Things only fashion bloggers understand

Jess

Fashion blogging is tough. We spend hours standing in the cold so we can get a great shot, we constantly chase the ‘golden hour’ and we’re always more careful than necessary over what we wear. Here are some things fashion bloggers (and fashion lovers) will understand.

Candid no longer means candid

Oh, that’s great light!

Perfecting your pose

The struggle of never repeating an outfit

All the selfies

The claw

The heels or flats dilemma

That feeling you get when the postman arrives

When someone has heard of your blog

Crafting the perfect outfit for a photo only to swap it for pyjamas as soon as you’re done

Always being overdressed

Can you relate? Let us know in the comments.

Some of the highlights of London Fashion Week

Jess

London Fashion Week is almost over and it looks like it’s been a great few days. You’ve probably been keeping up with the action on Twitter but in case you missed it, here are some of the highlights.

Texture from Central Saint Martins MA

Central Saint Martins MA 2015, backstage (Sam Wilson, British Fashion Council)

Bright colors, metallics and all this fantastic texture stole the show on day one of LFW.

The English Rose look perfected

Shrimps AW15 (Dan Sims, British Fashion Council)

There’s something so romantic about this backstage shot. Tumbling curls, wide, bright eyes and that bold red lip.

Pop-up Showrooms

The NEWGEN Pop-Up Showrooms at Somerset House (Shaun James Cox, British Fashion Council)

These pop-up show rooms allowed visitors to get up close and personal with the collections that had been shown off on the catwalks.

Vogue’s Street Style Round Up

Alexa Chung in J.W.Anderson (Photographed by Phil Oh)

Vogue has a great street style round up that shows some of the biggest players, what they’re wearing and what we can expect during this fashion year. Take a look at all the pictures here.

Topshop’s Party Style with Retro Touches

Take a look at this video from Topshop where they round up some of the excitement from LFW. Featuring Cara Delevingne, Kendall Jenner and Ellie Goulding.

Did you make it to London Fashion Week? Or perhaps your going to London Fashion Weekend, let us know in the comments.

Etsy picks: Hair

Jess

Whether its beautiful hair accessories, natural products or extensions, Etsy is the place to go for something truly beautiful and unique. Here are our top picks of items from Etsy.

This gorgeous hair slide by LeChaim is perfect for all sorts of looks. From hippie-chic to a romantic, feminine look.

This is a great bridal look from ShesAccessories but it’d work equally well for black tie and events, christenings and any other event where you want to accessorize an up-do.

A hairband that’s a bit different to the norm. This is a great way to keep your hair out of your face or to accessorize a ballerina bun. Great for those days where you want to dress your hair up without too much effort.

These skeleton hair clips aren’t just for Halloween. They’re great for a punk look or could just add a bit of edge to your usual style.

Looking for a range of waxes for all your hair needs? Look no further than this set. You get light, medium and heavy hold as well as the amazing Goon Grease – great for rockabilly quiffs.

Alternative Valentine’s Day dates

Jess

Dinner and a movie are all good and well but maybe you want to do something different this year. Here are some ideas for alternative dates that are sure to bring you and your loved one closer together.

Go on a ski trip

Image credit: Arapahoe Basin Ski Area

Depending on where you live, this might be an easy weekend away or it might take a bit more planning. Regardless, a snowy vacation can be romantic and exhilarating. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know how to ski or snowboard as you can learn when you’re out there!

Take an impromptu road trip

Hop in your car and just drive. You can learn so much about someone on a long journey and you can see so many fantastic places when you have a vehicle that can take you anywhere. Here are some tips for planning a road trip in the UK.

If you’re in the USA, why not visit some of the destinations that inspired these classic works of literature.

Treat yourself to afternoon tea

This is a particularly refined way to spend an afternoon. It’s a typically British way to spend some time but you’ll find cafes and restaurants all over the world that offer their own take on afternoon tea. Bitesize sandwiches, cake, scones and a pot of tea between the two of you is definitely the way forward. If you’re feeling really indulgent, order some champagne too.

Get stuck in a locked room

Not just any locked room but a puzzle room. These started in Europe but you’ll find them across the globe. You literlly get locked in a room and have a certain amount of time to solve puzzles in order to get out. It’s a great way to work on your teamwork as a couple and it can be great fun too! Puzzle Break has its own locked room games in Seattle and San Francisco.

Experience a wine flight

This is a little more than just dinner. Depending on where you go, you’ll get to try anything from three to 10 courses along with perfectly matched wine that will take your around the world. This is a romantic and decadent way to spend an evening with the person you love.

Create your own cocktails

A cocktail making masterclass is a must for any couple that loves to create their own drinks. You’ll no doubt be able to find one of these in your area where you can learn the tricks of the trade.

KTZ AW14, backstage (Sam Wilson, British Fashion Council) 3

How to get noticed at fashion week

Jess

If you love fashion then you’ve probably thought about how it would be to be snapped by a street style photographer (or even approached by a modeling agency). Here are some tips for getting noticed at fashion week, taking advice from the biggest bloggers and the people behind the camera too.

Exude confidence

If you look confident then people will flock to you. Fashion photographer Francisco Marin says: “For me, confidence is probably the biggest determining factor for what makes an interesting street-style photograph.”

Own the sidewalk like it’s the catwalk and you’re more likely to catch the eye of a photographer.

Statement items

A statement item that makes you stand out is a great strategy for getting snapped. Choose one item, be it designer or high street, to model your outfit around. Dress it up with simple accessories and other basic garments to bring your whole outfit together.

