Ethical and Eco Fashion Updates

There seems to be so much going on with ethical and eco fashion and so many affordable ethical fashion brands at the moment, I just wanted to share with you some of the stuff that I am really excited about

ASOS Africa for Autumn Winter 2011

I am really loving the new ASOS Africa collection which comprises of a  number of pieces which are perfect for everyday wear. The designs feature rich tones combined with utilitarian inpsired neutral pieces, bold African inspired prints and some fun quilted pieces. If budget usually puts you off ethical fashion collections, you should definitely check this out as it is very reasonably priced.

Orla Kiely for People Tree

If you are a print-a-holic like me then you may well be a fan of the London based designer Orla Kiely. She has interesingly just released a collaboration with People Tree full of some very desirable pieces including cosy knitwear, trench coats and fifties style dresses in lovely warm autumn tones. I love the attention to detail including hand embroidery. My favourite piece is the beautiful mustard yellow trench coat.

Oxfam Street Style Contest

I regularly buy clothes from Oxfam online. It is quicker and easier than trawling the local charity shops and also has a great selection of both second hand and vintage pieces. With the current situation in East Africa, it is also a good way to support a charity which provides so much aid and development work in these regions. I was really excited to see that they currently have a streetstyle competiton running. You can send a picture of your streetstyle fashion featuring one Oxfam piece to them via Twitter and will recieve a 10% off voucher code. The winner will be featured on the Oxfam blog and get a voucher to spend on the site. I am definitely going to give it a go!

30% Off Made Satchels

Satchels seem to the most on trend style of bag for this autumn and winter but are also a classic look that will never go out of fashion. Made is an organisation which produces Fairtrade accessories in its workshops in Kenyan. Until 11th September, they have 30% off their range of satchels made from sustainably sourced African leather. The largest bag is big enough to fit a laptop. (Made also have some very lovely jewellery).

Free tickets for Vintage fashion Fair London

The next Vintage Fashion Fair London will be held on 11th September in Primrose Hill. There are a limited number of free tickets available from  http://www.vintagefashionfairlondon.co.uk/. I can definitely recommend it, I went in July and got myself a lovely 1960's lace dress which I will be featuring in an outfit post soon. There is a great selection of affordable and designer pieces and the stallholders are both friendly and knowledgable.

That is it for now. Thanks for all the encouraging comments in my last post about Style Eyes Fashion Blog going green, I now feel really confident that I am making the right decision.

With warmest wishes

Ceri X

Style Eyes Fashion Blog Goes Green

You might have noticed that Style Eyes Fashion Blog has had a bit of an overhaul. This is just a small part of my plans for the blog over the next few months, but after much thought and consideration I have decided that Style Eyes should go green. Actually the design of the blog will stay pink but the blog will be branded more as a sustainable, eco and ethical fashion blog. I don't really plan to change what I post about that much.It will still feature outfits including charity shop, vintage and ethical finds combined with some pieces from the high street, DIY and inspiration but I just want to spread the message that you can be fashionable and ethical and it doesn't have to cost loads of money.

Style Eyes Fashion Blog went green quite a while ago as I love fashion and blogging but found it difficult to justify to myself constantly posting about (and persuading others into) buying new things. You can read more about the transition in my post for IFB How to green your fashion blog. If you read regularly, you might notice that many of my clothes are charity shop, vintage, ethical and second hand, but I was a little scared of actually marketing myself as ethical, eco and sustainable for two reasons. Firstly I thought it might scare off some of my readers as they might have no interest in eco fashion  and secondly I thought I would be wrong to call myself a green/ ethical blog if I didn't post only about clothes or outfits that were completely eco friendly or from ethical brands.

I have decided to go for it now though as I would rather be upfront and honest with my readers that this blog is about fashion but in the most sustainable way possible. I am hoping that those who visit my blog regularly will continue to do so and enjoy my posts. I will sometimes feature items that are not second hand, vintage or from ethical brands, afterall I do my best but I am not perfect. But my overall shopping will always be about buying clothing that will last as opposed to fast and throwaway fashion. I hope for the blog to help and inspire people to make changes to the clothes they wear and the way they shop but by no means expect anyone to completely change to an entirely ethical and sustainable wardrobe.

