Bloggers Love LFW Event: My HONEST Opinion + Experience

Okay so if you aren't familiar, Bloggers Love hosts events and gifting opportunities for bloggers. I first found about the organisation when I was interning for Fever London and helped out at one of their events, gifting bloggers and networking with others in the industry. I thought it was the most amazing idea ever... I had never been to a blogger event before and I was there to work but luckily I was able to stay on and introduce myself to everyone as a blogger. The night was held at The Penthouse which had beautiful panoramic views of London. Unfortunately, Bloggers Love can no longer hold events there because it is being converted into a hotel.

Immediately, I joined the mailing list and attended a couple other of their events, both of which were fabulous and had little to no drawbacks at all. Naturally I wanted to come to this year's Gossip Girl themed LFW event as I had such a good impression already so I decided to attend. As I found the Hoxton Arches venue, I saw a line of bloggers waiting to enter and everything seemed as it should... it was only until I entered that I realised how crowded it really was. After speaking to a couple of others, many would agree that the space was a bit too small as it was hard to speak to the brands one-on-one purely because of how busy it was.

Yes, my necklace is £5! 

Admittedly, I didn't stay for long as it was all a bit too much for me but that's not to say that my night was ruined or anything, I did manage to connect with a few fabulous brands, including ones like Sniffy Wiffy and Nadia Minkoff who I have previously met with. Plus it was great to be able to dress up like Blair Waldorf for a day... Although I must admit I felt slightly underdressed considering how much effort some others had gone to with killer heels and perfect hair -sigh-!

Image courtesy of Enterspree.com.

Image courtesy of Enterspree.com.

Beautiful layout from Nadia Minkoff! 

When I got home and opened Twitter, I couldn't believe how much hate this event was getting. Literally every tweet I saw was bashing the event, the organisers, the brands. Every aspect was being tattered. Yes, I do feel like the previous events were much better but in an all honesty, who am I sit to around and bash somebody for putting on an event to help me and my blog?

Prior to the gifting lounge, an exclusive Gossip Girl themed dinner party was meant to have taken place. I did book a ticket for this but I cancelled last minute because I realised it clashed with one of my university seminars. As I had left it so late to inform Bloggers Love, I couldn't get a refund but I expected this and completely understood. Apparently, the dinner was less than satisfactory but I'm not going to comment on something I wasn't physically a part of. I will say that it is highly admirable for the organiser, Danielle to release a detailed statement in relation to all the negative feedback, explaining the hiccups of the night including the fraudulent catering company and the fact that she has had to contribute her own funds to make this event possible without a full-fledged team backing her.

Snippet of the full statement which can be read here. 

One thing that pissed me off was the fact that bloggers were criticising the event to a point where everyone was forgetting how stressful the position of organiser must be and that yes, sometimes things just do go wrong. Having been to several Bloggers Love events before, I felt urged to write this post up as I want people to know that this event is not reflective of the potential that Blogger's Love is capable of. They are one of the only organisations which I know of that consider all bloggers, regardless of followings or experience and after all, they did not have to put this event on for anyone... People are now acting as if they could do a better job and run a whole event with 200+ people without the potential for things to go wrong.

Quick snap of the event in action!

Lastly, I would like to comment on the fact that some bloggers were complaining about certain celebrities or TV personalities getting more attention from the brands. Maybe it's just because my mind works from a PR perspective but OBVIOUSLY! It is entirely the brand's choice who they decide to gift and having a certain amount of experience on the other side of the blogging table, I find it a bit funny (without being rude) that starting bloggers expect to be given VIP treatment instead. That's not to say that brands shouldn't pay you any attention, of course not. They have the right to treat you with respect but I'm pretty sure that most of these bloggers did not attend the paid dinner party and turned up to the gifting suite for FREE, only to complain about the lack of attention. Third world problems much?!

Linzi Shoes SS15 Press Day: Shoe Heaven on Earth

This was probably one of the coolest press days I've ever been to! Linzi Shoes showcased their insane SS15 collection and I was so amazed by how large their range actually was! I was pretty new to the brand but I had heard a few things about them on Twitter and I saw some of their statement designs, such as the metallic gold loafers below. 

