John Lewis Christmas preview event

Last week John Lewis held it's annual Christmas preview event the Kuku Club in Cardiff's Park Plaza hotel. 

This event has to be one of my favourite events of the year. If you read this blog regularly, then you'll know it's always undeniably beautiful. From the annual pick-a-mix treats from John Lewis's latest christmas goodies, to the display of their new AW collections and christmas themes - everything is gorgeous!

Now, being the king of christmas and christmas adverts (I've heard Lily Allen is this year's John Lewis songstress), you immediately know that the themes are going to be amazing. This year's themes are Woodland wonder, Vintage Market and Odyssey.

I went to the event with the gorgeous Georgia Hathaway from The Fashion Oyster, and we spent our evening sipping some of very tasty cocktails, champagne and marmalade vodka, and making a little owl christmas cards with the very talented John Lewis sewing team. We also found out that John Lewis put on some craft classes so I'll try and find the details for you guys to have a look at. 

What always impresses me with this event is the attention to detail that Ryan and the team put into the night. Everything from the champagne arrival and pick a mix, to the variety of different brands available to chat to, make up stations and goody bags. 

Overall, a beautiful event! I've already spotted some beauties which I shall be picking up from John Lewis this season! 

By Mimi

She Wears: Whistle & Wolf

I know it's been a little while since I last blogged, but I have a treat for you. Say hello to Whistle & Wolf - a beautiful, young clothing brand brought to you by the team behind Playful Promises, which, if you didn't already know is a gorgeous lingerie brand. 

Whistle & Wolf's AW 13 is absolutely adorable and focuses on your shape and silhouette, which is why their designs are so bloody gorgeous. Every dress ecsentuates your figure in a non-obvious way. Delicately hugging your waist and skimming your knees; the dress are the epitome of vintage shaping. Plus, they are decorated in playful prints and patterns. I was lucky enough to be gifted a Whistle & Wolf dress which has quickly become a staple piece in my A/W transitional wardrobe.

As always, I grabbed the opportunity to ask the brand some questions.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

There are actually 3 of us inputting on the design for Whistle & Wolf and we get our inspiration from all over the place. Personally I get mine fromtravel, the world around me and imagining what I would like to wear. I design a lot of clothes that I want to wear and I think women like me would want to wear.

What do you aim to do with with your designs?

Create clothing that is feminine with interesting prints and quirkytailored details with fit and fabric quality all playing a vital part inthe finished designs.

Why did you make the decision to move into clothing as well as lingerie and what do you look for in designs?

As our lingerie range (Playful Promises) became more fashion inspired so my interest in fashion increased - it seemed a natural progression to start designing the covering for the lingerie - like building our own matryoshka dolls

Where do you hope to take your brand and what's the future for you?

We hope to see it available in more independent stores as this fits in with our ethos of being an independent brand ourselves. We also are growing the range. We want to add in more party dresses and more classic mix and match separates.

What's the process like from design to the finished product and how does it feel to see them on the website?

Actually the most exciting bit is seeing real life people wearing your product. In regards to the process we work on much the same schedule as other designers so we just finished designing AW14 as AW13 kicks in and now we have all the hard work to do before I get to the exciting bit of seeing someone wear one of our designs.

I've also fallen in love with these beautiful Playful Promises sets:

Limited Edition Pippa Dandelion Retro Bra £30

Anastasia Russian Floral Bra £45

By Mimi 

Hello I'm Mia and I'm a trainee journalist.

Bute Building - Cardiff University 

Yup, that's right. I finally started my postgrad course on Monday and now I'm officially a Cardiff University postgraduate magazine student! (yay!). 

After graduating from my BA Hons journalism degree in 2012, I made the decision to take some time out to sort out my funds and to gain a little industry experience. I was lucky enough to be given a job in Media Wales which meant I spent 9 months having a very good insight into the world of newspapers. During my time working for the company I was given the opportunity to write some really interesting stories, including a few front pages, but my heart stayed with magazines. 

Magazines intrigue me. Like most young girls, I was addicted to magazines. I wrote to them, created my own versions and cut out my fave pictures to stick in my little magazine scrap book, so knowing that I'm one step closer to having my own real input to the industry makes things very exciting! 

