Valentine's Giveaway with W7 Make Up

It's January everyone is a bit strapped for cash, what better than a giveaway? I have teamed up with W7 Make up to launch my first ever beauty giveaway just in time for Valentine's Day. It's simple all you have to do is follow the instructions below, and one lucky winner will be announced on the 13th of February. So if you don't have a date planned for Valentine's Day-don't worry you may have some lovely make up on it's way to you. The W7 Make Up Goody Bag includes:

-3 x nail varnishes

-2 x lipsticks

-1 x mascara

-1 x liquid eye liner

-1 x bronzer (not in picture)

Good Luck x

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Juergen Teller-Woo

For those of you feeling a little glum because Tim Walker's 'storyteller' exhibition has now ended, don't worry Juergen Teller's exhibition at Institute of Contemporary Arts is now open! The artist and photographer is best known for his portraits of Vivienne Westwood, Lily Cole and Kurt Cobain, as well as shooting most of the advertising for Marc Jacobs, Helmut Lang and Celine. 

Juergen Teller-Woo

23 January 2013-17 March 2013

Institute of Contemporary Arts

The Mall, London SW1Y 5AH

Free Admission

Closest Tube: Charring Cross

The exhibition opens with a very open view of Dame Vivienne Westwood herself. It's not exactly how every 71 year old would like to be portrayed but it looked and felt so right. Vivienne Westwood was very much a part of the punk genre and has a typical 'I don't care' attitude. I think it's brilliant that at her age she has the confidence to bare all in from of the huge amount of people who will visit the exhibition. 

 What is brilliant about Juergen Teller's work is that it is so versatile but always fascinating. Whether he is photographing Kate Moss or a cute kitten there each image is as brilliant as the next. As well as exhibition space Juergen Teller's work took up 'The Fox Reading Room' at ICA. It was a room with top to bottom Juergen Teller tear out's from some of his most well known photography and advertising campaigns. The only grime I had about the exhibition was this room was far too small, apart from that it is a brilliant day out and it is FREE!

I would definitely recommend visiting the Juergen Teller exhibition on a week day as it will be a lot quieter. It is a brilliant exhibition for anyone interested in fashion or photography and shows some of Juergen Teller's best work. Be warned there is ALOT of nudity!! Also you are not actually allowed to take pictures, so you have to get your iphone out and take them on the sly. A girl there had a disposable camera and I thought this was a brilliant way to get some pictures that will actually look half decent. I will definitely keep this in mind in the future! Let me know if you go to the exhibition and what you think.

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High Street to Catwalk

2013 kicked off with London Collections:Men and ever since everyone has been talking about London Fashion Week which kicks off next month. This time round it seems everyone on the high street wants to be a part of the event, following Topshop who debuted their Topshop Unique collection back in 2005 and has now become a staple part of the LFW schedule. 

Last week Whistles announced they will showcase a Limited Edition collection on the 17th of February as part of London Fashion Week. Chief Executive of Whistles, Jane Shepherdson who has organised the event, was working as brand director at Topshop when they showcased on the catwalk. People have been very opinionated about this but Melanie Rickey (Fashion Editor at Large) thinks it is a good idea. "It's very valid for Whistles to have a runway show, " she tole MyDaily.

As well as Whistles taking part in LFW, high street brand River Island also wants a piece of the action. They are debuted Rihanna's first ever collection with the brand at London Fashion Week. River Island have described the collaboration with pop artist, Rihanna as 'the most anticipated collaboration of 2013'. Would the brand be showcasing at London Fashion Week without Rihanna's name tag? I for one don't think they would, but I am definitely looking forward to seeing the collection. 

H&M is another high street brand that is getting involved in all the fashion week fun. H&M announced earlier this week that they are to debut their Autumn/Winter 2013 collection on the 27th of February at Paris Fashion Week. H&M is known for their collaborations with designers and it isn't their first time on the catwalk so I think they have been welcomed with open arms.

A lot of people are questioning whether there is enough room for high street brands at fashion weeks or if it is ruining the exclusivity that fashion weeks hold. In my opinion brands such as Topshop, H&M, Whistles and River Island all have a huge influence on our wardrobes so should have some input. As long as brands such as Primark and Dorothy Perkins don't get a space on the catwalk then I'm fine with it.

H&M for Paris Fashion Week, Whistles for London Fashion Week and Rihanna for River Island-What's next?

H&M x Versace 

FROW at H&M x Versace

Rihanna x River Island 

Topshop Unique. September 2005

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Blanco

Harper's Bazaar 2013. Photography by: Paola Kudacki. Styling by: Tony Irvine

Candy Magazine. A/W 2012. Photography by: Leon Mark. Styling by Sheila Single.

