FASHION Archives - Page 2 of 3

Fleur Of England Lingerie Dreams

The afternoon before I left for a long ten days of filming I was invited to a dreamy blogger event like no other. Fleur of England are a lovely lingerie company whose main ethos is to make us girls feel comfortable in sexy lingerie. They have even managed to make nude coloured lingerie beautiful. This is impressive and key for me as a model who spends most days in nude lingerie.

THE EVENT

I attended the Fleur of England event with my friends from The 4 Of Us who I have been busy guest blogging for during the month of March (head on over there to see what we have been up to). The event took place at Leman Locke restaurant and our taste buds were delighted with scrummy food that even the fussiest of vegetarian (me!!) enjoyed. We were welcomed with the most perfect Spring time cocktail (you can just about spot it in my picture below). It was an elderflower/pomegranate prosecco concoction. The beauty of this event was that there were only a handful of bloggers invited so we had the opportunity to personally talk with the creator, Fleur and mingle with some other fantastic bloggers. I sat next to Emily from Style Lobster who was a lovely inspiring blogger that I hope to meet up with again soon. After our yummy food and prosecco we all headed up many many many more floors to a beautiful apartment decked out in pink sofas that make me want to redecorate my whole house. The rooms were filled with Bloom & Wild flowers and PRESS juices and champagne which kept the conversation flowing and the blogger photoshoots interesting. Us bloggers were also treated to manicures and bra fittings where we learnt all about sister sizing and which bra we should really be wearing. I am happy to have learnt that I have been wearing the correct size, horrah.

THE UNDERWEAR EDIT

I adore Fleur’s Golden Hour Boudoir Lace bra because it is everyday wearable but will make your everyday clothes feel 1000x sexier. This bra comes in a range of colours and there is one particularly divine colour-way being released this autumn which I am most excited about. I wish I had had this white one for my wedding and honeymoon because it is so delicate and probably the most beautiful white bra I have ever come across. I am such a huge fan of delicate underwear because I hate to actually feel like I am wearing underwear, I just like it to be there without actually feeling it…does that make sense?
Fleur has now introduced a classy swimwear range which I am dying to get my hands on. My favourite is the white and Caribbean green halter bikini. The colours are perfect and would compliment an end of holiday tan. This bikini would be perfectly matched with the pom pom kaftan for post beach cocktails.

SHOP FLEUR OF ENGLAND

BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEO

Take a look at my behind the scenes video of two blogger events that I visited a couple of weeks ago. I tried to vlog a little of what I got up to. I am constantly trying to vlog a little more but it is tricky when you want to chat to everyone without sticking a camera in their faces. To watch the Fleur of England event skip to 03:48mins. Subscribe to my channel here.

AN INTERVIEW WITH LYDIA COLLINS {Blog Photographer}

At only 23 Lydia Collins has already completed a degree in photography and has worked with many top bloggers and influencers for their blog photography and Instagram shots. Lydia has also taken on the tough job of being a judge in the photography category for the UK Blog Awards 2017. Lydia’s beautiful street style photography is right on trend and is such hot stuff that bloggers are queueing to work with her. I was lucky enough to tie her down for a few minutes to answer a few of my burning photography questions. If you want to improve your photography for your blog or Instagram then you must read ahead. Lydia lets us know where is best to get that perfect foodie flatlay and where to get the
perfect street style shots.

WORKING AS A “BLOGRAPHER”

(Can I copyright that?)

What made you want to start photographing bloggers?

I actually never used to photograph people. A lot of my work was very fine art related, throughout my degree I use to explore abandoned places and it was throughout my final major project where I started taking self portraits in my mother’s wedding dress where I fell in love with capturing people. I had been following bloggers and influencers for a long time and I noticed that a lot of their photographs were taken by people they knew (boyfriends, mothers) and it got me thinking that I’d like to give it ago!

Who have you most liked working with and would love to work with?

I absolutely love working with a lot of different people, I think this is one of the main reasons I love what I do. Everyone I photograph has their own individual style, and I love having the challenge of capturing their uniqueness. There’s not a particular person that I would love to photograph but more where I would like to shoot. I absolutely love shooting around London but I would also like to start expanding my location portfolio and start shooting abroad. I think this would really challenge me and would be a great experience.

MUST HAVE EQUIPMENT

What camera do you use for your photography with bloggers and what is the best beginners camera for a blogger?

I am currently shooting on a Canon 70D, I also use my film camera, Hassleblad 500cm, for portraits. Like many photographers, I have an undying love for film photography. I’d suggest they begin with purchasing something more lightweight than a DLSR, something like the Olympus Pen ELP7 / ELP8 with a pancake lens or 45mm lens would be perfect. I have heard really good reviews about these cameras.

Which lens do you use for street style photography and flatlays?

I mainly shoot with my fixed 50mm 1.4 lens, but I also shoot on a 18-35mm 1.8 and a 35mm 1.4 – all of which are great lenses! For flatlays you want a lens that’s fairly wide angle to allow you to get everything in – I use my 18-35mm. You can crop and edit in post production so it’s better to get more in to begin with and then crop to your desire after.

Do you think you can achieve good fashion blog photography stuck in Auto setting?

For me, I always shoot in manual, with the Auto setting the camera controls everything, from how much light the camera is exposed to, to where the focal point is. Shooting in Auto just means you don’t get to control the camera and you are likely to have to take a lot more photographs until you get the shot. You are more likely to achieve the blurry background shot if you are shooting in manual.

What’s the best photo editor app or computer program?

I use Photoshop for my photography and Premier Pro for videography. For Instagram editing I really like Snapseed and Afterlight. There are a lot of really nice phone apps around for filters.

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE

What is the best time of day to shoot?