Don’t overdo it

Quirky is good but some people take it too far. This splash of green hair and the nineties vibe is great but some people take the quirky look a little too far. While you might still get shot, you won’t necessarily be commended for your style.

Great accessories

It’s easy to put on a few nice items of clothing but can you accessorize? It’s only the truly trendy who are able to accessorize properly and it’s these people who get snapped during fashion week.

Lead image by Sam Wilson. All other images via the amazing Streetgeist.

Have you ever had your photo taken for a street style blog?

Valentine’s gifts you’ll want to receive

Jess

For couples who have been together a long time, this romantic reminder is a must.

Everyone needs corgi love in their lives. Buy this for the one you love, who also happens to like dogs.

Nothing says I love you like an anatomic heart necklace.

This is a must-have item for couple who love dinosaurs and wine.

This is a beautiful little terrarium full of moss and a beautiful clay heart and unicorn. It’s a unique Valentine’s gift that’s so much more special than a box of chocolates.

This swanky red number is perfect for Valentine’s. Whether you’re going out with the one you love or catching up with the girls, this is a great outfit.

Spring makeup must-haves

Jess

Spring is on its way and that means a whole new host of trends and products to think about. Here are some old favorites along with some products you might not have come across before.

This is, without a doubt, one of the best mascaras out there. It might be expensive at $30 but it really does the job. I have tiny eyelashes but this makes them look long and full (see the lead image).

Now’s a great time to perfect your base routine with a new set of brushes. These will cover everything from powder, blush, foundation and contouring.

This Stila palette is perfect for carrying on journeys so you can top up your makeup. Give your face a healthy, natural-looking glow that will leave you feeling confident and radiant.

The smokey eye is back. This Too Faced palette gives you the choice of browns, purples and blacks. It’s a fantastic palette that gives you a huge range of looks. You can pile on the different shades for a really dramatic eye or you could keep it simple for a nice daytime look.

HD Brows are the way forward and this tinted brow gel is the solution to any eyebrow problems you may have been having. The gel contains vitamin E, which slicks the brows without stiffening them, the result is a natural looking finish. If you want something more dramatic, wear it over an eyebrow pencil.

Superbowl: The best bits

Jess

Whether or not you watch football, it’s difficult to get away from the excitement of the Superbowl (I’m British and it’s inescapable). Here are some of the staggering statistics from this year’s event.

114.4m viewers
$300m total advertising spend
28.4m tweets
$4.5m for a 30 second advert
118m viewers for the half time show
3.4 million tweets regarding Katy Perry’s half time show – a 52% increase on last year!

You’ve probably all heard that The Partiots won by by now but here are the real stars of the show.

Left shark

This has been all over Tumblr. During Katy Perry’s half time show there were two sharks (well, backing dancers dressed as sharks). The right shark had some serious moves but the left shark just didn’t seem to be feeling it. It’s already turned into a number of memes. The whole world loves that bumbling left shark – he’s probably the reason the half time show got so many tweets!

Chris Pratt and Chris Evans’ bet

Before the Superbowl began, there’d been some banter between Marvel stars Chris Pratt – a Seahawks fan – and Chris Evans – a Patriots fan – over Twitter and it turned into one of the cutest bets between the rival fans.

The bet called for the loser to visit a Children’s hospital in the winner’s city wearing the winning team’s jersey over their superhero outfit. As the Seahawks lost, Chris Pratt gracefully admitted defeat and will be heading to Boston soon. The pair also promised to visit children in Seattle too. True heroes.

Read their Twitter conversations here.

Say My Name

This Esurance commercial had me (as a Breaking Bad fan) giggling with joy. The Superbowl seems to put out some of the most fantastic ads each year and it’s no wonder considering how much it costs for an advertising slot.

Celebrity photo bomb

Jimmy Fallon, Chris Pratt and Chris Evans enhanced fans’ Superbowl pictures by photobombing them as part of a Tonight Show sketch. This whole video is fantastic and it just furthers my Marvel cast obsession…

(Also, can we take a moment to appreciate that leapfrog? Just watch the video.)

What was your favourite part of the Superbowl?

Etsy Picks: For your furry friends

Jess

We love pets here at Shoplinkz and we’ve been searching Etsy for some of the coolest pet accessories, clothes and practical devices out there. Here are some of our favorites but you can see more over at my Shoplinkz list.Elegant, modern and it’ll stop food going everywhere too. Designed for big dogs, this double bowl comes in a number of colors and definitely looks way more stylish than the usual plastic bowls we’re so used to.

For Apple fans, there’s a bed for your cat made from this old iMac monitor.

Pet portraits make great gifts, or you could just decorate your home with little bits of art just like this.

A cat cave. You know your cat wants one.

For the dapper dog in the family, how about a bow tie collar?

Get that sixties style with some real inspiration

shoplinkers

We were inspired by this amazing post over on Mashable and thought we’d take it one step further to show you just how you can get this sixties look. These high school students and teachers from the 1960s are super-stylish so if you want to get the authentic look, take some pointers from them.

Patterned tights and leggings worn with simple mini dresses are the way forward for these ladies. If you want to recreate this look, take a look at these great patterned leggings from ASOS or these flower child leggings from Etsy.

Good news for anyone who wants to recreate this efflortlessly cool vibe, dungarees are back! Try these bleach wash overalls for a similar look and pair them with simple sneakers like these Keds.

Go wild with your fringing! This fringed suede jacket would go with any outfit and it’s authentic too! Pair with gladiator sandals.Finally, this chic teacher is wearing a printed mini dress with a matching headband. Such an easy look to recreate you could either go for vintage – like this atomic print dress – or you could go for something very similar but a bit more modern – such as this Urban Outfitters tunic.

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