Sweet Dream, or Beautiful Nightmare?

"Candy is childhood, the best and bright moments you wish could have lasted forever" - Dylan Lauren

Pink is my favourite colour, from the richest fuchsia to the sweetest cotton candy pink. I adore powder blue and often paint my nails the colour of mint choc chip ice cream. This season, one of the key trends for clothing, make up and accessories is pastel. I especially like the pink boyfriend coat trend, and both Eva Mendes and Kim Kardashian look beautifully chic.  

However, on us mere mortals, there is an alarming risk of looking like a rather curvy marshmallow. And while I fully embrace the spring fashion trends, nobody wants to be compared to Mr Blobby. Therefore, I've been looking at ways to embrace pastel, while retaining an element of dignity. 

One of the easiest ways to add pastel elements to your everyday wardrobe is through the use of nail varnish. It's relatively cheap and easy, and if you are unhappy with a look, you can remove it in seconds. Here are a selection of my current favourites... 

- Maybelline Colorshow in Nebline

- Rimmel Lycra Pro in Peppermint (n.b Bottle has been updated)

- Maxfactor Max Effect Mini in Mellow Yellow 29

- Barry M Nail Paint in Berry Ice Cream

- Barry M nail Paint in Blue Moon 

A fun look is to paint each nail a different pastel colour. If you like an ultra matte finish, then Models Own also do a great range of pastel colours. However, these require a couple of coats and I would recommend a clear top coat in order to get the most attractive look. You could try... 

- Model's Own Nail Polish in Ice Cream Sundae

- Model's Own Nail Polish in Blooboo 

Using pastel accessories is another great way of incorporating the season's trend. For example, you could add these socks from Topshop to a cute day dress, or with jeans and high top trainers. They look great with Converse or Nike Air Force 1.  There needs to be some contrast to create a good balance, otherwise you can end up looking like a little girl that's escaped from the playground. I've never been a fan of the little girl Lolita look - and most people that are have never actually read the book, Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, which left me feeling pretty disturbed after reading it. 

Cute coloured jewellery has also been popping up, both over the high street and in designer shops. I'm a massive fan of Kate Spade, especially as she advocates eating cake for breakfast, and she also has some gorgeous jewellery. 

However, unless its a special occasion, I like to buy jewellery on the high street, as its affordable and interchangeable, and if it gets lost you don't feel quite so bad. I've always been an advocate of costume jewellery (although I never say no to diamonds). Both Forever 21 and Primark are absolutely bossing the pastel jewels trend. Take a look at these that I've picked up in the past few weeks... 

Earrings - Primark. Bracelet - Forever 21. 

Forever 21

Primark

There are lots of great lipsticks out there to add a pop of pastel colour to your face. In the pictures above I'm wearing MAC Cremesheen in Shy Girl. 

Its more of a peachy nude rather than pastel, but when I tried on a bubblegum pink the MAC MUA told me that it washed me out, which can happen to a lot of people. Including poor, poor Jessie J at the Brit Awards, who got it a bit wrong... Oh Jessie... 

Pastel coloured food also has a spring like feel to it, and what city could be better than Paris in the spring? For Valentine's day, I was treated to some delicious macaroons from Ladurée, the luxury French bakery that has a tiny little cafe in Covent Garden. They are literally amazing, and my favourites. However, Paul do some pretty yummy ones too, as do Marks and Spencer. 

The flavours we chose were: Salted Caramel, Chocolate, Praline, Strawberry Marshmallow, Pistachio, Rose and Lemon. If you want to treat yourself to something sweet and decadent, a macaroon is for you. You could also try some meringues from the Meringue Girls based in Hackney, who I reviewed HERE. 

That weekend, we also went for after dinner cocktails at the Ritz Hotel, London (which I can assure you is not my regular watering hole). It was like something from the Great Gatsby, with chandeliers, marble floors and a pianist serenading us as we sipped on our drinks. I resisted taking photos of most of the Ritz... but couldn't resist a cheeky snap in the aptly named 'Powder Room', the poshest bathroom ever, complete with intricate wallpaper and a beautifully upholstered sofa, with Harper's Bazaar, Tatler and Vogue to peruse at your leisure. 

Definitely a sweet, pastel pink dream...

