Bank Holiday Monday- Outfit of the day

Did I seriously agree to work on Bank Holiday weekend? Yes, yes I did, idiot over here agreed to cleaning the pub I work in for three days, really I should have taken into consideration that I would be hungover on the Monday due to celebrating my friends 18th the night before but it looks like I chose money over sleep. So what with the past three days consisting of me smelling like antibacterial spray and bleach from scrubbing the drunk infused toilets, my Mum and Dad surprised me with a trip out in the glorious sunshine to the pub around the corner finally a bit of bank holiday relief. What with the miraculous sun I couldn't help but don a yellow scarf to cheer me up and put me in the summer mood ( I told you my addiction to the colour yellow is getting slightly out of hand) and not forgetting my new fantastic Topshop purchase- my daisy necklace which I'm in love with and hardly ever remove. Here's my Bank Holiday Monday outfit of the day

 

Leather jacket: PRIMARK

Trousers: BONNIE & CLYDE

Top: H&M

Scarf: FROM TURKEY

Necklace: TOPSHOP

Sunglasses: H&M

Sandals: RIVER ISLAND

 

 

 

 

Annabelle's Boutique

A few days ago on a hunt for a present for my best friends 18th I found myself actually going into the centre of Waltham Abbey (waits for gasps.) Now I've lived here for 12 years but like to keep my visits to the centre a bare minimum due to the lack of good quality shops and strange locals, what I'm trying to say is the only good thing to come out of Waltham Abbey is its vast variety of take aways-until now. Wandering up and down Sun Street stressing out about the lack of time I had to buy a present I stumbled across Annabelle's Boutique, it isn't hard to miss a decent shop in Waltham Abbey because when there is a good shop it sticks out like a sore thumb in the desolate and absurd street. Who ever thought you would see the day when fashion came to the Abbey?

 

The shop is a dainty boutique filled to the brim with glitter and diamantes, it was a room fit for a Princess and I sure did feel like one when I was greeted by two beaming friendly smiles as I entered. The boutique boasts variety, not only is there rails of clothes and bags but also baby presents and accessories, nothing is to miss. I only went to buy for my friend but found myself picking up items of clothes countless of times saying "oh Mum this is really lovely for me." Myself aside I switched back to present hunting and I instantly spotted a beige clutch bag (it also came in black.)

This bag is ideal, so practical that I'm even thinking of heading back just to buy myself one. Its not a clutch that you can stuff full with make up for a night out but it utilises itself as a purse inside so all you need to do is slip your phone in and you're good to go, so no worries about loosing your purse on a night out.

 

Throughout my stroll round the shop I was helped by the lovely owner who revealed what great offers the shop had with its brilliant prices. I have to say this boutique has in fact changed my cynical views on the town, I'll definitely be heading into the centre much more now. If you also have the same views that Waltham Abbey is just pub after pub after pub with the occasional empty shop don't be put off head straight over Annabelle's Boutique and put some sparkle back into the town. Or if Waltham Abbey still isn't your cup of tea or live too far away don't let that stop you Annabelle's Boutique hosts clothes parties in store and at your house, so there's a sprinkle of Annabelle's sparkly fashion dust wherever you are.

http://www.annabellesonline.co.uk/

 

 

 

 

Statement necklaces

I've lost count over how many times people have told me that I have far too much jewellery and my answer to that is "you can never have too much." Be it costume or expensive designer jewellery I'm sold.

 

For a while now I've been a lover of statement jewellery just because of its usefulness, you can turn a simple top into something that looks much more expensive and they are definitely a saviour when you're feeling lazy but still long for that accomplished dressy look. With Summer hopefully just about to pop up around the corner when this rain finally decides to leave, the shops are filled with beaded beauties especially Topshop may I add.

 

So to cheer me up from this miserable May here's my favourite statement necklaces that are on offer at the moment. I best snap them up quickly before my clothes start to lack lustre.

