How Did You Style That?: Linzi Shoes Cleated Sole Shoe Boots

Hey everyone! Hope you're all having a wonderful lazy Sunday... I'm here with a new concept for my blog, 'How Did You Style That?'. 

Styling is so incredibly subjective and what works for one person may not work for another. In all honesty, when I need to style, I go with what I think works for my body type but also what goes with my mood that day. I really don't pay much attention to trends when styling myself, trends have never actively influenced my looks as I find them to be a bit of a faff. Don't get me wrong, I like paying attention to what's in but I just think fashion is much broader than making sure everyone is wearing geometrical prints one season and monochrome pieces the next. 

That being said, my first piece to style is these gorgeous White Nappa Cleated Sole Sling Back Shoe Boots from Linzi Shoes! I was so excited to learn about the brand at their press day, which I reviewed here. I was so shocked at the range they had! What's more, I found that they were able to keep up-to-date and fresh with all their styles, often displaying concepts I'd not come across before in the ordinary shoe stores. Because all of their styles were on-trend, I found it much easier to pick what I liked instead of going around and thinking, 'Haven't these been worn to death?', 'Will I actually pull these off this season?'

Linzi kindly gifted me with a pair of these oh-so-chic boots and I was so pleased because I don't have anything similar in my shoe collection and I knew the cleated look has been in for a while and is going to stay in throughout the season.

I decided to wear them to the Bloggers Love Fashion Week event, which I will write about shortly. I thought that the pop of white broke up the darker colours I was wearing and really added to the edgy look I was going for. Normally I would probably go for some black ankle boots but I loved changing it up. I think it's good to experiment and try something new once in a while, especially with shoes!

Faux Fur Jacket: Forever 21 Premium
Crop Top: Trapstar London
Watch: Marc Jacobs
Trousers: New Look
Bag: Carvela, Kurt Geiger 

Overall I LOVED the comfort of these shoes, I had no problems with them at all. The mid-heel is perfect for giving a bit of extra height without the pain of wearing heels and the cut-outs at the back of the shoes are really flattering.

These are perfect for the warmer months, especially if you're planning on going on holiday as you would think these shoes would be super heavy but they're actually a lot lighter than I thought!

I would highly recommend checking out Linzi Shoes, particularly because they are so incredibly affordable and I think the quality you get is amazing! 

Neon Moon: The Sexy, Empowering Lingerie Line YOU Need to Back!

Women are women. Full stop. 

I think over the last couple of years I have tried to push this idea as much as possible. Whether it's through reading a bit more Judith Butler in my degree or meeting confident women in all different sizes at events, I definitely think that we need to keep reinforcing positive feminine attributes to try and overshadow the vast amount of hate and ridicule that females receive in the media.

The female body is special in itself and everyone has the choice to use theirs in their own way. That's not something that anybody can take away from a woman. If she wants to be a size 20, she can. If she wants to show off her scars, she can. I just find it aggravating that there are still such ignorant people in the world who want to dictate how a woman should look and present herself. Ironic that the REAL insecurity and anxiety is in the person who is ridiculing, no?

Neon Moon = A Way Forward

So baring in mind my thoughts on female empowerment, I was SO pleased to hear about Hayat Rachi's lingerie line, Neon Moon (how chic is the name!) I met Hayat at the Petit Miracles Launch at West 12 Shopping Centre last year. She had a gorgeous personality and ever since I've been following her progress with the brand, I have been amazed at how much of a hard worker she has been. I really believe her passion behind the ethos that she wants to promote and I think that's why it's important that we start to support authentic brands rather than ones who are purely out there for profit.

Neon Moon aims to counter the objectification and sexualisation of women through comfortable and original lingerie pieces which will fit women of all shapes and sizes.

Cellulite, acne, rolls of fat... it doesn't matter what you have going on with your body because Neon Moon aims to transform your so-called 'flaws' into features to be proud of and show off in colourful soft-cup bras and knickers.

As the days go on, Neon Moon is getting more and more recognition from press outlets such as The Telegraph and rightly so! I hope the brand goes onto dominate the industry, I really do...  As a curvier woman, most of the time I don't feel represented when I see media campaigns for Victoria's Secret or Ann Summers. Those women do not look like me at all. When we continually perpetuate the same over-sexualised images, can we blame women for feeling insecure and unhappy with their bodies? Why are we not embracing the reality of most women's bodies instead? I don't know about you but it doesn't make sense to me. Thankfully there is a brand to help combat these riveting problems.