Yaasica Lucia XXX

February Fashion Focus

“You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.” Pablo Neruda

It seems that as soon as one gets excited about Spring arriving, the weather changes from bright, crisp and sunny, to cold, wet and miserable. Nevertheless, as Neruda wisely says, you cannot keep Spring from coming, and more to the point, you cannot stop the arrival of spring fashion. 

There are a few trends I'm absolutely loving at the moment. The first is a modern twist on florals that has been seen on the catwalks in the Spring/Summer '14 shows. As much as I love Cath Kidston prints and adore anything vintage and floral, it is hard to wear flowers without looking either like a child or a china doll. However, things seem to be different this season... 

Hermès

Dries van Noten

Oscar de la Renta 

Emporio Armani

As much as I love these designers, I simply cannot afford them at the moment. Luckily the high street are doing some similar designs and I picked up this gorgeous dress from Primark. I've been pairing it with simple gold jewellery and my beloved red Michael Kors tote bag. When the weather gets brighter, it would go well with pastel pink or powder blue accessories. 

I've always been a massive fan of trainers/sneakers/creps - whatever you call them, there is no doubt that these shoes are becoming progressively more popular in the fashion world. I also love eye catching sweatshirts, which have also been popping up everywhere. I guess its because alternative/street style is ever more popularised through the different media platforms that we have today - Facebook, Twitter, and especially Instagram. The catwalks it seems are taking note of this: 

Alexander Wang

DKNY

Kenzo

Marc by Marc Jacobs

Again, I cannot really afford these catwalk styles, but in my opinion, the best trainers are made not by designers, but by the one and only Nike. Here are the current pairs I'm wearing with everything: 

Nike Air Force 1 

Nike Air Max One

Something else I really like is the satirical take on designer brands that can be seen on clothing at the moment. From Celfie/Feline instead of Celine, to Ballin Paris rather than Balmain, the slogans are really fun. 

My personal favourite is Homies rather than Hermès, and so I had to have it. You can give the look a bit more edge by adding some contrasting jewellery, like I did with this necklace from Forever 21. 

It is often the case that designer labels set the trends and gradually they will filter down towards the high street, at affordable shops. One of my favourite movie scenes is from The Devil Wears Prada, when Andy the self-proclaimed unstylish PA is told by Amanda Priestly (loosely based on Anna Wintour)that the Cerulean blue colour of her bargain basement sweater was chosen for her by the fashion editors standing in that room. Meryl Streep delivers the speech fantastically. That being said, it seems that these days there is an increasingly mutual relationship and appreciation between designer and high street fashion, with both influencing each other. 

And that can only be a good thing for every shopaholic's bank account. 

Yaasica Lucia XXX

Houseboat on Broadway

"February sunshine steeps your boughs, tints the buds, swells the leaves within." 

At last! February is here. January was cold and miserable, and now its time to shake away the blues, as a new month has dawned. So, when payday arrived, it was the perfect excuse to go out and explore. 

The weather on Saturday was crisp and cold, but sunny and with blue skies, so I took a walk to Broadway Market, in Haggerston, South Hackney, close to London Fields. To get there from Victoria Park Village (the place I call home) takes about 20 minutes if walking along Regent's Canal. It's such a lovely walk especially when the sun is shining, and you can peep inside all the houseboats. I looked out for Rosie and Jim on the Old Ragdoll but unfortunately they were not around. 

 The focus is mainly on food rather than vintage clothing, and it is much smaller than Portobello Road market or Brick Lane, but the atmosphere is still fantastic. There was an excellent group of buskers in their 20s, with a saxophone, double bass and guitar, doing jazz versions of pop classics (Spice Up Your Life by the Spice Girls was my personal favourite). A huge queue snaked outside a lot of the little cafes and shops, including Fin and Flounder, one of the best fishmongers this side of Billingsgate. There is also a traditional Pie 'n' Mash shop that sells traditional cockney fare, along with Jellied Eels, an acquired taste. 

