40% off Sale at Chic and Seek

Er...sale.

As you may or may not remember, in November I went to the second birthday party of Chic and Seek at 35 St. Luke’s Mews, London. Chic and Seek is a beautiful store with beautiful handbags, clothes, accessories and shelves of shoes that reach the ceiling!

Shoes, glorious shoes!

The main point of Chic and Seek is that you are buying ‘pre-loved’ labels in pristine condition for a fraction of the price.  Pictures of all items are available online or, of course, you can go to the store and look at them for yourselves.

Chic and Seek's motto!

Just in case you get
tired looking at all the pretty things.

Now, after that brief bio, I can tell you the most important thing. THERE IS A MASSIVE 40% OFF SALE! To put this into perspective- Manolos (in perfect condition) which were already a bargain are now even cheaper! Same with Vuitton handbags, Alexander McQueen evening dresses, Chanel coats, Cartier jewellery- I really could go on but I’m sure you get the idea.

This sale ends on the 22^nd January. To get your 40% off all you need to do is type in this code ‘J891’ at the checkout. Here is the website www.chicandseek.com. Now, I bid you, go and shop until your heart’s content. I’m sure it is about time you spoilt yourself after spoiling all those other people last month.

Happy Shopping! xxx

New Year's Resolutions 2012

Think it is fair to say that I have made a very poor effort so far this year. My New Year’s resolutions are always very similar and I usually last about a month before I let them slide. This year, however, was completely different- I didn’t even start them. I thought about them and that’s about as far as I got. Don’t get me wrong I had good intentions. I bought a cross-trainer but so far that has been used as a clothes horse. I thought about healthy eating and drinking less but there was so much chocolate and booze left over from Christmas which I simply could not let go to waste.

Betty the bear guarder

Yum!

 The one resolution I made that I have actually kept up with is making more of an effort to send cards to my friends and family for Christmas, birthdays and anniversaries etc. At the age of 23 I feel it’s about time. But I’ve even failed slightly on this point, my poor cousin, Katie, whose birthday was 1^st January missed out… (I didn’t buy all my cards for January until the 3^rd). So Happy Belated Birthday Katie!

Birthday Girl!

The reason I’m writing about all these failures is because I intend to start my New Year’s resolution year from today and if I express this publically, I may have more of a chance of succeeding. So, I intend to...

- Use my cross-trainer for exercise, not an extension of my wardrobe

- No more weekly Pizza Hut’s or daily multi-packs of chocolate

- Continue sending cards

- Spend more time with friends and family

- Write more

1.   

My new, as of yet un-used
cross-trainer

Good luck in your resolutions, if you made any. Hope you haven’t been as useless as me and have a great 2012!

Christmas 2011

Christmas 2011 was brilliant. It was spent in my new flat; I was as stuffed as the turkey, spent it with the people who matter most to me and was spoilt rotten.

I received some fabulous gifts.

Our Christmas Tree

At the beginning of November, I went to Fashion Press Week. Here I met James Lakeland and saw much of his Spring/Summer Collection for 2012. There were so many beautiful clothes but there was one dress in particular that I fell in love with. Try as I might I could not find it on any website, which was indeed very sad. Luckily, I managed to speak to Head Office via Twitter (don’t you just love social networking) who found the dress I love and sent it to my closest store, which was just down the road. Thank you James Lakeland for making my beautiful dress and thank you Mum for buying me it.

Having slightly over-indulged over Christmas I’m not going to show a picture of me wearing my dress just yet, instead I will put this picture up of a model wearing it, so you can get a vague idea of how great I’d look in it, hehe.

Some girl wearing
my dress

When going shopping I quite often do something that you shouldn’t do. I have an idea in my head of exactly what I want but 9 times out of 10, I haven’t seen it anywhere- I just fabricate it. Therefore I am usually very upset that some designer out there hasn’t been able to read my mind, which I know is quite unfair.

Anyway, I wanted a brown leather jacket with a fur collar. I’d seen a few dotted about but none that I actually liked. My boyfriend and I went shopping to find something for him to get me for Christmas and lo and behold I found my perfect jacket within 20 minutes of looking (this never happens to me!). Not only that, it was in the sale! Needless to say, that jacket was under our tree come Christmas day.

My new leather jacket
from Oasis

On the lead up to Christmas, the boy and I went shopping on Oxford Street thinking if we’re going to find something for each other, we’ll surely find it there. We both walked into Swatch together and straight away I knew what I was going to get him. It was easy. I wasn’t aware that he had walked in there thinking the exact same thing. Christmas day came and we both had a swatch box. I got him a ‘smoky blue full-blooded swatch watch and he got me a light blue reel bangle bracelet.

My boyfriend's new watch

My new bracelet

Just before Christmas, I saw a handbag that I needed to get but it was a tad on the expensive side so for Christmas I asked for a contribution towards it. It is from Aspinal of London and is the Barbarella bag in purple patent. I haven't managed to acquire all the funds to buy it yet but will show you a picture so you can see how pretty it is.

Aspinal of London
Purple Barbarella bag.

