Polo darling...Polo | No comments:





CREW

June, its JUNE! So it is officially summer and there was no better way to kick of this years summer antics than an outing to Polo in the Park... oh darling! Obviously I left finding an outfit till the last minute and well what happened? Full-blown FASHION ANXIETY is what happened. This is a genuine thing, literals. After spending 4 hours walking up and down Oxford Street, in and out of changing rooms up and down those awkward escalators in Topshop with time just tick tick bloody ticking! I was failing. First came Zara, the undignifyingly skinny model shone at me from outside, wearing this gorgeous pink blossom dress...BAM! GOTCHA...an outfit just like that. If only it was that easy... Because oh no, I looked like one of those Japanese pink dolphins, in other words, a beached whale. After frantically trying on what felt like a million and one two things, I know HELLO drama queen - I found...well...nothing.

Pros: I drank some PINK coconut water, yes there are apparently pink coconuts (or i am just...nuts)
Cons: The list is endless.

OK so after being an absolute, god-forsaken drama queen I woke up super early and successfully pieced together my outfit. With the sun shining and making more than a rare sojourn, it would only be polite to save the black till ce soir and lavish it up with blush pinks and Hollywood whites. Blush pink is definitely a key colour this season. The blossom trees might be dying y'all but this colour is growing on me more and more each day!

P.S I love these shoes...

These beauties are in Topshop this season, available in Blush pink, White and Black
 

So the outfit: FYI. I have 4 suitcases filled with clothes exempt from my wardrobe which I have been told need to be sorted. WHY? Because I have too many clothes.. some dating back to 2007 maybe even the 90s...I kid you not. WELL HELLO...I am a complete and utter clothes hoarder? DON'T MAKE ME DO IT. Guess what.. that dress I am wearing, I have had it since I was 16 maybe even longer and it was in one of the 4 cases! I know this because I wore it that time my father (without agreement) put me forward to sing with the live band on the biggest cruise ship of the world...

"aaaaaand now we have Bianca Caplan, all the way from London singing My Heart Will Go On!" ummmmm.....yeah so that totally happened. The video still haunts me today. I sang at the very front of the ship in front of a good 200 people...more over Celine Dion.

I pieced this Lipsy white tea dress with a baby pink Zara blazer which I accentuated by adding one of my Chanel pins. Oh you thought my jacket was Chanel? Whilst it unfortunately isn't, this jacket portrays a supple fabric with a sophisticated quality which in turn could trick anyone into thinking it was Chanel and when you add a pin well... How's that for Designer vs. Highstreet.



I dug up one of my flower crowns (not literally...the roses are fake) and Voila! I had managed to put together a look, with my favourite colour of the season and not spend ANY money! The day itself? It was TOO much fun. Seeing as it was PIMMS O'CLOCK, we all enjoyed a 'Personal Pimms' at all times. AKA too much Pimms to handle, who needs a cup when you can have a jug..........EACH #goals

What I Wore:

 

White Tea dress - Lipsy

Pink Blazer - Zara

Brooch - Chanel

Shoes - Balenciaga

Handbag - Chanel Boy Bag (TOTAL LOVE)

Flower Crown - Ebay
Sunglasses - Louis Vuitton

FESTIVAL FASHION: SOUTH WEST FOUR DAY 2 | No comments:

SOUTH WEST FOUR

DAY 2 - SUNDAY

 

BEST BITS:

- EATS EVERYTHING

- LAURENT GARNIER

- DEADMAU5

- ERIC PRYDZ

- SHADOW CHILD

 

WHAT I WORE:

GREEN TARTAN SKORTS - TOPSHOP

GREEN TURTLE NECK TANK - TOPSHOP

BIKER BOOTS - TOPSHOP

FRILLY SOCKS - TOPSHOP

SUNGLASSES - TOPSHOP

HAIR SCRUNCHIE - PRIMARK

BACKPACK - PRIMARK

From L-R: Alicia, Julia, Martha, Dan, Melissa, Ollie, Bea, Pippa

BUSTIN A MOVE, OR MAYBE TWO

THE RISE OF THE TARTAN!!! Oh how I have missed you! Yeah...yeah... I know it's technically 'still' summer and whilst we squander at the ever-disappearing range of summer clothes, slipping from the rails; the shop floors are being smothered with AW14 lines, and oh my, I can't help but get over excited whenever I spot a bloody good piece of Tartan. This time around though, good old Charlie Robson picked out this winner...you fashionista YOU! Topshop's Tartan Skort. Looks a lot like a kilted mini skirt from the front, but is most definitely shorts when looking from the back. A green, woven tartan made with deep, indulging forest greens, the creme de la creme of warm winter colours.

The skort? This little skirt/short combo is too comfy, however due to being such a BAD A$$ BITCH my ass doesn't want to fit into a size 8...honestly though I love it when that happens. Bain of my life...LITERALLY. Anyways, although the size 10 comes up larger around the waist, I still opted for these and obv matched them with one of my staple pieces this season - the cropped turtle neck tank. TOPSHOP you do aim to please don't you! For a mere £10 you can get them in an array of colours, of which I now own 5 and well, they go with everything! £50 well spent in my eyes unless your my dad and the question "where does all your money go Bea?" springs to mind........