So I would be really interested to know what you think? Would you be put off reading a fashion blog that is branded as green/ ethical? Do you think it is acceptible to write a green fashion blog when not all of my clothes are strictly speaking green?

What sort of posts are you most interested in reading?

Thanks in advance for your feedback

With warmest wishes

Ceri X

Volksfest Wales and the Gower Peninsula

I am just back from my latest holiday which included Volksfest Wales followed by 5 days in the Gower Peninsula in Wales. Feeling a little sad that this was our last Campervan trip of the  year but definitely can't complain as we have had an amazing summer and despite the British weather not one of trips has really bad weather.

Blouse - H!Henry Holland at Debenhams

Vest Top - ASOS

Leggings - People Tree

Shoes - Spartoo

Denim Skirt - Customised

Bag - Monsoon

Necklace - Shop in Victoria Station

 

T shirt - charity shop

Cutoffs - customised myself

I have been kind of running out of inspiration for camping outfits this time especially as I had no idea what the weather would be like so I decided to stick with some of my tried and tested options. On the Saturday night there was a fancy dress theme of heroes and villains. I wasn't going to bother investing any time or money in a fancy dress outfit but I spotted a Batman T shirt in the local charity shop for £3 so decided to make half an effort.

As usual I took loads of photos of all the VW's but won't bore you by posting them all. If you are interested there are a few on my Tumblr.

Unfortunately Saturday night was ruined a bit by the inconsiderate people who decided to stay in the family camping field even though they clearly weren't a family then proceeded to argue and fight for most of the night keeping everyone awake with their foul language. After that we decided to move on a day earlier than planned to the piece and quiet of the Gower Peninsula.

T Shirt and shorts - customised myself

Boob tube - charity shop

bag - Monsoon

Jacket - La Redoute

Cardigan - M & S

Hat - Dents (TK Maxx)

Jeans- M& S Indigo Green

The Gower Peninsula was quiet and very beautiful. I can't believe I have never even been there before as it is only a few hours drive away, although slightly longer going at Roberta (our campervan) speed. We made sandcastles, went rockpooling, had barbeques and drink beer and I even braved the cold water and went bodyboarding once.

Anyway home now and back to reality!

Hope you have a great bank holiday weekend if you are in the UK. For those in the US, hoping that Hurricane Irene doesn't cause too much damage and destruction., stay safe.

With warmest wishes

Ceri X

Lengthen, Stream line and Slim

Dress - People Tree

Belt - Next

Scarf - ASOS
Shoes - No Name

Necklace - shop in Victoria Station

I have always loved wearing scarves, especially long scarves as they have an amazing ability to lengthen, streamline and slim the body, which for someone as short as me is great. I had almost written this dress as far too unflattering to wear, what with my mummy tummy. Today I decided to give it a try with a scarf though and really liked the look, even with the belt which can at times make me look like a sack of potatoes. Not the most exciting outfit I have ever worn but I felt really comfortable in it. I have quite a big collection of scarves and will hopefully be getting plenty of wear out of them once Autumn arrives.

Do you wear scarves? what is your favourite way to wear them?

With warmest wishes

Ceri X

P.S.  If you are plus sized, you might be interested to know about another website http://www.onestopplus.co.uk, I recently came across which has some great pieces for slimming, lengthening and streamlining

First Girls Night Out In Ages

Dress - Vintage

Leggings - People Tree

Shoes - Dkode

Jacket - Gestuz

Bag - Dorothy Perkins

It is not that often I get to go on a girls night out. Saturday was my first girls night out in ages. As usual, after hours of thinking about what to wear, I just couldn't make up my mind and I ended up getting ready in a huge rush. What sort of thing do people wear for a girls night out at the local pub? I haven't been for so long so have not the slightest idea.

Anyway these pictures were taken very quickly, my friend text to say she was already there and getting the drinks in. I was out of the door like a shot.

I had a great night. I definitely feel like I should try and make time for girls nights out more often. How often do you go out with the girls?

If you're planning on having a night out with the girls, but haven't got any shoes to go with your outfit, then there is a great range to check out at the Very site. Visit www.very.co.uk to find out more information.

