Tuesday, 29 October 2013

What I Wore Today…



American Apparel High-Waisted Jeans
Vintage T-Shirt
Vintage Flannel Shirt
Underground Creepers

I’ve just worked 6 days in a row, so on my day off I wanted to wear casual & comfy. I bought these American Apparel jeans a while ago and I just love high-waisters. It’s the only type of trouser I can get away with or felt happy in without having a meltdown in the changing rooms when trying some on for the first time. Pair them with a vintage t-shirt and flannel shirt and what do you get? 90s grunge.

"As If!"


Topshop White Crop T-Shirt
H&M High-Waisted Tartan Skirt
Office Black Chunky Heel Lace Ups

I love how 90’s grunge has continued its reign of the high-street into Autumn and Winter and as you can see I also love to wear this Cher-from-Clueless-esque outfit. It looks great with white frilly socks but with that slight chill in the air now, I say its best to throw on some white or black tights. Tartan is all the rage right now and I’m very happy about that. Tartan is so versatile. You can dress it up with a blouse, dress it down with a tee, clash it with a print or pair it with something plain which enhances the colours of the tartan. My favourite part of this outfit are my new shoes. My boyfriend told me they reminded him of the last scene in Cruel Intentions. Sarah Michelle Gellar and Reese Witherspoon graduating from High School in their tartan skirts and chunky black lace ups. As that’s one of my favourite endings to a movie and epitomizes the 90’s style we’re now reppin’ in 2013, I took it as a big compliment.

Good Will Hunting


Vintage Hunting Jacket
Beyond Retro
£35.00
I’ve only moved about half of my belongings into my new room and I was quite impressed with how little I needed and how much I had cut down! … That was until I realised I hadn’t packed ANY of my winter jackets, jumpers and cardigans and when Summer abruptly stopped, I needed a backup plan. So, I went to Beyond Retro to get myself a flannel shirt as I had left all my others at home and needed something warmer to tide me over till I could pick up the rest of my stuff (much to my boyfriend’s dismay…) 
I went to the Beyond Retro in Oxford Circus, behind Oxford Street. It was a lot smaller than the others I’d been too and you really have to be in the mood to have a good rummage. A lot of the flannels were made from quite an itchy material, so it took me a while to find what I had come in there for. (see pic below) It was perfect! They’re often called Hunting Jackets but I know them as Heavyweight Flannels from when I used to work in a vintage store in Nottingham. It’s great for the current weather as its not too bulky. For only £35.00 for a jacket in great condition, I thought I’d found myself a bargain!


Here’s An Update On My Life So Far…


The PR Couture Guide to Breaking into Fashion PR
Crosby Noricks

…After all, this blog is called ‘Reflect and the City.’ 
Moving  to London and working on one of the busiest, most fashion forward streets, in an internationally acclaimed store is proving to inspire me as a part-time fashion blogger beginner &aspiring fashion PR/Marketing assistant. (Wow, that was a mouthful!) This is down to the different fashionistas I serve and advise 4 days a week. It is so refreshing to see all the different ‘looks’ and faces of fashion. Those who want to make a fashion statement on their weekends off, those who are keeping it fashionable and smart in their work attire, those who dress in timeless vintage pieces, designer, PVC, leather, woollen capes… you name it, I’ve probably seen it. 
I’m currently working part-time as a sales assistant for a concession in Topshop whilst I progress as a fashion PR intern working from home and occasionally in the studio of the designers. From this internship, I’ve recently been given a mini-assignment and feel like I can finally begin to really dive in and learn about the fashion industry, especially as I am now living in the country’s capital, taking it all in. It’s something you’ve got to know your way around first before considering a job in it. I admit, I probably don’t know as much as I should but that doesn’t mean I’m not as passionate and certainly doesn’t mean I don’t want to learn… So, I’m going to, and I can’t wait to see what I find. 
I bought a book/guide a while back (see pic below) and did a bit of research to see whether you can read up on PR or whether it is all just about what you experience. Turns out, there aren’t a lot of books out there but I found this little gem on Amazon. It had great reviews so I thought ‘Why not?!’ There may be some aspects which don’t apply to your current situation but I guarantee you’ll find something which does and you’ll be getting out your highlighters and writing  quotes in your diaries. I’ve still not finished it but will need this as a staple item in my satchel from now on. 
I do believe it is all about experience and gaining the knowledge yourself but there’s nothing better than someone who has done it all before, sharing what they have learnt. Have a read for yourself.
Until next time… XO

Home, Sweet Home.