 

 

1. ASOS

2. FOREVER 21

3. TOPSHOP

4. TOPSHOP

5. TOPSHOP

6. OASIS

7.TOPSHOP

8.TOPSHOP

9. RIVER ISLAND

10. NEWLOOK

11.TOPSHOP

12.NEWLOOK

13.TOPSHOP

14.TOPSHOP

15.TOPSHOP

 

 

 

MELLOW YELLOW

We all know my Internet browsing addiction has worsened lately what with extreme wish list in my previous post and now its frankly just getting out of hand. This morning I spotted a beautiful pair of zebra print cropped trousers from Topshop with a neon yellow stripe near the ankle. Now if you know me, you will know I've become obsessed with the colour yellow its more of a summer obsession I think probably because the colour bodes better with a tan but we can't have everything. However if you're frightened of such a daring colour or feel that it doesn't suit your skin tone there is no need  to shy away just simply be minimal with the colour instead of plastering yourself in it like a banana. So if looking like a fruit isn't your kind of thing, opt for monochrome with a splash of colour.

Now I don't know what it is but when I find something I really want to buy I have to process many different reasons as to why I justify my purchase, I think its to stop myself feeling guilty when I enter my pin number. These thoughts are usually how versatile is the garment and where can I wear it. So if you're like me and really like versatile statement items then here's my guide to wearing these Topshop zebra trousers. Now I definitely don't feel guilty (if I keep telling myself this it will work.)

White peplum: H&M
Bag: ZARA
Flatforms: TOPSHOP
Necklace: TOPSHOP
Sunglasses: TOPSHOP

Blazer: TOPSHOP
White cami top: TOPSHOP
Necklace: DOROTHY PERKINS
Yellow Heels: TOPSHOP
Bag: FOREVER 21

 

White waistcoat: ZARA
Black top: ZARA
Shoes: Topshop
Bag: BERSHKA

Yellow jumper: F&F at TESCO
Trousers: PRIMARK
Leather jacket: PRIMARK
Bag: ZARA
Shoes: CONVERSE
Necklace: NEWLOOK

 

 

Wish List

My fashion obsession is getting out- cue negative numbers in my bank balance.

I just can't help myself lately I just want to buy so many beautiful things but the only chance I'm getting my hands on my wish list is if I win the lottery and the chance of that is very slim. WHY DO YOU TAUNT ME PRETTY THINGS.

The only way I have of getting any of these items is on my birthday, so hurry up June Mama needs a new pair of shoes otherwise this calls for a manic working spree in order to save up. Nevertheless, I've come to the conclusion that because I've been ill and have spent the best part of this year in oversized hoodies and pj's my life is in serious need of a style-over, I need a sprig of fashion and excitement back in my life and what better way than with these amazing summer buys. 

 

 

From right to left-

Black studded high heeled sandals- ZARA

Gold Studded sandals-  ZARA

Yellow Wedges- TOPSHOP

Jewelled sandals- ZARA

Black gladiator sandals- ZARA

From left to right-

Beige shirt dress- FOREVER 21

Beige trousers-FOREVER 21

 

Top left ring- OTTOMAN

2nd left bracelet- MASSIMO DUTTI

3rd left bracelet- TOPSHOP

Middle necklace- OTTOMAN

Top right bracelet- MASSIMO DUTTI

2nd right ring- TOPSHOP

3rd right ring- OTTOMAN

 

 

From right to left:

Blouse jacket- H & M

Embroidered dress- BERSHKA

Mom Jeans- TOPSHOP

Black and white jumpsuit- DOROTHY PERKINS

 

 

Pink trousers-ZARA

White long blazer- BERSHKA

Pink top- ZARA

Japanese print blazer- BERSHKA

 

 

Bag- H & M

 

 

Prom dresses

It's that time of year again the lead up to prom season. We've all been there be it year 11 or year 13 prom and the stress over the dress does not get easier. I've been through two proms and luckily enough my year 13 prom was pretty plain sailing, I can't say that for my year 11 one though. My sister spotted an amazing candyfloss pink floor length dress on the Internet, so a few weeks later my dress arrived, hung up on my door by my Mum I nervously walked up my stairs hoping to see my dream dress. My tragic, shocked expression was far from impressed and trying it on made it even worse, it is definitely true photos do lie, and this was completely false advertising. That monstrosity was heading straight on Ebay. So after a little breakdown later I took my sorry self back to trailing the Internet for another dress and luckily just in the nick of time I did hunt down my perfect purple dress.