Leading up to my course, I spoke to a lot of editors, bloggers and friends about what they thought about the postgrad and I faced a lot of different opinions on it. Most, if not all, of the editors said they really valued a postgrad and all commented on the reputation that Cardiff University has. However, I did have a few people question my decision mainly because of the cost and the fact that there are other ways to make it in the industry. Nowadays anyone can be a journalist. 

Personally, I believe the course is invaluable and vital. In today's society and today's industry, I think it's incredibly important to have a strong knowledge of the industry and not just a talent to write. I believe that I have a responsibility to know the legal aspects of a story that I'm writing, which is why I believe that learning about media law is essential for any young wannabe journo - something that this course will teach me. 

Yes, it's costly but I believe that it's very important and I can't wait to develop as a journalist over the next few months. 

So what does it mean to my blog?

The course itself is pretty intense so unfortunately I'm not going to be able to blog quite as much as before. I'll try my best to post on the weekends but for the next few months, I really need to put my all into this course. Although we do have to create a new blog so keep an eye out for that! 

I have a few posts coming up this week so make sure you keep checking the blog. 

Oh, and lucky for me fellow Welsh blogger Georgia Hathaway from Fashion Oyster is also on the course! She's the sweetest most genuine person and it does help having someone you know there so you can both support each other during the tough days! (which I'm sure there'll be a lot of!) 

Anyway, I'd better head off. 

Love you lots 

By Mimi x

Friday Wishlist: Missguided

I've been pretty impressed with online bazaar Missguided lately. They're on trend collections and unique take on staple items have definitely drawn me in so, I thought as it's Friday and therefore Friday Wishlist time, I'd create a special Missguided one to show you all of the items that I've been definitely lusting over. 

It seems that whenever I spot something I particularly like on a friend or a blogger, it always turns out to be from Missguided! I love their prints and patterns and the obviously the fact I can pick up a few beauties that won't make my bank hate me! 

I've picked some of my favourite items from the shop. Which ones are you adoring? 

By Mimi

She Wears: Reverence Clothing

I've been meaning to do an outfit post with a t-shit from Aaron's brand, Reverence Clothing, for ages but we've had such busy weekends lately that I haven't got round to actually taking any pictures. 

It's been a few months since the launch of the brand and things are really getting quite exciting. I thought seen as I'm a blogger and this is a new brand, I'd do what I do with most new brands and show you how I'd style the t-shirt. My style lately is becoming verrrry lazy. I'm kinda turning into a t-shirt and shorts/jeans kinda gal, adding the odd print in here and there and a statement necklace to add something extra. 

Bijoux Bazaar - The Dalston

Being a lover of all things monochrome, my Rev t-shirt is perfect for my wardrobe. I usually pair it with my black leggings or jeans and my Topshop trainers or flatforms. For this outfit, I added my Bijoux Bazaar necklace to add a pop of colour. You can see my post on the brand here.  


Reverence are still looking for bloggers to take part in their "How would you style your Rev?" challenge whereby you get 25% off your order to purchase your tee. I guess this is my entry to the challenge! 

What do you guys think?

T-shirt: Reverence Clothing 

Leggings: H&M

Trainers: Topshop

Necklace: Bijoux Bazaar  

By Mimi

Introducing: Bijoux Bazaar and the girl behind the brand.

One of the reasons I love having this blog is because I get to introduce other people to the things that I've fallen in love with. Having this tiny little space on the net means I can write about the people I adore, the projects I'm in awe of and, the brands I'm inspired by. 

Today, I'm going to introduce you to Bijoux Bazaar - a new online jewellery boutique launched by one of the most creative, stylish and fashion forward thinking girls that can call a friend. Can you guess who? Yup, it's the lovely Lucy Smith - ( I've chatted to hear before on my blog, remember?). Lucy is a fashion intern queen (think ASOS, GRAZIA and Company) who graduated with a First Class Honors in Fashion Promotion.