The first stall that really caught my eye was selling freshly made, free range organic scotch eggs. I've always been a fan of this quintessentially British picnic food. Thought to have been invented hundreds of years ago at Fortnum and Mason, the Queen's local supermarket, scotch eggs are a firm favourite with people from all walks of life. The stall did a variety of adventurous flavours including an Indian curry version and one made with black pudding. However, I chose the classic version and it was probably one of the best I've ever had (and I'm no stranger to farmer's markets). The breadcrumb coating was rich and not overly stodgy; the pork was flavoursome with just the right blend of herbs; the egg was perfectly cooked, with the yolk still slightly soft. The bright yellowy orange colour is only found in the freshest, best quality eggs.

 

As its the new year, I (among millions of others) have joined the gym, massively reduced my carb intake, and started eating at least 5 portions of fruit and veg a day. I have already lost two inches off my waist in a month, and dropped a jeans size. So clearly, the only way to celebrate was to buy some cheese. When visiting a market, don't be shy to ask to try a product before you buy it. Its worth taking your time to choose carefully, after all, the early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. Don't be put off by the price per kilo - I always ask for the tiniest slice available and get £1 of each. 

The first that I tried was a Wiltshire cheese, soft, creamy and reminiscent of Brie, but with a stronger taste similar to Reblochon. It comes with the rind on, and its your choice whether to remove it or eat it all. I personally feel that its a lot less messy to leave the rind on, especially if melting the cheese. The second one that I tried was a herb and garlic cheese that also looked creamy but in fact, tasted stronger than a vintage Cheddar. You only need to use a tiny bit, and it is more suitable melted onto some rye toast, or on a naughty day, grated into mashed potato. 

I also found some amazing homemade tarts from a group of bakers called Popina, who also sell their products in Notting Hill, Clapham and Islington. The deal was two for £5. I chose one with wild mushrooms, gruyere cheese and leek, and another with butternut squash and cheddar. They tasted truly amazing, with an abundance of filling and tasty, flaky pastry without the dreaded 'soggy bottom'. I ate mine with a rocket and lambs lettuce salad with an oil and balsamic vinegar dressing. 

The last stop was to a stall run by The Meringue Girls. They started out in Hackney and have grown to be very popular, working at pop up fashion events and supplying Harvey Nichols and Selfridges. I'm a sucker for a deal, and so bought 9 meringue kisses for £3.50. There was a variety of flavours, my favourites being chocolate, passionfruit, gin and tonic, and coconut.

 Its probably best to not eat them all in one go, as essentially they are just egg whites and about a kilo of sugar. I definitely recommend Broadway Market to anyone with a love of food. 

Everything in moderation is fine - you have to treat yourself once in a while. 

Yaasica Lucia XXX

One man's trash is another man's treasure...

"Everything I buy is vintage and smells funny. Maybe that's why I don't have a boyfriend" - Lucy Lui, actress. 

I love vintage shopping, and often spend my weekends searching through markets and antique stores to try and find a bargain. As the old proverb says, 'one man's trash is another man's treasure'. Around the world, ordinary people are still feeling the knock on effects from the global economic crisis; we've gotten used to using buzz words such as 'credit crunch' and 'double dip recession'. In one way or another, we are suffering from the cost of living rising above the rate of inflation, coupled with wages being frozen. Even my home town of Framlingham, one of the wealthiest parishes in the country, has had to open a 'Food Bank' (where people can receive free emergency food supplies) because some of the residents are living in relative poverty and are unable to afford to feed themselves. Against this backdrop, it is no wonder that people are turning to thrift store shopping, made ever more popular with the release of the Macklemore song 'Thrift Shop', lamenting the idea of spending fifty dollars for a t-shirt. 

And although the idea of thrift shopping is not a new one, it is becoming ever more popular. However, there is still a great deal of difference between 'thrift shopping' and buying something 'vintage'. As Sloane Crosley says, 'our culture [has an] obsession with vintage objects... People want heart, they want a chaser of emotion with their aesthetics'. With the high street playing clone wars and rolling out identical items, and designer items reserved for birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas, I have joined the quest for something vintage, unique, and affordable. 

One of my favourite areas of London is Notting Hill, a love that was inspired by the film of the same name, and enhanced by visits through the years to the annual Carnival, and walks around the awe inspiring houses that I yearn to live in (maybe one day!). Of course, you cannot visit that area without walking along to Portobello Road Market, one of the best in the country. 