......Hmmm.....

I'M WEARING IT.

 



Bea {x}



FESTIVAL FASHION: SOUTH WEST FOUR DAY 1 | No comments:

SOUTH WEST FOUR

DAY 1 - SATURDAY

 

BEST BITS:

- JAMIE JONES

- ALESSO

- LOCO DICE

- ABOVE & BEYOND

 

WHAT I WORE:

BURGUNDY CROPPED TURTLE NECK - TOPSHOP

GREY WASH DENIM SKATER SKIRT - H&M

BIKER BOOTS - TOPSHOP

'B' VARSITY JACKET - TOPSHOP

FRILLY SOCKS - TOPSHOP

SUNGLASSES - TOPSHOP

DENIM WASH BACKPACK - PRIMARK

 

Whilst I've had my fair share of raving this summer with Ibiza still not getting ticked off my list (boo you whore), it feels like this is the end of my festival frolicking this summer. Last time I checked...summer went sour; I mean the frizzy hair paired with the unpredictable weather is becoming far more than just a nuisance. The 'WHAT DO I WEAR TODAY' fiasco is becoming a serious issue. It is too humid to wear a puffa jacket but it's pouring with rain; so you either NEED some form of hood/hat/umbrella or anything to cover your damn hair! Not even good old John Freida can help me here.....which is why I decided to go eau naturale for SW4 (and no that doesn't mean I went naked..)! Embracing my natural curls has been serving me extremely well recently and I am growing to love it more and more! It is SO funny how: as you get older you realise that 'things' you wouldn't do or wear are now becoming far more appealing and so totally acceptable!

Saturday's look was...well this time I am going to go from the bottom up. I literally can't get enough of these frilly socks! They just accentuate every outfit. My green frilly socks were yet another one of Bea's BARGAIN BUYS! I stumbled across these bad boys in the queue for paying, in which I discovered they were only £2 a pair...OBVIOUSLY I bought about 6. This particular style is a fold over design, like what you wore in prep-school. The socks pair perfectly with my biker boots by folding them over my boots. As for the skater skirt...you have all seen this before, my bargain buy from back in December last year! I whipped it straight off the sale rail for a mere £6...winning!

The cropped turtle-neck tank...STAPLE ITEM THIS SEASON. I am now the beholder of this top in white, black, burgundy and dark green and I bloody love it! Turtle necks are so cute paired over/under and with pretty much anything. I tend to wear them under dresses and paired with skirts...mainly because I tend to NEVER wear trousers see here.

If you're as edgy as a circle, try these circle frames....these shades are quite punchy and can alter an outfits image entirely.

There are just two more music festivals booked into the diary for this year:-

- The Zoo Project (YES that means dressing up as animals RAWR)

- Ceremony Festival (comes from the creators of FOUND Festival situated in Finsbury Park)

 

Bea {x}

Work IT Girl | No comments:

Whilst I can't stroll into work wearing leggings and the latest tee (not that I would ever want to..I don't know if you have noticed but I DON'T do trousers..like ever) I still love getting all dressed up for work. Another plus is that I am not forced to 1) wear a corporate suit and 2) wear the same damn suit every single bloody day. Being a receptionist, this can sometimes be asked of you.

Dressing for work, I like to express my classic and signature, sartorial style, so the skirt, shirt and bow combo is always a winner - usually worn on Friday's or more often than not, 'Thirsty Thursday's'. Today, I have gone for my signature dress and collar look. If you haven't met me, or are new to The Sartorial Doll - I LOVE ANYTHING WITH A COLLAR, and no matter what, I will still try and shove a shirt slash collar under any dress, cardigan or jumper (I'm verging on obsessed...and yes mother, I can breathe...why wouldn't I be able to?)

This classic, black shift dress is one of my favourite bargain buys; anything bought from Primark in my opinion is...a bargain buy. For a mere £13 I have worn it probably over 100 times over the past 3 years and hell yeah it's still in perfect condition. With the addition of my (American Apparel) cropped shirt and dainty Chanel necklace this look is non-chalant and understated, a look fit for both work and apres-work playtime! Need a splash of colour? Add a silk scarf, my fave's come from the likes of Louis Vuitton and (OBV) Hermes.

TIP: Black shift dresses are beyond versatile, try pairing these with a long or short shirt worn underneath, or alternatively try adding a detachable collar.
Add a cropped jumper, cashmere cardi, fitted jacket, or your boyfriend blazer and you will find that this look can be re-invented a million times over.
In addition to this, try frilly socks and wedges for that/spring summer look, or tights and trucker boots in the winter! EVERY GIRL NEEDS A CLASSIC, BLACK SHIFT DRESS.

