A Change Of Seasons

Over the last few days, there has been a distinct drop in temperature signalling a move from the end of summer to winter. I have been holding off wearing my warmer clothes because it has been quite warm but I think the time has come to roll out the woollies. 

I am actually quite pleased at having the chance to wear my new (or should I say second hand) cable knit cape from Oxfam which is especially useful as I still haven't managed to make a decision on a winter coat. It was one of the capes that I featured in my Friday Finds and at only £8 from Oxfam online I couldn't help but buy it before anyone else snapped it up.

Its funny how a change of weather can trigger so many different outfit ideas when I had been starting to lack inspiration for those in between season sort of outfits. Apart from the cape I have not bought anything for the autumn or winter yet but have loads of ideas for outfits. I did consider wearing my new cape a different way for each day of the week but decided I might get so bored with it that I never wear it again, also it is supposed to warm up again towards the end of the week, perhaps the perfect opportunity to wear some of my jackets.

Cape - Oxfam
Top - Linea at House of Fraser
Skirt - Urban Outfitters
Leggings - New Look
Socks - Peacocks
Boots (El Naturalista) and bag (Esprit) - Spartoo

What will you be wearing to keep cosy and warm this autumn?

Have a lovely week.

Ceri X

Bristol Fashion and Gok

I always feel a bit left out when it comes to London Fashion Week. As it is so timely and costly to get to London, I never make it for more than one day. This year due to gigantic work load I couldn't even do that but consoled  myslelf on Saturday with a visit to the ultimate fashion weeender hosted by Gok Wan  at Cabots Circus, Bristol. At the beginning of the year, I decided that I would cover more local fashion events so here it is.

London Fashion Week it wasn't but it definitely gave me a big reminder that fashion should be fun. Among Auntie Gok's! (as he liked to refer to himself) little pearls of wisdom in the Q&A session were 'If you've got them, get those bad boys out, its what separates the men from the women' in answer to a question about age appropriate dress and 'scruffy is sexy' in response to a question on how to wear scarves (for men) this winter, he also mentioned neutral colours like taupe for menswear.

The fashion shows included Hobbs, French Connection, LK Bennett, Fred Perry and Fat Face. I haven't posted loads of pictures as they mostly featured the backs of peoples heads. I did have the excuse of having two children with me which made it impossible to push to the front or stand on the bench to take photos.

The clothes whilst nothing too groundbreaking were all incredibly stylish. I particularly liked the clothes by Hobbs, a retailer that I have never paid much attention to in the past for some reason. I will definitely be checking it out in my on going search for that perfect coat. I didn't really get much chance to look at the shops with the children in tow (we also spent ages on a very leisurely lunch in Cafe Rouge) but plan to return in the next few weeks. I have only been to Cabots Circus twice since it opened but this event reminded me to stop complaining about not being able to get to London as often as I would like, Cabots Circus has plenty of shops to keep me busy, it only took 40 minutes to get there and parking was much less than I expected at £4 something.

Chubby Pandas

You might have noticed that I have not posted on single post about NYFW or LFW. It is not a complete rebellion again designer fashion or trends for the season ahead, it is just that I haven't really had time to digest what is going on yet as I have been so incredibly busy with work. I do think that sites like style.com do such a good overview of the shows that there is very little I can add without some serious thought. I will get round to it when I am ready (based on current work load, might be next summer!).

So anyway I thought I would post in something a bit different for those who are suffering from fashion week overload. I first heard about Wiloh from Annie Spandex, if you haven't checked out her blog, you definitely should it rocks!

Wiloh is described as eco social apparel which makes a change from 'ethical fashion' which is a word that is really starting to bore me. Basically the site features t shirts made in collaborations with creative people around the world to help promote environmental and social awareness.

Whilst the idea is not really anything new, the level of creativity for this type of project is. The collection is small but very desireable. I am currently on the look out for great t shirts (I need a t shirt but it has to be special not just a plain old white one), these fit the bill perfectly.

My favourite is the Bamboo Panda one by Tokyo Candies, designer Rubens Cantuni who is inspired by, amongst other things tattoos, cartoons, Japanese culture, street art and pop art. Don't we all love a chubby panda! I also will be keeping my eye out for their new collection in October.

