Eye Print - AW13

These are some of my favourite eye print items. Ever since I came across the Kenzo eye motif, I've become obsessed with finding similar clothing and accessories. While the Kenzo pieces will set you back around £250-£500, there are a couple of average priced items in stores and online if you're lucky you'll spot a bargain. 

1. Lulu Guinness Wild Cat Print Medium T-Seam Leather Pouch - Black/Stone

2. Kenzo Black Eye Print Cotton Sweatshirt

3. Bank Eye Print Scarf

4. G21 Eye Shirt Sold Out

What print are you loving for AW13?

Bianca x

Bloglovin - Twitter - Tumblr - Pinterest 

What you should know about buying a bra from Curvy Kate

I had heard of Curvy Kate for a while but had never tried one anything from the lingerie range before. The Curvy Kate bloggers event at The Owl & Pussycat earlier this month was the best place for me to learn more about the brand and why it’s a good option for ladies with ample bosom.

All ladies go through the difficulty of trying to find the perfect bra, the high street hasn’t always been the ideal place for varied sizes but things are slowly changing. It’s hard to cater for all when we all come in so many sizes but with brands like Curvy Kate aiming to put the needs of customers first there is hope for a better selection of quality lingerie for women who range from D-K cups. 

The Curvy Kate team showed off the spring/summer 2013 and autumn/winter 2013 collections and giving us a sneak peek of what’s to come next summer.  This was a mini-catwalk show featuring the brand’s models that all looked gorgeous in the sets and had some fun with the audience. After the team’s designer Charlotte and PR and marketing manager, Hannah took us through the new collections while expressing their passion for lingerie.

Curvy Kate Model Lotte Williams wearing Princess and Lola sets

There were a couple of highlights from the evening that I thought I would share with you. These include things are a closely related to the brand and general bra buying advice.

The ladies in attendance had so much fun eating cupcakes and playing bra bingo!

Look out for the SS14 strapless bra called Luxe. This is first strapless bra for the brand. It has vertical seams it’s different from a moulded strapless bra because the vertical seams give more support, structure and body contouring.

Some adaptions have been made to the straps for women who have narrow shoulders. This means the straps have been nipped in a bit as some struggled with straps slipping off. 

My favourties from AW13 are Daisy Chain and Gia they each have that mesh upper detail and come in range a subtle shades ideal for the season. From SS14 I’m a fan of Dreamcatcher and Ritzy the latter has a pinstripe overlay that is super seductive.

Left: I am holding the Dreamcatcher bra. Right: My Portia set, bra 30F and briefs size 12

At the end of the evening we all got fitted and to take a set home I chose Portia a balcony bra that is I like for everyday. I feel the cups offer more coverage than other bra styles giving you a nice lift, shape and fit.

Two things to remember when looking for the perfect bra:

The measurement around the back is important to the fit of the bra. This area gives you support and helps to lift your boobs upwards.

You’re most likely to fit into two sizes but opt for the size that is smaller in the back and larger in the cup to get maximum support.

Shop Curvy Kate on ShopStyle:

Curvy Kate

The skincare tag

I've been tagged. This post is exposing some of my skincare routine, tips, tricks and general advice. I was tagged by my friend from Let's Get Lippy.

The tag

Describe your skin care routine in five words?
Minimal. Easy. Experimental. Refreshing. Nourishing.

What’s your skin type?
My skin type is normal/combination. I only break out when something irritates my skin or before or after PMS.

What’s your favourite skin care product?
I was given mini bottles of Dermalogica cleanser and daily microfoliant in a goody bag a long time ago but as I didn’t know much about the brand I didn’t use them. I had run out of the face wash I had normally used so I started using both products together. I quickly realised what all the hype was about. Dermalogica is gentle on the skin, light and feels clean, fresh and not tight.

Top blemish zapper?
I use a little tea tree oil stick to banish my blemish if it puffs up, otherwise I just leave it until it disappears. I think the more you fuss over it, the worse it gets.

Face wipes yay or nay?
Yeah, I use Johnson’s Dreamy 3in1 Facial Night Wipes to remove my daily make up, cleanse and tone. Previously I used the Refreshing Facial ones that come in the pink packet and I felt like it didn’t do the job. With the night time wipes I noticed a difference so I’ve stuck with those, I also love the Aromasoothe with Moonflower fragrance it’s calming and perfect for bedtime. For the nights when I wear heavier make up I use Superdrug Vitamin E Eye Make Up Remover, this is a cream based lotion that you can squeeze out on to a cotton pad and really tackle the make up on and around your eye. 