In the Winter I like to shoot between 9am – 3pm. In the summer I shoot anytime from sunrise to sunset. The best kind of light for street style is when it is sunny but the sun is sitting behind a thin layer of cloud, this allows for really sharp photographs without being overexposed.

Do you use a reflector and lights or simply rely on natural light sources to brighten your photography?

I always use natural light. I use the settings on my camera to control how much light the camera is exposed to. It changes depending on the time of day and where the sun is sitting in the sky. If I had someone helping me I would be tempted to use a reflector as they do give that little extra push of light that you sometimes need.

When you struggle with natural light in the UK what can you do (possibly in post) to make it look like a beautiful Spring Day?

You want to be looking at your curves and levels layers. These adjust and control the light and dark areas in your photographs. You may also need to use something like the magic wand tool to select different areas that you want lighter/darker than others.

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION

Even though us bloggers all love a gorgeous depth of field on our blog photography, the background is key. Lydia seems to always find the best locations so I thought I would get her tips on some of the best spots in and around London.

BEST LOCATIONS

FASHION
I love shooting street style for fashion, I feel it gives a really natural look to the photo yet still focuses all attention on the model and clothing. I love shooting around Kensington for the red brick houses and wide streets. Notting Hill is great for the ‘white houses’ look and I love shooting around industrial areas – there are some great places around Shoreditch and along the Thames.

FITNESS
For me, I love capturing action shots for fitness as I feel it really expresses the clothes in the right way. People who buy fitness clothes are more likely to want to see what it looks like whilst exercising. Although some fitness clothes do look great in beautiful stationary shots. I think fitness photographs look great in places with symmetry, there’s a lovely place in Hyde Park which has a tunnel of ivy, I also really like shooting fitness in Industrial locations. I recently did a shoot under a tunnel near Kings Cross where there were multicoloured lights.

PINK WALL
There are some beautiful streets around Notting Hill and Portobello where some of the houses are pink, these are great locations for street style, there is also a lovely road just of Kings Road in Chelsea.

CUPCAKES
I think a lovely cafe location would be perfect. It’s always great to mix up your shots. When I am shooting, I always like to get different angles and play with close ups and full length. Farm Girl Cafe near Portobello road is great for photos and very blogger friendly. There is also Sketch and for a nice flat lay cafe table shot, there are some lovely cafes around Bond Street and Marylebone.

SHOOTING WITH BLOGGERS

Do you think bloggers should hire professional photographers to help make their blog look more professional?

I don’t think bloggers and influencers need to shoot everything professionally as I think the whole idea of a blog is that it’s yours and I feel there needs to be an element of their own photography involved so they include their own uniqueness. But I do think a nice mixture and level of professional photography always looks so lovely! My favourite kind of Instagram accounts are ones where theres a mixture of Bokeh shots (blurry background) and photos where everything is in focus.

Do you struggle to shoot bloggers that have never been in front of the camera before?

Never. I absolutely love it. I really enjoy giving direction when I’m shooting.

INSTAGRAM

What tips have you got for creating a popular Instagram account?

My favourite kind of accounts are where theres a mixture of different kinds of shots, I like accounts where there are action shots alongside posed shots. My favourite kind of photographs are the canny, caught in the moment photographs – these are usually captured when the model is unaware or when they are mid action. I think when it comes to Instagram, individuality and consistency is key. I view Instagram as an individual’s story and portfolio. I love finding people who shoot and create things completely different. I love street style accounts and also travel accounts, who doesn’t love a good palm tree and holiday shot.

FOLLOW LYDIA ON SOCIAL MEDIA

INSTAGRAM • WEBSITE

Mother’s Day Gift Guide

I may only be a mummy to an adorable doggie that can’t actually buy me any Mother’s Day Gifts but I still love Mother’s Day. There is no one that I love buying presents for more so than my mum. …in fact I even chatted about buying presents for her on this M&S Christmas campaign. Mum and I like most of the same things so it’s just like shopping for myself. You don’t have to spend a fortune on buying gifts. I actually remember as a child I would walk around my garden cutting mums perfectly bloomed garden flowers (not sure she actually appreciated it…but it’s the thought that counts, right?) and put them in a vase besides her butter on toast that I would take to her in bed. Since I have got older and actually have some money I love to spoil my mum rotten. I have compiled an insanely long list of gift ideas to help you whatever your budget.

CHOCOLATE

Where do I start with talking about my favourite food on the planet? I am probably the biggest chocolate lover you could ever meet, in fact I definitely eat too much of it…but I feel that’s ok because I am healthy in all other ways. Buying a posh selection of chocolates from Hotel Chocolat is the most lavish of chocolate gifts and the perfect place to go for a well presents box of goodies. Hotel Chocolat’s hampers are probably the best things on the planet and my dream present.

The two chocolates above are two of my favourites from the gift box. The chocolate on the left is an Eton Mess. The meringue droplets on top are a pure delight. The chocolate on the right is a champagne truffle which has always been a favourite of mine. In the picture below you may spot at the back that Hotel Chocolat even sell Prosecco and Champagne. It has become a one stop gift shop for any occasion. This Mother’s Day slider chocolate box is decorated in yellow flower like the legend (key) at the back left which tells you which chocolate is which.

FLOWERS

Flowers are an easy gift idea that even the most clueless of sons (no offence hehe) can buy for their mum. Even if you can’t make it to your loved ones house this Mother’s Day you can easily send bouquets. You can even post the letter box flowers which are amazing to send if you are not sure your mum will be at home. The letter box flowers that are so popular now, can even be bought as a sort “subscription box” and becomes the gift that keeps on giving each month…I would personally love this as a present. I am currently loving Appleyard London. Appleyard have loads of gorgeous flowers which can arrive so quickly.

