Columbia Road Flower Market

A bunch of pretty flowers can really brighten up a room and make you smile in the mornings, so I decided to head down to Columbia Road Flower Market to pick up a cheap bunch of flowers one Sunday afternoon.

Forget buying Tesco flowers! Columbia Road was full of beautiful bouquets which were inexpensive and good quality. I was torn between buying a bunch of 20 red roses for £5 (yes you heard me correctly, only £5) and some beautifully cheerful sunflowers. In the end I decided sunflowers were a little different and would add some cheer to the bedroom so I managed to pick up a pretty bunch for a mere £3.50!

Here's my bunch of gorgeous sunnies! I was rather laid back in the style stakes, wearing my black skinny Topshop jeans, James Perse white shirt and Primark Jumper with my hair shoved up into a messy topknot. 

I'd definitely recommend heading down to Columbia Road for some East London banter from the stall owners and of course some pretty flowers at a bargain price!

Ellie Goulding live on Radio 1

Writing music reviews on a freelance basis has meant I've been lucky enough to watch some really great performances over the last few years. A few weeks ago I was invited to the Radio 1 studios in Maida Vale to watch Ellie Goulding perform a live lounge session for Zane Lowe - am I lucky or what?!

Here's my little pass I had to wear around the Radio 1 studios, I was so honoured to have special access inside such a legendary venue where so many stars have made such amazing music.

Here's the gorgeous Miss Goulding herself, she looked rock n roll with her tartan trousers and plain white vest and biker boots. She performed and sang all her hits to the live studio audience and also thousands of Radio 1 listeners, where she managed to sing every song astoundingly and with what seemed like very little nerves! I was seriously impressed with Ellie's live vocal talent and had such an amazing evening watching her sing so intimately to us.

I'd definitely love to review another band at Maida Vale, so Radio 1 press if you're reading this then I'd be more than happy to come back ;) 

Soho House Lady

Another Thursday, another media party. This time I was invited to a 1920's style speakeasy party at Soho house. Soho House is a member's only club in (you guessed it) Soho, with their quirky hidden staircases and exclusive parties having made it into a regular celebrity London haunt.

We drank cocktails out of these kitsch little tea cup sets and were dressed up in feather boas and pearls, so very British darlingggg!!

I didn't fancy going all out in 1920's style as I was coming straight to the party from work, so I decided to play it safe and wear all black. Here's me consuming the cocktails wearing my Evil Twin dress and vintage bag. 

The party was a riot, even though there were no celeb spots it was certainly special having a night out in Soho House!

Shoreditch Style

After moving to East London in May I haven't really had a chance to soak in the scene yet, so recently we decided to properly explore the area and take in the hipster culture - Shoreditch style!

In typical Shoreditch fashion I thought it was necessary to have the generic hipster photo against cool graffiti, so here you go! I'm wearing my DropDead t-shirt, Monki skirt and Topshop shoes and sock combo.

Enjoying the last of the summer vibes we later chilled out on the balcony with a glass of vino, you can even see as far as Canary Wharf from up here! I love the bright lights of London and having a balcony in the summer is the best way to appreciate the amazing scenery and cool cityscape.

As you can see I was rather happy about the balcony situation, wearing my Dr Marten t-shirt, shorts and Topshop lightweight jacket which is perfect for when the night turns a little chilly. 

Wine + Balcony + Shoreditch Style = Hipster Heaven.

Going Veggie

So I've been a Vegetarian now for about a month and I was pretty chuffed when my boyfriend said he'd support me and do it too. I really didn't want him to if he didn't want to but he's insisted that he's enjoying the healthy eating and principals as well, so it's a win win situation.

So basically I've decided to put together a couple of tasty pictures to celebrate being healthy - hurrah!

To celebrate our 4 year anniversary and our new love of 'Veggie-ism' we booked a table at The Gate in Angel (Islington) which is a Vegetarian/Vegan restaurant. We had the Parmasan Gaelette to start which included: Grilled Asparagus, mozzerella and oven dried tomatoes - YUM! Then for my main I had the Cous-Cous Crusted Aubergine (pictured) which was so tasty! 

The day after our anniversary I went for breakfast at The Modern Pantry in Clerkenwell where I had a natural yogurt with plenty of oats and fruit, not forgetting the herbal tea of course!

I'm definitely loving how good I'm feeling after cutting out meat and all the fat from my diet and being Vegetarian has actually made me more conscious of what I'm eating and putting into my body. Thumbs up for Veggies!

Latitude Festival 2013

My god I've been lucky with festivals this year, first Glasto and now Latitude! I found out this week another team at work had a spare ticket so I was spontaneously asked if I wanted to come along and of course I said yes!

Latitude really was the most beautiful festival I'd ever seen, with a huge lake with giant lily pads and a forest just on the door step of our campsite. At night time we partied 'in the woods' which was filled with tea lights and loud music which after a few beers or two looked like something out of a fairy tale.