Thank god my year 13 dress hunt was much easier. Way before my prom I spotted a sequined peachy number from H&M and with a brilliant price I couldn't help myself. Nonetheless, its always that worry when you buy your dress early that you're going to fall in love with another dress between the time and completely betray your other one, or you're just going to fall out of love with it. Luckily I still loved my dress on the day.

 Despite feeling great in your dress, prom dresses appear to be that one time wear kind of thing, I don't know why we all see it like this, but if you're planning on only wearing your dress once its probably best not not break the bank, especially if alcohol is probably going to end up down you.

 

So if you're looking for the perfect summer prom dress for under £100, look no further than my prom dress colour guide and I'm sure you'll feel like the belle of the ball in these high street dresses.

 

 From left to right:
ASOS £45
OASIS £70
VIRGOS LOUNGE £85
 

 

 From left to right:
VIRGOS LOUNGE £85
WALLIS £60
FOREVER 21 £24.75

 

 WAREHOUSE £65

 

From left to right:

WAREHOUSE £85

LIPSY £50

LIPSY £75

 From left to right:
TOPSHOP £80
ZARA £59.99

 

 

From left to right:
WAREHOUSE £80
LIPSY £70

 

Insta Food Style

I've always been a very visual person, I choose things because they look beautiful and when it comes to food I definitely eat with my eyes, unless I'm intoxicated then no matter what that kebab looks like it’s being shovelled in my mouth and it’s probably best if people don't look at me because it won't be a pretty sight. So here's a new thing I'm going to do on my blog called Instagram food style. We look at fashion as art and as if they are beautiful creations, but food is also, you cannot deny the beautiful style of food unless you’re at McDonalds. Following is a collection of insta food photos from my weekend. Forget the fashion style down catwalks, those Thai prawns look pretty damn stylish to me with that burgundy coating of spicy sauce.

As always style is better revealed through photos as they speak a thousand words...

 

 

 

 

Las Iguanas

Last Thursday after a couple of weeks spent apart me and my best friend Abi met up for a well needed catch up. Wanting a change from the melancholy and overused restaurants near us we decided to head into London. Pizza and pasta was off the menu having consumed way too much Italian food lately and we didn't want to stray too far into London, so what better than to visit both of our favourite place- Spitalfields market. Heading in for the evening the market is not as busy with its usual abundance of crammed stalls but you will sure have a fiesta when you walk into Las Iguanas were we decided to eat. We've been together before but both forgot how scrumptious the food actually is and if you've got a craving for Happy Hour too this should definitely be your first point of call, even if you're the designated driver like me the non-alcholholic raspberry cooler should not go a miss.

 

Deciding we were going to be plotted here for the whole night as we had plenty of gossip to share we both opted for the Pato Taquito (duck with caramelised onions in a tortilla wrap with a cranberry salsa) delicious! However, if you're not a great lover of the mouth tingling spices like I am a glass of water on the side would be a good option. For my main course I delved into the vegetarian chimichanga with butternut squash, spinach, soft white cheese and chickpeas. Now I've never been one to pick the veggie meal, I'm sorry but I have far too many cravings for succulent meat, but animals aside this chimichanga couldn't had been anymore amazing. The tortilla parcel laid like a castle on top of a hill of rice, surrounded by a lake of refried beans, I truly did feel like the King of the castle with this massive portion.

 

The night was definitely one of exciting flavours, cheeky cocktails and Latin American style with the best company.

 

So if you're looking for a night out whether it be a quick light bite after work or languid cocktails and an abundance of food, Las Iguanas is definitely the place to be if you're tired of miserable London and wish you were dancing the night away under the Latin American stars.