Lucy's new fashion venture is her beautiful new baby - Bijoux Bazaar. This wonderful online treasure chest of the most beautiful jewels you've ever seen, offers you on trend, staple items for very easy on the eye prices. If you like statement necklaces, bejewelled cuffs and gem speckled earrings then Bijoux Bazaar is going to be your favourite boutique ever. Believe me.

Obviously, in true By Mimi style, I couldn't resist chatting to Lucy herself to get a little insight into her new project.

Q&A with Lucy Smith - founder of Bijoux Bazaar 
Hi Lucy, first of all, huge congratulations on launching Bijoux Bazaar! I've already bought my first purchase and my wish list has been written! Last time we chatted you had just completed your time working as a Company Grad - when did you decide to launch your own jewellery bazaar?  
I've always been business minded, but never really considered it as a career option until I was in my final year of Uni. As a kid I would drag my Mum to car boot sales to sell my old toys and clothes.. I loved the whole buying and selling thing.. a right little Del Boy! ha!

We know of quite a few graduates who have decided to launch their own brands, why do you think it's becoming so popular?
I think with the job market the way it is at the moment, graduates are having to get creative when it comes to making a living. Especially with creative courses.. students are becoming wise to the fact that they have made all of the contacts they need whilst at Uni, whether it's through class mates or whilst interning.

What can we expect from Bijoux Bazaar? Tell us about your inspirations/styles and where did the name come from?
Well, our site is quite basic as the moment. I hope to expand with strong editorial content and a stronger, more interactive website. I pretty much just shop for the business as I would shop for myself! I take into consideration trends, commerciality and what all of my friends are wearing and loving. They are my target customer.. so it's pretty easy in that respect. The name was something I agonised over for such a long time. I really liked the word 'bijoux', which is French for jewellery. The word Bazaar just completely encompasses the brand as a whole. I wanted the website to be like a digital Aladdin's cave.. like the bazaars and souks in Eastern countries.

Does an item have to have a specific look to catch your eye?
I guess I look for the more 'statement' jewellery. I've never really been a dainty jewellery lover.. the first thing my boyfriend said he noticed about me was the ridiculous sized turquoise stones wrapped around my neck.. so I guess that says it all. It's not to everyone's taste, but I would't feel comfortable selling something I didn't love and feel proud to offer our customers. 

We know that you're a huge admirer of fashion ( just take one look at Lucy's blog and you'll see the amazing depth of knowledge and keen eye for on trend pieces), so why did you decide to go down the path of jewellery?
Well I'm a huge accessories girl. They're a total outfit game changer, with jewellery being my guilty pleasure. I felt there was room in the market for an online retail destination where customers could shop beautiful trend let statement jewellery at affordable prices.

We know this is just the beginning, but what plans do you have for BB? What are you hoping to come of this new venture? 
It is hugely early days, as we only launched on Wednesday.. but I would like to see the business grow. I would love to build up a strong customer base.. stock a larger variety of jewellery and maybe branch out into other accessory areas. The main thing for me is developing the website. I have big dreams that I would love to fulfil, but I'm constantly reminding myself to take one step at a time. We have had a fantastic response already from customers and the fashion media. Look out for us in some of your favourite fashion glossies soon!

By Mimi

New Look: Infographic on the Evolution of Festival Fashion*

Since I was little, I've always adored looking back at the past - whether it be history (I was obsessed with the Tudors and Egyptians, seriously) or the fashion scenes (you must have heard me talking about my mod dad by now), so when I had a little email introducing me to New Look's timeline of Festival Fashion,I was kinda intrigued. 

As we all know and witness, fashion is forever changing, adapting, repeating and inventing and looking back at the styles and trends that we once loved and obsessed over, always brings back that happy nostalgic feeling. 

I'm sure many of you have looked back at old photos of yourself as a 90s kid and noted the styles that took over the decade and your wardrobe (hello bomber jackets and popper trousers). Well the lovely guys at New Look have decided to focus on festival fashion, as of course the season is once again up us. They've created a festival fashion timeline which takes you from the 1960s to 2013: picking out the styles and clothes that made it that year. 

New Look are always bang on trend when it comes to festival fashion. Whether you're looking for your staple denim shorts or your must-have gold cat ears (because ever girl needs cat ears at a festival) so they definitely know a thing or two when it comes to festival styles.

