• [London Edge Feb 2020 Part 1] Oh So Flamingo

    Not even Storm Dennis would keep me away from London Edge for their 21st year of this amazing trade show. It always has the best atmosphere, the coolest brands and so much to see my eyes can’t cope with all the awesome in one place!  I’m going to write the round up in parts again as there’s just too much to share, and this way I can give each brand the time they deserve.

    I still feel that excitement when I walk in and see everything that lies ahead

    Upon arrival, I headed to the Press Meet where the back drop (main photo) brought the devil out in us all. I liked that my hair matched the theme, even if I was too short for the horns to actually reach my head ha – did you spot that?! I got to meet some absolutely stunning models and influencers and loved that our styles were all so different but everyone was super friendly and welcoming – as is the nature of the show.

    After the press call, I headed over to see Rachel from Oh So Flamingo, whom I want to talk about today. I’d met this lovely lady at the last show and she’d kindly gifted me the most gorgeous Starburst Hoop earrings (see previous article here).

    Her stand was filled with lots of beautiful new designs and I instantly fell in love with all the flamingo and jungle themed goodies with their bright, leafy, pieces which scream Tiki-tastic and make me want to wear them all!

    Mingos + Monstera = LOVE

    Oh So Flamingo specialise in handmade, laser cut, acrylic, jewellery with fun novelty themes. The ranges include earrings, necklaces and brooches to wear together or as separate pieces, and are very reasonably priced (earrings are around £9.00) for all handcrafted pieces.

    New additions coming this year also include some furry friends – and I know many of you are crazy (but obviously fabulous) cat ladies so these will be perfect to add to your collections.

    Rachel also kindly made me the most amazing bespoke brooch which features my logo and I can’t tell you how good this is!

    My logo has never looked so good!

    I love all the detail and it’s the perfect size to wear to events. I was ridiculously excited to receive such a special piece and popped it on straight away to flounce around the rest of the show with it – and of course, everyone loved it!

    I think you can tell how happy I am.

    I can’t wait to snap up some of the new items when they launch, but in the meantime, if you’re looking to add instant joy to your outfits, then look no further than the current rainbow-filled Love In Colour pieces, which are available here.

    Look out for the next part of my London Edge previews – you can subscribe to the blog below to be the first to see them x

    Wearing:
    Dress, handbag and earrings: all Collectif Clothing
    Boots: Lulu Hun
    Bangles: Bow & Crossbones
    Brooch: Vintage

    Photo Credit: Melissa Sacco (featured photo)

    For transparency:
    The brooch piece featured was gifted, but all views are my own – I just love the brand and wanted to share it with you x

  • Collectif Menswear Preview SS20

    The fabulous new Menswear collection is still to launch at Collectif as of yet (coming very soon though), and if you want to see what’s in store this season, have a look at my previous post here from way back in January.

    Today we’ll be looking at what’s to come next year with a sneaky preview of their Spring and Summer 2020 designs! Very exciting. I was blown away by the new line and the cool prints and fab co-ords don’t stop this year!

    First up we have this awesome array of tiki inspired shirts with short sleeves – who doesn’t love a Hawaiian shirt?!

    In a range of colours and tropical prints, these shirts feature wide collars and a pocket to the front. They ooze 50’s summer tiki vibes. Perfect for casually lounging by a pool or summer barbeques back in old Blighty.

     

    Next up are these raglan baseball tops which come in a few different colours (same print). I love a good raglan top and wish they came in my size too! Definitely unisex if you fancy one for yourself gals! it’s not all about the boys 😉

     Moving on to knitwear, I just died when I saw this! There are a couple of utterly fantastic light knits with the best novelty designs ever!

    A cowboy passing a giant cactus, with a sky filled with atomic stars and a spaceship? Yes please! Just the coolest thing ever.

    The last piece I have to show you is this nifty denim shirt. I love the winged stitching, the buttoned pockets and the wide collar. Perfect to throw on over any tee with some black workwear boots.

    On to accessories now, and they really have excelled in this too, offering a wide variety of co-ordinated fifties/sixties fashion forward styles. This man bag ties the look together well and is big enough to pop all of your other half’s lipstick, phone and accoutrements in as well 😉

    I really like the design of this – how it looks a little like a flight bag/suitcase with it’s faux wrap around straps. This is coming in a couple of colour options and I believe it’s leather (not for the vegan among us).

    Finally, I really liked this style of wallet too. Again, it is leather so hopefully they’ll do a faux version in seasons to come.

    Rivets and chains add some nice details to this. 

