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. 

Making Waves: Ilene Steele’s Jewelry Debut

Photo courtesy of Ilene Steele Jewelry

             London is a metropolis overflowing with budding designers and their creations, so allow me to introduce one such designer who is making a name for herself this summer. Ilene Steele’s first collection, the Wave Collection, was launched this past May. Like a magpie drawn to all things shiny, I felt an immediate magnetic pull to Steele’s jewelry, which she handcrafts all herself. With their subdued colored stones and modern geometric shapes, the pieces have real potential to become the new “girl about town” accessories.

Photo courtesy of Ilene Steele Jewelry

             Steele calls New York home, but has set up shop in Hatton Garden, which is known for being London’s jewelry quarter. Her collection is comprised of precious and semi-precious stones set in 18kt gold bands, silver cocktail rings, and dainty stud earrings. Whether you stack the rings or wear them on their own, a multitude of options are available to best show off your jewelry personality.

Photo courtesy of Ilene Steele Jewelry 

             The choice to call the line the Wave Collection was deliberate and well thought-out, acting as a very unique identifier for Steele’s work and her overall ethos. The jewelry’s stones all face the wearer, opposed to facing forward, in homage to seafaring positions and the capricious nature of natural bodies of water. Not only that, but the stone placements are angled so as to accommodate both the wearer and the admirer. This simple attention to detail constructs the rings as mini masterpieces, regardless of what direction you view them from. 

Photo courtesy of Ilene Steele Jewelry

             Steele’s collection is consistently nautical. Her choice of stone color excellently highlights the various tones of rippling water - from crystal aquamarines, to murky browns, to seaweed greens. The range of jewels also helps to remind us that we need to create a harmonious relationship between the “ebbs” and “flows” of our nonstop, hectic lifestyles.

Photo courtesy of Ilene Steele Jewelry 

             Taking her work one step further, Steele stays true to her message in her method. Through the ancient practice of cuttlefish casting, a wave-like texture is embedded into the ring bands. For Steele, designing and constructing exist concurrently, as she exercises her knack for balance, symmetry, and synergy. Personal orders for rings and earrings can be requested, where Steele will individually craft the jewelry to your distinct taste.

Photo courtesy of Ilene Steele Jewelry 

             The Wave Collection mimics the highs and lows of life, while striking a happy medium between the fluctuating ocean tides, currents, and waves and the fluctuating needs, hopes, and extremes that plague everyday human existence. Now that’s something I think everyone can relate to, so make a statement without even saying a word with a piece from Steele’s classic jewelry range. If Steele’s first collection is anything to go by, we should be expecting great things from her in the future.

Photo courtesy of Ilene Steele Jewelry

             Check back for an interview I will be conducting with Steele in September for a discussion on the Wave Collection!

             Prices start at 150 pounds. Get your hand and ear adornments from Wolf & Badger online here and in store, at the Clerkenwell Collection (for directions, see here), or from Steele’s official website here.

Photo courtesy of Ilene Steele Jewelry

Bloggers Fashion Week: Where the Virtual Embraces the Actual

             Move over London Fashion Week. There’s a newcomer on the catwalk that goes by the name of Bloggers Fashion Week. Establishing itself for the first time this March and hosted by Bloggers Love, which organizes events for bloggers, you are sure to catch this three-day event on every blogger’s hot list. Just the place to put a face to a blog, The Penthouse in Leicester Square designated its seventh and eighth floors to the blogger sphere. The to-die-for London skyline featured the electric blue London Eye overseeing the proceedings.  

             Blogging starts with a passion that gradually builds up a following, which is further perpetuated by networking. There are hundreds of blogs run by individuals teeming with talent and diverse interests, but sometimes it can be hard to reach out when we are restricted by our computer screens. That is why it is highly advantageous to connect with fellow bloggers whenever the opportunity presents itself.

             Bloggers Fashion Week started with a “summer garden chic” dress code, bloggers boutique, and multi-brand and highlight fashion shows. The models of the multi-brand fashion show were styled by bloggers, while the highlight fashion show featured one retailer/designer. We were spoiled for choice as we perused various designers and their fashion mediums. A tradeoff was available from Swap In The City if we wished to exchange some of our previously worn, but well-kept clothing items with other bloggers. The assembled guests were then allocated seats to have a good look at what trends we should be adopting now, with brand Reiss stealing the show.

