Saturday 26 April 2014

Brick Lane - The Vintage Market Experience

A couple of weeks ago my sister and I visited Brick Lane, a buzzing retro area located in the heart of East London - a short walk from Aldgate East Underground station. We decided instead of hitting the high street to try out a little vintage shopping. It was an experience I'd never forget, one I enjoyed so much so I thought it's only right for me to share it with you.

I'd been to Brick Lane a couple of times before for events (one of which was the Warehouse Fashion Shooters Festival) but not to go shopping, though I was aware of the vintage markets and stores as well as the handful of small boutiques that surrounded the area. The area was buzzing with a mixture of people old and young, conservative and bold. Some had come for the fantastic food (the area is well known for having some of the best Indian restaurants in East London and also for it's finger licking fish 'n' chips), some had come to merely socialise with friends and family whilst others, like me, had come to do some serious rummaging in the vintage markets.

I spent most of my time in the indoor market, trying on retro shades and checking out the most unusual but amazing items of clothing. Made up of a collection of about 10-15 stalls, almost all offering a good selection of vintage items (clothes, sunglasses, jewellery etc), there was a lot to see and a lot to try on. Though it's a vintage market, there were one or two stalls that also offered their own unique creations. So, if you don't like the idea of wearing or owning something that has been previously worn or used by someone else, you can still visit the market an pick up something new - though that does defeat the whole purpose of going to a vintage market.

I feel in love with a some retro sunglasses, a Moschino phone case/holder and a unusual gold statement necklace. Unfortunately, not all stalls in the indoor vintage market had facilities for card purchases, so I was only able to buy a silk floral drop hem top and a gold statement necklace, from on of the few stools that did. However, a short walk from the market there are a few cash machines should you wish to withdraw some money.

Overall it was a great experience, prices are reasonable and there's a lot of hidden treasure if you have a good look. The stall holders are very friendly and some will negotiate the prices of their items with you, especially if you are buying quite a few things. I'd recommend going to the Franklin Tree stall as it has a good mixture of items, from funky to pretty at reasonable prices, it's also where I purchased my top and necklace from (I'll feature it on my blog soon).

Unfortunately, most stall holders, though friendly, ask that you do not take photos of their goods. So here are jut a few of the photos that I managed to capture of the day, including some art work by Banksy that we spotted. Enjoy...

















Photography - Rita Okpuru




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Wednesday 23 April 2014

PAYDAY TREATS: May

With payday fast approaching I bring to you my new craze, Combos (aka the 'Co-ords'). If you haven't got one already - honey... you are behind! Get a move on and snatch up a combo or two for Spring/Summer. In a variety of designs and prints, all that matters is the prints/colours are matching - like in my previous posts 'The Perfect Match - Stripes' and 'Paint Strokes'. Think Solange Knowles, take a look at her hit ensembles for inspiration.
When not wearing together they can be worn casually or formally with your existing wardrobe staples. For casual - wear your combo bottoms with a plain tee or the combo top with some boyfriend jeans. For occasional - wear the top with a pencil skirt or tailored trousers and killer heels. Here are a few of my favourites available on the highstreet and online...

Forever 21 


Top - £12.75 (see here)
Skirt - £12.75 (see here)

Dorothy Perkins

Top - £22 (see here)
Trousers - £26 (see here)

New Look
Jacket - £29.99 (see here)
Skirt - £19.99 (see here)

Boohoo.com

Top - £15 (see here)
Shorts - £15 (see here)

Mango

Top - £19.99 (see here)
Trousers - £34.99 (see here)

Miss Selfridge
Top - £20 (see here)
Skirt - £22 (see here)

ASOS
Top - £22 (see here)
Skirt - £28 (see here)

Zara
Top - £25.99 (see here)
Skirt - £25.99 (see here)

Topshop
Top - £30 (see here)
Skirt - £32 (see here)

Missguided.com
Blazer - £29.99 (see here)
Shorts - £19.99 (see here)

H&M
Top - £29.99 (see here)
Skirt - £29.99 (see here)


Keep checking my blog to see which treats I purchased. Happy shopping. xxx



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Sunday 20 April 2014

Back to Black

'Fashion is the armour to survive the reality of everyday life.'
- Bill Cunningham
I love these trousers from H&M and have worn them quite a few times now. Sometime in March I featured these trousers in my blog post 'Gridded in Monochrome' (check it out here), it was a very bold look - which I loved and still do love, but I thought today I'd show you an alternative way to wear the trousers, I guess a more office friendly way. I ditched the monochrome jacket and teamed up the ensemble with a black short blazer, I added the lime green bag for a hint of colour and opted for some gold drop earrings as oppose to the gold chunky chain (like the necklace, the earrings are from one of my favourite costume jewellery designers Gogo Philip).

Blazer - H&M
Camisole - ASOS
Trousers - H&M (last worn here)
Bag - Michael Kors (read review here)
Shoes - ASOS (read review here)
Sunglasses - Moschino
Bangle - Michael Kors
Watch - DKNY
Earrings - Gogo Philip







Photography - Gerrod Charles
Styling - Rita Okpuru





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Friday 11 April 2014

Gianmarco Lorenzi Re-launch

Yesterday evening (10th April) I attended the Gianmarco Lorenzi re-launch event. The store located on South Molton Street, London (a 2 minute walk from Bond Street Station) was buzzing with plenty of fashionistas, who like myself had come to view the Italian ladies footwear collection - that adorn the walls of the minimalist and modern store like a cluster of diamonds on a beautiful beautiful ring (ha ha... I kid you not).


Being a shoe addict, last month when I heard about the Gianmarco Lorenzi re-launch I decided to do a little digging to find out what all the fuss was about. I hadn't really heard about the designer and was intrigued as to what the collection looked like - quite a fair amount of celebs have been spotted in GL shoes - so I thought they must be at the very least decent. I must admit, as I checked out the website (www.gianmarcolorenzilondon.com) I felt somewhat embarrassed and ashamed - wow... some of the most beautiful and amazing shoes I'd ever seen, why had I not heard of this fantastic designer prior?!! I decided that it's only right I attend the launch in order to get to have a close look and (if possible) feel of the 10s of shoes I fell in love with online. 

Celebs in Gianmarco Lorenzi over the years L-R: Beyonce, Frankie Sandford, Nicki Minaj, Nicole Sherzinger and Amber Rose.

Let me tell you this, the visit was not a waste of time. As the champagne and tasty cocktails flowed, many socialised with strangers who shared a common interest - shoes. "Oh wow" and "They're amazing" were comments I continually heard on the evening and rightly so. I instantly fell in love with a pair of green and gold suede heels that featured a pimped out jewelled snake - unfortunately too busy taking photos and chatting away I never got the opportunity to try them on.

For those who are unfamiliar with the brand, here's what the website says...

Check out the photos I took of  just some of the shoes that I immediately fell in love with...



























If you're based in London or intend on visiting why not go and check out the collection for yourself, I guarantee you'll be impressed. 


Photography - Rita Okpuru







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