    So guys, next time you’re dragged into a Collectif store by your gal, you don’t have to make a beeline for the nearest coffee shop or stand waiting outside the changing room endlessly…..you can be browsing your very own collection! Lucky boys, enjoy!

    Look out for the next instalment of the previews for Spring/Summer 2020 which will be Lulu Hun and Bright & Beautiful. Subscribe below to be notified of new posts first and feel free to leave a little comment on the blog below too about what your thoughts are for the upcoming designs x

  • Collectif AW19 Collection

    The awesome new Lookbook is now live at Collectif for this season (see here) so I thought I’d drop a few real life photos in for you to see what they look like close up and personal, which can sometimes show a little more detail than the editorial pics. I already previewed some of the collection back in January (see here) but I’ll include the rest of the photos you can see in the Lookbook now they’re live which I’ve been dying to share with you!

    So, firstly is the Alice in Wonderland inspired collection. This is just so cute. I love a good toadstool!

    Claudia In Wonderland Cape Coat
    Reverse side is the Cheshire Cat smile!
    Peta in Wonderland Dress
    This matching Wonderland Cardigan will also be coming soon,

    On to the Blackwatch tartan which is just dreamy. I have this myself and will review it fully shortly. Blackwatch tartan IS winter. The Dolores dress has velvet buttons added this year too which is a really lovely addition.

    Caterina Blackwatch Dress

    Next up  is the gorgeous Caroline Cape. This was a staple in a lot of our wardrobes last year as it came in black and red previously, and I love the addition of this beautiful green.

    There are some very sweet cardigan and scarf sets coming, including the Allie Woodland version which was included in the lookbook. I only photographed the geek check though so I’m including that here. They come with a matching scarf – how cool is that! And more velvet buttons <3

    On to the Monet Woodland Pine Check trouser which is a lovely autumnal wide leg with a fab check and matching belt.

    Next is the Courtney Polka dot occasion dress which is just fab! I love its frothy layers of tulle

    Closely followed by Giselle, which is perfect for any pink princesses and guaranteed to brighten up any occasion!

    The Caterina Sunset Stripes is a really lovely design. The colours are fantastic on this one.

    The beautiful Bernice Plain Faux Fur Coat follows in a lovely burgundy. I really like the wide brown belt which is included too.

    On to the fluffy Cara cardigan, which will be available in a few colour ways.

    The we have the showstopper Sheena Leopard Cape which has a hood. It’s super cosy and fleecy with a velvet feel on the black.

    The Byna Pencil Dress in black is shown next, which is a lovely stretchy bengaline and features a pretty strap detail to the front.

    The Caterina Geek check dress is just fab. I love the bright yellow running through the monochrome check and anything geeky, I’m in!

    The Blackwatch Pearl Coat has been seen quite a lot due to spoilers this Summer, but I’ll include it again anyway as it is a thing of beauty!

    The very whimsical Aurora Occasion Swing is next which features a black chiffon overlay with balloon sleeves, pink floral embroidered roses to the neck and sleeves and pink sash belt at the waist.

    The Dolores Half Sleeve Midnight Floral Swing Dress is another perfect Autumnal staple. It has those gorgeous velvet buttons again too!

    I don’t have a clear photo of the June Apple Swing Dress, but you can see the design either side  here (and a sneaky peek at another dress coming soon)

    The matching cardigan looks like this. Will you be brave enough to take a bite? With those cute red buttons, I think you will!

    The very fabulous Heather Hooded Swing Coat returns in this glorious burnt orange for Autumn.

    Along with the signature style Bonnie trousers in a Pumpkin Check – the bright orange check is just amazing!

    And this print is also available in a Mimi dress

    I don’t have photos of the Lila Magic Mesh Skater dress, but I can tell you the spooky theme continues on other dresses, so those of you that are Halloween all year long won’t be disappointed!

    The Trixie is such a popular dress and every year everyone waits to see which new designs will drop. This year, we already have the Golden Polka Dot version (available to buy here) as well as a few others to come, but the Midnight Moon appears in the Lookbook with its soft velvet and sparkly moons and stars.

    The Jessie Rainbow star cardi follows, along with the Alexa Rainbow Star Swing Skirt. The multi coloured stars are so sweet on these. 

    I hope you’ve enjoyed browsing through the real life pics and look forward to hearing about all your AW19 purchases! I’ll share mine soon too. Feel free to add your comments about this season to the bottom ↓

  • Collectif SS20 Preview

    Oh it’s good to be back after a brief hiatus, and my goodness, have I come back with a bang! Today I’ll be sharing a few sneaky peeks from the Spring/Summer 2020 collection by Collectif Clothing. Yes, that’s right, 2020! While the AW19 releases are gradually trickling through (I’ve bought a few myself already which I’ll share with you later and remember to click here for my AW19 previews previously), those of us which are going mad bagging bargains in the sale are still very much in Summer mode, so here’s a few things to tantalise for next year which I hope you’ll enjoy viewing.