'We want to shock the lingerie industry and work with the people who reflect what women’s bodies really look like. Girls should not have to question why they look a certain way or feel that they have to conform to society's pressures. It's important for girls to not compare themselves to unachievable standards of 'beauty'. Rather, they need to reclaim the right to their bodies and decide how it should look for them and not for others,' says Neon Moon Founder, Hayat Rachi.

Help Make it Happen! 

So how can you help? Neon Moon has launched a Kickstarter and with 19 days left to go, there is more than enough time for you to make a pledge to support this feminist lingerie movement! With plenty of promising rewards, there really is no excuse. From £5 to £500, give what you can, it will all be worth it. I feel strongly that women should come together and really work towards supporting brands that are genuinely here for US as real women and not super thin, airbrushed models. Let's bring back reality. 

Social Media: 

Neon Moon Facebook
Neon Moon Twitter
Neon Moon Kickstarter

Personal Update: Work, Fashion, Boys & Lifestyle

In all honesty when I made this blog I really didn't intend to bring anything personal into it. I was solely going to focus on fashion posts. That's it. However, after learning about the successes of other people's blogs and how they've managed to captivate a global audience, I learnt that there is a clear key thread amongst (most) of these bloggers: personality. 

Don't worry, The Rebirth of Fashion is not going to turn into my personal therapy session at all, I wouldn't drag you through that hell. I just thought it would be nice to share some things that are going on in my life and in that warped head of mine, especially as the most personal posts seem to be engaging you guys the most. Let me know what you think of these and whether you would like to see a personal update every so often. All feedback is gold dust to me. 

You Better Work B*tch 

Yes, that subheading is there purely because I've been listening to a lotttt of Britney recently. I know it's really sad but there you go. Anyway, you may or may not have seen my guest post for The Blogger Network entitled 'Degree + Blog + Internship = Fashion Crisis or Fashion Miracle?' Everything I said was true. At one point I was trying to balance university work with two internships and a blog. As you can imagine, this all just got too much and I have reached a point in life where I just feel like I should be focusing on less and really putting my all into a couple of things and doing them well instead. 

So newsflash, I am no longer interning! It actually feels really weird not being an intern, I've gotten so used to having lots of tasks on my plate but in all honesty, I just need to focus on uni right now. That's not to say that I won't intern again, just not right now. I've been lucky to work with so many amazing people who have given me fab advice and have really taken me under the wing where I've been able to see the good, the bad and the ugly of the fashion industry. I cannot recommend interning enough if you are looking to get into the fashion industry, or any creative industry for that matter. Even a short month-long placement can teach you a lot, trust me! 

I've always been prone to forgetting my age and have always been called wise beyond my years or an 'old soul'. I somehow always identify myself as older than I am and for this reason I feel like the pressure to always be doing lots which simply does not have to be the case anymore. I have so much passion for blogging and writing that I want to collaborate more with specific brands, build my audience and post content more regularly. In order for all these steps to happen I have to really take a step back and think about how I'm managing all my time and where my energy is being focused. 

Hoodrat Realness

In terms of fashion I have gotten so incredibly lazy with style recently. Today I literally wore trainers. Like trainers with grey leggings and a black coat. I know this is obviously not the end of the world but it's not really like me, although I'm really embracing the casual look. In all honesty, if I'm going to dress up properly I better have a decent place to go to or some decent people to impress. If that's simply not the case why should I bother? 

I am so okay with wearing a Trapstar mesh top with leggings. I like being comfortable. Comfortable is GOOD! 

Not everything has to be statement necklaces and leather, sometimes it's good to be more relaxed. I guess I'm realising that a lot of people who ooze style are icons because they can pull on a loose-fit tee and jeans but still have that chic air about them that carries it off beautifully. Also I know that fashion is amazing but life goes beyond what people are wearing and it's okay to have an off day, let me tell you! My advice? If you're like me and have to know what you're wearing beforehand, try and have a day or two where you simply wake up and throw some stuff on. Anxiety much? It's not that bad.... is it? 

'No, I Don't Want to Join Tinder Again'

At present, I'm single. It's not exciting by any means but not depressing either.

I know I tend to throw shade a lot and this is not directed at anyone (cough) but in all honesty, I sometimes have a hard time with people who jump in and out of relationships like their lives depend on being with someone, especially at this age. I think romance is great and there are lots of couples who really make it work. I think everyone wants to find a companion at some stage, serious or not, just to have someone there to make life a bit better but the desperation to find a guy at this age (20) is just sad in my opinion. 

From what mentally unstable people I've been subjected to, I realise that it's definitely better to wait things out and keep busy on other parts of life. I'm just not here for the bullshit to keep it 100. 