The road is lively, bustling, colourful. The stalls sell clothing, shoes, jewellery, gifts, a vast array of items to peruse at your leisure. The food stalls sell delicious french cheeses to die for, although I recommend buying it towards the end of your visit, as I found I was wafting the smell of Camembert wherever I turned. Also on sale are fresh fruit smoothies, any type of burger/hotdog from budget to gourmet, and Churros, a long mexican donut covered in sugar and cinnamon, which tastes delicious dipped into chocolate. If you fancy queuing and paying a premium, then pay The Hummingbird Bakery a visit. 

The most recent item I picked up from Portobello Road was this hand knitted jumper in perfect condition, for £10. I normally wear it with my hair in loose, messy curls, black leggings, pumps and oversized gold or silver jewellery. It's really warm and a lot thicker than your average high street jumper, but a fraction of the price of new hand-knitted clothing. 

At the opposite end of the city, in East London, lies Brick Lane market in the heart of Shoreditch. The area is buzzing with people from all walks of life, different sounds, smells, and sights, including some amazing street art. 

 If you visit there, the first stop should be to the 24/7 Beigel shops, that serve world famous bagels at ridiculously low prices - £1.60 for salmon and cream cheese. The sandwich giant Subway had the audacity to open up an outlet across the lane - but many people have boycotted it. I prefer the original shop, opened over a century ago, which is the one on the left, as it has a greater range of flavours including mouth watering, tender Salt Beef. If you fancy something more substantial, Brick Lane is one of the best areas in the country to go for a curry, and most of the restaurants do pretty good deals. 

After satiating your appetite, you can then move on to the serious business of shopping. The area has always been great for vintage finds but has expanded in the past few years as the area gets more and more popular. My favourite stores are Rokit and Beyond Retro, which was where I found a vintage Lacoste jumper a few years ago for the bargain price of £7. Buying an equivalent of this new would cost £70-£150. 

On recent trips back to Suffolk, I've managed to pick up some other brilliant vintage finds in the pretty little towns of Southwold (a gorgeous cameo broach for my faux fur coat) and Woodbridge (a genuine vintage Gucci bag, which is bordering on vulgar and had a lingering smell of cigarette smoke but I love it). 

  

However, one must be careful when shopping for vintage. On a trip to Camden market a couple of months ago, me and my friends were offered a 'genuine, original vintage' shirt for £25. When we read the label, it said Cedarwood State - the male clothing section of Primark! I dread to think how many people have been ripped off with scams like that. 

Sometimes thrift shopping and vintage collide and intertwine. In Stepney, a shop has opened called 'The East End Thrift Shop', clearly riding on the back of the popularity of the Macklemore song. There was a lot of hype on Facebook and Twitter and the photos looked great. However, when we arrived I was very disappointed. The whole place had an awful funky-in-a-bad-way smell, and the clothes did too. A lot of the clothes were dirty, smelly and stained. One sweatshirt looked like it had a large amount of gravy on it, but retailed at £10. Let's make this clear - you cannot and should not sell a stained top for £10 and claim it is vintage just because it originated pre 2000. Further, these places are making a profit, whereas charity shops in the UK and places like Goodwill in the USA only sell items for the benefit of helping people less fortunate. In times where there are Food Banks in the wealthiest countries in the world, surely it is better to do your thrift and vintage shopping in charity shops and markets rather than in smelly hipster warehouses in the East End? 

You can genuinely find some great items in charity shops. When I was younger I volunteered at Oxfam in Woodbridge, and someone donated some genuine Jimmy Choo heels, although unfortunately they were a size 3 or 4 and too small for me. My friend manages the St Elizabeth Hospice store in Aldeburgh, a town that has extremely wealthy residents and visitors, and has received donations of designer clothing from the likes of Ted Baker, to CHANEL! Therefore a great tip is to go thrift/charity shopping not on the high street, but in wealthy areas such as Chelsea, in order to find the best deals. 

My Tips for Vintage and Thrift Shopping 

DO

• Research the area and the store before going there.
• Have an open mind, and be prepared to see a lot of trash before you find your treasure.
• Check the item carefully for stains or breakages that would leave the item unwearable, as most places to not give refunds. 
• Make sure you thoroughly clean any jewellery before wearing it, especially items such as earrings. 
• Take a visit to your local charity shop or Goodwill centre. 