Links à la Mode: The IFB Weekly Roundup

Influences, Impressions, and Interpretations of Fashion and what it all means

Edited by: Marie Denee of The Curvy Fashionista

It is without a doubt that fashion makes the world go round. Just last week, Fashion’s Night Out helped revive the economy, fashion week’s across the world bring together old friends, new friends, and those in between. Technology fused with fashion now offers inside perspectives- once only exclusively shared. Adding to this breath of fashion are those who blog.

This week’s roundup offers a retrospect of fashion as New York Fashion Week comes to a close, designers have teased us with what’s to come, and the world comes back to life- the fashion blogger’s mind only now begins to race with influences, impressions, and interpretations of Fall Fashion and what it all means…

• Amanda Brohman: How the nerds(and their style) conquered the fashion world:


• Amanda Lee Dot Org: How to Make High Heels Bearable


• Denim Debutante: Wearing White AFTER Labor Day


• Dirty Hems: Fashion is a Tramp: the cyclical nature of cultural appropriation in fashion, particularly pertaining to the homeless & “hobo-chic”


• Dramatis Personae: Fall Fantasy Lookbook- the bits and pieces I’m coveting for Fall ’10


• Fashioncents: 3 guidelines for wearing or not wearing socks with shoes. It’s time we all got on the right foot with this one.


• For Those About to Shop: So much invaluable information at the IFB conference. I decided to take Gala’s advice and write my first “how to”:


• Grechen Blogs: how to make your fashion blog more user-friendly


• Houndstooth and Tortoiseshell: So, how do you make it in the fashion industry: Real life advice on how to break into the fashion biz from a successful runway producer.


• Interrobangs Anonymous: Gender roles in fashion blogging:


• Mimosas in Bed: The big apple gets evolved


• Pretty Shiny Sparkly: The Thrift Virgin – One girl’s deflowering when it comes to thrift shopping fashion.


• Previously Owned: Exclusivity vs. availability: New media taking over?


• SLSVGG Fashion: The best bits of London’s Fashion Night Out


• Style Eyes Fashion: Join the evolution for a new fashion democracy – do you get fed up with being told what you ‘must have for the season ahead’ here’s how to end the dictatorship and have your say.


• Style Spotting: Fashion’s Night Out in LA with celeb stylist Taylor Jacobson and her collaboration with Kasil denim. Loved her hot rocker chic!


• The Curvy Fashionista: My Fall 2010 Luxe(wish)list- aka my birthday wishlist


• The Lingerie Addict: Should You Buy Your Lingerie Online or In Stores? A brief guide to knowing the best place to buy your most intimate fashions.


• The Little Curly Girl: The camel coat is one of the most talked about pieces for Fall 2010. Will you be wearing one this season?


• Your Saving Style: A Thought About Real Women

Sponsor:

Now at Shopbop: Ever - LD Tuttle -DL1961 - Tapeet - IRO - MiH - Factory - Sexy Tops

Long Time No See

It seems like long time since I last posted, thing got a bit busy last week and I just seemed to run out of time. I am now feeling organised, in control and ready for more blogging andI hope to get back to visiting all of my favourite blogs that I have been missing out on over the last week.

This weekend I have been to Cardiff for a late anniversairy celebration with Mr Style Eyes. We has a really relaxing time at the Holland House with a Spa break package which I would thoroughly recommend if you are feeling a bit stressed.

We also managed to fit in a little wandering around the shops, unfortunately depsite trying on loads of coats, I am yet to find the one of my dreams, the hunt goes on. I had previously decided to go for the Alia coat at Coast. But when I went to make the most of a 20% discount that was running to order it, I discovered the colour was actually a shade lighter than the one in the lookbook. More a light sand than camel, this colour really doesn't suit me so that was that - how annoying, I have been waiting for it to come into stock for ages!

Here are few of my outfits from the last week.

This was one day when I was around the house, working. Not sure why, but I decided I wanted to look a mess (must be the rebellious streak in me), this outfit was the result.

Dress (I wear it as a top) - Your Eyes Lie
Waistcoat - Dorothy Perkins
Jeans - An old pair which I bleached
Necklace- Dorothy Perkins
Shoes - Urban Outfitters

This was the outfit I wore on Saturday night. We went for a meal in the hotel and then out for a drink in Cardiff. The top and cardigan are both about 10 years old. The skirt is the first new piece of clothing that I have bought for ages. I was really pleased with it as it is so comfy and easy to wear, I know I will wear it loads. I also treated my self to new Chanel Rouge Noir lipstick. I have always wanted it but thought the colour might be too dark for me.

