and her fashion sense is so crisp and ‘swishy'(?!). I love the fact that even though Caroline does get sent things for review, you don’t feel like it is heavily based on reviews etc, which now-a-days is a very common thing. Caroline also does great DIYs so if you want a new crafty blog to read, this is the one for you.

Carrie from Wish Wish Wish:
I’m not quite sure how I found Carrie’s blog… I think maybe my sister recommended it, anyway, it doesn’t matter because I love it. The thing I really love is the pure mix of photography. They may not seem different, but I feel like each picture has a different character to them. I love Carrie’s simple tutorials, her travel guides, and just generally the whole feel of the blog. Every time she wears something, I feel like throwing it into my Christmas wish list. She’s bad for people like me with 0 pennies at the moment, but I seriously cannot resist peaking onto her blog everyday to see the new content. Also, she works at ASOS. Well-jell! (Oh dear… I never use that word…)

Olivia from What Olivia Did:
I think every blogger and their pets are inspired by Olivia’s graceful fashion sense. It’s so whimsical and retro, but she makes it look like anyone could work what she wears. Not only does Olivia do amazing OOTDs, she also does lifestyle posts, including a guide to the best burgers, oh yes, and her trip to Glastonbury this year, which I loved. Just like Carrie, I wish I had Olivia’s wardrobe. She is just so lovely, and I am proud to say that she follows me on Twitter. #fangirl

Natasha from Girl in The Lens:
Natasha’s blog is a recent find for me, but oh my, it’s a gooden. Her style is effortless and chic, yet simple and cute (wow, a lot of descriptive words there). The photography on Natasha’s blog is amazing, and I hope one day I am as skilled as her at editing etc. Her blog has a mix of posts including trend posts, posts on models, and of course the obligatory OOTD. I really do love her blog.

Lisette from Lisette Loves:
Where do I start. Hm. Let’s just start with the fact that I LOVE LISETTE. I probably sound like a creep, in fact I do, but I don’t care. I remember first stumbling across her blog and thinking it was sort of average, and leaving it to the back of my mind, then one day when I asked for links to face masks recipes, and her’s popped up, I did re-think, and decide that actually I truly love Lisette’s blog. Again, like Alex’s blog, it is very simple yet it has so much character to it. I talk to Lisette quite a lot on Twitter and she seems like the most loveliest person ever. And to put the cherry on top (of the milkshake she is drinking), Lisette also has YouTube which makes me love her even more. Lisette recently guest blogged for me, make sure to check it out on my main blog page.

Stephanie & Sam from A Wedding Dream:
As you can probably tell, Stephanie & Sam are getting married! Steph from Stephanie Dreams started the blog to collect all the ideas and memories in one place to share with the world and people like me who love gorgeous photography. On ‘A Wedding Dream’ you can find inspiration for weddings and also Steph & Sam’s engagement party pictures which are utterly adorable. If any of you can remember, I actually interviewed Stephanie absolutely yonks ago, here, so if you want to know more about her then head back to that old post!

Here are a few other blogs I absolutely adore: The Briar Rose Blog//The Life of A Fashion Nerd//Sarah Loves//Love Taza

I definitely think you should all go out and check out these amazing blogs. You may just find a gem which picks your fancy! Make sure to tell me your favourite blogs in the comments below!

(All images above are from the blogs. I have edited them for the use of this post, and I have permission from all the bloggers above.)

I’m so excited to publish this post! It’s the first OOTD with our new family camera! (Nikon D3200 FYI) I am really pleased with the outcome so far! We’re all still learning so that’s why they aren’t pro at the moment, but I hope you enjoy the new quality!

What I Wore: Sleeveless Top (River Island – 2 piece set), Gold & Multicolour Gem Necklace (eBay), Vintage Blue & White Striped Skirt €5.00 (Jumble Sale), Black Jelly Sandals €4.00 (Supermarket), Vintage Style Wayfarer Sunglasses (Claire’s), Gold Middle Finger Ring (Jumble Sale) & Bourjois Bleu Fabuleux.

I am literally in love with this outfit. It is so comfy and simple, yet I think it looks totally awesome. I recently bought this skirt from an old lady who said her mum made it for her in the 1950s. I added my new bargain sandals from the supermarket – aren’t I cool -, which are soooo comfy and a right bargain. The necklace is from eBay and you can find more information about them in this post here. If you’re wondering what bag I am carrying, it is in fact the camera bag. So blogger-y.

A couple of weeks ago, we went out to a tiny little music ‘festival’ near us which was going on in the evening. We had no idea what to expect, but what we did find was quite funny! The ‘festival’ was in 2 fields, 1 for cars and campers, and 1 for the food, skating ramps, and the stage. It was pretty scary walking in because most of the people there looked like they  were… most probably on drugs. It was like a tiny weeny version of Glastonbury with mostly hippies. It was quite a nice atmosphere though, with queues of people at the bar and some jamaican music on the stage. The lighting meant it was the perfect time to take pictures with the new camera, and of course a perfect opportunity to curl my hair for the first time in like for ever. I like them really loose by the way, that’s why my hair looks crazy!

