My Passport to Style | Reviews Moroccan Bazaar

 

 

 

Visiting Morocco features on my very long bucket list, so when I was invited to step into the pages of a souk by Moroccan Bazaar. I dived straight in. My own home is mish-mash of bright colours, and eclectic pieces add in a good measure of geometrical design, and the ritual of mint tea sipped in a walled court yard garden and that pretty much sums up Moroccan style. If you’re looking for a dose of mystery and excitement in your home, THIS online Bazaar has taken all the best elements of Moroccan decor and design and woven them into a sweet carpet ride that transports you to the narrow streets of artisan crafts men busy making things in the baking heat that you never knew you wanted, but now you do.

My Passport to Style | Influential Trends A/W13

 

 

This is a proud moment, if ever us bloggers have been influential, it was clearly visible on the A/W 13 runways where maxed out layers ruled supreme, any blogger worth her salt has perfected the art of piling on layers of fabric to add texture and interest. We learnt it from the best in the business Susie Lau.

 I’m not sure about the trend for only buying half a coat ( because the rest has been skilfully lopped off, with a very expensive pair of shears) somehow it doesn't feel like money well spent, but I’m keen to emulate some of the artful tucks, luxe folds and fabric clashes as paraded on the A/W13 catwalk shows.

 Thankfully, hourglass gals like me can celebrate that curve hugging pieces have not been wiped from the face of the high street just yet by heavy pleated pants and thick slouchy coats as we are all encouraged to man up.

After spending a pretty frustrating morning trying to pare down (read cram) the contents of four rails of clothing into my very small glossy black closet, I rediscovered a 50’s inspired shift dress that I could wear with an old khaki cropped roll neck layered over it, to transform it into a wiggle skirt, result!         

 

*mages courtesy of vogue*

Boring Beauty Routines Versus Beautiful Obsessions

 

When it comes to maintaining high standards of grooming aka our French cousins, I can be a bit slack as we head into autumn and start to show less skin. My slightly ambitious summer head to toe body care regime (don’t snigger) goes down the plug hole to use a favourite northern expression.

 I prefer to indulge in a long fuss free wallow in the bath instead or hit the snooze button rather than jump out of bed and reach for a hard bristle brush equivalent to a broom in texture to whisk away my dead skin cells.

Perfect Your Posh Pout With Beauty UK

 

 

 

Jumbo lip crayons are tres fashionable right now so if you don't yet have some in your pencil case/makeup bag go and sit on the naughty step. Apart from being fashionable. What is it about these chubby buddies that makes them so loveable and popular? Well, I put it down to a few things; they are rather cute, a breeze to hold and control, not as heavy as a lipstick but offer more colour pay off than a gloss, and the good ones are moisture rich with plenty of pigments that last, what's not to like?

2013 Vintage By The Sea Event - Celebrates 80 Years Of The Midland Hotel

 

 

 

What did you get up to yesterday? I spent three hours, deciding which vintage-inspired look I should wear, (based on our very unpredictable British weather) for my invitation to Wayne Hemingway's event, Vintage By The Sea. I finally decided on a Ben de Lisi 50s inspired, linen wiggle dress, a bright blue linen coat with chunky black buttons and ruffles on the front and a small black patent, boxy, grab bag.

 

 

 

 Outfit sorted, camera and brolly packed, I wiggled my way down to the train station. Ten minutes later I was enjoying lovely views of Morecambe bay, whilst I tottered along the prom to the Midland. I love visiting the Midland hotel and taking in all its creamy art-deco curves and lines. It was nice to see it overflowing with people and all thing's vintage, from Punch and Judy shows; classic cars and ice-cream vans to glam gals wearing red lipstick and seamed stockings.

 

 

 I managed to pick up a vintage bargain inside at one of the vintage clothing stores a malteeser coloured mock croc clutch. I was very tempted to have a full retro hair and make over at Guys, and Dolls pop up salon seeing some of the starlets emerging from a mist of Elnett hair spray, but I decided to save my money for a visit to the Routunda bar and a date with Elvis (well his music really) a chip butty made with smoke butter and a butterscotch Daiquiri which was every bit as dreamy as it sounds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Sadly, I didn't get to chat to Wayne about his American Indian wrestling father Billy Two Rivers, or the many crazy outfits he got to model as a child on Morecambe prom created by his mum and his nan, or to ask how he felt about moving out of fashion and into design on a much bigger scale, but if I had of done, I would have wanted to thank him for throwing such a great 80th birthday party for the Midland Hotel and Morecambe his hometown.       