As I entered the room I immediately saw the bright neon jelly sandals on one half of the room and luscious platform heels fit for a vixen on the other. I love that Linzi caters for so many different women and when I peeked at the prices I was so shocked by how affordable they really were! Seriously, if you are looking to get a few pairs for an upcoming holiday or just need to spice up your collection, you actually can with Linzi without breaking the bank! 

I was drawn to the Natalee Caged Heels in Beige because of how simple yet elegant the design was. You can imagine these going beautifully with a pair of white skinnies and an airy blouse or even with a sexy LBD for a night out. 

The show-stopping gold beauties that everyone was raving about on social media! 

I can just imagine taking these on holiday with me... they look seriously comfortable but will add a splash of colour to a subtle maxi dress.

Heels galore! So many options...

A close-up of the Natalee heels. I just love the detail in this, especially the peep toe and side-zipper. 

For those of you that like to glam everything up to the max, these are definitely for you. Can you get anymore glitzy? Warning: for divas only. 

I need these in my life! I have similar styles at home but nothing in white or with a patent finish. I love these because they look seriously smart and formal so when you don't want to go all out and wear heels you can still look professional all day round.

I also had a lovely time getting to know about the luxury nail brand, NCLA. As you can see they offer a beautiful range of quality polishes and nail wraps. They are going to be collaborating with Linzi pretty soon and I will keep you all updated with that because from what I heard, it sounds to be a promising collection merging fashion and beauty. What's not to love?! 

The FASHION TAG! 15 Questions, 15 Answers!

1. I love to shop for my clothes at…(3 shops)?
- River Island
- ASOS
- Primark

2. Shop you like to visit but don't usually buy from?

I think this would probably be Zara. Shocking right? For some reason I go in there but never come out with bags full of stuff. They do have nice things but some things are overpriced for what they are... on the other hand they do have quality items for a decent price. The main reason is probably the fit, I don't think the clothes are really made for my body type. I have leather trousers from there and they look horrible on me! Definitely not the best for curvier girls, for european size 8's, yes their stuff looks amazing! 

3. Last accessory you bought?

I bought a neon pink pouch and embellished tablet case from SkinnyDip. Ever since I got my jewelled phone case from them, I just adore the brand. If you're a student it's great too because they do great discounts. 

4. Do you own something you've never worn? What?

I actually have a lot of stuff I've not worn yet, it's really really bad. Although I'm not going to feel too guilty because a lot still has tags on because it's cold outside and I reach for warmer clothes instead. I do own dresses and playsuits from like 6 months ago with the tags on because I always try them on and end up putting something else on. Once I spot an issue with something I just won't wear it.   

5. I put a lot of thought into what I wear, throw my clothes on quickly or just like to be comfortable?

I do like to be comfortable but it's not like I just wear anything. Actually sometimes at uni I will because I don't care if I look like shit. I don't have anyone to impress. If it's an event I will definitely plan my outfit because I clearly want to look good. I bet most girls will say 'yeah I just thrown on things, I don't care'. Well why do you look so made up everyday? I doubt it. 

6. If I could I would wear (blank) everyday?

Pyjamas. I actually do this though, don't judge me. If I'm at home all day I will wear them all day. Who the hell cares? Why do I need to be wearing actual clothes? I have house clothes but they never get worn. Oh and leggings. I love leggings. Leggings are amazing. 

7. My wardrobe is mostly full of…?

I can't say because it's very versatile. I have a lot of statement pieces now, like metallic dresses, lace tops, embellished blouses or just fluffy heart tops which say 'everybody hates me'. I mean I change it up a lot. 

8. Most comfortable piece of clothing I own is…?

Slouch pyjamas from Primark. Oh. My. God. If you don't own these I don't know what the hell is wrong with you but I love that I don't feel like I'm wearing anything with them. 

9. What hat would you never ever wear?

I hate hats on me in general. I avoid them unless it's freezing... 

10. Whats your style?

I'm actually really really struggling with this. Style is so subjective!!! You know what I'm not even going to answer, I'll let you decide. 