Cropped cardigan - Topshop

Top - Dorothy Perkins

Lace skirt - Next

Shoes - ASOS

Necklace - Christian Dior (a wedding present from Mr Style Eyes)

Join The Revolution For A New Fashion Democracy

I have been getting a bit fed up lately by magazines telling me what I must have for the season ahead. Based on the word of just one person (or maybe 3 or 4), the whole country is supposed to be wearing a camel cape. This just seems a little absurd to me. I like to follow fashion but I will pick out what I want to wear.

The Shopping Forecast , a brand new interactive website, has come at just the right time for me. A time when I am becoming a little disheartened with the 'fashion dictatorship'. I want to get inspiration but not be told what to wear and this site offers an interesting new democratic approach to the trends for the season ahead.

The site allows you (and everyone else), the chance to have your say about what you would love to see in the shops, by voting and rating the items of clothing on the site. Your vote actually really counts and the data will be used to provide information to buyers to help them decide on the clothes to stock for the season ahead, hopefully making it easier for us all to buy the lovely clothes that we like and want. Another key benefit to this approach is that there will hopefully be less waste caused by the clothes in the shops that no one wants to buy, which is also better for the environment.

You can also comment on items, check out what everyone else likes and save your favourites to your own personal wardrobe. By signing up and voting you also get the chance to win your favourite item each month.

The items that appear on the Shopping Forecast are selected by a style council comprising of self confessed fashion enthusiasts and some experts. I am on the style council (definitely as an enthusiast rather than expert) along with some other fashion bloggers that you might just recognise.

Here are just a few of my picks for this autumn and winter. You can sign up to rate/ vote these and lots more pieces here. I would love to here your thoughts. Which clothes do you want for the autumn and winter?

Ceri X

Walking On Sunshine - 11 Years!

This weekend was mine and Mr Style Eyes 11th Wedding Anniversary. We had congratulations and plenty of advice and strange comments like 'well you have been really lucky lasting this long' (whats luck got to do with it?), 'you have to work hard at a marriage' (makes it sound like a death sentence, we actually enjoy being married) and 'there aren't many that make it to 11 years' (thanks for the happy thoughts).

I will have to admit it is not bad being married to Mr Style Eyes, he does buy me flowers every week, sometimes more, usually turns a blind eye to my shopping sprees, he cooks an amazing Sunday dinner every weekend and I never ever have to take the bin out or clean my own shoes. He also grows amazing veggies in the garden. But all of those things aren't really as important as the fact that he makes me laugh and is great company (cheesy but true).

Our wedding day seems like a long time ago but I still have very happy memories of the day. Well all of it until a friend of ours decided to strip off and swim lengths up and down the swimming pool completely naked. The stress it all, my dad shouting at him to get out and probably far too much champagne caused me to burst into hysterical tears. If it happened now I wouldn't be able to stop laughing. But I guess he got what he deserved when he fell over the wall to the swimming pool and broke his ribs (not that he even noticed until the next day)!

Anyway enough reminiscing.

Despite the fact that we weren't going any where (we will be celebrating properly next weekend) just having a Chinese with the girls, I decided to make an effort and wear my new vintage dress, purchased on ebay. Despite the fact that it smelt of smoke (I have now washed it) and needed a few little repairs with the needle and thread and has a crinkly collar that I can't seem to press flat, I still love it.

Our daughter made us a beautiful anniversary card. Love the fact that she has made me super tall.

I have been craving homemade lemonade for some time and on Sunday, my daughter made some (with a little help), It was Delicious and just what I needed to clear my cold.

As the sun was shining, I took full advantage of the opportunity to wear bright clothes. Actually I have decided to start a rebellion against neutrals. By next week I will, no doubt find myself in neutrals again. It is just so easy to wear them and sometimes I do just want to blend rather than stick out like a sore thumb but bright colours do make me feel happy.

Jeggings - Topshop

Top- charity shop

Top worn as waist coat -

beads - present from Mum

Shoes - Spartoo

Hope you had a lovely weekend

Ceri X

Weekly Fashion Round Up

This week there seems to be so much fashionable stuff going on. Here are just a few of the highlights for me.

I was really disappointed not to be able to attend IFB Evolving Influence Conference (it is just too far). I am hoping that one day, there may be one in London. For those like me who couldn't attend, there is some great coverage on the IFB website. I have also read a great post on For Those About To Shop which has a great summary of the coverage in the post How to get followers to your fashion blog .