I’m pretty darn impressed with the pictures we took on that night seeing as we didn’t know how to use all the snazzy settings that well. We even got some good bokeh shots in (camera knowledge), which I have been really keen to try out! We had a 50cent crepe each with lemon and sugar of course, a quick drink and that was us done! I believe there was going to be a circus act after we left, but to be honest, it wasn’t really our sort of place anyway, but it was a cool experience. I also guess it means I have been to a festival this year! Woop! Not quite Glastonbury, but it will do. I’m still on my 2 week break, but I will be back shortly! Speak soon guys, I miss you!

Hello everyone! Today’s guest post is by Lisette from Lisette Loves (one of my all time fave bloggers)! She’s put together a cute and simple DIY, so enjoy!

Today’s guest blog is from Adora Mehitabel. Adora is going to show you her best thrifty buys she has bought recently. Do make sure to check out her blog and enjoy!

Adora: I am a huge lover of thrifty buys, I do love a good bargain! I mix my thrifty buys with high street bargains, vintage & things I make. These are my top picks at the moment, they are mostly from carboot sales & some pieces from charity shops. I go to the carboot nearly every weekend, I normally come back with a bag full of treasures. I feel every piece is so unique & I get it dead cheap, and you wouldn’t even think they were 2nd hand after having a good wash. I really encourage you to try carbooting, see what you pick, you will seriously be so surprised! It is also a great way to recycle clothes instead of chucking them out. I would love to see what you get, send me your links.

Make sure to check out Adora’s blog. Her links are just here:
Adora Mehitabel Blog//Twitter//Facebook//BlogLovin’
I hope I have inspired you to go out and try a spot of thrifty shopping!

Last month’s advertiser Taylor from Somewhere Over The Runway is here to tell you her blogging tips and what her fashion sense is all about!

What inspired you to start your Blog?: I was inspired to start my blog as a new way to explore the fashion world and to give me something to do all summer!

Why did you choose Fashion as a topic?: I chose Fashion as a topic because Fashion is pretty much what interests me, and I wanted to be more involved in the fashion world.

What are you top tips on starting a Blog?: My top tips on starting a Blog are probably to be yourself, enjoy blogging, keep everything organized, and do different types of posts.

What are your Blogging Targets for this year?: At the end of this year, I’m hoping to have a more developed blog that is very unique and different from all the other Fashion/Beauty blogs!

Who are your favourite fellow bloggers?: My favorite blogs are probably Atlantic-Pacific, your blog, Tolly Dolly Posh Fashion, of course, That’s Zoe, and Take a Lovely Look.

What trend are you most looking forward to this summer?: My favorite summer trend so far has been peplums. I don’t really think this is a trend, but I’m always obsessed with polka-dots as well!

Where’s your favourite place to grab a bargain?: My favorite place to get a bargain is definitely Forever 21! Their items are surprisingly okay quality, but they have super-cute, trendy items for a very inexpensive price.

What’s your favourite beauty product you have ever bought?: My favorite beauty product is  the Maybelline BB Cream. It’s fabulous!

Who is your favourite beauty brand and why?: My favorite beauty brand is also Maybelline because it’s inexpensive but their makeup is good quality!

What’s your personal style and what do you do to work it?: My personal style is probably very girly or preppy but sometimes I like to wear kinda punk inspired items. (Like my Dr. Martens) It all really depends on my mood.

Make sure to check out Taylor’s blog by clicking the links:
Somewhere Over The Runway // Twitter // Instagram

Until a week or so ago, I was statement necklace -less. I had none. Zero. Naught. NONE. It was catastrophe. I kept seeing instagrams and blog posts with gorgeous neon necklaces, and I was extremely jealous. I would go into shops and be like ‘I ain’t paying €15 on dat’.’ (Okay, maybe not like that…) But then, I found BijouxBoxes eBay store and my life was complete. Seriously, the whole in my heart was filled!

Chelsea Doll Name Necklace* (Give-Away win)

White Geometric Dangle Necklace £2.15, Neon Acrylic Bib Necklace in Pink £3.14, Shining Silver Bib Necklace £1.29 & Huge Floral Gold Tone Bib Necklace £1.16 (All from Bijoux Boxes).

As you can see they are all very very pretty, AND they all cost under £3.50?! BARGAIN ALERT! Bijoux Boxes is a cheap and cheerful eBay store which is based in China (the reason it is so cheap). 99.9% of the things they sell have free P&P and there are Buy It Now or Auctions on most pieces. The necklaces I bought were all on auction which meant they went for pennies. I am pretty sure there is automatic bidding on most of them so that you don’t get them for 3 pence, but the most you will pay is around £6 which is cheaper than buying elsewhere. The links I have put above are either similar ones, or Buy It Now ones, so they may be more than I payed for them.

The quality is really really good and they aren’t too plasticy which is what I was expecting. The only problem I had was one gem coming off on the pink one, which was an easy glue gun job. They are all really nice styles too, which means if you are fussy like moi, then you will find something perfect. I would warn you that if you do go on the auction ones, you may get slightly addicted… oops! The postage was quicker than expected (they were due to come on the 26th July, but came on the 12th) and there was only that one gem falling off.

