Fashion Panic

Tuesday 24 May 2016

The Levi's Tailor Shop at Asos HQ

A few weeks ago, a little dream of mine came true; I got to visit Asos HQ! Yes, so many of you may think I need to get out more...but honestly, since I've been 17 (10 years!) I've shopped on Asos (or 'as seen on screen' as it was known then!) and I am a massive fan of not just the brand, but also the the incredible ethos of supporting creativity and embracing the blogger boom. I've been working with the team at Access All Asos for a few months now, collaborating with some amazing brands, one of which being Levis. Imagine me utter delight when I was asked if I wanted to go down and customise my very own pair of 501s. Excited didn't even come close, I was ecstatic!

I arrived at Asos HQ, which is in the ultra hip Camden Town. It is a beautiful art deco building which definitely stands out from the crowd. I was led through to the Levis customizing station, which was an absolute feast for the eyes. Everywhere you looked there was denim; frayed, aged, dyed, covered in patches, studs; basically the dream. I was introduced to the lovely girl from Levis who gave me a hand in getting starting customizing my own pair. I definitely had my heart set on getting my initials on them somewhere, and was very happy to find some cute little letters. I was able to pin them to the waist band of my 501s. I am also obsessed with all things frayed at the moment, so decided to have 4cm added to the bottom of my jeans. Due to the time needed to customize them, I left them with the team at Asos so they could work their magic!

My babies arrived last week and they are out of this world! Ahhh I am SO excited to shoot a look book for you guys to see. They are everything I love in jeans all rolled into one pair! I decided to keep them quite minimal in terms of decoration, even though I'm very into patches and badges; I wanted to ensure I could keep them for a life time. The whole reason Levis held the workshop, was to celebrate the fact that you can customise your very own jeans in all the Levis UK stores. There are SO many ways you can make your Levis your own, I hope you've had a little bit of inspo from the pictures!

I had such an amazing time at head office. The whole vibe is so friendly and creative, full of life and ideas. A massive thank you to the team at Asos and Levis for the great experience!

A Day At The Beach

Look how glamorous I am, I have a location shoot! Ok, so in reality, we just went to the beach for a day, but what fashion blogger would miss an opportunity to shoot in the sand dunes!

I finally got to wear my amazing Wrap London boyfriend jeans. I was sent them a few months ago, and I couldn't wait to finally take them out for a spin. As a natural 'planner' I knew that I wanted to style them with a spring/summer vibe as they are just perfect to dress up or down and the washed out fabric looks fab with light airy colours.

I paired the jeans with my gorgeous (and very popular with bloggers) off the shoulder blouse, which was a dream to wear as it was so lightweight, and believe it or not it was quite warm! I've worn both pieces in so many ways, as they are both so versatile.

The beach itself was 5 minutes for Conwy, a beautiful town in North Wales, which I definitely recommend as it's only 1hr 20 from Manchester!

Jeans: Wrap London // Blouse: H&M

London Style Diary

Since my Copenhagen style diary was a bit of hit with you guys, I thought I'd stick to a theme and get a quick post together whenever I go away! To be honest when I go away anywhere I try plan my outfits, not just because I'm incredibly organised (think Monica from 'Friends') but also I find it really fun (yes I should get out more...)

Enough of my ramblings. Here's what I wore for 24 hours in the capital!

Trousers: Zara // Top: Boohoo // Bag: Radley // Mules: New Look // Lace Ups: Boden

Jumpsuit: Asos // Top: Boohoo

Karen Millen - Atelier Collection SS16

Living in the North, (especially blogging in the North) it can sometimes feel as though we’re missing out. London is always a hub of fashion events, new store openings and the latest brand collaborations. Being a proud northern blogger myself, I’ve always enjoyed working with brands who appreciate that Manchester and the surrounding North West is actually a fantastic, up and coming region full of creative talent and enthusiastic fashion lovers! So imagine my delight when one of my favourite brands (ever); Karen Millen, contacted me to ask if I’d like to be involved with the launch of their new Atelier Summer 16 Collection at our very own Intu Trafford Centre. To say I’m a fan of Karen Millen is an understatement. I have chosen to wear KM dresses on some of the most memorable occasions in my life; including my graduation and my honeymoon. I knew that I would feel incredible in a beautifully tailored dress, which always fits to perfection. Occasions and Karen Millen go hand in hand, and it’s often the first place many women go to find the outfit that will not only turn heads, but will be an investment and a great addition to their wardrobe.

The Summer 16 Atelier Collection is a celebration of all things floral and tropical; inspired by botanical drawings and with a rich expressive colour palette. Each piece of the collection is designed in house, at their headquarters in Shoreditch, London. This allows the creative development of every part of the garment, from the first sketch, to the finished piece, to be carefully monitored and with every intricate detail closely observed. The time and dedication that goes in to each and every piece, ensures the quality and craftsmanship. In fact, the fit and flare dresses are made from beautiful scuba material which is spun in Karen Millen’s very own Italian mill in Lake Como – the dream!