V Magazine-Spain. Photography by: Oskar Gyllensward. Styling by: Darren Knight

Harper's Bazaar Spain-December 2012. Photography by: Nagi Sakai

Garage Magazine. Autumn/Winter 2012. Photography by Thomas Giddings. Styling by Chloe Kerman

White is making a huge comeback this season with an all white look being a huge trend for 2013. As you would expect this is echoed in many fashion editorials and  I wanted to share with you some of my favourite. I chose Blanco as the name of this post simply because Spain has fully embraced the all white trend(White=Blanco in Spanish). In the above editorials the all white look has been beautifully styled and looks easy to pull off but I'm not sure how easily this will translate onto the streets. Possibly it is more of an spring/summer trend after we have all been off on our holidays. Take a look below at my pick of the best white pieces on the high street right now.

1. Cotton Shirt Dress. J.W Anderson for Topshop

2. White Acne Waffled Knit Jumper

3. All White The Satchel Company. *Exclusive to ASOS* 

4. Faux Pearl collar by KARL at Net-a-porter

5. Skinny white belt at ASOS

6. Smart taloired white trousers-River Island

7. White Midi Dress-Aqua by Aqua *SALE*

8. Arable cut out boots in white-Topshop

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An online portfolio

As a Graduate looking for a career in fashion STANDING OUT is so important. I've been applying for so many jobs recently and eagerly waiting replies , but quite frankly I want to be in a job that I enjoy ASAP! I have a First Class Honours degree and am so passionate about doing well, that I started to think to myself "How can I stand out from the rest?". Most jobs simply only ask for a CV and Covering Letter, and although I apply for jobs I know I can succeed in I think employers need an extra reason to invite me in for an interview. 

I decided that as I am going into a creative industry to think outside the box and create an online portfolio that can be attached to any job application. For anyone in the same position to me it is though extra little things that will make you stand out in amongst those hundreds of applications.

1. My first advice would be to note where your strengths lay and plan 1-2 pages on each one. If you are a stylist then keep your portfolio mainly styling and add a couple of pages of any other interests you may have, eg: writing or photography. My strengths lie in photography, styling, fashion writing and PR so I plan to create a couple of pages on each. I think it is best to put your main interest at the front as this will be the type of jobs you will be applying for most regularly. 

2. Keep it simple, screen shots, images but not a lot of writing. I have included one page at the front that act's as a kind of CV or biography but apart from that it is mostly images. This is designed to make you stand out and not to send your future employer to sleep. 

3. Include a contents page so that if you are applying for a writing role they can go straight to your writing work. This saves time and trust me these people viewing your applications are very busy-they will love this!

4. Be yourself, be honest and show off what you can do. If you have done photography in the past but don't want to do it in the future then don't include this in your portfolio. Otherwise trust me they will see you are an all rounder and plan you do EVERYTHING in your power to benefit them. 

5. Finally save as a PDF so that you can add pages when you get more experience and then send it out to as many people as possible! Remember you can't intern forever. 

I still haven't finished my online portfolio as I only started it last night but I wanted to share with you a bit about what I'm up to. It would be great to see what you think.

Living-in-a-fashion-world

Ooh Oxblood!

1. Oxblood leather skirt from ASOS

2. Classic casio watch with oxblood face

3. Deep purple skater skirt from Topshop

4. Oxblood clutch bag from Russell & Bromley 

5. Deep oxblood bag from 'The Cambridge Satchel Company'. 

6. Polo neck oxblood crop tee

7. Oxblood contrast heel from ASOS

8. Oxblood midi dress from Topshop

Everything on my wish list at the moment seems to have one thing in common-the COLOUR! Oxblood uses a mix of burgundy and maroon tones and I absolutely love it. Whether you have a staple dress such as the Midi dress from Topshop or the leather skirt from ASOS, the colour has the versatility to find a way into everyone's wardrobe. 

The item at the top of my wish list has to be the Russell & Bromley clutch bag perfect for a night out or a date to the cinema. If you need a bit more room for a trip to work then why not try the deep red bag from The Cambridge Satchel company. 

The oxblood look is vampish and elegant and is perfect for an every day look. I would most likely mix Oxblood with a lot of black and some deep cherry lips. What do you think of the Oxblood look?

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Emerging Trend: Meggings

Although I regularly write for menswear magazine, Pause, most of the time my blog posts are photography related or clothes that I would like to wear myself. However whilst at London Collections: Men, I really enjoyed writing about menswear even more and considered starting a separate menswear blog. Then I thought why not start writing a bit more about menswear on my current blog-who know's it might even attract some more male followers. 

Anyway enough about me-this post is about the emerging trend: Meggings (Male leggings)!I know it is hard to think of a time where women's leggings weren't in fashion but trust me there was a time. I remember when leggings started filling our shops and people weren't too sure, but soon enough the streets and catwalks embraced leggings and they have been a wardrobe staple ever since. Meggings, on the other hand are trying to find a way into the male wardrobe, I think the best way to describe them is Marmite. I don't ever think they are going to be as popular as leggings are with women, as quite frankly they are unflattering and very feminine.

The Meggins on the left hand side look very similar to black skinny jeans, I'm just guessing they are a whole lot more comfortable. The pair on the right are a lot more out there and I'm sure will find themselves on the streets of Shoreditch and Dalston in the coming weeks. Thinking back to J.W Anderon's A/W 13 show at London Collections:Men where he had both dresses and very short shorts on display it all of a sudden makes Meggings seem very manly indeed. If you are male, would you wear them? And for the females out there-would you date someone wearing Meggings?

