Peace, Love & Zara Taylor Jewellery

             All you really need in life is a little peace and love, and good jewellery of course. When it comes to Zara Taylor’s London-based brand, you can have all three. I was introduced to Taylor’s creations firsthand at her boutique in East Dulwich. The shop was a treasure trove of temptations, an Aladdin’s cave. Chains and rings melded with semiprecious stones and gems caught my magpie eyes. That makes Taylor the magical genie granting our every wish, and she is happy to do so by making minor alterations in-store. Tucked inside a little alcove of the boutique is her workshop, where she tinkers to her heart’s content – the fruits of her labor laid out only a few steps away on warm wooden displays.

             Taylor scours vintage markets for unique and quirky finds to incorporate into her jewellery, and it is this love for vintage that inspired her to launch her designs in 2010. That influence is very much alive in her boutique, with it’s inviting décor and homey feel. She even operates from an antique cash register, the kind that essentially lets out a jubilant “Ka-ching!” each time a transaction is made. Taylor was born and raised in South London and is of Irish and Thai descent. This multiculturalism, coupled with her travelling experiences, informs her creative process today. The result is a range of eclectic jewellery that maintains a vintage feel at its heart – the more, the merrier!

             Celebrities such as Fearne Cotton, Kelly Rowland, Jessie J, Taylor Swift, and Millie Mackintosh (who wore the Peace & Love Earrings on an episode of Made in Chelsea) are fans of Taylor's work. If that wasn't enough of a selling point already, the prices for all of the pieces are relatively low, while the cost of impact is high, high, high!             

             Rather than being encased in glass, as at most jewellery shops, rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings are eager to be picked up and put on. Each piece is meant to feel like an heirloom. An article entitled “Rich Mix” by Ellie Pithers in the March issue of Vogue proposed heirlooms as the new “it” accessory. They’re making a comeback in a big way. We want to feel connected and emotionally attached to our jewellery more than ever before. The Future Laboratory, a consultancy responsible for trend forecasting, “sees [it] as part of a broader shift in the luxury market towards storytelling.” 

             Every heirloom has to start somewhere and with Taylor’s jewellery, you can create your own story. Whether that story involves evil eyes, subtlety, gothic skulls, dainty amulets, exotic animals, notice-me pendants, chokers, charms, or metals, there’s something for everyone to begin telling theirs. Besides, since Vogue is the fashion bible, it would be sacrilege not to obey...

             Unlike a thieving magpie, I was given my treasures to take away with me and I will now share how I styled them. Jewellery polishes off any outfit and presents so many opportunities for self-expression. The most exciting part resides in the fact that these same pieces can be styled in a myriad of different ways, depending on each individuals' personal preferences. 

             For my first outfit, I wore Zara Taylor's Peace & Love Ring in silver, the Peace Stud Earrings in white, and the Peace & Love Long Chain Pendant in silver. Since it's festival season, I opted for a bohemian look with fringing, patterns, and a flower crown, adorned with the recurring peace and love motif, which naturally screams hippie chic. I would like to give a big thank you to my friend, Christian Johnson, for taking the following photos. 

             To get in touch with my inner Pink Lady à la Grease, I wore Zara Taylor's Crystal Ear Jacket Earrings in gold and the Diamond Shaped Ring in gold for my second outfit. I can't get enough of front-back earrings at the moment and these Zara Taylor ones are the perfect addition to my growing collection with crystals that catch the light. I would like to give a big thank you to my friend, Sunna Naseer, for taking the following photos. 

             Now it's your turn to get shopping and get styling! Check out the Zara Taylor Jewellery website here or pay a visit to the boutique in East Dulwich.

Hola Bohemian Jewellery Tattoos

             I briefly relocated My London Dream to Barcelona to give Bohemian Jewellery Tattoos a spin! What better place to show off the British-based brand’s temporary metallic tattoos than in sunny Spain? Darel Russell and his sister Shar Alexandra first launched the brand in September 2014. I met Russell at a fashion show hosted by London Fashion Kick in April (read the post here) and have been obsessed with the products ever since.