 

 

 

Frogz Natural Frozen Yoghurt

One thing I have definitely missed whilst being ill is endlessly wondering around Brick Lane searching through mounds of vintage rails to find that hidden treasure and stopping off at the bagel bakery for the ultimate smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel which is always a must. The last time I visited Brick Lane I think me and my sister took this searching way too far and instead of searching through clothes our noses were are leaders and we hunted down every exquisite cuisine in sight. From Malaysian pancakes to dumplings we couldn't stop ourselves from the abundance of food styles.

 A stone heavier we left the Sunday food market and rolled down Hanbury St. when all of a sudden I spotted Frogz Natural Frozen Yoghurt store. The weather being freezing we decided not to stop but I couldn't help myself being mesmerised by the unique duck egg blue store front which laid in between a very dismal street. A cartoon frog with a beaming smile and a fantastical pastel coloured mural swirled on the inside walls with milk bottle lanterns hanging from the ceiling you couldn't be helped but be pulled inside for a taste of that fat-free delicious yoghurt, sadly though my Dad was pulling me the other way and all I managed to get was a photo of the store's glorious style not a bite of ice cold creaminess of the yoghurt.

 So in the cold weather I sadly walk away from the brightly coloured store and think of the summer weather when I shall spending endless amounts of time chilling with my friends in this quirky style store, luckily its fat-free and sugar free so I can indulge lots.

 

 

HIgh heeled Sandals

Searching for the perfect pair of high heeled sandals has actually become a massive mission for me. Ouch that ones got no support. Ouch this one gives me blisters. Ouch I can hardly walk in these. Has anyone else had this fashion pain crisis or is this just me and my strange feet?

 

I see everyone strut around in them as if they're floating on air but the minute I try to walk I look like I'm walking on hot coals (very unattractive to say the lease). I've had this dilemma before on my year 11 prom, I chose style over comfort and about 20 minutes into the night I wanted to chop off my feet and even changed my shoes for the after the party.

 

See I've always been use to heels with a platform and I think this is my downfall. Even though I'm a dancer and have done point work for years you think my feet would be use to pain but put me in a pair of platformless heels and I literally want to cry. I don't know if its the stiletto heel or lack of support because my block heel sandals are perfect.

 

 So has it really come down to this? Am I really just going to have to wear high heeled sandals on sitting down occasions? Wait I've actually found a pair that have a slight platform. Is this my answer to all my problems? And they are only £19.99 I think my day has actually been made and what with all this beautiful sunny weather we are having I can't think of a better time to buy them.

 

 

 

Homemaker magazine

What with such a busy term at University, being introduced to all the new skills required to become a fashion journalist we had to write an article on our own chosen interviewee writen in the style of our choice of magazine. Here's my article on Jane Asher's patisserie chef Josephine Stiles for Homemaker Magazine. I hope you enjoy reading it.

 

 

“There’s so much variety from a total Wipe-out cake to an insect bite decoration, bespoke is definitely taken to a whole new level”

Elizabeth Mitchell steps inside the world of foremost bespoke cake company Jane Asher and speaks to one of its leading patisserie chef’s Josephine Stiles about how cakes are becoming the centre of attention.

25 year old, Josephine Stiles, to homemakers like us is a rising star just waiting to pull the apron strings and go it alone. Being part of the glue that holds Jane Asher together, Josephine’s career sky rocketed, having only been there for less than two years she has already crafted cakes for the likes of Sir Philip Green and The Duchess of York- “she often has strange orders, she even wanted a dog urinating on a champagne bottle” laughs Josephine.

