December 31, 2013

Alex Monroe Jewellery

Alex Monroe is a British male jeweller who takes inspiration from nature to create beautiful handmade jewellery. I was lucky enough to receive my second Alex Monroe piece for Christmas this year so I thought it was about time to blog about his collection.

The knot ring was my birthday present last year and this Christmas my mum gave me the baby bee necklace. Having considered getting the bee necklace instead of the ring, it was a lovely present. I have always had a fear of bees and wasps so I thought it was funny for me to wear a bee necklace. Also, perhaps now I will be protected from them! 
What I love about Alex Monroe jewellery is how intricate, delicate and unique his designs are! Here are some of my other favourites from his collection:
What do you think of Alex Monroe’s jewellery? Do you own any?
Izzie x

I have decided that since I am living in Paris that I am going to write a French version for each post, so here goes.
Alex Monroe est un bijoutier britannique qui prend l’inspiration de la nature pour créer les beaux bijoux fait à la main. Après avoir reçu une bague de ficelle pour mon dernier anniversaire et un collier d’abeille ce Noël, les deux de ma mère, j’ai pensé qu’il faudrait écrire un article de sa collection.  

J’ai considéré choisir le collier d’abeille au lieu de la bague de ficelle l’année dernière pour mon anniversaire donc c’était un cadeau parfait ce Noël ! Depuis je peux me souvenir j’ai peur des abeilles et des guêpes alors il est amusant que j’en porte autour de mon col maintenant ! Peut-être le collier me protègera !

J’adore le style de ses bijoux parce qu’ils sont complexes, délicats et uniques. Qu’est-ce vous pensez des bijoux d’Alex Monroe ? Vous en avez ? 

Bisous, Izzie

December 23, 2013

Paris at Christmas

I haven’t been able to blog for a while because my camera is broken and phone photos just don’t cut it for outfit posts. I will have a new camera for the new year so maybe my new year’s resolution will be to keep on top of my blogging! Anyway instead, here is a photo update from a lovely but cold December in Paris…
I’m back home for Christmas now in Bristol but only until Friday because of work (boo!). I love Christmas – bring on lots of food and presents!
Merry Christmas!!!

Izzie x

December 4, 2013

What I am wearing to Amsterdam Fashion Week with Fashion Chick

I was recently contacted by the lovely people at Fashion Chick inviting me to create a couple of looks for their latest competition! To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Amsterdam Fashion Week, Fashion Chick are giving the opportunity for a lucky blogger from the UK, USA, Germany, France and, of course, the Netherlands, a chance to represent their country at the said fashion week in January 2014. Exciting stuff! This competition sounds like a dream come true if you ask me! I’ve been to Amsterdam once, absolutely loved it and have been dying to go back ever since!

I thought I would do something a bit different and create two different looks: one vintage outfit to show that even on a budget you can look fabulous at fashion week! And a wishlist of the look I might choose if money was no object. 

All vintage except Asos shoes: Skirt – €6 / Top – €9 / Coat – €10
I know what you’re thinking: what a steal! This outfit cost less than €30, which proves Paris vintage shops are where bargain dreams are made! I bought the top and skirt from Kilo Shop, where I work. The photos don’t really show this but the top has gold sparkly thread running through it and I think this looks great with the dogtooth-esque red skirt. In January I would need a nice warm coat so I choose one of my favourite finds in a while: my textured fluffy coat, which is bang on trend. A great comfy and wintery outfit perfect for Amsterdam Fashion Week, which does not break the bank and I would have no fear of bumping into someone else wearing the same!



Jumpsuit – Topshop / Coat – The White Pepper / Shoes – Jeffrey Campbell / Backpack – The Cambridge Satchel Company / Initial necklace – Alex Monroe / Fur hat – Topshop

For my wishlist look I have chosen this lovely black jumpsuit complete with bang on trend black and white check coat from The White Pepper, which is a brand I wish I could afford so it just had to feature! Having attended London Fashion Week in September, I know that it is important to be comfy as well as stylish! That’s why these Jeffrey Campbells are perfect – they look great and they’re not too heeled (I am terrible at heels!). In a matching maroon colour, this satchel backpack is great for carrying all the essentials and it looks really professional too! And to finish the outfit off, I would wear an initial necklace by my favourite jeweller Alex Monroe and a grey faux fur hat, to keep the ears warm in chilly January!

Fingers crossed that I win!

Izzie x
November 13, 2013

La Belle Montmartre

Today in Paris was so beautiful! It was first day of wall to wall sunshine since I arrived so I went for a stroll around my area, Montmartre. It is such a picturesque area of the city and I took to the less touristy backstreets with my camera in hand.

Shirt – vintage / Jeans – H&M (old) / Chelsea Boots – Dune (old) / Coat – vintage / Hat – vintage
Blue skies and sunshine meant that it was cold so I wrapped up warm in my latest vintage find, a black textured fur coat that bought yesterday for just €10! I will be doing a guide to vintage shopping in Paris because it really is the best city for cheap vintage shops!

These outfit photos were taken down a cute cul-de-sac consisting of houses, which is unusual for Paris and its rows of dominant Haussmann buildings.

Et voilà, some of the beautiful photos from my walk. In other news, yesterday in the Marais I was asked to pose for a Street Style photo and then straight afterwards I spotted French hotty Clémence Poésy crossing the road!

Izzie x
November 7, 2013

Fashion Questions

Yesterday I went to this incredible exhibition at my favourite gallery in Paris, La Maison Européenne de la Photographie. Normally there are two or three exhibitions there at once but this time; photographer and environmentalist Sebastião Salgrado took up the entire gallery with his ‘Genesis’ work.  His subjects were people, places and animals who had avoided and escaped the contemporary world and it was really interesting learning about cultures and continents so different from ours.
The first thing that struck me was the different tribal dress. In our modern world we are so obsessed with image and technology, don’t worry I’m not criticising anyone as I am just as obsessed as the next person, that it is hard to imagine another way of life. These people don’t care about fashion, they live practically naked and their main concern is surviving off what nature provides. It was incredibly interesting and liberating to learn about this way of life.
What they lack in clothes they make up for in other ways. Large, extreme piercings and permanent scarring are just part of their look the same way hair dye and tattoos are for us Westerners. 
At the other end of the spectrum are those living in the Antarctic who don’t wear fur coats as a fashion statement but because it is necessary to survive. Inuit coats are made of four layers of reindeer skin to keep them warm at the coldest of times. When I next complain of the cold, I will certainly think of them.
Ok, my musings about whether fashion is important, over. It is important for us but imagine if we lived like these people, imagine if fashion was not important?
Izzie x

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