The first night we watched Bloc Party who were incredible and they played my favourite song Helicopter so I was pretty chuffed about that. We then ventured to the lake and saw a ballerina dangling from a floating moon, I mean how many festivals do that? I was a little in awe and slightly emotional seeing something so gorgeous, damn my female hormones!

Here's me and my friend Georgie watching the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and posing for a shameless selfie...in my defence I think we were a little worse for wear at this stage!

Seeing Karen O rocking the crowd this close was definitely the highlight of my weekend but I did also manage to see Kraftwerk's insanely cool 3D performance. Pretty mind blowing.

Cowshed @Shoreditch House

I thought I'd dedicate this blog post to my all time favourite manicurist/spa which is the Cowshed in Shoreditch House. I've been taken there with media owners a couple of times and the treatments including the ultimate cowshed manicure is the ultimate treat!

We went last week with Vogue and were treated by our lovely rep to some champagne as well, ah bliss!

This time I went for the 30 minute mani and pedi as my talons at both end were in need of some serious TLC! I opted for a turquoise colour as I've been experimenting with brighter colours over the summer time.

I'd really recommend trying out the Cowshed and the ultimate cowshed manicure for the most insanely relaxing pampering session - after all we totally deserve it!

DAZED X PROTEIN: TRASH FASHION FORUM

Yesterday I went along to my first fashion forum which was organised by Protein and Dazed and Confused Magazine. Some of the speakers there were pretty reputable with Hussein Chalayan (fashion designer) and Caroline Evans (fashion historian) to name just a few, where they were speaking about how their clothes were influenced by what we would call 'trash'.

The forum was quickly under way with some topical debates flowing on how the world's economy is really effected by our choices in clothing. It was interesting to hear Carloline Evan's speak of how trash fashion derived from Punk and how style is more contrived than ever and arguably by using trash as an influence we're gaining more personalised clothes which say more about who we are as an individual.

Some students who'd been influenced by trash also spoke about how it gave them an opportunity to get a foot into the fashion world without having to spend loads of money, which was refreshing. Above is a picture of Nasir Mazhar's 'festish alien' mask.

I'll definitely be giving some more thought into how I can reuse some of my clothes before I throw them away. Luckily (or unluckily for my bulging wardrobe) I'm a bit of a hoarder, as I really appreciate all the clothes I've bought but I'll be taking extra care in what I buy from now on. I mean how many black pumps does a girl really need?

I'll be reading the new Dazed magazine to try and get some more tips and inspiration. All in all though my first fashion forum was a blast!

BBQ Buddies!

Saturday was the hottest day of the year in England since 2006, or so they say. So there was only one thing for it - BBQ Baby!

I wore my French Connection dress as it's really light and easy to wear accessorised with my drip Chanel necklace to keep the monochrome theme going. My friend Emily was rocking the hippy look with her huge John Lennon style glasses and bright bikini top.

Most of the day was spent fooling around in the sun with toys we picked up from the pound shop, including this giant bubble maker - so much fun! Although my hula hoop skills weren't quite up to scratch...

My friends Maggie and Alice also looked bright and summery with their gorgeous dresses. It was so nice to get everyone together in one place and Victoria Park was the perfect setting for cooking some tasty food. I even managed to keep healthy by eating Quorn sausages, salad and fruit and sticking to vodka and diet lemonade.

As the night wore on me and Emily started dancing to Robin Thicke 'Blurred Lines' and imitating the stupid dancing the women do in the video by sticking their hips out. Safe to say we gave the girls a run for their money...

Summer Cool

Well aren't we lucky at the moment? The weather is beautiful and I'm making every effort to wear as many summer dresses as physically possible (not all at once though)!

My summer staple this year is the classic tea dress where my Topshop polka dot number is a particular favourite of mine. I'm happy it's managed to make an appearance now that mr sunshine has decided to play ball. 

I've been after a satchel bag for ages and the tattoo inspired engravings make this Dr Martens bag feel unique and quirky. It'll look great with my Tea Dresses and will add a rock chick edge. 

Apart from my clothes looking awfully awesome as of late (so modest I know) I've been making frequent trips to Brick Lane at the weekend to keep hydrated in style. 

Team a Pina Colada with a Polka Dot Tea Dress and you'll be sure to radiate high temperatures of summer style.

Made in Chelsea...well almost

This Sunday my boyfriends parents were visiting London and as a treat they took us to Fortnum and Mason in Mayfair for breakfast.

It was also an excuse to wear my new dress from French Connection which I picked up in the sale - score!

I tried to keep the monochrome theme going by pairing with black accessories, my trusty Mischa Barton bag, Office sandals and Ray Bans.

The restaurant was really fancy, serving us breakfast tea from gorgeous silver tea sets - I felt very much the lady of luxury for once!

For breakfast outings I'd usually opt for Eggs Benedict but since turning Vegetarian I decided to try Eggs Florentine and to my delight I actually enjoyed it more! Definitely my new breakfast choice.

