Festive Fashion

Christmas always brings with it the age-old dilema of wanting to avoid frostbite without sacrificing in the style stakes. Bare legs are no longer appropriate attire, however slathered in self tan they are, and leaving the house without gloves often results in a rather unattractive blue tinge on one's hands. Thus, we've searched far and wide for some hidden gems that will keep you both feeling warm and looking hot!

For anyone wanting to cover up a pasty set of pins without opting for the middle-aged staple of 20 denier tights, help is at hand. Put an extra sparkle in your outfits this season with the Classic Crystal Hosiery Collection from Candy Baker.  The collection features subtle and sexy designs that are sure to catch some admiring glances and well-deserved compliments.  This unexpected touch to traditional hosiery is a glamorous and flattering way to accessorize anything from the classic LBD to an edgier party ensemble. The Back Seam: £33.

If you're looking for some sumptuous accessories, Aruna Seth is a well-respected name in the shoe world and her unique designs are characterised by Swarovski Crystals and impeccable trims.  No stranger to the red carpet, Aruna’s exquisite designs are the ultimate in evening wear elegance and come in a series of matching sets such as the red satin and butterfly.  With accessories these decadent and show-stopping, who needs a dress? Clutch Bag: £355.

You may recognize some of Baronessa’s designs from the pages of your favourite magazines and newspapers as the jewellery brand’s knack for affordable luxury has landed it in good favour with likes of Vogue.  Baronessa calls itself jewellery to fall in love with, and it’s girly and elegant designs might have you doing just that.  With its midrange prices, don’t be fooled- Baronessas pieces have a classic and timeless quality and they may just become the centrepieces of your jewellery collection. Gold Hammered Bracelet: £35.

And in keeping with the staying warm but stylish theme are these beautiful animal print cashmere scarves from www.black.co.uk. Etheral in appearance and featherlight in texture, these luxurious scarves are a fantastic alternative to a thick cable knit that, although warm, is hardly the ideal pairing with a LBD. Made from pure cashmere and gauze woven, a method that creates an ultra-light tactility, these are the ultimate in festive finery. Prices start at £125 and the scarves are available in four prints - peacock, giraffe, leopard and anaconda snake. They are also offering a 10% discount to readers of this blog just enter AMAZING10 on the check out.

Finally, for a one-stop shop for perfect presents is Lusso-London, which offers divine accessories and clothing sourced from around the world. Taking their name from the Italian for luxury, Lusso-London stocks a whole host of decadent gift ideas, whether treating yourself or buying for a loved one. We think these red and grey woolen gloves are perfect for winter, and adore their unique two-tone design. Also available in grey/purple and brown/green colour combinations, they make an ideal accesorry for a post-roast country walk. Woolen gloves: £40.

Winter Jeans from Angels & Men

 

As the days pass, I seem to find myself shivering more and more. Grabbing an extra jumper for the day is becoming a must with the chilling temperature. Unfortunately, the cold bite isn’t letting up anytime soon. Preparation for winter must commence and much to my dismay, I have to start thinking what wardrobe pieces are really not going to work in the snowy days. However, one piece that can stick through the frosty winter months is the new Angels & Men Jeans.

Angels & Men has brought to the UK the first ever fashionable thermal jeans this winter. The jeans are a combination of trendy cuts and washes with a soft fleece lining to create the first range of fashion thermal lined jeans. What an easy way to be stylish and warm this winter!

The first collection carries two different cuts, Straight cut and Boot cut, and each in two different washes, a dark wash in blue black and a worn wash which has a lightning bleach effect to look slightly used.

Like anyone, it is easy to doubt that a jean, which looks exactly like regular jeans, would truly be warmer. Thankfully, it’s true! The jeans use a Duothermalate fleece fabric so it retains heat yet is still breathable. So after you step inside after a chilly walk home from work, you won’t be dying to change to some pyjama pants.

You can buy Angels & Men jeans on their website or at various boutiques and outlets throughout the UK.  So don’t waste another second wearing summer jeans in winter weather. Grab a pair of Angel’s & Men jeans and be prepared this winter!

Our Passion For Jewellery

We all know that Christmas is a time for giving, but having recently come across Melanie Grant’s community for jewellery lovers - My Passion for Jewellery – I’m horribly tempted to self-gift. The ethos behind My Passion for Jewellery is that a piece of jewellery can change your life and with the beautiful bespoke pieces on offer, it’s not hard to see why.