 

 

 

Wayne Hemingway Hosts Vintage By The Sea In Morecambe

 

If you have heard of British designer Wayne Hemingway MBE you will probably know he is viewed a little like the Godfather of vintage in the UK and set up his fashion label Red or Dead in London in 1982 with his wife Geraldine.

 A custard tart or butter pie might be more his cup of tea than a bowl of Italian spaghetti and meatballs as he was born in the small seaside town of Morecambe, famous for its sunsets and art deco hotel, which luckily for me is just up the road.

 Whether you have heard of Mr Hemingway’s label Red or Dead or not, you might be interested to know he will be hosting one of his famous yearly vintage bashes not in London, but in Morecambe to celebrate the Midland Hotels eightieth birthday this year.

 I’m going to be hopping on a fast train to Morecambe tomorrow (Saturday14th September) to sample a pick and mix of the best vintage has to offer at the Vintage by the Sea one day festival.        

 

 

*images courtesy of vintagefestival.com*

 

#Organic Beauty Weekend | Fushi Organic Coconut Oil

 

 



I love my Hunter wellies and splashing in the occasional puddle at weekends, but lately I've decided to trade them in for a luxurious lock in, in my bathroom while I surround myself with beauty products that I would like to experiment with. I never seem to get the time mid week, I've decided my favourite type are those products that are nothing much to look at but have so many satisfying uses and give me what I imagine being A-list results.

 It's a bit like make up wipes or baby wipes which I prefer as I like my wipes big! I don't know many of my friends who just use them for removing makeup, from emergency wipes for spills on clothing, to cleaning shoes and dusting leather furniture when what should be used instead has run out, wet wipes in my friendship circles save the day, ok I'm not sure about the A-list beauty results of makeup wipes, but you feel me, right?

#Destination Denim

So today I want to talk plain old denim minus any fancy pants prints, you probably already know that I’m slightly denim phobic, seeing as I’m on a good day I’ll just say I have a curvaceous Beyonce type lower half and I have struggled in the past to find jeans that I can honestly say work better than a pair of trousers or a dress, my wardrobe/floor, cough, is over flowing with my alternatives simple jumpsuits, track pants, pj and Capri trousers.

My Passport To Style | Why I Don't Do Denim



Believe it or not saying you don't do jeans is a taboo subject in Britain it's like saying you don't put salt and vinegar on your chips. How do I know this because I am one of a growing minority or women that realise that as much as they love denim jeans, they don't do much for their hourglass figure, the sometimes thick stiff fabric bunches up in the wrong places. I think perhaps Europeans have a slightly different attitude they don't feel that their sense of style and youth are so deeply imbedded in the denim culture, they enjoy tailored clothing. British women wear more denim than any other country and whilst I have no wish to outlaw denim in the UK, it has become a bit of a uniform, to the point that if I wear a simple A-line dress, my friends think  I have dressed up! Hooray for camel flares and A-line pinafore dresses! 

Why I Like Being Fashionably Late

 

 

 

 

I have been sucked into a bit of a non fashion vortex recently, which is not really the type of thing you admit to if you’re a Fashion blogger, but as my official title is Fashion and Lifestyle blogger, I think I can allow myself the occasional slip up. So how did I find my way out of it? Simple really, a chance encounter with a lilac leather slipper with an elegant studded toe after a bit of a lame search for some sensible, go with everything type of flats on eBay. My heart started to beat a little faster and my palms got slightly sweaty when a pair of lovely lilac leather slippers by a designer I had never heard of, Olivia Rubin ( I did say vortex!) popped up, one click later, they were sold to the lady in the fluffy dressing gown and Harry Potter mug, it was Sunday!

 

 I hear that apart from many other colours pale pink is big this winter 2013. Last winter I bought an A-line skirt in sugar almond pink, but struggled to find some shoes that worked with it, I personally like to toughen up pastel shades with navy, black and slate grey but nothing seemed to quite work, until I found the perfect compromise in these pretty flats the black toe caps have been generously sprinkled with tiny gold baubles and a few larger gold studs for good measure.

 

 

 Metallic toe caps seem to be popping up a lot lately and these feel luxe but still casual enough to wear with my pink skirt during the day, even better, through my chance shopping encounter on eBay I discovered the rest of Olivia Rubin’s collection of wacky and fun S/S13 architectural prints in the Asos sales. I guess being the last to know about a designer label does have its perks! I heart the dress with the eye wateringly pretty pansy design, Olivia Rubin’s big gutsy pastel leopard print with a sporty zipper and her purple slightly slouchy long sleeved brick T, the last time I felt this pleased to discover a new designer range was after discovering Henry Holland’s granny inspired winter prints and Tatty Devine’s fish bone necklace.         

 

 

 *images courtesy of asos *