High-end skin care or high-end make-up?
I would have to go with high-end make up because I haven’t really tried that much high-end skincare. I tend to buy high-end make up as a treat or if I have been recommended a specific product that would suit me. The majority of my skincare products are bought from the high street, I’m happy to try out new items and I’m really interested in product and brand recommendations through word-of-mouth or through reading beauty blogs.

What’s the most unusual skin care product you’ve tried? 
LOL. I tried this organic facial spray that you used to refresh your skin, it smelt like vinegar and water (yuck) but to be honest this thing was probably better for your health than some of the items on the market. Despite that I just know it wasn’t for me.

You’re in a French pharmacy and can only pick up one item – what is it?
One of my friends gave me a manicure once and she put this almond oil on my hands to nourish my cuticles. It was different from the almond oil I’ve bought in the UK, it felt lighter and seemed like it could be used regularly. She had bought it in France as that’s where she’s from so if I had to buy anything it’d be that.

Top skin care tips

• Drink water 
• Change your bed sheets regularly 
• Less is more. A pea-size amount is enough and you won’t run out too quickly 
• Try out new products and give them a good go before discarding them 
• NEVER sleep in your make up 

Who I'm tagging

Shanaz and Kamaria - La Belle Aventure
Melissa - The Avenue Online
Bree - All About Bree
Ayesha - Miss Tinks Beauty
Sophia - Sophia Bella

Bianca x

Bloglovin - Twitter - Tumblr - Pinterest 

Seek & Revive Vintage Kilo Sale

Last Saturday I went over to the Seek & Revive Vintage Kilo sale at The Oval Space East London.
It was only the second time the event had been held there, I had read great things about it before hand so I thought I would get involved in some thrifty fun. The Oval Space is a warehouse building tucked behind a main high road, it's great location for a shopping event like this. I arrived there just after the doors opened at 11am and went straight inside to rummage through the stacks of clothing.

Inside there were lots rails of full of second-hand and vintage clothing. I spotted rails dedicated to vintage jeans, varsity jackets, floral shirts and woolly jumpers - this place is a haven for vintage lovers. It's a really cool idea to attract people who love recycling clothing and for those like me who are open to trying out a different approach to shopping. I enjoyed looking through the quirky pieces, wondering who wore them first and how?

If you like people watching like me, this is also a good place to spot some cool streetstyle. A couple of the girls I saw picked up some unique pieces including box bags and tea dresses in good condition. I think if you get there super early you’ll pick up the best stuff.

 

Outside the space there is also a cute spot for people to grab a refreshment, chill out and head back inside for some more shopping.

The way the kilo sale works is you can buy as many clothes and accessories as you want at £15 a kilo - pretty purse-friendly don't you think? That works out to be about four or five items all together. I didn’t find that many things to buy so I didn’t purchase anything but I would definitely go back as it’s nice to try something different every once and a while.

Seek & Revive is held every month the next pop up sale is at Concrete 16th June. Find out more about it here.

Are you a vintage fashion fan? 

Bianca x

Bloglovin - Twitter - Tumblr - Pinterest 

Blistex Lip Brilliance review

Lip balm is one of my handbag essentials, I feel lost if I haven’t got one on the go with me. During the winter I used the Blistex Relief Cream and was impressed so I thought I'd give the balm a go. Inside the goodie bag from the Gorkana Beauty event I got a Blistex Lip Brilliance* chapstick. Over the past two weeks I’ve been using the balm to keep my lips soft. Here are my thoughts...

Blistex Lip Brilliance aims to condition dry lips using replenishing qualities including vitamin E, grape seed oil and silk extracts. It also features SPF 15 to protect against sun damage and hyaluronic filling spheres that penetrate the skin to fill in wrinkles and plump the lips.

I wore Lip Brilliance on its own, without anything else underneath. It can be used instead of a lipstick or with to boost your pout if you like. I used it for two weeks applying when my lips felt dry or before leaving the house. I found myself becoming addicted to putting it on because it smells and tastes like the red sweet, you know the one that is always the favourite one in a packet. I think the smell makes this balm attractive that’s probably why I couldn’t put it down.