Guirado Design scarves

Rachel Black Millinery; how sweet are those bow hats?!

Tutti Rouge lingerie

Olivia Cox, presenter of Bloggers Fashion Week

I am experiencing severe separation anxiety from this eye-popping Reiss suit

             Unfortunately, I was unable to make the next day’s festivities, where “mad hatters tea party chic” was the sartorial suggestion. A blogging master class was held to help bloggers up the ante on their skills, alongside more fashion shows - with the attention placed on Debenhams and Specsavers.

             However, on day three I travelled in style by way of a streamlined, glossy black Mercedes-Benz to celebrate the triumph of Bloggers Fashion Week as it wound down. The complimentary ride came courtesy of Bloggers Love and Uber, a company that allows you to order a car directly from your mobile. Hey, the life of a blogger is hard.

             “All black city chic,” my style go-to, was a no-brainer as I lost myself amongst a sea of other sharply and well turned out bloggers. I made a beeline for the bloggers beauty bar, where I joined a long line of eager ladies waiting to get their nails beautified and accessorized. With the London sunshine holding up recently, I had an assortment of Easter egg pastels to choose from, selecting a seafoam green polish with a classic black and white houndstooth accent for my ring fingers. The manicurist must have seen dozens of nails that day and I applaud her skills, finishing off faultless paint jobs and requested designs in about 15 minutes.

             Umberto Giannini, Sleep-In Rollers, Bravura London, Vita Liberata (live tanning area), Headmasters (blow dry bar), and Lash Perfect (lash bar) were amongst the brands that had set up shop for the evening. The perks of this were definitely not limited to the goodie bags we received with samples, but representatives were more than happy to explain all about their products, providing us with expert tips and tricks.

             Umberto Giannini has a wide range of hair products, one such being the Grunge Glamour Tousled Salt Spray from the Glam Hair collection, which smells amazing! I have previously tried salt spray from VO5 and Label.m and I am a huge fan of the look it achieves, so I have decided to do a mini product review of Umberto Giannini’s, which can be bought at any Boots store for about six pounds. The great thing about salt spray is that it’s incredibly simple to use and it gives hair a matte texture while creating sexy beach waves that every girl wants to master. 

             Let me just start off by saying that I have very fine, straight hair and I am not exactly adept at using a curling iron, but I love wavy or curly hair! Hence, I am always looking for shortcuts on how to fake my way there. No one has ample amounts of time in the morning to waste on doing their hair, so just follow these four simple steps and I guarantee you’ll have "the look that says you haven't tried, you just are this gorgeous," as the packaging suggests.

Step 1. Spray Umberto Giannini's Grunge Glamour Tousled Salt Spray generously in damp or dry hair and secure in a bun before bedtime.

Step 2. When you wake up in the morning, lean your head forward and shake your hair out after undoing your bun.

Step 3. Voilà! Perfectly tousled beach waves.

Step 4. Style as desired. I always find myself reaching for a hat to add the finishing touch.

             Before being hit with a double whammy of highlight fashion shows from Gerda Truubon and Girl Meets Dress, I played around in the giant photo booth that was clearly a big hit with everyone and an ingenious icebreaker. We all fought our way into the booth once, twice, even three times to pose with assorted props, joined by our new blogger friends. Then, all that was left to do was to sit back and enjoy the show as the DJ pounded the bass while the models pounded the catwalk.

Photo booth fun

             Business cards were exchanged and friendships were formed, making the blogging world all that little bit less lonely. Bloggers Fashion Week was a resounding success, so you had better get blogging if you want to attend the next one! I have been blogging for almost a year now, but the road has in no way been a predictable or boring one! Blogging comes with its ups and downs, but Bloggers Fashion Week left me on a very, very big high.

The Girl Meets Dress duo

I could not get enough of these bold chain-focused dresses from Gerda Truubon

             To learn more about Bloggers Love and get involved, check them out here. For your own lavish Uber experience, sign up here. Explore Reiss here and Umberto Giannini here. Be inspired by Girl Meets Dress here and Gerda Truubon here. For directions on how to find The Penthouse, see here.