Hope you all had a great Christmas, that you all got spoilt too and spent it with special people. Loves. xxx

London Bird

At the Austin Reed launch, I met the beautiful Miranda McCarthy, founder and maker of London Bird jewellery. Miranda looked fabulous, very Elisabeth Taylor-esque, dressed in black with red lipstick and wearing a beautiful necklace and bracelet. I’m a massive fan of jewellery (especially large, statement pieces) and I, perhaps, focused more attention and asked more question about them than is polite to do at a party surrounded by other guests. However, I very quickly discovered she created them and I got to try them on!

Miranda McCarthy

London Bird necklace
modelled by its creator.

Matching braclet.

Like most up-and-coming designers who dare to venture to new pastures, Miranda struggled to sell her pieces with vendors always stating that her designs were too big (which is ridiculous…as we all know bigger is better), therefore they would inevitably be too heavy and too expensive! Obviously, Miranda found a solution; creativity should never be compromised. She found ‘a genius in Italy’ as she calls him, who uses a technology usually reserved for making micro and nano scale metallic devices, such as computer chips. Thus making them hollow. Thus making them not super heavy or super expensive!…(apologies for my use of the word ‘thus’). Using this method, Miranda is able to ‘maintain the integrity of her designs and realise her vision’!

Miranda McCarthy, Prince Cassius
and Sade English

For those of you who haven’t already heard of London Bird, it produces award-winning jewellery and haute-couture pieces for the catwalk. She was first showcase in InStyle magazine in 2004, she has since been featured in Vogue and was nominated for ‘Jewellery Designer of the Year’ during London Jewellery Week, 2011.

All of the pieces at London Bird are either .925 silver or 18ct. yellow gold. All pieces are made to order and by private appointment only.

Check out London Bird for yourselves here: www.londonbird.com

Austin Reed Re-launch Party

On Wednesday 14^th December I went to the re-launch of the Austin Reed and Viyella flagship store at 100 Regent Street. I had even more fun at this event than I anticipated…and I was excited to begin with. Press, designers, business elite, sports stars and celebrities were in attendance such as cricketing legend Alastair Cook, Mark Cueto, Courtney Lawes, Sir Philip Green, Dylan Jones (editor of GQ) and Prince Cassius. 

100 Regent Street

Courtney Lawes and Alistair Cook

Camilla Gleditsch, Alex McDonald, Prince Cassius,
Sade English, Nicola McSorley

Miranda McCarthey (London Bird),
Prince Cassius and Sade English

The red carpet and guest list added to the glamour of gorgeous Regent Street building, whilst the interior was beautiful filled with the exceptionally dressed. I wouldn’t have been surprised if Cary Grant or Sinatra walked in . Just goes to show how timeless Austin Reed is.

A brand film was shown to the guests, showcasing some of the wonderful clients  Austin Reed  has worked with over the past 111 years of its existence, such as; The Beatles, Winston Churchill, Cary Grant and Elizabeth Taylor.

Can anyone spot a fro?

The party was extremely enjoyable with music from The Overtones- ‘the UK’s hottest vocal group’ and acoustic musician Mike Davies whilst magician Christopher Howell stunned the crowd. Gourmet fish and chips, burgers and pies were served by waitresses in bowler hats while waiters ensured that no champagne glass was ever empty. If all this wasn't enough, we left with a goody bag containing ‘The Austin Reed Times’ and a silk handkerchief (which is now under the Christmas tree as a cheeky gift for my boyfriend).

Open bar

Gourmet fish and chips and burger

The Overtones

Mike Davies and a Christmas Tree

Magician Christopher Howell and his nemesis Camilla.

 The party gave everyone a great opportunity to peruse the store, chat with friends and have a really wonderful time. If you haven’t already, visit the new Austin Reed store at 100 Regent Street. 

Wrangler Jeans Christmas Party

On Thursday 8^th I also went to the Wrangler Jeans Christmas Party on Ganton Street. After the bouncer man found my name on the guest list, I took the lift to the, what sounded like, a mental party upstairs. My predictions were correct.

The place was packed with stylish fashionistas, bloggers, stylists and Wrangler employees all having a wonderful, festive time. Although with free cocktails being provided by Mahiki Coconut rum and awesome sets by DJ Cooks and Steffie Timanti, who wouldn’t be having a wonderful, festive time?! Complete with great tunes I haven't heard for years and a private, glass, karaoke booth (which I did not enter) although it was funny to watch the people inside, I had a great time. I'm sure that my head wasn't the only poorly one the next day.

Kirk Original's Birthday Party

On 8^th December I went to the first birthday party of Kirk Originals at 6 Conduit Street. Working late that evening I expected to find the remnants of an amazing party. Luckily, however, I was very happy to see the party was still in full swing.  Kirk Originals definitely knows how to party in style with press, stylists, celebs and fashion lovers in attendance.

Picture courtesy of Momoy.com

Party still in full swing

The store has a very futuristic, minimalistic style with eyes wearing fabulous glasses protruding from the walls. It was great to see so many of the party attendees modelling the glasses whilst supping on a beer or cider from the bar. Every person I spoke to had their own favourite. The most wonderful thing about Kirk Originals glasses is that they are as diverse and individual as the people wearing them. They reflect personalities and moods as well as being an absolutely fabulous fashion accessory.

I’ve put a picture of me wearing my favourite pair on here in the hope that my boyfriend will see my not-so-subtle hint. If you happen to be in London I recommend you pop in. I challenge you to leave without trying a pair or five on. Congratulations to Jason and Karen Kirk- here’s to next year! 

My favourites!