ORGANIC SCENTS

Scent is an incredibly powerful tool and is strongly linked to memory. If you were to buy your mum a gorgeous scent, she would always relate it back to that precious moment that you bought it for her. Growing up with a trained aromatherapist (named as an ‘Aromatherapy Guru’ in Vogue!!) as a Mum I have always had a keen sense of smell. I am constantly smelling things and love more than anything for a product to be organic or natural and love essential oils being the key ingredient or top note. Perfumes made of essential oils don’t tend to last as long on your body but this is just because they are more natural and don’t have the nasty chemicals in them that make standard perfume stick! If you are after an organic perfume, Neom are a great place to head to for all organic scented products.

The perfume and candle are both part of the ‘Boost Your Energy’ collection and quite possibly my favourite Neom products I have ever used. The scents top note is overwhelmingly lemongrass and I ADORE it. The scent of the candle is quite strong so you may not want to burn it for too long. It makes your whole house smell fresh and clean. The perfume as you can see below has the most gorgeous rose gold cap which is intricately designed and has a great weight to it once you pull it off…only problem was that it was so beautifully shiny that I struggled to take a shot without my head in focus.

MAKE UP

Some boys can be scared of buying their mum make up but I recon 90% of women wear black mascara once in a while, so why not buy a beautifully packaged black mascara or a sable (light brown) coloured shadow can be loved by all. I love Charlotte Tilbury as she has created the most divine and on trend make up products which are wrapped up in rose gold making everyone swoon and very cleverly making the products incredibly Instagrammable.

KITCHEN GOODIES

I don’t believe that awful saying of a woman belongs in the kitchen, but if your mum actually loves to play around in the kitchen then these pretty kitchen goodies are perfect. If your mum loves to bake or to cook you can always pick up some pretty kitchen ware from your local department store. Lakeland do some amazing creative baking equipment that you would never even have thought of. If you are a family of lots of siblings then why not all club together to buy the most sought after ‘Bake Off’ treat of a Kitchen Aid…no more aching arms from mixing dough and pure kitchen Pinterest heaven.

OLIVER BONAS

Oliver Bonas always have great accessories in stock. I love their more delicate jewellery, they are so pretty and dainty. The great thing about Oliver Bonas is that they have a gift for everyone from the more girly girl to the Tom Boy in many of us. From earrings, to kitchen ware, to clothes to the perfect tabletop book.

CATH KIDSTON

Cath Kidston is a great place to shop for Mother’s Day because prices start relatively low…although can get quite expensive. I know a lot of lovely mummy’s that adore Cath Kidston and are happy to receive anything from there in their favourite print.

GIFT SETS

A gift set isn’t just for Christmas. A gift set is often well priced and can be a great way to introduce someone to a new brand that could possibly become their new favourite. Some gift sets even come kited with full-sized products or limited edition specials. Arguably the most popular gift sets would be beauty products but there is actually so much more on offer such as gardening or food gift sets.

What have you got planned with your mum this Mother’s Day?

TOPSHOP HAUL

Do you ever go out shopping with every intention of buying some clothes to update your wardrobe but come home with nothing? I feel like the whole of the last season was like that for me. Yet it is now Spring and I am loving the new seasons trends. A couple of weeks I ago I popped into Topshop’s flagship store and had to hold myself back from spending too much. Read ahead to find out what I bought in my Topshop haul.

FLAMINGOS

Flamingos are hot right now and this shirt is making me swoon. I originally saw this shirt on Topshop’s website but I struggled to find it in store. Unless you have access to Topshop’s flagship store I would recommend you buy it online because I believe it is a flagship store special.

FRILLS

Frills aren’t for everyone, in fact my 19 year old cousins recently asked me why I bought anything with frills. I understand their point, frills can be far too much sometimes. Yet, after seeing this top they decided they didn’t actually mind frills quite as much as they thought, mostly because the ones on this top are so dainty. I love how the frills on this simple jersey top can jazz up an outfit so easily.

BEES

The day after I bought this adorable bee blouse, Liam and I rescued a huge bumblebee which was looking lacklustre in our garden. We fed it a sugar water solution and dug out a small covered hole in our olive tree pot for him to rest in. After two days he climbed up the tree and happily took off, never to be seen again. Anyway…after my long story I have to say this is the perfect transitional Spring time blouse because it can be dressed up or down and is made of a lovely soft and light weight material.

THE DETAILS

This jumper is one of my favourite new buys because of its detailing. It reminds me of a high fashion shirt/jumper that I have seen at Victoria Beckham. The soft warm navy jumper has long feature shirt cuffs and hem attached the jumper. The cuffs are ridiculously long which gives it its high fashion edge. I wear the jumper with a small T-Shirt or strappy top underneath for a perfect Spring time temperature.

PINK

I have always loved pink so as soon as I saw this jumper my eyes fixated on it and I rushed over. I love to stick on a track suit as soon as I enter my house after a long days work and this perky pink oversized jumper is my new favourite go to. There are French words scrawled tastefully over the back and front making it stand out from the average track-suit jumper.

☆ SHOP THE BLOG ☆

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Have you bought anything exciting in Topshop lately?

Valentines Gift Ideas For Him

Valentine’s Day is creeping up and even though some people believe it is simple a commercial farce, I personally adore the day. Even when I was younger and didn’t have a boyfriend I still loved the day. My mum would always buy everyone in my family heart shaped chocolates and everything just seemed rosier. What can I say, I just love love! Liam and I don’t always spend loads on each other every Valentine’s Day yet some years we will buy each other a proper present like we would at Christmas and each others birthdays. It kind of depends on how we are feeling financially that year. We sometimes plan to spend our money on a trip instead of a tangible present but we always give each other a card. I have drawn up a big Valentines gift guide full of ideas for him.