Upon application the lip balm glides across the lips smoothly and feels light rather than heavy. I thought I’d have felt the glittery pieces in the stick as a part of the texture but I didn’t, which I liked. When I applied the balm indoors and outdoors, it kept my lips moist for a long time and didn’t dry up straight away - that was a good sign - I only reapplied when the pink tint faded.

What does it look like?

My GIF shows a before and after. In the after picture you'll notice the balm is deep pink on my lips, it is a tinted balm with a rosy tone and has a shimmering effect in the light.

Blistex Lip Brilliance (£2.49, Superdrug) is a great alternative to the plain balms on the market. If you want a balm for conditioning your lips and making them stand out at the same time, this is ideal for you.

Have you tried Blistex Lip Brilliance yet? Tell me your thoughts?

Bianca x

Bloglovin - Twitter - Tumblr - Pinterest 

*Disclaimer: Any items marked with an asterix (*) are sent to me for reviewing purposes, but this does not influence my overall opinion. All of the companies/brands/products on my blog are those that I recommend and would buy/use in the future unless stated otherwise.

Wishlist: 10 London restaurants I want to visit

After reading Rachel Phipps’ post on the ‘10 London Restaurants and Cafes I Can’t Wait to Eat At’ I noticed some of the places on her list appeared on my own. In London there’s a lot of choice when deciding where to dine out and I often go to places I know rather than somewhere new which I’d like to change. Reading restaurant reviews, magazines and tweets I made a mental note of the places I want to go and since then added more. The majority of restaurants consist of new eateries and cult favourites and the menus are full of fast food, so I guess I’ll have to make sure I space out my visits.

Burger and Lobster (various locations)

Photo: Burger & Lobster

Burger and Lobster now have four locations in London, Mayfair, Soho, City and Farringdon and I still haven’t managed to eat in one. I know my friends are interested in going so all we need is a date and boom I’m there. The menu is pretty straight forward Burger, lobster or lobster roll all with chips and salad at £20 which is a reasonable price. With such a simple menu you’d think it would be easy to make a choice but just thinking about it I want to try both. I’ll have to go more than once or hope someone I go with takes a different option so I can try all they have on offer.

The Rum Kitchen (Notting Hill)

Photo: The Rum Kitchen

The first time I heard about The Rum Kitchen was when I read a review on Just Opened London, it seemed like my kind of place – Caribbean cuisine + rum = a happy Bee. I wanted to go there for my birthday meal but when I requested a reservation the place was all booked up. That’s why it’s still on my list. Having family from Jamaica I know there’s no better food than home cooked rice and peas and chicken but I love visiting Caribbean restaurants too, just to soak up the lively atmosphere and good vibes. Looking at The Rum Kitchen’s menu online I’m particularly drawn to the Jerk chicken wings, chocolate rum cake with choc sauce and extensive list of cocktails with hints of rum all around.

Bea’s of Bloomsbury (various locations)

Photo: Bea's of Bloomsbury

Cupcakes, cakes, sweets and pastries I can’t get enough. Afternoon tea and brunch have become less formal and make a fun alternative to lunch or dinner with friends. I’d like to try afternoon tea at Bea’s of Bloomsbury because the cakes look so delicious and the choice of sweet treats goes beyond the classic afternoon tea choice. When I go I’ll definitely take a slice of carrot cake to go.

Honest Burgers (Brixton and Soho)

 Photo: Honest Burgers

It was a bad idea to write this post up at a time when I was feeling hungry. Looking at the mouth-watering meals from Honest Burgers didn't help. This is one of many British burger joints on the list that I have yet to visit, having read a couple of reviews from this eatery I’m worried that there’s no perfect time to go as it’s always busy and there will be a queue. Nevertheless it’s still my mission to tuck into one of the plump beef burgers that are encased in toasted glazed buns. YUM!

Bond & Brook (Mayfair)

Photo: Bond & Brook

My dream scenario would be to go on a shopping spree through Oxford Street and then refuel with lunch at Bond & Brook before hitting more stores. The restaurant operated by Rhubarb and can be found on the second floor of department store Fenwick on New Bond Street. I like the boutique exterior of the restaurant here, it looks really light and chic which makes it inviting. The restaurant serves brunch and afternoon tea menus as well as main courses and dessert. This would be great location for a glam lunch with friends or your mum or grandma.