Due to the bipolar weather that we ALL love to hate in London, I opted for a black cashmere cardi from none other than my grandmother's fave - M&S (btw their cashmere is affordable and so comfy, as taught by my wonderful grandmother). As for the shoes, my fellow doll at work gave me these as a brand, spanking new hand-me-down due to them being too small. Thanks Doll! They were £25 from New Look and are honestly some of the most comfortable shoes I own.

Whats with the flowers? Give a girl a bouquet and she's sure to run off with it...okay maybe that's just me! If someones not going to give them to me...I'll give them to myself.

Bea Wears:

 

Black Shift Dress - Primark

White Cropped Shirt - American Apparel

Cashmere Cardi - M&S

Peep-Toe, Studded Heels - New Look

Necklace - Chanel

Silk Scarf - Louis Vuitton

Bea {x}

Ombré Ombré Ombré | No comments:

 

 

 

 

Having your hair done is the ultimate pick me up and I love reinventing my look; I mean isn't that what your twenties are for? Whilst I am known for my fiery red hair, I have (temporarily) opted for Ombré locks which undoubtedly (thank god) was a successful endeavour. My hairdresser Ben is beyond great, not only because he feeds me champagne like water and makes me laugh profusely, but because he actually listens to what I want and I ALWAYS walk out of the salon smiling as opposed to calling my BFF to be like 'oh...great...I look like a poodle' or the classic 'I look EXACTLY the same'. More often that not I have been told not to do something by a hairdresser because apparently girls all over the world are spending hundreds of pounds to get my hair colour and it is beautiful. OK that is lovely and I adore my red hair, but now and then I like to (temporarily) change it, SO PLEASE LET ME.

This season I dared to try the Ombré effect, however, Ben only applied a temp colour on the roots because otherwise the re-growth would have been putrid. Can you imagine the ginger roots with a VV dark brown middle section which then gradients into bleach blonde? I might as well be a tiger or a bizarre sandwich filler... trending? I don't think so?

Overall, I absolutely love it, and had my eyebrows tinted darker to match!

The House of RUSH (Piccadilly)

200 Piccadilly

London

W1J 9HU

020 3393 2282

http://www.rush.co.uk/salons/the-house-of-rush

Bea {x}

SAMPLE SALE: SOPHIA WEBSTER | 2 comments:

 

 

 

Nothing better than a glass of Prosecco after running a half marathon...and buying SHOES!

This continues to baffle me...if anyone is familiar with how this is done PLEASE TELL ME.

One of the perks of having a BFF in fashion PR is that you get to know about all the sample sales; who, when and where. I for one love a bargain, and I have been quite lucky when it comes to shoes lately and no matter what I'm doing I can always find time for a good ol' sample sale. 

So who was it this week? SOPHIA WEBSTER! If you have read one of my LFW blog posts from back in Feb (see here) you may have figured out that I am a huge fan of Sophia's eccentric aesthetics and quirky, youthful style. A shoe designer at best, Sophia's shoes are colourful, fun and flirty...yet expensive! So when I reached the finishing line of the Roding Valley Half Marathon to receive a call from Claudia asking me to go, I couldn't say no! No matter how much my legs demanded that I rest I jumped straight in the shower, grabbed a bagel 'to go' and off I went to Covent Garden...

Being the UK average shoe size of a 5, it meant that on my arrival most were AS USUAL gone. After trying on several styles in my size I got myself in a tizz regarding the fact 'Giselle' weren't in my size. Of course this pair of gorgeous black booties were all gone. I went for broke and tried a 4 1/2 and ... THEY BLOODY FIT. So about 10 minutes later I was £150 poorer but I had treated myself. Oh YARRR. A shoe fit for Queen B, Sophia's addition of what appears to be tiaras on the front of each foot is just what caught my eye. Total love!

Claudia also purchased a pair of black slouch booties, hers more elaborately detailed than mine with metallic-thread embroidery and an open toe with stiletto heel. 

All heels were £150 with some being £200. Samples were £50 but were all in stupidly large or small sizes. The mistake many (including myself) make with sample sales is that you are inclined to buy something because it is 'designer' and 'cheaper'. DON'T. 80% of the time you are still spending over £100 on the piece and well... If you don't love it, DON'T BUY IT. I spent over an hour faffing over several pairs of shoes at the Nicholas Kirkwood sample sale, only to realise I didn't actually like any of the shoes in my size. Close to spending over £300 I refrained and left without regret. The key to bargains is to not buy rubbish but buy golden goodies that have a story to their purchase! If you find that golden goody, grab it, then go treat yourself to a glass of prosecco, just like we do! Retail Therapy...

What we wore:

 

Bea:

Dress - Sister Jane

Ostrich Feather Gillet - Miss Selfridge

Sunglasses - Topshop

Claudia:

Cheque Cigarette Trousers - Topshop

Follow The Sartorial Doll on Twitter to keep updated with upcoming sample sales! @sartorialdoll

If you haven't checked out Sophia Webster you can do so here! 

Bea {x}