11. Favourite t-shirt?

I went into Victoria's Secret when they had a sale and I bought this gorgeous pink t-shirt with a sequinned 'Love Pink' logo. It's so glam and very Trisha Paytas <3

12. Favourite dress?

I own a Preen dress (YES I KNOW, EFFING PREEN!). I bought it via eBay though so no I did not spend like £300. I really adore it because it has various panels of mesh and satin so it looks like one carefully crafted piece of luxury and gorgeousness. 

13. Favourite jumper or sweatshirt?

I have a plain fluffy black jumper from New Look. It's warm. It's black. It does the job. 

14. Favourite bag?

Hands down my purple crocodile textured one from Jasper Conran at Debenhams which I kindly chose after their press day. It's structured and it looks so classy. It's that rich plum colour too which is just... ugh it's too fab.

15. Favourite earrings?

Hmm surprisingly I'm not that much of an earrings fan but probably my Betsey Johnson ones which have red dangly crowns. 

London Edge SS15 VIP Bloggers Meet Up: My Intro to the Alternative Life!

I'll admit that sometimes I tend to stay stuck in a routine with my style. Once I get comfortable with something I tend to follow it for a good while. I do experiment don't get me wrong, although I definitely think that I can step outside my comfort zone a lot more. It's fun to try new things, new styles, looks from different eras. That's the amazing thing about fashion... there is an endless amount of looks to try out and once you find one you like, you can really transform your mood, attitude and demeanour. 

Because of this, I LOVED attending London Edge's event as a VIP blogger. It was amazing to see so many brands come together in one space and show off their best designs. When I walked in, I was shown to the press area which was very stylish and all-white. After a glass of bubbly, I got a hugeeee goodie bag, definitely the biggest to date! Thank you so much to London Edge for giving me luxury treatment, it really made my day! 

Below I am wearing my Voodoo Vixen dress which I was kindly gifted on the day. I fell in LOVE with it. It's not something I would usually go for, especially with the longer length but you know what, it was so nice to try something vintage-esque. The fit was great and it accentuated the right parts seeing as I am a size 14. 

It was lovely to meet Laura, another fellow student blogger who I had chatted with on social media before the event. She looked lovely in her pastel pink dress and pixie cut! You can check out her review of the event here :) 

We explored and came across some amazing brands full of eccentric ideas and it was refreshing for me to see a new side of fashion because I have tended to stick with more mainstream looks. I loved the friendliness of everyone, there were no airs or signs of snobbishness which I admittedly have become accustomed to now so that was nice for a change! 

As VIPs we all got treated to hair & makeup! Fab! As I already had makeup on, I just went for a red lip but props to the makeup artist as she really did a good job and I loved the blood red shade she used, it stayed for ages!

Now for the goodies! I loved so many of the treats but here are my favourites...

From left: Fanpac London T-shirt,
Collectif Mirror,
Banned Cardigan,
Miss Candyfloss Hair Flower,
Manic Panic Lipstick,
CherryLoco Necklace,
Jawbreaker Scarf 

I absolutely adore the Manic Panic Lipstick in shade Enchanted Forest. Again, this is definitely not a colour I would normally go for as it's quite daring but when I swatched it, I was really pleasantly surprised at the colour! 

 Once again, thanks to London Edge for hosting such a fab event, I loved every minute of it! I will leave you guys with some pics from the fashion show and some dresses that I literally had to just stop, stare and adore as I came across them...

Aashni + Co Wedding Show Feat. Manish Malhotra + More!

Although I'm aware of the soaring Indian fashion scene in London, I've tended to neglect it because in all honesty, I don't know much about the industry at all! I definitely think I've been missing out as the Aashni + Co Wedding Show blew my mind with so many beautiful outfits and talented designers.

Aashni + Co sells high-end Indian pieces from couture to ready-to-wear. If you are looking for exquisite Indian pieces from the top designers, I'd definitely go on their website or even pop down to their Notting Hill store as they do carry a large range and I can guarantee you will find something extremely special.

The show was held at The Dorchester Ballroom which is insanely gorgeous. Everything was decorated beautifully and when you walked through the doors, it felt like a grand occasion to say the least.