Other exciting stuff this week was the launch of a great new website called Young British Designers. The name says it all really, the site sell designs by some of the more well known new designers like Danielle Scutt and Kinder Agguginni, some of the newer and less known up and comings plus quite a few sustainable designers like Minna, Nina Dolciletti and Ada Zandition. Also the launch of the new Biba label for House of Fraser. This collection is pure glamour - I love it, you can see what I had to say about it in my post Biba designer collection launches at House of Fraser.

I have also reviewed some stunning party dresses by Rare Opulence, this week.

Finally I noticed that to celebrate Price Charles Garden Party with a difference People Tree are offering 10% off their gorgeous new autumn winter collection, until midnight Tues (14th Sep) when you enter GPTMD at checkout.

Image - J.W. Anderson from http://www.youngbritishdesigners.com/

Friday Finds - Organic T shirts

I have never been much of a t shirt wearer but lately I have had an urge to wear more t shirts as I think a slogan or picture t shirt would be an easy option with a smart jacket. T shirts are the one thing that are not difficult to buy ethical and eco friendly. Here are some of my favourite finds.


Ying Yang T shirt by Not Just A Label

Always on V neck organic t shirt Red Robot

Marine Conservation Society organic fitted T shirt

Camilla Norrback Viveka organic printed t shirt

EJF organic fairtrade T shirt designed by Alice Temperly

Would you wear an evening dress to pop to Tesco?

I really wanted a maxi skirt for the autumn as they are so easy to wear. I have looked around but so far have come up with ones in synthetic fabrics. I also have a problem with maxi skirts as I am only 5ft 2. First many of them don't fit me and secondly they need to be quite a slim fit or they look too much.

This black evening dress was on rail to sell, swap or donate (bought for me by my mum and for a uni ball almost 15 years ago, I think that almost makes it vintage),when it suddenly occurred to me that it has a maxi skirt on it. Why not wear it instead of a maxi skirt.

It is made of a crinkly material and has an empire line so is comfortable and flattering. The skirt also flares only slightly and drapes well. Best of all it fits me just right so no alternations needed. The benefit of it being a dress over a skirt is that I can also wear it with cropped tops which I could never do with a skirt because of my tummy. I also quite like the idea of wearing my evening dress to pop down Tescos or pick the children up from school

Here are a few of the outfits I have made with it but I am absolutely sure I have yet to exploit it to its full potential.
With a vintage kimono jacket I got from ebay. Actually it was more of a kimono style dressing gown in a synthetic sort of fabric but I loved the floral pattern. It looked too long on me so for the purpose of this photo I have folded it under as I haven't had time to take it up yet. Belt - Next, Wedge boots - Topshop.

With an old cashmere Karen Millen jumper. I love this jumper as it is so soft but it had a big moth hole right in the front of it. I haven't been able to part with it and it suddenly dawned on me why not make it into a cropped jumper. Again for the purpose of the photo I have just folded it under as I haven't had time to take it up yet. Elephant necklace - Etsy, Suede bag - Dorothy Perkins.

For an even more relaxed look I tried it with this grungey grey jersey jacket which I got in the Next sales a year or two ago with a necklace which was a birthday present from my mum.
I love the idea of multi tasking clothes that you can adapt for different occasions and outfits. I have spotted some other examples of multi tasking recently on Gem Fatale with her granny skirt which turns into a dress and Disney Roller Girl with jumpers worn as scarves (perhaps another great idea for my lovely soft moth eaten jumper).
Do have any great multi tasking clothes? Would you consider wearing an evening dress or even a Christmas party dress to pop down Tesco?

Weekly Shopping and Goodies 8/09/10

A Few Goody Gumdrops loves the latest 6126 Collection from Lindsay Lohan especially the sequin blazer!
Child Mode announces Heidi Klum for New Balance Collection
Style Eyes takes a look at the first ever designer collection to be funded entirely by fans by Kate Eary at Catwalk Genius
Couture In The City bring out your wild side this fall!
Fashion Cents gives you 3 guidelines for wearing or not wearing socks with shoes. Now we can all get on the right foot.
Check out RedPoppy Fashion's Fall fashion wish list, and the most perfect pleated skirt of the season!
Shopping and Info wants the crossbody bag seen on Vanessa Hudgens by Cole Haan.
StyleMaven shops for her favorite lady like shoe of the season - Kitten Heels are on trend for Fall!
The Bare Skinny shows you Fifty Wicked Wedges!
TheFind tells you how to keep your summer glow year round with the best Sheer Body Shimmers.
Violet Revolution answers: How to look stylish without (or with) a coat this fall!