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London Collections: Katie Eary A/W 13

I don't even know where to begin with the Katie Eary Autumn/Winter 2013 collection. By far my favourite of London Collections: Men, I was so pleased it was a show I got to see-and I had great seats. Although the people in front of me had an iPad that seems to block the view of all my pictures, so I have kindly 'borrowed' these images off Vogue. Think, gothic floral, blue craps and lot's of pink and you have this collection down to a tee. The collection had such a good reaction from everybody there, and I heard countless times on the way out 'that was the best show yet', and I have to agree. The sound track to the show was brilliant with Kendrick Lemar, amongst other artists supporting the catwalk show. Sunglasses were another hit for Katie Eary, and unlike the sunglasses at Xander Zhou that in my opinion looked a bit out of place, they really worked! Katie also introduced her womenswear into the collection- think dark gothic vamp. Katie Eary you have won me over with this brilliant A/W 2013 collection- you go girl! 

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London Collections: Shaun Samson A/W 13

My Shaun Samson ticket request was granted very late-in fact the night before the show! When I arrived I was hardly surprised as it was very over crowded. I did get quite a good spot, underneath some photographers, crunched up on the floor but it was worth it. Overall I was very impressed with the general running and show spaces at London Collections: Men, my only vouch would be 'The Hospital Club' show space was far too small and over crowded.

Anyway back to Shaun Samson, his A/W 2013 collection was apparently inspired by monsters and mice. However, I would say it looks more like hockey and American football. The collection had quite a bright colour pallette and a mixutre of snapbacks worn backwards, giving it a street feel. The urban theme continued as there were clothes with an almost graffiti aesthetic. The deep marroons and warm reds complimented each other well in contrast with a lot of black.

 Shaun Samson offered a softer side to the collection as some beige chunky knits came out onto the catwalk. Not to mention a splash of tartan that has been so popular at London Collections:Men this season. Thank you Shaun Samson for a brilliant show.

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London Collections: Baartmans + Siegel A/W 13

Whilst covering the London Collections: Men shows for Who's Jack I went to the Baartmans & Siegel presentation which was in fact in a cinema! Check out the full review at Who's Jack. 

London Collections: Exhibitions A/W 13

Well London Collections:Men may now be over for another season, but what a great event it was! The menswear designers were better than ever and the atmosphere was a lot less pretentious compared to London Fashion Week. To start with the LC:M badges are so much nicer than the tacky landyards at London Fashion Week, and the press lounge and cinema viewing, equally as impressive.

I was working for Who's Jack magazine to cover some shows, and it was hectic but a great experience. I have been to London Fashion Week, but yesterday was the first full day of fashion show's that I have had. I must say I am quite sad it is all over-but don't forget it's nearly London Fashion Week. I covered some great show's that should all be up on Who's Jack very soon. 

In between some shows I found the time to check out the exhibitions at The Hospital Club. I always find exhibition's quite awkward because sometimes the designers are sat with their work and other times it is someone who cannot tell you a thing about their work. I love Christopher Raeburn's previous work so I had to check it out at the exhibitions. 

My favourite piece has to be the jacket with map print all over it. After talking to the represenative for CR, I learnt the jacket was actually made out of recycled vintage leather, and the maps were once real maps. The collection focuses on a lot of military influences and overall I was very impressed. As I missed the Christoper Raeburn catwalk, it was great to see the clothes up close and really appreciate them.

Another designer that has had a lot of press over the last couple of days is the designer, Sibling. Mainly for his 'Please Kill Me' jumper, which is set to be the next big thing. What do you think of his chunky pastel knits?

London Collections: Christopher Shannon A/W 13

"Obsessive, Compulsive, Re-order"-Autumn/Winter 2013

The Christopher Shannon show was the first on my list at London Collections:Men so I was excited to get back in the swing of things and see some new collections. The show was running slightly late, but I bumped into the editor of a menswear magazine I contribute towards, Pause so it worked out quite well. Unfortunately I only had standing tickets so my view wasn't great but I could still appreciate the collection just as well.  Did I mention I spotted the amazing David Gandy on the front row although he did spend the show talking and on his phone (uhumm!).  

Christopher Shannon is a menswear graduate from Central Saint Martins, who first received Newgen sponsorship in 2010. The show opened with my favourite style, a black and white monochrome look. There was an abundance of wool, lots of navy and a splash of red but overall Christopher Shannon displayed his sense of invention whilst playing it safe for his Autumn/Winter 2013 collection. The collection entitled 'Obsessive, Compulsive, Re-order' was inspired by the fabrics found in hoarders homes. One thing that did make Christopher Shannon stand out was the fact that he not only used men in his catwalk collection but also a selection of women. I'm not sure how they felt about being selected for a menswear catwalk show but it certainly got people talking about it. 

  

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