The Karen Millen Atelier Collections aim to; “...showcase craftsmanship, in turn allowing...experimental and exclusive fashion pieces with a unique focus on technique, creativity and innovation”. It’s this innovative forward thinking, that’s allowed KM to stay on top of their game, reaching a market audience ranging from teenage girls and proms, to mother of the bride outfits.

The summer Atelier Collection 2016 was launched in stores on the 6^th May, and the official Manchester launch event will be held at the Intu Trafford Centre this Saturday, 14^th May from 11am – 1pm. The event will not only showcase the new high summer collection; but there will also be refreshments and pampering for customers to enjoy, with a special gift of a KM pouch with any purchases over £200!

During the event, there will be an exclusive screening of the new Atelier Collection film, created by the super talented mixed media film maker, Gemma Yin Taylor. Modelling the collection throughout the film, are the three girls who were voted for by the public on the casting app – Feels. The girls, and stars of the film, were already big fans of Karen Millen, and CCO of the company, Gemma Metheringham, explained that KM is passionate about “championing creative, emerging talent” something that is showcased throughout the new film.

I was lucky enough to be able to choose something from the Atelier Collection and style it up with some other pieces from the store. Well, I was in my element! The theme for my post is summer occasion dressing, and what better place to be than Karen Millen. I have an upcoming wedding in August, and I found the perfect dress within minutes.

Although the collection has some wonderful colourful and striking pieces, it was the stunning monochrome cardigan the caught my eye. I love vibrant colours, especially in summer, but this piece was something I knew I could wear all year round. The beautiful floral print is not only unique, but timeless and classic. As with all KM pieces, you can feel the quality as soon as you feel the material. It’s also the perfect length, stopping just at the waist, which is super flattering and really synches you in.

So, I had the first piece of my outfit, I now had to pair it with something that I would feel great in. Well, it was definitely love at first sight with the stunning navy embroidery anglaise dress. The colour is perfect for a late summer wedding, and will work great whatever the weather. As usual, with all of my Karen Millen dresses, it fits like a glove. I cannot praise KM enough for making dresses for real women, with real bodies. It’s tight in all of the right places, flattering any figure, and the polo shirt top gives it a modern twist. I finished my outfit with the perfect pair of black heels, which again, I will be able to wear with anything.

I look forward to seeing some of you at the event on Saturday, if you can’t make it down, you can shop the new summer 16 Atelier Collection here.

Broderie Navy Dress // Floral Print Cardigan // Suede Ankle Cuff Heels

Silk and Denim

Pink is not usually the colour that you'd find me in. I happen to love the colour, it's just that the colour does not love me. I normally look washed out, or ultra girly - both things that I'm not too keen on. But when I had the chance to style up this stunning dusty pink silk shirt, from up and coming label Mille Saisons, I knew that it wouldn't be my usual encounter with the colour. Lingerie, night wear, whatever you like to call it; has been everywhere this season. Wearing delicate, lacy, silk slips and feminine silhouettes will continue to be a big hit in SS16, with the trend finally filtering down to the high streets. I've indulged in the odd underwear as outerwear kind of thing, but I tended to stick to my usual black.

I instantly fell for the Ayumi tshirt. Not just the colour, but the elegant simplicity and the beautiful way it dazzled, with an almost iridescent quality. I adore silk. I think it's without doubt, the sexiest, most scrumptious material there is. It's been a staple with fashionistas for 100s of years and it's easy to see why. It needs nothing adding to it; it's perfect the way it is. This simple tee is cut to perfection, and drapes it's way over the body. It's not just flattering, but also figure enhancing.

I could think of nothing better than to pair it with the stark contrast of raw denim. I wanted to keep the look as simple as possible, so I finished the outfit with my nude kitten heels and square necklace. The necklace is one of my favourite new pieces of jewellery. It gives plain, unassuming pieces, a bit of a 2016 revamp, and I've found myself wearing it with nearly everything!

Mille Saisons have some stunning pieces. Their debut collection is described as 'romantic sports luxe' and it's exactly that. Modern, yet classic shapes, it has the ballet as one of its inspirations, which you can see throughout the collection, especially in my beautiful shirt.

I've loved bringing back pink into my wardrobe colour palette, and I think I need to be braver in the future and get a little out of my comfort zone more!

T-Shirt: Mille Saisons // Jeans: Zara // Necklace: Topshop (similar here)

My Copenhagen Style Diary

It's been nearly 3 weeks since I arrived back in sunny (not even being sarcastic) Manchester from one of my favourite trips to the beautiful Copenhagen (and a bit of Sweden). You may have read my attempt at a 'travel diary' but as this is a fashion blog, I thought I'd write up a bit of a style diary too, so you can shop my holiday looks. Most of the pieces were new and from the Asos sale, most of which are still available! I will link similar pieces if they are out of stock, but hopefully you will be able to recreate a few of the OOTD's if you like them - enjoy!