With warmest wishes

Ceri X

Shoe Lust List

I try not to make to many wish lists but when it comes to shoes I just can't help myself. I like to have different shoes to go with different outfits and I also really love my shoes to make a statement. The right pair of shoes can transform an outfit whilst the wrong pair can completely ruin it. Despite the many pairs of shoes that I have, I sometimes still have difficulty finding just the right shoes to go with some outfits. Here are some that I have spotted recently and I know exactly how I could wear them.

These Chie Mihara Regalito shoes have a vintage feel but also look fresh and on trend. They also have a heel which I love but are not too high so I could quite happily wear and walk in them on an everyday basis. They would go with plenty of my bright printed summer outfits but would also be great for adding a bit of colour to a neutral dress. I often struggles for shoes to wear with lady like skirts and dresses, these would be ideal.

You can always count on Ash to have some of the most on trend shoes around. If I had to pick just one style that I loved fpr Autumn Winter 2011, it would be very difficult but I think it would be these. They are amazing I love the suede wedge heels, I love the zips and I love the folded over lining. They look so cosy.

I am definitely planning on wearing the sixties mod trend this winter so I will be needing some knee high boots to wear with my shift dresses. This Hush Puppies pair look really comfortable and incredibly versatile.   What shoes are you currently lusting after?

With warmest wishes

Ceri X

FBFF Manicure Party - Cherry Nails

I have been thinking about having a go at some nail art for some time now. I have seen so many amazing tutorials but I can rarely find the time to spend on my nails. When I do manage to make an effort which usually involves just painting them one colour for a rare big night out, I usually get sidetracked into doing something else before they are dry and they end up a splodgy mess. 

When I read about this weeks topic for FBFF, I decided it was high time I gave nail art a go. Ideally I would have liked to have tried Smurf nails like Katy Perry wore for the Smurfs premier and I found a great tutorial here. But as a complete novice to nail art I thought I would try something a little simpler. I like to keep my nails quite short and they are really small anyway so a complete work of art is likely to prove difficult.

Inspired the t shirt that I was wearing yesterday, another DIY project, I decided to have a go at cherry nails. At first I was just going to go a cherry on one nail, but that didn't look enough, so I did them all. I just used some of the many polishes that I had stashed in my drawer. All I did was file my nails, paint on two coats of a kind of nude colour, then two splodges of red and a green stalk (I didn't have any green so used a felt tip pen!) followed by a coat of clear.

Here is the end result. I didn't really think that by wearing a massive ring, the camera would focus on the ring rather than the nails, but it is probably for the best as they are a bit of splodgy mess. On reflection my first attempt at nail art wasn't a huge success. Perhaps a black nail pen to outline the cherries would have made them stand out and disguised the wiggly edges. A green nail pen or green polish and brush would definitely be an improvement on a felt tip pen for the cherry stalks. Perhaps something for the Christmas list.

I would love to know if you have any nail art tips?

You can see the rest of the FBFF manicure party links at Lifestyle of the Thrifty and Shameless. You can also find out more about the Fashion and Beauty Friends Friday group at Modly Chic.

With warmest wishes

Ceri X

Should it stay or should it go?

I a bit of a hoarder when it comes to clothes, actually I am a lot of a hoarder. I rarely get rid of clothes unless they are worn out, they don't fit or they seriously don't suit me and I made a major mistake in buying them in the first place. Even then I often hang onto them anyway, just incase they fit me again  at some point or I can upcycle them into something else.

Hoarding clothes like I do goes against all the stylist and fashion editors rules. It is usually recommended that you edit your wardrobe regularly to allow you to work out what clothes you have, keep your wardrobe clutter free and make it easier to decide what to wear. My wardrobe is most definitely not clutter free and when my existing wardrobe got too full, Mr Style Eyes kindly built me another walk in wardrobe which is now almost at bursting point too.

Whilst buying lots of clothes that you don't need is wasteful and bad for the environment and storing them ties up valuable resources, in some ways, I think hoarding can be a good choice. Compared to many women I know I buy relatively few clothes but I just don't like getting rid of anything. I often find that if I bag something up and put up in the loft because I am bored of it, when I bring it down, I like it again and in some cases it has come back in fashion again. This saves me having to go out and buy lots of clothes to refresh my wardrobe all of the time.

Todays outfit was made with just such a dress. I bought it years ago (about 10 I think) in a Topshop sale. I wore it a few times but after having children decided it didn't look great and stuck it in a bin bag up in the loft. Every now and then, I get a few bin bags down (or Mr Style Eyes does) and I have a dig around to see what I have, which can be almost as fun as going shopping for new stuff.