            After I was very kindly sent over the Rihanna collection of temporary tattoos, I knew that packing accessories for Spain would be a no-brainer. There are 13 collections to select from, each containing four sheets of transfers. It’s always a worry to take precious necklaces, bracelets, and fiddly earrings on holiday, in case they are misplaced, lost, or in the worst-case scenario, stolen. Bohemian Jewellery Tattoos provides a creative and unique solution to this problem. All I had to do was pop my packet of temporary tattoos in my suitcase and I was set!

Look One: A Pool of Embellishment

             Whilst on my trip, I compiled three different looks to show how I would wear Bohemian Jewellery Tattoos. (Please note that the necklace tattoo I’m wearing above is taken from the Alexandra collection, while the rest are all from the Rihanna collection). They’re incredibly versatile, especially in terms of where they can be worn or how they can be styled, which means each individual can rock them in their own way. The application process is simple: cut out your desired tattoo, remove the plastic film, place the design on an area of your skin, hold a damp cloth on the tattoo for 30 seconds, and remove! I say 30 seconds just to be safe, but you’ll know once the design has started to lift from the paper to your newly “inked” skin.

Look Two: Gilded Florals

             Bohemian Jewellery Tattoos come in at £16.95 a collection. Sure, there are cheaper alternatives on the market, but when you scrimp on price, you’ll pay for it in quality and durability. Bohemian Jewellery Tattoos are unrivaled in both of these areas, their sparkle and texture creating the illusion of real gold or silver. As well as being waterproof and lasting up to five days, when I tested my tattoos by attempting to scrub them off, they would not budge! While this is great, if you need to remove them quickly, Bohemian Jewellery Tattoos recommends rubbing alcohol or baby oil. However, I found that Vaseline worked like a treat and is a lot less messy (and smelly). Spread Vaseline on the tattoo you would like to remove and leave it on for 10-15 minutes. The design should then disintegrate when you use a damp cloth or tissue to massage the area in circular motions.

Look Three: Blackberries & Coconut, Triangles & Love

             When I was younger, I remember that temporary tattoos were all the rage, but it appears that they are now making a comeback for grownups – stronger, bolder, and more fashionable than ever before. Replacing cartoon characters or silly symbols, Bohemian Jewellery Tattoos add sophistication and distinction to the temporary, while bordering on the realistic.

             Now it's time for you to go and experiment with your temporary tattoos! Purchase collections on the Bohemian Jewellery Tattoos website here or in various retailers throughout the UK. 

Earn Your Fashion Stripes with Farfetch

Recreate these looks and get inspired on the Farfetch website here, infographic courtesy of Farfetch

             Although most Londoners were left a little underwhelmed during yesterday’s solar eclipse due to some unwanted clouds, March 20^th also signaled the first day of spring. I don’t know about you, but I’ve already started preparing for the spring by ditching my dark ensembles and revamping my outfits with pops of color. The weather might be unpredictable, but one timeless trend that we can count on to accompany the arrival of spring is stripes. Spring/Summer 2015 looks to be no different with this tried and tested design.

             The versatility of stripes makes it very difficult to have a wardrobe malfunction. Indeed, they are a staple in my own closet. Vertical stripes conjure up the image of a crisp, collared shirt ironed to perfection for a job interview. Navy blue and white horizontal stripes are the classic embodiment of Parisian chic. Who could resist a young-faced Johnny Depp in his black and white striped prison uniform in the 90’s film Cry Baby? Going to jail never looked so good…Then there’s fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier, who has made sailor stripes his trademark across his 40-year career and not once have they looked out of place on the catwalk or on the shelves. This really is quite the sartorial achievement, especially considering that the fast turnover of the fashion industry means most trends are “out” before they are even “in.”