So... My Diet Starts Tomorrow

There are times where I feel like I'm at the point of no return with my weight and that is simply not the case. I know that if I put in the effort, I can shift it but I have literally had no motivation recently. I went through a really good phase where I cut out all fizzy drinks and really paid attention to everything that was going into my body. I think my negative eating habits today are definitely reflective of my bad moods. I sound like I'm depressed all the time, don't I?

I do tend to comfort eat more than I should. When I don't feel emotionally stable or happy, I quite frankly don't care about pigging out on junk food. I always regret it later. I'm honestly so annoyed at myself but I have it in my head that I'm going to take it more seriously in three weeks (after I finish this semester). Let's see how that goes... 

I've never been slim as such but never 'fat' either. I'm at my worst now I would say. I look back at times where I was a size 12 and I thought I was big then but I really wish I could have had the mindset to preserve that figure. Unfortunately, when life puts lots of pressure on you in all directions, sometimes food choices just simply aren't top of the list. 

The good thing is that I am doing small things to help. I used to be a HUGE Diet Coke girl, like one a day, always. Now, I've practically cut it out.

I know I'm not the best at giving health and fitness advice but I would like to tell people in my position that it is possible to change slowly and to try and do things one step at a time. Cut down little by little instead of depriving yourself of one of your guilty pleasures and your body will adjust much better that way. 

#TheDress: The Impact of Togetherness on Social Media

I was on Twitter the other day and as soon as I pulled up the app every single tweet was saying 'BLACK & BLUE!', 'WTH IT'S WHITE & GOLD!', 'Omg I'm colourblind!'. So naturally I was in a natural 'what the eff' state and tried to backtrack tweets to find out what everyone was going on about. Eventually, I realised that people were actually getting so incredibly hyped up about a dress....

A. Dress. 

I'm talking about grown men (who probably have a serious criminal record) ready to kill on my timeline because they couldn't see white and gold in this mediocre bodycon creation. I was bemused, startled and most importantly, very intrigued. 

The infamous dress.

Before I go on, you're probably wondering what colour I saw in the dress because your life revolves around this right? Well truth being that I initially saw black and blue for a whole day but the next day I saw white and gold. No joke, I freaked the hell out. I saw some explanations saying that it all depends on your mood or the cornea of your eye- blah blah, look I don't know why this all came about. 

I'm more fascinated with how my Twitter and Facebook revolved around a dress for 24 hours +. Immediately, one of my first thoughts was about brand ownership and how the tanned PR girls behind the brand are already planning their next Ibiza trip because of the freakish surge in publicity. What, it's true! Look... 

34.7?! The price of the dress (£50) makes it so incredibly accessible so it makes sense that people want to buy into this hype.

It's even rumoured that the brand, Roman Originals are going to create a white and gold version of the dress because of the overwhelming interest. Can you imagine how much they are cashing in right now? Who had even heard of the brand before (no offence)... 

This all started from a girl on Tumblr who posted the infamous image because a group of her friends couldn't decide on the colour. Who knew that one image could turn into a viral phenomenon so quickly? Instantly, the hashtag #TheDress was created and everyone and their mother was debating online. 

Even Kim Kardashian joined in! She's now back showing off her arse some more but hey, she still tweeted about it...

From Taylor Swift to Cara Delevigne, every celebrity had an opinion. For 24-48 hours, the realm of social media had an air of togetherness. Everyone was talking about the same thing and it just wouldn't stop. The bridge between celebrity and average human being was almost broken because everyone pushed aside their hate for Kim's bank account and laughed about such a light-hearted topic. 

Recently, I was at an SEO event that Tug Agency held for bloggers. It was such a good experience as I got to learn from experts in the field about their tips on having a worthwhile social media presence and building a following. 

Can you spot me? I look half-asleep but I promise I was engaged! 

It was so interesting to me that I took away something that everyone (including myself) is missing out on: social media = SOCIAL interaction. It works best when people talk to each other and tap into people's personal lives instead of sharing boring information on their brand or merely tweeting a blog post/new product and hoping somebody reads or buys it. I thought I would mention the event as it has really got me thinking about the power of social media, especially in light of #TheDress frenzy. 

Because this was such a personal debate and it involved every individual's opinion and eyesight, it made sharing opinions very natural and easygoing. For a moment, people weren't fighting over terrorism or the next election but rather an optical illusion and with this sense of togetherness came branding success for Roman Originals. 

I truly think that this a learning experience for brands and PR agencies. It takes just one person anywhere in the world to share an image and it could spark an international debate. When we have these personal, cheery surges of conversation and real social interaction, it can do wonders. I think we will see more instances like this in the future. Probably not as large-scale as #TheDress but it does get you thinking... Who will be the next brand to cash in on the power of social media debate? 

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.