Dress - Topshop

Belt - Monsoon

Shoes - Spartoo

Necklace - New Look

How about you? do you hoard or edit?

Hope you are having a great week. I have  been really busy with work, holidays and the girls home from school over the last few weeks and have  really been missing reading my favourite blogs as regularly as usual. I look forward to stopping by soon.

With warmest wishes

Ceri X

Florrie's Floral Festivities

Intrinsically Florrie is one of my favourite blogs, I am constantly inspired by Florries beautiful floral prints so when she decided to celebrate her blog birthday with some floral festivities I couldn't resist taking part. I was really surprised when I found out that I had won the prize for the most florals in on outfit. You can see my outfit here and I would defintiely recommend that you check out all of the other outfits here if you need some floral inspiration.

When I got back from the festival last week, there was a parcel from Florrie waiting for me, sooo excited, I have never won anything before. In keeping with the floral theme, I won a beautiful flower which can be worn as a brooch or hair clip, such a versatile accessory which I know I will get lots of wear from. I decided to celebrate with another floral outfit this time accessoried with my new flower.

Dress - New Look

Locket - present

Flower haiclip - prize!

Shoes - No Name

Camp Bestival

Yesterday I arrived back from an exhausting but very fun four days at Camp Bestival at Lulworth Castle in Dorset. Camp Bestival is a kind of music festival but with loads of entertainment for children and more family friendly facilties than your average festival. This is the perfect combination for me as the children get to do what they want all day and later on we got to listen to some top music. The festival is organised by Radio 1 DJ Rob da Bank through his empire Sunday Best. It had a magical atmosphere partly created by the design of the site by Josie da Bank which included the Bollywood tent which was handstitched in India and housed a bar and DJ's and was surrounded by canopied day beds on the grass outside.

The highlights of the festival for me were dancing the night away to Groove Armada whilst children were safetly tucked up and asleep with their ear protectors and piles of blankets in a trolley, seeing and hearing Mark Ronson including a tribute to Amy Winehouse, dancing around the picnic blanket to The Wonderstuff, one of my favourite teenage bands and the headline act on Sunday night Primal Scream playing their iconic Screamadelica album, another favourite from my teens.

It wasn't just about the music though, there was so much to do that I only managed to see a fraction of it. I did have a go at pilates in the English National Ballet tent, the girls tried on the most amazing tutu with beautiful embellishments, I had a temporary fairy tattoo, the girls had their faces painted and we made pom poms which gave me some inspiration for some DIY accessories that I might try making. We also watched the medieval jousting which was spectacular and featured the horses and riders that are used for the stunts in many big films including the most recent Pirate of the Carribean.

I also really enjoyed just chilling out, people watching, munching on a very tasty burrito and swilling back a few bellinis whilst soaking up the relaxed vibes.  The theme of the festival was medieval which was perfectly fitting with the magical backdrop of Lulworth castle which was lit in changing colours once the sun went down. Everybody was incredibly relaxed and friendly (accept for the carnage at the Peppa Pig meet and greet!), the weather was perfect and everywhere there were huge bubbles floating up into the sky.

I love the fact that you could wear pretty much whatever you liked and no one would bat an eyelid. Apart from princesses, knights, monks outfits that were worn for the medieval fancy dress, there were also all sorts of other random fancy dress outfits. There was the usual army of girls in the same sort of uniform of denim shorts, blouses and flower garlands or trilby hats. I especially loved all of the eclectic and colourful clothes that I saw and the crazy accessories. I took the opportunity to wear my fairy wings which were a bit old and battered as I borrowed them from the girls. Next year  I will definitely be investing a bigger and more sparkly new pair.

A big thank you to all of those who have commented and shared their festival tips. My prepared outfits worked well, but I was just lucky it didn't get cold or wet as I realised after arriving that I wasn't that well prepared and unusally for me had only taken exactly one outfit per day. My advice for festivals is to make sure that you have a small bottle of sanitising hand gel and tissues or toilet  roll in your bag. I aslo thought the £5 shower and £25 shower tent that we took with us was a worthwhile investment as I got to have a shower every morning which made me feel so much better.

I hope you had a good weekend

With warmest wishes

Ceri X