Festival fashion will always be an interesting one. Music has always and will always have a huge influence over the way we dress or look - whether we admit it or not, we aspire to dress like the stars that we love, so, not surprisingly, the fashion of a festival is an echo of the genre of music. 

During the 60s, we had the hippy chic that was adorned by the long haired girls at Woodstock. Then, by the 80s, out comes the oversized tees and leopard print which was seen on stars like Madonna. 

The styles we see at festivals are so inspiring because each decade, they evolved. Over the years, we've experimented with colours, textures and materials. We've dyed our hair, pierced our ears/lips/belly buttons and brightened our lip colour, and continued to follow the trends that dominated that season. 

That's just a little snippet of the styles that New Look have focused on. Check out the timeline below or head to New Look Infographic where you can find it in full. 

So, I wonder what next year and the years to come will throw at us?


Festival Fashion Timeline by New Look

From red to...

 

Very bright hair at the Company Magazine Blog Awards 2013

There comes a time in every red head's life when they question how long they can maintain their fiery locks, and, after 5 years of being a fake red, that time has come. 

From the very first time that I dyed my (then) dark brown hair red, I knew it wouldn't be forever, yet here I am nearly 6 years after (yes, I know that's hardly forever), questioning whether I can still pull off the red look.

I adore my hair and to be quite honest because my natural hair is quite fair (ash brown) it doesn't take a lot of dying or hair work to keep it bright. However, now that I'm on my way into my 20s, I'm starting to wonder when the right time would be to go for something a little more easy on the eye and natural. 

You're always told that there is no place in society for bright red dyed hair. Dramatic? maybe, but think about it. When you're in school, you are told that dyed red hair is unnatural and inappropriate. Then as you go closer to Uni, you're told that maybe red isn't professional enough to be taken seriously in a working environment. I don't personally believe that your hair should determine this but that's what is drilled into you. 


I've never really paid much attention to this kind of pressure until now, where I can think about is what I'm going to look like at 30, 40 etc... with fake red hair. 

Oh, When I talk about red hair in these circumstances, I obviously mean dyed red hair and not beautiful natural red locks!
So, what are my options? 

Well, as I said before, my natural colour is a fair brown, however, I'm not a fan of it (my little brother calls it grey, much to his amusement). 

For ages now I've been very tempted to strip it all back and gently highlight my ash locks but in all honestly, I'm more scared to go back to a natural hair colour than I was going red? 

A little darker than my natural colour

Can any of you guys help me decide? 

By Mimi

The Review Party

Every girl wants to work with their best friends right? Maybe open a shop or start something new and exciting? Well, whilst busy chatting on whats app about life after University a few weeks ago, my best friends and I decided to do just that. 

As a fashion blogger, I occasionally get asked to write about specific items or events, but recently I'd been sent a lot of information about new beauty products. Now, I'm a bit of an amateur when it comes to all things beauty related so I suggested to my friends that we all get together one night and try out some new products I'd been sent to see how they worked, and so, The Review Party was born.  

The Review Party is a brand new beauty blog which has a little something different to offer you. Written by myself and my best friends: Elinor, Stephanie and Sophie. The basic concept behind it is that every week or so, we all get together for a girly night and review new beauty products. As each of us have completely different looks (hair and complexion) we thought it would be quite interested to see how the same products looks on each of us. Plus, it's a great excuse for a girly night! 

Our first post is now up and tells you a little bit more about us and our blog. You can read about it here: blog

Also, we've just set up our twitter so make sure you follow @thereviewparty to keep up to date with news etc...

If anyone reading this is interested in knowing more about our blog or would like to work with us then email thereviewparty@gmail.com

Oh, and how much do you LOVE our blog banner? My brother, Corey, designed it! (copyright belongs to him). 

Make sure you check out the blog and let me know what you think! 

By Mimi

Jesse Wears: Matalan Blog!

If you read Matalan's blog last week then they you may have noticed a certain person and her little brother? A few weeks ago, I was asked by Matalan whether Jesse would be up for doing a special guest post for their blog! Obviously, he jumped a the chance of a shopping spree and having his photo taken and so on July 11, our little post was published! 