Here I am, looking terrible as ever. No seriously I don't like this at all but hey it was the only picture of me at the event so I had to use it. I was planning on wearing a different dress which would have fitted the occasion 10x better but there was a slight wardrobe malfunction before I left my house. The woes of fashion...

I had to pull out something last minute so I went with a gold lace playsuit, tights and tan wedged boots.

As you can see the details were incredible. Everything just seemed like a piece of art to be entranced by. Probably because these flawless pieces were works of art.

Although I couldn't personally meet him, I did manage to take a snap of Manish Malhotra who is a world-renowned designer and a top favourite with celebrities and Bollywood stars. From the work I saw at the show, I can see why!

Look at the sheer vibrancy of these colours! Everything seemed to come alive and each uniquely refined garment had a life of its own. Nothing was just sitting on a rail. 

The show wouldn't be complete without hair and makeup, right? I came across these stunning beauties having their hair and makeup done as they sat wearing heavily embroidered pieces full of gold embellishments. I thought the beauty side of things was done amazingly. The ladies didn't look too heavily caked or too contoured. They literally glowed effortlessly and oozed of glamour and confidence. Props to Aamir Naveed Hair and Ambreen Makeup!

Oh, and the cakes! The extravagant, towering, mouth-watering cakes! To be honest this whole show has got me really excited about the Indian bridal sphere. Everything is over the top and God damn it, I love it!

St. Kitts Herbery Mist Perfume: A Refreshingly New Discovery

Some of you may know that I am absolutely obsessed with accumulating new fragrances. I love to experiment with new scents and when I smell something I adore, it's hard for me not to have it in my collection. 

After collecting for a long, long time I was so upset when my collection went missing during the move to my new place. It's really sad when you lose things, especially a whole collection but life does go on and I've been gradually trying to build it back up. Actually, it might be a blessing in disguise considering I have only repurchased a couple of the old fragrances purely because I've had SO much fun discovering new scents out there. 

I found out about St. Kitts Herbery through the Bloggers Love Hub and their range really drew me in because their products looked very simply packaged and I got the impression that they put in a lot of effort with their products performing and smelling nicely, rather than being gimmicky like a lot of other fragrance companies out there. 

I chose the 'Mist' scent because it sounded so original and unlike anything I own or usually go for. It came beautifully packaged in a subtle black box with the name embossed in silver. I actually really like the black packaging, it's classy and simple. 

Same goes for the bottle itself, it's square and has a neat label on it. I've seen a lot of over-the-top bottles out there which can be nice to have for displays but in all honesty, I think these types of bottles are more convenient to store, especially in my bathroom cabinet which has limited space. 

On to the scent, 'Mist' is very fresh and clean. It contains notes of lemon, green herbs and eucalyptus, with lingering fragrances of rose, neroli, amber and cedar wood. I usually go for quite sweet, feminine fragrances and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed wearing this. It's easy to wear and gorgeous for the daytime as it's not too strong at all. In fact, it gives off just the right amount of scent... hence the name 'mist' maybe? It's very effortless! 

This is definitely one for those of you who tend to steer away from the overly floral fragrances and look for more of the neutral scents.

I would 100% try out more of St. Kitts Herbery products as I was so impressed with this fragrance. I loved reading the background behind the brand seeing as it started from very humble beginnings in Cornwall and gradually built up to become a larger brand stocking skincare, perfume, herbed chocolate and lots of other treats. I think it makes a big difference to your experience when you learn more about the background of a company, especially one that is local to the UK because you appreciate the product that much more :)

You can shop their fragrances here and follow them on Twitter to get the latest updates too!

January 2015: Beauty Products I Dislike

I've been meaning to do a 'dislikes' post for a long time now, purely because I feel like I've been going on and on about what I 'absolutely love' and I haven't shared any insight on what I actually haven't loved so much.

Being a blogger is about honest opinions and giving the readers accurate information. I hope this will be a useful post for some of you. I'm sure there will be disagreements and shocks at some of the products here but hey, everyone has a different experience with everything and this is just mine...