BOOKS

A book is a great present idea for the man in your life, however long you have been together. There are loads of funny Ladybird books around at the moment which are easy to buy for even the shortest of relationships. There are lots of coffee table books for every hobby out there. I love the latest Mr Porter book as an idea for the more fashion conscious gents.

ELECTRICS

All the men I know get very excited by a new bit of gadgetry (honestly, so do I). The best picks for mens gadgets actually cost quite a lot but I have picked some affordable and slightly less affordable but wonderful products.

FASHION

Not all men are into fashion. In fact, unless my mum buys clothes for my brother and dad I am pretty sure they wouldn’t even own a pair of boxers! Yet, some men are really into fashion and I love this as you can easily buy a posh white tee or something that any guy would want and need.

BEAUTY

Not many men buy beauty products for themselves but as the love of their lives it is your duty to make them smell fresh, mostly for yourself. Scents are the hardest thing to buy because this is so personal. I, myself have a perfume that I would say is my signature scent and I know a lot of other people that feel this way so it would be a waste of money for someone to buy me perfume.

LETS HAVE FUN

There are so many ways to have fun for Valentine’s day. I love to spend a day/evening at home and make an at home champagne fuelled tea party. Check out these cheap date ideas. If you fancy venturing out then a cinema date at an Everyman cinema with dinner and cocktails is a lovely treat. Liam and I love to go to new cocktail bars around London. I planned out a lovely date night in Soho, London. here.

An Interview With Fittings Division

Back when I first graduated as a dancer I stumbled across Fittings Division with no idea of what a fittings model was and no idea of what my future fittings life was set to become. Without anything to lose I thought I would apply to their agency and was very quickly emailed back with an invitation to come into the office to be measured. Back then it was just brother and sister team, Alex and Gemma running the office in Great Titchfield Street, I even think their mum was in the office. The atmosphere was friendly and welcoming and after being measured they were certain I would get work very easily. A couple of days later I was booked in for a mornings fitting at Firetrap and an afternoon at Puma. I was shocked at how quickly I got work. I was even more shocked at the great pay for doing a relatively easy job (although once you work a full day at a high fashion brand standing in stacked high heels for nine hours you will realise that it can be incredibly tiring). Fittings work has led me to do in-house fashion shows for some hugely famous high fashion designers, photo shoots, e-commerce and even showroom work in Paris for numerous fashion companies. Eight years later I am still working with Fittings Division and they haven’t changed even a little bit, they are still as friendly as when they first started their agency over ten years ago.
Two office changes later and Fittings Division are now based in Brick Lane in an uber trendy office with huge light up FD initials propped up on their windowsill…you haven’t made it until you own these light up letters (where are mine??). With a few more staff to help run their popular agency they are definitely heading up the now very busy fittings market. After my viral blog post on The Secret Life Of A Fittings Model was published in the Daily Mail I knew people were very interested in the fittings world so I thought I had better interview them and ask some of your most asked questions.

BACKGROUND

What made you start a fittings model agency?
After working in the fashion and modelling industry for years I realised there was a big gap in the market for a specialist fittings agency.

Who works in the office?
There are 5 of us in the office . Me, Gemma (owner), Alex (owner), Donna (head booker), Brenda (Accounts) and now Ellen who looks after all our social media platforms.

What is an average day of a fittings model agent?
It can start really early. If a model falls ill during the night they may inform us at 5am that they cannot make their fit session that day, it is then our responsibility to find the client a cover model usually before 9am. Once in the office we firstly ensure that all last minute bookings have been covered, from then on it is a continuous stream of bookings via email and phone that come in from our clients, so managing a large and very busy diary system is a big part of the job. Two days a week we hold all day castings for all new sizes/faces we then make cards for the new potentials. Promoting our agency and new models to all new clients is also a daily job.

Do your fittings models ever get booked for campaigns or to walk in shows because of their fittings work?
Absolutely. We have countless e-commerce, showroom, photographic and catwalk clients all of whom have decided to use the same model they fit on to help with continuity.

WHAT IS A FITTINGS MODELS?

What is a fittings model?
Fit models are the human equivalent to a mannequin. They provide useful and constructive advice to designers during the garment production process.

What kinds of jobs are there for fittings models?
It is really diverse, we have some models who fit daily and some who fit just once a week. You could be fitting for a high street brand for two hours one day, then flown to Paris for a weeks fitting with a famous designer the next. We also have models who fit for shoes, underwear, swimwear & maternity clients.

What is your most popular model size booked by clients?
We often say that we can never have enough size 12’s and that is probably still the case. We have a lot of girls come through the door that are size 8 or 10 but we would really like to build on our plus sizes. Being in proportion is very important for a fittings model.

Is there equal pay in the industry for men and women?
Yes definitely.

Is there an age cap on fittings modelling or even a starting age?
We see models from around 20 years old up to 50.

Does fittings work pay well?
It depends on the amount of hours you do but yes it can pay extremely well. We have many models who are full time fitting models.

TOP TIPS

How should someone get into fittings modelling?
They should definitely read up on what it is first to make sure that it is something they really think they can do. Take a look at the You Tube video at the bottom of this interview to give you an idea of what fittings work entails. After that it’s a simple case of applying and being seen by an agency.

Do potential fittings models need a model portfolio?
No, but do bear in mind that quality photos make a massive difference. If you haven’t got a portfolio then get a friend to take some decent pictures with a plain white background. A picture of you in a park on a swing or with mates at a party just isn’t going to work.