    Firstly, let’s talk about Jemima. She was one of my favourite picks from this season and came in cream or black polka dots. Next year she’ll make a comeback and will be available in a gorgeous green…swoon. A great all rounder of a dress with pockets, everyone needs one.

    Next up are the popular Dolores styles. The green polka dot print from above is also available as a Dolores top and looks super pretty combined with the rusty orange or, for a lighter pairing, the pastel colours which also appear on the dots.

    You won’t be disappointed with the vast array of these staples in numerous prints. I’ve chosen to share this cute ‘Strawberry’ Dolores Doll style which is just delicious.  I can’t look at strawberries on white without thinking of strawberries and cream, yummo.

    The heart buttons are a really nice detail, and of course, pockets on all Dolores! that continues to make a lot of people very happy. There’s a matching cardigan to this too for those that like to be as co-ordinated as me!

    The highly favoured Caterina also gets an update and new colour options. These are such a signature style, it was unfathomable that they’d be able to improve on this design. However, I bring to you……….the sleeveless Caterina! [insert audible gasp here].

    This amazing dress is perfect for anyone that struggles with Caterina sleeves (for me, they are quite wide and loose because of my size, some others find them too snug), or like me, prefer not to see the bulk of the sleeve underneath one of the cardigans – so for us, this fantastic solution is genius! It’s also just a fabulous seasonal version of this dress with its spring green and linen look fabric, and will appeal to so many that enjoy a sleeveless number in the warmer months. 

    As if that wasn’t enough, the Caterina has also been transformed into a blouse for those that like the shirt dress style but want to pair it with a contrasting trouser or skirt.

    This navy polka dot version will be great for the office and paired with jeans or wide white slacks for a more relaxed weekend look. 

    Kimberly was another new style which appeared this season (I have one myself – check my reviews section or type in ‘kimberly’ in the search bar at the top) and they’re back in abundance with some really great prints, including this crazy for cacti pattern called Cactusland featuring wooden buttons with bright red centres.

    Such a super light and floaty dress which will see us through any future history making, soaring temperatures!

    I know quite a lot of you are always keen to see what the next Korrina will be….so here she is, in a stunning bright red which will pair so well with navy and white (and that cute strawberry dolores above!).

    As well as these reinventions of fabulous designs, there are a variety of new gals joining the girl squad too. Among these is the very elegant, Bertha, whose sweet pale pink swing dress is just a delight.

    With a beautiful, wide, boat neck collar, half sleeves and bow detail to the waistline, she’s sure to be a hit over the Summer for any event or just when you want to feel fancy at work, swishing around the photocopier.

    Next up, meet Demira. In a signature polka dot print on a gloriously red background, this new swing (and pencil) style is a great alternative to those that like a Dolores but aren’t able to wear them for whatever reason. 

    With a higher neckline and elasticated arms, this will be easy to dress up or down for work, dinner dates or casual days out.

    As well as dresses, the knitwear is awesome too! I really loved this adorable Doreen Cardigan, look how pretty she is!

    Featuring a blue and white striped shawl collar which crosses at the ends, this navy cardi with white covered fabric buttons will be a staple in my wardrobe for getting a nautical look with ease. 

    Lastly, I need this more than anything. Collaborating with Playful Promises again, (after this season’s great new launch into swimwear), exciting new prints and styles will be available. Even better than that, those of us that need a little support will be delighted to see the new range includes lots of padding and structure, including this amazing bikini!

    Do you like my melons?

    Such a fun little set with a tie front and padding in the cups. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the collection too.

    So that’s a quick round up of my sneak peeks for Spring/Summer 2020. There are so many more, and the most gorgeous prints which we have to look forward to that I know you’ll love. They really have outdone themselves! But for now, enjoy the Summer sale (currently up to 65% off selected styles) and the launch of Autumn Winter 2019 (which is also SO good it makes me want the cooler weather to return – almost) and I’ll pop up the Lulu Hun, Bright & Beautiful and Collectif Menswear SS20 collection previews on my next post (so enter your details in the Subscribe section at the bottom of the page to be notified of new posts and be the first to see them!) x

     

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    Apologies for all the logos over everything, I’m tired of people lifting my pics and not crediting me (how rude is that?!) so it has to be done for preview pics I’m afraid! x