Early Days

Growing up in a family orientated household in Essex with her mother always in the kitchen and weekends were spent baking, Josephine has always been attracted to that sweet smell. “I’ve been cooking for as long as I can remember, in secondary school I did my work experience at London Cake Company but I never really thought about it as a career.” Despite this, Josephine could never stop being drawn back to cooking: “the whisk was always stuck to my hand, not even pliers could tear us apart.” Nonetheless, wanting to please her family and go to University first, it only took six unsettled weeks studying a degree in French and Italian at Reading University and a holiday in France where she was told “you should become a pastry chef, that’s where the money is because they are in such short supply” for her to realise her true career dream. Going back to where her inspiration came from with the likes of Peggy Porchen and Eric Lanlard and realising that they all mentioned or studied at Le Cordon Bleu Josephine thought she should indulge too. “It was an intense course but it had such a fun environment… they taught me to be a perfectionist- a slave to my art.” Her skills and the start of her career went from strength to strength, interning at Little Venice Cake Company, and landing a job there until being offered a job at Britain’s leading cake company Jane Asher.

On the up

Josephine’s eclectic skills and decorative eye certainly did not go unnoticed, in just eight months working there she was given the honour to be on the cake decorating team of two for Topshop tycoon Sir Philip Green’s 60^th Birthday extravaganza last March. “It was a lot of responsibility and quite high stress but it was such an honour…Sir Philip Green’s cake was very regal with its ivory icing laced with olive green vine leaves and his royal crest, it was very prestigious. While his daughter Chloe’s 21^st birthday cake was a three-tiered masterpiece displaying her shoe range for Topshop with her mint green logo at the top, I must say the wedges and heels did look very realistic.” Robbie Williams must have thought so too when he ran off with one. Despite the trip appearing to be oh so luxurious when they were privately flown to the Rosewood Mayakoba Resort in Mexico, it went downhill quickly when the ingredients to decorate the cake with were held at customs. “Everything was so unorganized, we didn’t know where we would be working, we didn’t have half of the stuff we needed, and we eventually had to raid the hotels icing supply. I felt like some kind of criminal.” After such a manic time: “the best part was once the last cake was out we got to enjoy the party with Chris Brown and Cee Lo Green performing and I even bumped into Michael Buble, that was definitely a weak at the knees moment”- if we didn’t envy Josephine enough before we sure do now. “Kate Moss was misbehaving everywhere she went causing rows with Gwyneth Paltrow, she was definitely a wild one. Naomi Campbell was surprisingly tamed though but I won’t name drop who was raiding the minibars dry” laughs Josephine.

Celebrity Clients

With the company being the foremost in Britain for bespoke cakes and the figurehead being the ‘Queen of cakes’ you would expect to see a client list that is heaving with influential people. “I’ve made cakes for a variety of people from Take That to The Prime Minister, the variety is extraordinary.” Josephine tells us that Naomi Campbell was particularly tamed but her cake designs tell us differently: “for Valentine’s Day last year she had a heart with a model of her futuristic house in Germany put on top.” Despite the high-brow clientele “I personally try to do all my cakes to the best standard whoever the client is but I would love Rylan Gosling to eat my cake and it would be extra special for him.” We are with her on that, who wouldn’t want him? With cake or without.

Onwards and Upwards

This July marks Josephine’s two years at Jane Asher, but as her skill set flourishes she is eager to go it alone.  “I only knew the basics when I started working here, at my interview I didn’t even know how to make 3D models now I do a lot of 3D shoes especially Louboutins.”  Needless to say whatever cake design it is it looks like fun is the key ingredient: “there’s just so much variety from a total Wipe-out cake to an insect bite decoration, bespoke is definitely taken to a whole new level” laughs Josephine.

Nonetheless, the kitchen doors cannot restrain Josephine any longer:  “I want my own bespoke company, and to do a bit of teaching- mother and daughter workshops- just have a bit of fun with cake decorating, like I did with my Mum.” Here at Homemaker we are sure that Josephine won’t be behind the doors for much longer, she is definitely aspiring to be something much bigger and what’s not to stop her with talent like that. Even despite all the glamour of all these clients, Josephine remains true to herself, even if she is making outlandish and ridiculous cakes for instance The Duchess of York’s asking for members of the Royal family to be made into ludicrous positions.  One thing us homemakers are happy about is thank god nobody tried to get that whisk out of Josephine’s hand with pliers.