What items must every fittings model own?
Nude underwear, a padded bra, a thong, a head band, some high heels, a dressing gown and a plain black pair of leggings and a vest top and for the boys – boxers, tight fitting pants, smart shoes or trainers (if you are working for a fitness brand). These are just some of the things you may be asked to bring to a fit session.

What qualities makes for a successful fittings model?
Great measurements, good proportion, personality, good hygiene and perfect timekeeping.

SOCIAL MEDIA

If you are inspired to become a fittings model or have more questions for them head on over to their website or follow Fittings Division on their social media channels.
Website • Blog • Instagram • Twitter

{L-R – Donna, Gemma, Ellen, Alex, Leon (dog)}

The Cashmere Hoodie

Ok…so I lured you in under false pretences. This is not actually a cashmere hoodie but an £8 hoodie that feels exactly like an expensive cashmere hoodie. I am in love and I have to tell you about my new found hoodie obsession. If you were to feel it for yourself you wouldn’t believe where it is from.

PRIMARK

Surprisingly this hoodie is from Primark. Even though I have been wearing this hoodie out and about it is actually part of their nightwear range. When you touch the fabric it is hard to believe it is only £8, yet when you step foot in Primark you kind of expect it to be about that price. I feel like it is a great buy and I may need to go and get another one just so I can rotate it in my clothes washing routine.

HOW TO WEAR IT

This hoodie is quite thin so I have found that it is great to layer up during the cold snap that we are experiencing yet will easily transition into the spring and summer when we wont need to layer it. Stick a leather jacket on top for a cool look or wear it before and after your gym class for a cosy vibe. Primark even sell tracksuit bottoms in the same fabric. I wouldn’t suggest venturing out of the house in the full set for fear of looking a little too much like you are out in your PJs.

SHOP ☆ GREY HOODIES

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The Letterman Jacket

I bought this Letterman jacket in the sale at Zara last week for only £29.99. I have always been a fan of the Letterman jacket look (or sometimes known as the Varsity Jacket). Most probably because I have always been a sucker for those American RomCom movies with the high school jocks and their awesome jackets that they drape over their girlfriends basically symbolising an engagement ring. When fashion labels started selling them specifically for us girls I was really happy. If you happen to buy one a size up it creates that adorable, I just stole my boyfriends jacket look which I adore. This jacket happens to be a bit oversized and I love that. I think the ZT initials on the back are for Zara’s label TRF…I am tempted to find some felt initials of my own to switch it up, yet we know that’s never going to happen.

HOW TO WEAR IT

With a statement jacket like this one I think the safest and most easy way to wear it is with skinny black jeans and a white T shirt. I have styled this look with my Converse trainers which subtley match the jackets banding.

TRADITIONAL STYLE

Letterman jackets are normally made using boiled wool which I personally find a bit too harsh to touch. this jacket is made with a soft felt and lined with a quilting. In the typical varsity style this jacket has the ribbed collar, cuffs and waist band detailing with the contrasting banding.

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Hush Christmas Picks

Every summer for 6 years I have lived in a dress my auntie bought me from Hush. It’s safe to say I have been a fan of Hush for a very long time. Something that my mum and I adore about Hush is that their clothes always come smelling incredible…mum is an aromatherapist and both of us can’t help but smell everything, which is why this is an important point to me haha. Each order comes with Hush’s latest newsletter which is like a gorgeous broad sheet style magazine which I find ever so inspiring.

Hush’s current Christmas collection is gorgeous and as always all of their fabrics are lovely and soft to touch. In fact the grey jersey top you can spy in my header image is aptly called their ‘Slub T’, perfectly named. I am a huge sucker for star prints so my favourite items are their star print PJ’s, dresses and jumpers (the star print PJ shorts are in my header image-look at that gorgeous print). My absolute favourite find from their Christmas party shop, which I am really excited to share with you, is their silk cami body. I am not sure if I am getting old and miserable but I think I have always hated cold air around my belly area. This gorgeous silk body, masquerading as strap top is definitely the answer to my woes. It will also transfer from season to season as a staple in your wardrobe. In the winter you can layer it up with cute cardigans and jackets, whereas in the summer you could simply add a high waisted skirt…keep an eye on my Instagram feed where I am sure to add fashion looks involving this top.

Get Ready With Me

I filmed a ‘Christmas Get Ready With Me’ where I show you how to do an relaxed Christmas party make up look along with what I wore to a Christmas party, featuring some gorgeous products from Hush.

OOTD {November 25th}

I am beginning a new fashion series on my blog which I hope you will all like and be inspired by. I am aiming to put up a blog post once a week which features an OOTD (Outfit Of The Day) which showcase fashion items I have loved during the week. This week I am featuring what has kept me warm over a very chilly weekend break in Wales.

Jacket

If you can’t afford the saught after shearling aviator jacket from Acne then this jacket from Zara is a must have for you. It is near identical. Literally sooo identical that I am not sure how Zara got away with it? Unfortunately for Acne, their loss is my gain and a near £1800 saving.

Hat

A couple of friends at bootcamp had these festive alcohol bobble hats on and I immediately fell in love with them, especially once I realised they had cute alcoholic puns. Gin-gle Bells and Proseco Ho Ho.

I am aiming to keep up with these short and sweet OOTD fashion posts for you to help inspire your seasonal fashion picks.

Treat Yourself This Black Friday

Some people in the UK are showing signs of getting angry that us Brits have started celebrating an American tradition. I personally do not understand why you would be angry at something that is giving us money off a pleasurable experience? Well…for those who fancy a little Black Friday treat for themselves I have rounded up some amazing deals that you can shop right now.

