Discovery Club from The Fragrance Shop

I received an email from The Fragrance Shop about their new venture, Discovery Club and was offered the opportunity to try out a box to review.

If you're not familiar with Discovery Club, think of it as a perfume version of Glossybox or Birchbox. The Fragrance Shop Send out the Discovery Club box quarterly with an annual subscription costing £25. 5p from every subscription and subsequent transactions at The Fragrance Shop is donated to Rays of Sunshine children's charity and so far over £100,000 has been donated!

I was sent the 4th edition of the box, which contains 6 new fragrances and vouchers to purchase the fragrances £10 off!

Upon receiving the box, it was presented really nicely in a smart black box, with the samples and voucher booklet wrapped up in chic tissue paper. This edition contains Si by Armani, Jour by Boss, Untold by Elizabeth Arden, Aura by Loewe, La Vie Est Belle Eau Legere by Lancome and Made to Measure by Gucci (for men). I actually received Si by Armani for my birthday and I love it! It's a very elegant scent with pretty floral tones and almost a pink grapefruit smell. So pretty and I will definitely be using the £10 voucher to repurchase this one.

Jour by Boss is a crisp fragrance with a blend of white flowers and citrus. It's very pretty and perfect to wear during the day. Untold by Elizabeth Arden is gorgeous! So pretty and feminine; it's floral and fruity and has the kind of scent, which will keep heads turning all day. Aura by Loewe is my least favourite. It's floral but slightly too woody and spicy for me. It smells a bit too grown up for my taste. La Vie...by Lancome smells like femininity in a bottle! Very fruity with a touch of jasmine and vanilla. So pretty! Made to Measure by Gucci is the only men's eau de toilette in the box and it is fronted by the gorgeous James Franco, so I'm sold. Very masculine with notes of lavender, bergamot, nutmeg and leather. I spritzed it on Darren and it smells goooooooooood!

If you're interested in trying out the Discovery Club box by The Fragrance Shop then click here.

Would you try out the Discovery Club? Enjoy x


*the Discovery Club box was sent to me as a PR sample. All opinions are my own and honest.

Fall in Love with AW12 Fashion

With autumn in the , it’s time to start embracing the styles for the new fashion season. AW12 is most definitely upon us, with the first of the collections already firmly in place on the high street (and some already in the sale)

If the thought of buying a new season wardrobe has you tied up in knots, if you’re not sure which trends to embrace, which will suit you, which have longevity or what the trends even are, then fear not! I'm here to help guide you through the AW12 maze. Follow my new season guide to keep your look stylish, on-trend and above all, fabulous!

Brocade: 

Combine baroque opulence with rich brocades, embellishment, beadwork and damask with sumptuous colours to achieve this on-trend look.

Balmain AW12

Marni AW12

Leather:

Fashion has turned to leather for AW12. Tough black leather and severe cuts were seen all over the runways, thanks in particular to Rooney Mara’s character in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

 

Gareth Pugh AW12

Givenchy AW12

 

Peplums and curves:

Designer’s celebrated the female shape for AW12, showcasing the waist and emphasising the hips, by adding peplums, pannier and padding.

Lanvin AW12

Stella McCartney

 

Great British Heritage:

Downton Abbey had an effect on the runway this season. To achieve this heritage look, think checks and plaids in rich, earthy tones and sweeping coats, which would look perfect on a windswept moor.

Burberry Prorsum AW12

 

Gothic Romance:

Silks, lace, tulle and other stunning fabrics were seen in dark yet oddly romantic colours– deep black, rich blues, lavish purples and beautiful maroons.

Gucci AW12

New Military:

Khaki, army coats, epaulettes, big pockets and gold hardware make this trend pop. Mix these elements plus shiny black boots and tailored detailing and you have the AW12 military look in the bag.

 

Maxmara AW12

 

Purple Haze:

If there’s one colour to be seen in this season, it’s purple. Glamorous and feminine, wear this colour as a block or as a print and choose to go either head to toe or simply opt for purple details.

 

Erdem AW12

 

The Oscar's Award Winning Dresses

I have always been a huge fan of the Oscars.

When I was little, I used to stay up with my mum till 5am to watch the whole show! Now, I try to watch it live, but end up taping it and watching it over the course of the following days.

Now, I love watching the red carpet as well as the award ceremonies, and seeing what everyone wore - the hits, the misses and all the glamour.

This year, seven ladies really stuck out to me; Meryl Streep, Rooney Mara, Cameron Diaz, Angelina Jolie, Michelle Williams, J-Lo and Gwyneth Paltrow, who all wore stunning gowns by the likes of Tom Ford, Givenchy, Gucci, Marc Jacobs and other fabulous names.

My favourite trend of the dresses were the pretty floaty nude gowns, with flowing trains, a smattering of shimmer and a slight etheral quality. I've put my faves below, but would love to hear who your favourites were. Enjoy x

New Season Fashion Update - The Trends to Try for AW2011

Just when summer has finally arrived and we’re actually getting use of our maxi dresses and gladiator sandals, in the world of fashion, we should already be planning our winter wardrobes!