Jesse was so excited to see his face and pictures on their website and has been telling all his friends in school that he's "famous"! ha. 

It was lovely to be able to work with Matalan on this and also great to see that people have started to notice our little "Jesse Wears" feature. 

For the post, we decided to focus on holiday clothes seen as Jesse is going away in 2 weeks. We headed to our local store along with my bf, Aaron, and picked out some t-shirts, shorts and shoes that Jesse could try on. Clearly looking for Aaron's approval on some items, Jesse proudly marched out of the changing room to show him every single outfit selection! 

You can catch the blog post here. Do you guys like Jesse's picks?


The little one is already asking who he is going to model for next, asking me whether we should email Littlewoods as they apparently have "really cool kids" in there! 

I'm going to show you some of the many pictures that we took next week here on the blog. 

By Mimi, and Jesse 

New clothing brand: Bona Fide Clothing!

Apologies for the lack of posting lately. Working as a freelance writer 9-5 and also spending most of my free time either in the gym, learning shorthand or helping with a few projects, leaves me little time to blog. 

Anyway, you've probably seen me tweet about this a few times but it deserves a little spot on By Mimi. 

My very talented brother has launched his own clothing line, at the at of 19! I'm immensely proud of him and I want to share his designs and work with you. 

His brand is called Bona Fide Clothing and features "simple and minimalistic" designs which focus on black and white line drawings which are all hand-drawn illustrations, designed by Corey. 

The name, Bona Fide, comes from the Latin translation of "in good faith" which denotes "acts of sincerity and conviction". The simplistic yet intricate designs, according to Corey, are influenced by "art and culture" which "explore a number of different styles; from ancient to traditional to the modern day."

Corey has always been incredibly talented when it comes to design and drawings and as he's got older, he's taking more interest in fashion and style, so it's been amazing to see his unique designs actually come to life in a real product. 

The first collection "skull and roses" features two designs and is made from 100% fair trade cotton. Take a little look at the website and see what you think! (p.s, I've seen the new collection and they are amazing!).

By Mimi

Q&A with PAPERSELF lashes

 

So, as promised here is the Q&A with PAPERSELF. Find them   on Facebook and Twitter

Also, if you haven't already then make sure you check out yesterday's review. 

On By Mimi, we love to find out a little bit about those working in the fashion industry. It not only give yous you a little background into the brand or person that I've written about, but it also adds a little something extra to the blog. So, here's my 5 minute Q&A with PAPERSELF. 

 We know that you launched in 2009, but what did your first collection look like and how has it changed now?

PAPERSELF begun through a motivation to innovate the way people think about paper, turning it from a house hold item into an artistic piece of jewellery for the eyes. This passion created  “The world’s first and leading wearable paper-art eyelashes!” and we formed a new trend in the market. We have always focused on creating pieces of wearable art and have created (and continue to create) the first contemporary storytelling lashes.

Where do you get your inspiration from for your designs?

PAPERSELF eyelashes are filled with character inspired by the art of Chinese paper-cutting. Eyelashes blend an element of traditional culture with contemporary design. Each design has a symbolic meaning: Deer & Butterfly (Free, Beautiful and Sensitive), Peacock (Auspicious and lucky days), Birds (Happiness and Fulfilment). The lashes can be cut and combined in various ways for different occasions.

I remember seeing you at my very first fashion week in London, what did it feel like for you to be showcasing your lashes there?

As PAPERSELF are a London based brand, LFW is always the most premier high end place for us to showcase. We have also done a variety of other fashion weeks and shows across the world. However! LFW is a lot of Fun , a lot of press, and many vibrant and interesting people - very different to other fashion weeks we’ve showcased at.

What's been the most exciting thing for PAPERSELF?

The amazing growth the brand has had over the last few years has been very exciting. Winning the Nylon Beauty award 2012 and Being in Hollywood film the Hunger Games 2012 were also perks of our journey so far. 

What's next for you?

Many exciting things, This is the beginning of a Paper revolution- and we’ve only just begun!