MONOCHROME

BRIGHTS

Just because it is winter, it doesn’t mean we have to stick to colours that look like the dead leaves on the floor (see my last blog post). I am a big lover of everything from Wildfox because their clothes are insanely soft and luxurious. Now that the Black Friday sales have started I am definitely going to be purchasing a huge load of their goodies.

HANDBAGS

A fancy handbag or clutch can add a dash of playfulness and colour to even a simple T-Shirt and jeans combo.

What will you treat yourself to this Black Friday?

Playful Fashion OOTD

As the days are getting darker and more and more rain seems to be falling, I have began to add a hint of colourful playfulness to my outfits. I have realised that I tend to wear all black everything for model castings. Mostly because it is easy to decided what to wear but I recently realised that I kind of looked like a cat burglar. It is with this that I have decided to start adding a little pop of colour and playfulness to my outfits. Whenever I wear one of my tops that I have included in this post someone compliments me on it. It is a great conversation starter for sure.

I may not have spoken French since I flunked my French GCSEs but I am a sucker for a Bretton style top, especially this simple vest from H&M.

Who doesn’t love a flamingo?

Flamingos have been popping up all over the high street. This one is from H&M. I also know for a fact that a high fashion company have flamingos in their collection for AW17! So invest in some flamingos now ahead of the fash pack.

This Mickey Mouse Tshirt is from Topshop and is gorgeously bright. Very simply paired with a pair of black jeans, you have the perfect weekend outfit.

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Have you got any exciting colour pop outfits you can recommend?

INTERVIEW WITH A FASHION EDITOR {JULIE HALPIN}

When you are working as a model you spend the majority of your time at castings (auditioning) rather than actually shooting. This whole process can be incredibly lonely and intimidating. Imagine having six job interviews in one day! It is exhausting and can be quite deflating as you are unlikely to book them all. Sometimes you can queue for over an hour to be seen for a casting, to only have someone flick through your portfolio for a few seconds and not even mutter more than a “thanks”. On the flip side, imagine when you turn up to a casting to meet a lovely lady that chats to you, smiles and laughs and actually picks up on her favourite pictures in your portfolio…it is a breath of fresh air. This is how it is when you are casting for Julie Halpin and one of the many reasons why you will all fall in love with her if you read ahead. Julie speaks honestly about how she picks which models she works with, how she knows what is fashion, how she books make up artists and even how to land yourself a job in journalism…

An Interview with…Julie Player, fashion & covers editor for Take a Break & That’s Life! magazines.

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YOUR JOB

How did you land your job?
I studied Fashion Journalism at the London College of Fashion. After graduating I worked for a clothing company for 6 months while I searched for a job on a magazine, luckily a job at Bella came up. I spent about 6 years there, working my way up to Deputy Fashion Editor. I then go the job of Fashion Editor at Woman’s Weekly magazine, which I did for about 6 years. Got made redundant, went freelance for a bit then landed my job here at Take a Break. I’m now the Fashion & Covers Editor of all the Take a Break titles, and That’s Life! Magazine too!

What advice would you give to anyone wanting to work at a magazine?
College isn’t essential, but it is great fun, stay a student for as long as possible! Unfortunately, the industry has changed completely since I started out, it is now so hard to get an internship at a magazine let alone a paid job! My advice would be to start blogging and use your blog as your CV to show off your writing and styling skills. But make sure it’s well written and try to make the subject matter as broad as possible. There are so many blogs out there that are badly written and boring!

What does a typical day in the life of a fashion editor look like?
The reason I love my job is that it has variety. A typical good day would look like this…
•Breakfast with a fashion PR (latte and Avo on toast!) to look at a new range of clothes and choose some samples for my next shoot.
•Back to the office for a spot of styling in my cupboard (full of lovely clothes the PR’s have sent me that I requested).
•Model casting (I love it when everyone I have asked to see turns up and they are all lovely and all available for my shoot date so that I am spoilt for choice).
•Write up a feature that I shot previously and upload it onto our server (the editor loves it and the server doesn’t crash).
•Go home on time.

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BOOKING MODELS

When you are looking for models do you choose girls for castings by looking on model agency websites or by asking for the model booker to recommend girls?
Sometimes I will let the agent know what date my shoot is going to be and then ask them to let me know who is available on that day. The agencies I work with know me well and know the type of models I like so I trust them to suggest suitable girls. I then refer to the website or links I’m sent to remind myself of the models that they have suggested. Sometimes I will know who I want to work with because I have used them before and they worked well, so I will request them directly.

How many models do you call in for each casting?
It depends on the job. For fashion shoots I will only see new girls that I haven’t worked with before. But 4/5 times a year I shoot covers and I will then arrange big castings (30-40 girls) because I wouldn’t shoot a cover on a model I hadn’t seen very recently.

How do you choose your models?
I like my girls to look commercial, fresh faced, happy and approachable, with sunny personalities that shine out from their pictures. I like to see smiley pictures in their portfolios and it helps if they have done similar work. I also like to see that a model can move well, it doesn’t matter how good a model looks, if she can’t move in front of the camera it slows the day down and there will be less images to choose from.

What should a model wear to a casting for Take a Break or That’s Life?
Whatever she wants, but it helps if I can see her figure. I’m more interested in getting a quick snap shot of her personality.

Do you choose different types of models for the front cover and for the fashion shoots?
Yes. Generally, my fashion features are shot on girls who are approximately 5’8”. Dress size/age will depend on the feature; I often use models who are size 12 or 16 as well as size 8/10. Most of the models I use look like they are in their mid to late 20s, but I also use models in their 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond. When I shoot covers I am looking for girls who look slightly younger, height and size are irrelevant. For covers it is all about the perfect smile and I look for a model that will engage the reader.