DON'T

• Be unrealistic - not every single shopping trip will be successful and you won't always be lucky enough to find something designer. Be positive and keep trying. 
• Buy something for the sake of it - the fact that it is vintage or cheap does not mean that you are going to make use of it. 

All that being said, I will still continue to shop on the high street and lust after designer labels. It would be pretty impossible and frankly unsatisfying to only thrift shop or only wear vintage items. Often, people that do that can seem like they are trying just a little too hard to be unique and different, only to look like everyone else. As Coco Chanel said, 'fashion fades, only style remains the same'. As much as it may be the fashion to look like you're wearing your grandad's clothes, it must still be done in a timeless manner. Mix it up, wear something from Zara with a thrift store bag, or add a vintage broach to a faux fur coat from New Look. 

Remember, you should always reflect your personality in your clothes, but never be defined by them. 

Yaasica Lucia XXX 

Ethics vs. Aesthetics: The Fur Issue

"In a meat-eating world, wearing leather for shoes and even clothes, the discussion of fur is childish" - Karl Lagerfeld 

Love it or loathe it, fur is back with a vengeance this season. From headbands and stoles, to full on fur coats, this is the quintessentially glamorous clothing to be seen in this winter. Fur conjures up images of 1950's movie stars, with siren red lipstick and diamonds. 

Anne St Marie, 1950's 

Karl Lagerfeld once said that wearing real fur was synonymous with using leather and eating meat. However, that is not strictly true. Indeed, animal welfare has improved enormously over the past few decades, with companies such as "Happy Eggs" ensuring that their chickens are free to roam around; and Anchor Butter, who use free range cows with the slogan, "if cows were meant to be kept indoors, they would be born wearing slippers". Horse meat scandal aside, the welfare of animals reared for human consumption is a world away from the frankly disgusting conditions of modern day fur farms where the skin is ripped off animals that are often still alive (take a look at www.peta.org.uk for a more in-depth analysis). 

Recently I've been exploring weekend markets and picking up vintage items from Portobello Road and Brick Lane. You will find rows and rows of fur coats, some real and some fake. Call me a hypocritical ex-vegetarian, but there is something about real fur that gives me the shivers when I touch it. Mink fur is absolutely beautiful but I cannot handle it. For me, there is an issue of both the ethics of real fur, but also the cost of it when compared to faux fur. It used to be the case that fake meant ugly, but things are starting to change. 

This season, Versace have released a 100% Raccoon fur coat for £3020. 

I feel that there are infinitely better options, both ethically and price-wise. Staying high end, I love this faux fur coat from Alice+Olivia by Stacey Bendet, originating from my second favourite city, New York. At £445 I feel that this would be a much better buy. 

However, a far more budget friendly version for people (myself included) who spend half their salary on rent, New Look have a similar version for £44.99. 

I'm a huge fan of Marc Jacobs, and both his own fashion brand and his work at Louis Vuitton have included some of my favourite pieces in the past few years. Whilst browsing Net-a-Porter, I began to lust over this antique rose coloured fur coat from the Marc Jacobs collection, at a staggering £8000. 

However, my heart sank as I read the description: 100% fox fur, lined with lambs leather, originating from Finland. Again, as much as it may seem hypocritical as I am not a vegan, I couldn't ever wear fox, or any other animal that was killed purely for the skin on its back. Obviously this is such a debatable issue that will not be ending any time soon, especially when in some cultures, fur is necessary for survival in the sub zero winter months. Nevertheless, £8000 is more than I would dream of spending on a coat, at least for the foreseeable future! 

This winter, I scoured the shops and found a gorgeous coat from New Look at £54.99. 

A beautiful, silky brown colour with a chevron pattern in the fur, it has actually been mistaken for being the real deal, which I profusely corrected. With red lipstick and an LBD, it leaves you feeling a million dollars (rather than, in reality, about 50 quid). Unfortunately it is completely out of stock online, but keep an eye out in stores or on eBay and you may be lucky! Or of course, pop down to a vintage market where there are bound to be hundreds of similar ones, albeit with the lingering smell of mothballs. Even Karl Lagerfeld himself has this season designed a faux fur coat at £390, a fraction of the price of Versace's offering. 

The way I see it, faux is the way to go. 

Yaasica Lucia xxx