Brand to Watch: KIKO Make Up Milano - Smart Lipstick Review

Now I'm not one to bang on about make-up brands - I've pretty much been using Miss Sporty and Collection 2000 since I was about 10* - but during a ridiculously unsuccessful shopping trip to Westfield, I stumbled across a little shop which I never noticed before. As I embarrassingly know Westfield like the back of my hand, I headed in (right after I saw the "Lipstick £2.50!" sign, may I add. Your friendly neighbourhood cheapskate right hurr) to see what all the fuss was about. 

London Fashion Week 2014 Day 1 - Todd Lynn AW14

Hands up who likes a bit of soft grunge? One of the shows I always look forward to the most, Todd Lynn never ceases to appeal to my rather dark tastes. As time has progressed, I have begun to crawl out of my charcoal coloured comfort zone, yet I always find myself being drawn to the darker tints.

Tattoos: Graffiti or Art?

Source: tumblr.com

A few weeks ago, I had the joy of watching the wonderfully honest Katie Hopkins go off on another one of her rants on This Morning that tend to offend, upset and piss a lot of people off - a talent that only she could possess (another one is making sexual advances toward an incredibly uncomfortable Phillip Scofield, which always makes me giggle). In this particular rant, Katie decided that it wasn’t enough to hate on overweight individuals, lower class families and all the Charmaines and Brooklyns of the world, and so advanced to proclaiming her hate for tattoos. “I think as an employer I certainly wouldn't employ someone with tattoos [...] socially I think we still look at tattoos as graffiti,” she stated, whilst a heavily tattooed ex-X Factor contestant Katie Waissal sat beside, grimacing at her words. Hopkins added “When you see tattoos you think of someone who's looking for attention, who hasn't managed to find a way in their life through conventional means who is just shouting, 'I want attention'.”

Carnaby Christmas Shopping Evening

Photo credit: Martin Pettitt via Flickr

Here's another piece I wrote for The Clothes Maiden, check them out here.

Every Londoner knows that if they want quirky stores, independent boutiques and unique, scrummy restaurants, the place to go is Carnaby. Situated in the heart of the West End,  the iconic area hosts over 100 places to shop and eat, making it a the perfect destination for a bit of Christmas shopping with a difference. Tonight, Carnaby is hosting a fabulous Christmas shopping party, where attendees can enjoy complimentary drinks, music from live DJ’s, and 20% discounts in various stores around the area. Grazia’s editor-at-large will be hosting free AW13 trend talks in Book Exchange, while the magazine’s style hunters will be strolling around snapping some of their favourite street styles. Shoppers will also be the first to see the newly installed Christmas decorations and get the chance to see the Carnaby Christmas lights turn on. To celebrate the launch of this fantastic event, The Clothes Maiden were invited for a mini taster shopping session, popping in to several stores around Carnaby and learning more about the companies and their histories.