Homewares never normally excite me. I guarantee I’d choose a vintage blouse over a vintage cushion cover any day. Well, that was until I realised I was successful in getting a job in Topshop Oxford Circus and will be moving up there imminently! My mindset has now transformed and all I can think about is wooden dressing tables, Cath Kidston floral kitchen essentials and the layout of my room. Sharing with my boyfriend might prove difficult as I may have to cut down on the floral but I’ll buy as much as I can get away with! Last night, sleepy and tired, I decided to staple two vintage scarves onto a plain white wicker basket. Productive Saturday evening? Well, it’s definitely going to save me money on buying a ready-made one and will certainly get used! 
What do you think?
XO

Ch, Ch, Ch, Cha… AGING

NIVEA 'Cleansing Facial Wash'
SIMPLE 'Cleansing Facial Wipes'
NIVEA 'Refreshing Toner'
NIVEA 'Anti-Wrinkle Cream'
NIVEA 'SOFT Moisturiser'

I love my “snooze” button. It allows me an extra 15 minutes in bed every morning and I love every second of it. It does, however, leave me in quite a rush and in the summer I find myself a flustered and sweaty mess far too often.

I had a bit of a wake up call the other day (literally) as I cut out 30 minutes of my “getting ready” time for an extra snooze with my boyfriend. I call him the ‘human radiator’ and blame him for my tardiness (well… I can’t blame him every time but definitely sometimes…) When I eventually teared myself away from my bed and the cosiest spoon, I tried squeezing in as many tasks as possible, only giving myself the time it takes to carry out one. Fixing my bed-hair (yes, it may look like bed-hair most of the time but trust me there’s a difference!), removing the remnants of last night’s make-up and re-applying today’s.

As you can imagine, I was unsuccessful. It was a half-hearted attempted and wasted anyway as by the time I got on the tube my face had melted (gross I know, but I learnt the hard way!) I caught a glimpse of my reflection and there they were… dark shopping bags under my eyes, engraved on my face. The panicked power-walk to catch the tube had aged me about 30 years!

I was literally a hot mess, but not in the good sense.

I always had a ‘beauty routine’ but sticking to it was the hardest part, especially not having enough time or rather being asleep. This moment, however, made me realise that I was 22, not 12, I need to look after my skin and live a healthier lifestyle. I love to keep busy and be here, there and everywhere but eventually it’s going to take its toll and I don’t want to be that girl people talk about saying “How old is she?! She looks much older than that!”

Call me over-dramatic. I call it organised.

So here’s a look into my new and improved ‘beauty routine’ which I MUST do every morning and every night:

1. ‘SIMPLE’ Make Up Remover Wipes - Perfect for sensitive skin and gets rid of those mascara marks which haven’t completely been wiped away the night before.

The rest of my routine sticks to one brand as I think it gives the best results:

2. ‘NIVEA’ Cleansing Facial Wash - Wakes me up and washes away all the dirt from the day.

3. ‘NIVEA’ Toner - Keeps my skin feeling re-vitalised and fresh.
4. ‘NIVEA Soft’ Moisturiser - I try to avoid the pot of just ‘Nivea’ as it makes my skin feel blocked and stodgy. ‘Nivea Soft,’ however, eliminates all of these issues.

5. ‘NIVEA’ Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream - Here’s the new addition. Dot around the “problem area” and it should diminish those dark circles (well, that’s what it says on the box… I’m yet to see the results… I have only just started using it, so need to give it a chance).

I will report back in a month to see if I have defied gravity and pulled those heavy bags from my eyes, up, up and away!

Take me back, ta-ta-take me back to the 90s

 I’m one of those annoying people who moan when its too cold, then long for sunny days in beer gardens and when Mr. Sunshine eventually decides to show up, I’m “TOO HOT.” I struggle with flip flops, due to me either losing one, or those bastard blisters so I needed a back-up plan and a change from my trusted gladiator sandals: jelly shoes of course! 

Now today, I’m here to talk about that cringey combination: socks with sandals. I’ve always said ‘I OBJECT,’ when seeing people walking around town wearing thick white socks with heavy-duty sandals or Crocs, but I may have to lift the ban on this where jelly shoes are concerned…

When I expressed my enthusiasm to buy a pair of jellies, there were quite a few gasps in the office and amongst friends but when I really want something, those comments are far from my mind, especially when I’m at the counter paying for them. Even after I bought them, a lady on the train laughed at me saying “Old school,” but I needed something which would keep my feet cool and comfortable and these black JUJU jellies were the perfect purchase! As well as that, I didn’t see the harm in making a little fashion statement…
I decided to turn this 90’s throwback up a notch and add some white frilly socks (I hear some more gasps) to the mix. I love having the chance to re-live old styles but relish this even more when the high-street decide they’re going to take on vintage fashion too. If Topshop aren’t afraid to rock socks with sandals, then surely that’s a sign that we shouldn’t either! So if you were like me and have been sitting on the fence for a while, just remember, when you wear something that catches the attention of passers-by, it won’t always be for the wrong reasons! Who knows, they might decide to divert their route to get themselves a pair too.