Does a models body size matter to you?
Yes, I wouldn’t use a model that looked unhealthy for their frame/height. I wouldn’t use a model that looked too skinny. If I am writing a feature on particular styles that will suit certain figure types, I try to pick models that reflect that.

What sizes do the clothes that you shoot come in?
This depends on the time of year. The images I produce on a shoot will go on sale approximately 6 weeks after the shoot date. This means that at certain times of the year I have to work with samples, which mainly come in a size 10. At these times I would need to book a model that fitted standard size 10s. But once the new season clothes hit the shops I can be more flexible and shoot a variety of sizes.

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FASHION CHOICES

How do you choose which fashion items go in your magazine?
The season is obviously my starting point, I have to feature clothes that my readers can go out and buy at the time of going on sale. I get invited to previews of the new season’s ranges approximately 2 months before the clothes go on sale, which enables me to plan my features in advance. I have to produce over 150 fashion spreads a year so I have to constantly think about new ways to inform and entertain my readers. I don’t use models for my That’s Life! fashion features, instead I use celebrity shots and base the feature around what they are wearing.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
I get my inspiration from lots of places but I try to focus on what women actually want to wear that will make them look great and feel confident. I observe people around me, both in real life and virtually online and learn from people that I think have got it right.

Where is your go-to place to find out what is in fashion at the moment or is going to be in fashion?
I like to look on Instagram, I follow the designers, other fashion journalists, a few bloggers etc. I read all the glossy mags who get to see the designer clothes that I don’t! I have to keep up with what the “celebs” are wearing so I’ll go onto Rex image library every day, and will also scroll down the sidebar of Mail Online. But I am more interested in what the people around me are wearing, working in this industry means that everyone I meet has a passion for clothes, it doesn’t matter what age or size they are or how much they have got to spend, they love clothes!

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MAKE UP AND HAIR CHOICES

How do you book your make up artists and hair stylists?
Over the many years I have been shooting I have built up a team of people I work with that never let me down. I tend to stick to 3 or 4 hair & make-up artists and I shoot approx. 20 times a year so I share out the work! I have been working with them for so long that I have forgotten how I found them in the first place!

In the days following the recession do you feel every make up artist and hair stylist has to be competent in both fields so that clients can save money by booking just one person?
I always work with people that can do both. I have done that for years. Sometimes I will book 2 hair & make-up artists, if I have lots to shoot, but they will always take a model each and do both. The only time I would book a hairdresser is when I shoot reader make-overs and need complete cut/colour transformations.

Do you leave the make up and hair looks to your make up artists/hair stylists or do you have a strong opinion based on the clothes fashion items you have chosen?
I will discuss the feature we are working on and show the hair and make-up artist the clothes before they get to work on the model. Together we will decide on the look that we want to go for. It’s a team effort. Having said that, if they did something I didn’t like I would ask them to change it, I am the boss after all ☺

{The work that goes into making anyone model “perfect”}

Make sure you follow Julie on Instagram to see lots of behind the scenes pictures from photo shoots and PR events
Instagram – @julieplayerfashion

# That Coat

One of my most viewed blog posts is this Zara Fashion Haul. When I released it back in April I didn’t realise what or why it would be such a big hit. I featured a printed Zara coat which has become a cult hit! There was even an Instagram account dedicated to that coat! Sure it is a gorgeous coat, which is obviously why I bought it, but when the creator of this Instagram account tagged me a few months ago I was baffled by the sheer popularity. Then last week I was contacted by Look magazine who wanted to feature an image of me wearing it. It seems that Zara have now unfortunately sold out but if I were them I think I would guarantee this obvious money maker.
On an average day in town you are bound to see at least ten women all wearing the same coat. With its popularity I am not sure if I want to wear mine anymore though.
Make sure you head to the shops to pick up your latest copy of Look magazine.

☆ Find a similar Zara coat here. ☆

London Fashion Week Social House

My wonderful model booker Hannah, from MOT who unfortunately for me moved to another company a few years back invited me to an exciting London Fashion Week event last week. I thought I would tell you all about it because it was an absolute dream that I wish I would be on all year round. This event was actually a four floor house in the centre of London set up as a retreat especially models and bloggers. Presented by Meitu and Fashion Beauty Monitor I knew I was going to have a good time at the ‘London Fashion Week Social House’.

Floor One
Floor one was set up with a bar that served free drinks including watermelon juice, gin & tonic, Smart water, coffees and teas. Beside this was a spot for scrummy food by Vietvan. In the same room was a lounge of sofas, a table full of nut bars and a TV live streaming LFW.

Floor Two
This room was full of selfie spots with walls that were beautifully decorated. There was also a large table where you could work from and charge your phones and laptops. At one end of the room were two nail technicians from Wah nails doing manicures for anyone that wanted them. I went for a nude nail because I had a job the next day. I love painting my nails but I am not a fan of filing my nails so it was quite a luxury to have them done for me that afternoon.

Floor Three
This floor was a large room full of white chairs set up for some fabulous talks, I wish I had been able to attend them all. I attended a talk on social media and social influencers and left feeling incredibly inspired.

Floor Four
Floor four was a beauty room with hair being done by Revlon and make up by Nyx. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to hang about here being beautified but it looked like heaven and everyone was leaving looking Pinterest style braided. One girl I met had had an insanely awesome striking white eyeliner on her upper lid…I kind of want to replicate this asap!

Overall this whole event and venue was a dream come true and I wish I had had the time to visit everyday. It would be really great if a place like this existed all year round. It is really helpful during fashion week where you need somewhere to spruce up your look and it is even better when there is someone there to do it for you. Also, you can head here in between shows to write up your latest fashion report. Most bloggers don’t have an office to work from and not many actually live in London so it is like having a little homely hub to hide away in.
…bring on next fashion week.