This weekend I definitely enjoyed spending more time in West London as it's so clean and fancy, maybe one day I'll be able to afford a house in Knightsbridge (yeh keep dreaming Amy, keep dreaming).  

The Rolling Stones - Hyde Park

This weekend we were pretty damn lucky to have tickets to see The Rolling Stones in Hyde Park on one of the hottest weekends in Englad so far, yep definitely lucky!

As the day was like a mini festival we went down early to catch some bands and drink plenty of cider! 

My personal musical highlight from the day was the elaborately brilliant King Charles, fusing together a mixture of sounds to create something really unique and fresh - i'll definitely be checking him out in a small venue in London somewhere soon! 

Here i'm wearing my new Dr Martens designed by Agyness Deyn, the culottes are so comfy and flattering. I think too many girls wear tight shorts with half of their bum hanging out, it's so unflattering and trashy - come on ladies put your derriere's away! 

There was plenty of yummy food at Hyde Park and my new found vegetarianism is giving me a good excuse to try out new things. For lunch we had a mushroom burger and a cute little Rolling Stones cake as a snack, I'm a sucker for a cupcake.

Much to my delight Benefit Cosmetics had a pop up area where you could take part in games to win lots of goodies! My boyfriend helped me win some mascara and pore professional primer which is uh-mazing! Here we are larking around in the photo-booth.  

An amazing day with The Rolling Stones as the tip of the ice-berg. They played a slightly different set than at Glastonbury where there was plenty of room for dancing! Definitely thought I had the moves like Jagger! 

Glasto Lovin'

This year was my first Glastonbury festival ever and boy was I excited!

We were so lucky managing to bag tickets the year The Rolling Stones were playing, who were definitely the highlight of my weekend. One thing I love about festivals is the free spirited fashion, I get so inspired so I thought I'd share some of the outfits:

Looking over Glastonbury wearing my Hunter wellies I managed to win on eBay for £10 - yes that's right you read correctly! I don't understand people who would pay £80 for these but I probably looked like one of those idiots anyway, but now you know my secret too.

Day 1 was a little bit overcast so I decided to cover up by wearing my vintage polka dot dress from Beyond Retro teamed with oversized sunnies and flower headpiece.

This is me a couple of hours before The Rolling Stones. My Monki dress is so comfy and by this point I think I'd converted to full on trendy hippy wearing a Bindi on my head. 

Sunny weather meant denim shorts, black tee and Mischa Barton bag - fringing is always a festival must in my opinion!

Holiday Snaps

This year I felt I was long overdue some summer sunshine, so me and my boyfriend booked a cheap getaway to Tunisia! Hurrah!

I mainly stuck to lounging around in my polka dot bikini and light floaty dresses as it was so hot (not that I'm being typically English and complaining or anything).

Above is a snap of me getting ready to go out wearing my gorgeous Topshop boutique dress and a little hippy headband I picked up from a shop on Brick Lane. An easy no fuss style with a few sparkly bangles to keep things a little jazzy.

Naturally one of the days I dragged the boyfriend out to the 'Old Town' of Tunisia to go shopping. The bustling markets meant it was a great way of doing some bartering with the locals, oh and barter my ass off I certainly did! I managed to pick up this pendant which I think means good luck or God...one of the two but I can't remember, I just thought it was pretty and unique from anything else back home.

Anyone who's planning a trip to Tunisia I'd definitely recommend a trip to the old town. Just get ready to haggle haggle haggle ladies!

Elle Style Awards

So on Monday I was lucky enough to be invited to the Elle Style Awards party at the very glamorous Savoy Hotel. So of course I had the scary decision of what the hell do I wear?! I mean what do you wear to a Style Awards?

My Elle Style Awards Invite

I decided to try and attempt an Alexa Chung rock n roll look - so here goes nothing! I wore a painted topshop leather dress teamed with a studded clutch bag and biker style heels.

My Painted Leather Topshop Dress

I then curled my hair and roughed it up a bit which gave it a bit of messy edge. I teamed this with nude makeup and smudged eyeliner for a smokey effect, as you can see the dress is quite elaborate so I wanted to let it do all the talking!

Me and Lucy at the awards party

I went to the party with some work colleagues who all looked amazing. Here's me and Lucy, she wore a beautiful body-con Topshop dress - she can totally pull off any outfit (not jealous of her figure at all)!!

Walking the Red Carpet

Overall the party was great, bumping into a few celebs like Pixie Geldof, Pam Hogg and Matthew Williamson to name just a few. We decided to keep it real, on the way back to Dalston stopping off for a Maccy D's - way too glam!

My Elle Style Awards Goodie Bag!

One of the best things about the night though was of course the goodie bag at the end! I had so many freebees including Benefit makeup, Percy and Reed hair products, Calvin Klein perfume and my fave was the Elizabeth Arden eight hour cream - devine!

My new favourite beauty product!

So overall an amazing night with plenty of champagne, great music and some celeb spotting too. I'll definitely be trying to get an invite for next year!