There you go! Thanks again to PAPERSELF x

Make sure you visit the PAPERSELF website for more information, pictures and inspiration, and also how to purchase your own lashes! Send me a picture if you do!

By Mimi

PAPERSELF Lashes

A few years ago, I headed to London for my first ever London Fashion Week. I got a press pass through my blog and heading to Somerset House all on my own, ready to experience one of the most prestigious events in the industry. 

Polka dot lashes

This was the first time I came across PAPERSELF lashes and of course, I instantly fell in love. The intricate lashes which are made from paper, amazed me. The amount of detail and design that goes in to creating each set of these beautiful eyelashes is honestly astonishing, so when I was asked if I wanted to review a pair, I obviously jumped at it. However, in true By Mimi style, I obviously nabbed the opportunity to do a quick Q&A with the innovative brand which will be going live tomorrow at 12 noon. 

But first, let's chat about the lashes. The lashes come in many different forms, taking inspiration from everything from London to lace. The ones I received were the new Polka Dot pop lashes which featured beautiful bows and beads, which according to Paperself, represent "a subtle mixture of sweetness and funkiness" while "the leaves depicted by the embellishment of beads add a touch of sophistication". 

"Polka Dot Pop lashes are designed with exceptional attention to detail and originality to reflect the modern, intellectual women with an inner playfulness."

I also loved that they were inspired by pop art and the 60s! They are definitely ones that I would have picked out myself. 

Now, being the amateur that I am when it comes to make-up and beauty, I was a little nervous and wary about how I was going to put them on, but in all honestly, I found them VERY easy. I chose to cut mine into smaller segments so that I could wear them on the corner of my lashes and also across the whole of them. As I said, I'm a complete amateur when it comes all this beauty so it did take me a little while to figure out which way the lashes go on, however, for someone who has used lashes before, this will be very obvious to you, as pointed out by my best friend! 

The lashes didn't come with any glue, however I had some Eylure Lashfix handy from a recent goody bag so I used this. Once the glue was applied, I simply placed the PAPERSELF lashes on as shown in the tutorial below and viola, they were done! I was really impressed! I'm definitely going to be wearing mine on a special night out to add an extra something to my outfit. Perfect for the fashion forward gal! 

Here's a tutorial from Paperself on how to put your lashes on. 

By Mimi

Clothing brand launch: Reverence Clothing

If you follow me on twitter (@miaholt) then you'll know all about Reverence Clothing by now! It's a brand new urban clothing brand which was launched by my boyfriend TODAY! (yes, very proud girlfriend). 

Aaron has been into street art for a few years know and i've shown you some of his impressive artwork on my blog before, so the fact that he's turned his art into t-shirts and a brand is very exciting!

The designs are, naturally, inspired by street art, artists and stencil designs and were all created when Aaron was spray painting some canvases for his room. It all started with a spray painted design of a dog which Aaron would incorporate into different artworks, experimenting with different backgrounds and patterns. These ideas were then sampled onto t-shirts and Reverence Clothing was created! 

With the likes of Cara Delevingne and Rita Ora showcasing their love for urban clothing on a daily basis (all you have to do is check our their instagrams!), and with the trend becoming ever more powerful and mainstream, the tees are perfectly on trend. 



There are currently three designs for you to choose from: black leopard, white leopard and white dog (I have a white dog tee) and Aaron has already started designing the second collection (you'll have to keep an eye out as I'm not revealing anything ;) ).
 

  I've been pairing mine with either my skinny black jeans or my black leggings and working them into my wardrobe by adding some statement jewellery and shoes. 

As well as seeing the t-shirts on the website, you can also check out Reverence Recommends which will be featuring some of Aaron's favourite tracks. 

We'd love to see how you guys would style them so are thinking about launching a feature called "How would you style your REV?" and get you guys involved! 

As a new start up brand, we really appreciate your support so if you are on twitter, which I undoubtably know you are, you can follow Reverence Clothing - @revereclothing - to keep up to date with all the news and to obviously tell your friends how amazingly cool Reverence is yeah? ;) 



Also, if you would like to know more about the brand or the t-shirts, or would like any information or high res images, then email info.revclothing@gmail.com. 

what do you guys think? do you like the tees?

By Mimi