             Even the unsavory Freddy Krueger made a style statement in his chunky knit red and green striped sweater. We could go so far as to argue that the comic strip character Dennis the Menace is the original 2D mascot for stripes. To ensure you don’t channel either of these less than desirable characters, look no further than the Farfetch infographic provided above. Whether Françoise Hardy, Cyndi Lauper, or Audrey Hepburn is your style icon, you too can earn your fashion stripes.

             To prove the lasting power of stripes, I needed to look no further than my style blog, A Stitch in Time. In May 2014, my outfit post consisted of a striped sweater and denim short dungarees. When I was shopping this weekend, what lined the racks of the stores? Dungarees and stripes, stripes, and more stripes.

Diamonds might be forever, but so are stripes. View my full outfit post here.

Receiving My (Very Fashionable) Red Bull Wings

             We are soon to enter the February edition of London Fashion Week as Cupid draws his arrow on February 14th, making the event the sweetest and most stylish Valentine that you have ever had. Until its end on the 18th, London Fashion Week promises to be perpetually high-paced and fully charged. This is why a pre-Fashion Week pampering is an essential calm before the storm, and what better place to hold such an event than Red Bull Studios? We all know that a few of their energy drinks will be replacing our typical accessories as an outfit staple during the hectic comings and goings of the week.

             Hosted by The Show Space, a production company that focuses on events management, fashion show production, and casting and scouting, the Re-Treat all-day event on the 3rd and 4th of February proved to spoil and pamper us to perfection. The staff was friendly and attentive and director Nikki Sheldon was darting around in true professional form to both oversee the event and offer warm greetings. Elemis, ORLY, Browhaus, Sleep MakeUP, SP Men, SP Luxe, Nioxin, and Sebastian Professional all offered complimentary beauty treatments for guests. French Connection was also displaying their new fashion and home wear ranges and a digital photo booth served as a fun distraction, silly props optional!

Photo courtesy of The Show Space 

             During the event, I acquired a luscious goodie bag full of survival items and various vouchers to help soften the blow of a stressful week, containing absolute must-haves. I later received a Sleek MakeUP treasure trove of gems to experiment with and some Scaramouche and Fandango products for “the man in my life!”

             The Red Bull smoothie bar serving raspberry and blackcurrant and mango flavors plus an energy kick was enough to make me believe that Red Bull really does give you “wings!” There was no shortage of food nibbles and we were all very well looked after with pastries, popcorn, and later on, pizza. The relaxing atmosphere accomplished what it set out to achieve with its laid-back and breezy vibe and softly flowing conversation.

Photo courtesy of The Show Space

             I had booked myself in for an Elemis Stress Away shoulder and back massage, which was heavenly and left me floating my way over to the Sleek MakeUP counter for an eyebrow master class. There, the very lovely Olivia helped to straighten out my eyebrow ineptitude as she showed me the basics of filling them in to best flatter my face shape.

Photo courtesy of The Show Space

Showing off my impeccable eyebrows thanks to Olivia of Sleek MakeUP

             A select gathering, invitees were permitted to come and go as they pleased. After pre-arranged treatments, we were welcomed to stay a while longer and mingle with the rest of the group, cheekily grabbing a few Red Bulls or taking advantage of the ping pong table. The trendy milieu was devoted to its assembled guests through and through, and in turn, those guests were very grateful (myself included)!

Photo courtesy of The Show Space

             After speaking with a few of the models, staff, and representatives of the brands, I was able to connect with them outside the reigns of London Fashion Week and talk to them solely as people who were just as down to earth as the rest of us. London Fashion Week need not be about the superficiality that is aimed at us through media and news reports, but more about the subtle undertones of everyone bonding through a shared love of fashion. Therein lies the genuine source of what brings us together, but more importantly, keeps us together.

Photo courtesy of The Show Space

             I would like to give a big thank you to Nikki Sheldon for allowing me the opportunity to attend this event. Visit The Show Space website here, and for more information regarding London Fashion Week, see here. To read about my experience from London Fashion Week last September, have a look here, and for London Fashion Weekend, here.  

Photo courtesy of The Show Space