Image from Red Poppy

Kate Eary@Catwalk Genius

The new Kate Eary @ Catwalk Genius collection is now available to buy. Of course, this post is going to be a bit of a sales pitch as I have invested through the Catwalk Genius fan funding scheme and really want to see it do well. But I have no doubt that this collection will sell out in its own with out any help from me.

The collection is small but perfectly formed with some amazing digital prints inspired by the natural world and featuring close ups of snakes and feathers. The bodycon dress would definitely be my first choice but if finances would allow, it would look amazing with the tights. I love the colours of these prints and the whole photograph print trend seems to be every where at the moment.

Katie Eary's menswear has been attracting massive critical acclaim since the launch of the label as part of the Fashion East MAN collective. Her female fans include style leaders like Lady Gaga, Kate Moss, Courtney Love, Roisin Murphy, Sienna Miller.

The collection is very limited so get yourself a piece here quick!

In the video below Kate Eary talks to Catwalk Genius on becoming the first ever fan funded designer.

Win Tickets To Vintage Fashion In Primrose Hill

A growing number of people arewearing vintage clothing, either because they love the styles of clothes from a particular era, want to find something a little different to the clothes they would find on the high street or to be sure that their shopping has a minimal environmental impact. But sometimes it can be a little time consuming to find exactly what you want in just the right size. A vintage fair is a great way to browse loads of vintage stuff in one go without having to trawl from shop to shop or across London.

Vintage Fashion London regularly holds vintage fairs in Primrose Hill at Cecil Sharp House. The next vintage fair will be on Sunday (12th September)and we have two free tickets to give away. If you would like win please leave a comment below about why you would like to go or why you love vintage before 8pm on Thursday.

The fair will include a wide selection of affordable Vintage clothing, hats, handbags, gloves, shoes, jewellery and textiles from 1800’s – 1980’s. There will also be home made food and refreshments available.

Doors open at 11am and close at 5pm.

For further information http://www.vintagefashionlondon.co.uk/vintage-fashion-fair-primrose-hill/

Weekly Fashion Round Up

It has been another busy old week with blog posts galore. The highlight being the opportunity to write my post on 'How to green your fashion blog' on Independent Fashion Bloggers.

Other posts that I have been writing have included A themed wedding dress - I never had a theme for my wedding day but would love to renew my wedding vows with a twenties theme at some point (we have been married 11 years this month). I am also obsessed with animal print dresses and have listed my top ten favourites and am quite excited about the launch of the new Emma Watson collection with People Tree.

I can't wait for next week, which involves the launch of an exciting new website which will involve working with some of my favourite fashion bloggers. There will also be a giveaway with tickets to an exciting event in London. Also Mr Style Eyes is on the hunt for a retro VW camper van ready for festivals for next year. I can't wait, I am planning to kit it out with antique china, floral bunting and lots of other retro goodies.

Other stuff that has caught my eye, is Curve Id from Levis. I have always had trouble finding the perfect fitting pair of jeans and I think this is a great idea. Often my jeans are tighter on the hips and loose on the waist so I think bold curve might be just what I need.

Thats it for today. Thanking everyone for their lovely comments which brighten up my day(and really mean a lot to me). Hoping you have a fabulous week.

Have an amazing week.

Ceri X

Image from the Fashion Buzz

Friday Finds - Vintage Capes

Whilst looking for classic coats for my Friday Finds post a few weeks ago, I stumbled across some very lovely vintage capes. I was tempted to include them in that post but as there were so many, I decided to dedicate this week to vintage capes. Capes are back in fashion and I love the shape of them. Some of these capes are a little pricey but I think the excellent quality and materials that they are made from justify the price.


Faux Fur 1960's Cape - Oxfam

Vintage Wool Cape with Shearling Collar - KamiSues Etsy

Vintage 70's Black Wool Embroidered Cape - Scary Canary Vintage Ebay

Vintage 1960's Andrew Stewart Mohair Cape - Scary Canary Vintage Ebay

Welsh Wool Coat Cape - Scary Canary Vintage Ebay

Vintage 1960's Andrew Stewart Mohair Cape - ebay

Pale grey knitted cape - Oxfam

What do you think of these vintage capes? Would you opt for a cape instead of a winter coat?

Ceri X