Fusing pleasure, obsession and creativity, My Passion for Jewellery is a private community that does exactly what it says on the tin. Created by jewellery obsessive and collector Melanie Grant in 2010 and based in Mayfair, MPJ features a beautifully presented range of exclusive bespoke jewellery by award winning designers such as Leyla Abdollahi and Ornella Iannuzzi. Also featured are vintage pieces by Chanel and Trifari, an insider’s blog, features and interviews with people such as Theo Fennell and Myleene Klass.

Adding a touch of exclusivity, one has to apply for membership before joining the jewellery community and can then invite friends to do the same. Esteemed names from the worlds of music, art and design amongst others all boast MPJ membership so you can be sure to be in good company. In addition, the world’s leading private members club Quintessentially also feature MPJ in their gift service.

If you would like to be considered for MPJ's exclusive membership, please apply quoting AmazingPR.

A Shoreditch Shopping Experience

With December upon us, most of us will be spending our free time racing to the malls and high streets in a race to get through our Christmas lists.  Shopping for loved ones is one of the best parts of the holiday season, however it can get a bit exhausting with the endless hours of department store digging and trudging through the masses on Oxford Street. If you’re looking for something to renew your excitement for the Christmas shopping experience, you will be delighted with the latest shopping concept literally popping up on the East End tomorrow (Saturday December 3^rd).  Boxpark, a pop-up shopping mall, will open in Shoreditch and will host 60 hand-selected retailers of art, fashion, and lifestyle goods as well as cafes and food venues.

             The portable mall, made up of ‘box shops', is composed of shipping crates stripped and refit to create this wide assortment of both mainstream name brands such as Nike, Calvin Klein, and Lacoste, as well as more alternative and independent labels such as Playful Promises and Farah Vintage.  The idea of this mall is to put fashion ‘back on the street’ which is exactly what it does, creating a raw and edgy experience that stands in stark contrast to pre-packaged mall chains such as Westfield that generally include all the same stores and fail to offer any kind of excitement or novelty.

 Following this trend, Boxpark also aims to include smaller local retailers by selling their spaces at affordable rates.  While you can plan on finding some of your favourite brands at Boxpark, you are also sure to stumble into some new favourites that you perhaps never would have otherwise.  This off-the-beaten-path shopping experience is surely going to be one to remember and not to miss.  While creators of the pop-up mall have plans for other possible future locations, you can have the privilege of seeing the world’s first ever pop-up mall right here in our very own Shoreditch and whilst doing so tick off a few more boxes on your Christmas list!

JJ

The Mystery of Mooi

On one of my visits to Animal Fair for Mojai’s regular manicure, I spotted a new shop across the road. A rather nice distraction from my dogs appalling  behaviour. Attracted by the myriad of colourful clothes and accessories Mooi lured me in a bit  like a bee to honey…. Mooi is a beautiful shop on High Street Kensington spread over two floors and overlooking its own lovely garden, however its array of unique and one-of-a-kind high fashion pieces makes it hard to notice the scenery.  The shop boasts an impressive list of international labels and hard to find designers such as Tsimori Chisato and Australian designer Meagan Park whose pieces line the walls in bold colours and beautiful fabrics.  Designs by LA stylist Simone Harouch bring a little taste of Hollywood to the High Street, his statement carryalls having graced the arms of such A-list celebrities as Nicole Richie, Julia Roberts, and Miley Cyrus.  Along with its prestigious couture credentials, Mooi’s distinguishing characteristic seems to be its diverstiy; alongside well-established designers, owner Deep Sahni (also the store’s interior designer) has integrated lesser known international labels not likely to be found in any other U.K. retailer.  Beautiful antique Indian jewelry sits alongside covetable and timeless pieces from Phillipa Holland.

Mooi is the kind of shop that will make a fan out of any keen connisseur of high fashion.  Whether you’re out for a shopping day and on a hunt for some of the latest and hottest couture pieces or you’ve got a taste for the unusual and exotic, this small but statement shop is sure to intrigue your tastes and make you a regular visitor- even if it’s just to come in and ogle the latest overseas arrivals to grace the racks.  Mooi is a Kensington must-see and stands alone as a novel boutique in a sea of generic name-brand shops.

If you possibly need anymore reason to go and see this new little High Street jewel, the lovely people at Mooi are offering our readers a 20% discount throughout the month of December!  Show this blog post with codeword MOOI-AMAZING PR when you go in and receive this amazing discount!