(Also as a side-note, I've used these products last year so they aren't technically just Jan dislikes).

Okay, let's get started!

(From top left, clockwise):
Soap & Glory Sit Tight 4-D Firming + Smoothing Serum
Dove Summer Glow + Soft Shimmer Nourishing Lotion
Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel
Collection Colour Pro Intense Lip Lacquer: Rebel 01
H&M Lip Stick: Purple Rain
Revlon Photoready Concealer: Light Medium 003
Rimmel Velvet Matte: Velvet Touch 013
Morrisons Vitamin E 3-in-1 Facial Wipes 

You may have already seen me share my views on the Dove Summer Glow on Instagram but I had to include this here too. I absolutely adore the original version of this, it gives you a nice subtle tan and it does gradually build up as you apply day by day. However, I accidentally picked up the shimmer version in Boots and it just doesn't do anything for me. I don't like the shimmer, I think it's too much and not exactly 'subtle' so I would urge you to try the original instead.

Next is something I picked up a while ago whilst at Boots. I usually only shop Collection makeup for the infamous Lasting Perfection concealer but I decided to pick this up too. I really hated this, I can't lie. The colour is insanely beautiful and very, very intense and pigmented as promised but the smell is horrid and the consistency is extremely sticky and hard to apply. I would only get this if you're willing to spend a good ten minutes trying to get the product all over the lip as it sticks so badly.

Next is the H&M Lipstick. Now, I've never really tried much H&M makeup in the past but I picked this up as I headed to the till. The colour is a subtly shimmery mauve which is gorgeous for the winter months but I have to say, I wasn't too impressed with the staying power as you do have to keep reapplying. I won't dismiss this too much as I would probably still wear it and for the price, it's not too bad.

As far as I could see, the Photoready concealer was a huge cult product with everyone. People seemed to LOVE this so much. I think the product itself is pretty good and it blends into the skin really nicely but I do prefer liquid concealers over anything like this. Plus the name implies that it gives heavy coverage but I would say it gives medium. Again, not a disastrous product by any means but just not for me. 

The next dislike is quite funny because I'm sure a lot of you are thinking, 'what the hell do you expect buying Morrison's wipes?' Let me clear things up, I usually always always always use Johnson's or Simple wipes on my face but I picked these up as I was moving house and didn't have any makeup remover on me, thinking that they wouldn't be so bad. Wrong. They dry out extremely fast and I felt that they were harsh on the skin. Didn't remove much makeup, took a lot of scrubbing to get my eye makeup off especially. Do yourself a favour and stick to beauty companies, not supermarkets! 

Okay, I will admit that I can't call this product a complete 'dislike' yet because I haven't used it enough but that's literally because I'm so lazy. I've pretty much fallen in love with everything from Soap & Glory, from their makeup to skincare, it's all amazing and does the job really well. Now this MAY do the job well but for me, I found that staring in the mirror for ten minutes trying to massage this into my thighs was just a pain and I didn't feel much going on. Apparently this is meant to feel tingly and warm to show that the caffeine is absorbing but I barely felt a thing after applying a lot of product. I would still give this a proper go to fully give you my thoughts but it's an overhyped product in my opinion.

Moving on to nail varnish, 2014 was a huge year for nail varnish experimentation. From mattes to chromes and leather effect, everybody was going for something new. I picked up this from Rimmel because the name drew me in and I thought 'ooooooh, I want velvety nails!' This looks insanely gorgeous after applying about 2-3 coats, don't get me wrong. I just expected it to stay a lot longer. It lasted for maybe 3 days without chipping and then I started to see chip after chip after chip. Only use this if you want a velvet matte finish for an occasion but if you're looking for something to get through the week, this isn't it.

This is a HIGHLY unexpected addition to my 'dislikes' because I have used the Clinique 3-step for such a long time. There's nothing blatantly wrong with the products at all, they do work for my skin but I just found such a better alternative for me and that is the Yours Truly Organics range, which I reviewed here. I think some of the Clinique products are too overpriced for the performance they bring but I still have some things from them which I swear by, including their foundations which control my oil and keep my skin looking flawless day to day.