If you are wondering where the name necklace is from, sadly, it isn’t from Bijoux Boxes, but it is from Chelsea Doll! I won it in a give-away and thought I’d mention it! It’s AMAZING! I think I may where it everywhere now. They were so kind and gave me more than the allowed amount of letters and put it all on three lines. I loooooooove it! The colour, the writing. Eeeep! Everything!

As you can tell I am pretty darn happy with all my statement necklaces now! I’m going to try and do a mini ‘how I wear’ look book for you with all of them! Enjoy browsing both Bijoux Boxes and Chelsea Doll! They both have some awesome stuff! If you’re wondering if these pictures were taken on the new camera, they weren’t. The picture quality will be improving shortly!

So, I don’t usually do ‘one brand’ focused posts, without it being a review, a wishlist etc, but today I am being very nice and doing one. The lovely people from The White Pepper sent me one of their summer magazines, and oh my. I have officially fallen in love. 0_0

Even from the cover, I think you can tell that The White Pepper is utterly gorgeous. I mean come on. Watermelon and white nail polish = perrrffff. Not only have they got the front cover covered – pahahaha – the inside is even more perrrffff. I love the fact they incorporate the trends with their own style, by using making everything very crisp and clean but adding quirky touches with fruits (pineapples for example). It sounds odd, but if you get your hands on this booklet of amazingness, then you will truly understand what I am trying to get at. I usually look at brands and think that they are the same as everyone else, but I think The White Pepper have something a little different, and I like it.

These above are a few scan in’s from the magazine. Just look at them. They all look like they could jump out the screen! I know that a lot of bloggers and people I speak to, LOVE The White Pepper, and I totally agree. If you are looking for your summer ball dress, but don’t want something to flashy, they have it. If you need something for work, they have it. If you just feel like treating yourself, you can. The prices are probably Topshop prices, so the higher end of the spectrum, but not so much that you will be penny-less (well, if you are me then you will be)! I now officially want these overalls, this mac, this twin set, also this blouse, and of course this skirt, oh and maybe. I should probably stop now. Stop reading this now and just go and look for yourself. And I am very sorry if your bank account is empty by the time you re visit my blog… just so you know, I have warned you.

If you want to buy the 1st magazine you can just here! It’s FREE (excl. P&P)

(This is not a sponsored post. The White Pepper sent me the magazine but I did not have to review it. All views are a 100% honest.)

Hello, I hope you are all well! I have a few designs for you today, which have a little meaning behind them. If you want to know what they are all about, do carry on reading, because it may just make you feel a touch more grateful and inspired.

Keep On Swimming Print Top & Lilac Skater Skirt (Left) Lilac Maxi Skirt with Keep On Swimming Print Ruffle Detail (Right)

These designs are very basic, but I love them. I think the print is really cute and could be worn with most things. I’d like the top to be that in between length of cropped and not cropped. The skirt would be a nice ‘thick but thin’ cotton jersey material, in a lilac colour. The dress on the left again would be a ‘thick but thin’ stretchy material, with a printed ruffle detailing. The neck would be haltered with a tie at the back.

Keep On Swimming Pink Print Bikini Top & Bottoms (Left) Keep On Swimming Ombre Maxi Dress with ‘Keep Swimmin’ in Bright Pink (Right)

Again, this bikini and bottoms would be very simple, with the same print but in a pink colour. The neck would be clasped at the back and the bottoms would be more of a boxer shape so they are more comfortable. The dress on the right would be quite loose fitting, but not baggy. It has an ombre print from blue to white, with ‘Keep Swimmin’ at the very bottom so it pokes through now and again. I think this dress would look great with a leather jacket.

So, as I said at the beginning there is a meaning behind these designs. It’s a sad and happy story, so here we go: A young girl called Talia Joy Castellano, age 13, just like me, has recently lost her fight against cancer. You maybe thinking, well, why do you care? The reason is, is because, again just like me, she was a blogger, a YouTuber to be precise. Talia fought her battle for 6 years, and was and still we be an inspiration. She touched many hearts and was a very strong human being. Before she passed away a couple of days ago, I was following her updates, and one of them was a request for people to complete things on Talia’s bucketlist.

Some of these things included, having a cake fight, and covering a car in post it notes. Many of the things are things which most people would take for granted and think were ordinary things young children do. One of the things was to create a clothing range, and it made me really want to do something. Obviously I can’t just go out and make hundreds of dresses but if I could have, I would have. So, that is why I showing you these drawings I did. The reason for the name, is because Talia used to say ‘Keep On Swimming’, so I thought it would be a nice way to keep her inspiring story part of the ‘collection’.

I hope one day that I can produce this collection and that everyone who wears it remembers the true inspiration of which is Talia Joy. Although she may not be here now, she will be in a perfect peaceful place. Seeing as Talia and many other children my age go through these terrible times, I am going to be a lot more grateful from now on, because my life could be turned upside down within moments.

Along the same lines, I have decided to donate my August & September ad space money to Children In Need, so if you’d like to advertise in these months, it won’t go to me, it will go to somebody like Talia. You can see prices here.