Thank you Meitu and Fashion Beauty Monitor.

High Street Haul August 2016

My most popular blogs and vlogs are my high street fashion hauls. You all seem to love the items I buy from Zara so this haul is dedicated to my fellow Zara adorers. I recently had a test shoot with the talented photographer Vaughan Treyvellan. A test shoot is basically an opportunity for a model to update their portfolio with images that are there to help them get booked on the next job or simply get the model called into a casting in the first place. I have been working on shoots and filming a lot lately which has meant that my portfolio is predominately jobbing photos, which are great but are obviously there to promote the product rather than me, myself.
When a model has a test shoot booked in they need to take along a load of clothes to shoot in. I love this opportunity. I get to embrace my inner stylist inspired by my interview with Clare Frith. I go into any shop I like and treat it as my dream wardrobe. I pick up absolutely everything and anything that takes my fancy and buy it all!! No lie!! I then stuff it all in a suitcase and head to my photoshoot. The hard part is trying not to hurt your bank balance by keeping every single item that you buy. Below you will see a few of the items that I did end up keeping.

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CHANEL VIBES
I adore this jacket as it has a touch of smart Chanel-esque vibe to it but is also a bit of a statement at the same time The jacket is super tactile and you will simply have to fondle the embroidered flowers that are loosely attached. Considering the amount of work that has gone into making this jacket I would say it is a complete bargain.

High Street Haul | August 2-16 | Megan Taylor

{Jacket : Zara} {Top : Zara} {Jeans : Topshop}

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PUSSY BOW ELEGANCE
This coat makes me incredibly happy and actually a bit giddy about Christmas. Under this coat I’m imagining a short black dress, black high heels and pearl earrings for my Christmas theatre trip. This coat will immediately dress up any outfit.

{Coat : Zara} {Heels : New Look}

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#MYCALVINS
Calvin Klein have gone crazy for social media campaigns lately and it seems everyone and their mum are obsessing over their Calvin’s like it’s the 90s all over again. This “outfit” would be perfect for a night in with Netflix. …that reminds me I have an epic Netflix Picks list for you currently being lined up.

{Shirt : H&M} {Knickers : Calvin Klein}

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FLAMINGO FUN
This t’shirt is made for jumping with joy. I have worn this t’shirt a couple of times and am constantly asked where I bought it from. You would never believe it was a cheapy tee from H&M…go and buy one before they run out.

{TShirt : H&M} {Jacket : Zara} {Jeans : Topshop} {Trainers : Converse}

June 2016 Favourites

It is almost the end of June and I have to say it has been one of my favourite months so far. With a little break at the beginning of the month to Barcelona with my family I have still managed to fit in a lot of wonderful jobs. My blog and writing life have been getting increasingly more exciting and so has my modelling and acting career. It is true…everything comes along at once and tests us in the best way. As I do each month, I have listed a few of my favourite things that I have been loving this month below. Click the link at the bottom of the page for my video where I show you the products up close and tell you why they are all so amazing.

Willow Of London Marble Phone Case

Salty Almonds

Orange Is The New Black Season 4

KIKO Solar Lip Balm

Eyeko Eyeshadow (Topaz and Charcoal)

The Life Changing Magic Of Not Giving A F***

Vogue Subscription

Father’s Day Gift Ideas

Father’s Day is almost upon us and for me personally I always struggle with gift shopping for boys. My dad never wants to give me ideas or a list and if he does he tends to buy the presents for himself before the day leaving me empty handed. This year he has been very kind and helped me create this Father’s Day gift ideas blog post. He has listed all his gift wishes that will hopefully help inspire you for your Father’s Day shopping with presents ranging from the affordable to the less affordable.

Ted Baker Shirt
My dad adores this brand and actually wore a lovely TB suit to my wedding (as seen in the featured image of this blog post). John Lewis actually have plenty of Ted Baker shirts on sale right now. All of TB’s suits and shirts have beautiful little touches of contrast patterned fabrics hidden under the collars or in the lining for example.

iOS Flash Drive
I have to admit I had no idea what this was but now I have researched it I think I want one too!! The colour options range from super girly pink to the more masculine black. You plug this little device directly into your phone and back up your camera roll immediately and transfer large files super quickly. I need one now as my phone is always full.

Wired Magazine
A subscription to Wired Magazine is the perfect affordable gift for a techy guy and it keeps on giving each and every month…perfect! This link that I have found is super cheap at only £14 for six months.

Chelsea FC Hospitality Box
A more pricey gift idea is a posh ticket to your dads favourite sports team. Dad has often been invited to corporate games at his favourite football teams games but would love to have a hospitality box ticket whenever he liked. I am sure the experience is wonderful for a football lover but goodness me I can think of better things to spend my money on haha.

Tickets for the Monza GP
With tickets ranging from £200 to well over £1000 per person and that doesn’t include the cost of travelling and staying in Italy it may be a little out of most people’s price range. This being said, if you and your dad both love the Grand Prix then maybe make a lovely father – daughter/son trip out of it.

Penhaligon’s Blenheim Bouquet EDP
My dad’s favourite cologne is this Penhaligon’s EDP. The scent is lovely and the packaging is even better. Maybe treat yourself to something whilst you shop.

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Daddy also added to the bottom of his list:

Confirmed contract extension by Hazard…
After a bit of Googling for what I thought was a phone contract, I eventually realised this was some sort of football reference that I could not actually buy!

No more daughters as I have the best in the world…
Probably the sweetest thing daddy has ever said hehe.

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Have you got any more Father’s Day Gift Ideas that I may have missed or that my dad doesn’t realise that he actually wants/needs?