Cottons Rhumshack (Shoreditch)

Photo: Cottons Rhumshack

Cottons have opened in a new location at Boxpark to bring the Caribbean sunshine to Shoreditch. This looks like the perfect place to enjoy atmosphere, food and drink the newly opened venue has hosted soca nights and happy hour with samba dancers so it seems there will be lots more fun events coming up. Much like The Rum Kitchen, Cottons has a laid back island exterior decorated like a beach shack. This will probably be the only way for me to experience the holiday vibe this season. As a pop up this restaurant is high on my list to visit, I think it’s only at Boxpark for the summer so I had better get there quick.

Patty & Bun (Marylebone)

Photo: Patty & Bun

P&B started off as just a pop up appearing at The Doodle Bar in Battersea and The Endurance on Berwick Street. Now it’s a permanent fixture right in the heart of central London, nicely tucked away on St James Street just off of Oxford Street. The thing that attracts me to P&B is how much sauce there is on the burgers, judging from the menu there’s lots variation (‘Lambshank Redemption’ burger - hello) and they have sides and desserts on offer too.

La Bodega Negra (Soho)

Photo: La Bodega Negra

I love Mexican food and La Bodega Negra serves Mexican street food so it’s a match made in heaven. I’d like to try the tacos, quesadilla and churros and see how they compare with other places I’ve tried them at. La Bodega Negra has a Mexican taqueria and café upstairs and an underground tequila cellar bar (nice). Being in Soho it’s no surprise that the restaurant access is through a sex shop around the corner but I’ve heard once you’re inside you can drink yourself happy with their huge selection of tequila.

Wishbone (Brixton)

Photo: Wishbone

When I eventually visit Brixton Market I will be sure to stop by Wishbone before I leave for some fried chicken to satisfy my food craving. I’ve read some reviews that were mixed so it would be good to decipher my own opinion. Looking at the menu it seems pretty straight forward with variations of chicken cuts and spices, the sides on offer are interesting too. I hear the Thai chicken thighs hit the spot so I’ll give those a go alongside the deep friend mac’ n’cheese.

Bubbledogs (Fitzrovia)

Photo: Katherine Poole

Last year I close to making a visit to the newly opened Bubbledogs restaurant for a friend’s birthday meal. However when we arrived the queue was over an hour’s wait and none of us could hold out for food for that long. I have yet to return and since then I’ve good things about the champagne and hotdog eatery. It makes a nice alternative to other posh-junk food venues and is in a central so it’s easy to pop by in you’re in town.

What London restaurants would you like to visit?

Bianca x

Bloglovin - Twitter - Tumblr - Pinterest 

#ThrowbackThursday – My style

I love looking back at old photographs of the family. When I was going through the huge boxes of pictures, I thought I’d pick out my favourite fashion styles from back in the day and share them with you. Some of these photos are so random I’m sure my parents would just take photos to finish the film in the camera nevertheless those pictures capture so many funny memories and great style.

In my collection of photos I noticed I had thing for yellow and matching sets, two trends that are actually in season right now.

Yellow was one of my favourite colours growing up. I had no problem pretending to be the yellow Power Ranger in the playground, while the rest of the girls fought over who would be pink. As you can see most of my formal wardrobe consisted of yellow dress or sets with matching hair bobbles and clips (thanks mum). I had some really colourful clothes when I was younger, I wasn't too fussy with what things I wanted to wear - to be honest I don't think I had a choice, but I trusted my mum with her choices and complained if I didn't feel comfortable.

 

 

 

The first two pictures are photos taken for play group when I was two and three, I can't image they do professional pictures at play groups now but mine must have been a posh one - ha. The picture below on the beach was taken in Blackpool on a sunny yet windy day, notice the layering there? My final yellow outfit must have been taken between the ages of one or two, the cardigan is massive on me but looks cute.

 

 

Co-ordinates, two pieces, matching sets - whatever you call them I wore a lot of them. Mine consisted of t-shirt and shorts combo for the summer holidays. Two of these photos were taken in Florida and the other just in our back garden. I think this look only works well if the clothing is in print, I'm going to try and redo the style for this summer but chose crop tops and skirts and maybe casual suit sets instead. 

What's are your favourite #ThrowbackThursday styles?

Bianca x

Bloglovin - Twitter - Tumblr