If the thought of investing in a whole new wardrobe for the new autumn/winter season is leaving you flustered and unsure, then fear not...I have put together a fail-safe guide to get you ready for the new fashion season!

It’s an exciting season ahead with trends ranging from the ever-popular 70’s trend, maxi skirts, bright and chunky knits, animal prints, polka dots and androgyny.

With so many beautiful pieces flooding into the high street stores already, you’re sure to be spoiled for choice, and with my AW11 Fashion Guide, you’ll know exactly what to invest it, which trends to embrace and which ones to avoid. 

First, colour! Gone are the days when dressing for autumn and winter meant opting for black and navy, this season, designers had a field day and the catwalks were awash with beautiful brights! Reds added a contemporary edge to classic camels whilst vivid primary shades broke up black and brightened warm autumnal hues. Burberry showed amazing bright military coats, and Jonathan Saunders mixed every beautiful colour under the sun. Fancy a dip into the colour trend? Why not paint your nails a gorgeous shade from the rainbow.

Burberry

Jaeger, Roksanda Ilincic, Jonathan Saunders

Of course, the other huge colour trend, and something a bit better for the less fashion brave out there, was the monochrome look. When colour wasn’t dominating the catwalk, black and white took center stage. Julien McDonald swapped his signature jewel tones for crisp whites and gothic blacks, and Giles and Louis Vuitton took the gothic inspired black into their collections as well.

Julien Macdonald

Louis Vuitton

Fancy a break from the femininity of summer? Another huge trend for AW11 is androgyny. Suits and oversized tailoring where sent down the runway by the likes of Stella McCartney, Dolce and Gabbana and Celine. Oh boy!

Stella McCartney

Dolce and Gabbana

Feeling brave this season? Try the most out there trend of the minute, photographic prints. Birds, bird cages, flowers, feathers, skylines, you name it as long as its colourful and digitalized, it’s on trend! Erdem and Mary Katrantzou showed the trend best with their bright and punchy mix of prints and colours.

Erdem

Mary Kantrantzou

Although the 70s were huge for the summer (and were still visible on a few AW11 runways), for the new season, it’s all about two time eras, the 40s and Victoriana. Gucci and Mulberry showcased the 40s trend beautifully with tailored coats and Peter Pan collars, and Temperley London and Meadham Kirchhoff brought the Victorian times right into 2011 with lace, ruffles and pearls.

Gucci

Mulberry

Meadham Kirchhoff

Finally, the texture trend is one to definitely incorporate into your life. Sequins, faux fur, velvet, lace and leather were shown all together at Etro and Fendi, creating stunning luxe looks that begged to be touched. If the thought of wearing several textures at once isn’t for you, why not mix a sequin hat with a faux fur waistcoat – a perfect and subtle nod to the trend!

Fendi

Etro

So there you go! I hope you enjoyed my little guide. I know I am most excited about trying out the texture trend this season. What about you? Which ones will you be trying out? Enjoy x

A Couple of Fab Magazine Covers and Masters of Style...

Sorry I have been absent for so long...I've had a few decisions to make over the last week or so which required lots od deliberating...so blogging had to be put on hold!

I went to a fabulous event last week with fellow blogger buddy, Rachael Oku of Creative Idle called Masters of Style. This was a brilliant preview and press party for this new exhibition at Somerset House, and we were tres flattered to be invited and mingle among the fashion elite. Curated and (on the night), hosted by fashion historian, commentator and journalist for the Sunday Times, Colin McDowell; this groundbreaking exhibition marks the 150th anniversary of Italy’s unification. Masters of Style brought together six of the nation’s most influential fashion houses to celebrate the stories behind Italian fashion’s emergence on the international stage. Synonymous with the variety, style, originality, workmanship and high quality of the Made in Italy label, the six iconic design houses under the spotlight are Armani, Missoni, Gucci, D&G, Prada and Salvatore Ferragamo.

Whilst enjoying gorgeous canapes and champagne (we bypassed the Peroni beers, one of the events sponsors of the night), we had a mooch around the exhibition, which consisted of each of the designers choosing their favourite campagins from their back catalogues, and showcasing them in little individual enclosures. It was amazing to see which campaigns the designers treasured, and offered so much insight into the designer's inspirations.

Gucci 2000

D&G SS11

Prada SS03

So, apart from that amazing night, I've spotted a couple of mag covers that deserve a bit of a shout out!

Firstly, the beautiful and talented Anne Hathaway, who in my eyes is one of Hollywood's most gorgeous and watchable actresses, covers Harpers Bazaar. The actress looks demure and stunning on the cover, and in the fashion shoot, she wears a beautiful palette of reds and creams which is bang on for the new season. The mag hits the newstands of July 12th, so make sure you grab yourself a copy!

If I had to do my wedding again...I'd so wear this dress!!

Finally, I love this cover for Vogue's August issue. Kate Moss looks young, fresh and ever so slightly fairy like! The outfit, hair and make up all work really well for the newly married super model and she looks more like she did in her glory days...working the super model look again! Well done Kate, married life obviously agrees with you!

Enjoy x